Chado Tea Room - Pasadena

We had a great afternoon on a rainy day at Chado Tea Room.
The place was absolutely packed but the service was fast.
We all ordered the Celebration Afternoon Tea Service and it was great. It comes with either a salad or a tomato soup. We got the soup and it was really good.
The selection of teas is great and we all loved the different tea pots and cups that were used.
If you want to do something a little bit different, this is a great spot to try out.

My partner brought me to Chado for my birthday and it was a wonderful experience! Though the tea room was extremely busy, we never felt forgotten, they were very attentive.

I highly recommend opting for the Birthday Afternoon Tea if you're celebrating. It comes with the full Celebration tea service including a refresher, a starter, and the full sandwich, scone, and sweets tower AND a very special surprise gift at the end of your meal. I've never known another place to give an actual gift (complete with gift bag!) for a birthday meal.

Try it, you won't be disappointed!

It is a mission of mine to try every little tea service spot within a 1,000 mile radius and I've heard some really good things about Chado so I needed to try this spot in Old Town out.
I went on a Saturday afternoon so it was very busy. There were also 2 big bridal showers going on so it was packed. We had a reservation but it was a good 10+ min before anyone was able to come to the counter and seat us. I felt so bad for the staff, it seemed like there needed to be more of them to help out!
We sat outside which was nice, inside was a little stuffy with all the people since it's not a huge room. There's two different tea services to choose from or you can just order food and tea off the menu. We did the celebration tea service, the only difference is the champagne tea and the wine chocolates and we weren't a fan of either. The food itself on the tiered plates weren't really good either.
The menu we got only had a few tea options even though they've got a giant book of them and when I asked to see the book to try one of those they didn't have prices. Not a huge deal necessarily but I wanted an oolong and one of them is $20 and another is $40 (4oz loose leaf, price found on their website online) so it's a pretty big difference.
All of the servers were very friendly and pretty on top of things even with the giant rush of people they had. I'd go back on a less busy day and try a regular menu food item if I ever did come back. I've heard their Little Tokyo location was really good.

Visited this place for a cute lunch and experience with my friend. I made a reservation through Yelp.
I came on a Monday holiday

Upon arrival, there was one large party & a couple of smaller ones.

It seemed that they didn't have enough workers that day & service was inattentive. I do want to acknowledge that the server was kind, but seemed she may have been the only one working the whole dinning area.

Now for the food:

My friend & I ordered the
$28/person which came with a chicken & cranberry sandwich, cucumber & cream cheese sandwich, salmon & cream cheese toast, egg salad sandwich, scones, & a cookie & cupcake & a pot of tea

The sandwiches didn't seem fresh & were not very tasty I will say. The cucumber & cream cheese was okay. The salmon toast looked as if the salmon had been left out & we did not eat that one. The egg salad sandwich had the eggs a dark color

The pot of tea was great! Overall, it was a cute experience, however, I've been to tea places before & unfortunately this experience wasn't there for me & with the added inattentive service, that is why my rating is a bit lower. I will say, the sandwiches were neatly made.

Afternoon tea service. Sandwiches were good however there were a few that could use some improvements. The desserts can definitely improve. It was a little loud for afternoon tea. Tables are too small. Everything felt squished. Too bad with the rain, outdoor probably would have been more enjoyable. We ordered the 3 tier option not sure why it came with two 2 tiers. Which made our table even more squished. Definitely wasn't as enjoyable as we hoped. But overall it's an experience.

Service was fine, but the food wasn't good!! The bread for the sandwiches were stale. It wasn't just one dish either - it was all of them. The salmon also didn't look fresh. It was very grey-ish looking.. Kindly enough, the server comped a dish from our tab but I probably wouldn't come back again

I recently came here with another friend, the first time for the both of us. Our server Samuel was so helpful and gave us great recommendations for the teas. We ordered the Chado Afternoon Tea Service and went with the Beauty Tea and Passion fruit oolong tea. The sandwiches filled us up and Samuel surprised my friend with a cute little dessert to celebrate her pregnancy! It was such a cute spot and a fun experience!

Service 5 stars
Food 3
Ambiance 3.5
Tea selection 5

The best things about our afternoon tea is the service. I find that consistent at Chado's, also having been to the Little Tokyo location. I found the very long tea list overwhelming. Our server offered to bring canisters for us to help decide. Plus when my friend's tea didn't taste as she expected from its aroma, our server graciously allowed her to replace her tea.

We came for two birthday gals' celebration. This place is popular for that and other girly events like a bridal shower. Many different themed tea services here like Birthday, Mom & Daughter and Barbie starting up to $65 per person. I think they start at $30.

Unfortunately the Halloween-themed one was disappointing. The soup was not good and the cookie and cupcake looked like they came from Ralph's.

The scones were all dry and not fresh while the sandwiches are mostly miss. The salmon is too salty, but I did like the tuna cranberry. The macarons were average, too.

The chocolates dish was great and the chocolate swirled outline on the sweets dish a nice touch.

Some of the more expensive tea services ($65) come with a "special gift" which turns out to be a cute cat mug with cover. Mine said, "If you love someone, let them sleep". Amen!

The colorful whimsical teapots were charming and it was fun to check out the variety at neighboring tables. The street patio is very welcoming and quiet.

Some reviewers said it gets loud inside, definitely true.

Unfortunately we would not come back. You can order a la carte which might satisfy but afternoon tea is too much for subpar food though service is great.

The tea service alternates wildly between delicious and questionably bad. The best part of the meal was the scones and cream: they are served warm and are baked very well. I also especially liked the tomato soup which was hearty and flavorful and the smoked salmon sandwich.

Unfortunately I also found their chicken to be dry and too minced? It tasted like it came from a can and made the summer apple salad and chicken sandwich taste worse. They also serve their white bread slices with everything: from the salad to the tomato soup. Sadly it's always untoasted and plain which is a huge missed opportunity IMO for something like the tomato soup.

Overall though this place is good for the price you pay. We had a decent amount of leftovers and left reasonably full. The service is spotty and worse than other places, but you get what you pay (or don't pay) for.

Chado in Pasadena, CA, is an absolute gem! From the moment you step in, you're greeted with warmth and hospitality. The ambiance is serene, perfect for a relaxing afternoon tea or a delightful meal. The selection of teas is unparalleled, catering to every palate and preference. I ordered the Gyokuro Tea and highly recommend if you like green tea. Very light and goes great with the scone. The food is expertly crafted, bursting with flavor and presented beautifully. Whether you're indulging in their delectable sandwiches or savoring their divine pastries, each bite is a culinary delight. The staff is attentive, knowledgeable, and always ready to make recommendations. Chado truly offers a five-star experience that leaves you feeling pampered and satisfied. A must-visit destination for tea enthusiasts and food lovers alike! Thank Chado!