To kick off our holiday festivities, my husband and I attended the debut of this year's L.S. Ayres Tea Room. Upon our arrival we were seated near the window, as I'd requested, and were immediately greeted by one of the gracious servers who took our drink orders. Coffee and tea were our selections and once I got my tea steeping, we got in line for the buffet. I visited the tearoom once before, many years ago, and it was not served buffet-style at that time. I was excited to try several selections, including the Chicken Velvet Soup that I'd had on my previous visit. The buffet is very sanitary, unlike your traditional idea of buffet-style dining. The staff takes your plate down the line and places the items on it for you, alleviating the touching of and breathing over scariness of most buffets. I selected the L.S. Ayres Mixed Field Salad w/ Pear Vinaigrette, Fruit Salad, Chicken Velvet Soup and Club Sandwich. The salad was perfectly balanced, sweet and crunchy. The Fruit Salad was fresh and crisp. The Chicken Velvet Soup lived up to its name, velvety in texture, warm, creamy and decadent. The Club Sandwich was what you'd expect, but I wished that the bread wasn't toasted as hard as it was and it could have benefited from a bit more mayo/spread. On my second visit to the buffet, I sampled the tea sandwiches. The Peanut Butter & Jelly was simple and delicious (I was really channeling my inner-child), and the Tuna with caper dill cream was surprisingly good. I could've filled up on the Chicken Velvet Soup and Tuna tea sandwiches alone. I also tasted the macaroni and cheese, but by then I'd had my fill...almost! I couldn't leave without sampling a couple sweet treats from the dessert station. At that point, I needed a wheel-barrel to get around, so my husband retrieved those for me. The miniature pastries were both, adorable and tasty, and the Mini Pecan Ice Cream Ball was good, but had too many nuts for my liking. They don't agree with my braces. My tea was room temp from the start, so I opted for a soft drink instead, but aside from that we had a great experience. The members of staff checked in on us often and provided great service. The buffet is "all you can eat"...within the 75 minutes that your table is reserved for. My appetite was satiated, and we departed after an hour, but it was a nice experience to enjoy for the holidays. read more

L.S. Ayres Tea Room - First day of the season! - Tea Rooms Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

For the Holidays I decided to take my Mom and her older cousin to the LS Ayres Tea Room. They told me all about going when they were young and first in Indy, so it was a trip down nostalgia for them. It is located in the Indiana State Museum which has a ton of fun things to explore. We didn't go to any exhibits but did enjoy the Christmas decor and overall winter themes in the lobby. You must make reservations as it gets very busy during the holidays when they are open! They have a check in hostess who takes your payment (it is a buffet with tar es and service charge included), and seats you. As we waited to be seated there are a lot of older photos to look over and information into the history. Very interesting! They had even put up a sample mechanical window display which I'm told was part of the allure of LS Ayres downtown back in the day for the holidays. Once seated the space is quaint and very classy. They have a fine dining type atmosphere and servers per table. You get drink orders and then head to a touch free buffet. It is slightly confusing at first as you can ask for anything and more than one of something, but it isn't super easy to grasp at first. Once you get the flow though they do a good job or giving you all the items you requested. The menu has a variety of fruit, salad, breads, their famous chicken velvet soup and tea sandwiches. They also have a hot area with Mac n cheese, chicken tenders and fries for those who desire it. My only thought was that for someone like my Mom it was a challenge to get her plate and carry it back to the seats. They hand you the items on a full plate and not a try, so it can be cumbersome. I suggest going for first course, then back for second etc. If we were to go back that is going to be our approach! Once seated you can go back and ask for anything again. We were the last seating so just keep in mind timing as well as they give you 1.5 hours for your time slot. They have a separate spot for the deserts which were also lovely. They had various cakes and macaroons which were my favorite. Overall a lovely experience and a delightful time to reminisce for those who remember it in the day. It was a bit loud as there were several families but overall a lovely experience. The staff were very kind and quick to serve and clear. We enjoyed our time and the parking garage below makes it easy to find a spot as well. read more

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Cute little tearoom. Really enjoyed our food. The only thing that could have been better would if the fries were crispier. All of the tea sandwiches were delicious. I didn't try the pb&j one. Fried chicken was crispy, Mac and cheese was good, though it seemed bland. All of the desserts were good. We had excellent service. All the waiters, hosts and servers were top notch. Be sure to get the parking validated which is awesome. Oh and the chicken velvet soup- excellent read more

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A bit of nostalgia located in the Indiana State Museum. We were told the carpet and chandeliers are reproductions from the original Tea Room at the Ayres store downtown. There are b&w photos to enjoy on the walls and around the hostess desk to take you back in time - some from 1905. The restaurant is only open for the holiday season and you must call for reservations. The buffet, which is plated by servers behind the counter, is $33.00 pp including gratuity and fees. The small cup of chicken velvet soup was slightly warm, as was the mini chicken pot pie. A variety of finger sandwiches, breads, salads, fruits, chicken fingers, and Mac and Cheese are offered. The dessert station has some nice selections. Servers bring the drinks and check on you. Beverages are included. Adult beverages are extra. Don't forget to pick up a parking validation voucher from the hostess stand. $4.00 for parking with voucher. read more

Nestled in the India State Museum, the L.S. Ayer's tea room is a great place to go for some nostalgia. During the holidays, you have to make reservations in advance if you want guaranteed seating. They have for different time options, each about and hour or an hour and a half. The buffet includes the famous chicken velvet soup that'll transport you back to your childhood, a variety of finger sandwiches, chicken salad, Mac and cheese and more. Drinks are include, with the exception of alcoholic beverages those can be purchased for an additional charge. Overall, the food is decent, but what you're really paying for is an experience and nostalgia. read more

L.S. Ayres Tea Room - Chicken velvet soup, mac and cheese, finger sandwiches - Tea Rooms Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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Excellent service! All of the wait staff were very attentive. They definitely know how to wow a customer. Ambiance was very retro from what I remembered as a child. Food quality was great! The selection was good, and they had nice choices for children. The dessert table was heavenly! We'll be back in 2025. read more

My grandma has mentioned many times that she wanted to go the tea room so this year I made reservations and surprised her with an afternoon on the town. The reservation process was a bit tricky with lots of back and forth - not sure why or what the time slots look like (it was pretty empty while we were there but maybe the numbers are just that limited?? All of the food we had was delicious, the velvet chicken soup and pot pie were definitely highlights. My grandma loved the tuna finger sandwiches. The dessert was fun- the og pecan ice cream was a real treat. It was fun to reminisce and talk about all the good times. The buffet style/service was a little odd but they must have a reason for it? Grandma definitely did not like that type of service lol. She pointed out all the differences from when she went but with both agreed that overall it was a fun experience and we would come back next year. read more

L.S. Ayres Tea Room - Dessert - Tea Rooms Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

The tea room has long been on my list since I was an intern at the museum several years ago. I finally made a plan to stop in this season and it was cool. I never visited the original L.S. Ayres location since it closed when I was a baby, but I enjoyed hearing other guests talk about it and sharing stories with their kids. The team room recreation was beautiful and definitely full experience. I'm not usually a fancy place kind of diner so I felt a little out of place but all the staff were really friendly. Since COVID, they have buffet-style offerings of all the classics like chicken velvet soup and pot pie. I actually enjoyed that more since I always have a hard time deciding what to order so I enjoyed a little of a lot. The chicken velvet soup and pot pie were my favorites. It is a little pricier at $28.50 a person but you're definitely paying for the experience in addition to your meal. The tea room is only open from November 25th-January 1st and they do highly recommend reservations since seating is limited. read more

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The ambience is a nice memory, but the food was really mediocre. The only outstanding things were the chicken velvet soup and the ice cream ball. The chicken pot pie was embarrassingly bad. Literally like you would buy at the grocery store and give your kids. The chicken salad was well below the quality you could buy at Costco in a plastic container. Not worth the price at all. They really need to step it up! LS Ayres did not serve garbage like this. read more

Celebrating with a dear friend and reminiscing about our childhood visits to the Ayres Tea Room. The Indiana State Museum has recreated the Tea Room perfectly. This is a small venue and only open for the holidays. But so so special! We loved the convenient underground parking and the parking voucher from the restaurant. You don't need a ticket to the museum if only going to the restaurant. Of course the holiday decorations were beautiful. The servers in all black were very attentive. This is a buffet. But all servings were already plated in small dishes. The staff prepared your plate based on your selections. [One price payable at the entrance]. I didn't ask if we could go through the libe more than once. My choices were plenty! They do serve mimosas or bellinis for an additional charge. So, I had salad, chicken velvet soup (of course) with small sandwiches. They also served mini chicken pot pies, Mac n cheese and French fries. And the hot chocolate with whipped cream seemed to be a hit with the children. The price - $31.50 plus gratuity - was alot for the food, but not enough for the memories. read more

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While only open six (6) weeks a year (generally between Thanksgiving and shortly after New Years) and only during the "lunch hour", this "pop up" restaurant is something you must experience. Perhaps instead of looking at this as a restaurant, it should be viewed as another "exhibit" to the museum. Taking people back to the days when you would dine at the department store restaurant after a day of shopping, this is a place that lets you relive those memories and make new ones with your family. Chicken Velvet Soup is a must have. I also usually try one of the sandwiches, most recently was a Turkey Orange Cranberry sandwich, and finish with a Pecan Ice Cream Ball for dessert. For the younger members of the party, there is a children's menu. You can also try the tea experience. Children can then finish up with a Clown Cone and select a prize from the treasure chest. Maybe it is the nostalgia, or the fact that it is only only open for a few weeks a year, but this is a fun experience that we look forward to every year. read more

One of the perks of the holiday season is that you don't have to have a large group to have a meal at the recreated "L S Ayres Tea Room". After wandering the museum, I stopped in the restaurant and they had plenty of room for me. (Note that the room can be reserved for private events that could interfere.) I am old enough to have visited the original restaurant when it was located on the northeast corner of what is now the Circle Centre Mall. I wasn't a frequent diner, but I think they museum has done a great job of recreating the look of the interior of the original. They've even put views of Meridian Street in the faux windows to enhance the aesthetic. What I recommend to visitors here is that they go with the classic menu items that are marked on the menu. No visit is complete without their Chicken Velvet soup. Just a bowl is enough. But it is truly one of the best soups I have ever had. Just enough chicken. Such a creamy texture. Delicious taste. I also ordered the Classic Club which is a stacked, lightly toasted sandwich that is quartered with spears. The sandwich contains ham, turkey, bacon, & Swiss. The small triangular quarters tend to disassemble when you take the spears out, but if you use two hands, you can manage. The flavor was okay, but just not on the same level as the soup. I haven't tried the other food items to see how they compare since I only get here infrequently and go for the classics. The service was dressed to match the fine setting and was friendly and very good though they can be tied up by large groups for short periods. This is a place you can wear your fine clothing, but casual wear is okay too. It tends to draw an older crowd who appreciate the history, but don't let that discourage you from taking in a tasty meal while visiting the museum during the holidays. Review #3422 read more

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I've been looking forward to coming here since we got married at the museum and had been in the tea room before, but hadn't ever eaten here. We both got different teas that we're great, and we split a cup or the chicken velvet soup, at the recommendation of our server. It was so good! I could see that people come here year after year and get the soup as a piece of nostalgia. We both got the tea experience. The food was amazing, which is not a surprised as it's catered by Kahn's Catering. The fruit, sandwiches and desserts were all delicious. Our server was awesome too! He gave us a lot of the history of the tea room, and he was very attentive. I think we'll make this a yearly tradition. read more

L.S. Ayres Tea Room - Tea Rooms Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

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This was out first visit to the LS Ayres Tea Room in the Indiana State Museum and I was very impressed. It is nice that the museum has preserved an Indianapolis holiday tradition by making a scaled down version of its tea room available for dining during the Holiday season. We went on the last day of the season and all of their signature dishes were available and delicious. The chicken velvet soup was amazing and we bought some to take home. Because of covid, they were serving an all you can eat touch less buffet and we enjoyed the smaller portions so we could try it all. Our server, Jimmy, was friendly and knowledgeable of the history of the tea room and he definitely made our first visit one to remember. I have visited the Walnut Room in Chicago for many years but I think this will be our new tradition. read more

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First, if you are reading all the reviews, I suggest checking the dates. The really poor reviews are from several years ago. I mentioned this to the manager, and he said they have been under a new catering company for a while now. From the prior reviews compared to my experience, the new company must be doing a much better job. Now, onto my review! They are open for large parties all year, by reservation. They are open to anyone from after Thanksgiving to Christmas, again by reservation. They send an email confirmation and a day-before phone confirmation. Space is so limited, they really want to ensure you show up. Everyone working there is incredibly friendly. They understand they are a part of living history in this re-creation of a historic restaurant. Service was outstanding. The food was very good. The chicken velvet still melts in your mouth. Everything else our party had was also delicious - penne and meatballs for the kiddo, chicken pot pie that my mother-in-law raved about, and according to my mom, "the best chicken salad I've ever eaten." I had the veggie sandwich with roasted red pepper, artichokes, Alouette cheese, and pesto. Pesto often overwhelms dishes, but the sandwich was balanced well and the bread was perfectly toasted and thick enough to hold together. If you have gone years ago and were underwhelmed, GO AGAIN! Also, they validate parking! read more

Travel back in time. The scene LS Ayres Tea Room. Inside the Indiana State Museum they have done a small but accurate recreation of the original. Inside that have memorabilia that just set the tone for the experience. The staff just goes out of there way to ensure a great time. The menu has some of the items that made the tea room popular. Of course they have tea service with plated sandwiches, original Chicken Pot Pie, and the show stopper Chicken Velvet Soup. Now be sure to get your reservation soon because it is only open November to early January. The tea room itself is still available for private parties. I have to say the food was delicious and the experience was top notch. Parking is easy to find in the underground garage and a discount validation is given with your meal. After your done enjoy a casual stroll on the canal. read more

L.S. Ayres Tea Room - Interesting - Tea Rooms Near Me - Indianapolis, Indiana

We had a great experience at the last seating for the Holiday season of 2021! We lucked out and got a table, we were underdressed for the formal tea but we had a great time! Exceptional service and lovely tea and delicious food - it was great to try some truly historic Indy recipes and atmosphere - we loved it and hope to come back next year. read more

I had the same reaction and nearly the same experience as the previous review Allison. Perhaps it was the thrill of being little in a magical place. I remember when I was little (no laughs...almost 35 years ago) visiting the Tea Room at Christmas time, and they'd let children pick a small toy from a large chest. Do they still do this? I don't know, but I do know that the re-creation of the Tea Room just does not have the same ambiance as the former real thing. Is the new re-creation a lot smaller than the original? I would only trust what the Tea Room was known for: Chicken Pot Pie or Chicken Velvet soup. While the food was only fair, my waiter was pleasant. read more

I've gone here a couple times for 'ladies luncheons' with coworkers. I thought the food was okay, nothing really spectacular. And I thought it was kind of expensive, though I guess that's to be expected since it is located in the State Museum. The menu is mostly soup, salad, and sandwiches. (Think cottage cheese and fruit for an idea of side dishes.) Ironically for it being a tea room when you actually order a cup of tea they bring you a coffee mug, a little pot of hot water, and tea bags. Lemon and or honey if you ask for it. I wasn't overly impressed with it. read more

My Grandmother and Mother used to both go to the original tea room when they were little. I thought it would be nice to take them here for lunch. They both really enjoyed the food and atmosphere. Are server was very nice but a little over the top. I had a cup of chicken velvet soup, which was great but very thick and a little salty. I then went with the classic chicken salad on a croissant with fresh fruit. The croissant was stale, as was the bread brought to the table. I just think a historic Indianapolis location that has been recreated in a museum should have been done better. The menus were old and tattered, they were not the originals, just worn and dirty. I thought it would be great, I had made out the tea room to be this beautiful prestigious place and unfortunately it didn't live up to my idealized standards. read more

Go for the experience, not the food. The best thing on the menu is the chicken velvet soup. Eat before you go, get the soup (served with a roll), enjoy the ambience, maybe a cup of $3 tea, then leave and spend your hard-earned dollars at a decent place to eat. read more

I'm one of the old timers who use to visit the original L.S. Ayres Tea Room OFTEN in its prime, with wonderful memories, and even since being in the museum. I loved the thought of retaining as much of the history as possible at the Museum. However, I've been here several times over the past few years and this last time left me wishing even more for the old days. The furniture and pictures will remind you of the old location however the ambience is truly missing. It STILL has a very barren feel as if they just moved furniture in and stopped. PLEASE add a few flowers or tea sets, something to add the old ambience we're all missing. It does still appear to work for those who just need a blast from the past. The menu still has most of the fan favorites although the Hot Brown is gone. The popular Chicken Velvet Soup, Chicken Salad, Pot Pie, Pumpkin Fingers along with many other fan favorites are still here. Several have mentioned prices and this is the current prices. Soup and Sandwiches are still reasonably priced at $8.00, hamburger $9, Salads are $7, and the entrees are now $12 - $14. Grilled Chicken, Pork Chops, Pot Roast $12, Pot Pie $9.50, and Market Fish of the Day is $14. Our order and experience this trip; The Chicken Velvet Soup is as DELICIOUS as it's always been with small chucks of chicken in a thick, rich cream base and still $3.00 for a cup. All three of us ordered our favorite, the Hawaiian Chicken Salad served in a Pineapple boat with a cup of fresh fruit and pumpkin fingers bread now $9.00. Check out photo on site. The Pineapple Boat is a pineapple Shell, no remaining pineapple as in past, Chicken Salad is not as flavorful, almost tart, from past experiences but a large portion. The major disappointment for me was the small pumpkin fingers (pumpkin bread with cream cheese filling) that comes with many of the meals. They appeared to be stale or recently removed from the freezer and after two bites, I left on my plate. They have around 10 hot tea selections and served in a silver tea pot with a coffee mug for $4.95. Waitress provided instructions to allow 2 minutes for steeping then pour. I left over half of my chicken salad but my lunch companions found nothing wrong with the chicken salad but disappointed in the stale pumpkin fingers. Our waitress couldn't answer many of our questions, stated she was the newest of the crew, but provided decent service. All three of us left disappointed with the quality of the food but hopeful it's a one-time experience. I will return with those needing to renew the historical value of The Tea Room experience but I'll have to wait several months and try another sandwich or salad. Suggestion if you're a cook (or not) go to the gift shop and purchase the "L.S. Ayres Tea Room Recipes & Recollections" for $6.95 and make your own soup, chicken salad and pumpkin fingers. Surprise your mother, aunts or grandparents with a few of their favorites at home. read more

Members of our family have visited Ayres Tea Room annually since it was opened in the Indiana State Museum. I'm thrilled each time we visit to be able to experience the atmosphere of the original Tea Room and some of the same menu items. It takes me back to the time when we were children and visited the original Ayres Tea Room each year at Christmas with our Grandmother. Thank you for keeping these memories alive for us. read more

Well, I hate to say it, but it just wasn't worth it. If you've been to the original tea room, then this will be a disappointment. If you haven't been then this will be more than a disappointment. While tasty, the chicken pot pie was very small, really wouldn't make a meal for most. Luke warm chicken velvet soup with next to no chicken ( and yes I realize the original didn't have much). Even my tea water was luke warm. My daughter's penne pasta was not edible and not even a penne. I thought this would be a trip down memory lane, passing on a tradition to my children, but that wont be the case. We will not be back.....its a shame because I do appreciate trying to recreate a wonderful Indianapolis tradition. read more

I brought my mother, grandmother, and aunt for high tea on Mother's Day. I have been on several occasions prior, and really enjoyed the experience. This time, however, I had the WORST service ever... the waiter was downright rude to us. It was absolutely unacceptable for an establishment with this history. Our hot water teapots were slammed on the table, and we were offered no tea. We were told our soup was no longer available, as well as the traditional finger sandwich assortment. This was strange, given that once we enlisted the help of the management our soups and finger sandwiches arrived. Though the managers attempted to fix the situation, I was ultimately very disappointed with the service. I really only wanted to take my mothers there for the experience, as the food is really only slightly better than average. Since the experience was so terrible, I don't know that I will return. What a shame. read more

Very disappointing Christmas Eve lunch! Shortly after leaving the dining room, I had a pounding headache and felt super thirsty! Decided to call the restaurant to see if maybe I had eaten MSG! Sure enough! The dining room manager stated almost ALL deli meats have MSG and I should have been aware of this even though no warning was printed on the menu! The attitude with no apologies was it was my ignorance, not their fault as "Duh! Doesn't almost ALL deli meats have MSG!" I am now suspecting the chicken velvet soup also had MSG! Will definitely avoid this place forever! Expensive for the quality and no refill on the coffee! Who needs nostalgia with this kind of reality?! read more

This is more about website for information. You go to website for Tea Room...there is no menu listed as there is for the other dining area nor are there times listed on their website or Yelp's site. This is soooo unacceptable. At least add on a click on menu so we can review our options. read more

21 folks from our office had a wonderful Christmas luncheon at the Tea Room. Everyone loved the experience. A variety of ages were included. Some knew of Ayres. Others had never heard of it. Service was terrific. read more