I would consider this place a very "up and coming" spot in C-U. First, the concept. Think food court only more attention to flavor and quality. If you've been the Revival Food Hall in Chicago, Broadway Food Hall wants to grow up to be that. I really like the choices - enough diversity but nothing that an urban midwestern palate would be scared to try. The choices include a burger bar, a salad bar, a hot and cold deli menu, a burrito bowl station that has an Asian/Mexican flare, and a wine bar combined with...wait for it...a poké bar!!!! If you've never had poké and have an aversion to raw fish, a poké bowl is where you start to face that fear! It is usually served with rice and then any combination of other toppings and the raw tuna is marinated, so it has a smoky soy flavor. I took a picture of the menu, so you can see there are unlimited combos to please anyone.
Next, comments about the meals we had. First, I should add the caveat that we forgot that the Hall closed at 3, and we walked through the doors at 2:50 pm. I used to work in restaurants, and I really NEVER thought I'd be THAT person. Ugh! Once I realized the situation, I told the person who greeted us (one of the partners) that I forgot they closed at 3, and didn't realize how late it was, and that we would just take a quick look around and come back another time. He wouldn't hear of it! He said he would be happy to help us, and took time to explain the setup. My husband had a roast beef combo which came with a drink and bagged potato chips (choice of plain, bbq, sour cream and onion). The drink choices were Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, Orange and water. The drinks came in a 16 oz can (instead of the standard 12 oz. size), and were cold, but not served with a glass or ice, which I prefer. I had a burrito bowl with several choices of ingredients, including (for no extra charge), fried tuna! The burrito bowls had some very interesting add-ins that changed the flavor up in a surprising and delicious way. For example, one of the add-ins was a mild radish-type vegetable that was marinated in something that made it sweet. I loved both the flavor and the crunch. Overall, my husband thought his sandwich was good, but not exceptional. My Asian/Mexican fusion bowl was, in fact, exceptional.
Things I liked:
Combination of food venue choices
Price point (around $10 per full meal with drink)
The contemporary industrial yet comfortable ambiance (although might get pretty noisy with a huge crowd)
The simplicity of the ordering system
Quality of the food
Favorite feature: poké bar!! (No others in C-U to my knowledge)
Customer service was beyond exceptional. I felt like the partner I spoke with was personally vested in making this a successful project.
Suggestions:
A wider variety of drink choices, and include the option for cups and ice
Offer the option of real silverware
Eventually add a self-serve fro-yo bar or something sweet
SIGNAGE!! If it were mine, I would hire a mural painter to paint a colorful "Broadway Food Hall" on the white building front.
All in all, a very good start to a wonderful addition for C-U. I will be back to try the poké bar soon! The partner said they are planning to extend hours once the weather warms up.