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    Courtyard Tea Room

    4.2 (281 reviews)
    PriceyTea Rooms
    Open 10:00 am - 4:45 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Courtyard Tea Room Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Courtyard Tea Room

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    Jamie A.

    Tea room experience at the library! This place was a wish for my bestie who wanted to have a pretty tea party day~ The experience is $72 per person and includes any tea, a plate of savory bites, one scone, and sweet samples~ the first meal a small fish bowl of feta cheese ~ check out the menu to see more, but the best plates was the savory set plate~ the one scone fills you up~ it has very filling and large~ last plate I went for was the sweets. I was actually full and only took bits of some sweets~ the apple pie spooons were my favorite. As for the tea, it was included in the experience and honestly, it's just enough and lasted all the way until I finished all my treats~ cocktails are an extra cost. Service was prompt and kind~ I am getting great service and attentive to details~ I think the experience was worth it and was filling. I was not left hungry!

    Scone
    Connie L.

    The Courtyard Tea Room is a beautiful space tucked away within the Boston Public Library. Definitely make a reservation in advance because they book out fast. Came for some Sunday Tea and we had a wonderful experience! They take you around the world with some French Macarons, Scones with Clotted Cream, Dubai Chocolate, and Alfajores to name a few. Some definitely tasted better than others (their savory options were much better than the sweet ones). Their Cozy Copley Tea is the perfect Earl Grey to complement your tea time experience. Our server was kind and professional as well. Highly recommend!

    Mal L.

    Without a doubt, make a reservation! It's a little hard to find but right before the stairs to the right and check in at hostess stand. The hostess wasn't very nice, pretty short with us, and seemed annoyed to be working. This was a trend for our visit. Food was great, and so were the cocktails, but the service was slow, and the staff seemed really annoyed. It was also pretty warm in there. I do wish they had a coat rack for jackets. And, next time I will bring something to hang my purse. The chairs are rounded so I had to set it on the floor. I'd try it again though.

    Felicia M.

    Took my friend here for her birthday and everything was just perfect. We started with sparkling wine at the bar. We were seated at a beautiful table where my friend received a lovely card from the tea room, wishing her happy birthday. We started with the latte tea, it was tasty but a bit heavy with all the food that was to come. I am gluten-free and it was so nice to see that I could get a gluten-free option while my friend got the regular option. Everything was just delicious if you want to have high tea for a special occasion this is your place.

    Short rib sandwich
    Kaitlyn F.

    We went into the Boston library to check it out and we were a little hungry so we tried to see if we were able to get a table for seven people and with just a little weight we were able to get one. This place is beautiful inside. The menu is small but it's good for just a quick bite. My husband and I split the short rib sandwich, which was perfect. I had a chai tea which was very large. This is a great place to come if you want to just have a drink or a small bite.

    Helen Z.

    I just got proposed to at afternoon tea here on Halloween, so I admit I am biased. However, we would have had a wonderful time here whether that had happened or not. We got here early and spent some time walking around the courtyard which was charming and not too crowded on a Thursday morning. The tea room is lovely and serene, and the menus and container with sugar are classic novels. When we were seated they actually gave us one of the best spots (there are only 2 by the window overlooking the courtyard). I got the oolong tea which was very fragrant and strong. My now-fiance got the most popular tea which was an earl grey with milk and sugar, and it was too sweet for both of us. Would have preferred if they had left sugar out so we could have decided the sweetness level. The food was cold but delectable--loved the mushroom tart and the lobster roll. The scone did not come out piping hot, but was a delicious pumpkin one with a crunchy sugar crust. I didn't love the macaron flavors because they were too flowery for my taste, but the rest of the sweets tray was nice. After you pay, they give you a cute bookmark to remember the experience. I would come again. I didn't want a super public proposal, so this place was actually perfect. The tables are spaced out enough that even with no music playing, you don't really hear other peoples' conversations apart from a subtle chatter.

    Perfect Pair
    Melissa Y.

    C'mon Darling, let's enjoy high tea! Wow, what a treat! I had no idea that this Tea Room even existed. Shame on me! A bunch of us went after a Christmas Play and we had so much fun, especially for the newbies. The Courtyard Restaurant is in the Boston Public Library and was stunning. When you first walk in there is a "walk-in" restaurant with a nice bar to sit down where no reservations are required. But, then you walk in a little more to their fine dining Tea Room where you have to make reservations. With white tablecloths and shiny silverware, I felt as if I was in London at a famous tea room and maybe even a Queen (ok I won't go that far) but it was something special. Our server Peter was awesome! We all ordered Tea because duh:) and then we also had a few cocktails too. I had their Matcha Latte which was delish and then ordered their Perfect Pair cocktail. My husband had their Oolong Tea and Stolen Moment cocktail. Our server informed us on what to expect and how the courses work. You don't get to choose your food like a normal restaurant. They give you one to see what is on the menu that day. Everything is prepared by the Chef and always changing. We had a Curry Carrot Soup with Pickled Carrots to start. Then came the Scones, which were so nice and warm with homemade kinds of butter (pumpkin and regular). Then the finale was the 3 tier assortment of figure sandwiches and desserts. Everything was fantastic and the service was phenomenal. It was a per person cost of $72 which to me was a bit expensive but it was also an experience which I highly recommend doing once in a lifetime.

    Marisa P.

    This was definitely on the upper end of my travel budget, but how often does one get to have high tea in the Boston Public Library? There are two different rooms one is dark and cozy with more of a bar vibe or the main room that overlooks the courtyard. If you take kids they do not have separate options for them, everyone must do the high tea so keep that in mind. The amuse bouche was an odd mixture of frothed sour cream and beets. Not sure if I would keep that one on the menu. Things went up from there with really nice tea options like white peach and earl gray. I didn't realize until later that the hollowed out book on the table holds the sugar cubes! What a cool idea. The tea tower consisted of finger sandwiches and savory pastry on the first level, scones with jam and butter on the second tier, and pastry at the top. Service is leisurely so you can chat and enjoy your tea without ever feeling hurried. Overall I enjoyed the experience.

    Dessert Menu
    Karan C.

    I really enjoy going for the afternoon high tea service at this place in the BPL in Back Bay. However, I thought the quality of the tea and food was not up to par compared to the previous time I was here. I think it's reasonably priced for downtown Boston and definitely better than most other places in Boston.

    Angela V.

    The space is beautiful and nestled within Boston Public Library. The tea experience is a prix fixe option with your selection of tea, of which there are several. The scone and mini sandwiches were my favorites. I could've done without the sweets but to be fair, I'm not big on macaroons or cookies. The service was lacking but I suspect that was our server rather than the ordinary pace at the establishment as the other waiter in the room was quite attentive to his table and at one point, assisted us as well. All in all, I'd attend again to give the tea room another shot.

    Lauren H.

    The tea room is something you must make reservations for in advance and costs about $75 per person. This tea service is in the library and is such a beautiful setting. The teas were tasty and something fun I hadn't had before! The food was amazing as well! I want expecting too much but they really did an excellent job on the flavor profiles and we did not leave hungry! Overall: I would recommend this to any book lovers who also love a tea service. It's a fun and unique experience if your city doesn't have a tea time.

    Steven W.

    Beautiful, decadent, classy, historical, located inside the Boston Public Library is the Courtyard Tea Room with advanced reservations needed. You wait in line outside the restaurant for your time to be called and they will let you all in a group at once. Great sweet and savory pastries and treats with a wide array selections of teas to choose from. A big room for all to enjoy and sip. Great experience to try.

    Heeju S.

    Amazing afternoon tea! The tea sandwiches were all so good, I highly recommend experiencing this! I have been wanting to go to afternoon tea at the BPL for so long, but when I lived in Boston, it was only in Wednesdays. I visited Boston recently and found out they have afternoon tea available more days now, so I couldn't miss the chance. I picked the blue flower earl grey tea and it did not disappoint. You can switch teas for an additional fee as well if you wanted.

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    7 months ago

    Amazing experience! Tea rooms like this a hard to find. Price was reasonable, setting lovely, location close to other great places to visit.

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    Ask the Community - Courtyard Tea Room

    What is the cost of weekday tea room?

    The cost was just under $70 per person.

    Looks like your booked up for several months. Suggestions for making reservations?

    Must book through resy through a rolling reservation system that opens 30 days in advance. Reservations on resy open at midnight. They book up quickly on the weekends.

    Do they take walk ins?

    Unfortunately, we don't typically take walk ins, especially on the weekend. We occasionally have walk-in availability on weekdays, as long as you come at one of our set seating times, 11:00am, 1:00pm, or 3:00pm. You are also welcome to wait through… Read more

    Do they offer substitutions if you're pescatarian/vegetarian/vegan?

    I am vegetarian and they had a whole vegetarian platter for us! We had included this in our reservation, but if you tell them at the door that works too!… Read more

    Do they offer vegan dessert options?

    Yes and they do an amazing job of matching yours to everyone elses so you don't feel odd or cheated. They do put yours on a plate instead of the platform but that is only so you can be sure you are getting vegan treats

    Do they offer any Gluten Free options?

    I am sure if you contact them in advance they can do this. They do a great job of accommodating vegans (me) people with food sensitivities (my sister)

    Is 39-49 a set price or can you order off a menu?

    It's a set price and then you receive all of the sandwiches, scones etc. listed. They always have a couple of add on (salad, soup etc.) for an additional price too

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    Main seating areas.

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    Courtyard Tea Room - tea - Updated May 2026

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