Grand Salon at Baccarat Hotel

I had the pleasure of dining in at Grand Salon at Baccarat Hotel, and it truly exceeded my expectations. The highlight of my visit was the exquisite blood orange olive oil cake, adorned with vibrant orange segments and a refreshing labneh sorbet. This dessert was a symphony of flavors, beautifully balancing sweetness and acidity, topped with the perfect creamy finish of the sorbet. Equally delightful was the rigatoni Bolognese. The pasta was al dente and generously coated in a rich, savory sauce that was both comforting and indulgent. To complement the meal, I indulged in a stunning cocktail featuring Hendrick's gin, lemon, lavender, and red burgundy. The cocktail was as beautiful as it was delicious, with floral notes mingling perfectly with the gin, offering a refreshing sip that transported me to a tranquil garden. A truly special moment was being invited to write in the restaurant's guest book. This personal touch made me feel valued, as not everyone is selected for this unique opportunity. It's a lovely way to remember the experience and share thoughts with future diners. Overall, Baccarat Restaurant is a gem that offers a magnificent culinary journey. I left with a full heart and a happy palate, eagerly anticipating my next visit!

An absolutely outstanding restaurant! Baccarat combines true luxury with flawless taste. Every detail is exquisite — from the crystal glassware to the beautifully crafted dishes. The food is exceptional: fresh, elegant, and visually stunning. The desserts deserve special praise; they look like edible pieces of art. The atmosphere is magical — soft lighting, a sophisticated interior, and the feeling of experiencing the very best of New York. The service is excellent: attentive, discreet, and highly professional. Without a doubt, one of the city’s finest spots — a place you’ll want to return to again and again.

Our visit to the Grand Salon at the Baccarat Hotel for brunch was delightful. As soon as you enter the Grand Salon, you are taken by the majestic appearance of the room, filled with a variety of decorations, including sculptures, crystal glasses, and books all over the place. The Christmas decorations were cute and memorable. We started off with the Lime and Ricotta Pancake and the Baccarat Omelette along with two small pots of tea (Queen's Guard and Golden Glow). The Pancake was perfect cooked - slightly crisp on the outside and extremely soft and fluffy on the inside. The Omelette was delicious amd well plated, even though the portion size was a bit small (add 1-2 more eggs!). We then had the Hojicha tea and the Silver Needle, both of which were excellent. The almond croissant was a bit small and had a fusion of flavors (it had chocolate and some essence that we couldn't pin down). Nonetheless, the experience was memorable and makes for a nice, romantic brunch.

Overall this was a very underwhelming experience. At the time of making the reservation we were explicitly told that it was not necessary to add a child as an extra guest. The child was noted as such on the reservation, however upon arrival we were informed that she should have been added as an additional person during booking. After some delay, we were eventually seated. While the service itself was good and the selection was pleasant, a significant quality issue overshadowed the experience. I found a large piece of paper baked into my scone which is unacceptable for an establishment of Baccarat’s caliber. Given the price point I have experienced far superior high tea offerings at other hotels.

We just stopped by the bar for drinks having had tea here last year, we wanted to experience another aspect of the hotel. If you did not make a reservation for the lounge, be prepared to stand in a queue and wait for a spot at the bar. We waited approximately 30 minutes for 2 of us to be seated at the bar on a Saturday evening at around 6 pm(not a complaint from us, just an explanation of what to expect). Once seated, we were treated to Parmesan crisps and olives. We loved the drinks and sipping them from the crystal is such an opulent feeling. We camped out there for a while and the bartenders were very attentive, so it never felt like an overwhelmingly busy Saturday night. The bar is truly stunning and I’d recommend this spot for maybe a drink but it adds up quickly. My only gripe is the fact that the drinks are pricey, 32-54 USD per specialty cocktail. I understand that it’s a beautiful hotel and bar in NYC, but I found that to be excessive. Long story short, the bar is a worthwhile stop for out of towners to at least experience once….but once is plenty. We did afternoon tea last year in the salon and we’d repeat THAT instead.

The food and tea were very good, no complaints there. But the experience is critical to an afternoon tea. We were seated at what felt like a kid's table. It was literally shorter than our knees -- and we're short! (See photo.) We asked to be moved to a "real" table, but there weren't any available. They had to bring a separate smaller table for the teapots because our table was too small, which had us reaching over beyond our table for what turned out to be rather heavy insulated pots. There wasn't any tablecloth at all. Shouldn't a formal afternoon tea have a crisp white tablecloth? We've enjoyed a lot of afternoon teas, including at both Harrod's and Fortnum & Mason in London. This is the first time we were ever disappointed. And at nearly $400 for 2 after tax and tip (without wine or champagne), it wasn't worth it.

I love an afternoon tea service. I was really looking forward to the Baccarat hotel tea experience given its high and reputation. Spoiler alert - it didn’t deliver. The setting - you enter into a dark entryway on street level and our ushered towards elevators that take you up to the grand salon. Upon exiting the elevator, bright light, crystal chandeliers, red & gold colors greet you. Of note as you leave the grand salon to go to the bathroom you are once again in very dark hallways, which can be challenging to find your way to the bathroom. Tables were set with couches or chairs arranged in cozy close quarters. The food - we chose the Prince of Wales option and added a glass of champagne to sip along with our tea. The beauty of a tea services you can take one hour, two hours even up to three hours to enjoy the experience. Unfortunately the tea doesn’t stay warm in their tea pots during the 2 hours which is surprising as my tea at home does stay warm. Overall the food was a solid offering for a tea service but didn’t blow me away. We were celebrating my mother’s birthday and they did acknowledge that with a small plate with some additional macarons. Unfortunately those macarons were not fresh. The service - initially attentive and then lacking. There was no attention to refill glasses of drinks or attention. When it came time to pay the bill I had to track someone down. And then that took much longer than it should to pay the bill. Overall - solid offering however for the price there are better tea options in NYC.

My visit to Grand Salon at Baccarat for afternoon tea fell short of expectations, perhaps heightened by the prestige implied in it’s name. Although the ambiance carried an air of elegance, the effect was tempered by visibly aging furnitures. The traditional three-tier tray offered only an ordinary selection with nothing particularly distinctive or memorable. While the staff were attentive and courteous. Ultimately, it is not a venue I would choose to revisit, as the experience did not justify the price.