My favorite old fashion I've ever had is here. A great spot for creative drinks and food. I love their tuna + salmon tartare and the beef stroganoff is the ultimate comfort food. Will keep coming back for sure. read more

Never again! After spending more than $200. on dinner my fiancé and I literally got thrown out by their "bouncer"/"manager" while our dessert and drinks were still on the table. We were told to leave because they were "closed". They weren't in fact closed because they had a band in the back and people walking in. We were asked to pay before we even received our dessert which we did and then as soon as the waitress got the check and our generous tip she told us we had to leave. We could take our drinks and dessert and go stand in the back or just leave. I'm not in my 20's. I had no desire to go hang out with the crowd we saw walking in. So we asked to speak with the manager and he literally physically forced us out! I've been coming here for years. I will never be back. Which is sad to say because it's been one of my favorite restaurants. I have never been treated so aggressively by a so called manager at any restaurant in my life! Another 10 minutes just to finish and we would have left anyway. They shouldn't offer dessert if they will force you to leave it on the table as soon as you get it! This place has gone so far downhill it's absolutely appalling!!! You've just lost a loyal regular customer of 8 years and all the business I have brought with my company colleagues and business partners. read more

I'm writing my 2nd review of TEMPO. Like Louis G., I'd like to give Tempo 4 stars, but I just can't. Maybe its the sticker shock & being on Moody St., in Waltham, BUT most likely the fact that it is always SO LOUD. Great food. Great Drinks. Limited, but usually choice beer selection. Good service. read more

I love Tempo. It's the first restaurant I ate at when I moved to Waltham last year, and it was exactly awesome. I love the duck. The pizza apps are great. The drinks are yummy and they have great beer and wine lists. The portions were HUGE. Later that year, Tempo changed a lot, and I was disappointed, because the menu was less diverse, and the portions were smaller for the same prices. I hadn't gone back after a couple of disappointing trips, but decided to go again when I got the groupon. WELCOME BACK TEMPO. They added some delicious new items to the menu and brought back some old favorites I had missed, the portions were huge again, and the duck was phenomenal. Like so tender, melt in your mouth, seasoned to perfection and cooked perfectly phenomenal. The service was outstanding, and I can't wait to go back again. Try: Wild Mushroom grilled pizza, pork chop (with mac n cheese!), duck breast, rack of lamb, and they used to have this side of au gratin turnips but I don't know if they still do cause they change the menu a lot. read more

We went last night for dinner and loved it!! I got the spicy scallops and shrimp. Both were cooked to perfection. You. Can order mild medium or hot I Ordered mild. It came with spinach and grilled tomatoes I also chose asparagus as ido not eat white sticky rice Waitress had no problem with that. My husband got Hanger steak. Cooked exactly as ordered. He loved it. I also ordered the goat cheese arugula beat salad Awesome. The service and wait staff were all very good Had a nice time. Definitely will be back!!! read more

Excellent food, excellent value. Menu choices were broad. Preparation was perfect. I had the biggest pork chop I have ever seen! The draft beer choices were excellent, especially for an IPA lover. Convenient location. A real amenity for the western 'burbs. The only down side was that the service was slow. Actually, it didn't matter to us because we weren't really in a hurry. But you can't help feeling that your waiter doesn't really care about you. Maybe someone didn't turn up for work and that put extra stress on the staff. Not a sufficiently serious issue to lose any stars -- this time, at least. read more

My overall impression of Tempo was that it was very good, not great. Came here with family and we ordered a bunch of apps. My favorites were the fried brussel sprouts and the dirty chicken wings. The wings, however, were on the smaller side and the brussel sprouts were not as crispy as I would've preferred. I ordered the cod special for an entree, which was delicious and very satisfying. Others ordered the gumbo bolognese which was spicy and got mixed reviews. Also ordered the fall sangria which was great and incorporated all the spices of fall without overdoing it. The service was also good, but not great. Overall, I enjoyed my experience and would go back again. read more

This place is absolutely amazing! Truly a staple of the community. The food is so creative and always perfectly cooked and their cocktails are absolutely wonderful. They have so many awesome theme nights and really have gone above and beyond in Covid times to make sure their guests are safe and happy. Truly grateful for this wonderful restaurant!! read more

I've eaten in great restaurants all over the world, but Tempo's food is as good as most places costing 2-3 times as much. Every dish is so tasty you don't want to cleanse your palate! It's hard to decide which flavor you want to to taste last. You'll still be remembering it fondly when you're a block away. Prices are excellent, especially for wine, and they're very gracious about sharing dishes. I've probably been there around 75 times, which is only possible because they always have interesting new special items. On top of that, the atmosphere is lively and the decor sophisticated. read more

Tempo is a gem! I was taken here last week by my Boyfriend for my Birthday dinner. It happened to fall on Tuesday which meant Dollar Oysters! We started with 24 delicious Oysters and Wine. I chose the Short Ribs, which were out of this world. He had the Cod Special and absolutely loved it. We were seated at the table in the window on the bar side. Perfect. Great atmosphere and good solid service from our super friendly waitress. I can't wait to come back on a Tuesday again for drinks and Oysters! read more

Outstanding evening out at Tempo. Trendy atmosphere, fast and friendly service, delicious food. Started with Philly steak and cheese egg rolls, truffle fries, and 2 different salads. Everyone in our party loved every dish. Even the house bread and spread were unique and tasty. For dinner, we had 2 orders of the pork chop, a rib eye steak, and the cod special. All fantastic. Our waiter Will was awesome. Will be going back for more. read more

DO NOT GO HERE IF YOU ARE GLUTEN FREE!!! I went here tonight having celiacs disease and I was served spring rolls that were not gluten free because they don't have a manager bring over the gluten free food and a food runner brought them over. After I ate an ENTIRE spring roll they brought over the correct gluten free appetizer. It was the worst careless service I have ever seen. I would never go back ever again. If you have celiacs disease do yourself a favor and never come here. read more

I've been enjoying the food and atmosphere at Tempo for a while now. During the pandemic, Tempo has provided some amazing cook at home meals!!! The Christmas ham meal has not disappointed. The food was fantastic. Tempo has an amazing, caring staff and takes pride in what they do. Proud to support local business, whether during the pandemic or years to come after!! Thank you for being there to the Tempo team!! I look forward to many great meals!! read more

One of the best restaurants in Waltham and our top go to spot. Always a great experience - excellent service, ambiance, food and cocktails. Love they have adapted with the times with outdoor seating and adding the option for online ordering. read more

We love Tempo and it has been our go to throughout the pandemic. They were ahead of the curve with their cleaning protocols. The food is so delicious! I also love all the creative offerings by the restaurant including the cookie decorating kits, cocoa bombs, etc. read more

Amazing takeout dinner just picked up. Chicken Marsala was better than home cooked and the potato crusted haddock w shrimp risotto was perfect. The portions were generous and everything was ready to go right on time and hot when we got home across town. Best part was adding in a to go cocktail (never thought this would ever happen in Mass). Poured the drink over ice and felt like I was sitting at a bar drinking bartenders latest concoction. Can't wait to order again and try some more meals (maybe Because they were so good) and definitely a few different cocktails read more

Just great! From the cocktails to the entree and wrapped up with dessert. The type of place I can see us going to frequently, and wish I could have the same thing again (but with so many great choices why bother?!). The perfect date night read more

We tried Tempo since we have lived in watertown for a good couple years, but haven't ventured much on Moody St....except for the Moody Deli, which is unreal!. As for Tempo....where do I begin..... Nashville hot wing!....wow.....just wow!..... Brussel Sprouts with Bacon and Lemon Vinaigrette....Amazing! Locally Grown Mushroom Rissotto...Holy crap!....Best I've ever had! Short Rib....Very very good, probably the best I've had as well. I was expecting a good meal....but this by far surpassed my expectations....and we will definitely be going back again! read more

Over priced for quality of food. Lobster roll was good but appetizers were less than desirable. Fish tacos were plain and dry. Goat cheese and beet salad came with a goat cheese patty instead of being crumbled into salad, add shrimp and you're looking at $24 salad. Totally overpriced. read more

We were in Waltham for a medical appointment for our daughter from out of state. My husband found Tempo when he was searching online for somewhere to eat dinner the last night we were in town. I am SO GLAD he found it, because it was hands-down the BEST place we ate while we were out there. We had two dozen oysters to start, and they were very, very good. My husband had a wedge salad. He let me try a little and it was GOOD. Then he had the Angus steak for his entree, cooked exactly the way he asked for, and he added the garlic shrimp. I ordered the yellowfin tuna, and it was delicious. Our daughter had the truffle fries (she was there for a medical appointment, so we let her get what she wanted) and those were amazing!!!! We will be back in April '17!!! read more

Tempo - Dessert at Tempo - Bars Near Me - Waltham, Massachusetts

Fish and Chips were good! Came out very hot. Spicy berry margarita was great as well!

What a great meal! Had the special scallops picata. To die for. Our waiter, Emil and his helper Anthony were so attentive. Could not ask for better service. Can't wait to come back! read more

I just enjoyed another fabulous meal at this creative local restaurant! Both my husband and I ordered entrees that we had not tried before: my short ribs were fall- off-the-bone tender, flavorful, accompanied by a yummy mushroom risotto and my husband was delighted with his pasta bolognese. Both portions were generous enough to take some home, which we devoured the next day! We cannot resist the calamari appetizer, which is perfectly cooked, served with a tasty dipping sauce. We shared a variation on a classic caesar salad, prepared with fresh kale and a parmesan crisp---YUM! Of course we had room for one of their scrumptious mini-desserts, a banana stuffed spring roll with hazelnut ice cream---the perfect finish to a perfect meal! As usual, the service was attentive, despite the very busy night! I, for one, really like the new decor--- it feels more intimate, cozy, and separated from the bar. All in all, I think Tempo is one of the best restaurants outside of Boston--- consistently delicious, excellent service, comfortable atmosphere. When we don't feel like hassling with the city (parking, prices) it is always our go-to place! read more

I enjoyed the food at this restaurant, came with a few coworkers and we all had good things to say about our meals. I ordered the salmon, cooked to perfection with delicious sides. My only small complaint is they don't split checks which is very inconvenient when traveling for business.. next time I'll bring cash. read more

Been here couple of times. The food is alright. Attracts good crowd. I just find it way expensive.

Excellent food, great service. Everything we ordered was delicious, food and drinks alike! Cozy patio with fire pits and heaters. Cannot recommend enough! read more

Place smells like a barn. It smelt like a barn in 2007 last time I was there. I went back. Still smells like a barn. I left an ample tip for services rendered. Bartender disagreed and decided to announce to the bar his feelings. Audibly called me a piece of shot while I was leaving. I won't be back. I don't care for barns. read more

A nice surprise on Moody street. Solidly tasty food, great service and nice atmosphere. We had a variety of dishes on the table, all good, standout being the calamari which was perfectly tender. Will return! Also worth noting that they had plenty of gluten free options including bread and pasta. read more

The best place for the buck on Moody St. They always have great specials and the wine by-the-glass selection can't be beat. Greats apps and helpful staff. It can get a bit noisy on the weekends. And there is no place to wait comfortably for a table. Luckily there is a great little bar across the street that works out well for that. read more

I have been in the service industry for nine years now. I have worked extensively in the back of the house and I have switched to front of the house in the last two years. This was the worst experience I have ever had with a waiter. We were seated and then were not greeted by the waiter for 10 minutes. We ordered everything at once because we didn't know when we would see him again. We order a 40$ bottle of wine, the sea scallop and calimari appetizer. We also had the short rib and yellowfin tuna for entrees. The food was delicious which made this experience all the more frustrating. We received the bottle of wine and the calimari came out a few minutes later. We didn't see the scallops though, and after 10 minutes they were brought to us with zero explanation of why they were late and no apology. Look I understand things happen in this business, people are human and mistakes are made. I was upset because no attempt was made by the waiter to remedy the situation. A simple hey guys were sorry but the scallops will be right out could have made everything better. Instead he ignored us as well as the tables next to us. One table's patron got up started yelling to see the manager because 3 of 4 people had their entrees. There food was dropped off and again no explanation as to what the problem was. Our waiter was responsible for their table as well which figured. So we finish our appetizers then there's another 10 mins before our entrees come out. At no time did out waiter check on us or ask if we needed anything. Again our entrees were delicious, can't say enough about the food. The dessert menu looked great and we planned on staying for dessert and coffee maybe even another glass of wine. After the poor experience I didn't want to spend another dollar there. There were food runners and other staff members bussing tables so this waiter didn't have much on his plate other than taking orders and entering them into the computer. I don't ever write reviews and I wanted to say something to the manager but she was busy fixing issues with another table on my way out. Management needs to be aware of the staff they employ. Especially the ones who are detrimental to a productive service. Steer clear of Nizar the server. read more

Here's the email I sent to Erin, Tempo's dining manager (and owner?) which was roundly ignored after a terrible experience. What a way to treat your guests (some identifying info removed): Subject: feedback about your staff's responses re: diner complaint We drove from downtown Boston to visit your restaurant this evening for dinner. We ordered the shrimp/scallop dish as a stand-alone entree along with the Dine Boston menu. The shrimp/scallop dish was nearly inedible, incredibly salty and sour, as though someone had forgotten to drain the hot cherry peppers before sauteeing them into the dish. My husband and I could only finish half because it was so terrible, but because I had spent nearly $30 on it, I packed it anyway to take home, not wanting to waste it, and planning on rescuing it by diluting the flavor with a large batch of white rice. When our waitress returned, I told her point blank why the dish was inedible. Instead of offering to solve the problem, she apologized (at least she did that) but did no more. Our waitress did not even bother to raise the problem of the dish to management, take the entree off the bill, remake the dish, offer to substitute something else, or even offer a complimentary soda. The bill came to almost $93 and included an automatic 20% tip -- outrageous given that nothing proactive was done about the expensive inedible meal. On my way out, I decided to speak with B. at the hostess stand who also completely failed to offer any solution to the problem -- this time, the problem had expanded to include not just the inedible dish, but now the fact that nothing was done to remedy our horrible meal and the mandatory 20% tip. B. pointed out that "many" people enjoy their food at Tempo, a completely inadequate response given that we had just had one of the worst meals of our lives. She stated that she could do nothing about it but introduced me to C., who offered a free round of drinks -- again, inadequate given that (1) I don't drink alcohol although my husband does, (2) taking her up on the offer would have extended our time at your restaurant when it was nearly 10 pm and we had to return home to relieve the nanny, and (3) we were done with our meal and walking out the door. ...I used to work as a waitress. I know what good customer service is. In my clinic, when a patient is upset about something, we try to make it right immediately, by doing whatever we need to do to remedy the situation. We try to go above and beyond. Tempo's staff definitely did not exemplify excellent customer service. Yes, I know the customer is not always right, but in a situation where it was clear that we were not looking for a free meal, nor asking for the entire entree to be comped -- we had already paid the entire bill plus the inflated gratuity, and were walking out the door when I decided to mention this situation -- your staff should have at least extended the token gesture that I had suggested, which was simply to comp the single $9 glass of wine that my husband had ordered. Instead, B. essentially invalidated our experience (somehow, we were aberrational because everyone else loves Tempo), and C. gave us a non-offer offer of a round of drinks when my husband was already waiting for me on the street outside. What an abysmal experience. read more

Our recently discovered gem on the moody street. I just love this place - ambiance, energy just too good especially for evening drinks. One of my favorite places for cocktails - interesting and refreshing cocktails. Service is good, friendly staff. Food is good as well but most of my stars are for their cocktails. We just keep going back to it.. love it. read more

Only reason I give 4 stars is because 5 star reviews are often filtered out. I've dined at Tempo several times and felt compelled to add my 2 cents after seeing 2 recent negative reviews based on service (I actually came on here to simply update my review). First off, this is a place that really cares about your entire experience as illustrated by responses to negative reviews. As for the two recent negative reviews, who show's up to a fine dining restaurant for food at 11pm or even 10pm?! Of course it sounds like the waiter was out of line but come on...plus two negative comments for one visit? Really? Maybe its time to realize that bad service can happen in even the best establishments and give credit for the effort Tempo clearly made to appologize. One of these women even commented "I've dined around the world"...oh ok your highness you've written 2 yelp reviews and your friend has written 15. Sometimes there is no pleasing some people (not even after the waiter was put on leave and the tip was refunded completely). Grow up. I feel bad for a great restaurant that has to deal with spiteful / vindictive customers like those two broads. Eww. As for my experience, this place is great. The chef really cares about top quality, fresh food. The preparation and flavors of the food are excellent. I had a burger here the other day that was honestly one of the best burgers I've ever had. The swordfish chop and statler chicken are two of my other favorites. Salmon and tuna tartar and oysters are two of my favorite apps., everything is awesome though. The drinks are also awesome! One of the bartenders even mixes fresh infusions each week (to make specialty margaritas, martini's, etc.). I've only experienced great service from everyone that works there. The restaurant has an awesome atmosphere and is very warm and welcoming. Go to this restaurant any day of the week and it's filled with customers, that speaks to its caliber. I highly recommend you try this place, it's easily deserving of 5 stars and can compete with the finest restaurants around. read more

Tempo was decent. Not as good as I had expected. Wanted to eat and have drinks at the bar on a Friday. Prime time. There were seats open which was great. We ended up moving to a table however bc the bartender- Allen- was so upset about something he kept talking about it over and over again with his fellow bartenders. It killed the mood for us. It just wasn't enjoyable to hear that drama. We didn't even make it through a full drink before we went to the table. Sat us at a great table. Jaime was a good waitress. She was attentive, which is what I would expect. I got the duck which was cooked perfectly. Risotto was over cooked. Mushy. My befriends rib eye was also cooked well and tender. Duck fish was beautifully plated and the rib eye was not. Overall, not sure I would go back to Tempo. read more

Tempo has become the new favorite! The service was a bit dodgy at first but has improved significantly. There are amazing servers there, truly :-) The food is UNBELIEVABLE! I dream of the truffle fries and mushroom pizza. The cocktails are a wonderful treat at the end of a tough week. And the atmosphere is much better than the typically Moody St scene without having to fancy it up at the Elephant Walk. WINNER! read more

This is one of my favorite restaurants of all time. It's definitely a place for special occasions though. I've never been disappointed and their abundance of specials always keeps the menu fresh. The food always delicious from steak to lamb to fish. They get it right every time. read more

Sure... it's in Waltham. And yeah, I paid $29 for a big ass rib-eye, some crunchy green beans (my fave kind) and some scrumptious mac and cheese. Not the most inventive dish I've had but hey, I don't feel like I was gyped. My husband got the duck confit. I usually am not into the whole duck thing, but I have to admit, it looked tasty even to me. I tried a bit of the breast and it was delicious. He makes a better risotto at home though. I was pleased that they had the fresh brewed iced tea and pleasantly surprised it was Earl Gray. The service was right on. And I really liked the tiny wedges of cornbread they serve with the whipped, slightly honey flavored butter. Mmmm. read more

I met some girls for drinks here one night. It's a little pricey and I can't usually afford, but there's nothing like spending a little extra money once in a while to make you feel like.. you have a little extra money to spend. Pretty classy joint. The food is *fantastic*. I almost never finish a whole dish in restaurants (whatever happened to portion-control??) but I couldn't help but clean my plate here. I had this tomato-basil-type pizza, which was incredible. The drink menu doesn't really satisfy me in full, but I'm more of a frozen-drink type person. If you're a martini fan, they've got you covered. read more

We went to Tempo for dinner, a Friday evening and overall we were disappointed. Let me explain my reasons. Let me start with some positive points: The atmosphere is "cool" and the bar is attractive. It is a nice place to chill and have a drink. Now, some less positive points: When we walked in, we were told that we could NOT sit at a "bar table" (taller tables in the bar area) if we were not eating dinner. Also, the "7 before 7" deal on appetizers is only valid if you sit at the actual bar (which is literally 2 steps away form the tall "bar tables"). Personally, I think if you are going to offer a "before 7 discount" it should apply to ALL TABLES in the bar area (which is partitioned from the dinning tables). Then our appetizers; I ordered the Tuna Tartar and was a little surprised by the presentation. The unseasoned fish was pilled in the center of the plate and the seasoning or dressing was drizzled all around it... I think it is nice to "decorate" the plate BUT SEASON THE FISH so that every bite is consistent and clients don't have to shlep and drag the fish around the plate! For dinner I ordered the sesame crusted tuna. My plate arrived and I notice that the sesame crust was BURNED (it was black and tasted burned). I spoke to the manager who's response was "that is how we serve it" .... burned food for 35$ ??? Overall, I think this place is too expensive for the quality they serve. There are better places for the same price or less.... To name a few: La Lumiere in Newton, IL Capriccio on Main Street, Biagio on Moody. read more

Great diversity of food, well presented, great bar, good selecton of wine, very pleasant and efficient service, but very noisy ! Fair price/quality. Great for just friends or business dinners but not for a romantic dinner. read more