Since 1933 the Bernardi family has been serving Italian & American cuisine. Famous for Mona’s northern Italian Tortellini and spaghetti people travel from all over the state for great food, and friendly service. Mike Bernardi’s son and daughter have joined the family business, Tony in 1988 and Stephanie in 1996, bringing it to the third generation. After working the family business, they had thought it was time to expand out their great service and quality foods. Bernardi’s opened in Washington, IL in 2001, Bernardi’s II in Pontiac, IL in 2005, and the latest location is Bernardi’s North, opened in 2008 at Lake of the Woods Plaza in Dunlap, IL. We are sure your dining experience at any of our locations will bring you back.
Based on 556 reviews, the restaurant has received a rating of 4.4 stars. Price $$
✔️ Dine-in ✔️ Curbside pickup ✔️ No delivery
Address:
123 N Mill St, Pontiac, IL 61764
Phone: (815) 842-1198
Social Profile: 
Hours
| Sunday | 4:30–7:30 PM |
| Monday
(Labor Day)
|
Closed |
| Tuesday | Closed |
| Wednesday | Closed |
| Thursday | Closed |
| Friday | 4:30–7:30 PM |
| Saturday | 4:30–7:30 PM |
Menu
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Menu Photos
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Reviews
Ted Wachholz
You can’t really say you’ve had the world’s best fried chicken until you have eaten at Bernardo’s II. Yes, it is an Italian restaurant, but the chicken is the showcase item on their menu. The crust is light, thin, and crispy and seasoned to perfection. Order the chicken, and get a side of pasta to get your Italian fix.
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Kiley Weber
Dining at Bernardi’s II is always a wonderful experience. Their fried chicken dinner is absolutely the best choice on the menu, but all other options are safe/good options too! The service is always great. It’s located in downtown Pontiac and is your typical steakhouse style restaurant. If you’re in town and looking for a good sit down dinner place I highly suggest Bernardi’s. They also have good cocktails and specials day to day.
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M. C.
Got carryout. Hoof and Snoot with Steak Fries. Fries were a little overcooked. But the steak and sausage were well prepared and in good time. Good meal for the money. Will be back. Can recommend. Wish they were open more hours per week.
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Alex Studd
Had a very pleasant dinner here at Bernardi’s. Came here on a Saturday night, and the place was quite popular. The restaurant is casual, but I could see the place being used for slightly upscale events too. The Italian food was good, but the highlight of the evening was the giant pretzel! It was HUGE and delicious — and came with a cheese sauce and a marinara sauce.
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E M
Excellent food, excellent service. We had originally taken a ride down to Log Cabin, only to discover they’d closed early. We improvised and searched for another option in Pontiac and were pleasantly surprised to discover Bernardi’s. Very crowded for a Tuesday evening, reasonable dinner prices. The fried chicken was excellent and the steak fries are to die for. We’ll definitely be back to this hidden gem in the charming downtown area of Pontiac!
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Ailani
Absolutely amazed by the exquisite food. We were walking downtown and the smell from outside made us stop here for the first time. Great food for an amazing price. There was a 40mn wait so it is a place to plan ahead and not for a quick bite but it was worth it! We can’t wait to go back.
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Jennifer Lehotsky
The food and atmosphere was excellent. We were there to celebrate a birthday and it met all of our needs. The staff did a great job.
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mk jones
While visiting family/friends in Pontiac, (from Southern California) we all went out for dinner. Had the very best pretzel for an appetizer!!!! We all enjoyed our meals very much. The Alfredo sauce was tasty and the salmon was good.
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Allie Hamilton-Calhoun
I came here for the first time thinking that this restaurant would be just like Capponi’s in Toluca, which I love. It’s nothing like Capponi’s. In Toluca I always get a carafe of iced tea because it’s delicious & I don’t have to keep bugging the people to refill my 8oz glass. The waitress at Bernardi’s refused my request for a carafe, which was for the better looking back on it. Their tea looked & tasted like water. I like to eat & sometimes order a lot of food. The waitress here evidently thought it would be funny to comment about it; they’ve never done that to me in Toluca. The garlic bread w/ cheese in Toluca is the best I’ve ever had & it’s literally SMOTHERED with mozzarella cheese; you can’t even see the bread. Here at Bernardi’s there was a pinch of cheese… maybe ten inch-long shreds. The filet in Toluca is so tender it melts in your mouth & the au jus is rich with flavor. Here in Pontiac the filet was not tender & had maybe a spoonful of tasteless au jus. It’s amazing how much of a difference there was between the 2 restaurants. I won’t be returning to Bernardi’s & will stick with the far superior Capponi’s.
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Teresa Johnson
Always delicious food! Went for a reunion dinner with 8 of us, all former classmates. Our server, (Libby?, Abby? I’m sorry, I forgot) was wonderful. She gave us plenty of time to gather and order, never rushing us. She checked back quite often, without being pushy. Our drinks were refilled promptly and our food came without any issues. The atmosphere is always upscale without being snobby. Good food, great service and very pleasing decor.
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