Tom Douglas and Nordstrom are partnering to open Douglas’s first Eastside restaurant. Department Bento will be replacing the Nordstrom Grill, located on the second floor of the Bellevue Square location.
According to Puget Sound Business Journal, Japanese bento-box inspired Department Bento, will have customizable bento boxes including protein, rice and pickled vegetables, plus beverages and alcohol.
Nordstrom Bellevue also has other food and beverage options, such as; Espresso bar, Ebar, Marketplace Cafe and Habitant. The most recent addition, Habitant, a lounge offering cocktails and food, opened back in 2013.
The Grill is set to close its doors on March 4 to make way for the new quick-serve restaurant opening in the spring.
EXTREMELY disappointing as Nordstrom Grill was one of my families favorite places to eat. It gave us a reason to go to Bellevue Square, plus it was somewhere good to eat out of the hustle and bustle of the mall. My young children won’t eat this type of food so Nordstrom has lost our business.
Wow! What a shame. Nordstrom grill was always busy. Why take away something that customers like? There are enough Asian type restaurants. From disposable clothing to encouraging customers from not coming into the store by having curbside service to a takeout restaurant, are you just catering to the younger generation that “Doesn’t have Time”
I just wish he’d open a burger joint here. No one’s gourmetified burgers on the E. side yet.
What a shame. The last quiet place to eat on the Eastside and mall, with good American food. The last thing we need in this area is another Asian type food restaurant. We won’t be going there with the children, or friends.
So sad to hear. Our grandchildren’s favorite mac and cheese and as others have mentioned a place to settle in with great service and our family. If they could remake the confusing 3rd floor restaurant into the grill where you wouldn’t have to order in shifts and maybe get your food at the same time? Way too confusing and disorganized.
I am not too keen for the Bento concept either – since when did Tom Douglas become a Japanese chef?
But to the people complaining above… aren’t there a billion other American grill restaurants around the area? Bellevue is literally overflowing with medium-quality restaurants like this, you will have plenty of choices.
I don’t like it. Didn’t Nordys take a customer poll before deciding this? As far as I know…in the mall there is no other restaurant like the current Grill.
I am so bummed. That is my favorite place to go! Great service great food every time! ☹️
The photo alone, of the Bento, does not even look appetizing to eat anyways–like it was rushed to put together. There are too many Asian restaurants & Asian eateries in Bellevue now so there needs to be other choices like Greek, French, & just other “European” foods too—the food at the food court at Crossroads mall–is just gross.
GAAAAACK! Love the Grill. Not trendy, not loud, not crowded, just good food done well.
This news makes me so sad! Nord Grill was the only restarant in Bellevue to serve NORMAL food. It was always jammed , so obviously people liked it. Tom Douglas Restarant’s are a dime a dozen and I don ‘t want pickled vegetables.!!!
No, there is not another restaurant in the mall –where you can meet a friend and dine on excellent food and enjoy the entire time you spend there! Also watching families with small children is an extra treat! I think ” tom” would do better up on the 3rd floor!!!====”just saying”
Wow, what a shame. I eat at The Grill every time I go to Bellevue Square whether it be a salad, burger or fish and chips, the food was consistently good. I enjoyed sitting at the bar for a drink as well. This new restaurant does not excite me at all. I guess I will need to eat at Mariposa and therefore shop at NM.
really sad good food gone forever
Love Asian food but would not go to TG’s for it. Will miss The Grill’s crab bisque. Doesn’t seem like a good change.
Too bad. Keep the grill!
Oh no! What about the famous Asian chicken salad?..and the good beef sandwiches?Maybe this is an answer to the quick lunch crowd. I have had so many nice lunches here and I don’t want a Bento
Box for lunch! Are you suppose to take your boxed food and sit by the escalator to eat it?
I am sure it will attract Asian customers; maybe that is what they are after.
I don’t understand the need for the change. My family loves the current grill and we go every week. I guess we will be going someplace other than Nordstrom’s from now on.
It was a great place to sit and talk with friends over a great meal. So disappointed in the direction Nordstrom is moving.
So excited for this!!! Thank you Tom for coming to the Eastside. Can’t wait to try it!
Very disappointed! As others mentioned what a shame! It was a quiet, cozy spot to enjoy consistently good food. To meet my husband for dinner on a rainy evening, or join friends for dinner and conversation. So pleasent. The staff always upbeat and friendly. The atmosphere warm and inviting at anytime of day. Please rethink your decision!!
They should move the Grill upstairs to the third floor and replace the restaurant that is there now.
That would make people happy!
This a terrible decision. Nordstrom is moving to fads and trends of food and ignoring the loyal clientele. One of my treats of shipping at Nordstrom was stopping at the Grill. This was the last place in a Mall where one could eat decent food, in a elegant and respectable place. Nordstrom is loosing class! I am NOT supporting this new restaurant nor do I know people who are crazy for Bento nonsense!
So so sad to see the grille go, it was one of our families go to’s for healthier but still cozy dinners. Too many Asian inspired places already, I feel like they never do their research around here…..did we need another???
We will miss the staff, we’ve spent many times chatting with Allison behind the bar:(
Bad move Nordstrom!
Disappointed too 🙁 Favorite part of a shopping excursion with girlfriends or Mom is the Grill’s crab bisque, grilled vegetable salad, loaf of sourdough with chilled glass of pino gris. Sublime…..
Is someone delivering these messages of disappointment to Nordstrom management or are we just talking to the choir? Since this decision is already made, how could we influence Nordstrom’s to change the 3rd floor restaurant to the grille ? How do we get action?
I’m so disappointed. I loved the Grill and went there frequently. The food and service were great and it was a great place to meet friends. I do not like the new concept and will not be returning.
I do not understand the decision to eliminate the Grill and replace it with Bento. The Grill is one of the very few quiet restaurants in the area. This will limit my shopping at Bel-Square and Nordstrom. I will now be shopping online which will probably not include Nordstrom. Bento that includes teriyaki and rice is not healthy.
Nordstrom has really missed great opportunity at the Habitait. I have been there many times and find more women than men. Why is there sports on the TV’s. And not fashion shows that show the latest styles. Has Nordstrom talked with the servers re the number of women that stop for a glass of wine and a snack.
Just another mistake by Nordstrom. Why doesn’t Tom Douglas diva restaurant similar to Lola’s
This is such a stupid idea – why are they fixing something that isn’t broken? Way to alienate your loyal customers, Nordstrom…
So surprised to hear of this change. Was looking forward to a Tom Douglas restaurant coming to the Eastside but now it will be greeted with resentment. Nordstrom traded a favorite, comfortable spot for one I have no interest in and in a format I have no interest in. Malls are dying but now one more reason to go to Bel Square is gone.
Very disappointed with this decision. The Grille was a known sit-down restaurant with great food and atmosphere in Bellevue Square. Sorry Tom Douglas, I will not be eating at your new restaurant.
Nordstrom Executive Meeting: “Hey, I know — let’s close down the successful Bellevue Grill our patrons love and replace it with a trendy Tom Douglas eatery no one asked for! That’ll increase traffic!…”
Our family loves the Grill. We have been going for years since our kids were young. Now they as young adults eat there. None of us will eat at the Bento Box! We don’t even like the Cafe restaurant due to the cafeteria style it has. So. Nordstrom Bellevue has lost our family of 5 adults business. We went for the last day last night and it made us so sad. So many memories with staff and other customers. Bad choice Nordstrom.
I was shocked to walk by today and see that the Grill, formerly the Pub, is closed inside the Bellevue Nordstrom. I had no idea this was happening. Why would they close an established busy restaurant? Let Tom open his restaurant elsewhere. Nordstrom doesn’t seem to believe in catering to their customer’s wants anymore, this is just another example. I think it’s a huge mistake, and clearly from the comments posted I am not the only one.