Tryst — Restaurant in Arlington

We stopped at Tryst on our way to our evening plans which involved dancing so we we're looking for a place with some fine date night nourishment.

We had some confusion at the beginning of our visit. We were not asked whether or not we would prefer to sit at the bar or further away. We were asked if we wanted to be seated outside since the weather was nice. We selected indoors and were seated at the bar area which had a TV. Not romantic.

Another point of confusion was that we were seated with one outdated menu. My date mentioned that he might like the ragu and as I read the description, my comment was something like "that sounds nice, except I'd ask to omit the feta part"... This is when we realized that the recipe had changed and one of us had an old menu. Our server was well informed of the recent changes and could identify which one to hand back to the hostess. (We were still not entirely confident that our menus were current but it's fun to imagine the dynamic creative process going on in the kitchen.)

I got a seared fish selection from the specials and an aviation. My date got the ragu and a scotch. My date is well informed about what scotch's he likes. They had a wide variety of liquors and our server was well informed about what was there but also solicited advice from the bartender for an ideal pairing.

My dinner was a great idea and was well executed from the kitchen. Everything was nicely plated and tasted fresh. My cocktail was delicious! The food and drink pairing was a good choice and my server pointed that out before anything arrived.

My date's pasta dish was a bit of a disappointment. He said that it was tasty but it could have had more flavor and the portion size was so extremely small, I wonder if that was designed to encourage people to order dessert. We did not have time for a dessert course.

Go here if you want some romantic atmosphere and especially if you like a craft cocktail with a vintage vibe. If your dinner does not involve a Central serving of meat or other protein, you might consider ordering an appetizer or dessert.

Host staff: ⭐💩 Atmosphere and cleanliness ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Bar staff, table server: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Kitchen...

Tryst has become a favorite when attending concerts in Arlington MA. They offer an extensive gluten-free (GF) menu, and a variety of small plate apps and large plate entree meals. The food was prepared perfectly. My gluten-sensitive girlfriend had the chicken cacciatore- tender baked chicken on a bed of large grain rice and sauce prepared with subtle tasty herbs and spices. I had the pork tenderloin schnitzel, two large pounded filets with warm potato salad (debated heavily on selecting the bourbon steak tips). The extraordinary food was just the beginning. Not only did we received excellent service from Matthew M., we were able to meet the gracious owner “Tek” who was actively working the floor. Tek had earlier answered my call for a reservation, and was accommodating when we ran 30 minutes late- making sure we had a table so we could dine and still make our nearby concert. All the staff were team players, helping with running food, bussing tables, and keeping water glasses topped up. I needed a pick me up, and Matthew personally made my espresso! The staff all appeared happy and on mention of Tek to Matthew, he said he wouldn’t want to work anywhere else- Tek is an “awesome boss”! Highly recommended Tryst in Arlington! You won’t be...

Food - amazing! Service - AMAZING: Deanna is THE most proficient, customer-service related and PROFESSIONAL concierge server that I have had anywhere outside of a two or three star Michelin restaurant. She is THE BEST in Cambridge and Boston Metro Area!

The food was presented well and flavors were perfectly matched. Party of six and not a single flaw or request made more than once.

-All cocktails were presented with perfection - and tasted good according to all at the table. -Starters are worth it - the pepper poppers, charred broccoli, guacamole and Caesar salad each had layers of flavors - excellently executed and presented! -Dinner a must! Mushroom tagliatelle and Tagliatelle Bolognese we're amazing! Halibut special was delicious and so was the chicken sandwich! The truffle fries that came with the chicken sandwich were so good, our table ordered a side of them with dinner, as well as another order of charred broccoli on x feta cream sauce. -Dessert - don't leave here without it - mixed berry crem brulee, strawberry shortcake, chocolate mint ice cream and flour-less chocolate cake were each so satisfying!! Not a crumb was...