Fontana Grill

I LOVE this place! All of their food is very good and their pizza and wine deals are great. I’ve never had one complaint. All of the food is wonderful and I love the atmosphere.
I’m sad to find out that this place is moving to another location in February. I spent a lot of time in the summer on their patio as I only live a block away. They play good music and the staff is wonderful. They don’t bombard you trying to order. They let you enjoy your time there and even after they close for the night they’re patient and let you have a few more drinks as they’re doing the same inside. I love it here and I’m sad that I’ll have to travel to get their good food and great service.

I’m a fan of Fontana because they are my neighborhood wine bar that delivers unpretentious service with great food. They also serve some delicious calamari which is almost always my appetizer there.
The cute outdoor patio is a bonus during the summer time. There’s usually a good crowd outside but the tables are a good distance from each other so you can enjoy conversation and have some fun music as your background noise. The inside is cozy and lit with small table candles. It’s usually dark after they open (5pm) during the winter time. The décor works for what it is but some nicer furniture would step it up.
The food and wine are almost always the same with off the menu specials that are often more expensive but sometimes worth the price. I usually stick to the Fontana burger (roasted red pepper spread!) or pasta if we dine in and I’m never disappointed. We stop in for either dinner or just wine time. I also carry out from here on a regular basis. Craft beer selection is pretty good.
I have the week day specials memorized because I’m a baller on a budget! My two favorites are Monday’s BOGO FREE pizza special and half off bottles of wine Tuesday’s! Good for my tummy and my pocket. I usually don’t have a problem convincing friends to dine here with those specials.
Overall a nice place for good food and wine. Not fancy at all but not too shabby for what it is and where it is.

I’m delighted to report that this place hasn’t changed since my last delightful visit.
Came here last night to celebrate a new job. We had a living social for a free appetizer and bottle of wine.
We were warmly greeted and had the best service. He was the only person waiting tables, and possibly is the owner, and he was so nice. He had wonderful recommendations for food. We ordered a bottle of Tempranillo, which was absolutely delicious.
For food, we ordered the grilled calamari. It was in this divine white wine sauce that I literally wanted to drink. We got the Insalata Fontana next, followed by this incredible Scallop dish on special, and then had the Bolognese. The pasta is still homemade and still just as wonderful.
We were too full for dessert, but next time I want to try the Chocolate Mousse.
We will be back… for a 4^th time.

Unexpectedly charming little place with rather delicious food and friendly service. I shared a bottle of prosecco, a caesar salad, and two pizzas with a dining companion. The salad was fresh and tasty. The pizzas were pretty darn good and, as luck would have it, we came on BOGO pizza night. Score! We had the vegetariana: eggplant, zucchini, onions, baby spinach, roasted red peppers, and mozzarella; and the portobello mushrooms and Italian sausage pizza. Plenty of leftovers to be had for days.
Small complaints: horrifically bad music right out of the 80s and 90s. Yuck. No way to escape it, folks. It’s piped out onto the patio as well. Also, I don’t care for paper napkins, plastic drinking glasses, the plastic water pitcher, and the McCormick pepper mill. Small touches would make this an even better experience. I would give them 3−½ but not a three star rating. Hence the four stars.

Fontana Grill is a nice little neighborhood spot to sip wine and people watch outside on a summer day. Good wine, decent pizza. The Quattro Formaggi was my favorite surprisingly out of the four pizzas I tried — usually the «just cheese» pizzas are missing out on all of the good stuff, but this one some how pulled it off. Love the outside patio, the ambience of the inside restaurant space is nothing to write home about.
Service was inconsistent. We had a great waiter who was very accommodating when we asked to switch tables mid-​meal, but we had an issue with the shift manager who was unwilling to honor a handwritten discount card that my friends had received during a past visit to compensate for a service issue. He said that the handwriting on the card did not seem to match that of the employee who had written it (handwriting analysis must part of the employee training program) and that my friends could take it up with the regular manager next time. That experience ended our otherwise pleasant meal on a bit of a sour note.

Real cute place. It will be more fun when its warm outside. I enjoyed the red wine flight. Since it was the last night of a Groupon it was very busy. I had a reservation but it was going to be a bit of a wait. They put us at the bar and made up for it. We were pretty happy to be there. We got the meats and cheeses. It was just ok. I don’t eat meat so my boyfriend cleaned up. The cheeses were nothing special. We also got the truffle fries which is a bit of a sham. They’re just fries with truffle oil (and not enough at first) If you watch Anthony Bourdain’s show then you know about truffle oil. We got the margherita pizza which was tasty. This is kind of what you want to eat at a wine bar anyway.
Its a little out-​of-​the-​way for me but if I’m in the area I would definitely come back in.

This is a neighborhood joint with with very friendly staff. I was at the bar area only, for wine, but it was enjoyable. I didn’t have any food.
The interior is pretty pedestrian, and in dire need of an update. Very dated and cheap looking. What is great about this place, and what will require a repeat visit is the outdoor patio, which looks GREAT and very glamourous for outdoor summer imbibing. Can’t wait!
The logo of this place is possibly the most hideous logo in the history of logos. A old style water pump pumping out wine into a cheap looking wine glass? That’s supposed to suggest «great food and wine» to me? Fail. Redesign needed. And I realize the logo of a place has no bearing on the quality of food and service.

My wife and I came to Fontana Grill (FG) using a Groupon that included 2 wine flights and an appetizer for a flat price. FG is located in nice area that we don’t usually patronize. While the space is small, it;s intimate and the décor is tasteful.
I highly recommend the ANTIPASTO MISTO appetizer with a wine flight. We plan on going back to try more of the menu and experience the outdoor seating.

Been here twice now on Groupon trips, and both times were very similar (except that the first visit got my girlfriend a case of food poisoning that ran her a $ 150 trip to the ER until 6 am the next morning). Both times, the owner was friendly and attentive, but the waitress seemed to care not a whit for our experience.
The last time, we repeatedly found ourselves seeking her out to see why our water wasn’t being refilled, our order wasn’t being taken, our table wasn’t being checked up on. Most times, it seemed she was snacking behind the bar, having a conversation. Not particularly friendly either. It’s a shame, because the food’s pretty good. (The grilled calamari is awesome!) The wine, too.
So ALMOST a great addition to Uptown; it’s a shame the waitstaff can’t be bothered to work while earning money for being on the clock.

It was late evening and we were trying to decide what to do for dinner. I love eating a different restaurants so I was on the look out for a restaurant open late and in the neighborhood (within walking distance).
After calling, the host mentioned that they were packed and it would probably be 20 – 30 min before a table becomes available.
So, we decided to head on over.
After getting there, it was truly packed. We decided to sit at the bar to eat as it was close to 830p. However, after ordering our drinks (like 2 min after), we were told a table became available. We packed up and moved over to the table.
We ordered grilled calamari as an appetizer. As a main, we ordered pesto shrimp pasta and chicken parama.
Oddly enough, our main came out first. Then our waitress said she completely forgot to put in the order. So, she placed the order and didn’t charge us for it.
Then we observed there were only two people working. Our waitress happened to apologize for any delays as they were short staffed and she (the GM) has to work to fill in. She gave us a free red velvet cake and told us not to worry about the drinks we had at the bar.
Overall, good experience. Very cozy restaurant. Even though they were short staffed and over worked, they conducted themselves very well.
Would definitely go back!

I visited recently with a friend and my handy groupon…
We were able to sit in the patio area since we managed to beat the crowd by about 10 minutes. Thankfully, the staff let me sit and wait alone even though my friend wasn’t yet there. Once my friend showed up, we did see some wildlife in the area, which was interesting.
The wine that I sipped while I waited was quite nice. The wine list isn’t huge, but it’s really good.
The food was delicious! We split 2 pizzas — both were great. Thin and with really fresh ingredients.
The prices were so reasonable — the groupon basically covered a meal for 2 ($ 40) with some wine.
Our server was really sweet — though I think she was overwhelmed by the crowd. I’m pretty sure everyone in the city showed up to use their groupons the night before they expired — and she was the only one working outside (and maybe inside!). She was flustered, but very nice and I felt terribly that people were getting frustrated with her as she was clearly the only one working. I went in to pay since I needed to go and that was no issue. People — have some heart!!!
Anyway, the food is good, but the spot is way up north. Definitely a good visit if you’re in the area. I would suggest not sitting near the bushes in back or the tree.

Went here with my Groupon last night. At 5:45 on a Thursday, we were the only customers in the restaurant, but it started to fill up by the time we left.
Our waitress was training someone, so she was a little slow (especially considering we were the only patrons at that point), but it was ok, we were in no rush. I appreciated how readily she made recommendations when we asked.
Here’s the scoop:
–Grandma’s Trio — this was highly recommended by other Unilocalers, but I thought it was just ok. It was a little lukewarm and bland.
–organic chicken rolatta — once I had a taste, I was jealous my friend ordered it and I had not. It was a huge breaded chicken breast stuffed with prosciutto, spinach and mozzarella and served in a roasted pepper sauce. Word to the wise, it doesn’t come with sides, so order the truffle fries, I’ve heard they’re good.
–Margherita pizza — came out piping hot, and was really good. The dough was very fresh, a little thicker than most thin crust. The red sauce tasted fresh and homemade. It was simple but tasty, exactly the way margherita pizza should be.
We couldn’t use the Groupon with any specials, but if you check their website, they have daily promos. I think I’ll be back for Sun/​Mon buy one get one free pizza!

Now that I have been to Fontana a handful of times, I am finally ready to say my «piece». I was torn between four and five stars, so I’ll explain why I went with five here in my review…
One of, if not «the» best date restaurant in the area. Great décor and ambiance, fantastic outdoor dining area in the summer months, accommodating staff and a consistently good dining experience. The wine list is appropriate for the fare and they always have a special cocktail or beer to pair if you aren’t feeling wine. The polenta and trio appetizers are divine and I have now tried at least four of the pizza offerings… all are delicious (not to mention BOGO on Sunday). If you are in the uptown area and are looking for a great dining experience, Fontana Grill is it.

Just as good as the first day I walked in. Only now it has become quite a hot spot (with few other options in Uptown). Note that their wine is served by the glass or bottle, instead of by ounces like the old days. Maybe it became too confusing? They do have three different types of wine flights though starting at $ 10. Their pizza deals are a steal! (Plus they’ll add extra basil if you ask). Still one of my favorite places in the area.

The night started off a little rough. We ended up walking to Fontana at night through a neighborhood that was border line sketchy. When we got there the inside was small and it was empty (of course it was Monday in fairness), except for a couple with a 2 and 3 year old kid. The inside is really small and the kids screamed for about the first 20 minutes, while the parents sort of just laughed it off.
We ordered the red wine flight, which turned out to be a great value they gave us almost 3 full glasses for $ 10. I ordered the Homade Papardelle Al Tartufo, which was pretty decent dish. The atmosphere was intended to be quiet, candle lit, and somewhat romantic. However, the screaming babies totally killed that. Prices are around $ 12-​$ 14 dished, pretty standard prices for Italian food.
Overall, I hate to harp on the fact that the kids were there, but in a restaurant that size it was almost impossible to hear each other, until they left and it ruined the first 20 minutes of our meal. The food was decent (not spectacular), and it’s a little of the beaten path for us location wise, so I don’t know if we’ll be back.

Put 4 very inappropriate ladies in a wine bar, and guess what happens?!? It gets even more inappropriate. Seating is kinda tight (close to other patrons) so we probably made the two older ladies next to us blush a little.
Started off the night with a bottle of Pic Nique Chardonnay (very nice and not sweet but not too dry wine). For appetizers we had Calamari Fritti and Bruschetta and both we’re very deslish! For dinner we all shared the Margherita Al Tartufo, Chicken Pesto Pizza, and Homemade Papardelle Al Tartufo pasta. The one and only complaint I had about the food was that on the Margherita pizza, the tomatoes were cut too thick. Other then that, the food was deslih! The Chicken Pesto pizza is amazing. The pasta was the BEST!
The prices are very reasonable. Check it out if you’re in the area.
This is a perfect date spot!

This place is a gem in the Uptown neighborhood. Good menu selection. There’s outdoor seating available. They have delicious home-​made pasta. The bolognese pasta is slightly better than the tartufo (white truffle butter one). There’s also a very good salmon dish. The bread was also amazing! It was so soft and hot. it tasted like it was fresh out of the oven. Fontana Grill also has a full wine bar but they still offer BYOB (corkage fee of $ 10 per bottle).
The service was excellent. I went with a group of six and the experience was quite enjoyable. Our server checked in on us several times during our meal just to make sure everything tasted okay. The bathroom was very nice (single stall bathroom — 1 for each sex).

I am not a Frank fan, not under most circumstances. But having someone sing Frank songs to me? I really like!
I was first introduced to Fontana a week ago– during Unilocal Eats. Yes, less than 1 week later, I was back! This time, I had the P’s in tow. Tuesday night– half price bottle night– seemed a very appropriate event for which to be in attendance!
I can be a boring eater. Once I find something I really like, I stick with it! I am quite the fan of Fontana’s Cevappi! Tasty, succulent little pieces of Angus beef and Lamb magically transformed into caseless sausages., served with onions, on a pita, a small side salad, and for $ 3 extra an order of truffle fries– You have yourself a feast!
My mother dithered over Pesto pasta, a Salmon Pizza, or a tres formage pizza with prosciutto and mushrooms. She opted for the shroom pizza (pretty solid thinking!). The pizza was wonderful! What is even better is that the serving was so large, we have it for lunch too!
Dad? Well, Dad can be somewhat of a stalwart in his preferences. Yup, you guessed it! Three cheese burger, no onion, no tomato. He loved it and gobbled it down!
They offer a pretty unique selection of wines. I was not drinking (again– I need to fix this) but I cannot wait to go sip on the patio.
I am pretty thrilled with the combo here. A neighborhood restaurant that offers an intimate environment, well prepared food, great deals, and an awesome patio. The prices are very reasonable. What are you waiting for?

Great service.
Love the mix n match wine samplers.
Mediocre pizza.
Groupon cash in!

If you haven’t sat on the most underrated patio in the city yet, time is growing short… friends.
This is your prod. Go, bask in the beauty of Fontana’s expansive patio. It doesn’t feel like Uptown, it feels like fate.
Seriously.
ps. Tuesdays = half price bottles of wine.
No excuses. Frank Sinatra sung to me, and my mission is to implore you all to go there.
And order a pizza, split it if you must… but order one.