Café Bistro at Nordstrom — Restaurant in Austin

I haven’t been here in a while and it was nice to go back. The food was phenomenal. It’s not cheap, but you’re not going to the bistro in Nordstrom for a “good deal” anyway, right?

I got a cup of their legendary bisque and it was so delicious while not being overly creamy and rich (in my opinion.) I also got the lump crab, avocado and mango salad and every single ingredient was fresh and tasty and the dressing was just a perfect accompaniment- not overbearing. Their hot tea selection was also great- had a jasmine green that was lovely.

Here’s the unexpected part: I sad at the bar so in full view of the kitchen and the back and forth between the manager/expeditor, servers and chef/cooks. I spent several years working in restaurants and I was just floored with how incredible this crew was! Everyone was calm and respectful to each other (tough to do during a rush) while also communicating and moving everything through with a sense of urgency. The clear focus on providing a great experience was evident. Super impressive!

This gets me to my next point and frankly my only “complaint” about my visit: the setup where you pay (and presumably tip) in advance is clunky and I’m certain leads to fewer tips than this crew clearly deserves. Asking customers (not at the bar) to tip in advance of any service received is a recipe for receiving no tip or a very small one. So few people have cash on hand to tip after the meal so, at the very least, there should be a second opportunity to tip on a card. The pay up front model fits with a cafeteria or buffet- not a high end bistro with excellent service- just...

Used to be great and high quality - what happened??

Cafe Bistro in Barton Creek was a family favorite - high quality, very tasty cafe options at our favorite department store. Maybe a tad pricey, but it was always reliably very good and prepared with fresh, premium products. The Cilantro Lime Shrimp Salad and French Dip were exceptional. Unfortunately, that is no longer the case. The past 3 visits were extremely disappointing (except for the fries and olive dip, of course). The shrimp were rubbery and tasted pre-made - the previous day at best. Today, the shrimp weren't even re-cooked and served cold and slimy - inedible. But the French Dip may best explain the precipitous downfall of this Austin eatery. Due to "corporate decisions" the French Dip no longer uses shaved Prime beef, but instead a substandard option that tastes like microwaved deli meat. Pretty sure Arby's would be better than what I was served. Both the waitress and manager lamented this "corporate decision" that has resulted in a lot of complaints and a low quality, bad tasting sandwich. It is sad for me to see a favorite restaurant with several family favorite options fall to such low standards, but doubly for me, as this decline reflects poorly on the Nordstom brand. If "corporate decisions" are being made to deliver lower quality options at the same premium price, hard not to think the same bad (cost-cutting?) corporate decisions are being made across the board at...

placed an order for food both to go and dined in, food is well prepared, portioned, and also family friendly. it is worth the wait however if you are impatient you have someone in your family or friend hold a place in line, just remember its about 10-15 minute wait or longer depending on the day of week or any type of promotion Nordstrom does in store. I have long to love the cilantro lime shrimp salad, the soup of the day, chef's special, sandwiches and new items I usually taste while I am there. Why not check it out for yourself. Menu changes with the chef's...