Santé

I attended the Cherry Blossom Tea this weekend with five friends, and it was pretty nice! Two people in our party had strict dietary restrictions (gluten free and dairy free), and they were perfectly accommodated. I do agree with what a few others have said about the service taking a while (our seating was at 2:30 and we didn’t finish until 4:30, making us a little late for a 4:45 event we were all going to). The tea was lovely though and the desserts + tea sandwiches were surprisingly filling! Not to mention the complementary mimosas were an added bonus. The price was a little high at $110 per person, but I guess it is the Ritz. We had purposefully picked this tea experience because it was supposed to be a little bit less compared to some other cherry blossom teas in the DMV, but it ended up being about the same. The restaurant was also a little bit loud, but overall it was a pretty good experience I’d recommend, especially if you have friends with dietary restrictions.

Eleven of us went to Santé today for afternoon tea, and we were pretty disappointed. For a 12:30 reservation, 10 of us arrived before 12:35pm. Our champagne glasses were poured immediately, but everything else was chronically late. Our food was served approximately one hour in, even though it’s a set menu (unless with allergies/modifications). Our tea took 1 hour and 18 minutes to arrive — that’s when the FIRST cup was poured. Most of the food was already gone. It’s not really “tea service” if tea is the dessert. The manager apologized and tried to make it right with extra champagne, but I still don’t understand the delays when we were one of only 3 active tables in our section. The savouries are tasty, but the desserts were just weird. Personally I wouldn’t pay the $110 per person (inclusive of tax and service) again. I have been to hundreds of afternoon teas around the world. If anyone reading this wants a great experience, I recommend the St Regis in DC, the Waldorf Astoria in DC, or Lady Camellia in Virginia.

I took my mom and my sister for an afternoon tea. The food - both the savory and sweets - were impressive! The champagne was great. The tea was average. We finished every single piece. As for the ambiance, it is not picturesque. It’s basically a dingy dark lobby. What was the lackluster was the service. It took about 15 minutes to flag down anyone. When we finally got the check, I tried to use a gift card and one of the managers, Korynne, made it so difficult and awkward. She grabbed my phone and emailed things to herself without my consent and it was very rude to say the least. The type of service was not what I expected at the Ritz.

I just love this place. It never disappoints.

Stopped for a quick bite at noon. The salad was terrible; drowned in balsamic. The lentil soup not very good texture or flavor. I make better lentil soup. The Parmesan fries were the best item. The best thing about the restaurant was the lovely hostess and server. A luxury hotel with bland food is surprising. Who is the chef?

My husband and I had date night here and it was FANTASTIC! The hostess was so welcoming and the inside was beautifully decorated. The ribeye steak cuts like butter, so juicy and delicious. The branzino was fresh and super tasty. Thank you to the staff Sante for an amazing night.

It’s the great people who work in Sante who provide for the best experience possible. They’re so attentive and genuinely want you to have a pleasant time. Just the right balance of being attentive and not intrusive! And it’s not a one-off, we’ve stayed at the Ritz Carlton in Pentagon City multiple times and the excellent service is always wonderful and consistent. The bartenders and the wait staff are to be commended. You won’t regret the excellent service they provide.

Great celebration with family and friends. Kym and his crew were on point and made the experience a holiday memory. Thank you all to the staff at Sante!!! Bravo!!!