This would have gotten three stars but I spoke to the manager and he was extremely understanding and apologetic. Food was excellent! Table service at the beginning was excellent. It went downhill from there. Called ahead for seating. Called at 10:13 for seating at 10:30. I was told I need to call 15 minutes before. I realize it was two minutes early when I looked at my phone clock instead of my car clock. Explained by the time we hang up it will be 10:15. She did take my name and I was appreciative I didn't need to call back. So make sure to adhere to the 15 minute rule about calling ahead for a table. We were seated immediately it was not overly busy, other tables were open. There were four of us and we all ordered the afternoon tea special which includes a main dish, salad or soup and a sweet. We all had tea also. The crepes were delicious. I enjoyed the roasted red pepper soup. It was made with smoked Gouda and had a wonderful flavor. The scones were served with creme and jam which was delightful. They were just the right consistency not too moist or dry. I love the way the plates are served on tiers to eliminate over crowding on the table. We are not big eaters, but we are foodies so we tried the variety of foods we were served but definitely needed boxes to take it all home. The tea is served in a large pot which is fabulous since I am from Boston originally and I can drink a lot of tea. After boxing up our meals, I was ready for some serious tea drinking and a chat with my friends that I hadn't seen in a very long time. Our waitress was not so thrilled. The check came. We paid and gave her a little over a 20% tip. We continued to drink our tea and chat. That's when the glares began. Every time she walked by our table we got a stare. Since I didn't know how long we had been there I was judging it by her anger. When we got up to leave I tried to get her attention and she ignored me. Not sure why, at this point, but I followed her to the back and gave her another 5.00 for her time. When we left I looked at the time. We had been there for a little over an hour. It's a tea room ! I don't think an hour is unreasonable. I did call the manager ( John) and he was so pleasant and agreed with me about our experience. I am glad I called and will definitely be back and this time if I have a problem I am confident it will be taken care of swiftly and promptly. read more

Was seated at a dirty table. Not one that hasn't been bussed, but rather covered in large crumbs and yet had fresh silverware. Waited quite a bit for service, but placed drinks and food at the first opportunity. Food order showed up wrong. A panini is not a crepe. But decided not to send it back because I was hungry. It was okay. Not a $12 sandwich though. Should have gone somewhere else when we were waiting for service. read more

I've been to the location in Troy and wasn't so impressed, and had the same impression of this one. Food was ok, my hot cocoa had to be remade because it was lukewarm. The food wasn't very flavorful and when they said it came with kettle chips I didn't realize it was a bag of store bought chips. I've given it enough chances & won't return--service was great tho. read more

Back for lunch! Started things off with a nice, tall, refreshing glass of iced tea -- I went with a seasonal blend, "caramel apple bourbon," and it was really tasty! Again, just like my last visit, I couldn't resist the curried chicken club, (is a favorite recipe of mine.) "curry chicken salad with celery, red onion, grapes, pecan, green pepper, provolone, arugula, apple, curry aioli on toasted multi-grain bread." That sandwich is the apple of my eye. Keep calm, and curry on. I added a cup of the roasted red pepper and smoked Gouda soup and as always, it was a trusty companion. The texture's on point, and I really appreciate the complex flavor. That smoky gouda! Our server was cheerful and attentive, and despite an enormous amount of hustle and bustle on Jay Street and throughout downtown in general, (Frozen the Musical's in town and the Holiday Parade was stepping off later that afternoon), the operation was smooth and our food didn't take forever. This time we sat in the other main dining room, under Whistling Kettle's signature light bulb sign. read more

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Food was mediocre- Scone-wich BLT had a few slices of bacon and came with a bag of kettle chips. Definitely not worth $12. Disappointing. Service was very good though which made the experience better. 2 stars for food and an additional star for great service. read more

We passed through Schenectady, NY, on the way to Boston and wondered what was in this town? So, I googled cafes, and we stopped for tea and coffee. What a treasure we found in this little cafe, and we will be back as well. I ordered their Russian Tea with lemon and orange spice served cold/iced, and my companion enjoyed a finely brewed latte. We also ordered their ideally addressed crepes--fluffy and light. My husband had the peaches and cream crepe, perfectly sweetened, while I went for the more savory Monte Cristo crepe. We shared. Both were tasty. The cafe was cute and sparkling clean inside, and our server was knowledgeable and a pure sweet a pleasure. He made sure everything was just perfect. Highly recommend. read more

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We really like it. Read to the end for why it's not 5 stars, because maybe that's minor for you. Originally, a friend suggested we meet there. I brought home the menu to show husband and told him that I thought he would really like it. It took him several months to agree to go and after maybe our 2nd or 3rd visit, he remarked, "I think this is my favorite restaurant here (in NY)." We have only had their sandwiches, but they are great. I like that when I order an iced tea, I get a full carafe, which I usually drink that much. They have a great selection of teas. And we want to try their outdoor covered patio area some time. The *ONLY* reason that this is not a five star review is that the service is just so slow (every time). Once seated, it could take a while to see your wait person. And after the order is placed, it takes a while to get your food. We often choose to go there before seeing a movie at Bowtie, but we have to plan to get there at least an hour and a half before the movie starts. read more

This addition to Jay Street is marvelous and really enlivens the area with its prospects of outdoor seating. Although it was raining when I visited, I was really appreciative of the joyful interior colors and aromas that provided comfort and pleasure on an otherwise dreary day. This is sure to be a boon when winter comes and you're feeling you need a little more than a coffee shop, since food and desserts (and soon wine and beer) will be served in addition to coffee and tea in a restaurant setting. I enjoyed a delicious Afternoon Tea, which is a three-plate, tiered tower of select menu items that is an entree, side, and dessert. I chose a farmer's crepe, butternut apple bisque and cinnamon marbled tea cake. All items ordered were delicious and my tea (ordered a la carte) was just terrific. I'm not a tea drinker per se, so I was thrilled how classy the tea cup was, the tasty tea, and the cream and sugar syrup being served in tiny pitchers. Our waitress was beyond patient with my mom who has copious dietary preferences. The waitress explained all the items my mom was interested in and how each dish could be modified to meet her wishes. Mom settled on the buckwheat crepe with no dairy. I gave the waitress a big tip to show my appreciation. There is a large selection of tea for sale along with the various tea accouterments, such as strainers, kettles, and novelty cups, to meet anyone's interest in tea or gift needs. I liked that you can buy small samplers of tea or larger bags if you're a dedicated enthusiast. The whole experience was very enjoyable, and I will recommend this location to everyone. read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Buckingham Palace earl gray - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Wow, service, food, and offices are all great. We split a savory and sweet crepe and both were great. Since I learned to make crepes myself I've been very picky and rarely order them it anymore. Whistling Kettle made tasty and appropriately thin crepes with. While there take advantage of Jay St. Lots of fun shops and if you're lucky catch a show at Proctors nearby. read more

I was quite pleased with my experience at the Whistling Kettle. The food was diverse and delicious. I want to go back soon.

Do you like tea? I mean, do you REALLY like tea? The Whistling Kettle in Schenectady has something going that I have never seen before. An extensive list of tea, hot and iced from around the globe. No bags here, only fresh tea leaves. I asked the waitress for a Arnold Palmer but to get creative. It was absolutely delicious. It had complex citrus notes and was so refreshing. You can order tea by the carafe (at a fairly hefty price.) Coffee bars are everywhere but conceptually speaking a "tea bar" is a wonderful change of pace. In the U.S.A. coffee rules the roost but the WK is poised to change that. They also have a bistro style menu. I ordered the asian curry chicken salad which had mandarin oranges and a tasty ginger dressing. I thought it was outstanding. My party dined outdoors and despite the plentiful insects harassing us it was an enjoyable experience and the wait staff was excellent. Jay Street is becoming one of the "it" places to hang in the ever expanding Schenectady region. The Whistling Kettle really is a welcome addition. Afternoon tea has never had it better :) read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Asian Curry Chicken Salad. Delicious! - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

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Good food and service, a little pricy for the amount and quality, but the variety and friendly staff help make up for it. Pretty good gluten free options, except the GF crepes may not be the best if you have celiacs or a severe allergy. read more

each time I visit the capital region, I have to eat at whistling kettle at least a few times. I live in the Bay Area and I haven't find any authentic, real tea restaurants that are affordable and high quality. Whistling kettle is above and beyond the high quality of teas, food, variety of selections and friendly services. This WK is always busy and packed with people. I visited during a weekday, I'm surprised how packed it was each time I came to eat. My party was seated almost immediately each time, but it took the servers at least 10min to come to the table to take our orders. I recommend scheduling more servers on weekdays so ppl don't have to wait on them to order food. My server is very friendly, they are BUSY! It took them a while to come to get our orders. I came a few times and it's always been at least 10min wait for servers to come. WHAT I ORDERED Teragon Mushroom chicken crepe Afternoon tea sets -ham & cheddar quiche, soup & scone Ice Green teas Ice Earl gray London fog Sunset matcha lemonade Chicken sconewich Chicken veggies panini Ice green blueberry, pomegranate tea The food was excellent. Tea set is a large set of food, I got leftovers. If you don't finish the ice tea, they provide to go cups. The teas are always amazing and high quality. I'm coming back for more in my next visits. read more

Serious question. Why is ice $0.50 extra and chips $1.00 extra ? Food is Okay (at all Whistling Kettles) and the tea is good but in reality nothing is worth the up charge for everything. Afternoon tea had a set price (for the 3 plates and stand) and then you have to pay extra for the plates to be filled with food. Just ridiculous. I gave 3 stars because some staff is friendly and kind but others can be rude... also because the restaurant is clean and has quick service. read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

We stopped in here at 3pm on a Sunday and had a great experience! The hostess and server were both warm and provided excellent service. Though the place was reasonably busy, we were seated immediately in the quiet back room. We each ordered coffees, which were brought to us in cute metal French presses, which we then poured into colorful tea cups. For food, we kept it simple, ordering the scone of the day and a house salad, which both exceeded expectations. The salad was fresh and the size was very generous. The cream and preserves that came with the scone were awesome! I was also impressed with how affordable the menu items were when we received our bill was at the end of our visit. This restaurant/café is located on a super cute, walkable street in Schenectady with lots of other shops. We can definitely imagine coming back here with friends or family! read more

I really hope they read these reviews and make some necessary changes. I've been here 3 times-- all on Sunday during the farmers market. My experience has been consistent every visit. As other reviewers have mentioned, the service is incredibly SLOW. They definitely need more staff on Sunday. I don't mind a wait but this past time one of the (managers?) accidentally erased my name and I asked about the wait when I noticed several people after us were being seated. He was very friendly and apologetic and assured us we'd be seated as soon as he wiped down a table... he got distracted and forgot about us again! We were about to walk out and he quickly grabbed some menus and seated us. The wait for food is usually substantial too on Sunday. So this time we looked at a menu while waiting for a table. Once we were seated, we ordered as soon as our waitress came to take our drink orders, thinking it wouldn't take as long as last time to get our food. Nope. It was longer this time! Now we have over 1.5 hours of our time invested in this visit, from when we walked in to the time we were finally served. Not to mention, they were out of several items (our visit was around 11:30ish). Last time, this had happened to the table next to us. On a positive note, the food is fantastic. It has been on point every single visit. I've tried something different every time and it's all been delicious and fresh. The waitress was friendly and on top of tea refills this visit (last waiter wasn't so much.) Overall atmosphere was pleasant. It's beautifully renovated in a modern farmhouse style. There's a nice patio for outdoor seating or ample amount of space between tables indoors. The indoor temperature was just right and it's very clean. The bathrooms are well maintained and have been clean every visit. In all, I'd highly recommend the Whistling Kettle. Food and atmosphere are excellent. They need more kitchen and wait staff on Sunday. They also need to have more of their popular items prepared/available so they don't run out midway through their service. I'll definitely be back on a different day than Sunday! read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I was here a few weeks ago with a friend I hadn't seen in a while. It was pretty busy, but staff at no point made us feel rushed. The food was good (I had the lobster bisque and the turkey cranberry brie panini) and so was the tea (blueberry ginger). Service was good, our waitress was very friendly and super helpful. read more

Great lunch spot. The salads were excellent. The tea was tasty. The service was sub par.....

Scone sandwich tickling the sweet and savory. But scones don't lend themself very well to sandwich making. Seafood bisque was better. Just had some added effort to get the music volume down to a level for 3 generations to talk and hear. read more

Great spot for a lunch on a cold winter day! Was the only happening spot on Jay St when we arrived. I was surprised to have some super tasty lobster bisque, that was a nice surprise. The bread on the sandwiches weee moist and everything was great and tasty. I can't wait to return to try more! Pot of teas are a definite win-win read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Interior of restaurant - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

I ate with my daughter here a couple weeks ago and I keep thinking about it so I figured I should write a review. We had lunch. It was very busy which I took as a good sign. Very cozy. Absolutely delicious. The chicken is perfect. My preteen daughter is hard to please and she thought the food and experience was amazing. I can't wait to come back. The food taste not processed. You don't leave feeling gross. It's real food. They have huge portions. It was one of the better meals out I have had in a very long time. read more

The food was excellent and the server Bryan was terrific. We had a problem with one of the sandwiches and he offered to replace it. My husband declined his offer and said it was no big deal. Bryan took the price of the sandwich off our bill, which we were not expecting. We'll definitely be back! read more

Jay Street in downtown Schenectady is the best part of the downtown with loads of nice shops and restaurants. If you're a fan of tea - you need to stop into Whistling Kettle. So many teas and choices! I appreciated the wall with all the flavors and the descriptions. My dining partner and I ordered a couple items to take away. Warning - and they do have signs up about this - the staff is very short staffed and it took forever to get our items. I think over 40 minutes. We ended up leaving and going to a few stores and it still wasn't ready. We ended up getting a chicken and bean soup. This was just okay. The real star was the piece of broccoli cheese quiche. Yum! There was a band of thick cheese running through it that tasted amazing when warmed up. Prices were a bit high but the quality was definitely there. I need to return and pick up some of their loose teas and more quiche for sure! read more

I love the Whistling Kettle! I go to the Schenectady location the most, but the Troy and Ballston Spa locations are adorable and the food is consistently great. The staff is fantastic, very nice and welcoming. They have a great selection of teas, as well as other lovely drinks. I wish they were open later, but it is what it is. read more

So .. during my brief visit to Schenectady I decided to hit up this cute spot and see what the hype is about .. it is one of the fewwwwwwww tea spots in town. I visited with a friend on a Saturday evening and was surprised to see that the area was quite empty .. lucky for me though they had immediate seating as a result. We were escorted to our booth and received our menu which was EXTENSIVE! The sandwich selection, tea selection, crepes, everything seemed so exciting! I personally tried the former hot chocolate (toffee) without marshmallows which was ok .. nothing exciting .. I had that with banana Nutella crepe which was the highlight of my dessert .. Maybe it is because we visited within the last hour of operation but it seems that all of our waitresses just straight up hate their life .. service definitely felt rushed .. overall, I appreciate a small town like Schenectady offering a cafe like the whistling kettle in the first place read more

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Any of the soups are great. A little more on the expensive side but you pay for the ambience of Jay street

The Whistling Kettle in Schenectady has really turned it around. I have to praise the new manager. She was an amazing server, with great recommendations and friendly. But now as manager she is bringing her work ethic to the whole place. A+++ read more

I got a small little extra tablespoon of the pesto aïoli. The arrogance and the nerve to charge $1.25 for that! My grandfather got a extra dressing they charge $.50. Who does that? That is so classless and bad business ! Who does that! I can't think of one other restaurant that does. Just bas bad business. The principle for sure. Im not running back there anytime soon. Also for being a hipster kind of a place, no raw sugar?! On a good note the peach scone was fabulous.. read more

A little pricier than the value, BUT such a fun place to grab a bite. My daughter and I love this location and she's no longer there, but we had an AWESOME server a couple times and came back honestly for her. I left her a sizable tip and small gift one time from the store across the street, she was just that good! What we love: The "tower" with soup/salad, sandwich/quiche/pannini and dessert. The wine slashes- berry flavor- is one of my obsessions. I never can have just one. Its really, really good. My daughter loves the roasted "veggie" panini and lobster bisque. I am a big fan of the roasted red pepper/gouda soup. I mean! And I generally get the BLT biscuit sandwich. The lemon blueberry cake is fantastic and best eaten cold. Also, love to get myself a pot of the Jamaican coffee. Ambiance is always warm, comfy, welcoming and clean and the outdoor dining option right on pedestrian Jay Street is fun for people watching, especially during the outdoor Greenmarket. Add this one to your list! read more

You'd think this place was just for tea and you'd be wrong as the coffee was delightful. They were accommodating with our unique orders of decaf coffee with steamed almond milk and honey. Very well staffed on a busy farmer's market Sunday. Was easy to maintain social distancing. Bathrooms were clean and open. Will definitely swing back next time we're in town! read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Ice coffee for the road - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

Again September weather means sitting out .. we are from Florida so this is a treat . Ordered goat cheese salad perfect my husband had the BLT scone .. interesting combo he enjoyed it apart from the scone being a little crumbly he recommends it. Causal ambience read more

Whistling Kettle - Schenectady - Goat cheese salad and scone sandwich - Tea Rooms Near Me - Schenectady, New York

What a great find! Got the recommendation for a lunch place from cop. Always trust cops for food recommendations. Arrived and was delighted to find a bright, airy location with great service. I think I was initially downplaying the tea, until I saw what you get. An incredible deal. Started with white chicken chili which was delicious and that was followed by their horseradish roast beef panini which I really liked and then I got a piece of cake for dessert. I had cake, like a goddamn fancy gentleman. I can't even tell you the last time I had a piece of cake at lunch was. (Except for cheesecake at a NY diner. Always get that) Food was filling and affordable and the service was great. I'd definitely return here when I'm in town next. read more

I've now visited the Whistling Kettle three times, so this will be a cumulative review with pictures from two of those visits. First of all, I agreed with the first reviewer about the lackluster, slightly inept service the first time I ate in, but I do have to say it's been better both times since then. Luckily, we've never had to wait to be seated, but there's always an initial confusion about where to seat us since we request to sit at a table with at least one chair (versus a traditional booth). While I wouldn't give the Whistling Kettle full marks for service, I do think it's improved and haven't had an experience that would prevent me from returning. When you're seated, you're given the menu and a clipboard with the daily special drinks and today's flavors of quiche and scone. Beverage-wise, I've only ever had the daily iced tea. It's the first option on the clipboard, a plain black tea. The iced tea has fantastic flavor, and it's very refreshing. The iced tea specials include refills and are $3. I've had the daily special quiche ($11) twice, both times the broccoli with three cheeses. You get your own individual sized quiche, bigger than those frozen quiches you can get in the supermarket. The quiche is delicious, with a nice flaky crust and definitely freshly made. Highly recommend! The quiche comes with kettle chips, but we upgraded to the side salad ($3) the first time. The side salad is fairly generous, all the portion sizes are, really. They have an oriental honey.. sesame? dressing that is to die for. The second time I got the quiche, we upgraded to the three-tiered Afternoon Tea ($16). This is actually a fantastic deal if you were planning on substituting the side salad anyway. The Afternoon Tea is any sandwich, crepe, or quiche + a bigger side salad (there are other side options) + a scone with cream and jam or a slice of tea bread for dessert (there are other upgrade options). For dessert, we tried the blackberry scone, and that was delicious, too! Really, all the food has been superb. I tried a panini on my second visit. The Garden Panini ($11) has roasted red peppers, artichokes, spinach, mozzarella, and pesto on crusty focaccia. I highly recommend that, as well! EVERYTHING that I've eaten and drunk at the Whistling Kettle has been outstanding. Portion sizes are good, and I think it's well worth the price. I'm told they have a good tea shop as well, if you're looking to buy some loose leaf teas. Overall, I think this is a fabulous addition to Jay Street, and it definitely has me visiting downtown much more often than I used to! read more

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The food here has always been great and the drinks have been even better. The ambiance has always been nice and cozy as well!

What an incredible place! Came here with our two kiddos (2 & 5), were seated outside, had wonderful food and beverages, and some of the best service ever. Our waitress was thoughtful and attentive, even though busy with many tables. read more

My scone was inedible. I ordered the BLT scone which - Idk if I got a bad batch, but it tasted like pure baking soda and I had to spit it out. The RRP soup is good. read more

I had the good fortune of coming upon it yesterday morning before attending a meeting at City Hall, which is just a block away. First, it's very spacious for a cafe. And I appreciated that there is space between tables so you can have a private conversation. Secondly, the decor was very tastefully done, and well detailed. I loved the murals, especially in the bathroom. Nice, complimentary and interesting patterns and doesn't look like what everyone else has. Plus, it all and very well maintained. Spotless. Looks very well managed and the wait staff was exceptional. They were young, but polished. It was all impressive. Oh, one last thing... the food was good too. Lobster Bisque was excellent. Vegetable Quiche was as expected. Gourmet hot chocolate was a bit too sweet for me; I would skip the marshmallow goo next time, but I did enjoy the peppermint. I understand the point about not adding the whip cream, but I would suggest that you consider a small scoop of vanilla ice cream, and maybe a sprinkle of nutmeg. (Former Haagen Dazs employee here.) Overall, well done! I commend the management and ownership. If you ever decide to become a chain, I would definitely be a frequent customer. read more

This rating would have been higher but down graded mainly based on poor service. Went on a Wednesday for lunch on a hot day but chose to sit outside- only ones;ceiling fans made it comfortable-wasn't too crowded inside. Waited 10 min for a server and we went inside and had to ask for a server to stop by-we gave our order and he brought a carafe of ice water with lemon. We ordered 2 lobster bisques and a horseradish roastbeef panini to split. We waited another 20 min and the outside tables started to fill up and another server was waiting on them right away. We once again had to go inside to check pretty much got ignored by hostess but one waiter did ask and I asked to speak to our server- told him we were pressed for time- he said the order should be right up,I said we might need it to go- waited another 5 Min and my friend went in to say make it to go- meal was brought to table on top an inch opened bag- no utensils for soup etc. didn't split sandwich- had to ask for spoons and napkins then he brought the bill- $20. No apologies. Someone told my friend they got "slammed..." after we had been there tho. The bisque was hot nice flavor and consistency. Panini was tasty but skimpy on roastbeef "herbed roll" was a little overwhelming but overall tasty. read more

Deaja was an amazing waitress!! She was so attentive and visited our table often. On top of that, the food was great. I got the buffalo chicken sandwich, it was cooked perfectly and tasted great. Of course I indulged and got the bananas foster crepe (Deaja's recommendation) and could not have been more satisfied with it. I'm usually nervous ordering crepes as I've had many in the past that are as thick as pancakes, but the crepe itself was very thin and the filling was nothing short of perfect. Would recommend!! read more

Yes, for lunch it's a bit expensive, but the food and drinks were delicious and unique. Portion size was good too, so I felt I got my money's worth. Excellent service and overall a great experience. read more