Outstanding food and wonderful staff. I think this every time I'm there. One of my favorite places for lunch in Cincinnati.

Decent Food, basic friendly service, pleasant atmosphere. I had crab bisque and the salmon entree. read more

Cafe Bistro - Salmon with couscous - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

I was a little surprised to find a cafe at the back of the Nordstrom, but we had a really great brunch there. I got the breakfast sandwich, which had eggs, cheese, bacon, aioli, and arugula. The potatoes on the side were also very well done. Very quick service- it helps that you order at the counter before you seat yourself. This is a perfect mid-shopping trip stop! read more

Service was good. Food was horrible. Minestrone soup tasted like spaghetti sauce from a jar. The biscuit was stale. Wanted pizza but the crusts were still frozen. Meal total : $18.00!! Give me the food court! read more

Yummy!! Food was great and everyone was very kind. We had a yummy sandwich. the interior was really nice too.

Nordstrom Cafe is a game changer. Tried for the first time after a little shopping. Bistro blew my mind. Order the Goat Cheese Chicken Panini - heavenly. read more

Didn't take photos of my food but thoroughly enjoyed my meal. I wasn't prepared for the order from the counter service so I sat for a while before I figured it out. Started with a cup of hot herbal tea. A nice selection to choose from. Served with a slice of lemon. At the counter I ordered a cup of their soup of the day- Southwest Veggie soup. Then I ordered one type of salad but got another one. I was with someone else and didn't want to interrupt our conversation to correct it. While I would have preferred my salad the one I got was good. My protein choice was the lemon grilled cauliflower- OMG. Overall, a nice experience and a place I would go to again. read more

So, I ordered the same meal for delivery as I've had at the restaurant a couple times and I now have a theory about delivered food. You know how you go through a fast food drive thru and you often get the re-warmed, dry burger or the old fries? I think with delivery, restaurants often send out the messed up food that would get sent back if you were in the restaurant. I ordered French onion soup, and the bread and cheese part with some of the liquid was in a BOX. I was stunned. I also ordered a French dip (that was dried out and so burnt I couldn't even tell if there was cheese on it. I only had a few bites and tossed it.) I had one cup of liquid that I wasn't sure was the soup or the au jus that was supposed to come with the sandwich. So, either the au jus or soup was missing. Plus, the cup itself only had about an inch of liquid left in it because the top hadn't been completly put on and the rest of the liquid had drenched the paper bag it came in. My husband made au jus from a packet and luckily we had a can of Campbell's French onion soup I was able to put the toppings on. It was eh and I only ate half of it. One star for the olive tapenade that came with the sandwich. The bistro bearing Nordstrom's name should really have better quality control. My recommendation is to only eat in the restaurant where you can ask to actually receive food, correctly cooked food and in proper serving dishes. read more

Cafe Bistro - Chicken goat cheese panini - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Food was decent, however service on the other hand was not. The manager or whoever was in charge of servers, was very rude to customers and had very poor communication skills about the odd order/seating situation. She felt the need to confront my family at the exit to inform us after our expensive meal, how best we should've ordered. 1/10 would not return because of her service and communication. read more

The worst Nordstrom Case you'll ever go to, this is my third time here and every time they've messed up my order. Once they bring the correct order it's poorly made. This is the only Nordstrom Café that will bring you french onion soup ON A PLATE. Its not soup, just gross cheese and onions. Manager doesn't speak to the customers and when he does there's no solutions offered. Save your money and eat elsewhere! read more

Gotta eat so I can keep shopping. Checking in was unorthodox but once I understood what to do besides standing there clueless. Ordered 2 cups of soup and the grilled chicken panini with fries. Y U M! The bisque was nice and creamy with crusty baguette to dip. Steaming hot didn't keep me from slurping up the whole cup. The panini was chicken, goat cheese, arugula and sun dried tomato...thin on chicken but high on flavor. The aioli with the fries is a whole addiction...olive aioli could just be eaten till I was ready to lick the condiment cup. I've got to get more. Along with a soda, total was $23. Not bad for a girl lunch out. Receipts arrive since we paid at order, came with Nordstrom mints. Precious, but I ate it anyway. Definitely a return trip for shopping sustenance. read more

Cafe Bistro - Tomato bisque - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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This is regarding my to-go order on Saturday, Sept. 8, 2018. I ordered a bowl of French Onion Soup (which has a wonderful, rich broth & plenty of cheese) and the Pan Seared Chicken for $18. LOOK AT THE PICTURE OF THIS CHICKEN BS! What is this crap? Nordstrom, get your cafe together. read more

Cafe Bistro - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

The Cafe Bistro has been my favorite restaurant since it first opened many years ago because it is the only restaurant in Cincinnati that claims to serve wild Alaskan salmon. That's the reason I go monthly. I don't eat meat- only Alaska salmon. However, their cooks struggle to properly cook salmon. This is the fourth consecutive month I have gone and paid $23 for a salmon salad, but couldn't eat the salmon. It's either overcooked or raw inside. I always ask for medium well- a pretty standard preparation, but I end up only eating the greens and veggies. Today was the final straw. I always pay for my entire salmon salad, even when the salmon is inedible. I have never once asked for a refund. But the salmon is what makes the salad more expensive. Typically, when they ask, I let them know that the salmon is either hard or raw and give them an opportunity to redo it. But today they cooked it three times and couldn't get it right. First, it was overcooked and hard; the second time it came back raw inside; and the final time I couldn't cut it with a knife- it was crispy hard. I gave up and sent it back uneaten. The management and waiter acknowledged it was not cooked properly each time, yet again, I paid $23 for salad greens only. I like the manager and have refrained from writing a poor review for that reason, despite how long this problem has persisted; but I'm tired of throwing money away on food I can't eat. I have NEVER asked for a refund, as long as this issue has persisted, but I'm paying good money for food I can't eat. They should offer a refund, at least on the salmon, when they know that it is over or undercooked. I'm tired of throwing my money away, and leaving still hungry because I couldn't eat the protein. They acknowledge the issue, but don't correct the problem, yet I'm paying for it. read more

Cafe Bistro - This is the undercooked salmon I received the second time. - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

2 words: French fries. They're so addicting, they're the number one reason I eat here. They're drizzled with oil and herbs and I can't stop eating them. Nestled upstairs in Kenwood Towne Centers' Nordstrom is this café with tons of unique meal options. I love coming here during my shopping trips. It's affordable and the quality of food definitely beats the food court. You grab a menu and order as soon as you walk in and then you pick your seat. Your server comes over and brings your drinks and your foods comes out shortly after. I ordered the citrus turkey sandwich which comes on a wheat roll with gouda cheese, lettuce, tomato, a delicious citrus-y aioli and jam along with the best fries ever! I highly recommend Café Bistro for a nice relaxing, delicious break from shopping. read more

Cafe Bistro - Citrus turkey - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Great food and awesome fries! Nordstrom Cafe 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! read more

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Cafe Bistro is conveniently located inside of the Nordstrom's at kenwood mall. I love coming here for lunch and trying different items on the menu. They have some pretty tasty sandwich's. This week a friend and I tried two of their pizzas and they were great! I love the food and the environment at Cafe Bistro and always look forward to having lunch. Especially after I spent some time shopping! read more

It's just so delicious! The crab bisque is the best I've had anywhere and the crab, avocado, mango salad is to die for. The service is impeccable and so friendly! As a foodie who dines out A LOT, this is one of our favorite restaurant staples for lunch and cannot recommend it enough!!! read more

I obviously don't shop Malls often because I wasn't aware of this uber 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 Gruyere 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. read more

Cafe Bistro - Citrus Turkey Sandwich, Fries and Kalamata Olive Aioli - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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! read more

Cafe Bistro - Salmon salad! - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

Excellent soups, salads, sandwiches. Very comfortable, great parking, reasonable prices, service is fine. Everything was good from beginning to end, my return is imminent. read more

As a long-time Yelper, I still find surprises tucked away in our city at the strangest places. This is one of them. For a department store restaurant, Nordstrom Bistro is off the charts. The customer flow is a bit strange (order, pay, seat yourself, then your waitress brings your food to you and fills drinks). I never know whether to tip (but usually do--bring cash). I've always been pleasantly surprised with the quality of food served here. In fact, I would still rate this cafe the same, even if it were a standalone bistro. The fact that my wife loves Nordstrom is just a lucky coincidence, I guess. And men: Don't worry, there are plenty of other embarrassed men who happily enjoy their meals, too. You won't be alone. Next time you're at Kenwood, there's no need to venture outside of the mall. Give Cafe Bistro a try! read more

I've been here twice, the first time was around the lunch hour, the second time around dinner. On my first visit, I just wanted to make a quick return in Nordstrom, but was starving! I saw a sign for the bistro and decided to check it out! Boy, am I glad I did! Who thought you could find five star quality food in a mall? Well, OK, it is Nordstrom, but I would expect nothing less from them. To try to speed up the process, you order and pay at the counter before you sit down. After that, the rest flows like a regular restaurant. Just make sure you have cash to leave a tip. The first time I went, I ordered the salmon nicoise salad, and the second the Mediterranean pizza. Both were extremely fresh and very very tasty. I've forgotten about the greasy Sbarro and Chinese restaurants in the food court. Next time I'm starving while I'm shopping, I will nowhere other than Cafe Bistro- yum! I might even just like to stop by while I'm in the area and not shopping! read more

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 Cafe Bistro and inside is a fun little upscale restaurant sporting some of the hottest food in the industry today! Cafe 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 gruyere 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 cafe 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. read more

Salad Nicoise with Salmon! I've ordered this salad combo every time I've been to Cafe 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 Cafe Bistro. Easy access. Restrooms next to elevators, too. read more

If you're exhausted from all that shopping at Kenwood mall disappear into Nordstrom and go upstairs to find the Bistro. Order and pay up front. Don't hesitate, order a glass of wine. You probably deserve it after surviving the mall crazies! Then take a seat and let your waiter serve you! Be content in the knowledge that you made the right choice in skipping the Cheesecake Factory ! Lost 1 star due to the confusing order and pay up front like McDonald's but be served like a sit down restaurant. I'm still not sure how to tip with my credit card. P.S. Don't be intimdated because it's inside Nordstrom. Jeans and a Tshirt are totally acceptable. You are still at a mall after all! :) read more

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. read more

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). read more

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 creme 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. read more

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Wow. What a Hidden gem. My wife and I had lunch there today...sandwiches, fries and soups. Everything was excellent especially the turkey sandwich and French onion soup. The service was excellent from Linda on the ordering line to our waiter, Brian. Really good experience. Highly recommend! read more

We had dinner with family here the other night and when I explained that Cafe 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! read more

This is the best place to go for lunch when you're out shopping with the girls! I was so excited when Cincinnati finally got a Nordstrom store and almost equally excited for their Bistro Cafe! They never disappoint. The menu does change from time to time. They used to have this amazing rosemary chicken sandwich on toasted ciabatta bread with this tasty caramelized onion relish that I still ask about every time I'm there (hoping they'll add it back to the menu)! All the sandwiches come with shoe-string fries, dusted with herbs and served with this amazing, purple, olive and garlic aioli. The saltiness of the olives in the aioli are perfect with french fries! They do have some great salads as well and their french onion soup is a meal in itself. They have a nice wine list and are generous with their pours. I haven't been for dinner, but they do have daily dinner specials that always sound creative. They take your order (and you pay first) then someone brings your food out to you (so be sure to add the tip to your card payment if you're paying with plastic). read more

Go to the second floor of Nordstroms. Cafe 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. read more

Cafe Bistro - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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Why have I not reviewed the cafe 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! read more

Tucked away on the second floor of the Nordstrom's at Kenwood Towne Center, is the Cafe Bistro, a nice place to grab a quick bite in between rounds of drooling over clothes you can't afford. The food, on the other hand, is very affordable and tasty. The space is attractive so it's a little weird that you order and pay before finding a table, but after that, the service is great, with an attentive, friendly waitstaff. The sandwiches are hearty but the true star of the plate is the herbed french fries with an olive tapenade dipping sauce. If you're looking for something lighter, the salads all sound good and several friends have remarked that they could eat them every day. In the mood for something hearty and warm? The french onion soup is a salty, cheesy concoction that will leave your belly full. The meal ends with a delightful little chocolate mint stick that comes with your receipt. On my birthday recently, the waiter slipped me an extra one. read more

The fresh, homemade soup is wonderful. The salads are great. Best of all are the specials. Everything at Cafe Bistro is fantastic. The food is great and the service is exceptional. I thoroughly enjoy everything on the menu. I've never been disappointed. read more

This was a five star place for me for several years, we received excellent food prepared perfectly with top notch service. Our last couple visits however had major food prep issues that could not be resolved. One visit was undercooked fries that were repeatedly brought back in the same state and when I no longer wanted to spend my family dinner time trying to explain how to cook fries to the waitress, manager, chef separately and waiting for a repeat I was treated rudely. This last visit the issue was handled very well with a speedy and friendly manager visit at least. There is still no excuse for bringing someone what is clearly a half a sandwich in place of the whole $16 sandwich. The kitchen and waitstaff sees how many of the sandwiches a day and you're telling me it just slipped by. To top it off the ajus was very clearly watered down to the point of no flavor being left. Either that was done just for my order or people had been served water all day for their should be delicious overpriced sandwiches. I have had the french dip sandwich before and it was awesome with a rich dark dip. After these back to back experiences I am hesitant to try again but when they get it right they have a very consistent and tasty menu. My husband enjoyed his usual sandwich. Those fries and olive dip are heaven and it would be a shame not to have them again. Now that I have a family going with me I also wish that their kids menu had a bit more variety like their adult dishes. Always a bummer when the only protein choice is chicken fingers or nuggets everywhere we go. Throw in some vegetables to replace half those fries or something. read more

This is quite possibly the best kept secret in all of Cincinnati, honest to heavens. The soups (French onion and the daily special) are always wonderful. The salads (in particular the lime shrimp and Caesar with chicken are lunch spectaculars) and the sandwiches (they come with fries and some olive aioli ---- I don't even like olives y'all and this dipping sauce is analogous to what I think crack may taste like) --- legit. Even better is the service in this bistro nestled amongst designer gowns and work out pants that cost $80 or so. You're treated to a sit down meal with your fountain beverages promptly refilled. Indulge in a midday glass of wine or local beer. Skip any other lunchtime urges in the Kenwood area and please dine here, puuuu-leaaase! read more

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 Cafe 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. read more

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. read more

Cafe Bistro - Our check. - Cafes Near Me - Cincinnati, Ohio

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. read more