You may want to call ahead for reservations as this is a popular spot especially on weekend mornings. Along with the amazing cup of coffee, we had: Eggs Benedict and the Fort Buster . Both were amazing and delivered quickly. Our server was wonderful and even got us fresh, full to go cups of coffee when we left. Very satisfying breakfast! read more

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

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We stopped here for lunch today after seeing the great rating this place has. We both got the turkey and blackberry jam sandwich. We both agreed that the sandwich was good but nothing special. I considered the burger, but that didn't look much better. I thought their fries were above av, but not good enough to get this place a 5. My kid's meal, ordered off the kids menu, was quite large. She got hash browns a bowl of fruit and what I think was an omelette or some form of eggs. Honestly, she got enough that I would have been happy with that in terms of quantity. The service was good. But overall, I can't give this place more than a 4; after seeing other reviews, I think it's overrated. read more

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Been here a couple times now, food was absolutely incredible both goes around, ordered the friend chicken breakfast sandwich the second time bc I missed it from the first. Service was extremely nice and helpful, super easy to make a reservation, and the atmosphere was nice too, lights all around and clean tables. This one's a favorite read more

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

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One of our favorite breakfast places in town!! Portion sizes are large and you wont leave disappointed!

Stopped by here on my way down from Chicago for brunch. I got the chicken and waffles benedict and matcha latte. It gets really busy and I sat at the bar. Food came out quick after placing an order. Chicken and waffles - The waffles were soft on the inside but had a good crispy texture. The chicken was a little salty for me but flavour was decent. The hollandaise sauce wasn't too bad either. I opted for the fruits instead of the home fries so I might have to stop by again and try that next time 4/5 read more

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

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Fort Jesse Cafe was well worth the stop during a day trip to Bloomington/Normal. We stopped in for brunch around 9:45 on a Saturday and waited about 15 minutes for a table, which felt more than reasonable. The staff was friendly and attentive without hovering. Our water glasses never got below half full, which is one of those little details that says a lot about the service. The food came out quickly and was excellent. We both ordered the Fort Buster, a biscuit and gravy dish with hash browns, two eggs, and a mild house-made tomato hot sauce. I swapped the sausage patties for bacon without any issue. Everything was cooked well, full of flavor, and incredibly satisfying. It is the kind of breakfast I look forward to when I'm eating out. Comfort food done right. From the food to the service, the whole experience was excellent. I would gladly recommend Fort Jesse Cafe to anyone in the area, and it will be one of my first stops the next time I'm back. read more

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! read more

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The service is very good. All of our food was very good as well. My hash browns were perhaps the best hash browns I've ever had. Great coffee. read more

The avocado breakfast sandwich was on point. So delicious. Great flavor. It was better than I expected and may be one of my favorite breakfast sandwiches I've had. Ordered takeout so can't speak to inside service, etc. but the takeout process was easy. Don't miss this place if you are around. read more

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! read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Chicken & Waffle Benedict with Chocolate Mocha - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

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! read more

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Our group of 3 stopped here while travelling through the area. Wow! What a great find! The food was absolutely fantastic as were the drinks. We will be visiting again next time we pass through!! read more

I have been 2x. Always call for a reservation as it's very busy. The food it very well prepared. I've ordered the shrimp and grits and it was fabulous and the avocado toast was also very good Service can be a little slow but they are very busy. I absolutely get reservations when I know I'll be in town for breakfast or lunch. read more

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. read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Horseshoe in the foreground and Midwest salad in the background - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

The service was very good, the menu was very limited.... They will make you wait if you don't have reservations.

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 read more

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

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

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

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This such a great local place in Normal. They make Great food. It has a great country fried steak, a brunch staple, and do offer good coffee

Make a reservation!! Reservations are the way to go with Fort Jesse Cafe. Food was incredible- definitely get the chicken and waffle eggs benedict. It's a cute and clean cafe! Definitely the best breakfast/brunch place in BloNo! read more

Awesome place for breakfast - great food, friendly service, and super clean. Prices are also very reasonable. My go to dish for breakfast is biscuits and gravy. Theirs is incredible! And, they've kicked it up a notch with the Fort Buster. It comes with sausage patties and homemade hot sauce (I had my hot sauce on the side). It was delicious! read more

Never disappoints! Great food and the best service. Just know it's a loud "diner" and call ahead for a table for large groups. read more

The skillet of the month (with PEACHES!!) was maybe the greatest savory breakfast I've ever had. Service was fantastic, and the vibes on a Sunday at noon were phenomenal. read more

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! read more

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

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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. read more

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The cheeseburger benedict was pretty unique. It was well designed and executed. I was curious how this was going to work because my main concern was that I wanted breakfast and not lunch. I thought the cheeseburger benedict would taste too much like lunch. Hats off to the creator of this dish because it had all the elements of a cheeseburger while still maintaining that breakfast taste of an eggs benedict. The beef patty, tomato, and cheese were good, but it was the poached egg, arugula, toasted english muffin, and house-made thousand island that made this a phenomenal breakfast. Also, a hearty portion of hash browns. Quality, quantity, and uniqueness! As a result, I would be confident to order anything on the menu! read more

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

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

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

Food and service is terrific. Stopped here to try something different than just going up the street to Portillo's. Waitress recommended the bacon and turkey panini and what a great choice. They also add a blackberry jam to it and the combination works extremely well. The only downside is if there is a table of loud people it gets noisy in here and I don't think everyone else in the place wants to only hear what you are talking about. Definitely a place to try multiple times. read more

It's really good everything cooked well with perfection I love it I definitely want to go back

I can't say enough about this place. My son got the burger and said it's the best he's ever had. My daughter went with the Chicken and Waffles - very tasty. I had the cornmeal pancake and they were full of flavor. This place is cranking out great food with excellent flavor. I'm 2 hours from this place and we were road tripping. I may have to make the ride in the future just to indulge. Outstanding! read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Cornmeal Pancakes (GF) - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

First time at Fort Jesse Cafe, and it won't be my last. The service was too notch with Jordan. The food was very favorable, and portion sizes are large. Definitely a must try for you foodies. read more

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Excellent food! Not your usual breakfast place. Some unique dishes as well as regular breakfast food. They have a coffee bar which is nice. I had a good cappuccino. read more

My husband and I stopped here for the first time today. Cute little cafe and the employees are so pleasant. The food is wonderful. Little pricey at first but when they serve you a huge plate of food that makes it ok with me. We both brought food home. The May special is the lemon berry pancakes, done perfectly and the flavor of the lemon and blueberry did not overpower or make it too sweet, it was perfect. Would definitely eat here again. Thanks, Facebook, for turning me on to this cozy cafe. read more

Shrimp & grits with sausage, green onions & hot sauce were delicious, but I paid the price later, IYKWIM. Next time, country-fried steak or chicken and waffle. read more

Oh my goodness. The 5 stars are very well deserved. Location, odd, in a more industrial setting, store front. We had the country fried steak, OMG was amazing. The flavor was great, portion size was great as my hubby and I shared it and was perfect. I also had a 1/2 French toast. It was very good too, but didn't need it with portion size of country friend steak. The blackberry jelly was amazing. Definitely a great price too. Will be back read more

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

We have tried to go here the last two times we've been in town without any luck, so definitely make a reservation. The food was delicious and unique with top notch service. read more

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Service - excellent. Food - tasty choices, all great. Wait is long but worth it. Try chicken and waffles, Fort Buster. What a find! Three years later same quality! read more

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

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Wow, do not let the awkward exterior and oak tables make you take a pause! The breakfast shoe and the Buffalo chicken shoe, the general tso chicken, salads, sandwiches all were either awesome, picture perfect, or down right delicious! read more

Food and pricing was amazing. The staff was friendly and our server Ashley was very attentive. Can't wait to see their coffee bar addition in the future. It was about 40$ on average for two. read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - General Tso's Fried Chicken Sandwich - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

Went to fort Jessie cafe for breakfast this morning. I was pleasantly surprised by the massive portions and great tasting food that they had to offer. They do not have a huge menu but there are things for everyone + seasonal specials. I got the fort buster bc I was craving some biscuits and gravy! Was not disappointed by the splendid platter that I received. My dining partner got grandpas breakfast which is your typical breakfast fare with the addition of homemade blackberry jam (which is amazing by the way)! For a starter we had to try the the Cajun cheese curds, phenomenal choice, a must get! The peppermint mojo was a great sweet but not too sweet start to our morning as well. Great choice for breakfast! read more

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