Went here during lent. You order first and they bring it out. I had the fish sandwich, ordered fries which was an appetizer and the wife ordered the margherita pizza. They don't give anything out like numbers but a device that looks like you would get when you are on a wait list and the lights would go off. Well to my surprise they use it for your table location which they bought my fries out first and dropped them off at the table. The food came out shortly after that. Everything was good and surprisingly barramuñdi filet was delicious. Never had it before. The first with the aioli was good and the wife enjoyed the pizza. It doesn't have waitresses so you have to get your own refills. We definitely go back when I am at the mall. read more

Northstar Cafe - Fish sandwich, fries and Margherita pizza - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

It was great, minus the 2 doors being open to the line, which makes it hard to know who is actually first. It was a very busy Sunday brunch, and they had one poor cashier. Oatmeal with almond butter, oat milk, fruit and nuts was really good. It was warm (not as hot as I like it, but still good!) and I liked it served in the mason jar. They were making delicious scones and cookies while we were in line- smart advertising bc it smelled good! Food came quickly and "servers" were very friendly. read more

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A masterclass in charging white-tablecloth prices for a cafeteria experience. Twenty-minute line at 2:30 in the afternoon. Not peak brunch. Not a holiday. Just a normal day. Standing there long enough to memorize the menu twice or say a rosary is not a premium dining experience. The bar is "recommended," but the LED bulbs on the bar are so aggressive it feels like a medical exam. Bring sunglasses or plan on retreating back into the same line you just escaped. The other lights and ceiling look great. Credit where it is due. The rest of the space sounds like an airport hangar. Loud, echoing, and exhausting. Pricing is where things get bold. Self-serve model, yet premium pricing, and a suggested 25 percent tip before you have even picked up your own drink. That is not hospitality. That is confidence bordering on performance art. Cloth napkins could almost tip the experience, but no, your paper napkins and silverware are in a can upon arriving to the table and your plates will stack while you wish you could order some alcohol to numb the experience. Owners are losing money here too When you're thirsty, you know where the line for the soda is and the line at the bar as well. Burger, frittata, and cookie dough that is still negotiating with the oven. No drinks. Fifty dollars. At that level, you expect service, atmosphere, and execution to match. Instead, you get a buzzer and a line. The restroom situation adds another layer. Four shared bathrooms, one long line, everyone waiting together. Nothing builds community like realizing you all overpaid at the same time. To the owners, you are close. There are small operational fixes that could dramatically improve throughput (that line could've been whittled down to 5 mins) and customer experience. Right now, it feels like a beautifully branded bottleneck. The surprising part is the food. It is good. Presentation is solid. Flavors are there. But not so good that it justifies the wait, the pricing, and the overall experience. Bottom line. Excellent business for investors. Frustrating experience for customers. Plenty of nearby options deliver better food, better service, better value and a better overall experience for less. read more

This location feels elevated compared to the Liberty location. I definitely prefer sitting at the bar for continued service during drinks/food. Great lil spot. Live music every night. read more

Northstar Cafe - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

Northstar Cafe is pricey, but def worth the hype, imo. I went with a friend for a girls lunch which I highly recommend I got the Mexicali Salad, a margarita, and we shared a side of fries with aioli, and the pimento cheese dip. All get two thumbs up from me! Thankfully this location is right by my work so I will be back soon!! read more

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The drink menu was pretty solid, not a lot of food options though. But they do serve, breakfast lunch and dinner so I think that's great. This is such a beautiful space! Love the open layout and bar area. It was super busy when we went and felt a bit overly crowded in the front area so we opted to sit at the bar for full service. The Caesar salad was delicious! I also thought the fries were good, I just don't like that they came out first. I wanted my salad and fries to come out together. Restaurant was super busy so the bartenders weren't has attentive but that was expected as they had a lot of guest to attend to. Overall, I enjoyed my meal and will definitely try a cocktail next time I go. read more

Northstar Cafe - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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My new favorite meal is the cast iron steak + enchiladas. It is a dinner item so do not go before 3p. I paired it with the rum strawberry mojito . This was a great after work meal . It's not too heavy with a lil spice . Service was great , and if you know my reviews you know I sat at the bar . Service is usually more efficient and more personable when you sit there in my opinion. Make sure you visit the one in Kenwood and to grab a chocolate chip cookie. read more

Northstar Cafe - Cast-iron steak and enchilada - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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Just had the Lucky Chicken Salad and WOW! Absolutely bursting with flavor and textures! Mango, peanuts, another crispy thighs mixed in with a dressing I want to bottle up and take home with me! read more

Came for dinner this time and loved the experience! We sat at the bar, which is full service. They had live jazz music and you get a free little appetizer- chips and pimento cheese. It was a nice evening, so the big doors were open to the outside. My husband loved the burger and I loved the fiore pizza! The fresh lemony salad on top was the perfect touch. read more

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Buddha bowl is always a 10/10 The enchiladas themselves for some reason were a little cold, however the beans were hot. But it was still a very yummy dish! The staff was and is always so incredibly kind, something I really appreciate about this place. I also love the Kenwood location, a very cozy environment! read more

Northstar Cafe - Buddha bowl and vegetarian enchiladas - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

Northstar Cafe is the perfect brunch or dinner spot. Located adjacent to Kenwood Mall, they offer a healthy take on classics. We stopped by for brunch on a Sunday and he had the Northstar Burger (veggie burger) and I the sweet potato hash. Both were delicious but the burger was the clear winner with the accompanying salad. We shared the truffle cookie and boy, that was the best truffle cookie ever! Brunch was so good we decided to come again that following week. This time we shared the Caesar salad that had the perfect amount of dressing (I didn't have to ask for extra on the side) and the Margherita pizza. The sauce was too mild and would be better suited on a kids pizza. Other than that, we enjoyed our meal including the wonderful jazz trio. We'll be back! read more

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Busy brunch spot in Kenwood mall. Order at a counter and select a table, wait staff brings your food. Space is decently large with varying size of tables to sit at. Almost a coffee shop vibe that just happens to have full meals. Didn't have to wait too long for our food given how busy it was. Didn't love that sides had to be ordered in addition to entrees, but the portions were a good size. Bagel was steamed and everything seemed to be fresh for the most part. read more

Northstar Cafe - Egg bagel add avocado, side potatoes - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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I visited this location this morning for breakfast. Overall, the restaurant is clean, well presented, ample seating, good amount of staff to assist delivering your food and clearing your plates. I was impressed by how clean and open the dining area was and the kitchen. Again, all appeared to be clean and well appointed areas. Meaning someone keeps up with standards and attention to detail throughout. This was my first time coming to one of their restaurants and yes it is a chain. I ordered biscuits and gravy with eggs and a side of bacon. You place your orders at the counter after waiting in line to do so. They will give you your cups for the drink you ordered and drinks are self serve. Drink station is very close to where you place your order. So, you could find yourself waiting in line to get your drink choice yourself before finding your seat. Staff with give you a buzzer that helps the wait staff find the table you choose to sit at to bring you your entrees. Service was relatively quick. Warm and relatively well portioned. My particular entree was extremely greasy. Yes, I know it was biscuits and gravy. But, I guess I envisioned some other type of delivery and prep for the food. The biscuits, gravy and eggs all came piled together in a bowl mixed. It was not necessarily explained that way on the menu. I guess I just assumed eggs and biscuits would be separate and gravy would be more of a side for you to add as you wished. The gravy was not a white gravy. It was a brown gravy. Again, it was extremely greasy. And frankly overwhelmed the entree in an unappetizing fashion. Given the cost for the entree. Biscuits and gravy alone was $11. Eggs were an additional $4 I think and I added bacon (3 strips) which was another $4. Plus a drink which I think was $2-$4. I would have expected better for $24 before any gratuity. I also would have expected for that amount table side drink refills instead of making you get up and refill when you needed it. Again, it's probably not the theme of the restaurant for those things and I get it. I guess I was upset because the entree itself was unappetizing. In fact it did not stay with me very long if you know what I mean.. Aside from the atmosphere I would liken it to something you would expect at an establishment not trying to come off as being as fancy as this place was trying to come off as being. I personally can say I will not be returning because it's just not for me. I thought about getting the pancakes and if I did I might have been more pleased. It's hard to mess up a pancake. Based on my experience I would not suggest this for a meal choice. But, maybe I just had a bad experience with my entree selection. Again, counter and floor staff were pleasant, restaurant and kitchen area seemed clean and well appointed, etc. I just did not care for the entree. I hope this helps someone that's contemplating paying them a visit. read more

This is my first time at the Kenwood location I do go to the Liberty location often. I came in with several friends for lunch on a Saturday afternoon. The smell of wood burning outside was unique and very warm as you walk to the door. Inside it reminds me of the Liberty location but smaller. With that said the service was on par with every visit I have had at the Liberty location and the food was excellent as always. My go to is the fish sandwich but that doesn't mean it is the only good thing on the menu, I can say that I have tried a lot of other items and everything I have tried has been yummy. It can get very loud in the restaurant so if you are hard of hearing be prepared for noisy conversations that you may miss a lot of. But the food is worth it. I highly recommend Northstar, if I could give them 10 stars I would. Oh so tasty. read more

Northstar Cafe - Fish sandwich and potatoes. No fries durning brunch. - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

We don't go to the mall very often, but when we do we are going to the Apple Store. We had plans to go somewhere for lunch, but Northstar Cafe was finally open. It was still under construction the last time we visited the mall. Since it was our first time we were very confused. There was a line, but not understanding it's an order first then have a seat process, we were lost. I asked the bartender about the process and it was from her we learned we needed to go back to the line and order in advance, which we did. We then had a seat. Mark went to get water for us, but I was not going to keep getting up to get water refills. The lack of a dedicated server was sorely missed. Mark ordered the Chicken & Avocado Sandwich w/ fries and I ordered the Deluxe Egg Sandwich. I also purchased a chocolate chip cookie. Mark's sandwich and fries came out pretty quick. My side of fries followed in short order. When the fries were dropped off I mentioned I did order fries, but not JUST fries. She said she understood and my sandwich would be delivered soon. Well... Mark was finished with half of his sandwich by the time I finally tracked down someone to ask if my sandwich would be coming anytime soon. I admit, though I'm sure I said it nicely, the choice of words indicated I was annoyed. She went to check on my sandwich, i.e. pick it up after it had been sitting on the kitchen counter for a while. She did apologize for the delay. Mark said his sandwich lacked flavor, but he enjoyed the fries. My sandwich was very greasy and mostly tasteless. How in the world can smoked gouda be tasteless?! Well, I don't know how they did it, but they nailed it. The bacon made the sandwich. Oh, I suppose I should have asked because I assumed the eggs would be sliced and hard boiled. They were, instead, scrambled eggs in the shape of a wedge. There was also some sort of sauce along with plenty of arugula. The sandwich was messy, difficult to eat and as stated before, greasy. The cookie was huge and bursting with chocolate chips. The cookie, as sweet as it was, had a slightly bitter taste. It was as if they included some bakers chocolate chips in the mix. That said, it was soft and quite gooey. It was a good dessert and plenty for two people to share. The place was clean and nicely laid out. The booths were comfortable, but as part of seating ourselves we nearly sat at a table that wasn't clean. No plates on the table, but there were water glasses. In my mind this made sense since I'm used to having someone stop by the table and fill up our water glasses. Mark noticed the water glasses weren't exactly empty and it became clear we needed to move to another table. I was excited to have convenient place to eat while at the mall, but we won't be coming back. read more

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So glad we have a northstar close to us now! (I know of the Columbus and liberty center locations as well). Generally easy parking at the mall parking lot and fast service. You order at the counter for everything, then grab a beeper and sit where you'd like with drinks as self serve. I like their food selection and the quality seems pretty good (definitely not the mass produced microwave reheated stuff you'd get at most chains). Relatively fast service as well and a beautiful wood themed interior. read more

Northstar Cafe - Breakfast sausage side - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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1000/10 Experience! I really enjoyed the live music and vibe of the restaurant, which was unexpected since it is connected to a mall. We ordered the Pimento Burger and the Fish sandwich. The pimento burger was as juicy and the fries were good. The fish sandwich SHOCKED me, it was insanely flavorful, and they use brioche bread which tops it off. I'm still also dreaming about that side salad. NEED to go back and try more menu items. read more

Northstar Cafe - Pimento Cheese Burger - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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This was my first time visiting, and overall it was a good experience! The food was tasty, and the drinks were great -- especially the cider, which I loved. The staff was friendly, and the atmosphere was comfortable and inviting. The only suggestion I'd make is for a bit more clarity on the menu. I ordered the chili, which didn't list raw onion as a topping, but it arrived loaded with them. Unfortunately, I can't eat onions, and since the setup requires you to go back to the counter for any fixes, I just ended up not eating it. Also, no one stopped by to check if our food was okay -- just to clear dishes and move on. Still, I'd come back again -- the food and drinks were solid, and with just a few small tweaks to service and menu descriptions, this place could easily be a five-star spot. read more

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4.5 stars for lunch. You know whenever there is a line getting into the restaurant, it will be good. The line moves efficiently. You order at the line and then get a pager and they bring you the ordered food. I love the ambiance and of course the display glass of baked treats while on line enticed me enough to buy 2 very large cookies to go. It is the place to be seen at lunch. Bumped into a lot of friends. Very lively ambiance without being necessarily loud. Good salads, wraps, sandwiches, and burgers. I noticed a lot of burgers around me so next time I'll try their classic cheeseburger. read more

Northstar Cafe - Barramundi fish sandwich with the simple salad - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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So happy to have a Northstar in Cincinnati! Fell in love with this chain when visiting my daughter in Columbus. And this location does not disappoint! On this night, there were four of us. I had the Kenwood salad with crispy fresh vegetables, almonds and dates. Hubs had the chicken sandwich which he loved. Daughter 1 got the chopped salad and Daughter 2 got the burger. Fries are delicious! I really love the homemade ginger ale, really love and am now on a quest to figure out how to make it at home. Amazing house baked giant cookies - we got two chocolate chip cookies, served warm with abundant melted dark chocolate chips. Our orders were taken efficiently at the entry and delivered quickly by pleasant staff. I was surprised there was a live jazz band - pretty cool! Decor was classy and subdued. The only downside I can think of is the location at Kenwood Mall. The parking lot is expansive but fills up on prime shopping times. Luckily we visited on a mid-week evening and found parking quickly. I will definitely be finding excuses to head over to Kenwood for a Northstar salad! read more

Northstar Cafe - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

I absolutely loved visiting Northstar in Columbus so it's a treat to have a local restaurant and I found our experience to be be very consistent with Columbus. The venue is very upscale and nice but one aspect that is unique is that you order at the counter and your food is brought to your table after you seat yourself and get your own drinks. We commented that this was actually really nice because you did not have to interact with servers after a long day... was nice for decompressing, but with that said, all of the stuff were very friendly and helpful! I do wish that they had water jugs because it's a little difficult to keep getting up and filling your water with the large space and crowded tables and the glasses at the self service station were pretty small. We also needed a box and had a hard time flagging someone down to get one. I will always order the Northstar veggie burger... it's just perfect and all allergy friendly too. I ordered it without the cheddar and it was still delicious. The simple salad is one of a kind. My husband always enjoys Northstar's fries with their aïoli. We had a party of three and each of us really enjoyed our burgers! Portion sizes are great too; we all left feeling full. Finally, the jazz that started around 6 PM was really nice. It was a unique way to spend and evening and despite being right by the Kenwood parking lot, the shaded and well landscaped patio was lovely and felt like an escape. I already want another veggie burger and to come back for more Northstar! read more

Northstar Cafe - The Northstar burger (veggie) - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

Great fantastic yes the ceaser salad was finally done and prepared the right way as in the past my congrats to the Chef really big difference perfect atmosphere clean spotless really a fun night our business crowd will be back read more

Northstar Cafe was good, but nothing I'd have a craving for. It's an order and pay first type of place. The waiter then brings it to your table once ready. I do have to say the drinks here is better than the food. The espresso martini was on point. I had the Jackie O draft beer. It was very good and served iced cold. If I came back I'd belly up to the bar before I dine in. read more

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The Kenwood Northstar was hopping this Saturday afternoon, met two friends to enjoy their wonderful freshly made creations. I enjoyed the chopped salad today& friends both had the everyday egg sandwich. We shared the breakfast potatoes. I love their homemade ginger ale. We also purchased cookies & scones to take home. Wonderful service and great to finally have location off 71. Definitely will be back & we were told they have live music 7 days a week 6-9pm read more

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Addicted to the egg breakfast sandwich on their lunch menu. We'll definitely be back for more of that fluffy, eggy goodness! read more

Northstar Cafe - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

We arrived on a Sunday at 11 am - perfect timing. Short line and seating was available outside and inside. Great choices on the menu - meet, vegetarian, gluten free, etc. We got a variety and tried a few of the specialty drinks. Mushroom frittata - great! Prepared fresh. Good seasoning - had a little kick. Potatoes - on the side were a favorite at our table. Cheese burger was good too. Can't go wrong with anything you order. Even got a chocolate chip cookie to go - the server helped us get one. Yes. You can order from the table - once you have been seated. Outstanding! We will be back! Not too noisy either. Can hear the people you are sitting neg Brith and Carey on a conversation. read more

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Ordered: country breakfast Such a great addition to the mall! I love the indoor outdoor concept of this location! Everyone we interacted with was super friendly! I got the country breakfast. The food was still fresh and well seasoned. They have the best biscuits in town! The bacon was thick and not too salty. I would prefer it not stacked so that I could eat the delicious biscuit on its own so I'll definitely ask next time. read more

Northstar Cafe - Country breakfast - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

It is organic and locally sourced. They had quick service and you can get free refills of organic soda. Some of the best food I ever had. The ambiance is also great because you can sit outside read more

Amazing loved the seared tuna - so fresh and good! Light, refreshing, good value. Also tried the Margherita pizza - so so good. read more

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Decided to visit here for lunch. Wasn't sure what to expect. The place is big there are two register you order at the counter. We ordered the cheeseburger and a chopped salad. To place an order was kind of a cluster. We couldn't get by the other register because too many people standing there. The drink station is right next to the resisters creating more crowd. Our food was brought to our table. The salad was fine just was swimming in dressing. The bread was cold, I feel it should be warm or at least room temperature. The burger was a burger. The fries were fresh and crispy. Prices were a little steep. read more

Northstar Cafe - Chopped salad - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

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We had a great experience at the newest Northstar Cafe located at Kenwood Mall. We'd been to the one at Liberty Center, but it's nice to have a closer location to home. We just happened upon it when shopping, and decided to have an early dinner there. It is order at the counter, then find seating of your choosing. We found a great booth that was comfy and clean. I had ordered the fish sandwich which I'd order again in a heartbeat! It was a perfectly grilled barramundi filet served with a herb aioli that was delicious. Shared a side of fries w/ rosemary aioli which were served hot and with just the right amount of crispiness. I also ordered the blackberry spritz which was so refreshing! Hubby had the Kenwood salad which he loved. It was flavorful with lots of textures. He loves a lot of crunch! We'll definitely be back! read more

Northstar Cafe - Blackberry Spritz - New American Near Me - Kenwood, Ohio

Expensive and you have to wait in line to order. The prices on the menu board were incorrect, so the drinks were more than advertised. They bring your food and drinks, but don't really check on you after that. Food was good. Very loud environment, but I think bar would be more pleasant. They did have live music over near bar area. read more

This location is super cool because they have a beautiful outdoor patio and live jazz music! Their menu is also a bit different from other locations. The Buddha bowl is excellent and I hope they bring the pad Thai here soon! Will definitely be back soon. read more

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I loved the seating outside with the fountain, it was so pretty. Best fountain drinks around! And our food was delicious! I cannot wait to go back! read more

I ordered a medium size coffee and a side of fries. It was $11. I went to the rest room for 12 mins , came out and neither was done. The bar tender asked if I wanted anything and I told him my order, he gave me a half filled cup of coffee, small thing of oat milk , old sugar packets and put the stir stick on a plate with HAIR and STAINS on it! Then, after waiting for 20 minutes, the fries come up, and I am not over exaggerating;They were literally the amount of the palm of my hand! When I ask the waitress, why is my order so small, she said I can ring you up for another order if you like. What?! I absolutely would never come back the ambience is not worth it. The cashier was a sweetheart, however. read more

If I could give this place zero stars I would. My husband has a severe peanut and tree nut allergy so he is very careful with menus. I ordered the steak and enchilada and he ordered the chicken and avocado sandwich with wild rice. After a few a few bites his lip started to swell. There were chopped almonds in his wild rice. Nowhere noted on the menu. My dish was also "nut free" but there was a literally almond half in my black beans from cross contamination. DO NOT EAT HERE IF YOU HAVE AN ALLERGY. We flagged down one of the workers and she only offered to take away his plate. They are very lucky he didn't take a bite of the rice and have a full allergic reaction. Poor customer service and terrible kitchen. read more

I love Northstar ethos and atmosphere. The jazz nightly is such an extravagant respite from the mall world. Their cookies and veggie burger are amazing. Sadly, that is where it ends for me. I really always want the food to match my hope, but it disappoints. Breakfast is boring. The pizzas are flavorless crackers. The steak is overly marinated sugary mess bordering on inedible. Served with an enchilada that is terrible and cannot be subbed. All sandwiches are meh. It's truly sad because their beautiful restaurant spaces deserve better food. read more

This has been for a long time one of my favorite places in Columbus (if you know the food scene there, this is very high praise). I'm thrilled they have a location in Cincinnati now. Very good, high quality, and not pretentious. You won't be disappointed. read more

Look, I understand trying new things with your restaurant, but this just did not work for me. At Northstar you're required to stand in a long line to order food and drinks and then hope you can find a table once you order. Because you're not allowed to get a table first. And if you ever want to order more you have to get back in line. I really don't get this concept and although the food and drinks were good, I wouldn't go back. read more

Horrible environment! As a once loyal customer I am petrified by the downfall of North Star Cafe, and I blame management. Especially the manager Kaylee. She was extremely rude and judgmental to my family and I. Upon initial contact with her she comes across sweet, but she is just really good at hiding her true horrible behavior. Maybe one day this location with follow suite with the rest of the chains in Ohio, but for now I will no longer be a customer at North Star, and I am sad to see what passes as a kind service worker now a days. read more