Rendezvous In Central Square

This place is great but!!! Permanently closed!!! Don’t go. Lights off, everything shutdown.
Scott the bartender was amazing. Hope we will find him somewhere else.

I went on «tapas» Monday night, so the bar was packed, but these guys were the best! They served us drinks while we waited on the benches to the side of the bar and the chef even brought us out a free appetizer, because they felt so bad about making us wait. Seriously would come here again just because you can really tell they care about their customers.
Finally did take a seat at the bar and it was great! Bartender was super friendly and recommended a fabulous bottle of white burgundy. Wine prices were very reasonable, so we were able to get a better bottle for a decent price. We ended up ordering appetizers off the main menu and tapas. All of the dishes were spectacular and I was stuffed to the brim by the time I left!
Atmosphere is cozy, warm and inviting. Definitely recommend for those in the area!

A bit of an odd experience: I ordered a 3-​way duck, which meant a roast duck sample, about 5 large slices of medium rare duck (almost done steak style), and the duck sausage. I always like to get stuff I wouldn’t normally cook at home, but this time around I was all ‘ducked’ out, Plus I felt a bit funny after eating here. I wouldn’t really recommend a duck done medium rare.
Value-​wise, on the weak side.
The paintings on the wall were interesting — I believe maybe a local photographer who’d taken pictures of ordinary life around the world?

I have now been here a few times and always sat at the bar. The bartenders are knowledgeable about the food and drinks, and always have good suggestions.
I usually get the Mamie Taylor, their take on a dark-​and-​stormy, with their homemade ginger beer and scotch. It’s delicious!
Everything I’ve eaten here has been great! The charcuterie assortment and awesome, as is the cheese plate.
The atmosphere is relaxing, yet fun. I always feel very comfortable here. It’s a great place to come to for a drink, a bite or a meal!

Three and a half?
I like Rendezvous. I like the room and I love the bar. I take myself out to a medium-​fancy dinner here every few months and have never had a bad experience. The service is attentive and nice. The menu is nicely curated and they use high quality ingredients.
But their meat is always ALWAYS underseasoned. In particular, I’ve had two perfectly cooked steaks here that coulda been contendahs with just the addition of some dang salt. Ditto the pork roast. It’s so frustrating. A beaufiful, tender, medium rare steak that I can ALMOST taste? What are you doing to me??? And I’m not talking «this is not quite salty enough for me», I mean something more along the lines of «I think they forgot to salt this meat altogether. Again.»
Um. Their side salads are really good? Actually they are a delight. In a world full of overdressed mesclun and out-​of-​season beefsteak tomatoes, Rendezvous is a salad of fresh… salad.
Drinks are good, although for some reason they serve rocks cocktails in these tall glasses that wind up leaving most of the drink lukewarm? But super tasty regardless.
Basically, Rendezvous is a nice place. You will be treated well and your meal will be pleasant. But I feel like there are some easy tweaks in execution that could make it a destination.

Rendezvous is criminally underrated — nice enough for a special meal out, but also accessible for a casual dinner. I can’t say enough good things about the food, the drinks, and the service.
The dining room is indeed a far cry from its past as a Burger King, comfortable and spacious enough for a large group. The bar area is fantastic and where I choose to post up. Not only is there plenty of elbow room between chairs, but good conversation with friendly bartenders, and of course, the Monday night tapas menu. One of the best deals in town, Rendezvous offers a sizable offering of small plates averaging around $ 7 each. Of course, their commitment to responsible sourcing and local availability means the menu is changing frequently, but do not miss the mini cassoulet, the grilled sardines, or the lobster fritters if you see them listed.
While it’s tempting to fill up on savory courses (or the excellent cheese plate), the desserts at Rendezvous are not to be missed. The most well known is the lemon-​buttermilk pudding, though the crostata with the seasonal fruit, caramel, and ice cream is outstanding in winter, summer, spring and fall. It’s the one dish I don’t ever want to split.
Share some dishes, sip a few glasses of wine or a couple cocktails (the bartender has always been happy to make something off menu on request), and you’ll shake those Monday blues in no time.

This review is solely for the bar area:
We strolled in here after 10:30, not knowing the place closed at 11. We were seated at the bar quickly, and ordered drinks. They were delicious, and the bartender was really excellent. Watching him craft drinks was definitely a plus. The old-​fashioneds he made me were on point. The bar is two-​leveled, and very roomy, so no one is sitting on top of another. It is definitely not that type of place.
We couldn’t order food (the kitchen had closed), but the bartender brought out this chips/​pita things that were great. Very friendly. They even let us stay after 11 so we weren’t rushed.
Great service, atmosphere, and experience. I will definitely be coming back for food when in the area. Again, this review is just for the drinks/​bar area.

I’ve enjoyed going to Rendezvous and sitting at the bar — especially on Mondays when they have after work tapas. The bartenders are excellent and friendly. The food is spot on and they have some interesting drink options — I have gotten some great cocktails here.
I have yet to dine at a table for dinner, but can definitely recommend a trip to the bar. This bar — the actual bar itself– is one of my favorite — it is so roomy. You have space for all your drinks/​food. I like the 2 level action. Props to Rendezvous for thinking through the space and doing a great job with it.

My friends and I came here for a dinner on NYE, expecting an amazing dinner to take us into the new year. Negative on that. There are far too many other restaurant options in the city to settle for mediocre and overpriced.
I had the crab cakes and the lasagna — crab cakes were fart too salty, but the lasagna was great. My friends had oysters and steaks and all enjoyed it. Even so, I don’t think this place will become a favorite anytime soon. While the ambiance is cozy and inviting, allowing for conversation and a somewhat intimate setting, the food wasn’t anything special.
Now, onto the worse part. CHEAT ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU. CHEAT ME ONCE, SHAME ON YOU AGAIN AND I’M NEVER COMING BACK. As I looked over our bill, I found that our waiter put 8 desserts and a tea on our bill that we hadn’t ordered. When I called it out, he went to fix it. Only to come back with a bill with maybe 3 desserts we hadn’t ordered. I mean, maybe it was a computer error, but I still don’t appreciate being billed for a ton of food we hadn’t ordered. And having to call it out TWICE. I’m not sure if the waiter was trying to pull one over on us with a fluffed up bill, but he definitely wasn’t the best, so I wouldn’t be surprised. «You guys aren’t splitting the bill all equally? Alright, who’s the cheapskate?» I’d laugh. Maybe if he hadn’t tried to overcharge us. TWICE: T.
For the price tag vs. quality of service and food… I don’t think I’m going to be Rendezvous-​ing again anytime soon. I left with an overly salty taste in my mouth from the crab cakes and a bad taste in my mouth from the service…

The waiter recommended the vegetable antipasto and squid appetizers, which were both great. They actually had a mocktail on their drinks menu, with rosehips and cardamom, which I enjoyed and appreciated, as a non-​drinker. They serve Iggy’s bread, which was of course delicious. We also had the yellowfin tuna crudo with pickled lemon. Crazy good. It has bread crumbs on it which is a kind of odd choice, but texturally it’s brilliant.
The waitstaff were clearly well informed about the food. They were also cute hipster boys, which I can appreciate. The price in the end was definitely a classy restaurant price, but I think it was basically on target.

I’ve unknowingly passed this place so many times over the years, never realizing its proximity to other more obvious dining options for the locale in Central Square. It took a catch up date with a friend I hadn’t seen in over two years to get me to try Rendezvous.
There is a nondescript waiting area behind the host table, which I hung out at until my friend arrived. The hostess offered to hang our jackets, which was a nice gesture, despite the coat rack being next to the kitchen /​bathroom doors.
We followed the hostess to our spot and sat comfortably at a well-​lit table. Neither of us chose drinks that evening (unfortunately, as their wine list is rather extensive), but we did indulge in appetizers and entrees.
We decided on the house charcuterie and seared scallops with Moroccan spices and salt cod for the apps, and the grilled skirt steak and smoke-​roasted pork tenderloin for our main meals. At this point, I wished I’d ordered a glass (or three) of wine with the meal. Although there were some good flavors in each plate, we discovered that most everything was overly salty and coated with garlic. After the apps, we could only finish half our main dishes, and opted to take it home. We got everything packed In a couple of Chinese take out boxes, which I wasn’t sure was an actual theme for the restaurant.
I don’t think I’ve had such attentive servers at a mid-​scale restaurant. The servers were quite keen on keeping our water glasses full, which was a nice touch as we conversed through the evening.
One odd thing I did notice was that none of them smiled when they brought plates over, refilled our glasses, or brought the check. I suppose the theme is supposed to be neutral — almost underwhelming despite the powerful use of spices in our food.
I’m not certain I’ll return any time soon — while the creativity in the meals is there, the flavoring needs a bit of improvement, as do the servers with showing a smile now and then.

We had a pleasant time. Service was polite (though there was a strange tension in the air).
The collective meal was oysters, halibut, swordfish, and meatballs. I ordered a draft beer (Hoponious).
I started to feel Ill after leaving the restaurant. A few hours later I was tossing cookies. By process of elimination (based on others who were not sick) the cause appeared to be the halibut dish. I had PBJ for lunch, and a bagel for breakfast. It’s the only culprit.
So, two stars for decent service and food that eventually caused me to puke my guts out.

Delicious meaty oysters. Not too salty, slightly sweet.
The grilled octopus with beans is tender and has a delicious char. A slight hint of lemon accents the tentacles nicely.
Braised pork and veal meatballs are dry and lacking any real flavor. The «toasted» Orichetti is toasted to the point of being crispy and hard.
Swordfish is moist and the only real win of the meal.
Excellent cocktails, friendly service.

Rendezvous was my definition of an average experience — not bad, not amazing. The food was good — we had a squid appetizer which was tasty and for appetizers we did the roasted chicken and the summer chowder — both good. The pudding dessert was good, the shortbread berry dessert was not. The shortbread was basically a hard biscuit.
The ambiance at Rendezvous was not what I was expecting. It felt almost chain-​restaurant-​like. Seems like maybe the space used to be one? The service was fine, a little slow but nothing terrible.
I also think it may be a bit overpriced for what it is.

Way over rated and over priced.
Had reservations for 7.15 and did not get seated till 7.45. The seat was wet with a towel on it and they apologized. But really, they couldn’t find another table?
The portions are small and tasted very bland.

Another great evening at Rendezvous with delicious salads, soft shell crabs, a chilled bottle of Vouvray, and a professional staff. We asked for olive oil to be served with our bread and it was pure olive oil joy. Rich and strong. A fresh strawberry shortcake sprinkled with a tiny bit of chopped mint finished things off. (If you are dairy free, you can get yours without the whipped cream.) As always, the place was filled with happy diners, including folks eating at the bar.
If you have not been to Rendezvous before or have not been in a while, time to bump it up the list. And of course, wandering around Central Square at night is always extremely entertaining.

Before eating at Rendezvous, I wondered why it received only 3.5 stars.
I just finished a nice meal at Rendezvous with my mother-​in-​law and although it was not a bad experience I understand exactly why this place gets such low ratings.
The food was good. Service was less than ideal and would be the only potentially negative aspect of the experience.
I had a salad with cheddar cheese, cranberries and walnuts which was cool and refreshing. My mother-​in-​law had the lamb ribs appetizer, which were absolutely delicious!
For the main course, I had the moroccan-​spiced chicken, mostly deboned in a nice lightly spiced sauce served with an assortment of vegetables and my mother in law had the grilled Skate wing which she found incredibly flavorful.
Desert was Cherry Tarte with Vanilla Ice Cream for me and the Molten Chocolate Cake for her. Both good.
Our waitress seemed as though she was less than enthused to be at work. We were both a bit indecisive in our main course meal and she kept swarming around to take our order, having never greeted us or told us her name.
When we were finally ready to order we asked if she had any recommendations on food, she replied «No, it’s all good» curtly and then stared back at us as if her input had helped us make a decision. Her entire attitude was so lackluster. We didn’t see her again until the end of the meal when she came to bring us dessert and hurriedly walked away requiring my mother in law to yell after her for an after dinner drink. She demonstrated a total disinterest in serving us and did not even thank us for our dining when we paid for the bill. I don’t know if she was having a bad day, but I get the impression that she is just had a «I couldn’t care less» attitude.
I think this sums up why Rendezvous receives such mediocre to average reviews. In a city bustling with restaurants of high quality food, with a waitstaff enthusiastic about the very food they are serving, Rendezvous seems to radiate an ambiance of indifference.
Nothing is particularly wrong with the place, but nothing is particularly great. It is literally just average at best, and given that the prices are the same as other top notch and high quality restaurants in the area, there is really no incentive to return.

To celebrate a friend’s birthday, we decided to go to Rendezvous. This was my third time but my friend’s first, and all around it was a great experience.
The wait staff was incredibly attentive even before we arrived at the restaurant: I had left a note in my Open Table reservation asking about birthday desserts, and in the call to confirm, the hostess gave me details that helped to surprise the birthday guest. At the restaurant we were seated promptly and the staff was courteous and professional.
I had the steak frites, while the others had the swiss chard dolmas and cod dishes. They each had their own rich and distinct flavor, but I’m biased and have to say the steak frites was particularly delicious and well executed — to the extent that my fiancé finished his seafood and then tried to eat half my dish!
We surprised my friend with the warm chocolate cake as a birthday dessert, which we all ended up sharing. It was moist, warm (of course), but not too rich.
All in all, it was a great time and I would definitely recommend it for any special occasion or a hang out with friends.

Food good but too bad the customer service sucked so bad!
We had a planned party there months in advance, but when we arrived, our table wasn’t ready and we had to wait 25 – 30 minutes to be seated. The tables were supposed to be located by each other but because they didn’t plan properly, we were separated. The owner was incredibly rude about it and was complete unapologetic. He actually was having an argument with the guest of honor, I was appalled and annoyed. From from reading other reviews this isn’t the first time people have received such poor customer service. Its a shame because I actually enjoyed the meal and the waiter service was great.
Do yourself a favor and look at the filtered reviews on this place before making a decision to go here.

Rendezvous is a lovely restaurant, with gracious service and a warm, inviting décor, but the menu reads (and tastes) a little bit stale. Dinner for five the other night was executed flawlessly in terms of timing and attentiveness, but the actual food that hit the table was underwhelming.
Between the five of us, we managed to try numerous dishes, none of which impressed all that much. The best among them was probably the Gascon-​style duck served three ways, but it was quite an ugly dish, and the flavors could have used a little more finesse. I had potato gnocchi to start, which were a tad too doughy, and roast chicken atop a bed of butternut squash, brussel sprouts, and apples that was utterly bland. Dessert, a pear crostada with caramel almond ice cream, was better, but ultimately unmemorable.
I should mention that I went for a Valentine’s Day dinner, and the menu was not altered in the slightest for the event. In fact, Rendezvous appears to have had the same menu for what feels like forever. To me that signifies a lack of creativity on the part of the chef, or perhaps the manager, which then in turn shows on the plate.