This is place is such a hole in the wall!! Stopped in looking for something different and not fast food related and the food was AMAZING. I got the pumpkin ravioli with a vanilla latte (which was delicious). The atmosphere was unique and our waitress was so sweet! Definitely Recommend read more

This place has great food! Good variety of different foods, such as shrimp scampi to sandwiches and pizza. I personally like the beef up sandwich. You order yourself, and the food is brought to you. Quick and friendly service. Outside setting available when the weather is nice. read more

A friend and I met up in Pontiac today to spend time together. We decided to check out this place. She had the patty melt and I had the turkey panini. The turkey panini and sweet potato fries were fine. I was very disappointed in their failure to follow covid 19 related precautions. After I ordered I noticed that none of the kitchen staff were wearing masks. We should have walked out. The cash register person also kept taking her mask off. Not a great place to visit during the pandemic, but okay food if you are hungry. Most of the staff was also very welcoming and friendly. read more

Driving down from Chicago, the food scene is quite sad along 55. Yelp didn't give me too much hope, centering local McDonald's and Pizza Hut as their no.1 choice. G*ogle shows me this place and I ended up here on a Sunday night around 9pm. I was quite surprised by this little joint. Atmosphere is definitely small town but the food is quite decent. We ordered the Pepperoni pizza, Bianca pizza, chicken parmesan panini, and a side of spaghetti. All of them are really good, except for the spaghetti. The galeto is also very very good. And the chef makes them in house! read more

First Financial Bank - Pepperoni pizza, Bianca pizza, chicken parmesan panini, and a side of spaghetti - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

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This is a weird little place that looks like a cozy bistro but has that hick town aura about it - like everyone knows each other and you're an outsider. All chit-chat stops as you walk in the door and staff and patrons whisper - you don't belong. Pretty blond at the counter with the personality of a pit viper. My daughter and I approached the counter. She stood there and and ignored us. When she was done doing whatever it was she was doing (texting, I think), we tried asking a question. She put up her index finger as if we were naughty dogs and said, "Just a sec." Yeah, I know customer service is tough, Princess, but we were the ONLY ones in line and we were nice to you until you were nasty to us. Food? Expensive for what you get, really. The menu sounds great, but the food you get is pretty mediocre. Plop some sauce and cheese and leafy stuff on a tortilla, grill it and call it a gourmet pizza. The sandwiches are tarted up to look exotic, but they're bland - I mean like oatmeal. Fries are of the frozen variety and when you walk in there's no smell of great food cooking, so I suspect microwaves are used a lot. If you don't smell garlic and spaghetti sauce when you walk into an "Italian" restaurant - get out fast. I've given this place several tries - just in case everyone was having a bad day. Each time it was a big disappointment. If you want good food at a place that doesn't pretend to be something it's not, try Pontiac Family Kitchen. Their spaghetti is actually better. read more

Consistently good every time we eat here. Sometimes the fries portions are pretty small considering the price but food is always tasty.

Great place for some quick eats! They have a wide variety to choose from, ranging from pasta to salads to sandwiches to pizza. They even have gelato! Ive personally tried the white pizza, cookies and cream gelato and a crispy chicken sandwich. The service is great. My only complaint is that I feel like it can be a little pricey for what you get. read more

I've ordered from Cafe Fontana Italian Bistro times and it seems like they forget one and two things. Ordered a bunch of food yesterday, September 9, and they forgot to put some toppings on my salad. We're supposed to have candied walnuts and it tasted just like plain walnuts, and there was no Gorgonzola cheese, which was a big disappointment because I love these kinds of salads with that type of cheese will try again, but this is the last time I will try read more

I ordered the vegetable soup and the chicken breast sandwich. The service was 5 star. The soup was salt flavor only. Chicken breast was a dried hockey puck. Nothing more to say. $10.49 and not very good. read more

Great food and good service!! We had a great time and tried their yummy dessert. Great place to eat!

Food was basic, nothing special, and they charged me $2.35 for extra marinara sauce on my lasagna, I have NEVER had a restaurant charge me extra for some extra sauce. OK, maybe that cheap chain place, Fazoli's? But not a real restaurant. Plus, they have that charge extra for using a credit card policy. I was traveling cross-country, as many people do along Route 66, and I do not carry a lot of cash on me for safety reasons. I do not appreciate being discriminated against for wanting to be safe and use a credit card. This place was recommended to me by locals. I do not recommend this place at all. read more

Food was great, Had the pizza and onion rings. Service was outstanding. Staff was very friendly and we felt very welcomed. Restaurant was cute and very clean. Will definitely come back. read more

They put the dressing in my salad when I asked them Not to. They're a old people walking around without masks during the pandemic. The town cops don't care because they were in there with the people. I hope someone reports them to the health department read more

This is my favorite place in town very clean very friendly staff... Everything I have tried on the menu has been above and beyond my expectations... Good euro pizza .. Good espresso I guess I just can't say enough of this place ... read more

First Financial Bank - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

Great place!! Definitely the first restaurant I would recommend if visiting Pontiac. It's right on Route 66 and great atmosphere. Mostly Italian food with quality ingredients and a high end feel. Love there tiramisu and gelato! Coffee drinks are great as well! Called 10 min about bringing in a group of 18. We walked right in and had a table all ready for us on a Saturday at noon. Food was great. The service was medium to fast. Great time! read more

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We absolutely love this place! Family owned & amazing food. The pizza is phenomenal, but I'm willing to bet the rest of the menu is great too. The atmosphere is really nice, and the service is fast. If you love good food and supporting family owned businesses, it's worth a try. I think they have something for everyone, including a full coffee menu & gelato! read more

First Financial Bank - BBQ Chicken Pizza - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

Love this place. I usually get the ribs or the Bianca pizza. The crust is like what we had in Italy. Great gelato too. Friends like the turkey festiva sandwich. Lots of variety and friendly service. For a couple bucks more than McDonald's you can eat real food. Outdoor dining option, too. read more

Food was alright for the price point, I split a panini and a salad with my mom and it was plenty for 2 people. However, I was disappointed with the staffs lack of regard for covid-19 precautions (no masks!!) The blonde girl at the front counter was rude to my mother and I, who had chose to wear masks indoors to pick up our dinner. I noticed her long gaudy acrylic nails as she haphazardly tossed my moms credit card on the counter after swiping it, and in that moment she didn't strike me as the type to meticulously scrub under those nails, and chose to not wear gloves. I understand people are under different types of stress with the pandemic still rolling- but my goodness, some basic human decency would've been appreciated! read more

What a great experience at Cafe Fontana's .. We love the environment and also the very friendly workers... We love to eat here... All the food that we've tried over the years it delicious and fresh!! My favorite is the pork chops read more

Update: 09/2023 -- We were looking for a nearby place for a quick lunch that wasn't fast food the other day, so despite some past concerns, we settled on going here. I had the Bruschetta Burger with a side salad... and I have to say, it was great! I was pleasantly surprised. The burger was cooked very well and was very flavorful. The only slight "ding" on the food review was that the Italian dressing on the salad was only so-so. It was a bit thick and goopy, probably from being in a super cool fridge and didn't seem to have much flavor, but that was only a minor issue. There aren't many restaurants that offer a side salad as an option, so I was just impressed by that. Hopefully this trend will continue for Cafe Fontana. Since there are only a limited amount of non-fast-food options in Pontiac, I want them to do well. Seems like there may have been a change in the kitchen at some point, so keep it up! read more

Don't let the fast food appearance fool you, the food is as good as a gourmet restaurant. The lobster ravioli was excellent and their home made gelato took me back to Italy. But in this economic environment I would almost travel from Chicago for dinner at their prices. read more

Ordered dinner for 2 the order was not correct because of what the owners daughter said "oh the cook read the order wrong". The cook cant read english! After going though the whole hassle the food we could eat was COLD horriable!!!! We are extremely disappointed!!! Sitting here eating a cold meal. I do not suggest anyone goes there. There are much better restaurants in Pontiac. Try DeLongs instead. read more

I had a great meal at this place today.I ordered an Italian beef with fries.it was delicious and hit the spot.fries were extra and were good as well.I also got a Vienna beef hotdog for later which was good also.it was grilled and cost 3 bucks. I'll be trying this place again and glad I gave it a second chance. read more

First Financial Bank - Pretty good Italian beef, fries were extra cost.The sandwich was good. - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

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This restaurant is a Frankenstein resulting from the unnatural blending of Hardee's and fine dining. The menu items are fine dining type items; $18 steaks, $26 bottles of wine, Potato Crusted Icelandic Cod. Ordering your meal and paying, however, is exactly like Hardee's, you stand in line to order with a cashier and pay for everything in advance. If you don't know exactly want you want you have to stand around awkwardly and stare up at the menu, which is made even more uncomfortable by the fact that the cashiers obviously expect you to know exactly want you want upon entering. So I suppose you should research the menu online and write down you own order ahead of time. That way you won't annoy the staff by reviewing the menu before you drop $50 on dinner. Want to know a good wine paring? Have questions about menu items? Tough luck for you. If you decide you want a second glass of wine you have to stop in the middle of your dinner and go stand in line again at the cash register and order it. Decided you want some dessert? Back to the register with you! There is added confusion at the end while you ponder whether you should tip your food runner or not. Even fantastic food is not worth this insulting and moronic setup, but the food is far from fantastic. Zero stars cannot be given, but if anything warrants this place actually earning the required minimum one star it is the gelato. If you are stopping by just for that then you will have a fine experience, as the service and decor are appropriate for an ice cream shop. read more

I have eaten lunch here on several different occasions and have always had a great meal. From the Parmesan Crusted Tilapia to the Margherita pizza everything I have tried has been good. They also have a huge selection of gelatos and other desserts as well. read more

First Financial Bank - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

This place is a mixed bag to me. They have the kind of menu that would be better suited for a nicer, sit-down restaurant like Bernardi's across town. I really don't even have complaints about the food, it is pretty good and certainly a bit different from most places open at lunch time. The atmosphere is fairly sterile and ordering this kind of food at the counter with the fill-your-own drink setup is just strange to me. I can't really comment on the service, because you don't get any. You order at the counter, they set your food down in front of you, and that's it. The folks I've eaten with and I have always been fine with the food, but it really needs to figure out whether it is a cheap lunch joint or a sit-down restaurant. read more

We have been to Cafe Fontana more times than I could count and we have always loved it! They have a large menu. Everything from panini sandwiches to pizza to salmon and far more. *Note: you do not walk in and wait to be seated or just go sit down. You order at the counter and they bring your food to you when it's ready. We didn't realize this the first time we ate there and sat at our table awhile wondering what was going on. I have tried something new almost every time I've gone and almost every time I am impressed. There were a couple dishes that weren't stellar but nothing I've ever had has been below 3 stars. There are so many choices that it would be hard to say you don't like anything on the menu. They offer wine, beer, and your standard soda. They also make their own deserts, including gelato and tiramisu (HEAVENLY!). Prices are very fair at $19.00 for two adults and one 6 year old to eat dinner, a little more with desert. The salads are always extremely clean and crisp which is a big deal to me. And their french fries...I don't know how they make those things but they are the best fries I've ever had! Crisp and flavorful! I'm not sure about the mediocre reviews about this restaurant...we have been dining there since they opened when it was always fairly empty a couple years to now when it's always busy. It's nice to see that even though word has gotten out and they are busy so often, they are still very quick to bring the food and clear the dishes. This is by FAR the best place to eat in Pontiac. Seriously, we have tried the other main restaurants and have always felt that we wasted our money and regretted not going to Cafe Fontana. Go there. Try a panini or a salad or one of their awesome specials. Take a glance at the folks around you and you'll see happy diners! read more

First Financial Bank - Sausage pizza, about $7. Extremely good! Probably more sausage than I would put on one I would make at home but it was great! - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

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I travel to this area 3 or 4 times a year. My stays are for 1 week each time and we go to this restaurant everyday for lunch. I haven't been disappointed yet. Every dish I have had has been absolutely delicious. My favorite is having them make me a custom pizza. I get olive oil instead of tomato sauce and then spinach, feta cheese, garlic, and a little bit of mozzarella. Soo good! Very authentic food no matter what you order. I'm glad this place isn't close to my home cause I'd go there way to often. read more

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First, for this to be a "ITALIAN CAFE" as the name suggest, I have enjoyed there southern style Ribs both times I have had them. For the size of this city, which for restaurants include the Bloomington Normal area, have some of the very best cooked Ribs and sauce that I have enjoyed this side of Memphis, Tn. Sold as 1/4 - 1/2 - and Full rack, are a good value for the bones received' price wise. The ribs here are in the running with 1 other restaurant in downtown Pontiac, but with the scale tipped in this favor, & flavor. Cafe Fontana brakes the mold in every other way, it may surprise you to order at the cashier, take a number, then go to a table that you find. I found it different, but relaxing in the long run... Not taking away from the good service that you would want to receive, in a 4**** star restaurant, YOU STILL RECEIVE THAT HERE.. The one small hick-up today, was when my grandsons Shrimp salad was not heard, and the way handled, was a little disrespectful. Nothing is 100%, so I give overall CAFE FONTANA on my Birthday today, is, 97%. read more

I love dining here but the same thing bothers me every time....ordering at the counter and having people stand behind you. The big menu and the special board makes it too difficult to order quickly. They have many people bussing tables so have a couple waitresses also. I agree with the other yelper, if you want another glass of wine you have to go up to the counter and wait in line which isn't right for a restaurant that sells wine. The restaurant is clean and the food is very good and high in quality. I ordered the italian beef though and it reminded me of Arbys roast beef. The sandwich was delicious though but thought for this place they would have different beef. Definitely stop in, you won't regret it. read more

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When in Pontiac, there aren't many choices. I'm glad I found this one though, thanks to the Yelp community. I am perplexed by it because it's conceptually confusing. As you'll note in other reviews, the menu says 'Italian restaurant' but the ambiance and ordering method scream 'airport food court.' I made my selection and ordered my food and presented my credit card. After I had signed the card slip (which offered no space for a tip), I noticed servers attending the tables. Knowing I didn't have any cash on me, I was annoyed because if I'm going to be served at the table, I want to leave a tip. When I asked the cashier about this, I was told that you have to request the tip to be added before they run the credit card. How was I supposed to know this? How many tips are their servers missing out on because this isn't advertised? It's tacky. I ordered a pizza and a Caesar salad. The salad was enormous and oddly, the dressing came on the side (normally a proponent of this, I feel like Caesar salads should come dressed unless requested otherwise because the dressing is generally thick and not easily applied to the salad). Beyond the lettuce and croutons were enormous shards of Parmesan cheese - probably too much but who complains about extra cheese. The pizza was excellent - no joke, after a huge salad I ate the whole pizza. I feel they could benefit from a little thicker crust toward the middle of the pie because it was too wimpy to hold up, but it tasted good. Back to the tip thing: a server brought my food and wine, a new fork, cleared my plates - I couldn't not tip. I went back up, ordered dessert to go (tiramisu, it was so-so) and put a tip on the card, knowing the rules this time around. Good food, weird ambiance. I would eat there again but I would probably get the food to go. read more

Ugh, although the service I've had there the few times I've gone has been great, it's the food. The pasta, dry. I mean in Italy, your pasta is not covered, however they really under sauce here. The pizza, instead of a gas fired oven, try a wood fire oven for true Neapolitan pizza. Mine tasted more like digorno. At least the Caprese salad had a good taste. read more

Cafe Fontana is my "go-to" restaurant when in Pontiac. It's inexpensive, fast, and tasty. The pizzas and calzone are my favorites and they are huge! The sandwich combos make for a great lunch for about 10 bucks. One observation I have made is that the entire place is spotlessly clean; most places are but this is almost obsessive which is good! read more

This review only reflects their food as we ordered takeout. The personal pizza pie was good and the chicken parmesan with spaghetti was also quite flavorful. I wish I had more to report on this spot, but I don't. Food was solid, so I would recommend it. read more

Been here a few time. This place has a friendly staff and good food. I've tried the menu from Soups and Salads to Rizoto and Italian Beef Sandwiches. It's all pretty good. read more

A bit on the more higher price side of places to eat, but a great place for special occasions. Firstly, we ordered fedduccini Alfredo, with strips of chicken in the pasta. On first glance, it didn't look like much for the price (two dishes for 27 dollars). However, the dip in the saucer plate has steepness, and there was plenty there to fill a stomach. Afterwards, we were feeling willing to try their dessert and BOY that wasn't cheap. One small slice of white chocolate raspberry cheesecake and one small slice of new York style cheesecake cost 11 DOLLARS. We flinched at the price when the cashier said it, but went for it anyways. They were both delicious, but roughly five bucks and some change each for those little slices is a bit much. In the end, we were both satisfied with our experience. The staff were courteous and kind, as well as attentive. But for the sake of having a budget, this should definitely be a special occasion date location. read more

First Financial Bank - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

Some of the worst customer service i've ever experienced. We are from seattle wa, and received some of the worst looks from the second we walked in the door. Both of the girls at the front counter just stared rudely at us until we ordered (it was our 1st time there, so it took us a bit to decide). On top of that, both of the girls and some of the chefs in the back kept giving us bad looks while we waited for our food. The food was ok, nothing more (the only reason for 1 star). The food may also not have been cooked fully, because i got sick the day after. Would not recommend this place to others. read more

A real treat! I loved the sausage puttanesca and homemade gelato. I will definitely be back if I pass thru again. One of the best eats in Pontiac read more

First Financial Bank - Sausage Puttanesca - Banks & Credit Unions Near Me - Pontiac, Illinois

Not my cup of tea. I would much rather be waited on at the table, than order at the counter. I also find it odd that your food is then delivered to your table, rather than receiving it at the counter. This is the only place I have ever been served spaghetti and meatballs in a bowl. The spaghetti had been sitting under a heat lamp for far too long, and while still edible, it was the worst spaghetti I have ever been served at any restaurant. I would give this restaurant an even lower rating, but the rest of my family actually enjoyed their pork chops and pizza. I'll probably never eat here again, but it's worth a try if you like this fast food/sit down restaurant hybrid style. read more

I ate lunch here with my 3 children for lunch. It was really nice inside....I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of choose from....we got the sausage pizza, prosciutto pizza and spaghetti. The pizzas were great. The only problem I had which may be big to some was that my pizza did not have prosciutto on it and it was supposed to have arugula on top and had a spring mix salad combo instead. I didn't realize it until I was thinking about it on the way home. It was so good though. The staff was unbelievably nice. My daughter had fallen off the chair and many staff came to check on her. I would definitely go again. read more