This was my third time to Fort Jesse Cafe, and for the first time I strayed away from the breakfast food, I got the general Tso's chicken sandwich and it was really good. Every time I go to the cafe the food has been great but the service has a little room to improve, it did take a pretty good amount of time for my wife and I'd food to come out. This place is exactly what I try to find when I am out of town on a trip with my family or on business. It's a small hole in the wall that does their specials really well. If you're in the Bloomington/ Normal area and want a unique scratch made experience you have to check out Fort Jesse Cafe. read more

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

It's not as good as it used to be the last 3 times been there the food has been terrible food was good 1 year ago but nowadays not so much they definitely need to reevaluate food quality and make sure they have good quality control when delivering food read more

Wow, had an amazing breakfast this AM at FJC. My wife had roasted pecan mo-jo coffee and pumpkin spice pancakes. So basically she had dessert for breakfast. Amazing! I had the bbq bennie with hash browns. A favorite of mine, so many great flavors. Generous potions, both were very delicious. We both took some home. Service was excellent and timely. I would call for reservations. Nice job as always FJC! read more

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

See all

Everything good at place worth the wait. I love this place there love in food. Try anything the chef make and you will never disappointed

Doesn't look good No choice for vegetarians Not friendly for Indian people Very poor customer service Will not go again read more

I absolutely love Fort Jesse Cafe! The food never disappoints, the staff is always friendly, and the atmosphere is so inviting! I always make a reservation because it tends to get very busy if you try to walk in, especially on the weekends. Definitely recommend to anyone that loves brunch!! read more

Unique and delicious twists on familiar dishes. Can be very popular and may have to wait, but it is worth the wait. The staff takes good care of you and they are quick to turn over tables. read more

Best restaurant in town!! Food is fantastic & service is first rate. I go as often as possible ‼

We stopped here after seeing all the positive reviews, and this place lives up to the previous accolades. Great service and food. Our server, Aryanna, was terrific and and attentive. We will definitely come back again!! read more

You must book a reservation. ?!? Bad idea for general public. Poor notification of having to do that. Very disappointed and prob won't eat there again. read more

After trying the week before to try this restaurant. And not having any tables available at the lunch hour. Because We didn't have reservations. Who would have thought that reservations would be needed at lunch? We made reservations the next Wednesday lunch hour. Were promptly seated upon arrival. Our Waiter happily greeted us and took our order. We decided on breakfast for lunch. Both lunches were served after what seemed awhile. But were delicious. Hash browns perfectly browned. Eggs as ordered. Biscuits fresh and warm as was the biscuit gravy. The hot sauce on top was the perfect hot actually could have been hotter.. Definitely will return to this Cafe many more items on the menu that sounded good. read more

Doesn't look like much from the outside but food and service are stellar! We all are different things and everyone was well pleased. We ordered off the seasonal menu as well as the regular menu and everything from the specialty coffee, to the food you're familiar with to the grits was fire. Can't wait to travel through again just to eat here. read more

Awesome food every time! Never disappoints! The cinnamon rolls are so yummy! Love the chicken and waffles!

Ok. I love breakfast! This small cafe gets my "I love breakfast award!" The reviews were spot on with this place, and I can definitely imagine a line in the summer. I got the Belgium waffle, turkey sausage, and an egg. Great waffle, and who messes up sausage and eggs? Not Fort Jesse! The staff was ultra friendly. What I found to be a special touch was the offer to give me a cup of coffee to go. This is the first time a restaurant offered that service. Of course, I had purchased a cup with my breakfast. I'll be back! read more

My favorite place in Bloomington/Normal to eat. The following are my favorites: Chicken fried steak - Big portion with an egg on top and hash browns underneath. 10/10 French toast - they have different variations, but my favorite is the original. Shrimp and Grits - Had mixed feelings prior to eating it. It was fantastic. Coffee - It's good. Service - Always phenomenal. Always read more

Comfort food that does not disappoint. I mean the dressed hash browns alone are worth the price of admission. I do not eat meat and so have tried the southwest skillet w tofu and it is really tasty and filling. Kids have tried chicken and waffles, andouille sausage and all the basic breakfast items and have nothing but good things to say. And their symbiosis with DoorDash is on point as we have always received What We Ordered and very quickly- especially considering how busy their tiny but super effective kitchen can get! read more

The coffee was decent. When I review restaurants each star stands for an attribute of the restaurant. In this case I deducted two stars, one for the environment and the other for food satisfaction*. The environment was extremely loud, holding a soft spoken conversation would be near impossible. It would also be a turn off for those with ptsd or anxiety issues. The food, I had the chicken and waffles. This was disappointing. The key to knock this out of the park is chicken on the bone that has been well seasoned. Instead what you get are battered flavorless chicken tenders, all white meat, mounted on a tasty waffle. They try to introduce flavor with a spiced up syrup, it doesn't work. The restaurant is clean, waitstaff prompt, and the food is at the right price point for portions. Be warned they usually have a wait. Enjoy. *Food satisfaction: I will try the cafe again and order something different. read more

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

See all

Came for a baseball tournament and OMG. Living in the NWburbs of Chicago, I'm so blown away! 830 in the morning on Friday and the place is packed. Very creative menus that are all soooooo enticing and so hard to pick what to eat!! Definitely a must when coming here in Normal. Make sure to call and reserve in advance to be able to eat without waiting! read more

Had a really enjoyable meal and experience here. We got the chicken and waffles and the breakfast burrito. This was probably the best breakfast burrito Ive ever had to my memory. First of all, it was huge (couldn't finish it), it was filled with andouille sausage (the few bites without sausage for me weren't as enjoyable. It definitely made the burrito, and fortunately I didn't have too many bites without the sausage), and it was laid on top of a bed of hashbrowns! My husband got the chicken and waffles. Presentation wise, it looked great and tasted as great as it looked. I'm more of a full on savory meal for breakfast, but if you're looking for sweet and savory, here's your dish. The atmosphere was also pretty sunny and homey, and the staff was really friendly and accommodating too. If I'm ever in the area again, id come back to try more things on their menu! read more

My go-to breakfast place was Aleta Jane's until it closed. The place was a dive but I enjoyed the food. I have been looking for a place to fill the void so I gave Fort Jesse Cafe a shot. The food wasn't bad but it was just was not that great. I'd much rather stay home and make my own stuff. I am willing to give the place another try for lunch. Maybe I will enjoy that food better. read more

What can ya say. This place is great. Great people, great food. However, it doesn't live up to all the hype. Not worth the ridiculous wait. They need to open another location or expand this one. The menu does have some unique items. The homemade blackberry jelly was crazy-good. The country fried stark was was an awesome food coma. read more

Overrated and always really busy. The food isn't too good and definitely not worth the out the door wait. Wouldn't reccomend unless you want to wait 2 hours read more

Excellent food! Our waiter was Michael and was excellent! Husband got the Fort Buster and I got the White cheddar cheese grits and shrimp. It was fabulous! All of it. Husband says the fort Buster was magical read more

See all

Seriously soo good! The horseshoe was fantastic. It can be hard to get in, so highly recommend getting a reservation. The waitress was friendly and all staff was helpful. Can't wait to go back. read more

One of my favorite places in Bloomington/Normal for breakfast/brunch. Only had the chance to check this place out twice before we moved to TX but I enjoyed it each time. Their chicken and waffles are good, as are the eggs benedict. The shrimp in the shrimp and grits are good but the grits weren't as creamy/cheesy as I had hoped and lacked salt. Their jalapeno cornbread is a real treat! They also have weekly/daily specials that are interesting. Service is always friendly and fun (I wish I could remember the names of those who helped us but I can't). Definitely gets busy on weekends and there could be a wait. read more

I have heard great things about this cafe and how crowded it gets. My boyfriend and I got here around 7:30. There were not a lot of people and people from Wesleyan and ISU were probably gone for spring break. We got a table right away, and ordered immediately. We waited quite a bit for our food, but we were also starving. I got the eggs Benedict's and my boyfriend got the brunch burger. He really loved his burger which had an egg inside. I liked my eggs Benedict's, but I was a little disappointed in how little the eggs were running. I also wished that my hash browns were more crispy. There was not a lot of crispy hash brown, and it was a little bland for me. The crunchiness usually helps with the blandness as I try to avoid using salt. We were enjoying our meal until people started coming in and waiting. We were fine being near the door it was when a group of girls and a couple were right behind and at our table. One of the couple's back was faced towards us but he was touching our table, and the group of teenagers were talking loudly. They were standing right behind my boyfriends chair and he was not happy how loud they were. I understand that this is a popular place, but there's a lot of room to stand away from the tables. The food was overall good, just didn't like people being rude as they were waiting to be seated. read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Eggs Benedict's $9.79 - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

See all

One of my favorite local breakfast spots! Eclectic menu perfect for a traditional family breakfast or a yummy brunch. The service is outstanding and the food is even better :) read more

This is the hands down the best breakfast/lunch spot in BLONO! Great cold brews and staff are always super friendly

Great fun for our small town. Original and different selections. I've yet to be disappointed by the food. Very busy and be prepared to wait read more

This place is spectacular! From the food to the service, it is the best. I've eaten at breakfast spots that say they are "The Best Breakfast in the World", and while those may be good, this is the greatest in the area, state, and Midwest. The food and service are consistent, which is key to the restaurant business. When diners get their orders, they immediate take and post pics...it's that good! Everyone walks out smiling!! Quality, quantity, and price. They have it all. And the 'Chicken Biscuit'...unbelievable. Expect a weekend wait, but it is so worth it. Congratulation to the owners and team members for a job VERY WELL DONE!! read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Fort Buster! Wow, was this huge and delicious. Another great creation, but have a big appetite when you get it. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

I reviewed Fort Jesse Cafe 10 months ago and gave it four stars. Now I'm back to apologize to any yelper that I may have led astray. This place deserves at least seven stars! My coworkers and I have been going every Friday for 6 months now and I have tried nearly everything on the breakfast menu and have not been disappointed! The pancakes: the best I've ever had. Breakfast burrito: top notch (and I take my burritos very seriously!). Chicken and waffles: best outside of Cali. Eggs Benedict: unparalleled. Shrimp and Grits: scrumptious! And I could certainly go on but the point is that FJC has the best breakfast in town and it's not even close. The food is only outdone by their staff. The wait staff is friendly and great at their jobs and management cares deeply about their product and their customers. I love this place and so will you! read more

Delicious food at very reasonable prices. I've eaten everything from the basic french toast and bacon, sausage and eggs dishes to the Country Fried Steak and Cajun Skillet and everything has been delicious. The servers and the owner/hostess, Abby, are all very friendly. This is the best breakfast spot in B-N! read more

Breakfast burrito is my usual... Good stuff. Only downside is the place is regularly packed and wait times can be obnoxious.

Great food, great service and for something a little unique which is refreshing! Got to go! read more

If your a foodie in the blono area this is your place for breakfast! They serve up traditional dishes with a fabulous twist. Today I had the seasonal skillet a delectable corn beef hash with white oak beer braised cabbage and onions, stone ground beer mustard, Swiss cheese, 2 eggs & fried potatoes ($9.50). Every creation in this establishment mirrors perfection in my opinion! And if you're like me and have a picky eater accompanying you, don't worry, they serve all the staples. From waffles to French toast to scrambled eggs and bacon there is something for everyone. The atmosphere is very relaxed, but it's always busy. Count on a 30 min wait at peek times. Parking is a little snug. For those of you who want straws, bring your own, it's a straw free environment. It is worth every minute, every cent, and then some!!! read more

Fort Jesse Cafe - Corn beef & cabbage skillet - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Normal, Illinois

Great food and service. Facility is nothing special, but certainly clean and functional.

I love this place. I want to give it 5 stars so badly, but I just can't. The food, hands-down, is amazing! The people are so great and the coffee is wonderful! I'm only giving 3 stars because the service is what makes or break a place sometimes, and the service here needs some improvement. The people are wonderful, but it takes too long for an order to be taken or to even be recognized here sometimes. I still highly recommend this place to people, but with a fair warning. read more

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

Great place for breakfast service is always sweet and quick to help. Omelettes are delightful

This place is all hype. I've had better banquet dinners out of the microwave. Poor service and rushed our party of 10 out the door after spending $275 on breakfast. read more

Varied menu with more unusual choices and attentive service. Clean restaurant and bathrooms. A little pricey but portions are very generous. I would give it five stars but because there aren't many "mainstream dishes" to choose from (I'm picky), I gave it four. read more