It pains me to say, but, this place is slipping. Been going here for years and NEVER had any issues but in the last year or so something has changed. For one thing I don't see the owners anymore where in the past I would see one of them on every visit. I still like the food for the most part, although, I have had to take a couple items back recently due to things not tasting right. The taste of items is becoming inconsistent. Order the same thing on different visits and I start to wonder why it tasted so different. This never happened in the past. Cleanliness has become more of an issue. I do see staff clearing off plates from tables but NEVER see them wipe the tables. It seems as if every time I go there now I get a greasy, smelly, crumb covered table. YUCK! There is also a mildewy smell going on in there. They need to return to being clean as they used to. If the eating area is like this I start to worry about the kitchen. I will keep following up with reviews and will continue to subtract rating stars if they don't start cleaning up their act. (Pun intended). At what point does the lack of cleanliness overshadow the good food? Its getting there.
Please Fontanos, clean up your act. You've been a fav of mine for years and I don't want to HAVE to stop. But I will NOT subject myself to eating off someone else's filth.
Pasta, panini, sub sandwiches, what more could you want when you're in the mood to carb-load yourself at lunchtime?
This restaurant is cute, and you can tell the put some thought into the decor. Â It isn't as stark and manufactured as other sandwich places. Â It's actually a little dim inside by the front counter (there's a restaurant in back), and there's one table in front and some chairs to wait for a to-go order.
I ordered the chicken parmesan to go. Â I overheard a guy in the kitchen ask about a previous order, "eggplant parm? Â that's the eggplant in the breading, right?" Â I crossed my fingers hoping he was new and not stupid. Â People should have working knowledge of their own kitchens and basic cuisine before working in any restaurant.
Anyway, about 10 minutes later, my order was ready. Â There's a steady stream of lunchtime customers, and they prep your food as you order, so the wait was expected.
My chicken parm was okay. Â Average. Â Mediocre. Â Acceptable. Â A fair portion of chicken, smothered in mozzarella with fresh bread. Â The bread was a little chewy, but I liked that it wasn't soaked through. Â Where was my sauce though? Â I could tell the chicken had been possibly dipped in some sauce, but there was no sauce on the bread which made the sandwich very, very dry.
For such a basic menu item to fail, I have to wonder if Fontano's is worth re-visiting. Â I've heard good things about the pasta, and I like the "choose your own sauce" option. Â Maybe for pasta or a panini, but I'll skip the chicken parm.
We have been going here for years.. and though it's a joke between my hubby and myself now.. please be patient with the wait staff - it's not consistent.. but not bad. Â We rarely get subs - we go for the italian food... we bring our own bottle of wine which I love... savings there and you get what you want. Â We always start with the Shrimp Con Spinachi -yummmmmmm - I love the 8 Finger cavatelli with escarole - my hubby tried the Penne Rosa Crema ( I think that was the name) it was probably one of the best pasta dishes we have ever had and we have been to Italy. So yum!!!! Â
Agreed with others - don't let the strip mall fool you - just try it and don't get a sandwich and don't get a bowl of spaghetti and meatballs.. get something different.. it's worth it!!!
They are on <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> too!
Being Asian and all, bread is usually not my go-to carb craving. Still, I was dying for a good Chicken Parmesan  sandwich with no frills. After conveying this to the boyfriend, I was whisked to Fontano's. I vaguely remember him taking me there once before in high school and maybe it was those distracting hormones of teenage romance, but I couldn't remember a thing about the experience.
We walked in during the dinner rush, but were asked if we would like to dine in. There was only a counter of bar stools lined up against the window, so I thought the question a bit weird. The boyfriend replied yes and we were led through the restaurant to the back area, where a few intimate booths and tables were laid out. Our waitress was wonderful - nice without being overbearing and accommodating every need. The bread served pre-dinner was warm, fresh, and soft, so I was a happy carb consumer.
The Chicken Parmesan sandwich here is among the very best and its because of Fontano's amazing marinara sauce. The sauce was tangy with a hint of sweetness, all stewed around wonderfully chunky tomatoes. In fact, the sauce was so good, I started ripping off parts of the dinner bread and dunking it into the sauce once I ran out of sandwich! The chicken was very lightly breaded and well-seasoned.
So, good sandwich with no frills?
Check.
Great service that is attentive and on-point ?
Check.
Nice sit-down meal for two under $20?
Holy s&*t, I can't believe it, but Check.
This place was really really good. Â
Walked in not knowing what to expect. Â Last time I was here was on a date in high school, so it's safe to say I remember next to nothing of the place. Â So I decided, what they hay, I'll give it a shot.
First thing first, the atmosphere works. Â It cozy and secluded enough in the back to have a romantic dinner, but casual and comfortable up front to grab a quick bite.
Came in and stared at the menu. Â Guy behind the counter came up to help me, and when I told him I'd never been there before he took some time and explained the menu. Â Still unable to make any sort of decision I fell back on a tried and true strategy that gets you the best food, as well as reveals some of the true nature of a restaurant and it's employees: "Well, what's your favorite?"
Got two recommendations. Â Chicken Sandwich and the Ribeye Sandwich. The Ribeye had already caught my eye so we went for it. Â The bread kinda sucks, the overall the sandwich was fantastic. Â Great flavor, meat cooked wonderfully, good sauces, the peppers and tomatoes add such a wonderful flavor. Â And for $8.50 it's a steal! Â
So the place seems comfortable and cozy, the food is good, and the service was excellent. Â The guy knew his stuff, the kitchen was clean, and he kept calling me sir, which is weird because I look like a god damn hooligan. Â Overall, a great place to grab a sandwich.
Now for the bad stuff =(
Table I was at when I was waiting was sticky. Â Now, I'm well aware that 3-4 is the witching hour for table top cleanliness, and I know what it's like to try and run the whole shebang though the mid-day and stay on top of wiping down tables, so this didn't bother me, but that doesn't change the fact that it happened. Â
Secondly, the sandwich, while delicious, was SUPER oily. Â Like leave fingerprints on your steering wheel, don't touch your keyboard or mouse, oh my god did I just mess up my phone screen oily.
Lastly, the break sucked. Â A lot. Â It didn't detract from the sandwich, but it was hard on the outside, which would have been fine if there was a decadent fluffy bread on the inside, but there wasn't. Â It felt like there wasn't any bread at all, that this meat and sauce was being surrounded by all crust. Â This didn't detract from how tasty the sandwich was, but it did detract from the enjoyment of the sandwich eating process.
Overall, this place is really good, but it's not perfect. Â I can tell you grabbing a quick bite worked out well, I'll let you know when I dine in how that is.
This is a hidden gem.  We ate there for dinner because we had a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> certificate and we're glad we tried it.  Their sit down area is a nice quaint area and their food is very tasty. The price wasn't bad and waitress was really nice.  The service was  fast and I was very surprised we got our food so quickly. We had the chicken and spinach fettucini, the lasagna, and a turkey panini with chocolate cake as dessert. My wife still likes the lasagna at Maggiano's the best but this comes a close second and I thought the panini was excellent.  My daughter also liked her fettucini.  They also have some hand made pastas that we'll try the next time we come.  We will definitely come back even without a <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Frestaurant.com&s=c5fe485af4df376130bee54f875814d79c4d7913e1258123b1206d2bdbf4873b" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://restaurant.com</a> certificate.
Review Source:Great place to eat and one of the staple places our office goes to for Friday lunch. Homemade pastas are delicious, their gnocchi pomodora is definitely one of my favorites.
My favorite sub has to be their ribeye steak sandwich. You have to eat it right when they deliver it to you, if the steak gets cold it's maybe 1/4 as good as when it's hot of the grill. Paired with the tomatoes, lettuce, and light vinaigrette sauce, it can't be beat.
The decor there is attractive, and I really like the tables.
We live across the street from this place but it took us a few months to try it out because the name made us think it was a sub sandwich shop. Â It was only after picking up my dry cleaning next door that I noticed a sign in the window advertising homemade pasta. Â Mmmmm homemade pasta is not what I expected based on the name of this place. Â So last night my husband picked up take out from them for us for dinner. Â He had the chicken parm sub, and I had the homemade gnocchi pomodora. Â His sandwich was very good, and my gnocchi was also good. Â The gnocchi themselves were so yummy -- I love homemade pasta! Â The sauce was a little too garlicky for my taste but nothing overly offensive. Â I will try a different dish next time we order from there, which I suspect will be often since they are so conveniently located for us. Â The Yelp reviews talk about the prices being too high, but we just moved here from Chicago so I guess we are just used to those prices. Â I can see them being considered high for the Naperville area though. Â Overall I am excited to have this place within walking distance of our new home -- I suspect we will be eating their food a lot. :)
Review Source:SUBtly Put: I've had better.
I was expecting something amazing, not s'much. IMO.
I asked what was on the veggie sub and though the counter service was nice and said I could get anything they have available on it, I felt like I was the first person to ever order a veggie sub from here.
I was kind of hoping it'd be easier than it was and that they'd have a pre-made list of things that came on the veggie because I'm basically helpless when it comes to cooking- even if it's not really even cooking... like making a sammie and just knowing what things taste good together. There wasn't really even a list of options shown to choose from so I just kind of blindly guessed on what kind of things they might have in stock and went with that. I will say not so SUBtly that their cheese selection was downright disappointing.
For around $10 I got a 10' sub that was 'aight'. The bread was a little too hard to bite off for my tastes, and like I said before, I'm not so good at knowing what goes together so instead of tasting like a complete sub I kind of just felt like I was eating a pile of rand-o ingredients. Plus, I was stopping here bc I was sort of in a hurry (what's new) and hoping for a sammie on the fly... but when I realized that I had to choose everything blindly, it took a bit longer.
I've heard the dine in option here is fantastic so I'd probably give that a shot in the future but as far as subs go... I'll keep my periscope peeled for other options.
A sub shop with great Italian food. Who would have guessed?
Prices are a bit up there, but their Italian food is delicious and they have a variety of great sauces. I like to sit in the back with my work buddies. It is cozy and feels like the type place that mobsters like to dine and scheme. haha. Definitely going back.
I'm kind of surprised this place has such a high rating...to be fair though, I didn't actually have a sub, so I can't judge that aspect of what truly is a sub shop. However, my first experience with Fontanos has left me with my second-worst case of buyer's remorse of the week.
Hubby and I were craving Italian tonight but didn't want to pay a fortune, so we figured we'd check this place out. We picked up a menu and looked it over, slightly shocked by the high prices (but hoping they were indicative of high quality), and almost ruled it out. But by then we were drooling over the prospect of a meal of fresh pasta with no work on our part, and stomachs trumped brains. $24 later we were home with very mediocre food, ravioli marinara for me and chicken fettuccine alfredo for him. The pasta was bland and uninspired, the sauce was thin and sad. The bread was the worst--very dry and floury, completely plain. My husband actually remarked that it tasted like they bought it from Jewel (in the same shopping center) so I had to laugh when I came across a review claiming that the owner buys the bread there...I believe it. In the end we decided that we'll go for Olive Garden next time. It's pretty much the same price if you do carry-out and you get delicious salad and bread sticks included. Maybe we'll go back someday and give the subs a go, but I doubt it.
I started having Fontano's years ago at the one in Hinsdale, but once moving out to Naperville, I was happy to hear there was one so close. Â I still have never eaten their dinner/Italian dining menu, but their sandwiches are amazing. Â Quality Italian sandwiches. Â I've also had them cater and everyone always loves them!
Review Source:I wanted to stop here because a sandwich sounded good, and based on a few of the reviews available I thought it fit the bill quite well. I went with the chicken bruschetta sandwich because I had never heard of anything like that before, and thought the combination could work out. It did indeed.
I enjoyed the sandwich so much that we have since made similar sandwiches at home, and owe it all to this place for their great idea. I'll definitely be going back because a few other items on the menu sounded appetizing, and the prices were reasonable for what we got (about $6 or $7 per sandwich).
We stopped in here on a Sunday afternoon after searching for "subs" in the Naperville area on Yelp. A great sandwich sounded good so we were hoping Fontanos would do the trick... and it did!
I went with their roast beef panini which had red pepper mayo, spinach, and tomato on it, and it was perfectly grilled. We placed our order at the counter, and were told we could walk in to the restaurant portion of the place and find a seat, and that they would bring our sandwiches to us.
The front part of Fontanos is a sub shop while the back is a restaurant called Antignana - <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.antignana.com%2F&s=44d80d6653a776385508351fcba89b94fa90c7019dd67319d0ca406bda665659" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.antignana.com/</a>.
Overall I was impressed with the quality of the ingredients, and how perfectly grilled my panini was. They have quite the selection of sandwiches to choose from, so I'll definitely plan on making a second trip here to try something else.
This won't be a long review, just want to say we've been there 15-20 times and always had a good experience. Â A real sleeper! Â Don't tell anyone how good it is or we'll have trouble getting a table! And now they are BYOB with no corkage fee! Â And the servers are between great and outstanding. Â Shhhhhhhh!
Review Source:Amazing homemade Italian food. First off, the subs that are available for takeout in the front of the joint are amazing. Some of the best I've ever had. I've never had a bad sub here. You really can't go wrong with any of them.
The quaint little restaurant located in the back is to die for. One of my faves is the Shrimp Puttanesca (with olives, capers, garlic). YUM. The lasagna is also delicious! Try the bacon-wrapped scallops for an appetizer. *drool*
Just an FYI...they no longer have a liquor license, so bring your own wine! They will open it for you and have wine glasses available. Not a big deal, but we didn't know this ahead of time, so we had to make a quick trip next door to Jewel to buy a bottle.
I agree that this place CAN NOT close....EVER! Â I'll die!
Lunch Review - Have frequented on several occasions for lunch. Â Tried a variety of their "Fontano's Favorites" Subs. which are deli style subs served on French bread. Â I have not tried their dinner menu or any of the hot sandwiches. Â
Overall I enjoy the subs, but would not consider them to be the best I've ever had. Â A key to a good sub is the bread and my experience has been hit or miss with the quality. More often than not the bread seems "old" and tough which makes for a difficult eating experience. Â
While the quality of the ingredients is good I would say the amount of toppings and size of the subs to just be average. Â There isn't any "extra" meat, just a few deli slices. Â
Service was very cordial and the subs were prepared fast and brought out to our table. Â I would consider the price to be rather high for the amount of food you get (8" sub with drink and chips was nearly $11). Â Would like to give it 3.5 stars, but I rounded down due to the price. Â
It remains on my lunch list possibilities, but it's not my first choice.
Truly one of the greatest places to have an authentic Italian meal in the area.  The pastas are al dente, the sauces are all delicious, the pizzas are the best. ---just like in Rome and Naples. ANYTHING ON THE MENU IS FIRST CLASS AND YOU CAN NOT GO WRONG.  One can dine in or take out.....the portions are large and the deserts are "out of this world."  My family has been eating here for years  or doing takeout..
 FONTANO'S IS TRULY ONE OF NAPERVILLE'S TREASURES.
This place serves the best Italian food in the area. I have been coming here for years. You do not need a reservation, but it does get crowded on the weekend nights. That does not matter though, as the service is fantastic.
The prices are reasonable and the portions are large. The deserts are fantastic. Once you try this place once, you will be back
My family has been going to Fontanos for years. Â We love the food and service. Â They have been remodeling and the place looks great. Â There is also this new type of pizza that they make, which is outstanding. Â I always get pasta when I dine in, but I love their subs too. Â The owners are very friendly and most of the workers have been there for years too. Â The wife makes wonderful desserts. Â I love local owned places and this is a not to miss!!!!!
Review Source:When I first moved to Naperville some years ago, Fontano's had excellent food at reasonable prices. Not so anymore. The quality of the food has gone downhill (I've heard that the owner has taken to frequently buying bread, etc. from the local Jewel) and the prices have skyrocketed exponentially. A small plate of pasta and a meatball costs about $12 now (way too much for the location). I can make the same quality at home, at retail prices, for many times less than this.
Everyone I talk to says that they like the food, but can't afford to eat there because it's so overpriced (and the prices just went up again!). In fact, I know people whose entire office goes out to lunch and won't go there for just this reason.
It's too bad--it used to be a great place, but they've priced themselves out of reach for most people.
The Veggie sub here is probably in the Top 3 veggie subs I've ever had. That's saying a lot because in 8 years of vegetarianism, I've eaten a lot of sandwiches. Nice staff, Â fresh bread, good gardinera, etc. In recent years, they've made it less of a casual lunch counter vibe in favor of a more typical Italian restaurant look. It looks nice I guess, but I long for the past. You can only dress up a strip mall storefront so much, you know?
Review Source:I really love this place. Â The dining room menu is awesome, I've eaten there many times with many different people and have never been disappointed. Â Â
I recently had Chicken Marsala with potatoes and it was absolutely delicious, the sauce was the perfect combination of wine, mushrooms and creamyness. Â The brushetta was great and offered a true tomato basil delight --- it was sweet. Â Â The orzo which came with my friend's tilappia was wonderfully flavored. Â
The subs at the front of the restaurant are also good. Â The peper and egg sandwich is to die for. Â
In the land of suburban phony big chain restaurants, Fontano's is such a great break. Â It's hidden in a strip mall and the fine Italian dining is further hidden behind the sub shop. Â I'm almost afraid to spread the word too much or it will be hard to find a table, but hey, we need to support the local guys who do it right.
I agree with the previous reviewers, this place is great. Don't let the strip mall fool you, the dining room is a hidden gem with great service. All the dishes I have tried are all super fresh and fantastic. The gnocchi is my wife's personal favorite. The only reason it did not get 5 stars is I think the subs are a little expensive. (There should be a 4.5 star option) The dishes though are a great value for what you get. I recommend stopping by for nice little dinner..
Review Source:I came here for lunch and had a soup and sub and it was very good. Â I had the fish soup which had big chunks of white fish and that could have been a meal in itself. Â By the way the potato was broken down in the soup, you can tell that it has been stewing for hours which made it all that much more fantastic. Â They served the soup with a warm crusty bread. Â I had the 6' Wiseguy Sub and it was good. Â They use fresh ingredients which made is tasty sub but I do kinda wish that the bread was the same as I got with my soup, warm, crunchy crust, and soft. Â Not that the bread was bad but my jaw was tired after eating since the bread was chewy. Â Overall, this is a great place I will definitely come back to try their pastas.
Review Source:Great carry-out and catering! Â They've catered two of our parties and both were a hit. Â The cheese ravoli is so fresh - everything is really, but that particular dish stands out. Â The meatballs are handmade, as is the pasta. Â The chicken vesuvio is tops. Â The dining room in back is a well-kept secret - perfect for grabbing a bite before a movie - it's usually empty at night. Â The subs are very big and are on the best bread - half now, half later.
Review Source:
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