Café Bistro

I went here for dinner last night and it was just o.k. I had the flat iron steak which was cooked just as ordered, the French fries were good but the arugula salad had no flavor at all. I could tell some type of dressing had been put on the greens but it could have been water for all the flavor it had. The white chocolate bread pudding was good but could have used just a bit more raspberry sauce. I will probably return again to try a club sandwich since the pictures of them look so good.

I didn’t think a store in the mall could offer such a great meal (even a Nordstrom) but the food was great. You order at the counter when you walk in and the rest of the meal is full service in the dining room. It was still a quick meal but the food was fresh and tasty and the salads we ordered were decent in size with plenty of shrimp/​salmon. Still, It is pricey for what you get.
This is a place to come when you are at the mall and want a fast but good, light meal and are willing to pay for the convenience and unique experience (it makes you feel slightly fancy not eating in the food court).

Why have I not reviewed the café bistro sooner?! Quite frankly, the idea of walking into a retail store in the mall to eat a meal is weird, but when you work part-​time at at Nordstrom it’s incredibly convenient.
The menu is definitely American, but the fries and sandwiches all have interesting aolis to mix things up from standard. My favorite is the Bistro Club. It has a tasty aoili and green beans for added crunch. You really cannot go wrong with any of the sandwiches. The salads are tasty too. They have fun toppings and interesting flavors that mix it up from your standard cobb or caesar.
The fries are the star of the show here. I’d like to be bold and say some of the best in the city. They are thin, crisp, and have a tasty herb seasoning on them. And the kalamata olive dip for the fries is HEAVENLY. Can’t beat it.
I have never had a bad meal here. The bowls of soups are reasonably priced and can definitely be a meal. Plus the soups are tasty too. Love the turkey chili they have sometimes during the winter. They have weekly specials too which are always super tasty.
The price point is slightly high but I have two insider tips: The kids meal chicken fingers are a bargain. They come with fries, fruit and chicken. You can also always order breakfast. Love the breakfast sandwich + potatoes and fruit.
I know that it’s a weird concept to eat dinner at Nordstrom but once you go and have a glass of wine + your bistro club, you’ll definitely change your mind!

Salad Nicoise with Salmon! I’ve ordered this salad combo every time I’ve been to Café Bistro. Today I also had the cheese wafer instead of any bread. Had a booth all to myself, great friendly, efficient service. Time in and out — less than half an hour. Perfect place for quick lunch. And, I had enough «left-​overs» to bring home for an afternoon snack.
Another tip: park in the underground garage — access entry near Kenwood/​Montgomery Rd. at the SW corner of Nordstrom’s. Park on the lowest level. Just take the elevator up to the second floor to Café Bistro. Easy access. Restrooms next to elevators, too.

Delicious, unique food. Not worth going to if you are not already in the mall. Parking at Kenwood sucks!

I obviously don’t shop Malls often because I wasn’t aware of this über cool bistro tucked away upstairs in Nordstrom!
The setup of placing your oder and paying first was a little unusual as well as the seat-​yourself option but we didn’t mind.
We began our lunch with the Ricotta and Tomato Jam Jar… a heavenly concoction of ricotta, herb pesto, EEVO and topped with the absolute most delightfully sweet tomato jam to top a buttery crostini. This alone satisfied every taste bud in my mouth, it was amazing.
But, I couldn’t forget about my sandwich that was soon to arrive although I was still dreaming about that jam.
Sat before me was a Citrus Turkey Sandwich loaded with Gruyère cheese, tomato, organic baby greens, a citrus cranberry OH YEAH chutney, garlic aioli on a toasty ciabatta.
This isn’t even the end of the story… my fries were accompanied by a Kalamata Olive Aioli.
Done. I want to work here.

I’ve been here several times and it’s always delicious. Love the salads! Today I had a Cilantro Lime Shrimp salad. I’m still thinking about it. Gave a 4 instead of a 5 because I would prefer to sit down and look at menu and then place order. Slightly annoying to order and pay before you sit down.

I’m giving 2 stars because my experience was good last time but this time I had to give my input. Took my parents to lunch there for their anniversary. As soon as we started ordering we came to the realization that they were out of several normal items on their menu such as french fries green salad and lemons. Pretty confusing since those are staple items at any restaurant but we decided to dine there since our experience was good last time. well everything was pretty much downhill from there, the salad entrée that we ordered was about half the size of any salad at a normal restaurant, we all drink water so we had to drink limes and our water instead of lemon and when we inquired about this the waitress simply told us that Monday was the day their supplier day was late a lot and didn’t get them many other items. I don’t understand what this has to do with the patronizing customers? This experience left us feeling pretty jilted and our waitress said she hopes our next to dining experience is better. There will not be another dining experience at Nordstrom’s Bistro. A $ 45 lunch that I might as well have taken my money and put it in the shredder as far as I’m concerned. Bad experience for what was supposed to be a special occasion and day.

Best food in the mall if you ask me. It’s a little more than you would spend in the food court but well worth it. Kids meals are very good value based on the amount of food. Not to mention they have Rheingeist as well as several other beers and a nice selection of wines.

Great food and awesome fries!
Nordstrom Café Bistro has great food! Especially their herb tossed fries with kalamata olives aioli dip!
The shrimp & asparagus risotto is pretty good. Shrimps are big and has a great charred grilled flavor to it!
Crab bisque was good. I would prefer it with a little more crab but the side of crunchy bread is clutch!

We do not have a Nordstrom in Lexington, unfortunately, if only for the café. I discovered this Nordstrom gem when I lived in South Florida and frequently had lunch there. The menu in Cincy is different from the Florida stores and not quite as extensive, but the food is as good. Crab bisque is delicious. Asian salad with grilled chicken was fresh and tasty. If hunger pangs strike when you’re in the mall, don’t hesitate. You won’t be disappointed.

Could be one of the best secrets around. Most people don’t think of eating in a department store (especially us men). Well, the food here just happens to be great, so is the service. I can only guess that Nordstrom’s takes the customers palettes as seriously as their choices in wardrobe. If you happen to be shopping at Nordstrom’s, or just in the vicinity, it’s great for lunch.

This was a great place to eat while shopping. The atmosphere was very relaxing. The menu items appeared so good that it was hard to decide! However, with the help of my very friendly server I came to enjoy a very flavorful and delightful salad!
I will be back when I am shopping in the mall for sure!

I would say I am a regular but then it’s an 80 mile roundtrip — but always worth it, so I am regular in my heart! The salads are terrific, the entrees are flavorful. It may be the best restaurant in Dayton (that isn’t quite accurate since it is in Kenwood, but Dayton eateries should think of NCB as a model of flavor and preparation.) Nordstrom has the best quality food, and the wait staff is pleasant and helpful. They will split items, add extra ingredients, and constantly refill the drinks. This is my favorite place and i would go there much more often if it was closer. If you’ve been to Nordstrom Café’s in other cities, you know that they are not all the same. Kenwood’s is one of the best.

If you don’t want to wait a long wait at the Cheesecake Factory, head upstairs to this hidden café. Great menu selection. Fresh salad and great flavors.

I ordered a half chicken artichoke salad and a cup of crab bisque. The salad was yummy. The bisque was good– not too heavy, with peppers and some (would’ve loved more) crab pieces. I’d come back! Waitstaff were nice, too.

It’s a café in a department store. And it’s really really good. I’m as surprised as the rest of you. I’d strongly recommend for business lunches in the Kenwood area or any time you’re considering risking the well-​being of your digestive system by settling for the food court. Of note, the portions are over the top… Hopefully you like leftovers as much as I do.

My husband and I were pleasantly surprised at the flavorful, quality good we experienced here! I had a pizza and he had the club sandwich. We went for dinner and the atmosphere was calm and quiet. Mostly women dining there but men would do well to grab a bite here while their wife/​gf is shopping! We both thoroughly enjoyed our meals and ended it by splitting a crème brûlée– Heaven on your tastebuds!!! Perfectly creamy with a delicious light crispy top. I’d go again just for that! Also recommend the ginger peach iced tea. I think I might go back again some afternoon just for some dessert and tea! Their bread pudding and chocolate cake also looked fab.

Go to the second floor of Nordstroms. Café Bistro is right there. Classy spot to enjoy amazing meals. I had the Chicken Club with fries and a sauce that tastes like olives. Loved it! Chicken was fresh, greens were fresh, toasted bread was crisp… Those fries with sauce… amazing. Then our server suggested the White Chocolate Bread Pudding… OMGOODNESS! Best texture for bread pudding and every bites made you want to melt. Yes, this will be on my list of favorites.

A hidden gem for sure. I had no idea Nordstrom had a restaurant until my friend who works there asked me to meet her at Café Bistro for dinner. I completely forgot I was in Nordstrom upon taking a seat.
The concept of this restaurant is different: order when you walk in, take your receipt to the table, and a waiter/​waitress comes to your table and looks at your receipt to see what you ordered and then puts the order in (or something similar to this; I probably have some details wrong).
Service was very friendly and quick. Ambiance was relaxed but upscale; the kitchen is within full view, so you can see the food being prepared. For some reason I find this fancy, at least in this situation (you know, cus in some diners you can see the kitchen, and it’s not fancy but still awesome). And the food was great! I ordered the chicken, artichoke and goat cheese salad and it was flavorful and filling. We also ordered ginger peach iced teas, which, though expensive, were good. I don’t usually fantasize about going back to a dining establishment for a salad (of all things), but this is one I will definitely have fond memories of and be back to eat again.

When most people think of Nordstrom they think of Michael Kors handbags, Gucci flats, and Dolce & Gabbana perfumes. When I think of Nordstrom, I think of french onion soup, brick oven pizza, and crème brûlée. The reason is in the middle of all the overpriced specialty fashion designer nonsense there is a true oasis in the desert. Its name is Café Bistro and inside is a fun little upscale restaurant sporting some of the hottest food in the industry today!
Café Bistro is a unique concept restaurant. You come in, peruse a menu, and order your food at the counter. Then you sit down and from there a server takes over by bringing your drinks and delivering your food. I don’t really understand the point of this but it works.
Everything I’ve had here is magnificently money. The french onion soup is one of the best I’ve ever had… there are ample croutons and baked provolone and gruyère cheeses. I’ve also had a delicious blue cheese and pear salad with a dark cherry balsamic vinaigrette, a scrumptious four cheese pesto chicken pizza, and a hearty cheddar turkey panini (Yes, yes, I like cheese, don’t judge).
As I’ve said, the food is spot on but I do believe it to be a bit pricey for a café in the middle of a department store. I can’t seem to get out of here for under $ 25 just for myself. However, the food is creative and tasty so I definitely say it’s worth trying. So the next time you’re shopping for that $ 500 Vera Wang strapless bubble hem silk chiffon dress or hitting up the clearance rack like me, stop in and enjoy some amazing food at an unusual location.

We had dinner with family here the other night and when I explained that Café Bistro was literally in the Nordstrom’s, everyone did a double take. But it’s true, this place is tucked away on the second floor of the Kenwood Nordstrom’s, and it’s really quite good. For a Friday night, it was a welcome alternative to the long waits at the chain restaurants or the unappealing food court.
There’s beer, wine, meals and dessert– what more could you ask for? The pizzas were surprisingly good (I had the Asian Chicken Salad Pizza– literally a salad atop my Asian Chicken Pizza). Everyone enjoyed the food and one of the party couldn’t wait to tell work colleagues to add this to their lunch list. Simple process, short wait, and good food at decent (though slightly higher for the type) prices. Extra kudos for the yummy chocolate mint stick that comes with the final receipt!

I love when I’m surprised. Not a, «Look out, that dude’s about to punch you in the face surprise,» but a pleasant surprise. Especially when it deals with food.
I had been doing some shopping at Kenwood Mall for clothes (since I desperately needed them) with a friend and we were starving. I also had a meeting coming up that day and we needed a spot to go to. I didn’t want food court food (**barf**), but she asked if I’d been to Café Bistro.
Café What Now?
We went to the second level of Nordstrom and there it is. A café in the middle of the store. Like a classy hidden oasis.
It’s a little confusing at first. You walk up to the entrance where you’re handed a menu and then order at the counter right there. They’ve got a great selection of soups, salads, sandwiches and other lunch items that don’t start with «S.» Also, alcohol if you need it after shopping.
After you order, you sit at any table in the place and they bring you your food. We tried to snag a booth but they were all full, so a table in the middle was fine.
Dear god, let me tell you about this food. I got the chicken club that was amazing. Fresh with crisp vegetables and delicious bread. They put green beans on the sandwich which I thought I would hate, but I actually ended up loving!
But the star attraction of this spot are the fries — seasoned in herbs and coming with a olive and garlic aioli that’s pink. It is … the best thing ever. Holy god, and I am a man who loves his dipping sauces. I could eat this stuff all day. How have I never had it before. What! Yes!
I also love the staff here — friendly and quick. They also do things like walk around with pitchers of diet coke to refil you (clearly it’s a popular drink at this establishment.)
It’s a little pricey for lunch but not overly so (a sandwich is about $ 11 and it comes with those amazing fries!) This is a great spot after a long day of walking and shopping. Don’t be surprised if you see someone like Santa and his Elves eating here. Even they need a break from buying stuff (what, you don’t think Santa still makes his own presents? Come on, it’s almost 2012! Jeez.)