Marketplace Café

What’s good:
Beautiful setting on the inside
Food is great quality
Desserts are incredible
Calories are posted so you know what you are getting your waistline into
Great service
What’s bad:
The prices are quite high for a cafeteria style restaurant
The calorie counts on nearly every dish are high for what you are getting to eat

If «fan-​sual» was a word, the Marketplace Café would be it. Fancy and casual. I love it here; the quality of the food is superb and service is impressive. This is seriously a gem! If you’re up and about the Oak Park Mall, skip Panera, swing by Nordstrom’s, go to the third floor, and be wooed by the jazzy music in the near distance. Ignore unaffordable items in view.
Anyways, I had the best chicken Alfredo dish I’ve ever tasted – it was just super fresh, everything cooked perfectly. I also got some tiramisu and no regrets at all here. It was heavenly.
My boyfriend was also curious about the soups when we walked in and we were immediately offered to try some samples. Nevertheless, I ended up downing the little sample of their soup because it was so good. It was tomato soup, which I’ve always hated…
Ultimately, this is such a great alternative to Panera. Perfect for dates or when you’re getting hangry in the mall (and haven’t spent any money yet). Good job, Nordstroms… you have good clothes AND food. I am impressed.

Yum. High quality food served fast. It’s cafeteria style in the swankiest form. Salads, soups and sandwiches. Desserts and wine. Need I say more? A little retail therapy, a snack and a vino… perfect afternoon.

This place is in Nordstrom’s which is weird. If someone hadn’t told me about it I wouldn’t have known it existed because Nordstrom’s not a place I frequent. All their food is organic and really really good. I recommend the skirt steak with veggies– the chimichurri (sp?) is fantastic. Also the pizza is ridiculous. Eat here.

While shopping at Nordstrom, a sudden case of «hanger» swept over me. My sister suggested we eat at the Marketplace Café on the 3^rd level. Ummm… what? Have lunch in a department store? I don’t think so.
How misinformed was I! Needless to say, it was so good that I went back 2 days in a row. High quality food at decent prices combined with excellent customer service; I’ll be back again and again.
Recommendations:
–Shrimp Lime Cilantro Salad (The menu says Chicken, but I requested Shrimp. Delicious!)
–Tomato Basil Soup
–Strawberry Shortcake

Delicious spot for a quick lunch. I ordered ½ Chinese chicken salad and ½ prosciutto mozzarella sandwich to go. The café is set up glam cafeteria style complete with trays and all. The food was fresh, delicious and quick.

Wow, the tomato basil is fantastic but I already knew that.
Be sure and try the pear and blue cheese salad, it’s to die for!!!
David our waiter is the best, be sure and sit in his section.

I love this place, I’ve been coming here for years! I use to work in the mall so I’d come here for lunch and whine down for an hour. I’ve had a few things here but I always go back to the same thing, CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN SALAD… ummmm YUM it’s so good. I love it! I’ve had their pasta which I liked and I would get shrimp instead of chicken that was always good. The soups are good and the sandwiches are just okay. I’ve had the margarita pizza and I love it. Usually my friend and I get a pizza and a whole salad and split it.
Service here is always good but the line can get long at lunch. It’s a little bit on the pricy side for lunch too.

I can’t believe in a mall where there is a noisy food court this place even exists. We finally got a chance to try the café. Tucked away on the third floor of Nordstrom is an excellent place to eat. Great décor, comfortable seating, served up cafeteria style with table side service –a really nice place. The menu is eclectic, can be light except for the cupcakes, and very good quality food. Service was great. We had the Nicoise salad. It was excellent. The best salad I’d had for a very long time. Couldn’t resist the cupcakes and tiramisu. With the salad and the desert together it was too much food. I was overly full. Very good lunch and definitely worth stopping buy.

This place is incredible, always has great service and has gluten-​free. I honestly can’t ask for more. Their tomato basil soup is very very popular for good reason. I love the strawberry spinach salad with chicken, but tried something new today– cilantro lime chicken salad– WOW!!! Soooo good! We also tried their gluten-​free pasta for the first time– chicken pasta rossa– OMG!!! Best gluten-​free Italian dish I’ve had outside of NYC. I asked what brand of pasta they use and the waiter brought us out half a bag and said to keep it. Amazing service! The GF pasta they use is Gillian’s by the way. Which I had never heard of but will def be buying soon!

Yum yum! Delicious, fresh, and healthy selections. I have to order the tomato basil soup, every time I dine here. I am not even a fan of tomato soup normally, but the dried basil and the puréed tomatoes really speak to me. Tiramisu comes in HUGE slices; all dishes are made to order. If you have a food allergy of any sort, they will take the time to explain which foods you can have, which ones you can alter, and which ones you cannot eat. Wait staff are very friendly as well. I would suggest doing an early or a late lunch during the weekends, this place fills up fast!

This was almost going to be a one star review, but our server saved the day! The hubby and I stopped in for a bite to eat while at the mall and overall, we were not impressed.
The prices here are not prices you would associate with cafeteria style ordering, but that’s really what they have here. You grab a tray and then choose what you want. They’ll hand you some stuff that you carry to your table and other stuff they bring out when it’s ready.
I started out with the tomato basil soup followed by the seared ahi tuna salad and the hubby had the turkey and cranberry sandwich. The soup was really pretty tasty and I definitely wish I had stopped there. My hubby said his sandwich was no better than what you could find at QuikTrip and complained that it was too small to fill the black hole that exists where his stomach is supposed to be. When my salad arrived, I was immediately disappointed to see that my seared ahi tuna was not seared, but pretty much fully cooked. And there were literally only four small pieces of tuna. The salad itself was strips of cabbage, carrots and red bell peppers plus noodles. Huh? Yeah, it was chock full of the slimy little suckers, but the color and shape of the noodles pretty much matched the cabbage, so it was hard to pick them out. I tried to make an effort to eat my salad, but it really was not good. And it was especially not $ 14.50 good. My hubby waved the server over and he seemed at first incredulous that I didn’t like my icky salad, but then he agreed that the tuna was overcooked. He apologized and took it away returning about ten minutes later with another apology, my money back in cash and a free cupcake. This is what saved this from being a 1 star review. The fact that the restaurant did what they could to make it right goes a long way.
I have to say that I wouldn’t make a special effort to go back to the Nordstrom Café based on the quality of the food we were served, especially at the prices they’re charging. But it’s one of those places that I wouldn’t balk at trying again if someone else in my party really wanted to go there.

I always love a lunch at Nordies. The only complaint I have is that it is pretty steep for what you get, but it is a fun treat and the tomato soup can’t be beat!!! The chocolate cupcake — not worth the $$ or the calories.

I eat here regularly. My favorite meal is the strawberry chicken salad. When I have a craving for this dish I will stand in line for as long as it takes. I also really enjoy the tomato bisque.
The restaurant is set up cafeteria style — all dishes are displayed to customers as they walk through the line — once ordered your food is made to order. Staff is knowledgeable as to what items are gluten free.
Occasionally I can tear myself away from these standards to try something else on the menu. Honestly, I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad meal here.
Place your order as you pass through the line. Don’t worry, this isn’t like the Soup Nazi, the staff is all friendly and professional — they are used to waiting while people make the tough menu decisions.
The food is fresh. The prices are fair.
Will I go back? As often as I can.

I’ve been dining at Nordstrom Café since the late 1980s in the Washington DC area. This version in Overland Park Kansas is no different than the other versions around the country. Simple format, cafeteria style line, friendly servers, and a meal that is sure to impress.
No meal is complete at Nordstrom Café without a steaming cup of their tomato soup. This stuff is to die for and they even bottle the soup and have it available as you walk in case you want to take some home.
Everything else is equally good. From paninis to salads, pizzas to other entrées, Nordstrom’s café is well worth the time and hike to Oak Park mall on the third floor if you have a moment.
Staff here are always incredibly friendly and willing to go the extra mile to serve you. This is no different than the other employees at Nordstrom’s who are expertly trained in the art of customer service, a lost art in today’s instant gratification world.
Beat the crowd and arrive either early before the lunch/​dinner rushes, or later in the day after the rush.
My only struggle is some of the clientele who expect everything to be given to them. There’s a sense of entitlement among some patrons which is a little disgusting. This goes with the territory and you might have to bite your tongue a time or two upon seeing a line cutter or someone else trying to get extra service when they’re just like every other patron here.
Overall, an excellent value for the food and a tremendous way to spend an afternoon or evening.

I met a friend for lunch here yesterday. When we scheduled it, we had no idea that there would be a big anniversary sale going on in the store. The crowd here was much larger than it normally would have been. Located on the third floor of the store, it was not hard to find and parking was relatively easy despite the crowd.
I arrived a little before our scheduled lunch date and shopped for a bathing suit top. My friend arrived about 1:15 pm and although the line was fairly long, 15 – 20 people including children, it moved quickly and our wait was only about 10 minutes. A very classy, elderly woman (she told us she was 79) offered us a sample of the Margherita Pizza and told us the specials; Artichoke Parmesan soup, was among them. She also explained that the food was organic and gluten-​free. I later saw on the back of the menu that they are a very «green» restaurant that uses many recycled products.
I was new to this café and wasn’t sure what to expect. It is set up cafeteria-​style. I was able to get my soup, given a number on a stand for my sandwich and my friend’s salad, pay, and find a seat. It was self-​serve for the beverages. I chose iced tea. I ordered half a Cranberry Turkey Panini to go with the soup special. My friend had the Nicoise Salad with Salmon. She had been here many times before and clearly knew what to order as a veteran. The salad looked amazing. My food was scrumptious, as well. The soup was a tangy tomato base with chunks of artichoke hearts and Parmesan cheese with a slice of bruschetta on the side.
Waiters checked on us to see if we needed anything like water or refills on our drinks, or if we wanted dessert. Tipping was left optional which made the total bill very reasonable.
As an added bonus, I asked the assistant manager if I could photograph him and the restaurant for my review. (I always ask first). He declined, but got the General Manager, Amy. She was super friendly, allowed me to take pics, and when I asked her questions about how she became general manager, she explained her credentials with a bubbly attitude.
I walked away feeling great about Nordstrom.

I’ve now eaten here several times and had held off reviewing until I was sure… this is a darn fine spot to dine. Not your typical restaurant as you can imagine with the proximity to a lot of pricey clothing. The clientele here clearly has some money, and Nordstrom clearly has made a decision to run a top flight restaurant with little lacking. I’ve found the service, and more importantly, the food to be well thought out, cooked nearly to perfection each time, and the wine selections superb.
It’s noisy and crowded, for lunch. Expect to dine with 150 Johnson county soccer moms – nothing wrong with that, but the crowd clearly leans toward the ladies. Dinner, a little lighter. It’s not a buffet, but you grab a tray and go through a line and make your choices, pay at a register at the end. Drinks are mostly self-​serve except for the vino.
In particular, the Tuscan Salmon plate is loaded with spectacularly fire roasted vegetables and the salmon (have had it twice) has not been sitting around. Someone is cooking it fresh and it’s finished and seasoned to perfection (with some fresh pesto). Love to have received a plate cared for this well and a certain highly rated mid-​town eatery that charged twice the price a few weeks ago. Grrrrr.
The soups are marvelous but loaded with calories. I can deal with that. They provide calorie counter pamphlets if you’re worried. The wines, very nice. Last night we ordered and paid for two glasses of Cabernet at $ 8 each. They lady said, «oh, I screwed up… we’re out, but I’ll give you the $ 10 a glass Cab no charge.» It was superb.
Now here’s the deal: I wouldn’t call this a destination for a dinner night out in my opinion. It’s located on the third floor of a mall inside of a department store and lots of people are carrying shopping bags. Not exactly a great romantic spot, but if you want a really solid meal that’s delicious without the pretense this is a great choice. Also a great break from shopping. And hey, I *do* like the men’s shopping on the first floor. The ladies will too, but be warned, it’s not Target or JC Penny.

Holy Ladies Who Lunch Spot.
This place is great though. The food is really good although slightly overpriced for a stand in line with your laminated tray kind of place.
The Cilantro Chicken Salad is really really lovely. I’m not a fan of any of their desserts.
Very bustly… very dimmly lit cafeteria style.

It’s awesome. I love it. I can’t stay away. Their café is awesome too. :)
The food–
Tomato basil soup is to die for.
California club panini is perfection.
Pizzas are done perfectly.
Goat cheese and strawberry salad is my standard.
Red velvet cupcakes, crème brule and the everything cookie is the sweetest ending.
The atmosphere–
A little more «cafeteria» then I would prefer, but whatever.
Service–
You order at the counter with a tray and they make the cold food in front of you. Hot food is delivered to the table in a few minutes. You pay at the register.
Here’s my only issue– the pseudo waiter. Either give us table service or get rid of the fake waiters. The «waiters» usually stop by to see if you need anything and then end up putting down what looks like a bill (actually a couple chocolates and their biz card) at the end of the meal. I can grab a chocolate on the way out. What the hell am I going to do with a waiters business card? I don’t mind leaving a couple dollars if someone actually does something for me. However, I never receive refills, the roll (which used to be at the counter) that I requested, fresh pepper for my salad or at times– even a clean table. The only time I do receive these services is when the restaurant is empty and the waiter is bored.
I have been to Nordstrom Cafes all across the USA. Other locations manage to do table service flawlessly. Nordstrom needs to decide what kind of experience they want eaters to have and do the same thing at every location. Dumbing it down for KC sucks.
Also, the word is out. People who would never shop at Nordstrom are dragging their messy kids here and old folks love it. The line is longer every time I go for lunch. It would be nice if Nordstrom did something special for Nordstrom card holders or maybe gave you a free drink with a Nordstrom receipt. Just a thought.

This is a an absolute underrated restaurant. I mean, who would have thought? A restaurant in the middle (actually on top of) a clothing store? Really?
Yes, really.
As you enter the café, you will line up cafeteria style and choose your food. Soups are first, if you are a first timer to the café I can’t recommend the Tomato Basil (they also sell jars of it here) enough. The second soup changes daily, but I have had the Wisconsin Cheese Soup and the Artichoke Vegetable. After the soups you can pick from a wide variety of dishes (sandwiches, salads, small pizzas, pasta dishes) that are displayed as well as some desserts and then walk to the register to finish your order. FYI, the café serves normal beverages, but also Boulevard Beer and wine.
Once you’re out of line feel free to find a seat where ever you want in the dining room, which is decidedly very non-​cafeteria like. A server will be happy to help you if you have any questions and also offer refills, etc…
Prices? Very competitive and worth while. You can get a full meal in the café for $ 10-​$ 12 compared to one for $ 8-​$ 10 in the grease pit of Oak Park Mall’s food court.
This is a restaurant I highly recommend.