Good food but still doesn't meet the standards of Zorro's.

Hands down the best breakfast place that I've tried in BloNo to date. Food is priced well for the portions they serve AND the food tastes great. The servers come around often to make sure you are doing well and they don't make you feel rushed. The only thing I have to say that isn't positive about this place is the wait to be seated but it makes sense when you realize that it's the best breakfast diner in town it is worth it. read more

Very good gumbo and shrimp and grits. Also try the chicken and waffles. Coffee is good too and very friendly staff. I love this place!!

Such good food and service, but they need a bigger place. So tired of getting up, driving over and having to wait 45 minutes.

We went in with a group of 6 on a Sunday morning and were quoted a 45minute to 1 hour wait. We waited about 35 minutes then were sat and promptly greeted by our server "Batman." None of us had ever been there and he was very patient with us asking questions and having to bounce around the table to obtain our orders. The food came out quickly and was handed out per seat number, a very nice touch over cattle calling the orders out. Our drinks were always full and all staff members were happy to step in and help, not just our server. The food was great. I had a bite of the cinnamon roll and also at the Fort something... was a biscuit and gravy, egg, sausage, green onion, and hot sauce (which I asked for on the side and here got, not a big deal). Everyone at the table was very happy with their meals. We are not from the area but will return to their restaurant if we come back to visit Normal again! read more

Great locally owned little breakfast place. Very trendy and delicious. I liked the food a lot better about 6 months ago but I can still not say I dislike anything I have ever had here. ***Great coffee!!! read more

There is always a wait, but I can't complain because everybody goes for their delicious food! Everything tastes very good and fresh all the time. The staff is very friendly and helpful. The restaurant has positive vibes and is very cozy. The past couple times that I've dined here, they were out of cold brew. Definitely recommend the chicken biscuit!! read more

Amazing food. This place is always busy because the service is great and staff is friendly and food is fantastic.

I really wish I could give these guys more stars! The food is always very creative and I love that we have someone in town showing some imagination with brunch, but a lot of the time I think it's a little under-seasoned. Plus like other people have mentioned, the waits are always crazy, and there's only about four seats in the tiny waiting area. If they got a bigger venue I'd go more often! read more

Excellent service, great value, yummy food and an all around wonderful experience. The weekly specials keep me motivated to pop in to experience something new, in season and delicious. read more

The parking lot is an ankle sprain waiting to happen, but their biscuits and gravy are the benchmark against which all other biscuits and gravy should be measured, and that includes my Texas gramma's. read more

Have the best staff working there. The food is always creative and extremely tasty! The atmosphere is great for community cohesion and support. read more

Best breakfast in town. Food is original. Staff is always friendly. Place VERY busy and has a small location. Expect to wait 20-40 mins for seating most days.. read more

Went in today and asked our waiter what he recommended. He suggested the shrimp and grits (which were great :D), but what I really appreciated was that he offered to get me something else if I didn't like it, the service and food are both equally fantastic. read more

This has become our favorite breakfast place. Everything we have had is great and the staff is very friendly. It gets busier and busier each week. We now try to get there by eight a.m. on Sundays to avoid the wait. read more

Inventive menu, friendly staff and good coffee. Will definitely be back! I got the pancakes with pulled pork, blackberry jam, etc. and it was super good. read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

Love Fort Jesse. Worth the wait and I normally won't wait. If there is an hour wait I will happily comply. Staff is always attentive and food is unique. Great breakfast options. Took some coworkers from Boston and they were amazed that BN had such a great breakfast place that wasn't a chain. My go to is shrimp and grits but honestly everything on the menus is awesome. read more

Best restaurant in town! Great coffee. Great food. Affordable price. You have to go here.

I wish they had more options for vegetarians. The food and service otherwise was great! I highly suggest the bruschetta skillet!

Never disappointed with the food here! The chicken and waffles are fantastic! Definitely our top choice when eating out for breakfast.

I've been here dozens of times and have always had a great experience. The wait can be long but for good reason. The staff is incredibly friendly, the service is fast and the food is excellent! read more

You pull up to this cafe around peak hours and there are people crowded around the front door waiting for a table. Once you finally get in to the restaurant the place looks like an average locally owned diner. When you finally sit down you notice the freshly cut flowers on each table and the incredible food that is being eaten all around you. The menu is diverse and changes often. This place is awesome and I go as often as I can. Totally worth the wait. read more

Great food and service. A menu that doesn't over do it. Be prepared to wait just a bit in the mornings, but it goes by pretty quick.

Ok, so went for breakfast here a week ago....not impressed! Thought I would give it another try and went for lunch. Ordered a burger - still not impressed....burger had no flavor. Fries were good! Won't be going back. Based on all the good reviews, I really thought this place would be better! read more

You'll likely wait a bit to be seated but well worth the wait. The Fort Buster and breakfast burritos were both outstanding. Can't wait to go back. read more

Fort Jesse Cafe is one of my favorite restaurants! The food, service, coffee and atmosphere are all amazing. It doesn't matter what you order, everything on the menu is DELICIOUS! read more

This place is way to small and cramped. They really need a bigger facility. 1 bathroom for a zillion customers too. The waits are always long and the waiting area is practically non existent. I would try it a few more times if I didn't feel so claustrophobic in there. Food is good-- but not great enough to wait in a 30-45 minute line though. Service is slow and the place is so loud it's hard to talk. With folks wadding in the "waiting area" you feel pressed to eat and run. Can't say I would go back and dine in but I might order to-go. read more

Wonderful small cafe. It is always BUSY. Be prepared. But once we were seated, we were served right away. Pancakes are excellent. Biscuits are fabulous. read more

Great spot! It is close quarters, a busy place but worth the wait. Enjoy a cup of their coffee while waiting. The food is delicious, a little twist of flavor. We enjoyed the BBQ pork biscuit and the breakfast burrito. The help works well together making sure dishes are cleared, water and coffee is filled and tables are turned smoothly. The place is clean, well run and bright. Fresh flowers at each table add a nice touch. Only suggestion is to get more tables for two; you can always put two together for a group of four people. read more

Dude this place is just straight up mega tasty. You're pretty much gueranteed to have a bit of a wait most of the time but it is very worthwhile. 5/7, perfect score. read more

The best place to get a high quality breakfast in town. I always love their iced coffee of the day and the chicken and waffles is to die for. read more

This restaurant lives up to the hype! I finally had enough time to wait in line for this restaurant (there's always a line) so I made the trip. For a table for two we waited about half an hour which wasn't bad for a sunday morning. They offer coffee while you wait. I had the best breakfast burrito I have ever eaten! Delicious flavors, perfectly cooked and filled me up! The menu had common standards and unique options. I had a hard time deciding which item to try, they all sounded so good. I can't wait to go back! read more

I finally was able to make it to Fort Jesse Cafe after moving out of Bloomington just after it opened. Our party of 6 (and a toddler) arrived right around noon on a Sunday, so there was about an hour wait. We came knowing we would have to wait and were fully willing, the restaurant is fairly small. While we first sat down outside to wait, a table was leaving, and as they were walking out, their waitress ran out after them to get them their leftovers they had left on the table. I already liked this place. While we waited, we were offered coffee, which tasted amazing, and were able to play cornhole out in front of the restaurant to pass the time. Once we were seated, we ordered drinks and food and were brought them in a timely manner. I ordered the chicken and waffle and a lemonade, and everything was seriously perfect, even the lemonade was some of the best I've ever had. Every single person I came in contact with was so kind and accommodating. Would undoubtedly recommend to any and all. read more

My third visit to the Fort Jessie Cafe. I am not one to try different things for breakfast. I have had the Grandpa special before... eggs and sausage and hash browns. They were ok... nothing special. Today I tried the biscuits and gravy platter. I think the cook went over board with the pepper shaker... wow. Plenty of biscuits but not enough gravy to finish my plate. Not a bad restaurant but in my opinion...over rated. read more

Great lunch, great breakfast, fairly quick service when busy. Haven't had a bad or even mediocre item on the menu. It's definitely a place to hit when visiting the area. read more

Green river with the chicken in waffles. Best breakfast in town hands down. Fort Jesse Cafe, keep doing you!

We stopped in for brunch today as we were traveling from Chicago to St Louis. The Yelp reviewers were right! Great food, nice Midwest hospitality. Best biscuits and gravy we've had in years!!!!!! read more

After all the reviews and hype, I expected this breakfast to be the best I've ever had. With a unorganized wait system in which the time you arrive has no indication when you will be seated, the experience started falling short from the time of arrival. Our waitress was incredible nice and very good. The food, however, is average at best. I couldn't believe how much tasteless food had been hyped up. The fruit in the yogurt bowl was frozen upon serving. I assume the keen marketing and trendy style of the place have more to do with its fans than the food. read more

You cannot get slower, less attentive staff than this place. Been here 45 minutes and not so much as a glass of water. I haven't even gotten to the food. read more

We've been to Fort Jesse Cafe several times now and loved our meals each time. For breakfast we've tried the biscuits and gravy as well as the chorizo skillet and the shrimp and grits. Loved every single bite of each dish. At lunch time we had their brisket-fabulous!!!! Also ordered a side of their cole. If you like a bit of spice this is great. The one thing about the Fort Jess Cafe is that if you go at tradition meal time, you are probably going to wait for a table. We try to go at off hours and have managed to right in at 10:30 on weekdays for a late breakfast or 1:00 for a late lunch. Regardless, this place is worth the wait. The food and the service are terrific. read more