Restaurant Finder

Tryst Coffeehouse Bar Lounge

Cuisines: Deli/Quick Bites Burgers/Bar Food Neighborhood: Adams Morgan

Based on 12 reviews.

Address	2459 18th St., Washington, DC 20009
Phone	(202) 232-5500
Fax	(202) 232-5508

Rater Comments

These comments express the opinions of individual Restaurant Raters, not those of Washington City Paper.

Review by Feldman12 on February 26, 2009

You might as well go to Busboys and Poets instead. You get more bang for your buck and the ambiance is better. The menu is a bit more creative as well.

Review by wells on March 23, 2005

Review by PaxRyan on August 9, 2004

Down with Starbucks!

Review by buddysorrel on August 6, 2004

It's most fun if you can sit on the cushy furniture but it's usually full so that's generally a let down. And the furniture always seems a little grungy...kinda like the stuff on the lawn in front of a college kid's house. Menu isn't much to write home about. It's just a funky coffee house.

Review by redlefgnid on July 13, 2004

Tryst is an excellent place to sit for hours, reading, writing the great American novel, sketching the attractive stranger on the opposite couch. It is not a great place to go if you have a large group, who would like to be seated together and served in a timely fashion. In fact, you must find your own places on one of the coffee house’s couches or plush chairs, and this can take some aggressive stalking of people who seem to be finishing up their meals.

I always order the “Cecelia”-- a grilled cheese sandwich with sundried tomato spread. It comes with a little pasta salad flecked with pieces of bell pepper--standard sounding, I know, but surprisingly satisfying. In any case, don’t go to Tryst expecting prompt service--it’s pretty hit or miss. But if you have some time to kill and a good book to read, there is no better venue.

Review by Chhunny on July 2, 2004

Great crowd.

Review by even_flow1980 on June 29, 2004

Tryst offers an amazing atmosphere (comfy sofas, great music, and local art) and the best coffee drinks in town. The food is mainly light fare - soups, sandwhiches, appetizers - but the options are really quite diverse. For the money, you get a pretty darn good meal. The wait staff has a reputation of being slow, but I received brilliant service. Besides, they're working their tails off - the place is always hopping!

Review by tracyklein on May 4, 2004

Review by PaxRyan on April 30, 2004

I'm often hesitant to go to Tryst because of the price of little things. (I had a Mixed Fruit Smoothie I today - $3.80! I'd pay less than that for a beer on 18th St.!) I have always found the service to be quite pleasant, however. Contrary to popular reputation, I think the folks there are fun - albeit very busy. And, one of my favorite parts is the art, often changing, adorning the walls. One more favorite part: the indoor/outdoor effect of having a full open window-wall during nice weather - perfect for getting that outdoor feeling with an indoor shade:-)

Review by butterflyjeanne on March 24, 2004

Tryst is a great place. The Audrey sandwich on farmbread with goat cheese is delicious (and they don't mind making substitutes). I only wish that they had a better fan system to really separate smoking. The smoke of a coffeehouse kind of ruins the dining experience.

Review by hellokitty on January 7, 2004

The waiter and waitresses at Tryst have always been pleasant, but it takes too long to get the food out, to get a check, and then to find your server so you can pay and leave. Calling for carry-out at Tryst is the best option during lunch. The over crowdedness of Tryst on a Fri. night is a little nausiating... but it really is a cute spot to relax with a cup of coffee in the morning. The good quality of the food and coffee is the best part about Tryst.

Review by JoanCJ on January 1, 2004

Tryst is a nice little coffeehouse in Adams Morgan where you seat yourself on comfortable couches and relax over a sandwich, newspaper, etc. and have a smoke (yes! Cigar smoking is allowed). The atmosphere is very comfortable anbd casual, reminding me of what you may find in a bookstore/coffehouse. The sandwiches are generously sized, and the mocha martini is fabulous. Try Tryst...you'll come back again and again.

Review by rsand7 on December 10, 2003

Breakfast at Tryst is always a treat - the coffee is top-notch, the food is good (not great), the service is usually good (varies by server at Tryst more than most places. Some servers seem to forget you). The best part is the ambience. You can lounge and read the paper and people watch all day - they don't care and neither should you!