We went here for high tea to celebrate Valentines Day! The room smelled like sewer, bathroom stall had a toilet that was torn apart, they did not have the tea that was on the menu. The food was horrible!!!

Not worth $42

We had been to Afternoon Tea at Briarwood Inn last year during the holidays and enjoyed the total experience! Yum-fresh homemade warm scones, delicious quiche, tea sandwiches and superb service! They changed to an EVENT center. This year's Afternoon Tea was quite different and a disaster!
We had a 1:15 PM reservation, requesting a table in the West Room with a view. The hostess appologized that we had to wait 15 minutes, due to "a large number of unexpected walk-ins". We were ushered past numerous empty set up tables in the West Room with beautiful views. Our small table for four was in a dark room a few steps up from the main room with a view out the back door of the service area. The window shades were drawn and the general lighting was turned off. The waiter remarked about making sure the electric candle on our table was on and apologized for the other lack of lighting. He later removed the candle due to a lack of space on the table for the tea service. We ordered the Royal Tea service. The champagne was fine. Then we were served the COLD croissants; obviously NOT made on site. We inquired about the homemade scones we had last year, currently described and pictured on their website. The waiter reiterated the phrase about "an unexpected number of walk-ins" and assured us he would bring us some in a little while. The beef barley soup was next and tasty. The three tier tray was next. The top tier was pastries, middle tier was some sort of a warm deflated cinnamon pastry that he stated was the substitute for the scones. The lowest tier had a lukewarm, flavorless cheese concoction. NO tea sandwiches. At this time, the executive chef came by our table and apologized not for the food, but for the lack of lighting, stating that she didn't know how to rectify the situation. We overheard her giving other tables apologies for having to "cook what she was given to work with". Rewarmed leftovers from an EVENT? Totally new staff? We were given 25% off the bill.

Your restaurant is beautifully decorated for the holidays. Your table setting for Afternoon Tea is beautiful. However, I would like your chef's to re-think their Afternoon Tea menu. Instead of a large Bean Barley Soup, how about a small warm dish of Shepherd's Pie. How about traditional tea finger sandwiches of salmon, chicken, egg salad and cucumber. Last year you had delicious apricot scones that were so soft and served warm to the table....A smaller serving of fruit could be presented. A chocolate covered strawberry, for example, instead of a large bowl of fruit. My own personal preference is that the glass of champagne be served immediately after you are seated. Provide time for the champagne to be enjoyed, and then bring out the 3 tier savories and sweets.

I was very disappointed in tea at the Briarwood. I had been there for tea several times in the past, and it was acceptable to good. This time, the tea food selections were bad. What happened to the tea sandwiches?

Beautiful atmosphere, tasty food, friendly service. However, not enough food for the price being charged. Also, the tea being served, while it is good taste, you have nothing provided to keep the tea hot. Pouring more hot water on top of the tea leaves only makes the tea lukewarm and bitter because it has been stewing too long. May I respectfully recommend tea warmers, they keep tea hot. I have thrown tea parties in my home for years, and I use tea warmers and tea cozies and it keeps my pots of tea hot. No one likes lukewarm and bitter overly brewed teas, which is what happens when you don’t have a way to keep your tea hot.

The place is beautiful but definitely not worth the money we paid for the food.

Our server was awful! We were in the back room, it was lovely and the young woman who waited on us had a total of 5 tables. It took her 15 minutes to come up to our table for the first time. Each thing she did took an inordinate amount of time. She was making mistakes on each and every table, from difficulties with the bill, to bringing out cold food when it should have been warm. We were there for almost 2 hours and there were only the 2 of us. She seemed to be having a difficult time managing her station. I was asked by the hostess on our way out how everything was and I told her that there were some concerns. She insisted on getting the manager, even though I wasn't really interested in any kind of compensation. However, the manager, after asking me to relate my experience, had a very odd and off putting response. She said, "Well, we're going to have another tea in the spring and if you come back, I'll comp you a cup of tea." She then wrote down "complimentary tea" on a business card and gave it to me. I will not be back.

The atmosphere and food was delightful. A couple of things I didn’t care for...
1. Our three tier was only two tier. We didn’t want to make a scene but the bottom tier was missing.
2. Our plates were cleared but we did not get new plates instead we got tea saucers.
3. Our service was not acceptable for what I paid per person. First there was no dialogue at all and given it was a Christmas afternoon tea the server should have been more cheerful and attention to detail. Instead they had tables everywhere so they were not around to even check how the experience was going.
Honestly I was disappointed but my girls were home and I didn’t want to make it a big deal and I would only recommend based on the food and scenery not the service.

My friend and I find a new afternoon tea a couple times a year. We booked the Briarwood Inn for a Christmas tea/ get-together. Service was very good, scones yummy, fruit with orchid was a nice touch. However, my only complaint and being a frequent tea drinker it is a large compliant, tea leaves should not be loose in the teapot OR put less leaves in the pot. My tea continued to steep in the pot and was not drinkable by my second cup. They came around and put more water to help, but it was still too dark. Even my friend's white tea was too dark.

This was an exceptional high tea. One of the best I have ever been to.

This was our traditional holiday tea with the family, it will be the last at the Briarwood. WE had a moldy strawberry in our fruit cup (no replacement was offered), the tomato bisque soup, though tasty, was not even warm, the fritata and salmon sandwiches were not good and the baked goods were not up to par.
The ambiance was lovely, but because we had a later reservation time, they started moving tables around us for a wedding happening in the outside ara, this very much distracted from atmosphere we hoped to have while visiting with eachother.

Let me first say that I’ve experienced this tea several times. It’s our go to girls day out. Things have changed at the Briarwood, the tea food was not nearly as good and the wait staff not as attentive. The pastry offerings were not arranged appetizing and they tasted flat also. The tea was even just lukewarm

The service was very poor & slow just to get sandwiches etc. The food quality was NOT good. Desserts were mass produced & awful. Savory bites were tiny & weird for tea. Several of us were hungry after paying $42 plus a piece. Very disappointing for the Briarwood.

I have frequented the Briarwood for many years and have attended many of their teas. Unfortunately, the most recent tea I attended left much to be desired. We were served cold tea, which was corrected, but should not have happened in the first place. The scones were okay, nothing to write home about. The French onion soup was delicious and the best part of the meal. Instead of their signature, delicious quiche, we were served some square of egg thing that was cold and unappetizing. The only sandwich I enjoyed was the cucumber sandwich, which was very good. The desserts were sparse in comparison to previous years and mediocre. Considering what was presented, the price was pretty outrageous. I guess the Briarwood's decision to become a special event venue was a good one as the teas, at least, have gone from fabulous to not worth attending.

We went for the "Witches Brew Tea". It was FANTASTIC!! The atmosphere was so fun. It was a 12 year old's B'Day, & First tea!! She was blown away by the entire occasion. She will remember this the rest of her life!! LOVED EVERY MINUTE OF IT!!!!

The staff always goes above and beyond. The wait staff are always friendly and happy to be helping serve you tasty treats. I am always looking forward to the next time I will have tea at The Briarwood.

I was very disappointed with the afternoon tea.
The tea was warm
The service was minimal
The food was fair
I wont be doing this again I called ahead for special food for a person with allergies. She got a small bowl of fruit. All of which was tough.

I booked a last minute afternoon tea for my niece and me; we were visiting the area and the one I had booked cancelled on us. The food was outstanding, and for the price the high tea was well worth it. The service, however, was very, very poor. I don't know if it was because we booked literally an hour before we arrived, and the staff was hoping to leave (although there were two tables still sitting after we left) or if it was our dress...although we weren't in t-shirts and jeans, neither were we in afternoon sundresses. I, being 8 months pregnant, wasn't going to be more dressed up than I was (summer capris and a flowery, floral top) but my niece was in summer shorts with a more formal top. Anyway, there had to be some reason the person who sat us didn't say hello, didn't welcome us, didn't explain anything about the tea, practically threw the scones and accompaniments on the table, and never, ever smiled or said anything to us. Eventually another young woman took over the service, and although she wasn't completely unhappy and apparently displeased like her predecessor, neither was she friendly and engaging. She was much more pleasant, though. The restaurant was beautifully decorated and very simple , the food and tea were truly outstanding (my niece said she'd like a place just like it for her wedding), but the service (or lack thereof) detracted from what could have been an overall outstanding experience.

Attended Afternoon Tea for our first time at the Briarwood. Easily seated with our reservation, tea was excellent, the venue was lovely, but the food was not as expected for Afternoon Tea. As we were served our courses, never once did our server explain what we were eating. You'd think it would be customary to politely review what was just presented to you since some of it was unique. It's not specific on the menu but does list the courses. First course of scones were excellent with the clotted cream and jams. Second course was soup...but I didn't know what I was eating. My table and I guessed...and eventually asked one of the 2nd servers to find out it was artichoke truffle. Not bad but I had no idea what it was...it was pureed so not easily identifiable or distinct in taste. Next course was the tier of quiche, sandwiches and desserts. The sandwiches consisted of 3 selections of seafood. Who wants seafood sandwiches with Afternoon Tea? Especially if you do not eat and/or allergic to seafood. One item maybe but three for three - no. We had to ask our waiter again and were informed the menu rotates - which we didn't realize. I was expecting cucumber and egg salad...bummed we didn't get traditional items. Desserts were okay - too sugary on the Petite Fours, other items were fine.

Tip - remember to inquire what will be served prior to attending because you don't want to pay that much money for food you can't/don't want to eat. This just wasn't the Afternoon Tea for us, but now that you know...you could make it a better experience for you. It has potential but I wasn't properly prepared.

Last minute treat for my mum and I and loved the service, attention to detail and food. Began with freshly baked scones (still warm) with the cream and jam. A potato leek soup came next followed by the tea tower. 3 plates with quiches, finger sandwiches, individual desserts and a little bowl of sorbet at the end. Spent just under 2 hours having a quality experience with my mother. So good. Look forward to going back.

This was the first time coming to the Briarwood for tea. True to the Briarwood's brunch and dinners, the tea was also wonderful! Our server led us through the tea service explaining each course in detail. The mint green tea is delicious and the scones, sandwiches and sweets were all delightful. We ended up having to take some of the sweets home as the portions are more than ample. I highly recommend tea at the Briarwood for anyone looking for a true lovely example of what tea and tea service should be.

We were having a wonderful afternoon tea. We had reservations at 2:00 and showed up on time. At 3:00 we were barely finishing our tea (which is NOT cheap there) and our waiter came over with the bill and said that his manager had asked if we could finish up and go - the waiter said he would "advocate" for us to stay until we were finished.

This is a gem from a past era. Elegant dining in a spectacular building. Terrific, attentive service. The food was absolutely beautiful and wonderully presented but some didn't taste as good as it looked. For a tea, that's ok because there is always more food than one can eat anyway.

We all loved being served our own pot of tea from our own little tea pot.

The charming building, rooms, etc just need some TLC. I.e., stain and polish the wood. It would look better in soft lighting and in rhe evening.

I hope this makes it as it is a historic gem but without some refurbishing may not survive.

Since we have been here before, we expected the soup to be warm, scones softer and better
food. The service was just alright.
A this price and this place we do expect more.
Too noisy .
We did have some diet restrictions and they were taken care of.

This place has soooo much potential. I absolutely LOVED the ambiance, the multiple courses brought out for brunch, the tea was outstanding. The food, while it looked great - tasted horrible. It was as though it was a frozen meal heated up. If they could change their recipes into something tasty - I'd be here every week. It was beautiful. The champagne drink with a flower in it was awesome & tasted great. The lobster bisque, quiche’s, etc. - were not good. Even their scones tasted like they were from a box. If they fixed the food - they'd beat out the brown palace tea time every time.

Our waitress seemed to be a bit flustered, we waved her down after waiting about 15 minutes and nobody acknowledged us. Her response was flustered as well, stating that they had seated us and didn't tell her. (she had walked past us several times however) The place was Beautifully decorated, the food was great! I had requested a table by the fire place and was delighted that my request was honored! The waitress did become friendlier :) . Will definetely make this holiday tea a annual tradition!.

My husband and I enjoyed Afternoon Tea.....felt like we were in England. Scones were delicious - followed by soup and "finger sandwiches". Enjoyed a delicious, leisurely meal. You have your choice of numerous teas. Sweets also included. Wonderful, relaxing afternoon. Time to reflect and talk to each other while enjoying delicious food. Plenty to take home for another meal.

Our tea was fantastic. Hardly any customers. We were very surprised, it is usually crowded. Maybe Father's Day made it slow. Our waiter was great. Will be back very soon.

Wonderful spot for Tea. We really enjoyed ourselves. A person in our party was 45 minutes late and they could not have been nicer about it. They were great!!

I made a reservation through Open Table and got 2 confirmations via email but when I arrived at the restaurant the hostess said she had no reservation! She said are you sure that you made reservations here? This bothered me. She asked us to wait in the bar and, when she came out, I showed her the confirmation on my phone and she said "oh, it is today's date!".

I was concerned as it said reservations were required for the tea. She, then, reassured me that it was no problem and we got a wonderful table. It was a birthday celebration for a 13 year old and the waiter was wonderful. He even brought out some extra desserts with a candle for her.

I would had rated the whole experience higher if there wasn't the reservation issue.

We had a lovely tea at the Briarwood. The food was good, the ambiance wonderful, the service excellent.

Wonderful time at High Tea...will definitely do again. Liked it better than the High Tea at the Brown Palace Hotel. The restaurant was decorated beautifully for the holidays. A fun time was had by all in our party

We thoroughly enjoyed the Saturday afternoon tea! The food was very good and filling with soup, quiche, selection of sandwiches and desserts. The service was also very attentive. The Briarwood has great ambiance! I continue to have the Briarwood at the top of my list for Tea!

Waitress needed more training, food not traditional tea fare, over priced

The food was terrible. The scones were like muffins and the rest was just poor quality. Very disappointing. We usually go to the Brown Palace and from now on will only go there.

Very disappointing

Everything was just lovely, so elegant! Would love it if the price was lower. High tea always seems over-priced no matter where I go but this experience is stellar!

We went to the Briarwood for a baby shower. The staff was very accommodating and made sure we had everything we needed for afternoon tea. The atmosphere was very appropriate for tea. The piped in music was a little lame. They would have been better off sticking to purely classical and skipping the easy listening but this is just a minor complaint and obviously more musical preference. The food was mainly good. A couple of the tea sandwiches were a bit dry but the little cakes and chocolates were delicious.

I really enjoy drinking tea and talking with friends.

Our visit was for Christmas. It was crowded and we felt a bit rushed. But overall still a great experience