Pardee Home Museum

Parse Family Museum was like a time capsule with incredible detailing and collections inside. Our work group was able to secure a private garden afternoon tea with 3 courses of goodies and all the english breakfast tea you could ask for. The women there were lovely and patient with us and even gave us each a thank you gift to take home. Following the tea and treats we took the tour which lasted a little over an hour sharing the homes history across 3 floors of unique treasures and facts. There is plenty parking both free and paid on both ends of the street just not directly out front. The ease of access as you come across the overpass made it all the better to get too! Definitely a place I will return to with family.

TL; DR: Great place to experience a tea party (by group reservation only). Interesting Victorian home museum in which to learn about local history, including that it was home to the first fulltime CA governor. House is chilly in cold months so wear layers, but the dinning room has a space heater during tea. Don't forget to bring cash for the donation box, it'd be appreciated :) --- I visited here with a group for tea service. The entire thing from the set up, baking, and serving was beautifully orchestrated by friendly museum volunteers who delighted us with a lovely spread of tasty tea and baked goods in the historic home's dinning room. Tea parties are the home museum's main source of income and a great place to celebrate special occasions or just have an outing with a group of friends. The service is hosted by reservation for groups only. There's a minimum number of attendees required. In the winter the max number of tea guests per party is limited to 12 (the size of the dinning room table). In warm weather, the max is closer to 40 people and its hosted in the patio. Check their website for info. Our visit was concluded with a docent led tour of the house covering the story of the 3 generations of Pardees who lived there. The family was influential in politics, and was also active in medicine. The house is filled with thousands of family artifacts and collections, including some artwork by the talented Mrs. Pardee. There's definitely plenty to see and learn here. For the sake of time, our tour didn't include a view of the room with old toys and human specimens (remember that least one Pardee was a physician). If you're curious, you could request a view from the docent. I actually was not aware of this room at all until a fellow tour goer asked about it.

Great home museum but the true highlight was the afternoon tea and the lovely ladies who served us and gave us the right amount of sass!

Special tours are amazing! Sue was our guide for a wedding "High Tea". We arrived and toured the home. So much Oakland history here! If you live here or are having visitors...Don't miss this amazing home. NOTE: This is volunteer run. Please be kind. Leave a review and DONATE to keep it open and cared for appropriately. Thank you ladies...it was an amazing day.

Great afternoon tea!!! Thank you Sandy and everyone!

We had a wonderful three-course afternoon tea in the Pardee Home Museum's garden, followed by an informative tour of the home itself. For a garden tea, consider bringing a jacket, as Oakland weather can be unpredictable. The food was tasty and lovingly prepared - even garnished with fresh flowers!

Beautiful home, lovely tour. High tea was delicious. Great experience for a party of 12

Fun experience! Thanks for the amazing tea ladies!

We did the afternoon tea and private tour. The tea and bites were delicious. The volunteers make and serve the food; you will not find nicer and more gracious people. The tour was interesting. To be honest, our docent was a bit cranky, but knew a lot. The house is full of stuff. Some may say collector, others may say hoarder with good taste. Either way, it was interesting!!!! Street parking available around the museum. You eat in the dining room which is fancy! In the summer you can have tea outside. Reservation needed for tea.

When the years pass, places and people become history. There are such historic sites that stand still despite the modern times of today. It was such a unique and quirky experience at the Pardee Home Museum Unfortunately for the safety of your car it is not advised to park along the perimeter of the home. It would be best to carpool and park in a nearby garage and go from there! Every occasion is by reservation and no walk in. Behind it all are volunteers that work hard to maintain and preserve the historic Pardee Home Museum. How often do you get to have afternoon tea in a place with such history? How I have tried much more expensive afternoon tea that didn't satisfy. The volunteers create such petite bites that bring joy. Believe me, you will be content with the variety offered. Did I mention unlimited hot tea is served throughout? When the appetites are to your content you will be guided to each room with stories and belongings of the families of those that lived there. There were real old journals, old fashion dresses, tea pots, collected furniture, and much more. The home is very old and there are parts that have seen better days, but that's part of the charm. If it wasn't for a friend's invitation I would haven't known about the Pardee Home Museum. Now, will you check it out for yourself too?

Coordinated an afternoon tea with 12 guests (including 4 Yelp Elites!) at Pardee Home Museum as this is one of the best (in my opinion) afternoon tea services in the Bay Area. Wonderful setting, rich history while enjoying afternoon tea in one of Oakland's historic landmark really transports you to a different era. Brief History: The Pardee House was constructed in 1868 by California State Senator Enoch H. Pardee. His son, George Pardee, a Governor of California resided with his family and lobbied intensely for a water district specifically for the East Bay which later became East Bay Municipal Utility District (EBMUD). Pardee Dam and Reservoir located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada is named after the family. This is my 3rd time visiting (one visit for takeout [an exception] during the pandemic) and always enjoy all the lovely savory and sweet treats. Your afternoon tea is a 2 hour dining experience all provided by volunteers with an hour tour after. Volunteers are so sweet, friendly, hospitable and provide such eye-catching and delectable treats for the guest at such a reasonable amount. Be sure to TIP/DONATE generously to continue the preservation and wonderful tea service. Easy to reserve and done via email. Sandi, the tea scheduler does a great job at coordinating your event, securing payment and reserving your day and adjusting for last minute changes! THANKS Sandi and to ALL the volunteers! Plenty of street parking around the home but be sure to remove items from your car. I would avoid parking near the park (a block away) and the freeway side of the street. That's just me! 2 hour metered parking but close enough to add more money after your lunch but before your tour. Note: Great for (behaved...hey, the place is historic!) kids, hosting a special occasion or enjoying an afternoon tea with friends. Min number of guests: 6, max 12 for the dining room $40/person + $8 (or more if you'd like) donation

This was my first time at Pardee Home Museum. I've seen the house from the street many times, but didn't know that they did Afternoon Tea and tours until my friend Cheryl M. organized a tea and tour of the house for a group of 12. There is a minimum of 6 to book an Afternoon Tea and you must book in advance. Volunteers run the museum, and from what I saw on their calendar, their weekends fill up with groups. The ladies who served us really made it special. Loved the tea sets and the food. The food didn't just look good, they tasted great as well. My favorites were smoked salmon rolls and the mushroom toast for the savories, and the chocolate mousse and scone and lemon curd for the sweets. If you love going to Afternoon Tea, you'll have to try Pardee Home. It's a great value! The tour was also interesting. Our tour guide described the three generations of Pardees who've lived there and the times, so you get a good sense of the historical value of the house. Thanks to Cheryl M for organizing! Loved the company, the Tea and the tour.

I had one of the most fun and unique afternoon tea experiences this weekend at Pardee Home Museum, thanks to Cheryl for organizing. Run by volunteers, gratuities are donations that goes towards the preservation of this historic place so make sure to tip generously for all their hard work and wonderful service. Walking distance of downtown Oakland the Pardee Home, "including its carriage house and water tower, is a centerpiece of Oakland's Preservation Park Historic District". Built by Enoch Pardee who arrived in CA during the Gold Rush, eventually becoming mayor and senator followed by his son George Pardee who became Governor in 1902, we get to walk through the halls that they have during our house tour and enjoyed a private 2 hour tea party for 12 in the dining room the Pardee Family dined in over a 100 years ago, I really felt like I stepped back in time. Five cold savories including cucumber flower sandwich and chicken in puffed pastry, followed by 2 hot savories, then scone with homemade jam, curd, and clotted cream, finishing off with a selection of 5 desserts and a chocolate mousse, no one left hungry and we had two males in our party. Tea parties are private tea parties for 6-12 people indoors at their dining room or in their gardens during the summer months.

Toured the Pardee home today and had the most wonderful time! It is one of the best tours I have had of a historic home. You are up close to wonderful pieces of history and it's just amazing!!! Matt was a great docent and really took his time showing us this beautiful home. Will definitely be going back for tea. If you love history, this is a gem you must see right here in the bay area

Making history is a divine concept. This is one of my last notes on this site..The family of Enoch Pardee and his son George Pardee...they were oculists and eye doctors..and also mayor and governor in California around the Gold Rush era..Today you can visit the historic home..at this time 10:30-12pm on Saturday. 6 people at a tea sitting..visit the old family home and see the collection..4 daughters...and Helen Pardee lived here until 1981..it was a public museum in 1991...this is American life..the land of San Francisco was a great place..thank you to the pioneers that achieved things that are so interesting..my conclusion about life here..this is a job and I should have been at work..Chapbooks and the myth of the great american tomboy...the tomboy spinster myth..and the dead end family by 1981...is this a cautionary tale of American life? History won't repeat..memories will last forever.

What a wonderful experience this was. A hidden gem in Oakland worth visiting! Our guide Marilyn was very knowledgeable and gave us a great tour of the house, and shared some history and stories about the Pardee family. The house, its furnishings, and collections were very well-preserved. After our tour, we sat down for a private afternoon tea party in the dining room. Sandy was a wonderful host. All the dainty finger sandwiches, tea cakes, and desserts were delicately prepared, well executed, and delectable. She made certain that our tea was always served hot. Every course came out at a good pace. We did not feel rushed at all and enjoyed our tea time in a leisurely way. Sandy had us try a couple of new desserts that she was working on and they were definitely a thumbs up! Marilyn and Sandy have been volunteers for years! They give a lot of their time and effort to help run the museum. You can tell that these lovely ladies really enjoy what they do. A big thank you to both of them!!! My friends and I had a wonderful visit to the museum. We specially enjoyed the private tea time and the opportunity to catch up and enjoy each other's company in this beautiful historic home. A day well spent!!!

I came for a tea party with girlfriends in the garden. Although there were no decorations on the tables the place settings were lovely and the garden was exquisite. We had three courses, English tea, and abundance of history with each course. After tea we were taken on a guided tour of the Pardee House. Our guide was very knowledgeable, I learned quite a bit about the family history and that current Governor Newsom is a relative. It was an amazing time and definitely a bang for the buck!

V I B E I love British-style high tea. This event far exceeded any expectations. Tea is served in the historical dining room of the Pardee home on vintage serve-wear. It was intimate and private as the only party at the house. Everything was done with passion and love. The tour that followed was the icing on the cake. It was amazing to see a collection of antiques in their original home. T R I D E Be prepared with a three-course smorgasbord of small bites. The food is carefully crafted by volunteers who meticulously plate each course. The attention to detail is beautiful, and the taste is even better. Our first savory course included cucumber, egg salad, chicken salad, salmon finger sandwiches, cheese crackers, and mushroom tart. They even accommodated two vegetarian substitutions for one of my guests. The second included a hot scone with devon cream and jam. The sweet course was overwhelming with chocolate moose, lemon tarts, walnut cookies, apricot tarts, fruit, and a special cake for my birthday. F A V E S I am still thinking about the mushroom tart. I should ask for the recipe. The scones were dreamy, and the lemon tart was my favorite sweet, although it's hard to choose. T I P S Please consider when booking that Pardee House is a non-profit volunteer event, not a restaurant. They serve one English breakfast tea and prepare spectacular food for the exact number of people at your party. I worked with three volunteers to schedule; one took my reservation through email, Sandi, I provided payment over the phone with Sue, and finalized the details with the tea captain, Gail. They were all wonderful and accommodating. They even made me a small birthday cake for my party.

We had a wonderful three-course afternoon tea in the Pardee Home Museum's garden, followed by an informative tour of the home itself. For a garden tea, consider bringing a jacket, as Oakland weather can be unpredictable. The food was tasty and lovingly prepared - even garnished with fresh flowers!

This is a hidden gem of Oakland history!!!! Phenomenal place and the amazing staff, Linda , gale & Susan were wonderful. Thank you for excellent hospitality and knowledge. We will be back

Attended a high tea here a few weeks ago that a friend organized. What a lovely find! We were outside in the garden which felt really idyllic and lovely, esp with it being only our group. I had no idea this was here (and a very short walk from BART too). They gave us so many treats! Apparently volunteers make all the little goodies and each have their own specialties. We also had a cake to celebrate my friend's niece's birthday. Afterwards they gave us a tour of the home which was really interesting although unfortunately I missed part of it due to having to deal with a support call, doh! Highly recommend this experience.

This is my most favorite place to have tea! It is so delicious and delightful, and the fact that it is run by volunteers just makes it all the better. Today was the first time our group has gotten together in two years, and it was just perfect in every way. The tea service was beautiful, and our docent, Marilyn, gave us such a terrific tour. We'd been before, and still learned new things! We are so lucky this gem is in Oakland and The Bay Area -- I highly, highly recommend experiencing it! Thank you, Pardee House staff and volunteers! We appreciate you!

Happy to report back that the Pardee Home Museum Tour and Tea is as lovely as it was back in 2017!

The Pardee Home Museum is a must visit. We had tea in the garden. What a delightful beautiful setting for tea. The gardens are well maintained and manicured. The lovely ladies who serve tea make the beautiful sandwiches, scones, and muffins. They do a fabulous job making us feel well cared for. After the tea we enjoyed a tour of the three floors of the residence and learned about the history of the Pardee family. Having been a resident of Oakland all my life, this is my first visit to the Pardee Home Museum. Hoping that others will make their visit much sooner than I have. You will not be disappointed.

The food the service was very fabulous! The presentation appeared to all your senses.

We celebrated my mom's birthday at the Pardee Home, and we had just the most wonderful time! Our docent for the tour was quite knowledgable about not only the history of the house but also of Oakland. Even though I grew up in the East Bay, I learned so much more about it than I knew before! There are such fascinating trinkets and little collected things in the house, so it was wonderful to be able to linger in each room and take it all in. Then....the tea. Wow. My aunt said that it was the best tea that we have been to, and that is saying a lot, as we have tried a lot of different teas! First of all, they give you SO much food. We were all stuffed by the end! And, it's all delicious and fresh. The sandwiches were all very flavorful, and the scones were piping hot out of the oven! There is so much detail and thought put into each dish, as the volunteers had picked fresh flowers from the garden and cut out cute shapes from vegetables to decorate the plates. The dishware that we used was beautiful. This all together made the experience pretty special.

Wonderful experience. My friends and I did the house tour and had the full tea service afterwards. The tour was interesting and quite unique- I won't share too much here - you must visit! Everything is well preserved and a lot of the house is viewable on the tour. It is a great slice of history. We made our appointment to have afternoon tea afterwards. Sandy was incredibly responsive by email when it was being arranged and it was such a welcome to also meet her in person while she introduced us to the finger foods as they were served. Everything was presented so quaintly on each platter. We didn't feel rushed- it was a perfect afternoon with friends and tea. All the monies go towards the maintenance of the house. It was so heartwarming to share our time with the volunteers who provided the tea service- a real testament of how special this place is.

I give my highest recommendation for this historic Oakland landmark! The afternoon tea is truly top notch and I've had some of the best tea services in England. The volunteers are absolutely delightful. The tour is informative and fascinating. If you haven't experienced this, you're in for a treat!

Such a fun experience! The tour guide was really knowledgeable and a great story teller. We made reservations a couple months in advance because we had a fairly large party of 10-12 for $30 per person. Further, since we had a larger party, it was nice because it ended up being a private event. First they give you a tour of the Pardee Home and give you background on the Pardee family. You get information about every room and how it was decorated. They were considered "collectors" so they have a lot of old antiques to admire (if you ask me they seemed more like "hoarders"). Whatever you believe the Pardee's to be, I'm glad they kept all that stuff, because everything is priceless and has a story behind it. The house has 3 floors that the tour guides walk you through, fair warning the house can get super cold and it smells really musty. However, once you can look past that it's really an awesome historic landmark. So much amazing history about this one-of-a-kind family and house. After the tour it's team time! They have 3 courses and there is a lot of small finger foods to try. Everything was quite delicious, however I think I had one too many desserts, because I had a major sugar crash. Overall, it was a lovely time learning about one of the East Bay's prominent families!

We had a spectacular tea experience at Pardee Home Museum. This was featured on Eater's list a while back and my tea-loving friends and I wanted to check out this East Bay gem. You need to book at least 1-2 months in advance; we booked 3 months early and had to snail mail a check for $300 ($30 per person). On the day of tea, we were welcomed into the dining room of this historic home. The tea is put on by volunteers of the museum; this is a way that they fundraise since they do not receive government money. We sat around the table and enjoyed the abundant sandwiches, tarts, cookies, scones, and other offerings. It was lovely and it was far better than the $70 tea I had at The Palace Hotel. After about 1.5 hours, the docent came to give us a tour of the home. There is so much history that is preserved here and I had no idea who Enoch and George Pardee were and their place in early California history. Whether you like history, tea, or are just interested in a fun afternoon activity, Pardee Home is the way to go.

I reserved a High Tea at Pardee a few weeks back on a Sunday and it was a nice experience. Getting a group of 6 for me was tough, but I did manage to get 5 people to go with me, one messaged me sick but I had to pay the $180 up front and no way could I get the money back. It's $30pp and no refunds on the day for sure. We got there before 12pm and they weren't ready for us yet so we just hung out in the garden. They are volunteers I think they only had 2 working when we went. The table is just set for our group of 5 so you might have to wait a few weeks or months to get a date. The table had lots of little tea sandwiches - 6 on the plate. There was when we went: Cheese crackers salmon on bread open faced egg salad sandwich chicken salad sandwich cucumber sandwich mushroom toasted sandwiches philo artichoke I mentioned to them one was vegetarian and they made 3 little things for vegetarian. Black tea was served for us - some milk and sugar cubes on the side. Tea was refilled often. Then 6 little cranberry scones w/ side of clotted cream & jam. We loved them. Then lots of little desserts: Mexican wedding cookies Snickerdoodles oatmeal chocolate bars cut into small squares chocolate covered almond toffee thumbprint cookies mini lemon curd tart strawberries on a stick - 6 of them We were completely full. There is one unisex bathroom to use. Then we had the house tour which was from 2-3:30pm which was included in price of High Tea. Lots of old stuff saved. Pictures were allowed. Worth a visit especially for High Tea and Tour. FREE street meter parking on Sundays on Castro Street, 12th, or Broadway. No parking on 11th. Website: http://www.pardeehome.org/

This review is for the house tour. It's a fascinating old house, and surprising to think it's still in the middle of downtown Oakland, surrounded by huge apartment complexes and new construction. The rooms are grand and spacious, with lots of period furniture and various collections to look at. The Pardee family history is very interesting. Our tour guide was passionate about the home and its former residents. One thing that would have helped with the big picture for me would have been if he gave a quick summary of the family and its generations and who was who (maybe a family tree visual?) before he started talking about the house, so I could have had a better understanding of who everyone was as he told his stories. Other than that, I thought it was a very good hour & a half tour. (Would have liked to see the kitchen, though!) These types of historical homes are very important to the culture of a city and should be preserved and promoted by the city of Oakland itself, instead of having to rely on the kindness of strangers (private donations) to keep them operating and open for visitors.

This was one of the best teas I have ever had. All of the food was delicious and the tour afterwards was lots of fun. Great way to spend a day with the family. Loved private tea in dining room & service was very attentive. Food presentation was very artistic. We will go back for sure.

I've been here three times: a high-tea with 12 people, their ghost investigation at night, and for a general house tour. All three times were AMAZING!!! On their high-tea. I hosted a topic-based book discussion there on the Victorian era for during our tea and the docents acted as elegant and gracious hostesses that made this one of the most care-free and enjoyable events to facilitate. Also, the tea and food was presented so exquisitely that it made tea at the Ritz seem like a drive-thru by comparison. Food had all been home-made by the docents with high-quality ingredients and unique recipes that were traditional and mouth-wateringly delicious. High Tea Tips: Come with an appetite - they do not disappoint. Only the dining room where tea is held has heated, so in winter months bring a sweater for the house tour. Be sure to visit their little gift room for tea party souvenirs. GREAT for large and small parties. On their occasional ghost investigations: 5 stars. Even the skeptic (I was neutral) will be completely stunned and looking over their shoulder. You even get your own communicating pendulum and one of the investigators gave me a set of brass rods. They split you into groups and go ALL over the house and outside to the carriage house. Someone caught a white orb on their camera in the carriage house, my communicating rods were highly active, and the leader was able to guide us through how investigations are conducted. Then we got to go into the candle-lit cupola for a tarot reading (each of us got one). My friend and I only gave our names and birthdays (I know cold reading tricks, but she didn't ask any), and she NAILED the very issues we had been talking about on the drive there. GO!!!! It is absolutely worth it!!!!! Ghost investigation tips: Eat first. It is surprisingly active as you go through various rooms, climb stairs, and have some standing. If you need to sit, you will have to do so on the floor. Bring a jacket. They request no fragrance to be worn. Lighting is dim to dark, so bring a red-light flashlight or use your cell phone for lighting while walking around. House Tour: Unlike most curated homes, this one is left just as the family had it. Huge collections from all over the world ranging from a whale phallus to candle stick holders and human skulls to rare books line every nook and cranny of this house. The docents are incredibly knowledgable about items in how or why the family acquired it and used it to the items historical relevance. Each room presents a glimpse into the time period and the personal glimpse of the family. There is SO MUCH to see here. I've gone three times to the home tour and enjoyed it each time! House tour tips: Lots of walking and standing. Can be chilly in the winter, so layers recommended. Allow for a couple of hours. GREAT for a casual outing, group outing, or as an adjunct to one of their events. Parking is around the neighborhood about a block away. There is also a parking garage a couple of blocks away.

This place is a hidden gem in Oakland. Parking is super confusing. Half the meters are broken. Neighborhood borders the sketchy part...beware.... I got the chance to join in on tea b/c of a no-show. Nice to check out but travel in a group to be safe. They should add some security to this location. Cameras or something would be nice.

This place is totally random! I haven't heard of it until a friend googled "high tea in oakland" It's wonderful!!! So worth the money ($25) and the time to get there (a 30 minute ride on the 1R). I loved the food! There was both savory and sweet foods. And there was SO MUCH FOOD for our group of 4 women. I wanted to eat all of the delicious sandwiches, mini quiche, scones, mini lemon tarts....so much food I can't even type it all. The docents there were all sweethearts, and they filled up our teapots as soon as it was running low. Also, they gave us little baggies of the leftover desserts that we couldn't finish at the moment because of our limited stomach capacity. I also LOVED the tour. The house is beautiful, filled with lovely collections of furniture, art, candelbras, clothing, and musical intstruments that the Pardee family purchased over the years. Ron, the docent who gave us the tour, showed us around all the rooms in the house, from top to bottom. We felt that we traveled back in time 100 years and really got a sense of the Pardee family. I am definitely taking friends, family, and boyfriend here. I'd even go by myself just so I can learn more about the Pardee family. BOTTOM LINE: Pardee house knows how to party!

I had my bridal shower at Pardee and couldn't have been happier with the experience. The tour felt a bit long in the beginning but as we got to see the rest of the house inside, it was really enjoyable. The tea service was fantastic. Each time we would run low on tea, they were ready with a fresh new pot! Everything looked so beautiful and the volunteer who assisted us offered to take so many photos for us. The reservation process was very easy too. You just have to make sure to call/email and pay in advance. It couldnt have gone smoother!

we went many years ago and i never got around to writing a review. This place has an amazing high tea. You need to make reservations/pay in advance, but it's really worth the effort. They will also take you on a guided tour of the Home Museum which is also really cool. The Curio Room is SUPER HAUNTED tho. So You Might want to skip the room when you go on the tour, you know, if you're afraid of curses and stuff.

I'm so fortunate to have found this great place. I was looking for a venue for my sister's 18th birthday. We decided to make it as a surprise garden tea party with close family and friends since this is what she mentioned she would like. The price for our "tea party" per person is comparable to having "high tea" at those fancy tea houses in Santana Row and San Francisco in a nice garden setting complete with the fine china, impeccable service and also an optional tour of the house. What makes the experience more unforgettable were the lovely ladies that serve us and the amazing food they made. Every one of our guests couldn't stop complimenting how delicious the food was! And they're all homemade---the open faced sandwiches, warm scones and a variety of dessert. The person in charge, Kay Cheatham was really easy to work with. She's very helpful and accommodating with all my questions, concerns and requests. She's very prompt with returning my calls and has really made the planning process a breeze! My sister who we threw the party for was really happy on how her 18th birthday turned out. The look on her face that day was priceless! Everything went smoothly and everyone had a great time!

I just wanted to add that the quality of the food compared to other tea rooms is superb. The gift shop sells the recipes and my friend bought a copy. We had the house to ourselves it felt intimate just to be the only guests in the dining area for tea. This is the best tea room I've ever been to. It will be a challenge to find another one like it. I'd plan ahead and make reservations asap because they fill up quickly. I made reservations a few months in advance!

Thank you so so much to the amazing volunteers at the Pardee Home Museum! We had a nice historical tour of the home, followed by a British high tea party to celebrate a bridal shower. There were lots to learn about this place; every piece of item in the house has a story to tell. The high tea was also wonderful, with lots of yummy food hand made by the lovely volunteers, and not to mention the English breakfast blend that everyone loved! Totally exceeded our expectations in many ways!

We thoroughly enjoyed our high tea and tour at the Pardee home! We had a private tea party for my birthday, and I have to say it turned out to be one of the best birthday party ideas! The volunteers at the museum really made it a special party, from all the delicious homemade sandwiches and treats, friendly tea service, to the fun and informative house tour following our tea. They also surprised me with a little birthday cake! I'm so glad I found this place, and I highly recommend it to others who want to have a private birthday tea! The volunteers were very quick to respond to my inquiry and accommodated my group of 8. The price was very reasonable for a private party and a lovely afternoon learning about this historical home and family in the Bay Area. Thank you Pardee Home Museum!

My review is way late and is long, but here goes.... This is when I tried to reserve for their tea service last June. I love tea and lunch and I also love old historical homes. I first heard of this place from when seeing pics of a high tea meet that a local fashion group (that Im no longer involved in) hosted here a few times from pictures that few friends of mine posted on Instagram and Facebook. I figured that this place looked elegant for tea and beautiful places for pictures and stuff from seeing their pics. Unlike other tea places or museums, their reservations are so difficult and complicated though! I get 4 people interested in going out for tea and lunch and we all decided to try this place out. However, I call to try and reserve, they don't answer the phone, despite it being during their business hours, and they say on their voicemail that the minimum of people for a reservation is 6 people and they don't take walk ins. So instead of reserving on that time, I had to waste a few more days on trying to get 2 more people interested in going at the last minute. I finally got 2 more people a week before our planned date and one of them was a friend of mine who was visiting all the way from Chile and 2 others were elderly(my grandmother and great aunt). So I call to reserve. Again, no one answers the phone. I leave a message saying I want to reserve for 6 people on June 17th at 1:30 pm and leaving my name and number for a call back. They said on their voicemail that they call back within 48 hours or something like that. This was on around June 9th or 10th I believe. 2 or 3 days go by and I receive no call back. So I try going online to reserve instead, which was successful and I got a confirmation email. However, on the day of, me, my mother, grandmother, my great aunt and another friend of mine show up at 1:30 on time. The friend from Chile was running a little late and was on her way on an uber to meet us there. They others let me out of the car to get our table while they find parking. I walked up to the door and told the lady that I had a reservation for 6 people at 1:30. The lady said "Not today". I said "Yes, I booked today for 1:30. I have the email right here." Once I showed her the email, then she asked if I received another email asking for payment. I told her that was the only email I received from you. She then said that it's not a confirmation, when it clearly said "confirmed". She said that they require payments ahead of time and to tell all of my people to go all the way back because they were booked for the entire month. So yes, we got turned away at the door because of their screw up on the reservation. So moral of the story, we never had our tea that I reserved because of them not counting my reservation in. We had to find another tea place that would take us all in at last minute, call and tell my friend from Chile who was on her uber ride over that we are instead meeting at the another place (and I'm sure she had to pay double uber fare because of the screw up) and make my elderly grandmother and great aunt do all that driving around for another place, basically wasting all of our time because we couldn't get in for my original reservation here. So basically they don't accept payments on site, only advance. They only reserve a minimum of 6 people and there's no walk ins. And they only take reservations MONTHS in advance that I now learned. However, because of all of that though, when reserving, you'd have to make sure that everyone in your 6+ group is available to attend months in advance because if people cancel out to where it gets to less than 6 people in your group and if you can't find others to cover those empty seats at the last minute, then you're best out of luck with this place. A week later, they did finally call me back on returning the message I left for them. Yes, a week later when they said 48 hours. They did apologize about not getting my message on time and about all of this and told me that reservations do have to be made months in advance. So I at least give 2 stars instead of 1 for acknowledging. But I still wish that they would allow a group less than 6 to reserve and let us pay on site at least, in which I think it would make the reservation process a bit easier.

RUN don't mosey to Pardees. We had just the loveliest time. Cynthia was a charming and knowledgeable tour guide and the tour was amazing. And of course the food...best high tea ever! Way better even than, um, a certain other tearoom in a certain snowy part of San Francisco- which is pretty good in itself. Probably the highlight of my family's trip to America. A unique experience in the Bay Area. Our gratitude to the team who cared for us. PS to the reviewer who said the neighborhood is sketchy: it's city life. It's not sketchy, it's lower income. And quite safe. Park just across the 980 freeway for free parking a block or so away.

We loved our tour and tea party at the museum. Very special experience. People said it was the best birthday party they ever been to: very different and pleasent. It took about 1 hour and 15 minutes to tour the house and listen to the stories. And then we had tea for about 2 hours in a beautiful dining room. Really enjoyed it and will be back.

Well worth the money. A step back in time. I have done this tour twice already, and I would do it again. I dont know what draws me to old houses like this but its definately worth your time. Its sad that more people don't take advantage of coming here.

BREWING THE BAY: British-style afternoon tea in a beautiful, antique, historical home, all food made from scratch right in the kitchen by volunteers I organized the private group tour + high tea event that Rachel E. wrote about in her Yelp review below, and like her, I really enjoyed the experience. Ever since I moved to the Bay Area, I've been on the hunt for the best tea experiences this region has to offer. I'm fortunate that so many of my friends love tea as well (like Rachel E.), so when I learned about the private high tea experience at Pardee, I knew I had to make it happen. But let's start with the tour first. THE TOUR: Our docent Ron was not the best guide I've ever had (he kept repeating that he'd almost forgotten to show up, something I'm pretty sure no paying customer enjoys hearing over and over again), but his enthusiasm for the Pardee family was clear. All docents are volunteers, so you know that they're genuinely passionate about what they do. Ron really knew his stuff and even though he had a tendency to talk more than was probably necessary (e.g. correcting himself when he got a year wrong when no one else would have cared if he said 1867 instead of 1866), he was really hands-on. He let us go through drawers, music boxes, shelves and closets--the latter of which yielded some absolutely gorgeous early 20th century silk dresses that we actually got to touch! The information was also really interesting, especially for this lifelong East Coaster who knows next to nothing about California history. THE TEA: I'd argue that this is the real reason people come to Pardee. The association that maintains the home offers private group tours (for 4-12 people) PLUS high tea in the formal dining room for just $25 per person. All of the food is made by hand in the Pardee kitchen by volunteers who love to cook, bake and serve. And what food! My friends and I were only a group of 6 (which the volunteers knew beforehand), but we were served enough food to feed a party twice our size! We had at least 6 different kinds of tea sandwiches with fillings such as chicken tarragon, smoked salmon and cucumber mint. Not only were the sandwiches delicious, but they were beautiful to behold. Presentation was clearly of the utmost importance. Our smoked salmon sandwiches, for example, were cut into the shape of hearts. The cucumber slices of the cucumber mint sandwiches were paper-thin and arranged in a lovely, wavy, Art Nouveau-esque design. Though the sandwiches and other little savories were delightful, it was the sweet stuff that left us floored. Platters upon platters of desserts were presented to us containing such magnificent creations as lemon curd tarts, chocolate-covered yellow cake balls, dusted dark chocolate truffles, chocolate cream sandwiched by crisp "waffle" cookie sheets, crystallized grapes, and so much more. We started on the first two trays of desserts already feeling overwhelmed, impressed and pretty full, only to be presented with two more platters of sweets about 15 minutes later! Most of us were left wishing we'd brought tupperware or some other kind of container to take home what we couldn't finish. And as with the sandwiches, the sweets were all delicious and beautifully presented. The volunteers were cheerful, warm and friendly, and made the entire high tea experience wonderful. TIPS: 1) Make reservations at least a month ahead of time as the spots are quickly filled (they only do these twice a month). 2) Make sure you have an exact group number as you will be required to pre-pay for the entire group in order to secure your reservation. The check must be received by the Pardee folks 7-10 days before the day of your event. I found it easiest to just write a personal check for the entire group and then ask my friends to bring $25 on the day of the event. 3) Dress for approx 45-degree weather! I cannot stress this enough. The home is very, very cold no matter what time of year it is (apparently, this was a problem even when the Pardee family lived there) and there is no heating in the house except in the dining room--and even then, it's just a portable heater that definitely doesn't reach everyone around the table.

We just did a Sunday High Tea Garden Party for 30 people to celebrate our anniversary. It was a lovely day in a wonderful setting. Many of our guests complimented both the venue an the tea. The volunteers truly make a wonderful experience for special occasions. I really appreciate their fine efforts in making a special day for us. Several of our guests stayed for the house tour, an historic treat for period buffs. I found it informative and worth my time to take the tour.

Part of me wants to be selfish and not write a review about this jewel of a find in Preservation Park, Oakland, California. I wanted to keep my experience all to myself. You can only read on if you promise to make a donation to keep this incredible historic building and museum open. I was so fortunate to get in, and host a small tea (there's a LONG wait list and seating is very limited). The cooks, lovely service and docents for the after-tea tour of this family home are all run by passionate VOLUNTEERS!!! The food was incredible! The tour was intimate. How will I ever host another tea, if not here again soon? I hope to be lucky enough to find availability in the Spring for a garden party.

Located across the street from historic Preservation Park, the Italianate villa was constructed in 1868-69 by Enoch Pardee, a Gold Rusher who went on to become mayor of Oakland, then a California state assemblyman and senator. His son George followed in his political footsteps, serving as both an Oakland mayor and state governor. Still intact on the estate are an all-redwood carriage house, complete with horse stalls, tack room, bins, and a hayloft, and the water tower housing the well that served the family. Guided tours of the mansion and gardens, at $5 per person, are offered Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday hourly between noon and 3:00pm. The interior of the house is just as the family left it; thankfully, they made the beds and washed the dishes before locking the front door for the last time.

Our group of 6 had reservations for the tour and tea today (Saturday). They offer tours on Wednesdays and Saturdays which are a bargain at $5. You don't have to make reservations, but I would highly recommend it. You DO need a reservation for the tea. We were definitely in it for the tea - the tour was sort of a bonus - but the tour was actually pretty interesting. It could have been about half as long though. There was a lot of information and much of it not relevant to the house itself. Sometimes our docent would correct himself on years a family event occurred (which was adorable) but we don't really care whether it happened in 1901 or 1902... I enjoyed walking around the house and the artwork/antiques/collections were impressive. Unlike most other historical homes I've visited, our docent would open drawers, play music on some of the instruments, and pull out some dresses to show us from the closet. Onto the tea, we were served adorable little sandwiches, scones, and SO many sweets. Several people in our party were vegetarians and while they were able to eat most of the food, this is definitely the kind of place that would have accommodated a special request for only vegetarian items if we had let them know in advance. The women serving us were so unbelievably sweet and refilled our teapot when it got low or cold. And we learned today that the tours and tea are all done by the staff on a volunteer basis. So even without the incentive of a tip, we were still treated like royalty. Just one note: it gets extremely cold in the house. Much colder than outside. Bring a warm jacket.

Had "light tea" at the Pardee House today with all of my co-workers and it was incredible. The house is gorgous and in great condition. We had a delightful tour filled with a wealth of information. The house is filled with so many treasures that one could spend days exploring every nook and cranny. After the tour we had light tea, which is tea and sweets. The spread was amazing and everything was delicious and homemade. I can't wait to bring all my friends and family to this fabulous place!

Highly recommend. It is very well taken care of and the tour guide was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic!

I visited the Pardee Home a couple of Sundays ago as part of the Let's Go To Afternoon Tea Meetup group. We had the full tea and the house tour afterward. This home is such a treasure and the tea was the same caliber of a good tea room. Our docent was knowledgeable and took her time to show us the inside of closets, tell stories about light fixtures, objects and the architecture and provided a lot of information about the Pardee family. I had been wanting to visit for some time and am glad I finally got to go. For the tea, the party needs to be at least four people and reservations must be made. The home tour and tea are provided entirely by volunteers and their love of the home shines through. For tours, you must also reserve but don't need a party of four. I look forward to gathering another group so I can visit again soon. And so should you. If you love Victorian houses or local history or afternoon tea, you can't miss this unique home museum.

Beautiful home with the energy of the original Pardee family still remaining. The docent there is a wonderful lady that lives the home as much as all off the visitors that come there.

This update is on behalf of a friend, who was so intrigued by our recommendation of Pardee, she reserved it for her birthday in Nov 2013 with three of her friends. They had a wonderful time! As she is not a Yelper, she asked me to post her comments. Her review is as follows: "amazed and delighted with our private tea party....being that we were there for a birthday.....they surprised the honoree and added servings of a pumpkin mousse topped with a creative chocolate covered cherry/chocolate chip mouse. They vary the menu a little each time pending the chefs for that day...we look forward to another Tea Party again! (one thought.....I thought we would have a couple of tea selections )"

An awesome nonprofit! I highly suggest booking a private event here. Every volunteer was super friendly and the docent was knowledgeable. Fun local history of eccentric spinsters. This place just screams East Bay. Booked my grandma's 80th birthday party here and was so pleased. Bonus was she felt super special as a result. It's a very inimate setting and the spread me oh my. The high tea exceed my expectations. All the food was delicious, it is made on site by volunteers. I particularly enjoyed the sandwiches (salmon) and the walnut cookies (melt in your mouth creamy). I was also super touched with their care to detail. My Grandma has many food allergies/restrictions and they checked in with me every step of the way to make sure she could eat everything. They certainly went above and beyond, make her substitutions etc.I was also very impressed with the floral arrangements they made from the on site garden.