McCharles House Restaurant & Tea Room

No words could describe my 5* experience here! Vivian is a master chef who is just amazing with her creations and flare for perfection. Her Ambassadors, Cassie & Mary were excellent, just as charming and welcoming as could be. I brought 30 of my friends and some of our Mother’s who left feeling like they had just come out of a fantasy fairyland. Vivian described what she planned on doing for my event, but nothing could have prepared us for this scrumptious meal she served with everything just delicious and such gorgeous presentations. Her specially requested cheese puffs were the best I ever tasted.
I have booked 2 more dates for my group of friends in February and again in April for lunch teas. Next I want to have my birthday dinner with wine pairing there in May. This is a real find, and Vivian a very talented Executive Chef to experience!

Vivian is gracious and welcoming. I freely moved around the house and kitchen enjoying its beauty and decorations. The menu was generous and all of the courses were delicious. The garden and every nook was a feast to the eye. I came away pampered, pleased and relaxed.

I cannot rave enough about The McCharles House, Vivian, and her amazing ambassadors! My mom hosted my baby shower here back in October and it was everything I could dream of and more. Not only was Vivian extremely generous is allowing and encouraging my guests to bring their kids (we had several kids all under the age of 6), her ambassadors and her provided incredible service to my mom and I, as well as my guests. The house and garden is absolutely gorgeous, the food was beyond delicious (all homemade by Vivian herself, including Sherbet Punch and the best Mac and Cheese you’ll ever devour), and everyone, even my mom the host, was able to relax and enjoy themselves. I am so grateful to the McCharles House for helping make this celebration an experience I’ll never forget!

I had my daughter Tessa’s baby shower at The McCharles House. From our first planning meeting to shower day, Vivian was a dream to work with. Her attention to detail is exceptional and she delivered even more than we expected! Her ambassadors were attentive and extremely helpful to our guests.
The food was incredible. Every item served was delicious. And there was plenty of it too!
The McCharles House itself is beautiful as are the grounds, including the gardens, gazebo (originally from the Disneyland Hotel) and the beautiful Lodge! We were extremely pleased with everything! Our guests are still raving about «the best baby shower ever!»
Thank you Vivian! We’ll be back in December to enjoy Christmas tea service!

My mom held my Bridal Shower here and it was amazing! Vivan did an outstanding job on not only the food but all of the little details to make our event go off without a hitch! Her staff was helpful and friendly. All of our guests left with a smile on their face! Overall, wonderful experience and would recommend this location to anyone looking for something unique and different.

Thank you Vivian for making my daughter’s Bridal Shower so special.
These folks are great! They really adjusted to our budget to make this event very special. If you are looking for a special place to hold an event I highly recommend them. :)

Most tea rooms cannot compete with the truly elegant environment of The Mc Charles House. I have been a client from 20+ years past and the new fixed menu provide just as much quality and uniqueness as it had before. I read other reviews and if you are looking for a money-​value for a meal, you’ve come in with the disposition of a frustrated coupon-​clipper. While saving one’s money is a savvy practice, the Mc Charles is really about giving yourself a treat as much for the stomach as for the eyes.
This gem of a tea-​room is about relaxing, sipping freshly brewed tea, gazing at the flowers, sharing thoughts with friends AND enjoying a classic and elegant meal. After enjoying tea with my lovely mother and little girls amid the cabbage roses and ginger punch, I would have been happy with a simple scone and a little savory delight. Gorging was for my eyes, not my stomach. Yet, I was delighted when I was offered plenty of wine-​doused chicken, wild rice with bits of dried fruits and fresh heirloom tomatoes in a fabulous vinaigrette. To finish, I indulged in toffee laced scones, bread pudding and all of the chocolate trifle that my heart desired.
I have always found the McCharles as one of the most delightful tea rooms that share a special place equal or greater to many I have enjoyed in England. To be sure, my experience is that Vivian has always been the kindest, gentlest and most patient of hostesses. She holds the heart of a champion and I wish her all of the best and warmest for herself and for the loveliest and most charming of tea-​rooms I have had the pleasure to experience.

Street parking is available, when you walk towards the entrance they have a little rose garden full of butterflies and such. They have a room with a table in the middle and they have tea set up along with milk and sugar. The workers were helpful and refilled our drinks and then served us food. They had chicken Marsala with olives and wile rice and tomato salad which was the best thing. For dessert they had chocolate scones and apple walnut cake which was good. The tea was a thanksgiving blend and was very flavorful… It was a baby shower so once we were done eating we went to the backyard and took some pictures by the gazebo. We were seated in the lodge they have in the back which is a high ceiling room with a fire place was very cozy and felt like you were in a cabin. Smelled amazing as well.
The only think I didn’t like was 20 min before out end time they started to rush us to pick up and leave.
All in all it was nice, I really enjoyed it and I thought the tea was really good!

I had a small intimate wedding here back in November 2011. The owner (Vivian) was a lovely sweet lady. She was very nice, calm and so pleasant to deal with.
My wedding was beautiful like I had planned. Vivian was also catered to my wedding as well. On the day of, Vivian and her staffs were so professional yet friendly to everyone. Our families and all my guests were so pleased with Vivian’s specialty chocolate tea and other several menus that she prepared for us. Her special wedding cakes (chocolate cake and coconut cake) were a hit.
My husband and I were so happy as well as our families and guests had such a wonderful time.

Mc Charles House is waaaay overpriced for food you get. There is no cream and sugar and you have to get out of your seat for that. We felt rushed by staff plus they don’t take credit cards. Overall unpleasant experience and we will NOT return !!!

We were invited here for a late Christmas Company party. Lights on real live trees, and a beautiful Christmas tree in the Sequoia Lodge, as late as end of January, it was wonderful! I did not attend a tea party, but rather a night-​time soirée with Hors d’œuvre. It was so romantic, well, yes, Victorian.

Mc Charles house is the place memories are made!
I love the cozy Victorian home and the yummy scones and taste delights they make.
keep up the good work.
Karen in Irvine

Good food but way too pricey for what you get. For 2 people the price is $ 110 flat rate. You can’t pick your tea, there is only ONE tea, like it or not. The only thing we got for the June menu is a punchy drink as you enter, cucumber sandwiches, curry artichoke rice salad, spicy tomato corn salad, scone that is less than 2 ½ inches in diameter, small slice of coconut cake with some some fruit. Everything was frugally served and exactly enough for the amount of people they anticipate… no extras. Now when you get your servings it was not a generous serving either so for the $ 50+ price I expect a whole lot more than this. Another annoying thing is that you have to get up and get your own food — BUFFET style, the rooms are pretty tiny and full of tables so it is kind of uncomfortable waiting in line for your turn to get food. This is not fun and way too stressful of a tea atmosphere for the amount of money we paid. Also, a HUGE let down for me is that the scone was not warm and delicious, it is semi hard probably because they massed baked it several hours earlier in the morning. Disappointing.
So the only pros about this place are the decent food and the garden. The food is not the best but alright.

First of all, I can’t help but notice several posts spanning the past year or so that gave scathing reviews about the McCharles House’s lack of availability… The reason the tea house was «never open» was because Vivian, the person who runs the business, fell terribly ill and had to temporarily close up shop due to medical leave. I do recall that she did make a notice on her website announcing as such, but I cannot comment on the «lack of communication» others experienced.
Now, onto better news. The McCharles House has opened up after about a two or so year hiatus in their tea service — a fact that I am, personally, very delighted to hear about.
Please note that their availability is not always constant, but they have all their functioning dates listed upon their website. Reservations are a must, especially around holidays or special events.
Though I will say, during Vivian’s downtime, the McCharles House has become more beautiful than ever. The garden grounds are even more lovely, they have a little private «lodge» area in the back, and even a retired gazebo from Disneyland. The amount of love and pride in this lovely bit of history is evident in every nook and cranny.
Though all-​in-​all, I’ll ease off the praise (a bit), and explain some things that may or may not be harrowing for a newcomer:
1) Limited Operating Times: The McCharles House is open on select Saturdays and Sundays at a select window of time. This is not a place you can visit at the drop of a hat and expect to be seated. If you have a special event, you must plan ahead and not magically expect the house to accommodate your party of 20 at the drop of a hat. Vivian is a lovely and gracious host, but even she can’t make miracles happen. Consult their website!
2) Price: General seating and tea service is about $ 60 a person, not including gratuity if it is your wish. Compared to most tea house this is a rather tremendous price. Once you see the place and experience it, you will see why, but to a newcomer? Yeah… It is a little daunting at first. Though, in all sincerity, most other tea houses can run a similar price — it is just busted up between your tea and food selection.
3) Set Menu: There is always a theme and, if there are choices, it is limited. While Vivian and Audrey do this to make certain that everything compliments each other, while working within their own means, this may be a turn-​off for those who are accustomed to choosing from a wide variety of teas and/​or food. While I personally view having a theme as a plus, as it makes certain that all of the food and tea compliments one another beautifully, I do understand that not everyone sees this as such.
In closing… Why do I love the McCharles House? Because, as I have touched on before, this is a place that is a little piece of history. When I sit in a plush wingback chair, my cup of tea in hand, everything feels cozy and lived in. It looks old, it smells old, and it FEELS old in all the right ways. This place is a wonderful piece of a bygone era that we can only read in stories now and I have yet to attend any other Southern Californian tea house that evoked such comfort and delight. How many local tea joints can say that they are actually serve you in a 100+ year old Victorian-​style home? Not many! Most tea houses I have seen here are chintzy, bedecked with too much frippery, and the food is typically sub par.
I can safely say that in all my trips to the McCharles House, I have never had any of those issues whatsoever. So I say give the place a try, pick a lazy weekend where you have nothing to do, bring a friend, and just enjoy the atmosphere. You won’t be disappointed.

McCharles House is not a restaurant, so many questions related to restaurants are not relevant. It IS a lovely old house and garden designed to accommodate guests for specific occasions such as weddings or parties, or on specific days each month according to the calendar on their website.
Note: I am just a woman who lives in a nearby town, and my guests have mostly been other Orange County residents — but we are not personal friends of the owners, nor have we been asked to provide a review (as one other recent reviewer seems to believe.)
For ‘tea” McCharles House serves a lovely luncheon with selected teas, arranged for small groups along with other guests in their own small groups. I have been there many times with just a few friends each time. My guests have all loved going there, both at holidays and just for a relaxing lunch of a few hours. The food has always been tasty and very nicely served — set up on the sideboards and a tea table, where each can select his/​her own china including teacups & saucers. That makes for an informal pleasant atmosphere that my friends and I have always enjoyed.
Don’t expect the typical tea house — this is not like a typical place that serves tea, where you get a single table and a fixed menu — here you get to choose the things you prefer from a tasty and rather informal buffet.
This is like going to someone’s personal home for a party — you get what is offered and don’t order from a menu. For us, that has always been fun and interesting.
I’ve enjoyed their holiday luncheons and my visits at other times of the year. Sometimes Vivian chooses a theme for decorating and defining the menu: we LOVED the Little Women theme at one recent Christmas, and we watched the new release of Little Women at home to get in the spirit. We decided to dress in outfits reminiscent of the period of Louisa May Alcott, but of course other groups didn’t do that — still, we had fun!
We like the varied food menus. We enjoy the tea, although we do prefer to select the tea we like best, not necessarily the two selections that are offered at each visit. (The owners have been accommodating when we ask to bring our own tea or choose some other kind.) Most of the menu has been delightful, and we enjoy the changes that come with each season. Since there is a wide selection offered, we always find foods to eat and enjoy, even if we don’t like every single choice.
Our favorites are the antique furniture, the ambiance and charm, and the eclectic use of chinaware — all just fine for those of us who are antiques lovers — the crystal and brass, the old fireplace, the delightful original kitchen left with its lovely old glazed tiles, as though it all passed down from great-​grandmother through the generations until today. What a setting!
Best of all, my friends and I just LOVE the atmosphere and enjoy the experience of dining at McCharles House, strolling in the garden, choosing our favorite place to be seated, and just sit back and relax in a delightful atmosphere. It’s fun to be surprised, to go up to choose our own food selection, and be waited on with gentle consideration.
This is a delightful small historic house that we truly enjoy.

Still can’t figure out their hours… it’s only open on certain days of the month, and it’s really their schedule. Sometimes they are only open on 1 Saturday of the month, and other times they might be open on a Monday! Really weird hours … difficult to fit into my schedule and our friends’ schedules.

I went to the McCharles House to look at it as a wedding location. I don’t think I have ever met anyone as friendly or helpful as Vivian! She was so wonderful, she gave me so many suggestions and just treated us like gold. I don’t think customer service can get any better. We ultimately went with another location, only because of size because we decided to increase our wedding invitees. However, I highly recommend this place. Super cute, perfect for a vintage wedding. Nothing about it I didn’t like!

I used to frequent this place ten years ago when the service was excellent, the food tasty and generous, and the tea exquisite.
For the past three years, I have tried desperately to return… I’ve called for reservations, hours, etc., and I am so disappointed that they are NEVER OPEN. They take forever to return my calls (they always screen)… once I didn’t hear back from them for WEEKS.
I’ve read the other reviews of recent visitors and I am so shocked to read that McCharles doesn’t permit customers to choose their own tea. That’s terrible!
If service and quality of food have declined (as other reviewers have commented), but prices have not, then I strongly discourage Unilocal readers from visiting.

I wish this was the place it used to be. Vivian and Audrey are very full of themselves, but the truth is that McCharles House lost its luster when they lost their chef of years ago. The chef made the place, and the food was always awesome. Then she retired, and Vivian and Audrey have been trying to create the illusion of grandeur that no longer exists.
The McCharles House is way over priced now. The memories of what used to be linger on.

Every year, since 1990, I’ve been going McCharles House for tea. It is the best Tea House in Southern California, hands-​down. Back then, the parking used to be where the gazebo and conference center now resides. I’ve attended to several birthday parties as well as baby/​wedding showers here and have tons of fond, fond memories.
This house, built in 1885, was at this place that I had my first, real victorian tea ceremony. It was wonderful, magical and heart-​warming and I owe that to so many things: the victorian décor, the beautiful flower and herb gardens in the back, the great chef/​owners, Vivaian and Audrey who served me my first tea, their friendly and attentive staff, the wonderful sandwiches, desserts and the tea!
The teas are seasonal and vary monthly. Reservations are a MUST! In general, tea sandwiches and salads are sublime! My favoirtes, when in season, is the cocunut cake, Just Peachy ice tea and the Chocolate tea.
The Christmas and Mother’s Day Teas are fabulous and are a sure-​fire hit with the family. It’s a great girly-​girl place for your girlfriends, sister and mothers. (Leave the kids and spouses at home — they’ll thank you for it later.)