Tempo offers downtown quality and atmosphere in a convenient suburban location on Waltham's "Restaurant Row". The menu features a wide variety of fresh seafood, great cuts of meat, chicken, duck, and truly has something for everyone. Tempo is excellent for a date, great for groups, and the bar is a perfect place for singles and people watching. The cuisine rivals higher-priced alternatives and the staff is welcoming and eager to please. The bar offers the largest selection around and the wine list just received a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Tempo is sure to please.
"I would recommend Tempo - the food is very good, atmosphere is lively and service was impeccable. It was a little pricey, but it is so good, it might not deter you!"
Dined on 5/10/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, notable wine list, neighborhood gem
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"Food is always good and service attentive. Some good buys on the wine list will hold the overall check to a reasonable level. Very noisy so not the place for an intimate quiet dinner."
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, vibrant bar scene, notable wine list
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"Seating was prompt, we were actually there early and only waited about 10 minutes The food was consistantly good across the board (as it usually is) but the services was REALLY lacking and brought the whole experience down.
Slow, unattentive, the salads came out before the apps... they seemed generally disorganized that night"
Dined on 5/11/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"I went on Saturday nght, with my niece for Mothers Day. The Staler Chicken was made in soy sauce which is very strange and it has guten in the preparation. soy isn't good for people and reports show that is causes cancer. it should be plain and grass feed chicken. the salad was okay, not much lettuce, need a choice of dressings. the steaks looked good though. I had the seafood stew, and the broth wasn't that good, needed more tomatoe, kinda strange. no calamari in it also. give that dish a D. I have been there before and give it a B overall. Need some improvement if you want to compete with those prices.
The waitress was super busy.. but nice. MW"
Dined on 5/11/2013
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"Good food, good service. However, the noise level was off the charts. We arrived at 6:30 and it was already very loud. By 7:30 we had to talk at high decibels to hear the person on the other side of the table! We are not the kind of diners who must have total quiet when dining out; in fact, we enjoy being in a lively atmosphere. In this place, though, they seriously need to look into some noise dampening materials."
Dined on 5/03/2013
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"Sooo loud. But the food was amazing. Service was efficient, professional. Not a huge amount of extra care, but thoughtful, overall. We were there as it was emptying out, still eating our dinner but annoyed at the shouts from the bar. There were a few games on TV and some guys were yelling through the windows to friends out on the street. That should have been stopped immediately but it went on for a bit. Our drinks were mild, not sure if the bar goes light on table orders. Still, the food is the thing here-- as is the vibe. Too bad it gets so very loud. Maybe there could be some acoustical improvements to deaden the reverb through the restaurant?"
Dined on 04/24/2013
2007
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, hot spot
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"Enjoyed our night out to Tempo! The food was great-all of us order seafood and each dish was delicious! In particular, enjoyed the swordfish chop and tuna special. Our reservations were for 6:30. The restaurant was packed by the end of our meal and very loud but it didn't interfere with our enjoyment of the night. In light of the recent tragedy on our city and the surrounding towns, it was nice to be out having a good time and getting "back to normal"."
Dined on 04/20/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"We have been going to Tempo off and on for many years. Every time has been a dining delight with wonderful fresh ingredients cooked creatively and to perfection. The wait staff is professional and extremely knowledgeable about the food and drink. In fact there are two waiters who have been there since our first visit. The consistency over the years is what makes us think of Tempo when the urge to go out to eat hits. It's advisable to make a reservation. Last time we went on a Tuesday evening at 7:30 and our reserved table was the only one empty."
Dined on 04/16/2013
2007
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"We ate at Tempo on a Thursday night. The place was jumping. Next time, we'll think about another night and time that isn't so busy and noisy. Loved the truffle oil french fries appetizer."
Dined on 04/04/2013
2007
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies
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"From appetizers to entrees to dessert, every morsel was fabulous. Each of us was thrilled with our orders, and the appetizers were a hit all around as well.
A sure-fire place to treat someone special to dinner."
Dined on 03/27/2013
2008
Special Features: fit for foodies, notable wine list, special occasion
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"My wife and I decided to go out and eat at the very last minute, and after finding no open tables elsewhere, we were very pleased to be accommodated at Tempo on-line. And what a very pleasant surprise it was. The service was fast and efficient; the food was very good; the drinks list was extensive and the price was most reasonable. We had a lovely time and would definitely recommend Tempo to all our friends."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2008
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"As you walk in you will notice how nice the whole place looked. We were meeting friends there for dinner and we were the first to arrive. We were seated and waited for our friends to arrive. The waitress was very attentive but not intrusive. She was there any time we need something. I was impressed by the beer list. It had some miro beers that I have never heard of. We all decided to split a couple of appetizers. The calimari was excellent. The batter on it was light. People at the table who do not like calimari tasted it and loved it. We also had the steak and cheese appetizer. everyone raved about the sauce it was served with. Everyone love their dinners. I just wished they had served some rolls with the meal. Definiely will go back."
Dined on 03/30/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"Restaurant was conveniently located, and the round table we used was large and well suited for our group. The service was very good. Everyone enjoyed their dinner, and the wine was competitively priced."
Dined on 03/26/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion
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"Tempo is an excellent restaurant. Super tasty food, great service. I asked to replace a dish listed in the restaurant week menu with a special and they did it with no problem. It is our favorite restaurant."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2009
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"for the money, the 2 steaks we were sered were pretty tough/chewey. Not what I expected for a $30 steak. Drinks were good, stuck in a 2 seater table up agains the wall and literally the next table was only about 1 foot away. felt like we were sitting at a table of four but didn't know the couppe beside us. Overall, it's not going to be a place I'm thinking about the next time were deciding to go out to eat."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2012
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"It was restaurant week and that might have contributed to the crowded space, and poor service. I have been here before and had a much more pleasant experience."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2007
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"The food is good and it's one of the few fun places in Waltham, but the service... ugh. We arrived 5 minutes early for an 8:00 reservation for a group of 7. We were seated at 8:15. The waitress dropped off the drinks so fast that we couldn't get our orders in. Finally at 9 we hailed down a busboy to get our waitress. We had to do the same to order dessert. (It was my birthday. I wasn't leaving without dessert.) We left the restaurant at 11. Now, I did have a good time, because of the company, but dinner should not take 3 hours, unless you want it to. Oh, and 20% gratuity was added because we were more than 6. I shudder at the thought of giving 20% for the service we had. I get it - you're busy. Hire more staff."
Dined on 03/22/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies
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"Tempo presented the check with a credit card slip that was $43 higher than the check. They refused to void it or offer any written confirmation of their mistake. They asked me to trust them when they had already demonstrated their incompetence in billing."
Dined on 03/15/2013
2000
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"We had a very fun evening trying the many infused liquors. The berries and habanero infused tequila was so good! Then on for a very yummy dinner! The calamari appetizer was GREAT! So was the salmon and tuna tartar! I also enjoyed the amazing key lime cheesecake at the end!"
Dined on 03/09/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"We have enjoyed Tempo many times. However, with its popularity and being Saturday night, service fell short. From the moment we walked in, the hostess was less than inviting and when we said that we did not want ot sit in the window seats in the bar, she basically dismissed us and someone else handled our request for other seats. Our waiter, who was usually on top of his game, seemed frazzled or just had too many tables. Upon decanting our wine, he failed to pour any into our glasses. 10 minutes transpired until he returned and realized that our glasses were empty. I had put into my reservation that it was my husband's birthday, and I had to remind the waiter 3 times. The food was good, solid food, nothing overwhelming."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2003
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, good for groups, kid-friendly, neighborhood gem, hot spot
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"Fun and upbeat restaurant. Food was good, but not outstanding. Generous portions. Guacamole and chips very good. Would like to try for lunch. Fantastic and knowledgeable waitress."
Dined on 02/23/2013
2004
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, neighborhood gem
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"Not a memorable culinary experience, but decent food not at a fair price, so good value. Noisy and not a place for special occasion. Good service, no complaints there. The best way to capsulize the experience was we kept racking our brains trying to figure out: what WAS the dish that looked so great on the Phantom Gourmet?"
Dined on 02/22/2013
2008
Special Features: vibrant bar scene
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"Service was great and very polite,were aware of everything. Bar scene great with great bar choices hardly seen elsewhere. Food exquisite melted in my mouth. Menu fabulous! A definite keeper one of the few on my list."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, late-night find, neighborhood gem
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"Always have a great meal and great service, every time. One of our favorite places. Only rub is that it can get pretty noisy with the bar so close to the tables."
Dined on 02/15/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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"Great Valentines Day dinner! Were given a booth (which we really appreciated). Very friendly greeting at the door. Oysters on half shell with Prosecco were a perfect start. Great wine, entrees and dessert kept everything at the highest level. Service was superb."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion
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"Food and service both quite good. Attractive decor but little to absorb sound, so conversation was a bit of a challenge the night we were there. None-the-less, we'd definitely go back!"
Dined on 01/30/2013
2009
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, neighborhood gem
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"Went on a Tuesday night, so not too loud for conversation even tho we sat in round booths near bar. (Bruins game on so some normal, reasonable exuberance from that). $1 oysters were tasty but should have been colder and were served with only cocktail sauce and lemon (not fit for Foodies, sorry). Tuna+salmon tartar was fresh but a bit bland; could have used more lime. Shrimp + courico app was deliciously tasty if oily and unaccompanied. Beer list is well above average. Did not get to wine this time. Good to very good food, service was too fast, especially for a slow night. We were obviously a couple who came to converse, not just dine. Very good for Waltham. Only average for Boston area."
Dined on 02/12/2013
2009
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, neighborhood gem
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"I enjoyed the ambiance - it was cozy with an energetic vibe. I dined here early on a Tuesday evening. It was relatively quiet at first, which was good for chatting with friends. it became more crowded and louder.. but in a good energy way. I would definitely return to try more dishes. The shrimp and scallops were amazing! I went for the 'hot' version, which was delightful. One friend had the white sea bass special, which was light and very tasty! The creme brulee dessert.. tasty and almost too pretty to eat (almost!) Our server was friendly, helpful in offering suggestions. Entrees are a bit pricy, but I don't mind paying for excellent food and service!"
Dined on 02/05/2013
2009
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"The food was terrific! Service on the other hand...not so much. The waiter never checked in with us, refilled our waters, and just generally took forever. It seemed that he couldn't be bothered with our table, as others brought our food out and refilled our bread."
Dined on 02/01/2013
2010
Special Features: fit for foodies
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"We were seated at a tiny table squeezed into the corner. The other gues with me is a large woman who had a very uncomfortable experiece. Our server was great and went through lots of acrobatics to try and provide us good service in the space. The sirloin steak had a lot of fat and grizzle and was not very good."
Dined on 01/31/2013
2008
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"Food is absolutely delicious! They also have a great variety of mixed drinks. The prices are on the expensive side but the food is worth the prices. Great ambiance as well."
Dined on 01/31/2013
2010
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, romantic, special occasion, hot spot
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"As usual, food and service were outstanding. This time, however, there were two very large parties in the house, and even though we were in the back booth we could hardly here each other."
Dined on 01/24/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Brought some business associates from out of state to Tempo. Excellent choice! We loved the food from the tasty appetizers to our well portioned main dishes, all expertly prepared."
Dined on 01/22/2013
2005
Special Features: good for groups, neighborhood gem
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"When we arrived at the restaurant a few minutes before reservation time, our table was ready for us. Within seconds, our waiter introduced himself, allowed us a few minutes to get settled, and came back for our drink order. From beginning to end, our experience was top notch. Service was attentive, but not overbearing; food (lamb, sea bass, scallops, Fisherman's Stew...) all delicious. I would definitely recommend Tempo and will most assuredly return."
Dined on 01/18/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, neighborhood gem
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"Tempo can be noisy, particularly if seated near the bar. But wouldn't you rather go to a busy, noisy restaurant than a dead one with half the tables empty? Our food was top notch, as was the wine (by the glass). Absolutely delicious from salad to dessert. And the service was great. We had a an easy-going and personable waiter who was available but not overbearing."
Dined on 01/19/2013
2009
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, fit for foodies, special occasion
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