I would give Tempo four stars alone for my fish, macadamia-crusted mahi. It was delicious. But the rest of the meal was just OK. The green beans were way undercooked (and I like my vegetables with a little crispness). The mashed sweet potatoes were good. My boyfriend's fries were excellent, and he loved his BBQ ribs. The bread basket was unimpressive. The strawberry martini lacked flavor. The cupcake of the day, double chocolate, had good frosting, but the cake part was lacking. Restaurant was roomy and clean. Service was pleasant and enthusiastic. There were also children there (8pm on Friday), and it's really not a family place. It's an upscale, hip restaurant. I liked the ambience. I just think for the price and the quality, you could go somewhere else. read more

A good spot if you have a group that has different tastes - there's something for everyone on the menu. Great appetizers, the salads were decent (but nothing to write home about), my duck entree was perfectly prepared. We all had a good time - a bit noisy with all the TVs, but that is to be expected when you're eating at a bar/restaurant. Nice booths, I'll come back for sure. read more

Eating at the bar is highly recommended as long as you aren't at the odd round bit in the corner. You will not get great service here. The farmers salad and Brussel sprouts are really good. The appetizer flatbread pizza is ok, I would only order for $7 before 7 after that it seems overpriced. read more

Food excellent. Had the scallops. They were cooked perfectly. Would order them again. We were a party of 8 and all our dinners came out together. The pork chop was the popular choice. All cooked just like requested. Service was good. Restaurant atmosphere was nice. They dimmed the lights as the night when on. Large TVs at the bar. read more

The food was good. The owner was not. After dining there for about 1/2 hour, hubby ordered another Heineken got a Heineken Light. When we noticed, we let the waitress know that 1. take this off the bill for being the wrong one and 2. To compensate him, since he was not able to drink the beer he should have had there in front of him for the past 10 minutes, to take one Heineken off the bill as well. This is exactly what I told our waitress to do or to also get the manager and I would explain to him/her. Well, she comes back like 5 minutes later and gives my hubby another Heineken!! I said wait a minute, we are all done eating here and are not going to just sit here to have the beer. So, the waitress takes the beer, and disappears for what seemed to be eternity. Some short female with a handkerchief on her head comes flying over to our table and says this, " Do you ever make mistakes?" Very wrong approach! She had an accusatory attitude and was obviously upset. She then told me the waitress told her I said to take ALL the drinks off the bill. We go back and forth. I never said that! Then I said are you the manager? What the hell kind of question is that! And then I told her what I did say which was take off the light beer the wrong one given, and one beer for our compensation/troubles. She then extends her hand out for a hand shake and says, " Hi, I am the owner, its a pleasure to meet you." I suddenly almost shake her hand because of habit , but say no, it is not a pleasure to meet you ! She then plunks the bill down at our table and leaves! I eat at restaurants all around the USA. I am also in the customer service business and have been for over 2 decades. The number one thing this female restaurant owner failed to do was when she approached us at our table she should have introduced herself and then say something to the effect, I heard there was a problem here how can I help? Unfortunately we will not be going back due to her complete RUDENESS! If there are other owners along with this young lady, I hope they teach her table manners! You own this place, you need to be much more mature and remember there are two sides to this story, not one. Always ask what the problem is first! Do not always rely on staff. And in the end she had actually did what I had asked in the beginning, which our confrontational conversation would never had happened if she was courteous and had good table-side manners. Good bye Tempo, it was nice knowing you, we have been going there since you opened and now this happened. Too bad. Thank you Erin for responding! I'm not sure what you are getting at with "other tables were nearby to hear the encounter"? We are in a dinning room setting so, yes there are other people around. I said how dare you accuse me, simply because I am not here to be accused of anything, I am here to have dinner out and a relaxing night! I had no intentions of getting things for free there either, very accusatory again. Your very first words that came out of your mouth were and I quote " Do You Ever Make Mistakes?" Not " Hi, I am the owner Erin, I heard there was a problem here, how can I help you?" Big difference huh? We all make mistakes because we are human. It just should have been handled differently then what happened. And Thanks again for wishing me well and enjoying my restaurant experiences around the great USA! I will! PS. Sorry if I offended you with your attire that evening. Good Luck on your restaurant. I'm sure this will be another learning experience to remember how to handle a situation like this in the future. read more

Maybe we ordered the wrong items, but for the one time I was there, the food was terrible and very overpriced! I got the lobster pot pie, which the waitress recommended. I'm partial to savory pies, so I was excited. But it was insipid, oddly sour, had more than the usual amount of shell fragments, had less lobster then I thought, and was still $29! My partner had the squash scampi, which was also oddly sour and really was a slightly dressed up squash salad. Definitely not going back! read more

First time going tonight. Outstanding vibe inside and out. Fun with cotton candy and kettle corn to start. Great menu and cocktails and just about the entire menu is gluten free. Food was delicious! We will go back. read more

Tempo is a pretty decent little restaurant if you're into American Food. I got the Ribeye the other night which was a fantastic cut of meat and was cooked absolutely perfectly. I couldn't have asked for a better ribeye. My Wildberry Caipirinha was mixed perfectly and they do a fine job of selecting their wines because they had one of my favorite Syrahs on the menu - Spellbound. We got a bottle. The calamari was nothing to write home about, and the fig pizza was a little awkward as it was loaded with giant, flavorless figs. My dining counterparts ordered several rounds of the oysters which they liked a whole lot, minus the green sorbet-esque dashes on half the oysters. Overall, it was a decent dinner. There was nothing too unique on the menu, but I can't complain about my entree because the steak was freaking delicious. read more

A real favorite for us! The food is exceptional and the staff couldn't be nicer. Coleen, who frequently waits on us, is a great example. We eat here often and have never been disappointed. I have to mention the warm apple cake that I had just a few days ago for dessert. Soooo awesome !!! Please never take it off the menu !!!!! read more

Upscale bar and eatery on Moody that is fairly new. Went their for dinner and was impressed with their appetizers and wine list but the entrees are way over priced for the poor quality you receive. The entress jsut were very bland and almost dried out. Great scene if you a looking for a late 20's-early 30's crowd but with a band playing really loud at dinner I was not so enthralled. I would go back for only drinks. read more

Tempo - Tempo - Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

This place is awesome! Went here tonight for my sister's 28h birthday and it was really good! We were seated RIGHT AWAY after having a reservation made from a week ago. The waiter was nice--attentive but not overly attentive and got all our orders right. He was no stellar at clearing plates right away but he was busy. My parents are older--in their 60s--so the noise level is really why I won't give this place 5 stars. It is REALLY LOUD around prime dinner time especially with a lot of young professionals, holiday parties, and Bentley kids around I guess. There is no music which is helpful but if you want an intimate dinner this is not the place to go. The greatest thing was that the food was GREAT. We go the beet salad, oysters, and sangrias to start. We got fish for dinner and it was awesome. The "signature dishes" are great! No wonder they are a go-to on the menu. The staff remembered that when I made the reservation I said it was for a birthday so they gave us not only a great booth but they also BROUGHT A CAKE without me even having to ask. That was really thoughtful and great of them to do -- excellent attention! So reasons why this place gets not five stars: -BATHROOMS ARE DISGUSTING (like toilet paper everywhere not clean at all) -the portions are WAY WAY WAY too big. If they just made them smaller than we actually could not feel like bursting after :-) read more

Good service, average food for the price, very loud. We went on a Friday night with 4 people. My steak was a bit tough... I've had better for the money. I will probably go back and try something different, or go in for drinks later in the night next time. Bar has a cool atmosphere if you are looking to get drinks; if you are going in for dinner it is way too loud, with no separation from the bar area. read more

Tempo was a pleasant find on my business trip to the surrounding area and it came highly recommended. Drinks (I had a speciality tequila drink) were great l and I really enjoyed my pork chop. You can tell they really care about food here - this is exactly why it is called culinary arts. The service was attentive and we really enjoyed our meals. I will certainly be back whenever I'm in town. read more

Great atmosphere. Reminds me of Temple bar on Mass Ave in Cambridge. Service: Our waitress was great. She was the perfect mix of friendly and on the ball. Cocktail: I ordered a margarita form the cocktail menu. It tasted like it was made with Gin. Absolutely awful, so I sent it back. They didnt charge me. We had several appetizers as our meal: Oysters $2 each - they were WONDERFUL! Who knows, they could be great everywhere. It was the first time I had raw oysters and I LOVED them. Tuna tartar - This was also excellent. It would have been better if it had a little kick, but overall it was great! Mushroom pizza - Mushrooms, carmelized onions, truffle oil - Usually a recipe for a great pizza but, it was relatievely tasteless and overdone. I wont order this again. Entrees: We didnt order any but we saw several at the tables around us. They looked gorgeous. But the prices are so outrageous. We may give them a try sometime the next time we visit. read more

I love their duck breast & confit with wild mushroom risotto and asparagus with a yummy goodness reduction. I recommend ordering it how the chef wants to make it for you - as mine came out a perfect blend between medium and medium-well so that nothing was raw, but everything was tender and texture-perfect. The risotto was also very good. I like their lobster paella, but thought the saffron flavor was a bit lacking. The reason I only "like" this dish is because the rice was not cooked properly - some of it were just 1-2 minutes shy of al dente - so each mouthful was kind of a surprise, with some delicious bites in one side of my mouth and some crunchy unexpected and undesirable bites on the other side. Perhaps the swaying factor was that I had the duck on a Saturday evening, whereas I had the lobster paella on a Tuesday night. Maybe there were different chefs working on those nights? I always enjoy their cocktails. I was here a few months ago, so I forgot which specific drinks I had, but I think I had a lemon-drop one, a grapefruity one, a lychee one, and a blueberry martini? I had two for each dinner...well worth the happiness in my mouth, but perhaps my memory will be better if I don't! ;) read more

Tempo is my favorite restaurant on Moody street - everything is amazing. It's a scratch kitchen so they're only open for dinner and everything on the menu can be customized. Great drinks, great food, great atmosphere and great service. I love the dirty wings appetizer and short rib entree. They have a beautiful bar too if you just want to stop in for a few drinks. Love their coconut margarita! read more

Good but not fabulous and frankly I expected fabulous. The menu reads well on the web, the place is really nice and the staff is attentive.....but the food wasn't over the top and I expected that for the price. Perhaps I was expecting way too much and that was my bad.....but I did have that expectation. Worth trying to have your own opinion. read more

Nice local place for a great meal. The dishes our table ordered were all quite tasty. It was a tad on the pricier side but it was worth it. Surprised for the price they didn't bring out any bread. The booths are tight for 4 adults. The service was ok. I didn't like the fact they initially gave our appetizer to the wrong table. Water refills were only by request. You would think after the first request the guys would get the hint but no we had to ask each time. read more

The good was great, and the portions were HUGE! The short ribs came with three large pieces of meat. Two people could easily share one dish. The music is a bit loud for dinner read more

We ordered two dishes: 1. The lobster paella was the special that night. Portion was generous and food was tasty. 2. We also ordered a tuna entree, can't remember the name. This dish was just average, a little too bland. We went with a groupon. I would say that this place is quite pricey for the food and would only go back with a groupon. read more

This place was packed! Was hard to find parking .Thankfully we had a reservation and were sat right away. Ordered wings and drinks which came out really fast and were delicious. The waiter seemed kinda awkward and not very happy to be there. I had the pork chop with Mac n cheese, Brussel sprouts and apple/cherry chutney. First off it was huge!! It was Cooked perfectly and I liked it at first but half way through it was too sweet to handle. My husband got the coffee rubbed hanger steak. It was pretty bland ,no hint of coffee or salt. We will probably go back just for apps and drinks. read more

A co-worker and I were in town for a conference and we picked Tempo from the Yelp Reviews. They deserve all the great reviews they have received! I had the truffle risotto and my co worker had the Portuguese Fisherman's soup and both were divine! We travel a lot and eat out a lot and in general even with good Yelp reviews, food is just Ok. But Tempo really hit it out of the park with fresh ingredients, interesting food combinations, great atmosphere and unobtrusive service. Also - their chocolate cake was a must have. Congrats on providing a great all around experience for 2 food weary travelers! read more

This place is a local gem and I almost don't want to share this review. However, great food and great bar. I prefer eating at the bar myself, but you do you. Bartenders make awesome drinks and the food is as you would expect at a fancy steakhouse chain but at reasonable prices. Great craft beer selection as well. Great local feel to the place and the service is top notch. Can't go wrong on the menu, to my knowledge. Parking can be a tad challenging, but nothing compared to downtown of course. I recommend the Berkshire pork chop (I never order pork chops out...never). read more

We just had a Truffled Wild Mushroom Risotto and Fresh Burrata main dish and Roasted Mostly Boneless Giannone All Natural Chicken and I must say THEY WERE VERY GOOD! Highly recommended! read more

Tempo is a modern, trendy eatery with an adventurous menu in the heart of Waltham's restaurant row. With top notch service, delicious food and attention to detail, Tempo is clearly the place to be seen in Waltham. In the two times I have visited Tempo, the food was cooked to perfection, and of high quality. The only draw back and the reason why it earned four, rather then five stars is because on weekends, it is very loud. Also, the menu price can be somewhat overly expensive for the area. However, regardless of those small drawbacks, Tempo is a great place to eat and I look forward to being a frequent customer. read more

I've been coming here for years and have always enjoyed their food. I shared four appetizers with my sister during my last visit: steak and cheese rolls, buffalo chicken tenders, a mini mushroom pizza and polenta fries. All were delicious but the yummy cheesy beefy goodness in those rolls were just amazing. They seem to have changed their menu since the last time I was here a few years ago but the new one doesn't disappoint. The one thing I wasn't impressed with was the service. The waitstaff appeared to be really snooty and disinterested. That was the only downside to my experience this time around. read more

Met a friend here for drinks and apps. We sat at the bar. Cocktail selection was good bit not stellar. I asked the bar tender to surprise me and she brought me a tasty lemonade vodka drink which wasn't on the menu. it was cold and refreshing . For food we had the tuna salmon tartare which was also good but again, not stellar. We also order athe mussels provencal from the specials. They were very tasty. Service was good and attentive. All in all, I'd come again if in Waltham read more

Beautifully plated food that tastes as good as it looks and arrives faster than seems possible. On this night, Tempo represented constant motion and speed. Missing was the Italian definition of tempo (time), which slows down during a relaxing meal. The two of us were seated on a long bench next to other couples. The two on my right gawked at my appetizer and the party on my left gaped at and discussed my dessert. It is loud, but you can still hold a conversation, or listen to the ones on either side of you. It would be fun for a group. Our waiter was in a hurry all night, and asked for our drink order as soon as we sat down, before we'd seen the wine list. Servers were ready to snatch our plates as soon as the last morsel of food disappeared. I enjoyed the fresh oysters, accompanied by a tangy apple-cucumber sorbet. My special, the sea bass, was moist in the middle, crispy around the edges, and propped on top of sunchoke-stuffed ravioli, with sauteed baby spinach and a pepper sauce. I ate every bite - very sloooowly - despite the visits from the busboy waiting to whisk away my plate. I recommend the mini-tasting dessert for people like me who can't choose one thing. Put a tiny bread pudding and a tiny brownie sundae on one plate and I'm a satisfied diner. (I couldn't finish the tiny apple tart.) read more

This restaurant is amazing!! It's just as good as any place in the city! The steak & cheese egg rolls, calamari & steak dinner were my favorites! Also it's entirely celiac friendly and they can make anything on the menu gluten free! Don't miss out on this place :) read more

Tempo - Scallops!! - Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

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Average at best. Waltham has become a dining destination and Tempo has been left behind for much better restaurants. Tuna dinner was meh with too many sauces. If it had been cut properly I wouldn't have spent my time tackling the membrane. Too many other choices to go back. read more

The atmosphere is lovely, but the food and waitstaff fell flat for me tonight. The Brussels sprout appetizer was delicious. I was disappointed with my scallops. I doubt I'll come here again with so many other restaurants in Waltham to try. read more

We are long time Tempo fans and tonight when I was craving steak we knew they wouldn't disappoint! The delivery was 10 minutes earlier than they estimated and the food came hot! The steak was a little more cooked than we would've liked but we figured it was due to resting time while traveling. Regardless, the food still tasted AMAZING and truly hit the spot! During regular times we have always enjoyed the atmosphere at the bar as well! read more

Love, love, love the food! I'm a fan. Went there for dinner last night; Thursday night, 8:00pm, party of 5. The restaurant was very noisy, but I took that as a good sign. So many other people think this restaurant is fabulous, too. I ordered the lamb dish, and was not disappointed. My daughter had the paella, my husband the Portugese stew, my son the veal, our friend the short ribs. All were wonderful. Our waiter was professional and on the ball. Thank you Tempo for a great evening. read more

I got the Groupon Now deal for Tempo (Which is still there btw - check it out!) which I was really excited about because I've lived in the area for a while and wanted to go but found it a bit pricey. The atmosphere is hipster, and as some reviewers have pointed out, it is a bit loud in there, but it isn't terrible. There are also a bunch of deals there on Thursdays if you are looking to try the place out but are leery of the prices. We loved it. We both got the roasted half chicken and they let me substitute the risotto for tomato basil polenta. The chicken was great, but that polenta was AMAZING. I spotted polenta fries on the menu and I will definitely have to go back and try them. We each finished with one of the mini deserts. He had a mini chocolate white mint sundae and I had the creme brulee. Perfect size, fresh and a great way to finish off our dinner. It is a little pricey, but we loved the food and the atmosphere and have already decided we would be back to treat ourselves for our anniversary. FYI - there is a yelp check in deal for a free appetizer! read more

Your review helps others learn about great local businesses. Please don't review this business if you received a freebie for writing this review, or if you're connected in any way to the owner or employees. read more

My husband and I went to tempo on New Year's Eve for the first time. We received excellent service, scrumptious food, and amazing desserts! I highly recommend the pumpkin monkey bread! Out waitress was fantastic and we will definitely we back! read more

Pretty disappointed in this restaurant. I took my parents here for my fathers birthday. I reserved a week prior, and although the place was almost empty, we had to wait a long time for service. I had a flank steak, both of my parents had a scallop dish. All of our food was overpowered by salt. I love food, I really wanted to like this place because of their local/fresh food. I then told them a week ago that it was my fathers birthday, he still had to pay for his dessert- which is fine, but it would have been nice if his birthday was acknowledged. read more

Just went to tempo..excellent Dollar oysters were a hit,food was delicious and service was great Will return soon read more

Tempo .... I live locally and can walk to moody st. Hands down the place place to eat on the st. Great bar! Weekly and nightly specials. So nice to see something new every week. The bar? Does weekly specials too. Great beers on tap (always changing) great low price wines. It's a must try if you want to eat on Moody's street. read more

We came here for the first time recently and really enjoyed it. We got a chicken and mashed potato dish and a pesto risotto (if I remember correctly), and both were very good. We plan to come back again soon! read more