Clipper Lounge

Incredible Lack of Professionalism and Competence Reserved a table for the allegedly legendary Sunday brunch at the Mandarin Oriental’s Clipper Lounge restaurant. Was greeted and seated at my table by the respectful and courteous staff, especially Mr Victor Mok. After having studied the brunch menu on their website well in advance, I came with great expectations anticipating a fabulous feast. Unfortunately the whole affair turned out a thorough desaster. First of all I have to emphasize the high professionality of the service staff. However, this cannot be stated of the cooks; they seemed to come from mainland China, hardly understood any English and were poorly trained. Simply low cost personnel. Food was optically enticing, however incompetently prepared out of cheap and slightly expired ingredients, especially the seafood. The coating of the fried prawns was soft and came off. No crispness at all. The most annoying thing was the abalone: it had a rancid-fishy flavour. Definitely expired stuff. Meat dishes disappointed big deal as well: bland taste, processed meat cheap in acquisition, watery sauces. Even the so praised cheesecake felt heavy and buttery, no fluffiness at all. The offered cold drinks didn’t match the partially fatty food; there was only one hot drink (tea or coffee) included. I personally regard this concept as absolutely idiotic. After an hour of being there I decided to abruptly quit all the nonsense and asked for the bill. Mr Mok obliged and enquired about my satisfaction with the brunch buffet. I told him my disappointment. He noted all the shortcomings on paper and refused any payment. As I spent an hour there and tried different dishes I insisted to pay. Then he apologized and brought me a box with finest jasmine tea as a gift from the house. An old Chinese saying goes that fish always stinks from the head. I’m wondering whether the general manager of Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Mr Greg Liddell, is aware of it.

Had breakfast here. Variety of food available but the taste was just normal. I’d recommend dim sum most, then danish and croissants were okay. Juice was very artificial. I ordered iced chocolate and it was way too sweet. Service was okay, a bit confusing but attentive.

This my first time to have a breakfast buffet. I enjoyed very much. The diversity of food is nice! I appreciate the food quality and services. If you have time to enjoy a fruitful morning breakfast, please come to enjoy.

had the CNY tea set. scones were like microwaved. watery cappuccino. rose petal jam and cheesecake the best. sandwiches ok. friendly but NOT attentive service. spacious seating but the 2-pp tables were a bit too close to each other. surprisingly reasonable pricing.

When it comes to afternoon tea, my absolute favorite is The Mandarin Oriental. Perhaps it's because I have a preference for scones and savory treats over cakes, and The Mandarin Oriental excels in both their sandwiches and scones! The desserts paired with the tea set this time were perfect for the summer season, predominantly featuring fruity flavors that were pleasantly tangy and sweet, without being overly saccharine. The portions of their desserts are generous, not bite-sized miniatures, so they are meant for sharing rather than each person having their own portion. In the case of an odd number of guests, such as my party of three, the third person can only choose three out of the five desserts included in the tea set. An additional highlight was the dessert trolley, where each person could select an extra sweet treat. We opted for the dried fruit white chocolate, truffle chocolate, and red bean mochi, and all three were delightful. We also ordered a chocolate as a birthday cake, and it was incredibly rich. After indulging in it, a cup of tea was necessary before continuing with the other delights from the tea set. Regarding the beverages, the iced chocolate was mildly flavored, not as prominent compared to the tea and sweets. The service at the Clipper Lounge was impeccable, and the staff made us feel warm and welcomed. Although the ambiance had a slightly dated charm, especially when compared to more modern establishments, I still consider it my preferred destination for afternoon tea among the many options available.

It's a great disappointment for Oct 2024 dinner celebration with a family friend. Food was average, only the steak was good, variety was limited, oysters were skinny, lobsters were stringy. Dessert was ok but with limited choices, the original 1963 Mandarin cheesecake was nowhere to be seen, they offered pumpkin cheescake which was mushy! Worse still the staff hardly cleared our plates and they looked unhappy. The 2 stars are for the steak. Gone are they days with juicy plump oysters served to your table. At this high price with mediocre food (except good steak), limited choices, 2-hour session, fair service and cramped seating at a 5 star hotel, it's just not worth it. Luckily we booked online with some discount.

The place and atmosphere is very pleasant, not noisy. We went for the dinner buffet and the food was very good and quite various, lots of seafood and desserts in particular. Service was extremely courteous and paying attention to clients. As well they also provided baby chair and cutlery For kid Definitely a place-to-go for a high-end buffet style.

Was once a very sought after buffet has now been surpassed by others. Not enough staff on service, long wait for pasta, Caesar salad never got refilled, sashimi was roughly but into very thick chunks. Wouldn’t go back unfortunately.

Hong Kong, Central. November 2023. Very good breakfast buffet. Very good afternoon tea. The breakfast buffet is a mixed crowd of hotel guests and business people looking for a place to eat and talk without being rushed. There is a good combination of Western and Eastern. A made to order omelette station and carved meats. A noodle bar with three kinds of noodles choices, won ton and fish balls, lettuce and choi sum. Made to order eggs and Eggs Benedict on request. The afternoon tea is about the scones with the hotel's signature rose petal jam. You'll want to buy a jar from the Mandarin Cake Shop to take home. The sweets and finger sandwiches are fine. The hotel's central location and service attract ladies and couples on an outing and businessmen taking a break from the office. A nice mezzanine location offers views of Statue Square and the open lobby below.

Some friends wanted to do the high tea experience but half the crew wasn't interested. Funnily enough, reading up on some history, it's actually called 'afternoon tea' or 'low tea' because aristocrats and socialites sat in low seats. High tea was for lower working class as they sat in high back chaies... Apparently for a high tea reservation, staff immediately knows you're foreign haha. Well duh, only 'high tea' is at the 4 star tourist hotels, nothing local. Moving on... Asking about 'high tea', staff said that wasn't a problem if only half the group was interested in doing it as there was no minimum per person. After days of go go go, it was nice to sit and relax in their comfy chairs and catch up while sipping tea. Friends enjoyed the high tea experience and we really enjoyed not having to pay the $40 USD per person price tag haha. So if you're looking for afternoon tea like the socialites did in the 1800s, give them a call. It wasn't too bougie and was very comfortable.

As guests of the Mandarin oriental and after joining their loyalty program, we opted to receive two complementary breakfast seatings daily during our stay. Breakfast could be had at a few of their restaurants within the hotel but we decided daily for their breakfast buffet at the lounge and so glad we did! We thoroughly enjoyed their daily offerings ranging from western options (omelette, Benedict, hash browns) to dim sum and various fruit options with yogurt. The smoked salmon was delectable and it was fun to chose a different sweet at the end of the meal from the spread!

Was recommended Clipper Lounge for a lovely high tea experience in HK, and this was right in line with what I was looking for. The scones were top notch. But OMG that rose petal jam was EVERYTHINGGGG. If they sold it, I'd buy that to just put on everything. If you're a fan of jam, you need to come here. We ended up using that jam for every single dessert. We weren't majorly hungry, having come from a late lunch, but the savory and sweets were all delish. Wish I could've come by on a bit more of an empty stomach, to try it all, but I couldn't. The teas were great, which could've been consumed either as is, or with the added milk and sugar. Both ways were nice, but the milk and sugar seemed to pair better with the black teas, and not so much with the white teas. Comfy seats, free WiFi, continuously refilled teas. It's the perfect spot to get off your feet. The only thing I wish this lounge had is a better view. You're overlooking the Mandarin Oriental lobby, and the blinds cover just about everything outside. 4 stars

This buffet is located on the mezzanine floor of the mandarin oriental. The wait staff is extremely attentive and the quality of the food including dimsum is very good. This review is for their brunch selection which does not disappoint. If you are in the area this place is good for small parties of 4 or less. I would not recommend this place for any larger than that.

The reviews is of the weekend brunch, although we have eaten here other times as well. The buffet brunch is a good array of western and Asian buffet staples. The sushi was particularly good. The quality of everything on offer is excellent. We were a bit underwhelmed by the dim sum, but all were good. They served a teriyaki waygu beef dish from the kitchen that was a bit sweet but still tender. The breads, meats and cheeses were very nice as well. The desserts also were a bit sweeter than what we normally eat, but all good.

Had afternoon tea here and made reservations online which was super convenient. The setting is 80s luxurious with dark carpeting and chandeliers very clean but not so modern. We had a table right next to their clean plates and silverware section so it was extremely noisy. I asked to change seats but they said they had a full schedule. It made my headache worse so might be affecting my review. The service was solicitous as to be expected. Their tea service has plenty of food the majority of it their pastries. The pastries are beautiful to look at but after a while it became sweet overload. Enjoyed some of the sandwiches and the scones were nice especially with their cream and rose petal jam. I got their house blend tea something something legend. It was okay at first but after steeping for a while the orange peel became extremely bitter and even after adding more water was really not drinakable. The two top tables are very close to each other so you'll be close to the diners next to you. Still don't think it's worth it to wait in line at the peninsula. Visit their mandarin oriental cake shop around the corner though bc that could make a nice gift to bring home.

Everything is personalized. Everytime you are greeted or approached, it's by your name and you are thanked. I already knew service would be A1. Drinks here are very good. For a light meal, I had the Thai beef salad. This is one of the best I've had. They cook your beef to your preferred temp, and the fresh veggies are plentiful, but not overbearing. It's actually beef with salad, rather than salad topped with slices of beef. Great first impression. The general ambiance of the lounge is very classy and swanky. Crystal chandeliers, marble finishes, big comfy chairs, generally quiet. A lot of business meetings going on around me, as well. Looking forward to afternoon tea!

***Out of the world SERVICE; Top class SEAFOOD*** Previously when I enjoyed the buffets at places such as Cafe TOO, JW Cafe, Cafe 103, etc., I found the Staff/Service to be the BEST possible. But the STAFF AT CLIPPER LOUNGE TAKE IT TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL which is beyond the BEST ....so, we may have to coin a new word to describe them . The staff always kept us engaged but not so much that would seem invasive....just enough to feel pampered. Whenever I turned my head to ask a question, it seemed like they were standing there waiting for me .... I LOVE THAT! But, you can't judge a book by its cover so we need to see what's inside .....i.e. THE FOOD of course WHAT AWESOME OYSTERS!! There were Oysters from three different regions and among them the best ones were the Brittany (French) and Scottish Rock. I think I ate A DOZEN of them by myself .... NOT KIDDING . In general, all of their SEAFOOD was A grade.... I also ate the PRAWNS, SHRIMP and the LOBSTER. Didn't have any capacity left for the CRABS.... maybe next time! The staff also informed us of a special dish being prepared in the Kitchen - Australian BEEF cooked a perfect MEDIUM!! It was not in the buffet and they brought it straight from the kitchen.... it was nicely chewy and the sauce was very tasty! I'm thankful that I was informed about it. In addition, I also tried (and LOVED), the BEEF NOODLES, FRIED RICE, PAN FRIED SALMON, STIR-FRIED PRAWNS. After eating so much food, I had no room for dessert..... BUT the dessert section looked so yummy... that I just went for it anyway !! It's definitely not a cheap dinner buffet.... but judging by the attentive staff, the awesome seafood, it's clearly worth every cent!!

Amazing high tea with fantastic presentation and very savory flavors! Top and middle tier had dessert and base had sandwiches. They also give an extra plate with grilled sandwich and scones! Excellent service, Billy Lo did a great job in rescheduling our reservation last minute! We ordered the morrocan mint tea and jasmine. Both very good and they will refill your kettle if you ask. Total was 708 Hong Kong dollars for high tea of two persons! My favorite was the salmon sandwich and cheesecake!

High Tea @ Clipper Lounge was lovely but surprisingly lack luster. $547 including a glass of Moët at the Mandarin Oriental, I'd expect stellar service and some sort of wow factor from the sweet and savory selections (or at least some of them). Unfortunately, they fell flat on most elements - nothing was 'wrong' with the food it just wasn't very memorable - the savory sandwiches were pretty good, but somewhat under seasoned. Sweet treats were also under flavored with the exception of a delicious berry cheesecake type concoction. Service has been nice but surprisingly inattentive - no offer to freshen water, tea, or even the pricy originally half-filled glass of champagne. All in all, there must certainly be better high tea options in the area I'm sad to say (really wanted to love this experience).

Been here a few times for desserts - their cakes are generally good. Coffee / tea are standard. The standout is the afternoon tea set's scone, which was better than most you will find in HK though not as good as the better scones in London

working on business deals here. the surrounding outside and local building environment is classic hk and makes the impossible feel possible afternoon tea was good but without the high tea ambiance of say the Peninsula, and would be back.

Unparalleled service, makes the Four Seasons look very average and the Ritz a class below. The food is good, the Buffet is less opulent than others (Brunch at the Conrad has better savory food while Clipper has better desserts) but on the whole Clipper Lounge is where I want to be on Sundays.

What are you looking for in a breakfast buffet? A wide variety of Asian and Western food, quick service, availability of off-menu items? The Clipper Lounge checks off every single one of those boxes. Located on the mezzanine level of the Mandarin Oriental, Clipper Lounge offers a wealth of choices and quality food. I really can't list all the options as there are so many, but they include: -- Juices - Available from your server or from the buffet, the selection included typical juices like orange and grapefruit, and more unusual offerings like watermelon. -- Fresh made egg station - Cage free and organic Chinese or British eggs were cooked to order with a variety of omelet ingredients available as well. -- Fresh noodle bar - Noodle soup made to order -- Bone-in ham - Carved to order -- Dim sum - A variety of steamers including cha siu (bbq pork) and custard cream buns, as well as siu mai, and dumplings -- Congee - With a variety of accompaniments -- Meats - American bacon, Canadian bacon, and sausage -- British veg - Cooked tomatoes and mushrooms -- Cured meats - Salamis, hams, and something called air dried beef -- Smoked fish - Salmon, trout, and others -- Pastries, breads, and donuts - My favorite were the blueberry danish and jam filled donuts -- Fruits - Everything you can imagine other than stone fruits - melons, dragon fruit, mango, strawberries, grapes, bananas -- Cheese - Selection of four or so cheeses including both soft and hard cheeses -- Cereals - Regular or soy milk as well as chocolate milk If this cornucopia of delights is not enough for you and you want even more just ask your server. While I didn't partake in this, they did offer things off-menu delights like waffles, poached eggs, or even eggs benedict. The only things I wouldn't recommend are those things in the chafing dishes like fried rice or the teriyaki chicken.

Came here with my family for an afternoon tea. Service is top-notch and the tea sets are decent. Price is acceptable as well- I'll definitely revisit in the future!