I have taken my young family here three times in the past few years, we like to visit the beach at Watch Hill as it is a place my wife visited as a young child. The Olympia Tea Room has been a constant part of that story, and of several generations before that (as the beer mats labelled clearly with the year the place was established will testify). My major problem with this place is that it seems to be trading on that history/heritage. That and the almost complete lack of local competition. Our visits have always been tainted with the same lack of care on behalf of pretty much every server. Attitudes have been surly and uncaring, basics - such as water - are often forgotten, the vibe is very much our way or no way. Their refusal to provide highchairs for our kids - remember this is a beach town, families come here - seems grounded in some ancient past. I sense the owner refuses to keep up with the times (we have been to a lot of very fancy restaurants in NYC etc. who have all been more than happy to provide highchairs) due to some ill-advised determination to stick with tradition. The other sense we get is that tourists are bit of an inconvenience. Like they figure out that you are 'not from around here', and then assume the worst. We will continue to return to Waverley but there'll be no more Olympia Tea Room visits. If the food was fantastic it would be a much harder decision, but its not, it's very average. read more

Well I didn't have much here but I'm going to review it anyway. This is a classic example of being at the right location in a rich beach town. Came to Westerly for a day trip with my bf. We took a long walk on the beach and it was really cold and windy. We wanted to warm up with some tea. So, thinking that the Olympia Tea Room was a team room, we came in. It's RIGHT at the beach entrance near all the shops, so they clearly have a kind of monopoly in the area. It's a big place that seems to have won some wine awards, so maybe having a real dinner would be a better time to come here. But I think not because they serve ridiculously cheap food at ridiculously un cheap prices. My bf just got a coffee to warm himself up, and I tea. They gave me a pot of hot water, which is nice. I will admit the place seemed to have decor and cater to an upscale audience. But, our waitress for one was really slow and seemed to space out a bit. I saw her knock over a glass over water into another customer across the way, yikes. I got the "lobster bisque"- a cup at $4 (on the bill, she charged me $6 for the bowl, which I corrected). It was not lobster bisque- tasted straight for the can or box, had zero lobster in it (not even chunks), and the broth was so watery I have no idea where the creaminess of lobster bisque went. It tasted like a watery version of fake tomato soup- even you can imagine such a thing possible. Olympia Tea Room is a no go and if there is really nothing else in the area, I'd rather just cook or drive to Mystic. read more

I never had the opportunity to eat here so I can't give a full review, however I can tell you the customer service is lousy. My husband and I tried to go here on a Sunday night with our one year old son. The place looked somewhat busy - I approached the hostess stand and was greeted by a young girl. I asked if they had room for 2 and a highchair. Her reply was "we don't have highchairs" and continued to stare at me like I had 5 heads. I understand it's a nice restaurant but it's in a beach town- I don't understand how they do not have proper seating to accommodate children. I was hoping this girl would give me a second option but when she just stared at me I turned away and left. I don't think I'll be back to this restaurant anytime soon. I felt A little discriminated against for having a child! read more

I really wanted to like this place but the service was horrible. We ordered a bottle of wine before placing our food order. Eventually, our food came and still no wine. Meanwhile, the table right next to us sat down, placed their order, received their wine shortly after and then their meal, all before we had received either our wine or food. We complained to management and all they could offer was an apology. Would not recommend this place if you're looking for good service. read more

The manager was extremely rude yesterday. Why can't children eat at the restaurant? If the kids were chilly outside you should have moved them inside. This lady obviously has never had children. We have been spending money in this restaurant for years... Learn how to speak to paying guests or go get a desk job at a computer. Shame on you! PS- Liar Liar pants on fire!! The kids did NOTHING wrong! read more

Like crowds? Like waiting? Like being seen as an imposition the minute you walk in --from the hostess with her back turned to the door? Like standing at the bar and remain unrecognized for minutes while regulars get served and you get jostled by waitstaff trying to squeeze through the crowd? It's a decent sized dining room with outdoor seating but unless you HAVE to sit at a table, stalk the bar for an open seat. Then be prepared to wait some more. I was sitting next to some regulars who chatted me up so the bartender (one of two who could barely crack a smile) noticed me and warmed up a bit. Good wine list, decent menu. and quick kitchen moves this up a star from the one based on first impressions. Don't go here if you can't wait at least 35 mins to be seated. Also alittle pricey but then so is the Ocean House. read more

While boating in Westerly, RI - we decided to pop into the Olympia Tea Room to grab a bite for lunch. We took the dingy into shore, waited under 5 minutes for a table and sat in the perfect little corner table for all 6 of us. It was pretty good lunch, the service was good and efficient. read more

Service was slow, my dinner was a watery pasta dish, very bad. This place really needs an overhaul of menu and staff. read more

The Olympia Tea Room - Gross pink dining room - New American Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

If you want really bad service, mediocre food and inadequate management eat here! Took 15 minute just to bring water. Never got our drinks and management never bothered to apologize just said they were short staffed. read more

Such a historic place with a lovely harbor view and great people watching. This is another favorite of mine. The Caesar salad is of the best that I've had and the homemade croutons and dressing is delicious. The roasted fish sandwich is also a big hit. For cocktails I recommend the mud slide.....decadent. read more

Great drinks, good food, best View of the sunset! A great place to stop and eat after the beach or on a special occasion. read more

Place looked very cool and had a great setting of course being where it is.....Now the negatives. Not kid friendly and they don't offer that info up front. If they did I would have left being that I don't want my kids to be where they aren't wanted. Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge those places that don't want kids there but just let us know ahead of time and we would be on our way. The owner seemed like a complete putz!!! In the old days he would be sucking asphalt but nowadays you go to jail for that kind of thing. Just joking calm down Mr. Putz. The food was very good. I had Tuna Ceveche Tacos (very good), wife just had clam chowder, she loved it. Kids had pizza which was also good. My one complaint about the food is that my low class brain did not know that "Tuna Ceviche" was raw tuna, it would have been nice to have been told that up front. I still loved it though and would recommend it to raw fish lovers. To sum it up. Portions were small to moderate. Prices were a little on the high side. Our waitress was outstanding. She was friendly and helpful. The owner can kiss my rear but since he was seemingly the highfalutin type I am sure that will never happen unless I become wealthy myself lol. I would recommend the place but not with kids, and with kids, go off hours. read more

Have eaten here several times over the past year and my conclusion is: average food propped up by a great location. Inside is dark and feels a little old, salty and a little cramped. Outside is more enjoyable due to the western view over the harbor. The menu is predictable and simple for a New England ocean-side location. Service has been good enough but inconsistent. They're not the most friendly place. One night my son(age 12) was asked to leave their bar area while standing with me as I ordered drinks. He was there to help me carry what was going to be a 5 drinks outside while we waited for our table. We skipped the order due to the rudeness. They don't take reservations unfortunately and not interested in accommodating large parties, even with plenty of notice. We made reservations elsewhere. Biggest asset is location. Reminds me of too many Cape Cod restaurants that have become "institutions" of their respective towns that rest on their location laurels and not interested in pushing high service or quality that you'd hope comes with the longevity. read more

came here on a sunny saturday for a late lunch. we sat outside (i wish there wasn't an overlay for the seating. we got the sangria pitcher which is typically just 1.5 glasses per person. but it def was 2 full glasses. not as fruity as i like (they only put orange and apple) but still refreshing on a warm day. we got the zucchini fries (which were cut a bit too thin and breaded too heavily) but i liked the fresh tomato and arugula side that accompanied it. the balsamic reduction was a bit sweet but a nice way to cut the acidity of the tomato. we shared a pizza with arugula. a bit oily (unclear from what) but tasty. dough tasted fresh and all the ingredients were of great quality. the wait staff could be a bit more attentive for such a highly reviewed place. read more

The Olympia Tea Room - New American Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

High quality food in a picturesque location; the highlight of our four great meals included a locally made sausage that was so good it literally left two of us speechless. Our server was very busy, but always friendly and attentive. On the downside, the space is very small (I banged my knees both getting in and out of the booth) and can get loud. All in all, a great place for couples looking for some wonderful food. read more

Yesterday left a one star review for being ignored at wait to be seated sign. So sorry that review was meant for Molly's tea room in Falmouth MA I dined at Olympia Tea Room early in Summer and made an error. The revised 5 Star is for my earlier visit in Summer. Loved Watch Hill and loved the sandwiches. read more

We have brought our two daughters to the Olympia Tea Room for the past 10 years to celebrate their birthday and enjoy their signature desert, the Avondale Swan. We stopped in tonight and were told by the hostess that the manager would not allow us to be seated for just desert. There were MANY open tables and it was 9pm, not a peak dinning time. So very very sad to be turned away; tears in my daughters eyes. Sadly we will never return. :-( read more

Just stopped in for appetizers and a drink after a day on the beach. Drinks were great and the calamari was as well. HOWEVER, the hostess with medium brown hair (4:00 on Friday, June 29, 2018) was exceptionally rude. She made it seem as though the customers who sat on the patio and passers-by were an inconvenience to her. Coming from a background of 17 years in the restaurant industry, I had to raise an eyebrow at her lack of customer-service and lack of professionalism. read more

If you've been to this exclusive Watch Hill area, you know that there isn't much competition near this restaurant - only real estate offices, boutiques, a seriously old carousel and beach. That said, the food is fresh and tasty. It's pricey for lunch i.e. think $12 burger, $18 salad but if you're tired of walking around, its a good place to bail into for a while. Don't expect any big city treatment here. This is a beach bar essentially with better than bar food. Here's the deal: Drop the kids off with an auntie, show up whenever, have several cocktails, forget that you came there for dinner and be pleasantly surprised when someone tells you your table is ready. If you follow that, you'll have a wonderful time! read more

Sitting here right now 6:30 PM on 9/8 and the hostess was rude. I'll update about the meals later. read more

We were giving our name and number to be placed on the waiting list so we could be seated, when a man who worked there told us we were in the way on the sidewalk and to move aside if we were not talking to the hostess...only we were talking to the hostess as he was telling us to move. He did this to another family after us as well. The other family walked, and we followed. Customer service starts before you even walk in, and it made us not want to eat here. read more

We ordered a large order for takeout and it was way too expensive for the quality of food we expected. Our next night we ordered from Guytanno's and the food was much better and much less expensive. Not sure we'll be back. It's sad because I grew up going to WH and Olympia ‍ read more

Mediocre food at best. Service was terrible. Ordered a bottle of wine that was on wine list. Found out they didn't have it. Then ordered another which never came. Our meal arrived but no wine. At that point I told waiter to forget the wine. No apology or anything. Voiced my concerned to management, there response was it was there busy season. Really? read more

My mom and I came here for lunch after a day at the beach. We sat outside and enjoyed the beautiful ocean views. We both had salads which were pretty good, and service was attentive as well. read more

Leave the kids at home. This is a grown up restaurant and I (despite having 4 kids) am totally fine with that. The restaurant is intimate with attentive service and a menu that offers great mixture of modern American, super fresh seafood and some great Italian pastas. The Manager is not rude, in fact she came over and chatted with us and asked us how we were enjoying everything. Yelpers listen carefully --- DO NOT BRING YOUR KIDS ----- you will have a whole different dining experience. My only compliant about the joint was that for a "tea room" this Englishman found their offering to be very weak :o) Lovely romantic night out with food that was perfectly portioned and pace perfectly so we were able to enjoy the night. Being European we dine on the later side so those people who think that just because they can afford to bring the kids here that they should, well they were leaving shortly after our first glass of wine arrived. Eat Well Providence...and know that sometimes you need to get a babysitter read more

I gladly visited the Olympia Tea Room for the first time. Growing up spending my summers in East Matunuck, Im surprised that I have been missing out on a nice sunny people watching spot not too far away. I tried the zucchini ribbons, they were thin and light even though they were fried. They were served over a fresh tomato and herb salad with balsamic and loads of shaved reggiano. I would have been good with just that but I also ordered the ceasar salad with two grilled huge shrimp. They were grilled perfectly, not too over done. I wish I took a picture because they cut the romane vertically and put the whole half of the head of lettuce on the plate with the dressing on the white stems. Looked cool but I will say it was more work chopping it all up but the housemade warm crutons won me back over. I loved sitting outside top half shaded and bottom half in the sun tanning. Sipping my drink and watching the crowds. Didnt wait for a table and our server was very nice. Overall had a great meal and experience. read more

I had seen the poor reviews about the lack of hospitality and customer service before dining here, and chalked it up to grumpy reviewers, assuming we would have a better experience. But sadly, everyone was spot on. We didn't even eat here - the front door experience was as rude and frustrating as people have noted before - totally short, dismissive, and conflicting info over the phone vs in person. Don't waste your time. read more

Food was flavorful and freshly prepared. The calamari jack style was well made, not overcooked, melted in your mouth. I found it a family friendly restaurant it is not a kid friendly restaurant. The difference is that they don't have crayons and chicken fingers. They have plenty of options for my six year old. Might have been a five if it weren't for the attitude of waitress. Don't know if it's the area but we felt as if we were interrupting her day by eating in the restaurant she works at. read more

Great location and very nice service, so why only 2 stars. The ambiance and location just scream "Great Brunch and Bloodies served here!". Worst Bloody Mary I have had since I can remember that may include at the airport club. Bland watery tomato base. Did not see any horseradish, worcestershire (im sure there was some in there but didnt see it in the color or taste it or smell it). The only thing I did see other than watery tomato coloring was some pepper and a nice piece of celery but would suggest they have the leafy stalks for presentation and not just the boring trunk. No salt or pepper or celery salt or old bay or anything adorning the rim of the glass. Just a huge dissapointment. Did I mention our server was very accomodating and friendly. I guess the food was ok but I really don't remember much after being dissapointed by the bloodies. My friend also had the same reaction if not worse. read more

Began going here summer of 2008. Back then I enjoyed it and the food. The last few years prior to Covid it has steadily gone down hill. The food is no longer a reason to go. The staff are mostly friendly but not all. The reason there is always a wait is that it's the only sit down restaurant in Watch Hill. The owner can't crack a smile and never has. He acts as though he's doing you a favor by allowing you to go there. Do yourself a favor and go to a restaurant in Westerly which is only about 15 minutes away. The wait, prices, and food are not worth your time. read more

Let me first say, that I had experienced this restaurant years in the past and would have recommended it. Not anymore!! Three of us stopped for dinner on Friday, 9/20 . How about $140 plus tip for 3? The calamari is better at a chain restaurant. The mussels in wine & garlic? Looked like dried up boogers with no flavor. I could have harvested better off the local seashore. I have done it. Well, 4 sea scallops with 4 slices of potato for $28. Really? Two orders of fish & chips at $18 each: fish was well cooked, chips were sad skinny and cold, cole slaw was well dressed for one order and the other order had a couple of drops on otherwise dry cabbage. The chef should be ashamed. Even the drinks of Shirley Temples and Coke were watery. The only and best part of the meal was the deserts. We can commend whoever put them together. It may cost more $$$, but the next time I am in Watch Hill looking for food, I will go to the Ocean House. I am sure $140 would be much better spent. Food is of the caliber that I would gladly pay a higher price. read more

Snagged the corner table outside and enjoyed a nice late lunch. Good, friendly service. Caesar salad, fried oysters and calamari were all good. Wonderful spot for our afternoon in Watch Hill. read more

My wife and I had heard good things about Olympia from a friend, so we wanted to try it while we were in the Westerly area. We went for dinner on a Thursday night, and the place was crowded but not too loud. We were given a 15 minute wait time for a table, and that was more or less accurate. All of the staff who we dealt with in the restaurant were friendly and attentive, and we were very happy with our waitress. For appetizers, my wife had a tomato salad with mozzarella which was lightly dressed in balsamic. It was a nice, light start to the meal that highlighted the tomatoes. I had the clam chowder which was solid - very creamy with a sufficient clam flavor (i.e. you didnt feel like you were having a generic cream soup). For dinner, the hanger steak with horseradish cream was very solid. My steak was cooked to order, and the flavor of it played well off the cream. Dessert was excellent as well. Overall I was happy with the meal and service, which went beyond some of the reviews here. read more

Amazing food, great cocktails, and welcoming service. Crab and corn chowder was fantastic, along with everything else! Great view of the harbor and a quirky atmosphere including pink walls and colorful art. Awesome spot! read more

The Olympia Tea Room - New American Near Me - Westerly, Rhode Island

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One of my favorite restaurants to go to is the Olympia Tea Room. I appreciate its historic value in being 100 years old and the care the owners take in its image, the menu, and the staff. And what a menu! My favorite dish is the sweet Italian sausage, with roasted potatoes and Parmesan cream sauce. Another five star quality is their drinks. The cantaloupe martini, the coconut martini, etc are top notch. The service is always excellent and the chefs have the meals ready in a timely manner. It's a popular restaurant so if you have to wait, it's worth it! read more

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I had the flaked cod, it was a soup it had a good amount of spice, the food came out very quickly and the bill was not to bad. I wish there was more of it but it was only listed as a appetizer on the menu so it was a proper size for that. Nice place to stop in if you are near the beach. I took my jet ski and parked it on the beach and walked over. I don't think they have much competition for that area. read more

I love sitting outside here and I love the Caesar salad but that's all I like about this place. The bread basket is so gross from cheap bread to gross bean dip and straight up olive oil no herbs or cheese in it. The beef bolognese had absolutely no flavor. I sent it back it was that bad. I'll be back for the tea and the Caesar but that's it! read more

This restaurant sits right in front of Watch Hill dock. We stopped in for a quick dinner. The food was fresh and tasty. I had their chowder which was like a New England clam chowder. I also ordered their house salad which came with almonds and butternut squash cubes on a bed of greens. My husband had a Greek salad with Italian Sausage! He raves about the sausage! I would probably return here to try other entrees. The food was good and the price point was not outrageous. read more

We returned for "tea" and dinner last night. There were four in our group. Everyone enjoyed the interior atmosphere and the sunset was heavenly. The staff here is well coached. Our server was very pleasant and knew the menu inside and out. The wine list is extensive and first rate. For starters we had carpaccio and two calamari (Jacks Style), one of the calamari's was shared by our guests. My wife indicated the carpaccio (tuna cut paper thin with capers, shallots and arugula) as excellent. Our guests loved the Jacks style squid they split. I have had this dish before and on this occasion, refused to share mine at great risk. It's that good. Just the right amount of spice in the marinara to make the sautéed squid very interesting indeed. For entrees we had Swordfish and Shrimp Scampi on jasmine rice which was reported as very good. The Sausage Bruno came with roasted potatoes, broccolini and shaved parmesan. The sausages are local and were grilled to perfection. It got a double thumbs up. My wife had the Seared Scallops (3) with cool (room temperature) noodles and white beans. The scallops were done perfectly and the sides a great compliment to offset the richness of the scallops. I had the Fish & Chips which came with shoe string fries and cole slaw. The fish batter was light and crispy. The portion is a whole filet, (come hungry). The "slaw" is home-made and very nice. The chips were light and not oily. I do prefer my chips to be classic UK style, which in the US we know as steak fries. That said, the Fish & Chips at the Olympia Tea Room are the best in the Westerly - Narraganset area. I also want to congratulate the OTR team for taking our reservation. One member in our party requires a chair. The only downside is $22 (Mkt Prc) for 3 scallops along with a couple of dollars worth of noodles and beans is unfair. Our dinner with 3 glasses of Martin Ray Chardonnay and 3 cocktails came to $220 inclusive of tip. Overall, well done Olympia Tea Room. Magoo read more

One of my all time favorite restaurants! I eat alone a lot because I travel alone and it was an amazing dining experience. The view you can not beat of the sunset. They have delicious wines to choose from and their menu is phenomenal! The oysters were the best I ever had as well as my clam dish. I wanted to lick my plate on the clam dish with pasta, the sauce is devine. I had tuna carpaccio as my dessert and it was a nice fresh finish. I could tell all of their seafood was local by the test. The decor was very welcoming as well and nicely decorated. It was very busy in there so I don't blame my server she did a great job it just wasn't the best service I ever had... but it was the best seafood I've ever had! Can't wait to come back. This place will always be a go to when I'm in town. read more

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