Had a lovely experience at McKenna's! I think reservations are a must, we had them for 11:30 and by the time we were half way thru with lunch it had gotten really busy! Give yourself time to find parking on Main St. or nearby. We ordered Queen Mums which we enjoyed with our own pots of tea.. the meal was so filling! Salads were fresh, sandwiches had a good variety, scones were soft. It's a leisurely lunch which was really appreciated. No rushing the food or us to leave. We ordered birthday cake and vanilla almond teas, and were very happy with our choices. Overall enjoyed the day at McKenna's Tea Cottage! We are looking forward to going back. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Lovely day at McKenna's! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

To say this establishment was overpriced is an understatement. This place markets itself like some elegant, cozy, English tea experience when in reality it looks like the inside of a dying hoarder grandma's house. The carpets and walls are "rustic" if you're being generous, but honestly they looked cigarette-stained and filthy. The service was atrocious too. It took nearly THIRTY MINUTES just to get tea. Tea. Not a five-course meal. Then we waited OVER AN HOUR for finger sandwiches that tasted like cafeteria scraps. Most of the food was genuinely awful. The only remotely edible items were the tomato soup, cucumber/egg sandwich, and chicken quiche -- except the quiche wasn't even included and cost an extra $22, which is insane for a place already charging premium prices for mediocrity. The "egg sandwich" was basically stale yellow bread with microscopic traces of egg. And whoever decided HAM AND BLUEBERRY CREAM CHEESE belonged in a finger sandwich needs to be fired immediately. Even the table decor looked terrible. Every table had random mismatched pieces from different sets instead of a cohesive theme, so the whole place just felt cluttered, lazy, and disorganized. Nothing about this experience felt charming or intentional. I waited over an hour to eat garbage in a room that smelled like dust and neglect. Absolutely do not recommend. I wasn't paying, but the experience costed over $100 (including $60 from a groupon). read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Tea set - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Still my favorite tea shop restaurant in SoCal!!! Love their soups, scones and sandwiches! The soups especially (every flavor) are delicious! Their veggie quiche is also outstanding but they dont have it every day but when they do I always order it! The interior is super cute with all the varieties of teacups and the service is wonderful! read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Loooove their food! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

We came here for my moms birthday. Our reservation was at 11:30. We sat down and the service was painfully slow. Don't come here hungry because it took an hour to get our food and teas. We all had the lady Hamilton which are 5 tea sandwiches, pot of tea, and one scone each with frosting and jam spread. The finger sandwiches had barely anything in them very thin. Normally lady Hamilton is $30 per person. I got the Groupon deal for $68 for 4 people. I can't imagine paying $30 per person for such a small amount of food. I would say the only positive is the selection of teas. We tried the following teas chocolate, vanilla chai, watermelon and vanilla hazelnut. My favorite was the vanilla hazelnut. I would also recommend the chicken quiche. In the front the sign says limit your time to 90 minutes which normally would be fine but the service is ridiculously slow. How does it take an hour for finger sandwiches and tea?! read more

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This charming tea house offers delicious teas and food items set in a cozy setting. I really enjoyed the finger sandwiches as well as the scone with raspberry preserves and clotted cream. The dish ware was also charming and every tea pot had a different look to it which was adorable. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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It was very cute ! The food was ok ! Once a year we go there this time we went to celebrate or dear friend who loves tea read more

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This tea house has such a cute, whimsical atmosphere -- it feels like stepping into a storybook. The décor is charming, cozy, and perfect for a relaxing afternoon. The tea selection was wonderful -- flavorful and beautifully presented. The scones were fresh and buttery, and the sandwiches were delicious with just the right balance of savory and sweet options. . I loved that they offer different afternoon tea meal selections, so there's something for everyone -- from a classic traditional tea service to heartier or more petite options depending on your mood or appetite. The service was excellent -- warm, attentive, and made us feel truly welcome without being overbearing. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Some friends and I have been trying all the afternoon tea's around Long Beach and McKenna's was our second stop. For weekend reservations, they require a $5 deposit per person (refundable if you cancel in advance and otherwise applied to your bill), which you can do online. Unfortunately you cannot modify reservations online, so I had to call into the restaurant each time our party grew. They were prompt about returning my calls, updating the reservation, and collecting the additional deposits, it would just be nice to be able to do it online. We had a fairly large group of nine people and were seated outside on the patio once our full group had arrived. The patio is a lovely space and I was glad to be seated out there. Although it is adjacent to main street, it is closed off and feels like a private garden space. It was a sunny day and staff were helpful in adjusting the umbrellas to keep our party in the shade. If you have members in your party with certain dietary restrictions, they do offer vegetarian and gluten free options. For vegetarians they sub in additional veggie sandwiches for the two tea sandwiches that have meat. For gluten free options they do require 48 hour advanced notice. One of the great things about McKenna's is the number of menu options you have. It allows people to tailor their meal to their preferences and also provides choices at a variety of price points. They have a nice selection teas as well. Your afternoon tea comes with one pot and refills are an extra charge. The plates and teacups are all mismatched china and we had a lot of fun admiring everyone's unique teacups. Staff were very friendly and helpful. We ended up sitting and talking for a while, not realizing that they were closing up around us! They add 20% gratuity for large groups, but on our bill the gratuity was calculated on the total after the deposit had been subtracted. Luckily we caught this in time and were able to increase our tip so our server didn't get shortchanged. If you're dining in on a weekend and have a large group be sure you are tipping based on the actual total of your bill. Everyone in my group had fun and enjoyed their afternoon tea. Thanks, McKenna's! read more

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Very cozy after noon tea- they have a lot to set menus that have different add ons like soup salad or dessert. The highlights for me were the scone with cream and jam. The second was the almond chai latte and some kind of dragon green tea. There were four types of sandwhiches and I liked how it was standard small bites. Overall worth good drive to try out a new place. read more

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Had a very memorable time celebrating my cousins birthday. We had the Lady Hamilton tea for two. Delicious home made pastries and sandwiches. The tomato soup was so yummy, i would return just for this. The setting is cute and charming with lots of little details to admire. Friendly staff. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

I had my baby shower here and it was absolutely perfect! It's all because of Karen! The second I talked to Karen I knew she was going to take good care of me. The place is adorable and the food is delicious. And the staff goes above and beyond. I highly recommend you have your parties here or just come for tea. I can't wait to return! read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Baby Shower - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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This is an old establishment off Main Street in Seal Beach. There is one parking spot available (other than handicap spot) next to their front door otherwise find street parking. We were seated on the patio. The weather was lovely so the patio was the option. The prices are similar to other tea places. The service was friendly. This place is very low on my list of enjoyable tea experiences. My tea pot leaked and since we were on the patio with an old metal table with holes in it the boiling hot tea landed in my lap. That was not fun. The soup was good - broccoli cheddar. The sandwich bread was hard and almost no filling present. I'm used to tiny tea sandwiches but not ones with next to no filling. Sandwiches were "bread heavy" and the bread was hard and basic. I would not recommend this as a standard tea experience. They charge way too much for barely any food. They did have two different flavors of scone and both were delicious. Almost all their desserts that day were lemony - if you're not a lemon fan you won't enjoy them. Deposits are required when booking a reservation. They have lots of rules about booking and allergies so read the fine print if you have dietary restrictions. read more

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Delicious, warm scones with jam and cream. Yummy tea sandwiches. I had their peach apricot tea which was very good. The service was good. They were very busy. The ambiance is very nice in their front patio. Inside needs a little bit of a clean makeover. Parking across the street 2 hours paid and limited. read more

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First time visit. The buzz around my circle a few years ago was to not waste my time trying it. However, after reading recent reviews, I thought it was worth giving it a try. Unfortunately, first impressions were a downer. This establishment is in need of some fresh paint and a big makeover. I suggest ditching the fake flowers on the table with a red heart in it, for example. If you can't afford fresh flowers, come up with a new idea. My guest made a visit to the bathroom and her comment was that it was "cringy." Our male waiter was friendly and attentive, but my guest and I felt his dressed down look of baggy jeans attire was very inappropriate. We wondered if he was the kitchen help and had to fill in as a waiter that day. Regardless, any savvy business owner would direct their employee to change the attire before presenting in front of the customers. These are just a few examples of how this brought the whole experience down. Our selected teas were pleasant though it took a little too long (30 minutes) to get our food based on only three other tables with customers. The scones were fresh, yet we both agreed the curd was too subtle in flavor. I must say the sandwiches were enjoyable! Probably will not go back. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Waited 30 minutes for our food to arrive to table. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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The food was amazing, they have a kid's meal that is a huge discount in comparison to buying everything individually. The service was excellent, and don't get me started on the ambiance. If I could give this a 6 star review, I would in a heartbeat. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - My son drinking tea - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Went today with some friends and we had a great time. The food is light so be prepared for that. The teas are amazing. I didn't realize I would get a whole pot of tea! The location itself was fairly easy to find, they have parking but you'd have better luck with street parking. The prices I feel were a bit overpriced. Would definitely come back for more yummy tea. read more

Was easy to get a reservation a week before. We were seated promptly and my group of 4 gals all picked the Lady Hamilton. Cesar salad was good, each tea was surprising good, all the sandwiches were delicious, the peach scones were a great size and amazing, the desserts were perfectly sized and also yummy! Great experience, I pour happily come back read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Lady Hamilton Tea X4 - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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What a hidden gem! This little tea and lunch spot is absolutely adorable -- the whimsical atmosphere makes you feel like you've stepped into a storybook. Tucked away close to the beach, it's the perfect spot to relax and enjoy something delicious before or after a stroll by the ocean. I had the chicken salad croissant and a berry mixed salad -- both so fresh and flavorful. Everything was so yummy I completely forgot to take a picture! The 3-dish dessert sampler --was also great, each bite was full of flavors and tasty. On top of the food, the service was excellent -- warm, attentive, and made the whole experience even better. The vibe is cozy, charming, and inviting. Definitely one of those places you almost don't want to share because it's such a special find. I'll definitely be back! read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - 3 Piece Dessert - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

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The girls and I enjoyed a lovely lunch at McKenna's tea cottage today. Parking was easy in the side lot. When we entered Karen greeted us with a joyful smile and escorted us to our table. She went over the holiday drinks and the soup of the day before giving us some time to review the menu. My daughters both enjoyed the princess tea with hot cocoa and the birthday cake tea. Both were delicious! My mother in law enjoyed the queens tea which came with various tea sandwiches and sweets along with a pot of tea. She started with the broccoli cheddar soup which was served hot and was yummy. I opted for a side salad and the vegetable quiche. The salad was premium greens which I appreciate, and the quiche was served piping hot with a delicious crust. Everything was tasty. We enjoyed ourselves and will absolutely be back. read more

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I like the atmosphere, it's quaint personal. I love the sandwiches the presentation and the tea . I love the service since they will explain so I know what I can expect read more

lady hamilton set is around $30 a set for each person. it comes with 3 pots of tea, scones and sandwiches. we made a reservation on monday around 1 pm and it was empty. it was very cute, relaxing and cozy. service was friendly. overall, a very cute experience and would recommend. scones: 7/10 strawberry scone was the most delicious. the strawberry jam paired with it is very tasty. chocolate scone was decent. butter scone is good. sandwiches: 7/10 very small but everything fills you up. chicken salad: 8/10 chicken is delicious. it's flavorful and filling. would definitely order again. hazelnut tea: 8/10 vanilla chai: 6/10 mckennas special tea: 6/10 read more

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My daughters and I have had an annual tea date here for years. Their prices are reasonable for what we get compared with some other shops. It is run by two sisters and the family vibe cones through. Service is friendly and relaxed. The scones are usually very good, big and fluffy. A couple of times they were a little dry but they bake them there and vary the flavors seasonally. Served with jam and clotted cream they are delightful. There are different tea services available at different price levels; we mix and match so as to include salads to share, tomato basil soup, fruit, a variety of tea sandwiches and occasionally the mini desserts. They have a great selection of teas, including herbal. We bring our personal tea cups. The tea cottage itself is quaint, a little dated, but the location off of Main St. in Seal Beach is a plus and when the weather is nice we love to dine on their patio, followed by a stroll to the beach. read more

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McKenna's Tea Cottage is a cute, old little place in Seal Beach. Out of everything we tried, the scones were the best by far! We loved the pumpkin spice scones especially. The interior is a bit out of date and it was very warm where we sat. There seemed to be an AC unit on in the window, but we were sitting very close to it and didn't feel any cool air. Between the warm room and the hot tea, it was uncomfortable. Good service otherwise. read more

Best tea house ever! A must to visit regularly, the staff is just amazing! You're missing out if you haven't been.

June 2024 - looking to have a tea party for a large group? McKenna Tea Cottage is the place for you. Located the beautiful city of Seal Beach plus a walk away from the beach. This place is great for adults or a 10 year old birthday brunch. Highly recommend outdoor tea party. Our family had a blast. Love the different teas they had and bite size treats. read more

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Came here w/ my college friend for some teatime. Easy parking and lovely friendly staff. The place is cozy, girly, with layback chill mood. We sat at the window so we have the view of the street. Perfect for chatty and gossiping. We ordered the queen set each with soup and pasta salad. It came quickly and nice presentation. It's definitely not the best quality but it was good to nibbling over 1-2hrs of catching up or gossiping. We had a delightful time here. Everything was wonderful and very fitting for the occasion. Will come back for more gossip over cup of tea and biscuits plus sandwiches. read more

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It's a cute place, but I didn't care for the staff much. We had reservations fot 2pm, but were running late. We called and left messages about 15 times and no one answered, no one called back. We arrived around 215 and they were not cordial and told us we needed to order right away since the kitchen closes soon. They seat us and we don't see them again until after 230. We had questions about the menu and he was short with us and his answer. I get it, we were late, that's on us. But answer your freakin phone or don't tell us we need to order asap and then leave for over 15 min. I was also in the middle of my order when he went on to the next person to get their order. I had to tell him "um, hey, I would like a garden salad with the balsamic vinegrette". The food and tea were very yummy. Overall, super cute idea, but I'd go elsewhere. read more

Way overpriced. Nothing that ressembles a real high tea. Tea sandwiches on day-old bread with minute filling. Presentation of scones, finger sandwiches and desserts on a 3-tier tray all jumbled together. Tiny unidentifiable desserts. I had to wait more than 25 minutes for my quiche (my main course) while my daughter and granddaughter ate their soup and sandwich, making them very uncomfortable eating in front of me. I could go on but the last comment I want to mention was the view of the open utility door (kitchen?) I had from my seat while whatever was going on in there was happening. For $50 each order from the tea menu, I expected so much more for food quality, service and presentation. I wasn't paying the bill but know that it was over $100. And probably more like $125. Very disappointing experience. We won't go again. read more

We love McKenna's teahouse! So adorable with the homey, ecletic decor and china, delicious food and teas, and service is always amazing. My daughters and I love coming! read more

The food was delightful, traditional tea food and more. Beautiful little tea house filled with things to look at. I think they were short staffed because our service took longer than expected. read more

A wonderful place to meet up with the girls and pour out some tea. Their tomato soup was divine. Their tiered trays are so cute. Lovely atmosphere and great service overall. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - Soup and sandwiches - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

If you're looking for a place to have a tea party, this is it! We came here for a coworker's birthday and everyone was delighted by the tea and food we had here. I had a caramel tea all to myself and it was amazing. The soups and the sandwiches are all great. The service by staff is also very friendly. A reservation is strongly encouraged. When you step inside the atmosphere is enjoyable and fun. You can sit inside or outside, we sat inside and I loved the living room aesthetic of where we sat(felt like we were in another time period). Great place to visit in Seal Beach if you or a group of people you know enjoy tea. read more

Second time here. Outside patio area is the best atmosphere. No ac inside, just ceiling fans, so it got really hot. Food was good. The tea selections were awesome. Service was also very good. read more

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I'll start by saying I have been to mckennas in the past and they used to be wonderful. Today.... Not so much. I'll start with the good l. The scones are wonderful. Quiche is very good Now the negative Sandwiches are made sloppy and no filling. Very basic Karen feeds this squirrel and lets it around the outside patio and will serve people and then feed this animal bare hands which is gross. She also was talking about other customers to us which is u professional saying they "screwed her up" The squirrel went inside the restaurant and nobody seemed to have an issue with it which again is is because Karen feeds this animal. Bathroom smells like mold Overpriced for what it is. It's gone downhill fast. My guess is when they expanded. read more

Very quaint decor and lovely service. Super friendly staff and good food. Small bathroom.

Once upon a time, this Faerie Queen needed a little TLT (Tender Loving Tea). And scones. And petite tea sandwiches. And a second pot of tea. What a splendid place. Lovely inside, quite quaint. The food was much enjoyed and the tea! We loved the teapots and teacups. Do come dressed up. It makes for a wonderful experience. The end. read more

The service here is great. I think this cottage is on my top places to tea. The scones are big. The sandwiches are delicious. I have a hard time getting in touch with an event coordinator. I had emailed a few times and called. Finally I just made a reservation for a much smaller party than I'd wanted to. The ambiance is nice as long as the traffic is quiet, but can't stop people from honking their horns outside the fence. The patio is just so cute. read more

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Whenever my mom is in town from Florida, we always try to go to a tea service. These might range anywhere from a Pelican Hill once-in-a-decade experience to a Huntington Gardens afternoon to a slightly kitschy princess-y tea. I was expecting something in the neighborhood of a Tea House on Los Rios or Brittania Tea Room here, but I have to say I was disappointed. The server was nice and the broccoli cheddar soup and earl grey tea (with lavender at the server's good suggestion) were hot and flavorful. My mom also liked the Jack Frost cocktail she ordered, but that's it for the good stuff. The first miss was that despite it being 62 outside and the porch being shaded, they were only seating outside. They have an indoor seating area, they just weren't seating folks there. Nothing in the reservation indicated that we would be sitting outside, and since my mom is older, exceptionally thin, and gets cold easily, I probably would have selected somewhere else if I had known. When I learned that we had to sit outside, I mentioned that it was chilly and asked if there were heaters, to which the lady who seated us responded no, but they serve soup and tea, so we'd be fine. Nothing like feeling dismissed in your first exchange. The next miss were the tea sandwiches. You never expect these to be loaded down, but the cucumber sandwich was literally two overlapping paper thin slices of cucumber on dry bread that had maybe looked at a butter knife with cream cheese on it (?) and the "egg salad" was bread with what you could have told me was nothing but an ultra-thin layer of mustard and I would have believed you. I'm not going all the way down to 2 stars because I expect this was an off day (this was the Monday before Christmas and there was only one other party there - I assume they seated us outside to show passers-by that they were open and hopefully encourage some foot traffic) but we won't be trying it again. read more

McKenna's Tea Cottage - The Jack Frost cocktail was very pretty, and the tea service was cute. - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Seal Beach, California

Cute place on Main Street. Both indoor and outdoor dining. The food is excellent and a good variety of teas. Fun place to visit with your girlfriends or taking a granddaughter to tea. read more

Ready to have an elegant tea experience? Look no further than McKenna's Tea Cottage. Enter the cottage, and you're whisked back in a time machine to the 1930's. My ninety-nine year old Mother thoroughly enjoyed herself, and so did I. Excellent, TASTY food, believe it, you're life won't go on without their signature tomato soup, and equally excellent service. McKenna's hosts special events (engagement parties, birthdays, etc.) as well. Prices are reasonable for the food quality and portions. I don't comprehend the negative reviews - but in this world there's ALWAYS a Negative Nellie. GO to McKenna's Tea Cottage and bask in positivity. read more