Day four of the DC coffee express started with a change in the coffee house location. I had posted earlier that I was going to visit The Royal. I decided that based on a re-evaluation of my options that I would actually hit up Tryst. Full disclaimer - I have been to Tryst before. J-Bird and I have previously visited Tryst on a date night. However, I had not been there during the morning hours for prime time coffee experience and this place comes highly recommended. I do not regret my decision. I will make it over to The Royal soon enough so do not fret. Alright, with that out of the way lets get into the dirty details.
Tryst is located in Adams Morgan off of 18th street NW. It definitely fits in with the eclectic and lively Adams Morgan feel.
Tryst is not just a coffee house. It features a full menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner. On most nights they will have live music and the place turns into a very chill spot to have some adult beverages and late night food. This is a long standing DC institution and you will immediately see and hear local regulars who know the wait staff by name and the wait staff knows their likes and dislikes. That is pretty cool in a big city.
Ambiance
Tryst is easily the best coffee house to date for comfort factor. From the previously mentioned Cheers style neighborhood familiarity to the large couches and lounge chairs scattered around the interior of the coffee house, one could definitely post up in here for long periods of time without nary a complaint. One will find a very artistic feel to the interior. A fair amount of paintings and pictures adorn the walls. There is also a fireplace along the main wall, which I believe is a fully functional fire place. The front of the coffee house is well lit via large open windows while the back of the sitting area was less so. Depending on your mood, you can find a spot that works. This is definitely a good place to enjoy a good book, get some work done, or have an intimate conversation with a lover. There is also an outside seating area for lots of great people watching when the weather allows. This is where I chose to sit and I enjoyed it immensely.
All areas are serviced by the friendly wait staff, which is a nice feature and distinguishes Tryst from other coffee houses I have visited. It also has the advantage of featuring a full service kitchen. The positive with this is that there is no wasting time in lines. You can sit, start working and order your heart's desire. The coffee bar is where you can order a to go cup of java if sitting isn't in your plans. My waitress was very friendly and prompt with my order. She was knowledgeable about the coffee selection and helped me to decide what I ultimately purchased.
There was no music outside on the patio. I heard just a little inside when I first went into the main seating area, but not enough to formulate an opinion on quality. I do recall from my previous visit that at night the music was upbeat, likely to provide vibe for the late-night visitors. My hunch is that Tryst offers a nice music selection based on time of day and day of week. I will have to come back to confirm that hunch.
There is Wi-Fi, but you have to ask for the password. It was reliable and allowed me to get work done.
Ambiance Rating: 5
Coffee
The coffee selection at Tryst is fairly standard. The baristas can make most hot and cold coffee beverages including an assortment of mochas, lattes, espressos, and americanos. Tryst sources its beans from Counter Culture beans which specialized in sustainable, fair trade coffee. All of the coffee selections were reasonably priced compared against other coffee houses I have stepped into this week.
The one thing that Tryst has that I have not been able to find anywhere else is Cuban coffee. I fell in love with Cuban coffee when J-Bird and I went to Miami a couple of years ago. It is a delicious smoky sweet hot beverage that is a must try if you can find a coffee house that makes it. Tryst's Cuban coffee was a little sweeter than I recall the coffee being in Miami, but it was still very good. I also tried an americano at the recommendation of the waitress/barista. It was solid with a slightly less intense flavor profile. It was definitely not as bold as the americano I tried at Compass. Perhaps the espresso of the day just wasn't as strong. However, it is not a bad option. I shelled out $3.25 for the Cuban coffee and $2.75 for the americano. The lack of pour overs and some other fancier coffee options set this back a tick as compared with Compass or The Wydown.
Coffee Rating: 4
Food
LOTS OF FOOD. Tryst separates itself from other coffee houses in this category as they offer a full service kitchen with sandwiches, soups, full entrees, hot breakfast options, and various baked goods. I ordered a Santa Cruz bagel which was toasted and was loaded with basil, oregano, olive oil, spring onions and cream cheese. It was very good. The cost of the bagel was $5.50. This seems a little high for a bagel, but it was loaded with all kinds of tasty ingredients and I am not sure what the going price is for bagels in the city. Tryst also sells adult beverages in the afternoon/evening hours if you become too caffeinated. I am surely at my caffeine limit right now! The food options at Tryst make your experience here more robust than just getting a cup of coffee.
Food Rating: 5
I came away from my experience at Tryst really pleased. There was no deficient aspect of the experience. Good coffee, tons of quality food options, Wi-Fi, outside seating, COMFORTABLE seating on the inside, and full wait staff service. All for a reasonable price. Also, if you stick around long enough you can switch from coffee to wine. Heck, just make a day of it. The Adams Morgan location is just right. The people watching is of a higher level of quality as a result. This is a must visit for anyone that loves coffee and a pleasant dining experience.
Overall Rating: 5
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