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    Fort Jesse Cafe

    4.6 (591 reviews)
    Closed 7:00 am - 2:00 pm

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    Business Info

    FORT JESSE CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for kids
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - Fort Jesse Cafe

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    Fort Buster
    Elizabeth S.

    solutely fantastic breakfast! The coffee was wonderful rich, smooth, and exactly what you want to start your morning. I tried the Fort Buster, and it was the perfect combination of biscuits-and-gravy meets a hearty skillet dish. Every bite was comforting and full of flavor. And the pancakes? So fluffy and delicious they barely needed syrup. Great service!

    Chicken & Waffle Benedict with Chocolate Mocha
    Kelsie R.

    Fort Jesse Cafe is a Normal staple and has remained as amazing as the first time I had it in college. Always a great diner feel with a modern touch and friendly staff. Tried: chicken & waffles Benedict, chocolate iced mocha Lover: the chicken & waffles Benedict - combining the best of both worlds - such a great dish!

    The Gumbo was good but had almost no liquid. It was very chunky. It came with a nice big piece of cornbread.
    Simon K.

    The Gumbo was good but had almost no liquid. It was very chunky. It came with a nice big piece of cornbread. The side order of chicken strips was excellent. Incredibly tender. They have a variety of homemade dipping sauces - buffalo red hot (good), chipotle (average), jalapeno ranch (great), honey mustard (great). The coffee is nice and bold!

    Horseshoe in the foreground and Midwest salad in the background
    Molly T.

    We love fort Jesse! If you have a group I recommend planning ahead and making reservations, even sometimes reservations are needed for 2 people. We stopped in this past weekend without reservations and got one of the last tables. The food is always fabulous with friendly staff. The flavors are amazing and we have never had anything we didn't like.

    Waffle Breakfast
    Lisa R.

    My husband knows if we're within a 500 mile radius of Fort Jesse Cafe then we must stop. I'm only half joking. The dining experience - from food to finish - is amazing! I tried something different on my second visit. This time I went with waffles with sides of eggs, bacon and fruit. The light sprinkle of powdered sugar atop the waffle was delicious. I ate so much of the waffle I barely had any room for the sides. It's fully worth the indulgence! This place is pretty packed even on weekdays. We did not have a reservation, so we had a 10 minute wait. No problem - just level setting expectations for my future, fellow diners! The staff has such cool, laidback vibe. Even though I think it's the best dining experience in town, there's no arrogance. There's a sense of pride and appreciation for supporting their business and food. We

    Cherish P.

    Ambiance is that of a bustling metro bistro. Amazing food and drink selection with speedy, 4 star service for such a busy place.

    Chicken & Waffle Benedict
    Geetanjali J.

    The food is great, there is sufficient parking. Call ahead and make a reservation. I would highly recommend the French toast breakfast.

    Chicken & Waffle
    Jay D.

    FOOD IS SO GOOD. Every time i go i get the chicken and something, and it's always AMAZING. their coffee, excellent. i love all the flavors. their service, IMPECCABLE!! i love their bubbly staff!! the hostess is always hit or miss, but the servers are chefs kiss! ambiance is always busy and bustling, whenever i go anyways, and it's for good reason; fort jesse cafe is one of THE BEST BREAKFAST PLACES IN BLONO IL!

    Shrimp and Grits

    atmosphere was cozy , service was great, food was delicious. Don't skip this place it's a must try.

    John M.

    What a wonderful way to start your day. My wife daughter and I stopped in here for breakfast. We started by sharing a large pumpkin pancake which was topped with mascarpone and crushed pistachios. Though it had had a side of syrup, it really wasn't needed. The pancake was heaven. For our main dish, I ordered the Cajun Skillet. A wonderful dish of hash browns, shrimp, andouille sausage, peppers tomatoes onions covered lightly with white cheddar and topped with two fried eggs. My wife savored the Eggs Benedict she ordered. It is her favorite breakfast and not readily available where we live. She raved about the freshness of the ingredients. My daughter's vegan breakfast was very well received. The owner/chef Nick came by hour table a couple of times to check on us. Justin, our server, was very friendly and attentive. We will certainly be back next we're in Bloomington.

    Cheeseburger benedict

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    9 years ago

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    8 years ago

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    Abby S.

    Thanks for the positivity, Jerry!

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    9 years ago

    Our first visit to FJC. The short wait was worth it. Food was delicious, especially the chicken and waffles.

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    8 years ago

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    8 years ago

    My wife and I are here recently. The food is always good. They are busy so there tends to be a wait unless you get there early.

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    8 years ago

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    9 years ago

    I absolutely love this place! The iced coffee is unreal! The food tastes great every single time!

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Love the breakfast at this place! Super friendly staff and overall cozy atmosphere. Definitely recommend anybody to check this place lut

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    9 years ago

    Excellent. We ordered the chicken & waffle and the shrimp & grits! Both were amazing!!! Will be back soon!

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    7 years ago

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    9 years ago

    Used to be a 5 but since they switched to the servers collecting instead of paying at the counter, it slows down the process

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    9 years ago

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    7 years ago

    Excellent place to have lunch - food / service very good. May have to wait a few minutes if you get there at noon - but worth the wait.

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    8 years ago

    Food is absolutely amazing ! Every time I go I have outstanding service and fresh food

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    Abby S.

    Thanks for the positivity, Shanda!

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    8 years ago

    Love this place. Staff is good and food is great. The shrimp and grits is so good..

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    7 years ago

    Only downfall is parking and amount of seats are limited. Other than that their menu is diverse and food is great.

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    8 years ago

    Great is there only way to describe this place. Friendly staff & always there when you need them. Couldn't ask for a better breakfast spot.

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    9 years ago

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    6 years ago

    Good vegan options. It's nice to be able to go there w/ non-vegan friends. Something for everyone.

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    6 years ago

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    Page 11 of 15

    Ask the Community - Fort Jesse Cafe

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    The corned beef was incredibly tender and full of flavor. The Brussels sprouts were different--they…read morewere shredded and mixed with sauerkraut--but they were still really good, even though they weren't like any I've had before. The potatoes were also pretty solid. The flavored tea was nice, it just needed a bit of sugar. Our waitress was super friendly and made the experience even better. She was enthusiastic and enjoyed sharing her favorite menu items, which I appreciated. The ambiance was very welcoming, and I liked how open the space felt. The only downside was that the host who seated us seemed a little short when asking if we had reservations, especially when I asked if they were required.

    First time and man, did not disappoint…read more Everything was amazing and it was hard to pick what to eat! Got a flight- moon jumper (smoky), black angel (a little on the burnt side), blackberry gose, pumpkin porter (spicy but not fake pumpkin flavor spicy). Beer battered asparagus for the appetizer- delicious! Crunchy which was great! Husband and I split a bacon pickle pizza (omg!!) and spicy chicken sandwich with wedges (huge, thick potato slices). Definitely recommend the pizza, so flavorful! Spicy chicken was both hot and spicy from the jalapeños and sweet from the sauce. Madysen was our server and was amazing and attentive! If it wasn't 2.5 hours away we'd be regulars! Lots of parking available.

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    Pop Up Chicken Shop

    4.4(283 reviews)
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    This spot came highly recommended and took a couple attempts to finally stop in because they were…read moreso busy. You order your food at the door then sit down and they bring it to you when ready. I ordered the og sando and truffle fries. The fries were ok and the sando was pretty solid. It's a massive sandwich and could easily feed 2-3 people. It was a couple meals for me. If i lived in the area, i would probably come back. Good food and good vibes. Service was nothing special.

    We came here for fish on a Saturday and they said they sold out Friday which is ok. The person at…read morethe door that takes your order and gives you your table number was very friendly and helpful. Daughter got a burger and fries and bf and I got the OG sandwiches, hot and medium respectively and we split a truffle fry. It's a cool little place with a good selection of top shelf bourbon, but unfortunately I don't get the hype about the food. The chicken was tough, literally had pieces as tough as cardboard I could barely chew. The first 3 or 4 bites of my sandwich were just breading. I didn't think the spice level was even as hot as Franks which I would consider mild and bf said his was barely spicy either. The fries weren't very good, not very crispy mostly limp. My daughter said the burger was good. I may go back and try something else because I really want to like it but it won't be any time soon.

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    Fort Jesse Cafe - breakfast_brunch - Updated June 2026

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