A long way from home but today a work assignment brought me out to the area. Not much to look at from the outside but what a gem on the inside. Food fantastic and price another pleasant surprise. I had a chicken skillet and was it good. If you're ever out in this area make this a must stop. read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Chicken Skillet with egg whites , fantastic meal - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

I was driving through town for work & I'm glad I found this gem on Yelp! The food was delicious & the server Sara was fantastic. Stop by if you're nearby read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Santa Fe chicken sandwich - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Ohmygosh one of the most memorable breakfasts I've had in a while! The vegetarian omelet and hash browns are to die for. I'm not kidding. This establishment has been several different restaurants over the years since I can remember. Someone told me they had really good food so I took my friend here. It doesn't look like much on the outside. The inside is a bit tiny. It looks like a simple little diner. (Had this draft saved, sorry I'm late posting) But THEN you see this menu and they have a little bit of everything. Mozzarella. Cheese. sticks! Wraps, sandwiches, waffles, omelets, jumbo shrimp, salads, skillets, crepes, French toast! Oh my! I want to come back to try lunch. I did not get my beloved cheese sticks as it was morning and I just wanted eggs. The vegetarian omelet was sooo good. The people working here are so freakin friendly. The owner/manager told me they are now doing deliveries in the area. This is a great little restaurant to support, I hope all of you Yelpers stop by here someday for a really good meal. read more

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Summer 2023: I've eaten at a breakfast nook, and I've eaten Mexican breakfast. Before eating at Maria's Cafe Bistro, though, I can't say I've ever been to a place that mixed the two "feels." Initially confusing, and undeniably delicious. The hash browns were PHENOMENAL, and the huevos Mexicana danced on my palette. Truly excellent food with a homemade feel. To cap it off, the prices are low and the staff are friendly. It's too bad we only stopped by on a trip; if this were near me I'd be a regular for sure! Update Aug 2024: Came back through town and made sure to stop by. This time, the breakfast quesadillas blew my mind! How do you even get the tortilla texture like that? This place just keeps proving itself again and again. I love how the waitress sings along with the music I found myself seriously considering if there were any reason to move closer to Ottawa. read more

Amazing food! Both meals were so flavorful. The hash browns were properly crisped (not the mush ones you sometimes get), tons of flavor with the country fried steak and gravy too. My ex wife ordered the breakfast quesadilla (I took a bite or two ) and we both loved it. Service was good and the ambiance was fantastic. Probably will never be in Ottawa again but if I am, I'll come here for breakfast! read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Breakfast quesadilla - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

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Tried this place based off of reviews and wanting to try something different while in town. The food was great! Portions were perfect. I got a breakfast sandwich and my husband got yet breakfast quesadilla. They even split my kiddos meal between two plates which I didn't ask for but it's always a sweet gesture. Service was good as well. There was one lady running the dining room and she was very timely with each tables needs as well as cleaning up after people left. The only reason I took one star away was due to the bathroom. There is a sign stating you cannot flush anything. No toilet paper even. So although this did not effect us on this trip, I can only imagine using the bathroom where someone before you put their dirty toilet paper in the trash. And maybe it's a temporary plumbing issue. Otherwise, it was very good! read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Bacon and cheese croissant, breakfast Quesadilla - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Maria was amazing! The menu is great! Lots of flavorful breakfast options and combinations. The Greek skillet was fantastic as was the cinnamon roll French toast combo! Next time we are in town we are sure to visit again! read more

I've eaten here a handful of times and it's safe to say it's probably my favorite restaurant in Ottawa Illinois. Tonight I got Maria's Bistro salad, they never disappoint and the food always comes out very on point. The cook definitely knows what he's doing. Also their baked potatoes are amazinngg. read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Marias Bistro salad with steak - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

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Great food and generous portions. Note: they stop breakfast at 1:00 PM at least on weekdays.

Went for breakfast, we had pancakes which were good and the Cowboy skillet which was excellent, the staff was very friendly and the restaurant was very clean, will definitely go back again and try other things on the menu read more

Wonderful food and excellent service. Small town atmosphere, family run and delicious - I had a skillet, my daughter had crepes and my wife had the avocado toast. All were excellent. Menu has many options. Will return when traveling through again. read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - Mediterranean skillet with side pancake and toast. - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Great food and service. The Mediterranean omelet and frittata was delicious. Both my kids enjoyed their Mickey Mouse pancakes.

Food was solid, owner was nice, place was clean, bathrooms were clean, location is great... overall I really enjoyed this little cafe, and I plan on going back. They have fried walleye which I gotta try, but I noticed there are some Mexican cuisine items for breakfast. Next time I'm in the area, definitely stopping by for breakfast. read more

Great food was delicious it a little better skeptical to walk in but once your in it's great

Maria's is truly a hidden gem! The food is amazingly fresh and deliciously homemade! Since moving to Ottawa from Columbus OH just 2 months ago, I have eaten here at least a dozen times - neither my hubby nor I have had the same thing twice! When my hubs and I are considering going out to eat, Maria's is always in the consideration set and 99% of the time is the choice we make. Everything from breakfast to the lunch specials is worth a try! If you're looking for a fresh full of amazing flavor meal, make the drive to Maria's - it's worth the trip!!!Please tell Sara that I sent you! read more

What a cute place. Food was good. Staff was wonderful. Had breakfast croissant sandwich. Yum. Specials had Mexican flare

This lovely place was near by our cabin that we rented. The service was five starts! The owner & the staff were really friendly, the food was great! It's a very clean & maintained restaurant. Definitely recommend for those who live here & just visiting. read more

I ordered the Pancake combo, my husband ordered the veggie skillet and both were delicious! I ate the food so fast i forgot to take a picture. It took some time to get our food but knowing it's a 2 woman show running the place you are understanding. They are fast, hardworking and very friendly. Definitely will recommend to friends read more

Will repeatedly eat here and recommend highly. Asparagus soup, Pesto chicken and their crispy French fries was awesome.

Said it was open, but it wasn't. We showed up for breakfast, but guess Maria decided not to.

10 out of 10 I recommend. Great service, great food and great staff. It felt very cozy in there. read more

Maria's Cafe Bistro - a picnic table outside - American Near Me - Ottawa, Illinois

Food was delicious and service was great! 3 of us had dinner. My sister and I shared the cheeseburger. It was plenty. Hubby had spaghetti and the sauce was just like he likes it. , read more

We had a group of 12 for breakfast. The service was great. Super friendly staff. Waffles, omlettes, fritatta, skillets. Everyone thought the food was great. Give this place a try. They won't disappoint. read more

This is a hidden gem. Excellent food and service. The chilaquiles were amazing and came back a couple weeks later for dinner. Had the rib eye sandwich and soup. Tender meat with great flavor and perfect bread. The broccoli soup was delicious. Definitely recommend giving this little place a try. read more

Stayed in Starved Rock for the weekend and came to Mariah's for breakfast. We got the vegetarian omelet and polish sausage skillet. Both were delicious and super fresh. The owner served us and was very accommodating and friendly. Great spot- would definitely recommend if you're looking for a yummy local breakfast! read more

This is our favorite restaurant in Ottawa and we eat here a couple times a week. From breakfast to dinner everything is delicious. The soups are also amazing. Their very friendly staff makes us feel like family. read more

Fresh, hot homemade breakfast dishes! My husband had the Mexican frittata and I had a veggie skillet. The vegetable were fresh and the food was hot! I would highly recommend this mom and pop cafe! read more

The service was great. The Rueben sandwich was the best I have ever had. Great food.

I can't comment on how good/bad the food is, but the customer service is terrible. The first sign should have been that there were only 3 couples at tables at 9:30 on a Saturday morning. They were so rude, we decided to cancel our order and left! read more

A hidden gem in downtown Ottawa that looks ordinary from the street, but becomes an extraordinary cafe when your food is served. Homemade, plentiful, and reasonably priced! All five of us agreed!! We had sandwiches and omelets, and if we lived nearby we would be trying many more things on the menu. read more

Very friendly and great home cooked food. Enrique is not a cook but a chef, I would highly recommend it to anyone.

A hidden gem in downtown Ottawa! Great customer service and amazing fresh, homemade food!!! Try it, you won't be disappointed! Especially the soups. read more