Went back to Tryst last night for dinner with some friends. I wonder why this place always gets more bustling around the 8pm mark? Maybe I'm just too geriatric to understand. Anywho, food was good and service was even better. God bless our waiter for putting up with our cackling. We ordered a bunch of goodies to share. I would recommend their truffle fries, the sausage flatbread, and their scallop dish (it was super buttery!). We got some other apps and entrees too, which were good but nothing to write home about. Their spice cake dessert, while it had a great crust on the outside and came with a yummy burnt sugar ice cream, reminded me of fruity pebbles in terms of flavor. My friends said it was the cardamom, but after a minute, they got the after taste of fruity pebbles too. So it could be a good thing if you like fruity pebbles. The eggnog creme brulee was pretty good, and best of all it came with warm biscotti! Dinner for 4, which included 3 drinks, 2 entrees, 4 appetizer/sides, and 2 desserts only came out to around $122, so this place is definitely affordable. read more

Tryst is an excellent place, albeit a little expensive. I think it would be a nice date place if you get a corner table or one of the ones near the bar, though that could get noisy. I have only been for dinner, but they serve brunch on the weekend. The apps are terrific, I have had many there, notable ones include: a kobe beef "taco" which was to die for, and the calamari. The salmon entree was excellent and the beef was good. I have gone for the special in most of my five visits. Apparently the menu does change from time to time so this info might be outdated as I was last here in June '08. The bar is small, but the drinks are very good. Tryst is one of the best places I've been to in the Cambridge area. read more

Solid neighborhood restaurant. I'd describe this place as wine bar meets sports bar. There is a nice combination of quality wines and high end dishes with a bar section surrounded by flat screens with sports playing on mute. I wouldn't go here for a really nice night out, but if my husband didn't want to miss Thursday night football and I wasn't in the mood for pub food - this place would hit the spot! Our waiter was incredibly attentive and the menu offers a good selection of cuisines and price points. We will absolutely return. read more

Server was lovely. Beautiful inside. Food was good. The menu was much smaller than recalling what was online. The food tasted great but was puzzled by the portion sizing. Did I get an app or lunch portion? I had 4 small tips which could have been fine if it had been evened out with the fries and coleslaw. But, the fries didn't even fill the container. I'd suggest replating for presentation. read more

Tryst - New American Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

I came here recently with a groupon four-course coupon for two. It was a bit unfortunate that they were in the midst of remodeling, so the atmosphere was lacking. But, the food and service came a long way in making up for the construction. We both had a substitution for the 1st course (nut & shrimp allergy, and a vegetarian) which we both enjoyed - a delicious buttery polenta, and a very generous plate of olives with garlic oil(?) on them. Combined with bread and wine, we were off to a great and simple start. Without going through it all, the pig under a brick was one of the richest entrees I've had, the deserts (gourmet twinkie? awesome!) were excellent. Service was slightly more purposefully hands-off than it needed to be, but it was very friendly. My only critique is that the wine pairings and suggestions were... odd. I could see that they were trying to balance heavy & light tastes, but a rich apricot-glazed pork entree needs a thick and hearty gluttonous red wine. Overall, it was one of those upper-middle-price restaurants that was well-worth the bill, even at non-groupon prices. Be aware, their menu changes regularly with in-season ingredients (a good thing). read more

Been here twice now. Good atmosphere but not a fan of the TVs all over the walls. Got the spinach salad w/ added steak. Steak perfectly cooked and delicious. Salad was slightly overdressed in my opinion. Got side of mac and cheese--very cheesy, homestyle, overall good. Second time, got the fish tacos. Loved them, nice kick, well cooked fish. read more

If I were just going to rate the food, I would give this place four or five stars. However, I am rating the entire experience. The acoustics are terrible. On a Saturday night, the place is so loud that you cannot have a reasonable conversation with your dining companions. There were 7 of us and we could only really speak to those on our immediate left & right. There was a huge party going on near us with people ranging from little kids to elderly folks. They were yelling and laughing and taking photos etc. Now, I am not opposed to that at all. However, I do think the restaurant of this size (small) should only accommodate those types of large parties if they have a private room for them. It definitely put a damper on our meal. And, the service was terribly slow. We had a 7:30 reservation and did not leave the restaurant until 10pm (and we did not have dessert or after dinner drinks...mostly because we didn't want to wait for it). Everything took forever. Getting our first drink took ages and then the time from our first drink until appetizers came out felt like ages. We had to ask for the bread basket to be refilled twice because everyone was starving. And the time in n between apps & entrees - lots more waiting. The time it took for our plates to be cleared...ages. You get the point. Service wasn't bad - just slow. Since we were a party of 7, there was a 20% gratuity added. Now I can assure you that even with such slow service we would have tipped 20% anyway. It's the right thing to do. But, I just don't know how I feel about a place with such slow service automatically instituting a 20% gratuity (especially since half of our bill was wine). In most places, the automatic gratuity is somewhere between 15% & 18% and we always up it to 20% (or better). But, when a place starts off at 20% where is the incentive for our server to do an excellent job and make sure we are not waiting forever with empty wine glasses and empty water glasses and empty bread baskets and plates waiting to be cleared? She gets 20% no matter what. The only thing that saved this meal from being a disaster was the food (and the company). At our table we had a array of salads, a burger, beef carpaccio, tuna tartar, vegetable ravioli, wild boar ragout, seared tuna loin, sirloin etc. We live in the city and we only traveled out to Arlington at the request of friends who live there. We will not make the trip back to Tryst. read more

Brunch was indeed, A-OK. Food: Eggs Benedict (eggs perfectly cooked, english muffin well toasted) with canadian bacon, chive hollandaise on the side (surprisingly bland), some dressed greens (a simple spring mix with a vinaigrette dressing) and home fries (flavorful and slightly crispy) -- all very standard, tasty, if a bit pricey. Heather seemed to enjoy her mushroom omelet, which was stuffed to the gills with spinach, mushrooms, and onions. Coffee was adequate, a little on the weak side for my taste. Service: was great - by far one of the nicest waitresses I've ever had! Everyone was very attentive. Ambiance: Live jazz on weekend for brunch. We were sitting a bit too close so it was very loud, and we had to strain to hear each other. Very dark inside, so I can imagine this would feel more hospitable for dinner (dark wood floors, not much natural light). Getting there: I think the 77 might go out to Arlington from Cambridge? I drove, and there was plenty of street parking. Tryst is not worth the trek if it's out of the way for you. But if you're meeting someone halfway, or if you live in the area, it's a nice spot for brunch (and I'm sure for dinner/drinks as well). read more

Nice selection of wines, with different ones available for purchase by the glass, half bottle, and full bottle. The appetizer was a asparagus and cheese bruscetta, which was interesting. The cheese was good and the olive mix was tasty, but the green asparagus was limited (2 spears). I ordered the steak plate, and hubby ordered the schnitzel - mine was good, but nothing to write home about, while his was amazing. The schnitzel was laying on a delicious bed of homemade spaetzel, and the breading was perfectly crunchy. Nice execution. Our order was put in after a very large party's order, so everything took a bit longer than normal (I hope). Our waiter was very friendly, but seemed rushed and almost like he was the only one there that night, since he had three tables (us, the large party, and another). I'll try brunch in the future. read more

Booked a table here for date night, not realizing it was Restaurant Week- there's an out-of-touch parent-of-a-toddler for you! But despite a palpable tension (which ran from the front desk down, I might add), we had a very nice meal. Drinks: Tried a Moscow Mule (excellent) and Pinot Noir (very good). Unfortunately the waiter scooped up my husband's not-quite-empty glass while he was in the restroom and replaced it with a new one, which is just annoying. Food: A romaine-based salad was ample, well-dressed, and tasty. The boar appetizer was a little different, my husband liked it. The cod was just fine, and I loooved the "tater tots" it came with- unfortunately the chipotle sauce was overpowering and spread over much of the plate. The steak was very good, but in the dim light it was hard to see the fat around the edges, and the knife was one of those oversized unweildy dull things. The smores dessert was alright, but it really called for milk (not dark) chocolate. The coconut-passionfruit cake with guava icecream was great! Excellent coffee. Service: Even though almost every server we dealt with committed one of my personal pet peeves, I couldn't get too frosted because they were all so earnest in their desire to please. There was the "how is everything" interruption about 1.5 bites into each course, the need to request sugar service with the coffee, all those little annoyances. Overall, still requiring some polish, but friendly enough and everything was brought out in a timely fashion. read more

A friend that had walked by numerous times asked if I would go try Tryst with her. I hadn't previously heard of it but of course I said sure because I love finding delicious new food options. I walked in and was entranced by the relaxing yet upscale atmosphere. We had an extremely attentive waiter to guide us through the meal. He was knowledgeable about the food choices and provided useful input. The food was good and well prepared but my meal had too many competing flavors. I felt individually the dishes were phenomenal but together they overwhelmed the palette. Other than that I rated 4 stars because the high tables were cheap and wobbly making it a challenge to keep things from spilling. I would definitely go back to try another dish and enjoy the atmosphere, even to unwind in the bar area after a long day at work. read more

Tryst - Dinner at Tryst! - New American Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

I just ate here for the first time recently and the food was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed everything that was put in front of me. I like how they have the option on the side of the menu to do a chef's special, like they do during restaurant week and for about the same price. Of course there was only like 2 options, but they were really good options! There were so many things on the menu that looked good that I figured I'd let the menu order for me. I've never really heard of mushroom pudding, but it sounded interesting and it was! It was really good, kind of like a baked custard made from pureed mushrooms and semolina. Sounds weird, but its really good. Also the braised short rib and salmon were of course excellent. The real winner though was this butterscotch banana tart, which I thought would be really sweet and sticky or something but it was incredible! It was creamy and rich and the bottom chocolate cookie tart thing...oh man. I was so full from dinner, I only ate half (its HUGE) but I enjoyed it just as much the next day! The waiter was knowledgeable about the food and was very attentive to us during the whole dinner. I honestly have no complaints about this place whatsoever! I'm so coming back! read more

What a gem in the burbs! We've gone a few times - each time has been pretty good. Loved the wine we were recommended. But I'm sad we didn't get the fried calamari app. The boyfriend thought one of the panchetta flatbreads with fig and cheese (or some similar meat) would be better than the calamari (even though it seemed EVERYONE in the place was ordering the calamari). Anyway the bread thing was ok, but WAY too big and we both agreed the calamari would have been a better choice. Oh well. Next time. read more

Decided to try Tryst and was not disappointed. This chef takes some risks with fusion but the food was fantastic. Honestly one of the best places I have eaten at outside of the city. The shrimp tacos are a must have ...! On a slightly different note the wine list needs some help. I found the the list a bit substandard and the wine places extremely high. I hope they can improve this area .. Hey call me if you want sugguestions. With that said .. I will definately go back and cannot wait .. This was a great find read more

Overall it was a very nice meal. My four stars is really because I think it is a little pricey for small portions. My $11 kale and brussel sprout salad is delicious BUT it was so small. Other highilghts: Beet Ravioli--very good with good texture. Not very beety (if that makes sense). Truffle fries--some of the best--clearly fresh potatoes. Good: Ceasar Salad--very cheesy (a strong cheese on top) Carrot hummus and eggplant tzikzki with pita chips...strong flavors and the chips were homemade--very good. Food was great and clearly of good quality and fresh. Would come back but not if I wanted a big meal. Great local beer selection too--a Jack's Abbey, a Slumdog and a Sam. read more

Locals hangout. Great bar section. Amazing service. Menu is solid and some items are just Amazing. The kale salad (. Yes kale ) is just insane and the bolognese rocks my world. Drinks are inventive and fun. Business or romantic, there is always a reason to go. Priced well too read more

We went for Sunday brunch yesterday, all seven of us. And Tryst accepted reservations which was wonderful. The service was lovely - our server was polite and attentive and adorable. The atmosphere is nice, though we felt somewhat under-dressed for brunch. They had live music and it felt a bit stuffy (but wasn't). My friends seemed to be happy, particularly those who ordered the egg sandwich with biscuit (that biscuit was GOOD). My meal, the Southwestern Omelette was only OK. First off, the black bean salsa lacked flavor. No zest, nothing much going on there. The home fries were clearly not homemade and clearly deep fried and for a restaurant like this, that's just unacceptable. Home fries are easy to make! Sangria was OK but didn't have punch. Overall, this was a decent, three star experience but I wouldn't rush back... read more

I love the name - how can you not want to go to a place who's name captures intrigue? I have been here 4 times over the past few years and I have had one outstanding meal (the first one), two very good meals, and one good dessert. To me, it has become a reliable place for a nice meal without being outrageously expensive. The menu is appealing without being complicated and over-dressed (as many menus are these days). The food is always well prepared and flavors well-balanced. You can go upscale or pretty basic with a burger - which I must admit is very tasty, though I recommend getting the truffle fries with them. Portions are a good size but not obnoxiously large or so small you feel like you're in LA. Cocktails - fabulous! I have loved every cocktail I have had there. I can etiher attribute it to my picking good cocktails or to Tryst having a good bartender - I'll go with the latter. Nice wine list with a variety of price points so you can get a decent bottle for under $40. Desserts are delicous - I have had chocolate ones as well as fruit based ones and they have all done the trick and hit my dessert spot happily. Ambience - I prefer the bar area to the dining room. The dining room is spacious but the bar area feels a bit more friendly. It's the perfect place to meet friends after work when you need a compromise between the city and the suburbs. Since more and more of my friends are floating towards the suburbs (was it something I said or am I just getting old?!?!), I think I will be at Tryst more often! read more

Less is more.. A small dining menu usually means that everything served is done with extra attention and care, and this is definitely true for Tryst. Of course, I went straight for the burger, and this could be one of my favorite burgers ever. Its definitely making to top 5 list for sure. Perfect bun to burger ratio - the bun itself tasting like it might be fresh baked in house. The beef was cooked perfectly (medium rare) and seared on the grill perfectly (I normally prefer patties cooked on a pan or griddle, but that my own preference). What truly brings these burgers from great to amazing are the homemade pickles... the sweet potato fries don't hurt either. Make sure to save some room for desert, as Tryst has their own pastry chef - and I can say that the caramel apple tart knock your socks off (and if that's not your thing, the orange blossom panna cotta is pretty mind-blowing as well). read more

Tryst always does the job: great food, not too loud (great for those in our group who are hearing impaired), and service by people who seem to care if you're having a nice meal. I've been to Tryst a few times before, usually for brunch - which is always great. Most recently we went to Tryst for dinner, and it was pretty great - the Pig Under a Brick and the MASSIVE plate of bolognese hit the spot. Plus they have wine specials by the glass which were the perfect pair for the meal. We were checked in on by a few people during the meal, making sure that we were enjoying the entire experience. That was very much appreciated, and not too interruptive. read more

I have driven by this restaurant practically my whole life but have never been inside. A friend reccomended this place to go one night. I wasn't really sure what to get but definitely had a craving for a burger. Let me tell you now.......the cheeseburger I had - medium rare with caramelized onions was ONE OF THE BEST BURGERS I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY LIFE. No lie - I have told everyone about this damn burger. It was so flavorful and juicy. My friend has a dairy allergy and they made her burger w.out cheese - her burger was so good she thought there was cheese inside!!! We are headed back next week. I also had one of their non-alcoholic beverages. It was a cucumber, mint, lime seltzer. DEEEE-LICOUS. Definitely wish I found this place sooner. read more

Terrific meal- salmon and scallops were excellent. Plus great drinks made for a very nice Friday night. Well done!

So I have been turned off this place because I found the dinner menu limited, the cost out of proportion with the food and a surly bartender. However today I went for Brunch and it was fabulous. The bartender was nice and attentive, the food was exactly what I wanted. The steak was rare the eggs were running...best brunch we have had in awhile. Not sure I am ready to go back for dinner but brunch was a hit. read more

Tryst is a great choice when you want a fancy brunch or dinner without having to dress very fancy or travel far. (Assuming you live in/near Arlington) I've been for brunch more often than for dinner, and I always enjoy the friendly, relaxed-yet-upscale atmosphere. The menu is limited. There are no pancakes, which is a bummer generally, and also made it rough on my 3 year old, who we had to encourage to "pretend the French Toast is pancakes" which just makes your heart ache a little bit, right? It's not a place I recommend you bring kids.That said, I brought my toddlers that time and our server was especially helpful and friendly in meeting the kids' needs. It is, however, an excellent date restaurant and great for brunch with friends. read more

Had a fantastic experience here, from front to back. Greeted promptly upon entry, our coats were hung with care in the coat room. We were early for our reservation, so we had a seat at the cozy bar, and enjoyed two well crafted cocktails: a Tequila Something, which was tropical, fruity and tasty; and a Mocha Express, which was chocolate and coffee goodness with a punch. Moved into our Dinner seating at a High Top but still comfortable enough, if you are at least slightly extroverts, if you are shy and timid, please ask for a low table. We had come with a livingsocial chef tasting deal, so we did not see the entire menu, but I understand it changes according to what is in season, and the chef's inspiration at the time. The tasting menu had a couple choices of appetizer, salad and dessert, and maybe eight dinner entree selections, which ALL sounded delectable. We both chose wild mushroom arancini with a truffled pesto drizzle, which were fantastic miniature rice balls from heaven. I chose the beet salad with a crostini and fresh mozzarella with baby greens(not what they called it, but that is what it is), this was a good representation of the dish. Wife got the iceberg wedge salad with bluecheese and she would return just for that dish and a cocktail. Did I mention they serve a delicious crust old world style bread with HOUSE MADE butter? Very, very very, good indeed. For dinner I had the salmon on roasted root vegetables, and wife had the tagliatelle carbonara with pancetta. Both were delicious, the salmon was cooked perfectly to medium doneness, so it was moist and tender. The carbonara was served witht hte classic egg on top for you to mix in the yolk and spread its loveliness through the velvety sauce and perfect homemade noodles. Orange blossom panna cotta with a berry coulis and a nut based cigar( I now have forgotten the details of the written description) one of the best desserts I have ever eaten-silky smooth just firm enough to stand on a fork(for a couple seconds) subtle orange flavor and rich creamy texture-if this is on the menu-GET it. Wife opted for the peppeermint ice cream on a fudgy brownie and chocolate sauce, which was most enjoyable and refreshing if not a touch sweet for me. But she loved it. I drank a Sicilian Syrah throughout the meal, which worked for me and might have been a little deep for my selections, but still was a good glass. Wife enjoyed a glass of Grenache through her meal and said she was happy with it as well. Service here was also great, our hostess could not have been any more sweet, and our server, I believe his name is Adam, was as attentive as you could ever expect, let us not forget the bartender whose name I want to say is Joe? He is a special mixologist. All the support of the other servers was appreciated as well; we must have had 4 peaople visit our table, during the meal, topping off water, clearing unneeded dishes, bring new napkins or silver... well prepared group of individuals who seem to actually care-novel thought. Home Run Four Course tasting menu. We recommend you get on over there. read more

YES Finally tried their brunch. First of all, so happy they were serving until 2:30 - I work overnight shifts and don't even wake until 2pm some times. Great selection of offerings today. Had the wild mushroom omelet and my friend had the special hash - braised pork and sweet potatoes. Everything was perfect. Had a delicious Bloody Mary and we received coupons for freebies the next time. Wait staff was honest and not pushy, music could be better. The saxophone soft-jazz was a little irritating, hardly the appropriate choice for that clientele. I have had dinner there a handful of times and have always been delighted to go back. Happy today to finally get the brunch and look forward to doing it again. read more

We decided last-minute to head out to dinner here for the last night of restaurant week and I was very happy that we had no problem getting a reservation despite how busy they were when we arrived at 8:30p We ordered from the restaurant-week menu and I was very surprised with the generous portion of each plate. I had the shrimp taco as my first course. It was the perfect size, full of flavor and everything that I wanted it to be ; the shrimp were lightly battered and fried and sitting on a small heap of guacamole (among other things that tasted amazing but were devoured to quickly to be identified) For the second course I had the faroe island salmon, which had a dijon & honey lacquer coating and was served on a bed of toasted almond farro, apple & rosemary. It was cooked very well and had good flavor, but I was a little put-off by the texture of the farro, which I have never had before - obviously not the fault of the restaurant! I also thought that the dijon flavor was a little over-powering. Last course was my favorite - I'm a dessert LOVER - I had the pecan banana tart and it was wonderful. It was rich without being too much. There was an element of creaminess layered on top of a crumbly pecan crust, and it was topped with bananas that were caramelized and crunchy and AMAZING. My boyfriend ordered clams, the tagliatelle bolognese, and a brioche berry bread pudding - I can only vouch for a very tasty bite of bread pudding, but all three courses looked great. To say a few things about the restaurant not taking the food into consideration, the atmosphere was OK - we saw a lot of groups of friends having a night out, but it would be pretty good for a romantic date too depending on where in the restaurant you were seated. Service was also just OK - Our waitress didn't dote on us the way they do at a lot of other restaurants I have been to, but she was fine. What thrilled me the most (besides the quality of the food and my pear tree martini) was that we didn't have to drive the distance to Boston to have a delicious, upscale dinner! Would definitely eat here again. read more

Recently was there with a group of 8 and I called ahead for a reservation. Once seated, I asked our server for separate checks as a reminder of that when I called fo reserve. The prices were high for Sunday brunch and at first, the server didn't want to accommodate the check request. In the end, separate checks were provided, but it definitely detracted from our enjoyment. Food was okay, Bloody Marys seemed off-tasting and generally, not a great experience. Will try it for lunch and decide if I'll go back. read more

We sat at the bar for dinner, which is often a good way to tell if a restaurant has regulars or not. This place does not. It's probably because of the prices. Appetizers run up to $12, and entrees run between $16 - $23. The food is good: I had the Turkey panini, which was perfectly cooked, and the fries had nice flavor. My wife had the scallops. I one point I asked her how they were, and she said "Can't you tell? I'm wolfing them I'd give it 5 stars if the prices were a bit lower. read more

I found Tryst randomly through Yelp and OpenTable reviews...it was sort of nearby and available for dinner with my wife and parents. But it proved to be a very solid high-end neighborhood restaurant. Tryst is on Mass. Ave opposite the Arlington Library--pretty nondescript stretch. There is a sizable bar at the front that seemed like it would be fun. The back dining area has kind of muted decor. The extremely attentive maitre d' who met us at the door and dropped in on us several times during the night explained they are in the midst of a makeover. It's certainly comfortable and the tables are spaced out enough to allow private conversation. There is also a private dining area. Best starters: stuffed squash blossoms w/ ricotta and tomato coulis, crispy fried oysters; best entrees: lamb kofte (kind of a very good kebab sandwich in two mini pitas), wild striped bass; best side dish and probably most memorable dish of all, the crispy tasso polenta fries--polenta and somewhat spicy ham pressed into rectangles and fried. The pastries were excellent and very generously sized: flourless choc torte w/ Nutella ice cream was tops. Service good but not great by server, but maitre d' was super and comped us a dessert. Overall, a good value for food of this quality and a nice atmosphere, somewhere between local tavern and downtown restaurant. read more

Tryst is as cozy as it appears from outside! Fast, friendly service & knowledgeable staff recommended the A-Z Pinot Noir from Oregon. Pairing it with a nice cheese /fruit plate. Reasonable and just right. Gotta come back and try the oyster on the half shell 1/2 a dozen for $15 read more

Tryst - Yum, try the cheeses and fruit plate . Only $10 - New American Near Me - Arlington, Massachusetts

We came here for the first time this past Sunday for brunch and it didn't disappoint at all! We never knew this restaurant existed until walking by the other day. First off the service was great, our server was very friendly and we never waited for anything. The manager or owner was walking around to make sure everyone was happy and we appreciated how attentive everyone was. We ordered the Chopped Salad to start with which was one of best salads I've had since moving to the area. For entrees we had the hash as well as a bunch of their sides which tasted amazing! Please try their biscuits and pancakes, you will be satisfied for sure. We defiantly plan on coming back for brunch again! read more

I visited Tryst on Saturday evening with my fiance. We stopped in for a couple of drinks and appetizers on our way to a Christmas party. We were seated in the bar area promptly by a very pleasant hostess, but thats where the prompt service ended. We sat at our cozy table by the window and waited for about 10 minutes for our waiter to greet us and take our drink order. The busboy followed up with water about 10 minutes after that. So you do the math, at any rate we sat there for a while with nothing in front of us. . . When our drinks arrived my extra-extra dry martini with a twist tasted strongly of vermouth and was served with olives- which was disappointing but, not to be deterred I muscled through it and our waiter brought the twist over straight away without being prompted. For appetizers we ordered the duck spring rolls and the squash/pumpkin ravioli in brown butter sauce. The spring rolls were a touch on the salty side, and a plum sauce would've been far more tasty and complimentary to the dish. The ravioli were homemade and very nice, but the brown butter sauce was quite salty. Our waiter was very personable, but when we finished our drinks and appetizers we waited another 30 minutes for our check- and thats after we explained that we had somewhere to be. All in all, Tryst has so much potential. The decor and atmosphere are excellent, very inviting, very upscale and cozy. The menu is inventive, and the ingredients/ products they use are high quality. Unfortunately, the front of the house service needs a bit more directive from management. When a restaurant has a certain look, feel, and price to it, it also ought to have the service to back it up. Its the attention to detail that makes a restaurant shine. Once Tryst gets the hang of this concept it will be a tremendous success. In the meantime I'll check back every 6 months or so. . . read more

My roommate and I attended all of the different tasting events hosted by Tryst, through the Arlington Center for Adult Education. It was a fun way to become familiar with the staff and the menu- not to mention increase my knowledge on various types of beverages. The staff is really friendly, and will remember you if you return more than a few times. The menu is seasonal, and delicious! The asparagus is some of the best I've ever had. The prices are a bit too high for me to eat there more than once a month, but the food and service are worth it. The atmosphere can serve as a casual place to meet friends (in the bar) or a bit more fancy for a date (in the dining room.) read more

I don't ever go out to eat in Ahlington, but when I do it's to Tryst. I can see myself giving this place 4 stars, but never 3. Today I'm giving it 5 stars - Like any other spot it all comes down to what you order. For an appy I had the fried oysters and the BBQ duck taco. The duck taco was great and really original but the oysters were out of this world. Must be Wellfleet oysters or something (349 stand up). Entrees I went with their famous Pig Under a Brick. It's basically a big block of tender shredded porchetta with the crispy succulent skin on top and a little surprise piece of pork belly in the middle. Incredible. My girl got the steak tips cooked to perfection MR and had clearly been marinating in the sweet sweet nectar they call bourbon for at least 24 hours. Service was great, libations were on point, and had a funny waiter ta boot. The End. read more

My girlfriend and I visited this location while in the area for a hockey tournament after reading positive reviews and looking over the menu. We were not disappointed, but instead, actually pleasantly surprised with how friendly and accommodating our waiter and the manager were as they went out of their way to make our visit enjoyable (this is not something that we are accustomed to in Baltimore, Maryland haha). Overall, we had a great experience and the food was delicious! Highly recommended, thank you Tryst! read more

We've been meaning to try this place for a while, since we live in Arlington. I think we've been put off by the fact that it seems so tiny from the storefront. Finally came here last Sat. night with my wife. We were pleasantly suprised on arrival to find (a) that there is a very nice spacious dining room in the back that is well-appointed with high ceilings and tasteful decoration, and (b) that they were able to seat us even though we ended up being quite early for our reservation. The service was excellent and unobtrusive, and they made a great recommendation for a wine to go with my main dish. We ordered the stuffed figs for a starter, which were _excellent_. The gorgonzola and prosciutto really rounded off the dish beautifully. It was also very attractively presented. For mains, my wife had the sirloin and I had the lamb porterhouse chops. Both meats were cooked perfectly, and the chick pea beignets and hummus accompanying the lamb were wonderful. My wife would have preferred the spinach warm instead of chilled, but everything else was great. The waiter forgot to bring the Petite Syrah to go with the lamb, but offered it for free with our dessert, which I thought was an excellent touch. Overall, this was a great dining experience. A little on the pricy side for Arlington, but the ambiance, service, quality of food and the inventiveness of the menu made up for that. read more

My wife and I recently held our rehearsal dinner and the morning after brunch at Tryst and were overwhelmed with the entire experience. The first time we had eaten at Tryst we knew it would be the perfect place for both events and over the next few months we worked with owner/chef Paul to develop a menu and work out various other details. Three areas deserve special mention: 1) The quality of the food is outstanding and the prices are very reasonable. 2) Paul and Amber (the manager) are very accommodating and easy to work with. They do everything possible to make any event special. 3) The staff is very professional and yet very friendly and is eager to make the dining experience exceptional. Tryst - if you've never tried it go. If you haven't been there in a while go back. Either way it will not be your last visit. read more

This is a nice place in Arlington. Its presence makes Arlington feel more like a city with the contemporary decor and mire upscale presence. We've come here a few times for their prix fixe menus-- the waiters both knew the menus and made good recommendation. read more

A contemporary oasis in Arlington that is several restaurants in one: - An elegant bar up front has a quaint, but literary vibe. Great place to meet friends for an appetizer and a drink - be it beer, wine or a cocktail - Upscale eatery with a wide selection of American bistro style meals. All of them have flare and flavor (and, believe it or not, the best hamburger in Arlington) - Jazz brunch on weekends is a wonderful place to park yourself on a Sunday with friends and family (very children friendly) and the live music gives the place a funky feel. The dishes are dynamite read more