The tea ceremony is highly overrated. We attended Christmas tea with the children. Before booking, I saw the difference in price between the Regular Afternoon tea and the Christmas tea and was surprised that there was no hint of Christmas on the tables, except for the tree at the entrance. Two stars only because the staff at the entrance were polite and attentive, and the lobby was beautiful. There was no Christmas atmosphere at Christmas Eve. We were first for tea at 11am. At the same time, while we were waiting for snacks, we noticed a lot of garbage and crumbs from the previous day on the floor under the table, the table was already sticky, and there were dirty stains on the rim of a glass of ice water. The cutlery needed cleaning - the grooves in the patterns were clearly not cleaned and there were bent parts on one of the forks. The premises itself are clearly without an owner-administrator. The glass has noticeable sticky or greasy hand marks, the baseboard from the window on the floor is coming off and there is no one to put it in place. This is not at all the restaurant of the best hotel in the city. When the three-tier serving of appetizers arrived, the children's menu was a big loser. It is clear that it is almost half the price of an adult, but a jam sandwich between bread and a banal bacon sandwich is just ridiculous. The adult set had a third of a croissant, dry ham, tired appetizers. As they wrote in other comments, the cucumbers were no longer fresh, it all looked like it had been cooked the night before. For dessert, 4 types of sweets were served individually for adults and 3 for children. The children's were quite simple, like profiterole, shortbread and a simple sponge cake with coconut. Adults are unlikely to surprise anyone who has the slightest idea about cooking desserts and French pastries. Very very primitive. The tea was excellent. The tea party was designed for a maximum of 2 hours, while the waiter independently began to offer to finish, insisted on bringing boxes for leftover food and was clearly in a hurry. From the excessive courtesy at the beginning to the hasty farewell at the end - not very impressive. Total for 200 dollars for 1.20 hour you get an unkempt restaurant, food without sophistication, and strange behavior of the staff. I still don’t understand the difference between Christmas and regular tea, it’s no longer interesting to check. We are new cameramen, we have lived in Europe all our lives, and we were very surprised by such quality in the restaurant in the main hotel of the capital of Canada.

Great afternoon tea! Beautiful lounge. My waiter was very humorous lol. Great portions for each person, had to take some home since it was quite a lot to finish in one sitting.

Honestly the price wasn't really worth the portion or taste. The server was nice but the wait for the food was very long, not really worth what we got. The atmosphere is nice, the hotel is stunning and worth a good walk to explore, you'll be waiting a while anyways so enjoy what the place has and take some pics!

I had an afternoon tea for my birthday and it was a very very nice time. Great interior, great food, and great and kind people. The teas called Something Sweet was very very nice. The afternoon tea sets were delicious, but the too shelf desserts were on the sweeter side. The servers brought a surprise birthday dessert and sang happy birthday song for me, and they were very very sweet :) I’d advise others to visit and have a good time.

Had a wonderful afternoon tea experience at Zoe’s! The scones are a must!! It is a safe and relaxing space with delicate vibes. The servers were wonderful and cater to all the details. Thank you for a beautiful experience!

High tea at Zoe’s is a special treat. They have a huge selection of teas to pick from, but I recommend the maple cream, a flavor you aren’t going to find everywhere. Although the menu is set they do make adjustments for allergies and taste preferences. The highlight of my tea was the blueberry scone with mascarpone and jam, as well as the crab salad on a croissant. Of course I finished with a very nice French 75. In the same day, I went back for a late little supper. I enjoyed the beef tartare and tried a local Canadian gin. I also tried their photo friendly smoked whiskey cocktail. The food was great. The service was very friendly. And the room is lovely both day and night. My only complaint was the speed of the drinks. We had to wait quite a while for those, but otherwise it was flawless.

So very disappointed. It was supposed to be a special Princess tea treat for my 5 year old granddaughter, my daughter, myself and a visiting friend on January 2nd. The teas were cold, the hot chocolate was watered down. I thought we were supposed to have scones, but that was not the case, biscuits..... We were served items that we specifically asked not to have as none of us are meat eaters, yet there was beef and turkey.... The items served looked like they were someone's left overs. My granddaughter was served a half sandwich of a thin layer of jam on white bread. When I mentioned to our server that one of the sandwiches on my tray was item I specifically requested not wanting, he told me to give it to someone else and he would bring me another egg salad roll. He did, as we were about to leave and told me he forgot. The deserts looked and tasted like frozen sweets from a grocery store. I think quality over quantity should have been considered in this case. I did not complain, because I did not want to embarrass my group. I've read the other reviews and I wish our experience had been that pleasant.

I loved those restaurants I would definitely return

I went for afternoon tea, had really been looking forward to this and it was a HUGE disappointment. We arrived on time and were asked to wait and someone would call us. We waited 20min, nobody called, went back to ask how much longer, and they brought us in (i think they forgot about us). One of our chairs was covered in spilled tea, still wet (leather seat), nobody had bothered to wipe it down, we got rid of the chair ourselves. More than once my head almost got taken off from a serving tray, or someone was bumping into my chair, or saying excuse me to get by... our table was in the main traffic area for servers. We asked to be moved, and it seemed like a big hassle, but eventually we did get seated somewhere else, and even that was incredibly confusing as we were told to sit somewhere and then told not to... Several people around us were wearing scarves, coats draped over shoulders or were complaining about how cold it was. The whole place seemed so disorganized, most of the time we had no idea what was going on or if our order had even been placed. My teapot arrived with dried out tea stuck to the side, i'm guessing from the previous tea drinker as mine hadn't been poured yet. My serving tower was wobbly/ off balance yet they still gave it to me, i tried to level it myself with a napkin. I knew it was going to be pricey but i thought I'd be paying for an experience as well. I'm still shocked at how many things went wrong, not to mention the constant smashing of something falling/ breaking close by. The room was beautiful, the servers were nice, however based on the everything else that happened and what we paid, i would not go back.

1. Very good location 2. A great choice while live in Fairmont, convience 3. The service is very good, but sometimes there is no one at the front desk (probably too busy) 4. I know many people give high ratings, but for me, 'food' is' So so 'and there is no surprise; 5. Since I stayed in Fairmont, I had my dinner and High Tea there. 6. High tea is very popular, I have no idea why. it's better to make a reservation. Many people choose afternoon tea to celebrate their birthdays. There are many options for afternoon tea, and scone is very good, I would recommend it. but other desserts are average.

Went for afternoon tea and absolutely loved it! Food was great, service was lovely, and venue is beautiful. I was so impressed by the server's cultural awareness with respect to eating halal, allergens, and just general food restrictions. Thank you! The only thing I would prefer to be different was that it was a bit too warm there when we went. Also the maple cream tea is amazing! Can't wait to go back!

I was disappointed with the high tea today. The choice of sandwiches and dessert were not very good.

Went for high tea and the restaurant was dirty. Food dripping on the window beside our table that was not cleaned, dirty dishes on the table. I watched the server bringing our food drop the scones on the service station falling off the plate, put them back on and still serve them. Service was also not great over all.

Was here for their high tea! It is worth the experience. Greeting with lovely people and was well presented. Best way to describe this was that it was a fun, whimsical, and relaxing meal. On a personal note, the sweet components were a little too sweet, but still tasted good.

Was very good I liked it, I really liked the dessert and the coconut cocktail, but for the rest of the food was "meh"

Had a fantastic high tea experience at Zoe’s Lounge. Loved the attentive staff, the extensive tea selection and the delightful nibbles. The sandwiches and desserts were excellent and we were very full from all the food. The scones were delicious, particularly with the butter and jam.

Very nice, safe snd secure environment. Great atmosphere. Friendly waiters. We ordered bruschetta and a cheese platter as appetizers the steak with salad as main course. Everything was delicious. Highly recommended!

Slow service, overpriced, and noisy. Nice room. Too bad should be an epic cocktail lounge.

Food was great, excellent service, beautiful surroundings.

We went for NYE. Beautiful decor, kind staff. There was a DJ playing fun remixes of old songs. The food was all very thoughtful and unique. The NYE dinner was somewhat over priced but that's the way things often go. Would recommend you check it out for a special occasion.

This was our first afternoon tea. Happy to inform you that we experienced perfect service by Josee. They were able to cater to our dietary needs (food allergies) and all trays were presented beautifully with a great tea selection. It was excellent.

Amazing food representing skillful chef. The seasoning is very subtle yet well balanced to deliver elegant and fresh flavor while all the ingredients are cooked perfectly. All of these three dishes are 10/10. The staff is professional and the ambiance is nice. Overall, it's definitely an upscale experience which worth the price

Feb 2023 Came back with my boyfriend for tea time this morning just before noon. Once again they accommodated my vegan lifestyle with a delectable selection. The portion sizes are deceptively filling! They look small and elegant but were enough to satiate both myself and my burly athlete partner. August 2022 Went here with my sister and two of her friends as part of a bridal shower / Bachelorette day for my sister. One of the 3-tier platters is vegan (the one with two triangular scones, they also provided a vegan cream for my scones too) and the other two 3-tier platters were regular (only one of the regular ones is picture). It was a wonderful experience and the staff are superb. First mimosa I've ever had! And then the second mimosa I've ever had lol. The tea was fantastic. I can't wait to return another time.

So. Much. Fun. The drinks and food were incredible. Pricey, but stunning. A wonderful fancy night out!! For two of us, with one main each, and one drink each, it was around $120 (not including tip). So it's fancy, but given how fancy and gorgeous everything is, it feels like you are getting a lot of bang for your buck! I've paid similar prices at much duller places!

I went here October 6, 2022, for high tea at 11:30 a.m. Parking is outrageously expensive at the hotel, so I parked at the National Arts Centre, but it was an ugly parking garage, and about 3 blocks away - not where you want to go when all dressed up. At Zoe's on the enclosed porch where the high tea is served, it was a little warm with the sun coming in on me, but I lowered the blind a bit, so it was ok. There were many empty tables, and so no wait. The scones were not hard like most I have had in my life, but were soft. The jam was good on them. The sandwiches were more tasty than I expected. The desert plate items were basic. The tea was tasty. The main non-positive was that our waiter, Garrick, talked at one point for maybe 20 minutes with the people at the next table, all about his kids, grandkids, and finances, e.g. the pension he expects. I thought he knew the people. I finally called him over for more water, and asked him to please end the conversation, and the woman he had been talking to looked at me and smiled and nodded that she, too, has been annoyed by him. She was from Vancouver, so he did not know them. The Vancouver woman was back to see her dad who was on his deathbed, and took her mother out for this treat at a difficult time. It was rude of the waiter, Garrick, to not let people have their own private time, and instead to insert himself as the center of their attention. The main floor of Zoe's is maybe is more elegant than the porch area. Overall was fun, but they should have: a) a special parking rate for people going to high tea, and b) more professional waiters.

Service is good. Bar is good. They serve famous Statemen's Whiskey cocktail. Everything is plated well, served well. Some things are hit and miss. I will frank and honest on a culinary basis you are paying for location. High Tea items were delicious. My Tuna main was great and very good, the Tuna starter was plated well and flavours worked but it seemed like I paid $40 for a can of Tuna. Again Creme Brule and Cheesecake were phenomenal, the ice cream was good but not worth the price. This means you will need to navigate the menu. I probably would not order the burger there, down the street you find a better burger for example. They were helpful with modifications and dietary restrictions. I had dinner one evening, drinks and deserts the other evening, High Tea on Sunday. For High Tea you should make reservations well in advance as it brings people in who aren't staying at the hotel. You may want reservation for dinner just in case there are events going on. High Tea was a great great experience, 2 hour seating limit, they were accommodating with dietary restrictions. Kids option. Great Teas. Service was great and you will not find this experience often.

Poor customer service i d k if all other waitresses were as rude as ours. Me and my friend with my service dog were welcomed by the front line but the waitress she was a bit older and healthy she came and literally threw the menus on table. My dog barked a couple times as he is in training the management came to us and said if he barks again we have to LEAVE. My dog didn’t bark again but the waitress wjo never again to take our orders complained about my dog barking again. The management came to us and asked us to leave, the other table there was a couple who literally barged in to say the dog did not bark again. We just left willingly because there was enough disrespectful behaviour from the whole staff. Thanks to the other table couple for standing for us. The whole situation was very stressful for me and my dog, I haven’t dined in another place since my brain injury i am probably never going to this Joes It was an horrible experience on the day of new years eve! We literally had ordered uber eats that night for us never going to dine in again.

We went here for afternoon tea and it was lovely! It was a bit pricey, but it was worth it as a once in a lifetime thing, especially great to do in Ottawa as a tourist. 😊 Great tea flavors and the service were beyond amazing 👏

Very nice experience in this lovely bar in the Fairmont hotel, we went there for the tea ceremony in the afternoon. The service was very polite, the only downside was being in a table close to the window which was pretty chilly. There is a good diversity of tea and there's definitely a lot of food coming with it, sweet and salty. I think that spending around 105 CAD (taxes and tips included) is too much but the afternoon was very pleasant.

We went today at 2 pm. Three strikes for us…won’t be returning. The service has gone downhill. We had to ask for my daughter’s hot chocolate and we did not receive the ordered Prosecco although it was on the bill. The waitress said “I wish you would have reminded me”. At $80 a head, I should not have to remind anyone of anything. Sandwiches have been sitting too long. Chairs are in desperate need of cleaning and replacement. I’ve had afternoon tea in many cities and this is truly lacking. Quite disappointing. Two stars is just for the ambiance but tbh, save your money and go elsewhere.

My husband and I went out for dinner to celebrate his birthday. There was a great ambiance, but we found it to be overrated and overpriced. The quality of food and service was’t worth the price. We ordered two starters, two main dishes, one dessert, and four drinks, and the total bill came to $275, plus tax and tip. Despite being a high-end restaurant, the service was not up to the mark, and the pace was quite slow. The only dish we really enjoyed was the grilled Brussels starter. The rest of the food was average.

Came here for afternoon tea. Experience was delightful! Attentive service, beautiful setting, and delicious food and tea. The scones were particularly good - wish they were sold for takeaway. Hope to come back again for another special occasion.

One of the worst chefs in Ottawa works here. Ordered the 3 course chef choice. That was a disaster. The waiter gave me a list. Then reality was something else. Soup from a can. Risotto that tasted like soup and old stale creams brûlée. Very sad reality. Never again in this restaurant

We had the Afternoon Tea here and it was a very joyous way to celebrate out anniversary. Delicious, great atmosphere and our server Dave was outstanding.

Average Experience My wife and I were really looking forward to the afternoon tea experience at the Chateau Laurier but were unfortunately very disappointed. Service was average and so were the sandwiches and the deserts .Only highlight was the ambience . We attended the afternoon tea at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth in Montreal and found it to be exceptional.

A really relaxing place for afternoon tea. Attentive service and the serving was very generous. The scones with mascarpone cream were my favorite.

Another excellent Afternoon Tea with my bff to start the summer in style. Attentive service by Nicole. We chose the Creamy Earl Grey black tea and it was brewed just right. Next time, we would ask for two servings of the savoury sandwiches instead of the sweets (that tasted too sweet). The shrimp salad croissants pieces were perfect and my favourite this time. The scones (regular and cherry). Totally recommend for a special occasion.

Amazing service and food

Very good but no vegan or vegetarian options

Closest thing Ottawa has to a Ritz.

(Translated by Google) Classic, chic, comfortable, delectable. (Original) Classique, chic, confortable, délectable.

Beautiful spot for high tea any day of the week. I would recommend getting a reservation. There is a set menu, but staff will ask if you have dietary restrictions before hand. The vegetarian menu is the same quality as the set menu, showing they put thought into curating something for everyone. If you have a more "rare" or "complicated" restriction I would suggest calling ahead to ensure they can accommodate. The staff, especially our server Josée, was so friendly and joyful. The food was delicious and beautiful, and so was the scenery. There is also a kid friendly set menu.

It sounds amazing might go after covid also giving it 5 stars because the name is great because i have the same name

Came here for my birthday dinner, everything was delicious, the menu was small, which made it feel more like “quality” items instead of quantity. The steak was absolutely delicious, one of the best I’ve had in a while. We ordered the Octopus Carpaccio and the Crab Tian, both were light and refreshing appetizers. My boyfriend got the yellowfin tuna, portion was a little small but overall everything was great. This was definitely an experience and is a nice treat for special occasions. I will definitely be back!

Beautiful room, warm and cheerful service. Outstanding cocktails, and a bar menu which offers a reasonable (although not extensive) selection of appetizers and mains. The cheese plate was unusually good, and beautifully presented.

Afternoon tea was amazing, food was great with beautiful ambiance of room. Wasn't to crowded being covid times. Will be definitely back!

I went for the high tea and it was really good. There is a large tea selection and I was really happy that they can substitute some food if you have food intolerance/not liking something

Setting and service was very nice! Highly recommend the showstopper drinks especially the smoking iceberg. Bone marrow was fantastic. Good for late night dates!

Great service. Good Covid protocols. Very welcoming.

Great experience and lovely ambiance. The service was excellent and very accommodating to allergies.

I don't see anything bad about this restaurant, it's perfect!

Our stay at the Chateau Laurier was lovely. Zoe's is a beautiful elegant dining room. The French Onion soup was amazing. The cocktails inovative and delicious. The charcuterie plate was not satisfactory as the salami was not fresh. We will return for the soup and cocktails though.

I treated my mom to the afternoon tea for her birthday. We had such a lovely time. Food, service and atmosphere were all outstanding. Garrick was our server and he was very personable, adding to our great experience. I would most definitely recommend trying the afternoon tea.

Excellent, friendly and funny, service. Yummy food. Lovely ambience. Worth it!

Great experience. I went for afternoon tea. I loved their pan seared tuna & their tea is really nice. I recommend tea number 12. It might not look like a lot, but it was very filling! & our waitress was amazing. Thank you!

The place is fancy. Staff is very professional and nice. We took the high tea option and enjoyed every bit of it.

I have a long list of food allergies, always provided in advance. In the past, I've received a selection of tea sandwiches and sweets and my allergens were carefully avoided. Sunday I received a selection that were apparently specifically prepared for me but one clearly had carrots. This had to be sent back. All the sweets on my tray were also gluten free - even though I have no issue with wheat. Gluten free bread is more crumbly and I wondered why everything had been substituted. My scones were plain while my guests' scones had cranberries; I am not allergic to cranberries. All my desserts were different. I appreciate that having food allergies requires the staff to prepare different substitutions and it is more work but I don't appreciate receiving what seemed to be 'the allergy plate' devoid of so many items I am not allergic to and enjoy. After 30+ years of tea at the Chateau this was disappointing.

Was so looking forward to this experience but alas it was a huge disappointment. Only five ordinary, run of the mill ordeuves, same for the sweets... and tea biscuit like you find at Tim Hortons. For 2 persons with tax $171.79 not including tip ! Total rip off ! Should of gone for a fine meal elsewhere. Never again 😡

Incredible Afternoon Tea experience!

We had a wonderful time today for afternoon tea. The tea and food were delicious. Though it is a bit pricy, they do provide a lot of food so it is well worth the cost. The servers were very attentive. They are able to accommodate various allergies and food dislikes. I was pleasantly surprised.

If I could rate the customer service a zero I would. Just terrible, fast food joints have better service than this place. Food was awful, so disappointed.

Was very impressed. Beautiful decor and food.

First rate service. Went for the afternoon tea which was a delightful experience.

Went for holiday tea today- such a beautiful lounge! Was not super impressed by the service however: we never once had our waters filled and the service was rather slow and unfriendly. And there was a surprising amount of drops/spills and China shattered around us as well as on our table. The tea selection itself was fabulous and the sandwiches and desserts were tasty and adorable to look at! Perhaps a bit pricey for tea, sandwiches and sweets at $65/pp.

They try real hard

Holiday Tea was wonderful with Gluten Free options.

They have changed their menu from when I was there 6 years ago, but the food is great and so is the tea selection! Staff and service was good too.

Main was delicious but had to ask several times for the garlic toast. Also, the only thing they did for my birthday was put a candle in my very expensive dessert! Not impressed by that! Chateau Frontenac gives a free dessert!

Fifthy shades of Zoe's excellent !!!

(Translated by Google) Very good food. Impeccable service and a smile. Try the octopus! (Original) Très bonne table. Service irréprochable et sourire. Essayez le poulpe!

Atmosphere, service, and variety is all great or awesome overall. Ļ

Definitely a cute spot for high tea with friends! That made it a nice experience. What let this fall from 5 stars is the a la carte menu items we ordered. They were lacking seasoning completely.

Tasty and fancy. People arrive in their best and also in jeans

Elegant restaurant, great views of the city, beautifully presented food but overall underwhelming dining experience with the exception of the clotted cream. It’s is unfortunate that the food seems to fall short every time.

Afternoon tea isn't what it used to be😒 and parking lot has no access to building anymore. Zoe's afternoon was always an fun outing for us.

Unfortunately, this was a big fail for me. Had high expectations, but it didn't go the right way. Beautiful place, that was it. Service took too long, way too expensive for what you get, portions were too big and not appealing at all, just very disappointing.

Fantastic restaurant in the heart of an iconic historic building right beside the parliament buildings. Great food, great atmosphere and s great view

I had the "Sunday Gravy" Tagliatelle. Veryyyyy nice and good portion as well! It was 6 of us for a birthday night and the server was very attentive. We never needed to ask for "more" of anything. Excellent service!

Over the past 6 years, COVID withstanding, it has been a Christmas tradition for me to treat my DIL and granddaughters to the Festival Tea. We love looking forward to dressing up and the whole experience of tea and viewing the Christmas trees. However,I have noticed small changes over the years that make a big impact. Where are the white tablecloths? Where are the China teapots? The noise level of the staff clearing and setting up tables is very distracting. I believe the price and historical building warrant these details. They used to be standard. I’m giving my review a 4 star because the food and staff have always been excellent. .

Despite being busy great service. Wonderful decorating and atmosphere

We made diner reservations at 700pm. We had in my opinion the worst service I've had in my life. Our waitress was somewhat snobby. After she took our order, our drinks sat on the bar, when she chatted it up with another table for at least 15-20 minutes. We received our meals right after she finally brought us our drinks. After we finished, our plates sat on the table for awhile. When she finally came back we asked for the bill. We sent our kids up to the room after waiting for a while. Waited a bit longer then finally got up and waited at the bar for her, while she was again, chatting it up. When she finally noticed us, she came up to us and asked if she can help us.... I asked for the bill again.. needles to said she didn't get a tip. Food and drinks would of been great if it wasn't for her.

(Translated by Google) Nice place, welcoming and very good service (Original) Bel endroit, accueillant et très bon service

Really fun experience but a few notes. The savoury items were all soo delicious but I have a nut allergy and got the nut free desserts and everything was just too sweet. Also, I made a reservation and we got there on time but it took them 25 minutes to get a table ready and they did not comment/ apologize at all on making us wait for so long. Service was a little lack lustre, not very attentive but maybe they were understaffed or just got people on a bad day.