Going down to the basement you feel like you're entering some kind of secret place. It's like being transported somewhere in Asia, surrounded with bamboo decor and oriental music.
There is a huge range of tea from around the world and small snacks (muffins, nuts...) are available for purchase. Staff will give you some helpful advice if you need it, since the tea menu can be a bit intimidating at first. They're not always the quickest but you easily forgive them, it must be the zen vibes of the place: they even whisper when they talk to you!
There are lots of different rooms and the one I love the most is on the upper floor, where you sit on the ground on some cushions in small, private partitions (minimum charge €10 for this area).
Beside being popular for being a tea place, they're known for their sheeshas (shishas), an oriental pipe originally used for smoking flavoured tobacco. Groups of people sometimes gather and smoke it there, the smell is lovely.
Prices aren't cheap in the Tea Garden but you feel as if you are in an oasis away from the crowds and that's worth spending a couple of euros more!
Tea Garden
7 Ormond Quay Lower
Dublin 1
Tea Garden's website here