Cafe Bistro 2901 South Capital of Texas Highway, Austin, TX 78746

"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 my two cents."

"Great food choices, quick. Delicious ice tea. I had the French onion soup topping appetizer which was wonderful."

"Our food was very good. The hamburger was cooked just as I ordered. My wife said her panini was very good, too. Strange that the panini wasn't pressed, but cooked like a grilled sandwich. Generous amount of fries as well. Orders for food were taken at the hostess stand before seating. Took off a star because I thought it very forward that I was asked if I wanted to include a gratuity before we had any service. I'm not used to that idea for a restaurant."

"My wife and I visited for lunch. We were recommended this place by a friend of ours who used to work at Nordstrom. This place is delicious! We did have to wait for a table, but not too long. It was a busy time. My wife tried a fig and berries salad, while I had the French dip prime rib sandwich. Both were out of this world. The prime rib was very tender and flavorful! We ended the meal with some bread pudding for dessert. Very tasty! It is a bit pricey, but worth trying out!"

"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 feature special."