I came from Texas and my best friend flew from Ohio and we are so excited for this tea bus tour. We dressed up for the photoshoot. So here's our unpleasant experiences. BUS WAS LATE! ONLY ONE IS HOSTING BECAUSE THE OTHER PERSON didn't Show up. So it was unorganized we were like where's our table? No number assigned on the table. We just picked our table and people started eating their food (got hungry waiting) but i did not touch our food because I wasn't sure if the table we were are ours because we paid the luxury one. We found out it's not our table but our designated table was already eaten the appetizer by someone else's who knows who. The host name i think Dia was so helpful and trying his best to accommodate all women who are starting to get their opinions about the late, the AC , the music etc.. I feel so sorry for him to take all that complains. AC IS NOT WORKING! We are so hot and sweaty! They should cancel the tour if AC is not working! The music system is not helping but added to the stress of the tour. They need to check their speakers. Music is like complaining as well not being taking care of. Driver suddenly stopped on stop light and our water bottles and sandwiches flew out of our table, glad i was quick to hold our stuff but bottles was on the floor! TOO HOT THAT WE NEVER GET THE CHANCE TO DRINK ENJOY THE TEA!! NO TEA!! we beg for water instead. The price we pay for this trip was too expensive! The food is like prepackaged prepared a day before. I was too scared to eat the devils eggs and some seafood sandwiches everything was melting, i hope no one got sick from eating those eggs. ( Someone can do legal action due to food poisoning) WE DID NOT RECEIVE ANY APOLOGY EMAILS FROM THAT DAY EVENT, THE OWNER KNOWS! HONESTLY THE CONCEPT WAS GREAT BUT THE MANAGEMENT WAS HORRIBLE! THEY CAN DO BETTER! DEFINITELY NOT RECOMMEND UNLESS THEY WORK TO IMPROVE THE ISSUES. read more

I reserved tickets for a group of eight, hoping for a memorable experience. While we truly enjoyed each other's company and found the servers to be friendly and full of personality--which was a plus--the overall experience fell far short of expectations. Unfortunately, the food was extremely disappointing. It tasted AND looked as though it had been prepared the day before and simply covered with plastic wrap overnight. Several dishes were dried out, and one item--a shrimp served on top of a Tostitos chip--was stale and unappetizing. It was truly appalling. The tea we had was literally a swig...and we did not get to try 5 teas. It was such a disappointment for my group. The bathroom sink was also broken, causing water to splash on everyone who tried to use it. For the price we paid, the quality and attention to detail simply weren't there. I'm the president of a large women's group and had been considering booking a larger outing based on this visit. Regrettably, that will not be happening. I left feeling embarrassed that I invited my group to this event. I hope the organizers take this feedback seriously and work to improve both the food and the overall experience. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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I am extremely disappointed with Tea Around Town and their customer service. I've emailed multiple times trying to upgrade our options and have received zero response. They list a phone number, but you can't actually reach a real person--it just directs you back online to submit requests, which go unanswered. It's frustrating and unacceptable, especially for a service that requires planning ahead. Communication is basic customer service, and they've completely failed at it. Based on this experience, I would not recommend using this company. Poor service like this makes it not worth the hassle. read more

My family and I were really excited about this because it was my daughter's 13th birthday. This was the only thing she wanted to do. We traveled 4 hrs paid for parking, and paid for the most expensive package. We stood out there with another family waiting for the bus only to learn that they sent an email canceling the tour. The most ridiculous thing was that they only offered to give us 50% of what we paid. They offered another tour at another time but we travelled to experience this and we're leaving town soon. So that's out. If I could rate this a 0 I would. I do not recommend this at all. I wasted a lot of time and money and also had to console my daughter. read more

The idea is amazing, and the team was kind but there were a few missed elements that disappointed me. We opted for the Luxe package but a few items( sample food) were missing, and we only tasted 2 of the 6 teas. As a tea lover, not being able to sample all the teas even though they poured small portions was a bit underwhelming . read more

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TLDR: a total rip off. But is it a nice idea and something different to do in the city? Absolutely. So, you decide based on the facts that I'm about to share and that others have mentioned as well. 1. The meeting point is 790 Pennsylvania Ave NW. There is no sign and the bus was quite late so the only way I knew I was in the right spot was because other ladies dressed in fancy clothes and fascinators were gathered and waiting. 2. I already said it, but the bus was quite late. They allow for 15 minutes boarding time, and I suspect that's partially to pad their late arrival. 3. I'm glad they had a toilet on board. And it was decorated too, which made it a bit less port-a-potty even though that's what it was. However, the sink wasn't working the day I rode. Thank goodness I had hand sanitizer. 4. The ambiance and decoration of the bus is nice. They do a good job with that. The staff was welcoming and pleasant. 5. My party sprung for the luxe tickets so we were seated on the top level with the mocktail. Again, presentation was nice. The food consisted of small sandwiches and other light bites, and a nice variety of desserts. Unfortunately some of the savory food was stale or looked not so fresh. They had caviar, which I didn't eat, and I'm not sure I would trust it given some of the other items that weren't fresh. In particular, the chip with the guacamole and shrimp was extremely stale. 6. About a quarter of the way into the ride it got unbearably hot. People were shedding layers and fanning themselves. The company needs to address this issue. 7. The person describing the sights was great. And she also sang. But unfortunately the PA system couldn't keep up and kept cutting in and out. For such expensive tickets, they really should do better. Kudos to the guide for adding the Stevie Wonder Happy Birthday song to the birthday celebration segment of the ride. You know we appreciated that! 8. At the end of the ride the guide said it as National Tea Day and that we would receive a special gift on the way out. It was a nicely wrapped set of commercial tea bags. But after I got home I Googled and Nat'l Tea Day is in April (this was Jan....). Like, why?? 9. The to go box was a nice touch. It was a nice afternoon doing something different with a friend. We got the chance to dress up, take cute pictures and even learn a couple new tidbits about our city, so that's a win. But the experience is terribly overpriced. But I guess that's why we work, to afford things like this! read more

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The plates are warm. The eggs, mayo and cucumber went bad. The bread is dry. The bus was late. The experience was ruined by having expired foods. I hope nobody gets sick. Also, fun fact.... The lady at table 14 was a food compliance officer and the table next to her was a food inspector. I was minding their business. Long story short if they didn't eat the food, I didn't eat anything but the scones. I was at the table in front of them and kept my ears up and my eyes on them lol. Just a hard pass. The bus is cute but stuffy, warm/cool air blowing and the food in front of the window going bad. They should have foods that dont use creams, eggs, mayo, icing or gherkins. read more

Tea Around Town - Warm food, eggs turned melted sweet treats - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Beautifully executed and as advertised. So happened to go on a warm, sunny day. Delicious food, fun staff and great tour route. Highly recommend for cherry blossom/spring season. read more

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I did not want to post a review, however, I have called the corporate office several times, left messages, and sent emails and no response. Please, please reconsider purchasing your ticket because a recent group of strangers were disappointed and I was one if them. I sent this on Sunday, March 14th and yet, no response. Also, do not waste your time with the Luxe package. Good evening, My best friend purchased two Luxe tickets (Order #564197772898) as a birthday gift for me to enjoy Tea Around Town in Philadelphia on March 14, 2026. Unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing and did not meet the expectations advertised for the event. The bus arrived late, and throughout the ride the engine shut off multiple times--at least ten times--which disrupted the experience and raised concerns about safety. Additionally, there was no host, guide, or entertainment provided during the tour as expected. The decorations appeared worn and outdated, and one attendee even discovered a bug in their food. To make matters worse, the entire trip lasted only about twenty-five minutes, which was significantly shorter than what was advertised. Given these issues, I respectfully request a full refund for the purchase made by xxxx. The experience did not reflect the quality or duration that was promoted. Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your prompt response. read more

EDIT: I was issued a refund for $52 because the Luxe was not given to us, which does not solve my issue. Even if we were given luxe food, it was not edible because the seafood sat on a hot bus for over 2 hours. ------------------------------- I booked this for my birthday, hoping for a magical luxe tea experience... instead, it was a full-on disaster. We waited 2 hours in the sweltering DC heat because the bus had mechanical issues. When it finally arrived, we were warned not to eat the seafood because it had been sitting in the un-air-conditioned bus the whole time. We paid for the luxe tier, which was supposed to include caviar but there was no caviar in sight. Just scones. No luxe sweets, no safe food options, and definitely no tea party vibes. We literally didn't eat all day because we planned to enjoy this experience. Half the guests ended up leaving. Honestly, we should've too. This ruined my birthday and we 100% deserve a refund. The only thing piping hot was the bus. Not the tea. read more

Best DC experience ever. Loved Carmen and her energy. So worth it. The bus ride was a perfect pace. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

This is the worse experience, if I could leave a zero star i would. I bought three tickets for this excursion to introduce a 5 year old to having a tea party and to see the sites of DC. The day we had reservations was going to be cold and rainy so I wanted to reschedule. First it was dufficukt contacting anyone from this company, then the information that was needed was suppose to be in the co formation email was not there, and finally the phone number provided led you back to the website that provided very little help. After figuring out how to send a message and providing as much information as possible customer service gor back in touch with two days later telling me I had to pay $173 to make a change. Because this was a birthday gift I agreed and gave them the new date and time. Then I am waiting, and waiting and it us a week away from the new date i requested and I still have not received the new tickets. I reached out again, first by replying to the email that requested I pay $173, then back to the website and submitted another customer service form. Finally someone sent another email to tell me the date I requested is full. I give them another date and the waiting game is happening again. I have sent emails and several of their customer service forms and no reply and the new date is two weeks away. Be wary of this company, horrible customer service. They have my money and I do not have tickets for the birthday gift I bought fir a 5 year old. ​ read more

It was a wonderful tour and some good little eats. The staff was wonderful and accommodating. The only thing I would recommend is they need tongs to pick up the food with and knives to spread butter and jelly on my scones and a little more tea in my cup with more than 2 to 3 choices. read more

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Loved the interior of the bus! So cute and cozy! Definitely instagram worthy! Our guide Carmen was great and she had a beautiful voice! The tea was delicious and the mocktail was worth it :) The food was nothing special; however, the scones and sweet treats were good! It was nice to see D.C. and not have to walk everywhere! The whole crew was so sweet! Thank you Davon, Carmen, Ka'shiya, and Elijah!! read more

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Hi, My experience was Amazing. We were in the DC area . My brother took me and his girlfriend on the Tea tour bus of Dc. The staff was friendly and the food was Delicious., and the Tea and Tour was good. I loved the souvenir it was pretty. We had a great time. Thank You! read more

Brianna was an amazing tour guide and I enjoyed the song she sang. Quandia amazing tea specialist had knowledge on the tea we were served. Jerome made me feel safe with his driving. Will be back read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Philly and Q were AMAZING, OUTSTANDING and WONDERFUL on the service they provided during my opportunity to celebrate our youngest granddaughter, Evangeline, birthday. read more

Tea Around Town - Philly, myself and Evangeline. - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Wanted to love this experience so bad but unfortunately didn't. My mother, my god daughter, my bestie, and her mother attended a tea around town ride. We were initially suppose to take a ride from DC to Annapolis but we were informed a couple days prior that there was a change in plans and we would no longer be traveling to Annapolis but instead staying in the DC area - annoying but understandable. Things happen. Next - we receive a text the morning of that the bus is running 15 min behind - no problem. The time was scheduled for 5:15p. The bus was way later than 15 min behind. We got on there on at 6:15p. Finally - as soon as we get settled on the bus (Bus number 391), the host tells everyone that the restroom is not working and out of order. Of course this is upsetting and frustrating news because not only do you have a group of ladies (who naturally have to use the restroom after drinking liquids) but you have older ladies who can't hold their bladders for long periods of time. We then asked the host if an exception could be made due to the inconveniences stated above. The exception would be to make a pit stop so we could get off the bus to use the bathroom and continue the trip. The host told us she had to check with the manager. She came back about 10 min later and told us that our request was denied (in other words) & we had two options - the first option - the bus could be stopped to use the restroom but the tour would end there for us and we would not be able to get back on the bus (essentially drop us off). The second option - we could use the restroom but warned us the toilet does not flush and is stopped up. We of course went with the second option because we could no longer hold our bladder and didn't want our money wasted by being dropped off. The bathroom experience - entering the bathroom it smelled horrible but not only that - the urine was leaking from the toilet and dinner napkins were all over the floor to soak up the urine. Plus of course the toilet was backed up. No customer should have had access to the bathroom - well the bathroom should have been functional to start but again - no customer should have had access to it looking like I'm pretty sure the bus should not have been in operation without a working bathroom. It just doesn't make sense and it's super inconvenient and unacceptable. Plus - the staff!! They shouldn't be working under those conditions. We traveled from MD to DC to enjoy this experience for Mother's Day, so my friend and I really wanted to make this a special occasion and celebrate our moms but instead we had a subpar experience that did not rise up to our expectations. We even reached out to customer service and got a lackluster response. This type of event has so much experience and I hope they can do better going forward. read more

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Our bus was delayed 30 minutes and we arrived on time for the delayed departure, but the bus didn't arrive until 10 mins after departure time. Once we were in, the second tier of the food was covered in clear plastic wrap. It felt inelegant to take it off, maybe this should've been left off? 90% of the food tased awful, felt stale and had a weird texture to them. For a bus the "just came from the kitchen" nothing tasted fresh. The teas tasted OK, but you only get like a sip of each flavor. The only thing good about this experience was the bus cute and well decorated, the staff (Jazmyn&Kamryn) were great and attentive, Candace was a great tour guide and entertainer. read more

Tea Around Town - Tumblr you take home - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Had a wonderful time at tea around town. It's a lot of food and all of it was delicious. There were a variety of teas of various tastes. The only downside was the toilet on our bus broke, but they gave us enough warning so we could use the public toilet before the bus departed and it's not a long tour. read more

Tea Around Town - Luxe afternoon tea - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Great service. Kind staff. They made it all fun. It was a nice cute outing! Briana Tanisha DeVaughn They were all great! read more

Paid $100 ea for 2 tickets. I got really sick and theses a 50% rebooking fee so in total we paid $300 for two tickets. The staff was great, the bus was aesthetically pleasing, and finding the pick up point was a breeze. Unfortunately this experience was not worth the price. As someone who is almost vegan, the food was pretty much off limits and I anticipated a higher quality of tea. There are only 3 options they come around to bring When the bus turned, it seemed like there was always something sliding off the tables. I did appreciate the lady singing though. I may enjoy this if there was better tea and I was touring a city I wasn't familiar with read more

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Had a lovely time despite having the itinerary being changed day of. The staff (Ethan, Ethan, and Jasmine) were amazing, very kind and personable. The food was splendid with a good variety. Wish you can ask for seconds on some of your favs. Only draw backs were that I wish the tour was slightly longer and saw a little more, and that I wish you had a bit more tea - like were able to get a full cup of your favorite on exiting. read more

As many others have pointed out - I wish I could give this experience zero stars. The bus was over 30 mins late but they informed us 2 mins before the start time that they will be late which is highly unprofessional. Right when you enter you can see the buses are dated and dirty. There was a strong stench as we entered - which turns out was because their bathroom was out of order - note that floor is where the kitchen is. The setup seemed good with all the flowers but that really is the only nice thing about the whole experience. The food was extremely stale, the bread dry, the deviled eggs had a layer on top - I am praying that none of us fall sick. I will be looking into legal action because I am sure their whole setup is breaking tons of food safety regulations. To top all of this - although the experience is meant to be 75 minutes ( 90 mins with embarking and disembarking ) but because they were running late we were in and out in 60 mins. Honestly for everyone whose tours got cancelled - might be a blessing in disguise because atleast you didn't feel compelled to eat food that might get you sick because you paid 90$ per person for the experience. read more

Excellent tour! I love our tour guide, Julien! Very funny, informative, and an excellent singer! All of the staff was great! Highly recommend! read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Waited outside in the cold for an hour only to receive a message that the tour had been canceled. Absolutely awful experience.

This was the absolutely worst experience I have ever had. First of All, the Food was Stale, tasted like it has been prepared early in the morning and sat ALL day. My Tour was for 3pm. The Food including Desert was cheaply made. The Bus was dated, and the tour was just OK. I did not need to spend almost $200.00 for two tickets for an hour ride to see at best 4 or 5 barely could see Monuments, with cheap Food. Totally a waste of money. Dont do it. A waste of money. Walk to see the Monuments and treat yourself to a nice healthy Lunch. read more

This was such a cute experience! I've always wanted to do afternoon tea, and getting a tour of DC at the same time?! It was a definitely an experience to remember. My friend and I chose the petite option and it wasn't the most food but it was filling. It's nice for us girlies to do something cute once in a while, so I definitely enjoyed it. read more

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The staff was great, 100% on you hiring choices. Beyond that I bought the three hours luxe tickets for the DC Cherry Blossom peak weekend that was also advertised as going to Annapolis. It was an hour tour around the mall, never went near the tidal basin (cherry trees) and definitely did NOT go to Annapolis. The food was stale and the tea came in quarter cup samples. So thoroughly disappointed. That was an extremely expensive event that delivered none of what it advertised. read more

My friend and I had tickets for a 10am tea around town tour. We arrived 15 minutes early, per their email guidance, and waited in the cold and wind for 30 minutes for the bus to arrive due to their own delays. These delays were not communicated to us - another passenger on the bus had to call the company to see what was going on. Asking for patrons to respect the employee, bus schedule, and experience of other participants and then not have that reciprocated is unacceptable. Upon boarding, we waited an additional 30 minutes for late arrivals. This, of course, is not the company's fault, except that their email said they would not wait for late arrivals and is prompt on departure. For those out of town participants that have scheduled their day around this tour, the wait and delay to this degree is unacceptable. THEN were we informed the bathroom on board was out of order. There were at least two pregnant women on this tour, including my friend who is six months pregnant. At this point, we had to make the decision to get off the bus. Having no available bathroom for what would have been 2+ hours is unacceptable for a number of potential customers. We then called the company to ask for a refund and are still, weeks later, being given the run-around from their customer service team. Had that not been the case and if they had taken our comments seriously, I probably wouldn't have written this review. The one positive thing I can say is the tour guide herself seemed very nice and I'm sure she is very good at her job. read more

I'd give this a 3.5. The experience was great along with the staff. The food was just okay. Some of the same experiences as I've read in the other reviews ... stale chip, just okay finger sandwiches, and really not much tea. Very cute decorations and table setting. The staff was very friendly. Seemed like a short tour for the money. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The experience of reserving 3 seats is online ONLY! OK, did that. Tried to speak with Customer Service because since I'm the one that paid I also downloaded the App and uploaded the tickets. Customer service said I just needed to forward the email I received to my wife and that should be sufficient. After reading recent reviews, especially those that purchased Luxe, as I did, I'm concerned that they won't receive what was paid for. Also, bus being hours late, extremely poor food quality, tour experience being delayed and lack of knowledge of surroundings is concerning. I'll update this after they return this Thursday. I get the impression after speaking with their customer service that it's overpriced and will under deliver for the cost. read more

Customer service is terrible and responsiveness to any complaint or request is non existent. The below is an email sent to the company 14 days ago with phone calls and email follow ups that have gone unanswered. I've offered multiple attempts for dialogue and all have gone unanswered. We had tickets for the 10am tea around town tour. We arrived 15 minutes early as the email indicates and waited outside for 30 minutes due to bus delays, we were not informed of. Upon boarding we then waited an additional 30 minutes for late arrivals AND then were told the bathroom was out of order. In the welcome email it notes that the bus does not wait for late arrivals and is prompt on departure. Asking for patrons to respect the employee, bus schedule, and experience of other participants and then not have that reciprocated is unacceptable. For those out of town participants that scheduled their day around this tour, and the clear prompt in the email, the wait and delay to that degree is unacceptable. There were at least two pregnant women on this tour, including myself. Having no available bathroom for what would have been 2+ hours is unacceptable. We did not end up participating and exited the bus prior to departure. To note * the bus inside was super cute and had the makings of being awesome. However the food looked foul and the majority of it was mayonnaise based (also smoked salmon) which had been sitting out for at least an hour or more based on the timeline of our experience. read more

I went to DC to try Tea Around Town as part of a birthday celebration. From the decor of the bus to the table settings I knew this was going to be a cute and relaxing experience. I suggest dressing up as it goes perfect with the setting. The host of my bus was graciously nice and I've felt welcomed as soon as I step afoot on the bus. The waitresses came by explaining each tea and the tea pairings went well with the hor d'oeuvres. My favorite of the tastings were the roast beef sandwich, blueberry scones, lemon curd puff pastry and cheesecake. The least favorite of the all the guest were the egg sandwich, tuna sandwich, devil eggs, and the cucumber sandwich and belini of chive cream cheese. I would give them an higher rating if they changed to offer better hor 'doevres. read more

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WOW! I should have read all the reviews before booking this for my friend's 50th birthday... Before Boarding: The website stated the bus leaves promptly and that guests should arrive at least 15 minutes early. In reality, boarding didn't even begin until 10 minutes after the scheduled departure time. Seating: Before purchasing, I specifically asked TopView if our party of nine could be seated in a 4-3-2 arrangement rather than 4-4-1. I was assured by Tyrone St. Patrick that "our system would never seat any individual in your party alone." Guess what seating we ended up with? 4-2-2-1. Really? On Board: We were told the restroom was out of order. Thankfully, this wasn't a major issue since the tea portions were so small--just 2-3 sips each. Food: I had already warned our group that the food wouldn't be prepared fresh on the bus, so expectations were modest. Still, I didn't anticipate sandwiches so dry and stale that nearly all of them went untouched. No one even wanted to take them home. Tea: The experience was advertised as five different tastings. We only received four. This could be a lovely outing with better organization and fresher food, but as it stands, I wouldn't book again. If you're looking for a truly memorable tea experience, you'll want to look elsewhere." read more

I didn't want to write a review about this tour, but I think there is room for improvement here. The panoramic tour left a lot to be desired. The staff member who was supposed to check us in was late. The staff member who was on time was rude and didn't seem to know whether we were assigned to her bus or the other one. This wouldn't bug me so much if we didn't have to wait outside in the cold. The pastry and mini water were fine, but we definitely did not get the souvenir tumbler that was included in the description. read more

Tea Around Town - Bus Tours Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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great service and a memorable experience. Food was good. the only drawback is there is no way to order a vegetarian only option. I would recommend for any occasion. read more

BIG DISAPPOINTMENT! ehhh, the tea was cold, the servers were rude and lackadaisical, the finger foods were bland and tasted old...Nope won't do it again and can't recommend. read more

What an amazing concept but poorly executed/coordinated. I've been to many tea parties and this one was by far the worst. Our timed reservations were delayed by 2 hours, the ride itself only lasted 1 hour (cutting us short). Food was not good and tea was basic to say the least. Very disappointed, mostly due to the cost. Tip- stop being greedy and reduce the time slots to allow time in between reservations and get your food from somewhere with better Quality. This was not worth the money or headache. read more

Its a cute experience but the food and tea was basic. I wouldn't recommend for someone who really wants a tour of DC.