Came here before a Segerstrom performance; phenomenal service! The entire staff was so helpful and caring - top notch. As someone who regular dines at Nordstrom cafes, I think I prefer them to Ruscello? I'm a pretty plain eater overall - But -- the portobello mushroom ravioli was quite tasty. My better half also enjoyed his sandwich. The french fries were consistent between here and Nordstrom cafe. While we dined indoors, I liked that they had a little patio area, too! One of the more affordable places to eat in the area. 2026: 41/100 read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Cup Roma Tomato Basil - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Mother's Day at Ruscello! 4 starters, 4 entrées, and 4 desserts for the table! Cocktails and wines made the celebration even better. The service was extremely attentive from the staff and assistant manager throughout the lunch. Everything felt smooth, warm, and well cared for. Perfect place for a Mother's Day treat! read more

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Ruscello at Nordstrom is a great upscale vibe and perfectly located inside Nordstrom without feeling like you are in a store. The grilled cheese and tomato soup with a side caesar was the perfect combo for the middle of my shopping day. It's a large menu with a variety of choices that would suite most palates. There's lots of indoor and outdoor seating depending on the weather. Service was fast and I enjoyed my lunch. Would definitely come back during my next trip to South Coast Plaza. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Grilled Cheese & Tomato Soup & Little Gem Caesar - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I love dining at restaurants inside Nordstrom. Cozy warm vibes throughout. Each location has the same menu, but have to say they each taste different. This one is located at the South Coast Plaza Mall. Atmosphere can be a bit loud inside, but best place to sit is outside patio where it's nice and calm. It was a sunny beautiful day to dine outside with fresh air. Service could have been better because no one didn't attend to me until 10 minutes later. When my server finally arrived, I was quick to put in my order. Margarita pizza was absolutely delicious paired with a sweet cocktail on the side. I enjoyed every moment while eating my lunch. Usually, I order a cup of tomato basil soup with crostini. It's the best! Not this time around because I knew I wouldn't finish my meal. So if you happen to shop at Nordstrom and need a bite to eat make a stop here. Food and cocktails are good. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Found an earwig in one of my salad. Very disappointed. Hope management reads this and do better read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Earwig in Wild Salmon Niçoise - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Our Server, Miguel, made our excellent food even better with his lovely customer service! The Manager, Julie, is always focused on taking great care of us as well. I come here once a week for a reason! :) read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Salmon saffron couscous - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Medium rare ribeye steak was delicious but the shrimp was my favorite part of the meal! Artichoke spinach dip with the bread was cheesy goodness. The chicken tacos were surprisingly good-- they had enough flavor and weren't dry. The cranberry drink was tart but the cinnamon syrup in it added a unique sweetness. I don't have a sweet tooth, but the rest of my family enjoyed the desserts. Great holiday dinner overall! read more

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Loved everything! I will definitely be back for the lobster bisque. It was so flavorful. They have an array of drinks and so many menu options I want to try. read more

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Fresh food and great service. I come in regularly and can't remember ever having a problem.

The lime cilantro tacos are very good. Good restaurant on the 3rd floor at Nordstroms. Nice atmosphere. Good for kids

Great food - I had the Salmon Nicoise and my hubby had French dip sandwich. Both were yummy! Ambiance was nice and felt upscale but casual vibe. Plenty of seating- our server (Adam) was great. Super friendly and checked on us several times. Definitely try this place if you're at Nordstrom. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Salmon Nicoise and French Dip - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Words don't describe how much I love this cafe. Casually mentioned a small inconvenience about soup being cold and they did the absolute most to make up for it. Appreciate their great food and service. read more

First time visitors Located 3rd floor of Nordstrom's in south coast plaza Plenty of exterior parking and parking structure Open bar sitting and tables or sit down table service available FYI bathrooms located outside the restaurant by the strollers Adam - server - was very friendly enthusiastic detailed orientated really made the experience of explaining it all and remembering the details of our conversation Tomato basil soup served with garlic crostini very soothing warming of the soul not to acidic and pretty in color Chicken tacos freshly fried size of street tacos in a hard shell tender meat - for $10 definetly smaller scale and wish there were 3 instead of 2 Braise beef and ragu and cheese tortellini was shareable hearty like a tomato confit with spinach leaves and perfectly cooked tortellini - great for a cold day and not overly stuff when consuming pasta Both drinks order yes on the more expensive side but liquor and quality shows for it Great hidden gem for date night solo eaters family happy hour watch sports journal however it maybe Certainly will return to try more read more

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I always have a great experience dining at a Nordstrom restaurant and Ruscello was no different. It has an Italian theme, but their seasonal menu offers some interesting additional items. The restaurant is modern, busy, and pretty fast-paced. All of the servers are friendly and Jessy was exceptionally attentive. There was fresh bread and butter to start with which was delicious. We ordered the seasonal birria pizza with consommé as well as two cilantro lime salads, one with chicken and the other with cauliflower. Loved the birria pizza! The meat was tender, the sauce wasn't too creamy, and the consommé added a lot of flavor. I also enjoyed the cilantro lime salad as a more fresh, healthy side dish. I wouldn't recommend the chicken which came out pretty dry, but I highly recommend the cauliflower option or perhaps a different protein altogether. I'm excited to see what the next seasonal menu is! read more

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5 stars are for the Manager of this location - Panos. He genuinely wants everyone to enjoy their food and their experience while dining here - It's evident/felt in every interaction and his quality of service is greatly appreciated. Definitely recommend the pasta dishes here. The warm sandwiches are also very good. Can get busy/crowded but the food is always very good. I recommend placing to go orders online or in person (versus over the phone) or dining here in person! read more

We went to Ruscello (located on the 3rd floor inside Nordstrom) for HH which is from 2:30 to 5 PM, Mon - Fri. We shared the artichoke spinach dip and each of us ordered a burger. Both were good. The burger was juicy and prepared perfectly. Definitely will be back. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Happy Hour Menu (May 2025) - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Lunch and shopping at Nordstrom was a much needed weekend distraction. Not sure why I have been living down the street all my life and had never visited the restaurant. It quickly became an obsession and I will now have to make up for lost time here! :) Our server Adam was such a delight! Very friendly, attentive and best of all, so funny. His recommendations were all 10/10 and he made the experience better. For a starter, we did the soup of the day which was a chicken green tomatillo soup. So delicious! I couldn't believe how good it tasted. It was basically pozole which I'm not a fan of, but I truly enjoyed this delightful little soup. The bread that came with it was scrumptious. My entree was 10/10! It consisted of: Wild Salmon & Cauliflower and only 660 calories. Comes with peperonata vegetables, creamy parmesan polenta, and lemon honey gastrique For drinks, I can't recommend anything better than their Vine Street cocktail. This is a refreshing and delicious drink! Must try. For dessert we went with Adam's recommendation which was their White chocolate bread pudding with fresh raspberry and house whipped cream. OH MY GOODNESS. Such a treat! I will absolutely be back to try the rest of their menu. read more

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Very good food, they definitely improved a lot. I've always thought of him pretty good food though this time is really really good. Sometimes it's more fun and I pre read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Minestrone - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Haven't been to a Nordstrom cafe in years but had chance to go to renamed Russello. Have always been a fan of the grilled cheese and tomatoe bisque. Had a birria grilled cheese and a pasta and meatball dish also. The food and the service was ok but for some reason the experience wasn't the same. Would I come back? Probably not since there are so many other options. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Lobster bisque bowl - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Ruscello is a pretty solid option with basic Italian and American fare. The restaurant is located inside Nordstroms and it's been easy to get a table in my experience. This is especially helpful during the weekend when other restaurants inside South Coast have long wait times. The restaurant doesn't disappoint but nothing here is too exciting. The restaurant offers salads, pastas, pizzas, sandwiches and burgers. I've had a couple of sandwiches. All come with fries which have a pretty heavy taste of rosemary. The spicy shrimp pasta isn't too spicy and has a stronger tomato flavor. read more

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Kate, the hostess, is always great. Expect to wait during busy hours, but it moves pretty fast. I enjoy dining at Ruscellos when I'm shopping at Nordstrom and meeting up with friends. They have a very good menu with lots of options. In my last visit, I went with my friend who is vegetarian and she was able to find a few options. She ordered a veggie burger with fries and I got the turkey club with avocado and salad. The portions are satisfying. read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Roasted Turkey and avocado - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

I love the service at the bar , there's a guy super good server and very nice been a handful of times, there's food is actually good and priced well honestly green light for this place to eat read more

You know, it is a great spot for lunch while shopping. Would I seek it out and drive out of the way to get here? Probably not, but it's a great spot for an afternoon on the patio. read more

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If you are looking for an Italian food, just go somewhere else. I challenge you to find a "Tacos chicken" or a "Kung Pao Brussels sprouts" or a "Pizza" like the picture in Italy. Every time you call this "Italian food" an Italian chef, die. Please guys read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - "Pizza" - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

Leave it to Nordstrom to provide great service and great quality, and at reasonable prices? This place was a lifesaver. Very tasty soup, salad, and sandwich at the same, if not better, prices than anywhere in South Coast. read more

I enjoy calamari. I order it everywhere. I rate it. I am usually very disappointed. It is most often tough greasy and tasteless. Kudos to Nordstrom/ Ruscello for a delicious, tasty and perfectly crunchy dish with an amazing sauce. It was cooked perfectly and presented well. A generous serving I enjoyed as my lunch. The coating was just the right thickness and was a great companion to the tender and tasty calamari. Server Michelle was a great resource and very helpful. Attentive but not overbearing, pleasant but not fake. Bravo and Well Done! Team South Coast! read more

There was a minimal wait time to get seated. After seated, the server came and gave us recommendations. The interior was nice, well-lit area. The food was great, the shrimp pasta was just the right portion for lunch. I was disappointed that they didn't have any coffee options such as lattes. read more

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My husband and I had a chance to check out one of the South Coast Plaza Nordstrom's 2025 Black History dishes and I must say that it was pretty good. Initially when it was brought to us the rice was placed on top of the collard tzatziki sauce which seemed to make the rice pretty cool and the steak was cooked a little more than medium as we ordered. Nonetheless; the waiter was gracious enough to take our food back and have it re-done. I thought they were just going to give me a fresh hot rice but they actually made the whole dish over and this time they placed the steak on top collard tzatziki sauce; which I liked alot better. I also appreciated that they re-did our steak which was cooked more to our likings. To say the least our dining experience was very pleasant as it was around 5 p.m. and was a bit more quiet and calming during that time! This dish is worth trying and very flavorful! read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Berbere Steak and African Fried Rice atop collard tzatziki sauce and cilantro - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

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Met a friend here for lunch. This restaurant is located on the third floor of Nordstrom. Since it's located at the mall parking is not an issue. They have indoor and outdoor seating. Lee seated me at a table while I waiting on the other person in my party. Jamie was our waiter. Both provided extraordinary service. I had the shrimp burger with a salad and it was really good. The other person ordered a soup (chicken tortilla). read more

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I know I would die happy after that white chocolate bread pudding ! yummmmmyyyyyyyyyyy!!

Overpriced for a mediocre food. Do better. They have good drinks but the food sucks. I suggest going somewhere else

they have changed menu and not in a good way. the rosemary fries are gone they were so good and why we would eat there. also the turkey club no longer has roasted turkey it just cold cuts not good and are brownie Sunday is gone. we won't be eating there any more. read more

I went there I try to eat at the bar I was gonna sit my husband and I when the bar tender say the sit was reserved for someone else it's ok but after when we were waiting another service person not very nice told us to move from there they have to improve costumer service read more

Our server, Jaime, was incredibly friendly and attentive. When we asked for dish recommendations, he passionately explained each option. Every dish arrived freshly cooked, and the shrimps, in particular, were cooked to perfection. A truly great experience! read more

Sat at the bar and Liz took care of us. Short for Elizabeth... Super kind, nice and professional. She was super attentive and got us what we needed. Ordered a couple of sandwiches with my wife. Turkey Avocado club and the French dip. Both super good and fresh. You must try their Tomato soup. It's to die for. We come here for that sometimes. Miguel at the bar was on point. They have a solid drink I liked called the Smoke and Heat. Also a must try... Can't forget about Jose.... He was quick to turn tables around and get people seated. He helped my wife find the restroom. If you have not tried this place already. You should check it out. They have really good Menu Items. From Salads, to sandwiches to steaks. Good job team. See you next time. read more

Ruscello is a pretty nice restaurant that is located inside of Nordstrom. They have a decent sized menu but I feel like everything on it leans either Italian or American. I ordered the ginger sesame salad with roasted chicken because I wanted to eat something light and healthy. The salad consists of organic baby greens, julienne vegetables, crisp wontons, mandarin oranges, toasted walnuts, sesame seeds, cilantro, and ginger sesame dressing. The salad was really good and I really liked all the flavors that came from the different things in it. I particularly enjoyed the wonton crisps in the salad because it gave it a nice crunch. My only complaint with the salad is that the chicken was a bit on the dry side but it wasn't too bad. The others in my party ordered the crispy panko chicken, Nordstrom burger, chicken lemon pesto gnocchi, and the lamb pizza. Although I didn't try everyone else's dishes, they all said that they enjoyed what they got as well. One thing to note is that we asked to not have tomatoes on the pizza due to an allergy, however, the pizza still had tomatoes on it. After we brought it to our waiter's attention, he talked to the manager and they removed it from our bill, which we appreciated, however, we were disappointed that it happened in the first place. Service here was really good and our server was friendly and checked up on us often. The ambiance here is warm yet upscale at the same time and I love how they had twinkly lights to decorate for the holidays. Because it is located at the mall, there is plenty of parking. read more

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We came on a Sunday for lunch. There was no wait. The patio was nice. Our server was always fast. I ordered the cilantro lime salad with skirt steak. They put so much steak!!! It was so tender and delicious. The salad itself was one of the best salds I've had. The flavors all went together so well. I never see restaurants put that much meat anymore these days. My mom got the spicy wild shrimp pomodoro. She loved the flavor and huge pieces of shrimp. Bf got the burger which was your classic delicious restaurant style burger. All of us left full and happy tummies. We would surely return. read more

Stopped by on a Sunday during lunch and there was a quick 5ish minute wait. They text you when the table is ready so it leaves you free to walk around to shop! Service was good and food came out pretty quickly. I was ready for a nap after shopping so went for the mushroom ravioli. YUM! Pasta was perfectly cooked and creamy sauce was delicious. Food here isn't crazy expensive either which is great in this economy. Lots of light and comfortable seating in the restaurant - which can get quite noisy - just a heads up! read more

One of my favorite places for a quick drink! Even better it's in one of my favorite stores.... I'm a life long Nordstrom shopper so it only makes sense that I frequent this place. One of the best tomato bisques! Service is always good, I normally sit at the bar and the atmosphere is always nice! read more

Ruscello at Nordstrom - Mediterranean Near Me - Costa Mesa, California

The food is so flavorful here!! It's a carb overload for sure but in the most delicious way possible. Our waiter spoke Spanish and English which I thought was so cool and he was very sweet to our baby. The vibe is very family friendly so if you and the hubby want a nice date night with the kiddos 10 out of 10 I recommend. Because of this though I wouldn't recommend it for people without kids as a date spot ya know read more

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