We had breakfast for the first time here on May 30, 2023. Tiffany was our waitress. She was excellent and served us outside even though she was taking care of 4 tables inside. That’s why we went back the next day. THAT’S WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. There was a different waitress (don’t know her name). She only had one table with customers inside, yet she refused to serve us outside. She said we can take the food TO GO and sit outside. We told her we don’t want the food wrapped, and that we’re willing to bring it out ourselves when it’s ready. She was very reluctant but finally agreed. Then we ordered coffee. She wanted us to order 2 coffees, even though the day before we were given a pot which was perfect for both of us. Then she demanded we pay upfront, even though we did not have to do that the day before. SHE WAS NASTY AND MILITANT! We told her we most likely will not come back. That’s when she told us to go eat someplace else, that there are plenty of other places around. The owner should know that nit only is she treating customers in a disgusting way, but she is actually driving them away from his restaurant. HER OBNOXIOUSNESS WAS ENDLESS!! So we drove another mile and had a wonderful breakfast with great service at the PAPERBACK CAFE in Old Saybrook. GO EAT THERE! They know how to treat customers, the food is great and they appreciate your patronage. We will be going there again for sure.
Debra H
Nice staff, great food choices (gluten free and paleo) but super slow to get our food. The waitress was nice and apologetic repeatedly circling back and explaining there was a “big party” which lead to the poor food delivery. Not my problem. Several take-out orders got priority over seated patrons. Won’t be back.
VinMar_10
Had breakfast here on Sunday morning after church. My wife had the cinnamon swirl French toast and she loved it. I had the Apple/Granola/Cinnamon pancake and it was huge and delicious. Both are excellent choices. They have a nice selection of teas and coffees. Prices are reasonable and service was very good. The only complaint I have is--They keep the place nice and clean, however, while cleaning off the tables around us, they were spraying some kind of soapy cleaner on the tables. So while eating we were inhaling these fume and at times the food tasted like soap. Please, spray the rag and wipe the table down. The soapy smell while eating food is terrible.
Captain Ed O'Connor
The food was good, however the hidden charges of a 10% market food price charge on a already pricey menu was totally unexpected when we were ordering for several people. They also added the 10% charge to the whole order including the state sales tax which I'm sure the State of CT might take exception.
Shepherd2
The place is homey and servers are very friendly. Prices are on the high side and food is decent but not exceptional. Helpings are minimal. On top of everything they add a 10% fee for food cost.. which includes drinks. Then Ct tax of course. When breakfast for two is over $50 ( no house specials but one extra egg. ) … …. Hard to justify or consider returning.
TomDonna_11
We were doing some errands and stopped for breakfast late Sunday morning. I ordered Eggs Benny and my husband ordered Chicken Fried steak and Eggs. While the restaurant was busy, most people had their meals. It took more than 20 min to just order and another 25 minutes to get our meal. I never thought that anyone would be able to mess up either of these meals, but they did. My poached eggs were well done (hard boiled) and the Hollandaise sauce was bland (no lemon flavor). My husband's chicken fried steak was tough and stringy. He ordered his eggs over easy, but they came almost well done. His sausage gravy was bland. We complained and Cara(?) gave us 10% off the bill and said they could have replaced the meals with fresh recooked ones, but we had already waited more than 45 minutes after walking in so didn't want to wait any longer. Plus, though there were lots of servers walking around, our server was not to be found. Sometimes one just has to continue with the meal and leave as quickly as possible. Needless to say, we will never eat there again. We are local residents, so this does not bode well for this restaurant.
P5488YBjank
Average breakfast I ordered the nacho Benedict. The eggs were very runny and Hollandaise sauce cold. Too much sour cream on the mixed greens. I’m a black tea drinker and wish I had seen the review that recommended asking for two tea bags. Service was excellent! We were seated immediately. This was on the cook.
Leona Kilpatrick
Tasty, chickens, not greasy
mrdmcd
We had 2 excellent breakfasts at this friendly, clean place with good service and a nice atmosphere. The food is good, generous, well prepared, good coffee and juice. Not cheaply priced but fair for the area. Lots of choice on the menu. We had a good experience here.
Karen E
While there is a broad menu, our food did not live up to the descriptions, particularly the French toast. It was very dry (even with the syrup) and more cake like than bread like. I was very glad that I got a bowl of berries to accompany it. Unfortunately, I left most of the French toast uneaten. The breakfast burrito was average. And, if you are a tea drinker, you will be disappointed with the English breakfast. Be sure to ask for two teabags. Wish we had a better dining experience.
We ordered Southern Fried Chicken sandwiches from Fenwick a month or so ago and they were so delicious. We were excited to go back today but our order was inedible. The chicken was so grizzly that we gave up after two bites and tossed them. Such a disappointment....
Karen L
This restaurant is a gem on the shoreline, where there are a number of casual breakfast & lunch options. What stood out at the Tea Kettle: the very robust and diverse menu with items to meet a variety of dietary preferences; the food was tasty and well-prepared spacious; the space was clean, bright, and cheery; the staff was attentive, conscientious, and friendly; and there is plenty of parking. Thumbs up, Lee!
Jack L
Was promptly seated with my server being Deanna. From the three menus to chose from, I choose the Southern Shrimp & Grits, mostly I had never this breakfast. This selection consisted is chopped uncured apple wood bacon, green pepper onions, in a cajun cream sauce on top of creamy grits. From ordering to being served was about eight minutes. The order was not to my liking. I think if the shrimp was prepared differently, that is being fried and not broiled the taste would have more to my liking, yet I still recommend he selection, only fried shrimp instead. Hours start 8:00 AM thru lunch. Seating is at the bar with the rest being tables. Tea Kittle is located across from the Pier Blue Inn. Parking is in front & to the side of the facility.
Eric Stalsburg
First time ordering from this establishment. Unfortunately not the experience I hoped for. Ordered just a chicken sandwich for takeout. The chicken was severely overcooked. So dry I only ate half and threw the rest out. The breading crunch was hardened, flaky, and barely chewable.I will give this place another shot as mistakes happen, but definitely not the first impression I was hoping for!UPDATE: Owner reached out immediately and I believe will actually look into this issue and discuss with the kitchen. This restaurant has an attentive, caring owner and deserves our business in the community. I will absolutely be returning for another visit because of the customer service.
osamanda85
We arrived and were seated very quickly and someone took our order. After that interaction, we were completely ignored. There were a few customers there, but nothing major, no major crowd. One waitress was standing a few feet away at the register. She avoided eye contact. We noticed the food was made and ready to be served. They still ignored us! We didn't even get coffee. Twenty minutes after ordering, we left, knowing our food would be cold if it was ever served. We said goodbye to the waitress and she said "Thanks for coming". Oh, the 2 egg breakfast costs twice as much as it does at other breakfast places in OS>
We had breakfast for the first time here on May 30, 2023. Tiffany was our waitress. She was excellent and served us outside even though she was taking care of 4 tables inside. That’s why we went back the next day. THAT’S WHEN ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE. There was a different waitress (don’t know her name). She only had one table with customers inside, yet she refused to serve us outside. She said we can take the food TO GO and sit outside. We told her we don’t want the food wrapped, and that we’re willing to bring it out ourselves when it’s ready. She was very reluctant but finally agreed. Then we ordered coffee. She wanted us to order 2 coffees, even though the day before we were given a pot which was perfect for both of us. Then she demanded we pay upfront, even though we did not have to do that the day before. SHE WAS NASTY AND MILITANT! We told her we most likely will not come back. That’s when she told us to go eat someplace else, that there are plenty of other places around. The owner should know that nit only is she treating customers in a disgusting way, but she is actually driving them away from his restaurant. HER OBNOXIOUSNESS WAS ENDLESS!! So we drove another mile and had a wonderful breakfast with great service at the PAPERBACK CAFE in Old Saybrook. GO EAT THERE! They know how to treat customers, the food is great and they appreciate your patronage. We will be going there again for sure.
Nice staff, great food choices (gluten free and paleo) but super slow to get our food. The waitress was nice and apologetic repeatedly circling back and explaining there was a “big party” which lead to the poor food delivery. Not my problem. Several take-out orders got priority over seated patrons. Won’t be back.
Had breakfast here on Sunday morning after church. My wife had the cinnamon swirl French toast and she loved it. I had the Apple/Granola/Cinnamon pancake and it was huge and delicious. Both are excellent choices. They have a nice selection of teas and coffees. Prices are reasonable and service was very good. The only complaint I have is--They keep the place nice and clean, however, while cleaning off the tables around us, they were spraying some kind of soapy cleaner on the tables. So while eating we were inhaling these fume and at times the food tasted like soap. Please, spray the rag and wipe the table down. The soapy smell while eating food is terrible.
The food was good, however the hidden charges of a 10% market food price charge on a already pricey menu was totally unexpected when we were ordering for several people. They also added the 10% charge to the whole order including the state sales tax which I'm sure the State of CT might take exception.
The place is homey and servers are very friendly. Prices are on the high side and food is decent but not exceptional. Helpings are minimal. On top of everything they add a 10% fee for food cost.. which includes drinks. Then Ct tax of course. When breakfast for two is over $50 ( no house specials but one extra egg. ) … …. Hard to justify or consider returning.
We were doing some errands and stopped for breakfast late Sunday morning. I ordered Eggs Benny and my husband ordered Chicken Fried steak and Eggs. While the restaurant was busy, most people had their meals. It took more than 20 min to just order and another 25 minutes to get our meal. I never thought that anyone would be able to mess up either of these meals, but they did. My poached eggs were well done (hard boiled) and the Hollandaise sauce was bland (no lemon flavor). My husband's chicken fried steak was tough and stringy. He ordered his eggs over easy, but they came almost well done. His sausage gravy was bland. We complained and Cara(?) gave us 10% off the bill and said they could have replaced the meals with fresh recooked ones, but we had already waited more than 45 minutes after walking in so didn't want to wait any longer. Plus, though there were lots of servers walking around, our server was not to be found. Sometimes one just has to continue with the meal and leave as quickly as possible. Needless to say, we will never eat there again. We are local residents, so this does not bode well for this restaurant.
Average breakfast I ordered the nacho Benedict. The eggs were very runny and Hollandaise sauce cold. Too much sour cream on the mixed greens. I’m a black tea drinker and wish I had seen the review that recommended asking for two tea bags. Service was excellent! We were seated immediately. This was on the cook.
Tasty, chickens, not greasy
We had 2 excellent breakfasts at this friendly, clean place with good service and a nice atmosphere. The food is good, generous, well prepared, good coffee and juice. Not cheaply priced but fair for the area. Lots of choice on the menu. We had a good experience here.
While there is a broad menu, our food did not live up to the descriptions, particularly the French toast. It was very dry (even with the syrup) and more cake like than bread like. I was very glad that I got a bowl of berries to accompany it. Unfortunately, I left most of the French toast uneaten. The breakfast burrito was average. And, if you are a tea drinker, you will be disappointed with the English breakfast. Be sure to ask for two teabags. Wish we had a better dining experience.
Restaurantji Recommends
We ordered Southern Fried Chicken sandwiches from Fenwick a month or so ago and they were so delicious. We were excited to go back today but our order was inedible. The chicken was so grizzly that we gave up after two bites and tossed them. Such a disappointment....
This restaurant is a gem on the shoreline, where there are a number of casual breakfast & lunch options. What stood out at the Tea Kettle: the very robust and diverse menu with items to meet a variety of dietary preferences; the food was tasty and well-prepared spacious; the space was clean, bright, and cheery; the staff was attentive, conscientious, and friendly; and there is plenty of parking. Thumbs up, Lee!
Was promptly seated with my server being Deanna. From the three menus to chose from, I choose the Southern Shrimp & Grits, mostly I had never this breakfast. This selection consisted is chopped uncured apple wood bacon, green pepper onions, in a cajun cream sauce on top of creamy grits. From ordering to being served was about eight minutes. The order was not to my liking. I think if the shrimp was prepared differently, that is being fried and not broiled the taste would have more to my liking, yet I still recommend he selection, only fried shrimp instead. Hours start 8:00 AM thru lunch. Seating is at the bar with the rest being tables. Tea Kittle is located across from the Pier Blue Inn. Parking is in front & to the side of the facility.
First time ordering from this establishment. Unfortunately not the experience I hoped for. Ordered just a chicken sandwich for takeout. The chicken was severely overcooked. So dry I only ate half and threw the rest out. The breading crunch was hardened, flaky, and barely chewable.I will give this place another shot as mistakes happen, but definitely not the first impression I was hoping for!UPDATE: Owner reached out immediately and I believe will actually look into this issue and discuss with the kitchen. This restaurant has an attentive, caring owner and deserves our business in the community. I will absolutely be returning for another visit because of the customer service.
We arrived and were seated very quickly and someone took our order. After that interaction, we were completely ignored. There were a few customers there, but nothing major, no major crowd. One waitress was standing a few feet away at the register. She avoided eye contact. We noticed the food was made and ready to be served. They still ignored us! We didn't even get coffee. Twenty minutes after ordering, we left, knowing our food would be cold if it was ever served. We said goodbye to the waitress and she said "Thanks for coming". Oh, the 2 egg breakfast costs twice as much as it does at other breakfast places in OS>