Duke House Tea Room & Bakery

Anonymous Dec 14, 2017 at 4:26AM

Went once before, was a pleasant experience aside from the extremely slow/spotty service which seems to be the norm [perpetually understaffed?]. This time, I took a friend to lunch and thought it would be the perfect way for us to spend a lazy afternoon after a very hectic morning. At 2 pm I hadn't eaten breakfast yet and wanted soup in addition to the tea, so I went for the fancy tea rather than just the tiered platter, since it included soup-- the obvious logical choice? 10 minutes after we sit we place orders, then another 10 minutes later someone comes out to chastise our table for ordering the fancy tea AND lunch, since the fancy tea takes HOURS and it is "impractical" for us to actually order what we would like to have. And basically are refusing to take our order unless we change it to something they deem acceptable. So basically, everyone at the table has to order the same thing, no one can have lunch and the tea, it has to all be the same. That I should just get the tea platter. So now I'm supposed to order the tea and soup separately for $10 extra because doing it together takes HOURS? After several minutes of scolding and being told why I can't order a tea at the Tea House, I finally ask for a menu since and pick a lunch item which I really didn't want and canceled my tea pot. Now I just want to eat and leave. The only reason this gets any stars at all is because my actual wait staff both times were extremely courteous, the decor is pleasant and the food is nicely done. Zero stars for everything else. 1. Every time I've ever had tea, including the extended version with savory and soup, it's an hour tops to serve and take away, half of it comes on a stand or plated. How does one scone, a cup of soup, a few tiny sandwiches/cakes, and lemon ice take 2 hours or more? 2. There is nothing on the menu that says everyone at a table has to order either the tea or lunch, because that is ridiculous. And why would I have to order soup and the tea separately when I can just order one that includes soup? 3. If I sat at another table and ordered tea, then talked across the table to my friend at the other table who ordered lunch, then could we eat? Or maybe I will just never go back and find somewhere else where I can order once, actually get what I would like to eat, minus the lecture on my choice being "impractical". Maybe you should call ahead and find out what they would like you to eat.

Anonymous Nov 12, 2017 at 1:49AM

Best service ever. Its a great place for a special elegant dining experience.

Anonymous Nov 2, 2017 at 3:29AM

Attentive service, great food. A wonderful afternoon tea experience.

Anonymous Oct 5, 2017 at 5:45AM

Lunch with several friends on a front porch with a view of the street. Delicious food with many choices. My dessert was the best scone I've ever eaten. Attentive service. We plan to go back some time.

Anonymous Sep 23, 2017 at 7:14AM

Great food. One of the best restaurant experiences in my life , great staff very pretty at night, YOU HAVE TO GO!!!!

Anonymous Sep 21, 2017 at 12:01AM

Lovely place for a delicious lunch or dinner! I highly recommend the pecan tea!

Anonymous Jun 10, 2017 at 7:01AM

Excellent. Friendly people. Top notch food. Reasonable prices. Great find in the Southern Tier.

Anonymous May 14, 2017 at 9:00PM

Great food. Service was awesome. We went for Easter and we were very happy with the selection.

Anonymous Feb 25, 2017 at 3:41AM

Big city dining experience at small-town prices. I came here last night with a friend and was completely blown away by the outstanding dining experience. We shared a bottle of wine and the hummus, and I had one of their nightly specials, seafood stuffed prawns. The portions were HUGE, the ingredients were fresh, and the service was on point. Can't wait to go back for lunch!

Anonymous Dec 23, 2016 at 11:23AM

Lovely decor, delicious food. Very enjoyable.