A beautiful space chock full of (my phrase of the day) cozy couches, chairs, and tables. Probably not the best place to come with a group, but for a three-or-less-some it's perfect. The massive amount of people just lingering with laptops and books and not really purchasing was astounding. I hope the servers get paid decent, because I don't think they would pull in many tips from the freeloaders. Lots of drink options to choose from be it something to wake you up or something to ultimately put you to sleep. The brunch menu is small, a frittata, various choices of belgium waffles, granola, bagels, but there are loads of tasty looking sandwiches if nothing on the brunch menu catches your interest. Perhaps I am spoiled with Atlanta's vast brunchtacular options, but I wasn't feeling any of the brunch items so I went for a sandwich. The Nina to be exact. The Nina has chicken, onions, FRESH jalapenos, feta, olives, and cilantro in it. It was okay. I liked that there were fresh jalapenos in it. Lent the salty sandwich a nice tingly taste. Sandwiches come devoid of any sides, which makes me sad... I'm a total side slut. read more

GOOD FOOD! I have been here before, but never went to eat anything, even with such cool names of sandwiches. I visited this location in Adams Morgan with some family friends & liked it, even if it was a bit crowded and cramped. I got the Archie sandwich - prosciutto, sliced tomato, mozzarella, fresh basil, and crushed red pepper on a white french bread. The saltiness of the prosciutto, kick of red pepper, spongy-ness of the cheese, and fresh basil - it all was delicious & toasted to perfection! Also, good portions, I was not too full, it was just right! I also got a cup of black coffee, which is standard, but served in a cup that was as big as my face, with animal cookies on the side! Overall, okay service, upbeat ambiance, and good food! I will definitely be back when I am in the area. It seems like a hard place to study, but you do find a good amount of people studying here. Also, be aware that this coffee house transforms into a bar that admits only 21+ after a certain time! read more

For those not looking to get blotto, have an intelligent conversation that involves more than, "Hey, are you drunk yet? Want to go home with me?" and get a buzz that will keep you going all night, then come to Tryst. I came here with a friend long ago who was a tad "new ageish" for my tastes - but this was one place we could agree on. Great desserts, good coffee, etc. However, the only bad thing is the service - difficult to get a server when it starts to heat up in there. Otherwise, I think I'm overdue for a visit. read more

Chaipuccino. Whoever made this, you have changed my life. Tryst is my favorite coffee house in DC. Granted I have only been to a handful in the area, but I know what I like and I know I love Tryst. Every big city needs a good hipster coffee house and Tryst definitely delivers. The tree-themed paintings, funky eclectic furniture and wooden tables provides a great place to catch up with a friend, do some work on a laptop or sit by the window and people watch. Tryst is a one-stop shop. Great coffee drinks, alcoholic drinks, delicious casual food/dessert and a great vibe to go along with it. The menu is pretty decent. Sandwiches that I've tried: Hot Cindy (tuna melt) was delightful and Keflom (smoked salmon) was meh. Love the animal crackers that accompany the coffee drinks, I should have asked for more. The only down side is the limited amount of servers which can make for a bit of a wait for service. Nonetheless, Tryst is a must go. read more

When I moved to Adams Morgan, the first person I told had one question... "Have you been to Tryst?" I should have known then it was sort-of a big deal. This place is always packed, but comfortably crowded. Great scene. Especially if you have the pleasure of being there while they have live music. I'm always a fan of a coffee house/cafe/bar/we have whatever you want to drink type establishment. And the food is pretty good as well. I do believe you can get breakfast here all day and all night. Waffles. Frittatas. Smoothies. And all that jazz. (+) I had the POTATO & BACON FRITTATA. Was pretty good. I wasn't blown away, but it was prepared appropriately. I do really enjoy their HUMMUS w/ the pitas and vegetables. But more than the food or drink, its just a legit space to hangout and talk to a friend, or do some work. (-) No complaints. But I do wish I had a chair w/ my name on it, so I always had a place no matter how busy or crowded they were. Taste: 7.5 Quality: 8.5 Presentation: 8 Service: 9 Cleanliness: 9 Atmosphere: 10 Value $: 10 Comparative: 10 Personal Opinion: 9 Overall: 9 (A-) read more

This place reminds me of the Central Perk in friends - tons of comfy couches and an inviting space. Great to hang out at if you can snag a seat - it is usually filled with people doing work on their computers rather than people trying to eat .... -_____- I've eaten here a couple of times- the food is decent but not really worth it for the price. Today I got the Linda sandwich - spinach, pesto, goat cheese, mozzarella, and avocado and it cost $10! Pretty pricey if you ask me. However, I do love their beverages. read more

Still four stars. They're good at what they do here: coffee, drinks, cafe food -- but above all, mood. This where the communal table is truly communal. But if you're feeling less social, sofas and comfortable chairs beckon. The only challenge is on the weekend when securing a seat is like finding parking downtown: nearly impossible. But serendipity may intervene on a Saturday or Sunday; and, if it does, enjoy! It's some of the best people-watching in D.C. read more

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The food and drinks are alright. The ambience is great. It gets really crowded in the weekend. It's difficult to find a table if you're a group of 4 or more people. It's very very casual. There are sofas as well and books to read. It's pretty loud and hot in there specially when it gets crowded. Nice paintings on the wall. read more

Tryst - Brunch. - Lounges Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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First and foremost, we went to 5 bars looking for mulled wine and zilch...even the flippin wine bar couldn't pay up. Anyhoozies, we soberly wondered over to Tryst. And oh man, we wore Valerie out with our mulled wine refills. She was amazing. She gave us zero sass about our "Beckyb*tchrequests. In fact, she was the best server we had all day...and...we're not the eh...most behaved guests. 10/10 recommend the bar area...outside of the bar area people are "com-puting" and "reading". read more

So here is the deal - I have to update Tryst because now that I have moved away from DC - I find myself dreaming of Tryst. I still stand dissapointed in the no refills and occasionally it is a little too loud to study. Sometimes finding a seat is hard, especially when the Jazz Band takes away a few tables, but all of this is totally worth it - and they still get 5 stars. Why? Well its great food and great drink. It is the best coffeehouse ambience that I have ever seen. Its comfortable and fun and there are a ton of single good looking people. I love tryst because you can come and get work done, listen to live music, meet up with a girl for a date, or even get some digits. This is the all-around ideal coffee shop for a 18-28 year old who is just looking to have a place to chill and enjoy and meet people and be part of a fun vibe. Man I miss Tryst. read more

I work full time and am in school full time, so a lot of the time I have no time. When I do have time I'm usually too tired to do anything really cool with it, but what if I can do something cool while still using the time that I'm in school? Hello Tryst, you my only friend. Actually that's not true I have tons of those but Tryst really is awesome because I head there right after work, do reading, write a paper, spread my scholastic crap all over a table, and get work done while having a nice large cup of coffee that comes with two animal crackers. ANIMAL CRACKERS ZOMG!!111 I used to go to Tryst all the time many years ago, but moved out of the city and hadn't been back very much in recent years. This is a shame because Monday through Wednesday they have free live jazz. Yes, that's right, free live jazz. So recently I've been going back there and it's been like I used to remember. So if I time it right, I can go to Tryst, do a few hours of schoolwork while finishing my coffee, and then at 8 pm I shut down schoolwork and open up to my desires for booze and order a few Allagash Whites. Sometimes I sit at a table, sometimes a couch.. which brings me to another point.. there are seating options for the moments I want to be productive and sit in a firm chair, and options for the moments I want to sink into a couch that has cushions that have been beaten in more than a sweatshop worker. I can have the best of both worlds!!! The food is always quality there, last night I ordered the George, a grilled white cheddar cheese w/ tomato and had ham added to it, and it was glorious. It was on sourdough and it fulfilled my ravaging hunger that I had developed from reading Strategies in Enterprise Architecture. Yes, reading dry IT executive material will cause a man to go mad with hunger, and thankfully Tryst had the answer to quench my insatiable rip a phone book in half appetite. I will say this though, life is about having tempered expectations, and having a keen sense of reality. There aren't many servers there, and each customer there is usually their own check, so sometimes service can be a bit slow. When it comes to beer, this can be no problem at all if you order when your glass is half empty, because then your next beer will arrive when your current one is finished. Also the servers tend to be very nice and accommodating if you have patience. Last night I was there and heard this guy and girl complaining about service but I wouldn't exactly trust them as the girl sat so stiff on a couch that I was confused if she was there for an interview with a billion dollar private equity firm or there to have a drink. Last night when checking out the server actually apologized for the speed of service, which I thought was fine, because whenever I looked for her, made eye contact and smiled, she made her way to me as soon as she could. Not immediately, as soon as she could. I'm not some jerkoff who expects her to tell everybody to piss off and sprint towards me, jumping over tables and pushing chairs out of the way just so she can get lil ol me my drink. That would be kind of rude wouldn't it? If you think not, then don't go here. If you're whiny, impatient, and just an overall jerk, avoid this place, because you're probably going to be unhappy and I also don't want to hear your whining if you sit in my general vicinity. If you're someone that likes a good atmosphere in a place where your couch neighbors are polite, where people are just generally nice, and you need to read/study/or maybe catch up with an old friend.. then this place is the place for you. The live jazz, the giant cups of coffee, the good sandwiches, and the live jazz all with your choice of seating make this spot one of my favorite in DC. read more

Given some reviews, I always walk in with the expectation of bad service and find myself somewhat pleasantly surprised. It can take forever to flag down a server, but last night I had a friendly waitress who was there when I needed her. Slow to bring out the food and drinks, of course, but when you're sitting at a coffee shop zoning out with your book or laptop, what's the rush? Some pluses: -The masala chai comes in a little teapot to keep warm. Not the best chai I've had, but it'll do. -The bacon and artichoke dip was a bigger serving than I expected, and pretty reasonably priced (compared to other things you can get). Some minuses: -In China, cafes have outlets in the table. At Tryst, there were no visible outlets I could see, not in the places I'd like to sit anyway. I'm afraid I'm not well off enough to get a macbook with hours of battery power to last in Tryst. -Kind of dark. -I was really happy sitting at Tryst early Monday evening with a book. However, at around 7:30 pm the music got noticeably louder and it started to turn into a hangout spot. Not a place I could concentrate on a book. So I left. I think that Tryst is what it is; not an amazing coffee shop or restaurant but something that'll do in a pinch when you're in Adams Morgan and need some down time. I'm sure I'll be back though. read more

Confession: this place is very aptly named. Tryst has good sandwiches, good beer, free wifi, board games, mismatched tables/chairs/comfy sofas, and all the books your heart could desire to browse. But service can be slow and it can be hard to find a free seat which is why I knocked off one star (but really, what can do you do if lots of people happen to like going there all at the same time?) Also, they play good music which is so important when you're trying to impress a date. Bring a girl here, drink some beers, share an appetizer, people-watch, play some scrabble, and you will win her heart. read more

This review is for late-night only My hubby and I have frequented Tryst after dinner and drinks several times. It's a great place to unwind after a long night and enjoy good drinks. They have a coffee cocktail that is to DIE for. I can't remember the name- because I've usually already had a few drinks by then- but it has espresso in in and comes chilled in a martini glass with a little bit of chocolate shavings on top- divine! We also usually get a desert or pastry while there. I think they have pretty solid recipes as everything I've had from the bakery has been delicious. I'd love to try them out of lunch or brunch one of these days but it's hard to imagine myself stumbling into Adam's Morgan during the day...It's like seeing the guy you made out with at the bar in the day- depressing and gross. read more

I love the idea of Tryst...a coffee bar with snacks, alcholic beverages, comfy couches, somewhere where you can go and hang out for hours. I don't get the hype around this place. The food is terrible and the drinks are suboptimal. I got a cider with rum and is was undrinkable. I was starving so I got a snack before we headed elsewhere for dinner. I ordered hummus and pita but I got STALE chips, old veggies, and bland hummus. This wasn't edible either. The strangest thing was the patrons. I went at 630ish on a Friday and everyone was faux working! Faux working is the epidemic of pretending to work on your MacBook in a public place while actually stalking ppl on Facebook in attempts to prove to everyone you are super important and intellectual. It felt like everyone was trying way too hard. read more

Sucha a great coffee house in Adams Morgan. I never knew this even existed. A huge selection of the regular favories and n interesting. Twist on otjer. There's even a bar so alcohol can be added to give an exyra boost to any drink choice. They also jad a larhe selection of choices of snscks and food that are highly recommended to try. Will b coming back for sure read more

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Been to dozens of countries and never able to find a place quite like tryst... it's like your living room really...worn in sofas you can lounge in all day while reading a book or doing some work on your laptop. Good coffee and tea. Food is unfortunately not that great since they don't have a full kitchen... so it's mainly just sandwiches and pastry... the cheese plate is good too. It can unfortunately be crowded, so if you have more than one other person with you, it can be hard getting a place to sit... sometimes it's even too busy for just yourself. The service is also more European (slow, but no pressure to herd people in and out)... so that can be good and bad... basically don't go there if you are on a schedule. Overall though, the place is really comfortable, staff is nice, music is good, other customers are nice and interesting (generally), and it's a good place to hang out if you are sick of being cooped up in your apartment. read more

Really disappointed. This is our 4th or 5th visit and the most disappointing one for sure. We ordered two drinks: pumpkin spice latte and masala chai. Our waiter came to take our order fairly quickly. However, we started seeing people who came after us getting their drinks, so we checked with the bar staff after 30min of waiting. Then our drinks came in about 10min. They brought us the pumpkin spice latte and chai latte. Apparently our waiter first forgot to put in our order and then someone messed up my drink. After another 10min of waiting, my masala chai finally came. The most disappointing part was that my masala chai was watery and lacked flavors. I talked to our waiter to let him know that I'd always liked their masala chai and that was the drink that kept me coming back. Our waiter took my drink and promised to make me another one. Sadly, the second try was not any better. In total, we stayed for about 2 hours - 1 hour of waiting for the right drink, 20min of wondering why my drink was so bad, and then more waiting for the bill. read more

Tryst, a unique hipster coffeehouse is the perfect place to stop by for a cup of joe in the day, grab to bite, and drinks at night! The place is decorated for one to socialize with comfy couches, tables/chairs for you to lounge solo or with friends. It's also the best place to take out your laptop (they got occasional wifi), work/procrastinate, and occasionally people watch as you drink your cappuccino. Tryst has a full menu with sandwiches, quesadillas, salads, flatbreads, and the brunch is to die for (try the Belgian waffle!). If you're also looking for a place for drinks that's not too loud and crazy at night, Tryst is the perfect place for you. It's quite romantic and a great place to bring a date! Pros: -You can visit Tryst any time of the day. Whether you need coffee, dessert, lunch, drinks, or a place to chill Tryst is so worth visiting if you're in Adams Morgan. -Awesome atmosphere (comfy couches, great background music, romantic, candle-lit at night) -Fabulous service -Reasonable prices -Clean bathrooms -Good food & a fair selection of drinks Cons: -Gets packed on the weekends or when the weather is super nice -Wifi is not always on! (Mon- Thurs all day, Friday until 9pm and no wifi on weekends. according to website) -It's a bit of a walk from the metro. The closest station is Woodley Park/Zoo/Adams Morgan stop.. read more

I come here all the time and really enjoy it, but there are a few things that aren't the greatest: - The macarons are probably from the frozen section of Trader Joe's. Don't waste $ on them. I was pissed. - Hardly any gluten free options - Service is super slow However, the atmosphere is great, there's always new artwork on the walls, and the blackberry spinach salad is awesome. read more

This place is amazing. You meet someone for a drink? Need a coffee spot to bring the laptop and do some studying? Just want to go somewhere and awkwardly people watch in your own little corner? Well friends, the Tryst is the spot for you. This place has one of the best Chai lattes around. And if you want a snack, I recommend the jalapeno cornbread waffle w/ motha effing honey butter, son! Just know that when you get there it's every man for himself when trying to get a couch. I've seen a girl roundhouse kick a dude's head right off over one of the lazy boys in there. ...ok, maybe that didn't happen, but, still, you gotta be on your game if want a good seat in there. read more

If you want to sit, you have to get table service. My latte was delicious and smooth, not at all bitter. The vegan banana muffin was really fluffy and moist. read more

Tryst - Seating area on a Saturday - Lounges Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I read more now because of this place - it's that inviting, especially at night. Great coffee and desserts and a cool place to spend a few hours. And they don't mind if I take off my shoes and go socks only, so 5 stars. read more

Tryst to me is the love child of Starbucks and Busboys & Poets. I went in today for the first time (on my first-ever DC trip). First thing I saw was how packed the place was. The other thing I saw was how there were SO many couches, which reminded me of the setting at Busboys & Poets. I was digging the atmosphere, a little hip and chic. My friend totally diggs Tryst and went for the caramel latte, which cutely enough comes with animal crackers. I went for, get this, sake bloody mary. It was interesting, as you can definitely tell the difference between this one and regular vodka bloody marys. As cute as Tryst is, here are some knocks. First, the service, very friendly but could've be better. I'm not going to hold their feet to the fire with this one because the place was packed, and we had to go so we ended up going to one of the servers who was by the credit card station to pay our bill. The other knock was that their WiFi wasn't working, which was frustrating because we needed to look something up. Last knock, the place seems like a popular spot so be prepared to wait for a table/couch. Other than that, I'd still go back to Tryst. read more

free wifi! great atmosphere for work or relaxation. Sometimes there is live music too. the tryst cocktails are all delicious, ranging from the irish coffee or hot toddy, to the infused vodkas made in house. the staff is friendly and helpful. They give you animal crackers. They dont ask you to leave or give up your spot. What more could you ask? read more

To start, the name is cool. Tell your friends, "I'm going to tryst tonight," and they'll think you're awesome. Vegan chocolate tort is to-die-for. Cool, rich-feeling environment that reminds me of late night coffee/desert places in NYC. Some (weird) people prefer their alcohol hot, so if you or someone you know is one of those people, try Tryst. read more

I've been to DC twice and visited Tryst both times. This coffee shop/cafe/bar has the best atmosphere and ambience I've ever experienced. There are comfy sofas, little tables, or huge tables. Take your pick. I've only had one drink while there: a 1554 (New Belgium?) coffee brew ale. It was kind of life changing. The ale was very dark, so I expected something heavy and strong. Instead, it went down so smooth, was only a tad bitter, and had a nice hint of coffee. Made my night. read more

I walked in and was seated. It took 15 minutes for a server to give me a menu and a water. I waited another 15 minutes and no one came to take my order , so I left . I waited there for 30 minutes and no one took my order . The black sofa I was sitting on was really uncomfortable, it made my back hurt read more

Decided to stop by here for a bite to eat. It's known as a coffee place but they have excellent cocktails. I had a really good Bees Knees and a Rosemary Collins at a good happy hour price. Their food menu however is not that exciting. They have sandwiches, pastries, brunch items not no actual entrees. I had a flatbread with oranges, prosciutto, arugula, and goat cheese. There was nothing really wrong with it but it wasn't amazing either. They do have table service, but the service was so slow and it was hard to get the waitress' attention. Maybe the service is better at the small bar in the back but hen I got there all seats were taken. They do have wifi, so this is a good place if you need to get work done. But it was hardly the transcendent wow dining experience I'm always looking for. read more

Tryst - Bees Kneez cocktail! - Lounges Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great sandwiches, great atmosphere, great chai blended mocha drinks. And the staff is awesome. Thank you, and that is all. read more

I was a little wary of trying this place when I found out they were affiliated with Open City Diner, where I had a completely non-stellar experience, but Tryst is in a class all its own. My intention in going here was to get some work done, which I did, but no thanks to the loud and energetic atmosphere. All the same, I loved this place. It sort of took me back to my old college days when I would go to the library with friends under the pretext of studying, only to end up socializing instead. I scored a couch, so the seating was very comfortable. I also enjoyed the renown chai tea with animal crackers, though the chai was not the best I've had. I also had the Rosa sandwich, which was pretty tasty since I love foccacia and brie. I also had a belgian waffle with nutella, which tasted just as you would expect. I was also fortunate to be there on a live jazz night. It definitely provided a nice vibe in the place, and I found it easier to concentrate on my work during the band set than I had when the loud alternative music was playing overhead. I only have two complaints: 1) the service was slow and I had to fetch my server to place my second order and to get the check, and 2) you have to be seated near the walls in order to access the electrical outlets to plug in your computer, which sucks if you lack battery power and can't get a seat there. All the same, I'll definitely be back. Maybe next time for play rather than work. read more

When I remember law school, I remember the terrible decision that my friends and I faced on a weekendly basis: Study or party? We all, of course, tried to do both (and do both hard), but there were times when we needed to just buckle down and make outlines. When it realllly came down to the wire, this had to be done at home or in the library. But in the interim, my friends and I played a little game known as "doing work at coffee shops"--espeicially Tryst. We'd come here, have coffee, eat some cookies, gossip and B.S., all while sitting behind our laptops with books open, pretending to be doing work. If we did a little bit, we'd alleviate our guilt just enough. The coffee at Tryst is good, the couches are comfy (if you can score one), and the sweets and sandwiches are delicious. Be on the lookout for procrastinating law students. They're usually a lot of fun. read more

Stopped in here for some after-sakuramen drinks on a weekend night. Although their pastries and waffle selection looked super tempting, we were way too full for sweets. After scouting the place for some seats, we got lucky after a few minutes and found a cozy spot on a couch. It took us a little while to track a server down, but once we did, he was good about coming by to check on us frequently without hovering. I got the masala chai, which was perfect for the cold night - steamed milk, spices and honey came served in an adorable steel teapot. Most exciting were the animal crackers that came served on the side and went perfectly with my chai! The amount of chai in the teapot came out to about two mugfuls, which was perfect for me. Our server was kind enough to also bring me extra animal crackers! My husband got the tryst hot toddy, which came served ready for him to mix himself, which he appreciated, since he could make his first glass quite strong! As others have said, it's quite a mixed crowd, but we liked that. It was busy but never crazy enough that people who came in couldn't find places to sit. Saw lots of folks reading or doing work while other groups chatted. Cool vibe and love that you can get coffee, drinks and food all in the same place. Would love to come back for the waffles! read more

Went here for dessert only - very glad we did! I love the easy going service. Just seat yourself! A waitress was immediately there to clear the table and check from the last customer and get us water and a menu right away. Impressive! as they were somewhat busy. We got the raspberry ricotta cheese cake. LOVE IT! i havent had a ricotta cheesecake in quite a while. Wish more places made ricotta cheesecake! I also got the ginger spice latte (i think). It was awesome! vey flavorful, not too sweet and perfect foam. My wife got a typical chamomile. no idea what they did to that chamomile but that was some bomb-diggity chamomile tea! Loved the ambience, the quick service and the awesome ricotta cheesecake. read more

Love the vibe but so does everyone else so it gets pretty crowded. I got a dirty chai and a lemon chamomile ice box pie and both were delicious. The dirty chai came in a massive mug with a good amount of froth and wasn't too sweet like many other places I've been to. The pie was light and refreshing and also not too sweet. My friend got one of the sandwiches and the portion was fairly big. Server was friendly and checked on us every so often to make sure everything was good. Probably one of my favorite cafes in DC! read more

Tryst - Dirty chair and lemon chamomile ice box pie - Lounges Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Excellent, one of the best coffee shop/bar combinations in the country. It's not perfect. The table service really slows the place down. The wait staff have too many patrons and move too slowly sometimes. It's impossible to get in and get out if you just want to read the newspaper before work. The coffee is just OK, and the food's just a little better than that. The beers and mixed drinks are good, but not great. But Tryst is about the comfortable atmosphere. There are several comfortable couches and chairs to sit and read at. There's also free wireless. Tryst aims to be a hangout place, and it's perfect at that. read more

A coffeehouse, bar, and restaurant that is great during the week, but avoidable on the weekends. I love Tryst during the week. Great music is always playing, service is prompt, and the food/beverage of my choice is always made correctly. It's a great place to hang out. On the weekends, however, Tryst is a different animal. During the day, the Mac-wielding denziens of DC invade Tryst and campout for hours on end. I really feel sorry for the waitstaff, bringing water to these people over and over and over again, and probably getting a measly tip out of it. Basically, any attempt to get a table here after 10am is an attempt in vain. Night on the weekends is hit or miss, it can be incredibly crowded and nearly impossible to find a seat or fairly relaxed. The main reason I stay away from here on weekend nights is the general idiocy going on outside and all the way down 18th. Overall, Tryst is a great place to hang out and relax, if it's a weekday. read more

Tryst is the living room I don't have. The chairs are somehow similar to those in my Grandmother's spare bedroom: same sagging midsection, same dingy velvet sheen, arranged around short, long tables just wide enough to hold your sandwich, water, and a big cup of coffee. I am always alarmed that the waiters/waitresses are able to keep up with the ebb and flow of customers. How often have I switched seats, has my party grown and then shrunk, and still they manage to get the correct bill to me in a reasonable amount of time? Remarkably often. There are occasionaly lapses: when it's particularly busy (it can get really, really busy, as if the caffeine from the coffee has seeped into the street and people find themselves full of energy, wandering into Tryst in small herds, jockeying for tables and yelling across the room) or if the server is uninitiated. I have been known to stay in Tryst for hours on end, writing e-mails, doing homework, reading novels. The waiters don't bother you unless you want to be bothered. The food is good. Nothing to write home about, but reliable and decent. I particularly like the Portia sandwich (I think that's the name: fig and prosciutto on a ficelle) and the Cuban Coffee, which is really excellent. Their large lattes (and they are LARGE lattes) and mochas are ok, better than Starbucks for sure, but not comparable to, say, Illy. But they are presented in large ceramic mugs in beautiful clear springtime colors, adorned with animal crackers and little paper napkins. The presentation actually makes them taste better, I think. The desserts are nice. Strawberry cheesecake is always a winner. Alcohol is served after 9 PM on weekends, and the vibe is very comfortable and loungy, a little more upscale than normal. Sometimes (Thursdays?) there is a live (jazz?) band, which is very, very loud if you are sitting close. Be warned. I think the best time to go is early in the morning, on a Sunday, with a newspaper. Before the college kids wake up with headaches from their previous nights of debauchery and hit Tryst and the Diner for some grub, families with small children and dogs visit Tryst and make it all feel very wholesome and warm and fuzzy. The children squeal and giggle and dunk their animal cookies while the parents lounge with their java and enjoy some adult conversation. It's pleasant and friendly and the service is much better than at other times of the week. read more

Fantastic place! I love how the lights dim low when the night begins to settle, light chatter buzzing through the air, tables and chairs every which way making you right on top of your neighbor. It is romantic, if your idea of romantic is curling up with a good book or laptop. Tryst's ambiance is what grabbed my attention and their food only continued the hold. Good sized portions--big enough to make me a bit stuffed, but not so much that I was in pain. Decent and interesting cocktail list, however the tea list is a bit sparse. The spinach and shallot quiche was tasty. It reminded me more homemade than store bought, and I loved that. Rather than a premade mini-pie it is a single slice about the size of my palm accompanied with either fruit or a salad. Each bite was filled its two main ingredients which is a nice change from the mostly egg and a couple bits of spinach quiches I have grown accustomed. I don't know if it is every night, but at least every Monday there is a small band playing in the back that transports me back to my college coffee shop/restaurant. All around lovely place to sit and relax with friends: real or fiction. read more

I've been here a half dozen times, but I think today was the last. My waiter recommended the spinach frittata. Huge mistake. The frittata tasted old, and it came out totally burnt on top. I had to pick the whole top off, then I was grossed out by the taste of the rest of it. My breakfast also came with a side of "fresh fruit", which was not true. Some of the fruit was waaay past it, disgusting really. I was pretty annoyed with the sub par quality of the food, which actually made me nauseous. The waiter was very nice though, and they comped my food, which was the right thing to do. Now I'll take my stomach ache for a walk and find breakfast someplace else. read more