north star american bistro

rude! sat at the table and waitress was so rude that we decided to go elsewhere. menu looks great but just couldn't believe how we were treated.

dr. anne m. rice. i can only say that after two saturday evenings dining at north star bistro this past winter, wow! the food is excellent, the service doting (okay, a little too doting) and the vibe is great! i highly recommend the meatloaf and the eggplant and zucchini sticks and fish dishes are creative and fresh and hearty in portion. a fine experience.

confused customer. really enjoyed the food and atmisphere but extremely confused as to why the bartender was working so hard to serve the people at the bar as well as all of the high top tables (drinks and food) as well as making drinks for the entire restaurant...all while 3 young ladies stood around (one was maybe the hostess) giving dirty looks that drinks weren't done right away or rolling their eyes when they had to help...or lift a finger. props to the bartender for keeping the restaurant going tonight...think his name was jim...he needs a raise :)

reserved a table for 14 for fathers' day brunch. everyone enjoyed their meals. service was good. my only suggestion for improvement would be to make the bloody mary bar larger or more accessible to more than one person at a time. i wouldn't hesitate to have another large party for brunch at north star, shorewood.


-----30 jan, 2011-----

bad brunch experience = no longer a favorite. north star bistro's new location (across the street from its previous home) is a vast improvement in decor and parking. however, i have to confess, i recently moved this off my favorites list due to a couple of recent disappointing meals here. in particular my most recent brunch experience was bordering on awful. there were only five tables of diners, yet it took nearly 30 minutes to get our food after ordering. at one point i had to flag down our waitress to ask how much longer we would have to wait. she was pleasant enough but didn't seem to know what to do other than apologize profusely. (checking on our food or offering another beverage before we have to flag you down would be a good start.) when our food arrived, my crabcakes benedict were overcooked and everyone's potatoes were so over-garlicky they were inedible. most of my previous experiences have been exemplary but this was so bad, it will be a long time before i return. i'm guessing this is a (mis)management issue, as no manager seemed to be in attendance that day. i'm leaving it on my "likes it" list for now but it's no longer a favorite - and it will be a while before i'm willing to risk such an unpleasant experience when seeking what should be a relaxing brunch. hopefully, they can remedy the problem quickly.


-----09 nov, 2009-----

upscale, neighborhood jewel. tantalizing menu, clean modern decor, good service and excellent food. surprisingly kid-friendly with a separate room for families while the main dining room is casually elegant. this is our go-to place when we want to relax and enjoy a wonderful meal and a nice glass of wine, without any pretense. love it.

overpriced, slow, bad food. i never write restaurant reviews but felt compelled to after eating there for the third time (twice we had gift cards or we would not have gone back after the first). i ordered the ravioli for $16.95. there is no meat on this, just tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms, so you'd think for that amount of money they'd give you a hearty portion. what i got was almost laughable. i counted 5 actual raviolis and they tasted like they had been frozen and thawed. they were paper thin with hardly any cheese. i left still hungry. my husband and kids had burgers and a chicken club and reported that they were "just ok." we all agreed that the oak crest tavern down the street is a better deal. not only that, the service was incredibly slow. the table next to us even complained. the first time i went, i had a salad and it was a plate of spinach with a few tiny bits of cheese. i also left hungry. we will not be going back.

yawn. i have to eat here often because it is so close to my office, but the food is so boring. the pizza is offensive...crabcakes are greasy and everytime i order a burger here it is well-done....no matter how i order it. the prices reflect the menu. you get what you pay for.

that's hospitality?. we used to be regulars (1-2 times a week) when they were across the street. at the new location, we were greeted by a new staff -- far less friendly than the previous staff. that has improved greatly, but one thing mystifies us: the host staff at the current location always tries to seat us at terrible tables, say a two-top on the banquette when there are booths. it feels insulting, and we hate having to ask for a different table. we eat out a lot, and most hosts try to give diners the best available table, so we find this bizarre.

3 of us had great meals.service seemed slow ,the server came to us and told us kitchen was doing a carry out for 25.we were given free deserts.food came very soon.

excellent brunch, great dinner. i have been to brunch a few times and it has always been excellent for me. the creme brulee french toast is especially amazing. the bloody marys come garnished with a cocktail onion, mushroom, and a beef stick - the drink itself was fairly mild and uninspired.
had dinner there one weekend night, called ahead and was told reservations were needed before 8 though they should have said 8:30. they also serve their food at the thief wine bar next door if you aren't inclined to wait. the salmon i had was perfectly cooked though the wilted greens served with it were a bit too garlicky.