Stopped in Brontë Bistro for a lunch and we were very happy with our decision! We were seated at a booth in the front room by the host and a server quickly took our drink and food orders. My salmon Niçoise salad was perfect with a very tasty salad dressing. Ok, maybe the potatoes were not perfect- they should have been boiled then chilled but looked like maybe they were fried then refrigerated? Anyway, I just didn't eat those and appreciated the asparagus, olives, tomato and lettuce! And the salmon was great. Hubs had the chicken pesto sandwich and raved about the excellent roll and great taste of the mozzarella and veggies. Our drinks (Arnold Palmers) were refilled without asking by our attentive waiter. This is a full service restaurant attached to the Joseph Beth bookstore. The host was very chatty and friendly. It was Saturday afternoon, after the lunch/brunch rush, I presume -- the restaurant seemed bustling but we were seated right away. Interior was a tiny bit dated and maybe a a bit of a mismatch to the delicious items on the menu but it was clean and tidy. Easy parking in a large busy parking lot. read more

Bronte Bistro - Chicken pesto caprese sandwich - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Brönte Bistro is a cute little brunch/dinner spot attached to Joseph Beth. It's cute, small enough to feel cozy and intimate enough. It essentially gives the same vibes that Panera did in the 2000s lol Pairs well with the bookstore aesthetic :) The Roasted Pear & Goat Cheese Flatbread is naan bread with roasted pears, goat cheese, dried cranberries, walnuts, and arugula drizzled with a balsamic sauce. It's a dish served at room temperature or cold, which means there's not much adhering the toppings to the naan. That's fine, but makes eating a bit of a dance while trying not to spill/drop anything. The flavors work well together. I've seen many salads with this combination and it transitions over to a flatbread okay enough. I would've wished the roasted pear to have a little bit more sweetness...more like a cooked apple with sugars and a syrupy-ness to bind the cranberries, walnuts, and arugula together. As it was, the goat cheese was the most notable flavor and it was somewhat overpowering if you didn't get a well rounded bite. Good for those who like goat cheese, like myself, but less desirable for those more interested in the potential sweetness of pear or tanginess from the balsamic. This was fine but not my favorite way to spend $15. It makes a better shareable than personal dish. This is a cup of vegetarian chili. It has fresh veggies, beans, tomatoes, rice, sour cream, shredded jack, and scallions. This was delicious. I've never had rice in my chili before, so that's was a pleasant surprise. I liked this more than the flatbread, though $8 for a cup of chili seems a little high. I also got a hot chocolate. I didn't get a picture of that, but it was yummy and good enough for $5. Our service was slow, but there were only 2 serves at rush, so I was fine with that. Our waiter seemed very sweet and he's been my server at least once in the past too. Very entertaining and kind, just spread thin. read more

See all

It is always nice to come back. Every time I come here it is always something delicious on the menu, the service is always wonderful. This waiting staff is very friendly. The ambience is quite cozy. I definitely recommend it. Great food at reasonable prices and mazing service. I recommend it. read more

Bronte Bistro - Wonderful dessert peppermint cheesecake - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Excellent experience! Planned on dining here after shopping at Joseph-Beth Bookstore next door ( connected). Served by trainee Jake, who was excellent: friendly, attentive and fun to talk to. My husband and I both had the soup of the day, Swedish mushroom, which was in a cream broth and delicious, with large mushroom slices. I ordered the vegetable quiche which had a yummy thick crust and packed with bell peppers, mushrooms, etc. it came with an arugula salad and thick potato wedges-delicious ! My husband got a tuna melt with chips which he thoroughly enjoyed as well. No room for dessert. A good place to unwind with a drink as well. Cooper, apparently training Jake, was also very warm and hospitable. Advice: join the bookstore's loyalty program for $25 and get a card worth $25 at the bistro, which can be used once or broken down into $5 or $10, and still get discounts and other bookstore perks. read more

See all

I want to be able to support Brontë, but I have received poor service the past few times I visited. This past weekend was a unique experience. Upon checking in with the hostess, she told us it would be 20-30 minutes for a table but she didn't have any pagers so we needed to check in. I said no problem and 20 minutes later we came back. She said our table was next and gave us a pager. We wandered the store a bit more, but 15 minutes later we went to check back in. She said, "oh another waitress sat people after you and skipped you." Our waitress was busy and addressed us in a frazzled way. When she said she would bring us waters she only brought one for the two of us. My toddler spilled milk and when we asked for some napkins she said she needed to roll silverware and then would bring us some. Overall just not a good experience. The food was pretty good which is the only reason they are getting two stars not one. read more

No host to great us awkward entry way you don't know which way to gravitate too not sure the setup or why . Service was slow for how slow they were items are over priced for quality and portions. Just an average spot won't return only wanted to check out the books . Not a friendly staff lots of people putting up merch didn get a single hi or how can I help ya . Very odd for how big this place was. read more

Not sure why the bad reviews. 10 of us from book club dined in a private room service was fantastic. Blake took very good care of us. I ordered the chicken piccata and it was excellent and a great price for the portion. Everyone enjoyed our meals, and many had desserts which they all were raving about (pistachio gelato, creme Brulle to name a few). The entire wait staff was on board taking care of our group. They were very good about 10 separate checks as well. read more

Absolutely fantastic meal. Sorry, I ate the sandwich before I could rake a photo. I ordered the ham & brie sandwich and a small caramelized Pear & Bleu cheese salad, and everything was delicious. I'm not great at trying new things, especially complex or creative sandwiches, but this was amazing. Highly recommend! We came in the evening on a Tuesday, they weren't busy, so it was very chill. I really like the decor. Our server, Cooper, was great, patiently explaining the menu. Never been here before, but definitely planning on coming back! read more

Bronte Bistro - Caramelized Pear & Bleu Cheese Salad - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

i love this place, every time I go to Beth Anns I come here and enjoy my experience EVERYTIME. The food this time was exceptional, I got the French dip and the French onion soup and it was the best meal I've had in three weeks. Our server cooper was amazing and will 100 percent be coming back !! read more

First-class experience. Good Riesling and wheat beer, inspired entrees, and creme brulees to die for. Server Jake was especially helpful.

I have visited Joseph Beth dozens of times, and even ordered coffee from Bronte Bistro's little stand in the bookstore, but I'd never actually dined at this restaurant before, so I thought I'd give it a try. Let me just say that this was not what I was expecting ... and that's not necessarily a good or a bad thing. I was in the area running errands for work, and thought this would be a good place for a quick working lunch. I was wayyyyy off base. Bronte Bistro was packed for lunch on a Thursday around noon, and even a table for one would have taken 20 minutes. Thankfully, there was a seat open at the bar, so I squeezed my way into the corner and popped open my laptop. Like I mentioned, this place was busy!! There was a pretty big range in clientele - everyone from moms and their kids, to men in suits, to little old ladies meeting up with their friends for lunch. The bartender was friendly and fast - she had my food out to me just about five minutes after I ordered. I also appreciated that she didn't check in as often as you might with a regular table ... she noticed I had my laptop out, and respected that I was trying to make every minute count. It was tough to concentrate, but I eventually got into a rhythm and was able to knock a few things out. The prices were not bad, and the food was good. I had the "Pick Two" combo with the Pear & Bleu Cheese salad, and the half Chicken Salad sandwich. The salad was tangy and sweet, and the chicken salad was a good mix of creamy with some crunchy elements. I will say, next time I would probably just order the full sandwich, since that's served on a croissant. The half sandwiches are all served on wheat toast, which is totally fine, but not the same as a croissant. I overheard that they serve breakfast until 1 p.m., which is incredibly generous, and I'd love to come back and try that, but maybe on a weekend when I'm not trying to get some work done. read more

See all

After spending time in the bookstore we decided to walk into the bistro for coffee and take a look at the menu. Seemed like a normal thing to do. Coffee and bookstores go hand in hand. After we ordered coffee, the waitress, Ashely S., asked if we were ordering food. We said, for now just coffee. She said "for now or you're not eating? Because this is a full service restaurant" and then rudely snatched our menu and walked away. She then brought empty to go cups and the check and said we need this table for eating customers you will have to leave. A few minutes later, she had a male server come over to say that on Sundays we are busy, sorry you need to leave. We were so confused, it's attached to a bookstore, no signs that say full service only, not a fancy restaurant. There was not even a friendly explanation. Just a rude waitress who threw to go cups and the check on the table. I would suggest they put signs that say you must order food to sit down and that sitting for coffee is not allowed. We definitely will not be back. First watch is right next door and clearly is the better option read more

This place is always crowded at lunchtime with a very chatty vibe. If you come a little later, you can hang out with a latte and read (it's attached to a great bookstore). The menu has some good vegetarian options, particularly the quiche de jour, but I tried the egg and cheese croissant today which turned out slightly bland but with great hashbrowns. Service was attentive but the tables are covered with white paper now (a personal pet peeve). Still, a solid option in a convenient location. read more

Bronte Bistro - Cafe Latte - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Way back when, I'd often come to Bronte Bistro for lunch with work friends. We were back in town after moving to California seven years ago. My good friend suggested meeting here for brunch. I was all for it. Service was good. Our waters were filled and filled again. The special quiche was delicious. The fruit was fresh. I ordered goetta because we can't get it in California. $4 for two small, overdone (I like goetta crispy, but this was beyond crispy) patties was a disappointment. I didn't eat the potatoes; just not my thing. Overall, Bronte Bistro was A-OK. read more

Bronte Bistro - Daily quiche special, fruit, potatoes and goetta. - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Perfect while she's shopping. Have a drink at the bar. Yes a bar in a bookstore. Long overdue. Who cares what they spend as long as the Manhattan (with a holiday twist) goes down east. About 10 spots at the bar along with all the tables around the bistro equals unraveled shopping experience. Only missing draft taps, but maybe I missed that. read more

See all

Our server, Chris, was friendly and provided great service. I had the chicken taco salad which was great! Lots of fajita type veggies. Recommend! read more

The food was mediocre at best and the servers are among the rudest that I have ever encountered! Go to First Watch instead.

Met a group of friends for brunch. We enjoyed socializing for a bit and finally ordered some great food.some of us had breakfast; others had lunch. I had the chicken salad croissant. It was tasty but had a little bit too much onion. The fish sandwich looked yummy. Breakfast met the needs for my friends. Will come back with my husband some day. read more

$81 for lunch without cocktails or desserts. Food was ok, but not worth it. Feels like they are going to price themselves out of business at this point. Shame, used to be our favorite place to eat. read more

Bröntes, a most exquisite dining experience. I never knew upon arriving to this country that I would get to experience such delightful cuisine. However, the French toast did not taste like it was from France, but instead Montreal, Canada. Ironically, after eating the French toast, I started speaking Chinese. Although, the eggs Benedict contained Canadian bacon, it reminded me of my time in China. The coffee tasted like it was crafted by the magical hands of Howard Schultz himself! read more

Bronte Bistro - Vanilla Latte, breakfast burrito, French toast, and eggs Benedict. - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Rainy day so I wandered in to wait that out. Menu is full of yummy looking things, but I selected a Avacado BLT and potato soup with a sparkling water. Didnt take long to get my food and it was every bit as good as it sounds. Mud way thru meal I realized I didnt have my drink. Oh well, still enjoying myself. When I finished, my waiter told me no charge because he realized he forgot my drink. I told him that was Ok and I would gladly pay for my food because I enjoyed it so much. He said it was already written off and he was so sorry. I adore a place that acknowledges a mistake and promise to do better next time. Customer for life. read more

This place used to be good, but it's gone down the tubes. I had to chase down a server to even get our waters. The food quality is not what it used to be. I ordered the breakfast burrito and it came with a side of brown guacamole and my pico de gallo had a hair in it. We asked for sides of ranch and they said they hadn't made any that day. Huh?! Our waitress was nice, but service was slow because the restaurant was packed and only two servers were working. I would've liked to get a second drink, but was never offered. Disappointing. We need better brunch options! read more

If you love books. The independent bookstore attached is wonderful- the food is good also but the selection of the bookstore and the tie to the community- read more

The ambiance is ok and the staff was friendly, but I would not recommend the food. It's overpriced and the food was mediocre, at best. I ordered a salad (with mixed greens, beets, blue cheese, walnuts, onions and balsamic vinaigrette), which was actually the highlight of the meal, and a "bowl" of "Texas Chili". The "chili" was served in a coffee mug, thats size was not worth the $5.50 price tag. Also, the "chili" was more like chili flavored broth. It was super thin, with almost no ground beef, a few beans and some over sized sliced carrots. Chili is supposed to be hearty, tomatoey, and beefy. This chili was so thin, the cheese they put on top of it sank to the bottom into a gloopy mess before it was even brought it to my table. They do have a bar menu, so for coffee or an evening drink, maybe an alright spot, but for your moneys worth, and appetites sake, I don't recommend the food menu read more

Bronte Bistro - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

This is my second review - but I've been coming here for years and I love it. Recently stopped by for Sunday brunch and (regrettably) forgot to snap a pic of the food. I got the breakfast blt and it was perfect, served with a little fruit and 5 little potato pancakes - delicious. Food was up in less than 15 mins of being ordered - restaurant was busy but not full. And I was full and happy for hours after. I suppose some folks have experienced hit/miss service but I've always had decent luck! Give it a shot! Worst case, settle in with a new book or enjoy people watching. My favorite lunch item is the Brie and ham sammy. Mom loved the tuna salad. read more

Bronte Bistro - Dirty Chai Latte - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Local Local Local!!! Fresh New Menu with still some classic favorites. Found out they have moved to fresh and local ingredients too which is nice to hear in this time. The Avocado Toast was so amazing! It was just perfect with the poached egg (I don't even like poached eggs but did not mind this) the flavors were all there!! OMG The crab cake Benedict was just omg everything! Full of flavor, again I'm not a hollándose fan, but man I could stop eating this! It was not too much sauce and the crab cake popped with it!!! Oooo I will return for lunch/diner!! read more

See all

The service is poor. The staff is rude. This may because there are not enough of them. The carpet is worn. The atmosphere needs a refresh. The food was under whelming as well. This used to be one of my favorite weekend restaurants, it is no longer. read more

I stopped at the coffee shop side of the bistro the other night while I was in the Joseph-Beth Booksellers for a book tour show and meet and greet. They had a coffee drink special and an alcoholic drink special both in honor of the guest, Mamrie Hart. Since the coffee drink was the only one allowed out in the book shop and space for the show was filling up quick, I opted for the coffee drink, named after her dawg. Beanz: espresso, hazelnut, soy milk. This is basically the drink I end up making for myself whenever I visit my local coffee shop, AND I needed to drive back to Louisville after the event was over. So really, it was a perfect situation all around. I normally end up adding sugar or sweetener to my coffee drinks, but really, this was just right on the sweetness level. If you are around the mall area and in need of some coffee, I wouldn't hesitate to send you on over to Bronte Bistro. Books and Brews...a brilliant combination! read more

Bronte Bistro - Beanz. Hazelnut almond milk latte for Mamrie Hart's book tour. - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Don't waste your time. Walked out of Brontë three visits in a row now. Never made it past the host stand. Waited for almost 20 minutes all three times. No one greeted us or took our name for the wait. So many empty dirty tables everywhere in the restaurant. Several servers just walked right past the line of people waiting. The first visit was during brunch on a Saturday so I'll let that slide. Number two and three were on week days well past the lunch rush (if there ever is one). Never saw a manager or a host or for that matter anyone that seemed to care that there were three to five groups of people waiting to be sat (or even greeted). None of the empty tables ever got bussed. The place looked really gross. If that's how the front of house is run then I don't want to even imagine what's going on in the kitchen. We will not be going to Brontë again. read more

only reviewing chili cups from now on. just kiddin i wont keep that promise. nice vibes and cute decor, good service, now for da chili cup: s3xy, swag, delicious, and i'm a chili snob. vegetarian is a huge plus also their chai-der is stupid good thx read more

Bronte Bistro - Cup of Vegetarian Chili - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Too few waiters, food was mediocre at best. No one checked to see if our meals were ok. We had to get up and go to the bathroom to get our check. This used to be a pretty good restaurant but something definitely has changed. Don't wast your money as there are plenty of other restaurants in town. read more

One of the best breakfast/brunch options in Cincinnati, hands-down. Great coffee & espresso drinks. Beautiful setting, adjacent to the area's best book store. Comfortable dining room and a few patio tables outside. Impeccable service. (The retired preacher who seated us this morning, was a blessing!). The food is awesome. I went with the Santa Fe omelette, loaded with chicken, black beans & cheese, with avocado, salsa and sour cream on top. My date had the quiche. Always a great choice. Plenty of fresh and vegetarian options, too. As if that's not enough, you can get a very good Bloody Mary or mimosa with your meal, something that's not a given in this area. read more

Bronte Bistro - Quiche - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

See all

Great friendly service. Nice atmosphere. Food was well done and flavorful. Plus interesting seasonal specials. We got watermelon gazpacho and even got a bowl to go to have later. Recommend for brunch or lunch. Wonderful bookstore attached. Such a pleasant surprise of how nice. read more

Bronte Bistro (attached to bookstore) would not rank as a favorite spot for breakfast. Western omelette was a good size for the price, but very, very bland. Adding onions and paprika, or some other spice would have been a big improvement. Toast, well, it wasn't really toasted. Fruit cup had 3 grapes (1 of which had mold), and 4 tiny bits of pineapple (most of which was gel-like, i.e. old). Bronte French Toast was not as advertised on the menu: "Not your traditional...a bit sweeter...cooked with cinnamon custard". Thin bread is not "Texas toast". Hardly any cinnamon. And the custard was not present. Sweet? No, but if you dunk every bite into the maple syrup, then yes. It was very busy on a Sunday (late morning/early afternoon), but our order arrived in decent time. Server had a smile both times she visited the table: once to take our order, and once to provide the bill. read more

My last review was pre-kids and some time ago. Bronte had been a favored spot since we love Joseph-Beth's. My older daughter loves to get a book and then get breakfast foods there. Sadly, we had a horrible experience there when we went as a family to celebrate my birthday and Father's day. The hostess was very sweet and gracious and explained that they were short staffed so there would be a wait. That was fine, of course, so we went to browse the books. My kids started getting hungry so I took them back to Bronte to buy muffins to tie them over. The hostess came up with a great solution of letting us sit at a vacant table that could be assigned to us when it was our turn to get a table. Keep in mind that they were not filling all the tables due to the staff shortage. This is when it all started going downhill. A waitress came and told me very rudely that I can't just sit down because the table was for dine in customers only. I explained what the hostess had worked out but she persisted in being very unpleasant about it like I had done something wrong. We asked to speak to the manager who was equally as rude, offered no apology or solution- and basically said what do you want from me? At this point the entire mood of the day was ruined. We left hungry and frustrated, and I'm not sure we will ever go back there. It was always decent food and good service but the service part is clearly undervalued by the management. I don't think I've ever had such rude service. I filled out a customer feedback form and haven't heard back at all. read more

I was on the patio taking a work call and the server was extremely rude. I said hello and she said I just need you to move I don't care what you're saying. I smiled and said I understand I didn't know I had to get on a list because it was my first time at this bookstore she then said " I don't really care what you're saying just move" rudest server I've ever had.it wasn't even busy the attitude was unnecessary I'll pass on the food here read more

Bronte Bistro - This is how busy it was - New American Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The quiche was cold, the red potatoes were cold. Only 2 servers for the entire restaurant. Our server was nice and tried his best. Based on quality of food and price, I'm unlikely to return. read more

Food was average and expensive for the product delivered. Service was very slow. Too many good food options around here to settle for this.

Quaint restaurant inside of Joseph Beth. Our server Selina was very attentive and friendly. We got the Mediterranean plate as a starter. The pita bread was toasted and warm. I thought the tabouli was a little plain and the texture was off. But the rest of the plate was good. The kitchen was nice enough to split the Vegetarian chili and Bronte burger for my parents. They plated them both nicely. I got the Spinach Sauté with Salmon. Lots of veggies on top of a bed of brown rice. It was a hearty and healthy option that I enjoyed. Good option if you're in the area. read more

See all

We were running errands in this part of Cincinnati so it made sense to find a nice restaurant in which to recharge. We have been restrained in this era of COVID but also have tried to support businesses this way. This experience was another score for YELP! My wife found another high quality place (and she was craving breakfast after noon) with the help of other YELP! users. Nice atmosphere (with adjoining bookstore), friendly service, and a great menu. Another case in which I think we could have chosen a dozen different things and been happy with our meals. In the end, she had the blueberry pancakes and I had their take on Eggs Benedict. We both left full and happy. I can easily see us coming back here again the next time we are in this part of town. read more