Normally I want to go UP a review, this time I wish there was a way to go down a half a review. Â Why? Â The Food. Â 5 stars. Â The service. 1 star. Â So I was meeting some friends and I was early, so I decided to sit at the bar and order a drink. Â Bartender.....dull, no conversation. Â Tried to ask him what beer I should try and he recommended some cheap..run of the mill "Mexican" beers. Â I ordered some beer on my own and i asked what margarita he recommended and he TOTALLY ignored me. Pretended I wasn't there. Â As a former bartender with 10+ years in the biz, I would see a solo, female, drinking customer as $$$$$. This dude totally ignored me. Â When I finally caught his attention he recommended the least expensive drink on the menu and when I asked about the most interesting thing on the menu he described it as "a salad in a glass" and while I appreciated his honesty, shouldn't you have SOME pride in the drink menu being the bartender. Â While siting there several other customers commented on how much the bartender sucked. Â Dear DN owners, get rid of the BORING, bartender with NO personality.
Anyway, the food in this place is awesome, the service seems disorganized. We were given the wrong food 2x, and someone elses credit card.
get it together D.N. Â the food is amazing.
Service needs improvement badly.
Disappointing. This is a charming place from an ambiance and decor perspective. This was our second time there and I'm sorry to say that both times the food was very bland. The "chips" were more the consistency of old fashioned potato chips than tortilla chips. This time we had the tacos, enchiladas and fajitas. Do not expect to see a sizzling platter. More like reheated chicken chunks. There was nothing  approaching either good authentic fare or imaginative cooking. The service was poor. We sat a few feet from the bar with the manager nearby and a wait person only showed up when I got up to get someone. There were no apologies and no attempt to expedite our meal. Even up here in the burbs, one can do a lot better.
Review Source:So what if their red salsa tasted a bit like tomato sauce, at least it was spicy and it goes well with the chips!!!
This place is not for foodies 'nor those seeking the authentic Mexican food experience. Â Its for those who like reliable and relatively good ethnic food in the north shore area. I enjoyed my steak and fish tacos. I love that they did not serve it with re-fried beans but instead they paired my tacos with green rice.
I heard the carne asada burrito was enjoyable topped with fresh salad greens.
The kids menu offers a variety.
They have a great space for indoor and outdoor (in the summer) dining. The service was prompt, friendly and attentive.
I already know I'll be back!
Amazing location in an old train depot! Â Great interior decor and a fun vibe. Â Hair raising, spine tinglingly-strong Margaritas. Â Incredible chips and fabulous salsas, oh my! Â ...and then the entrees came and it was like somebody let all the air out of the tires. Â I am to this day perplexed as to how they could hit a home run on chips, salsas and drinks but somehow lose the recipes for delicious entrees. Â Nothing that anyone at our table ordered was particularly delicious enough to finish. Â My son wouldn't even eat his chicken/cheese quesadillas (which he normally loves) and I wasn't sure why until I tried it. Â It had absolutely no flavor and was as bland as sawdust. Â If these guys could figure out a way to re-engineer their entree recipes, I'd definitely come back again. Â Otherwise, it's just going to be a margarita and chips/salsa place for us.
Review Source:Here's the low-down quick and easy.  This place has amazing margaritas, seriously.  Buy one, buy two, buy three (and have someone carry you home).  Delicious.  I appreciate their margarita.  It's not in a huge glass, filled with six cups of sweet juice and one shot of crappy tequila.  It's one regular sized margarita, that tastes great, and will knock you on your ass.  :)  The chips and salsa are deliciious.  The chips are warm, and there are two different types of salsa, both unique and distinct.  That is where our love affair ended.  I ordered the tacos, which were fine.  The steak was definitely my least favorite, dry and chewy.  The fish and short ribs were quite good... They just seemed like a lot of tortilla ratio compared  to the filling ratio.  The service was great, and I'll be back to try other menu items.
Review Source:Just visited for the first time and had a great experience. Â The food was fresh and innovative, service was good, and nice variety of drinks. Â (Especially loved the Sopa Maya. Â Must try!!) Â The atmosphere was festive without being too loud. Â The staff was also very accommodating of my food allergy. Â Overall, we had an excellent experience and look forward to visiting again soon.
Review Source:I love Depot Nuevo. Â The restaurant is small and homey, although, recently by enclosing the front porch seasonally, the space has grown. Â The food is delicious beginning with complimentary warm chips and homemade salsa. Â One of my favorites is the salmon, but my daughter's is the fish tacos. Â I limit my margarita intake, but Depot Nuevo makes it difficult, because they too are delicious. Â For years I have dined at The Noodle in Wilmette, (their other restaurant)....mostly for lunch. Â I highly recommend either of their locations for high quality food without being fancy.
Review Source:Let me start by stating that I love Latin American food and have eaten at the majority of restaurants serving this type of cuisine in the greater Chicagoland area. Â This one, though highly recommended, was in a running for one of the worst. Â On the plus side, they have really good chips and salsa and, though I didnt drink, are reputed to have excellent mixed drinks, but the fun stops there.
We started with the maya soup which came recommended by the server. Â It quite literally tasted like a mild citrus water with tasteless mystery ingredients (plus chicken), floating in it. Â I couldn't eat it. Â Then, we all ordered the "surf and turf" which came with a marinated flank steak and 3 jumbo shrimp. Â The shrimp were small and cold, and the flank steak literally had no flavor aside from the splash of, again, citrusy chimichurra sauce on top. Â It was difficult to eat as it was so tough I could barely cut through it with a serrated knife, chewing it made my jaw ache. Â And this was across the board with all 3 diners. Â Last, but certainly not least, the water tasted like it had traveled through molding pipes. Â Please! Â For the health and safety of future customers, purchase a simple water filtration system or offer bottled water! Â
This is a cute place, and is in a great location, which makes it difficult to review so poorly, alas, my advice is to steer clear of this place. Â The food is not just average. Â It's quite simply (and mysteriously given some of the other reviews)..........of poor quality and, well, bad!!
We've been to this Restaurant 4 times in the Past!! Never had a bad experience their before I came theire with my family tonight. We ordered are Guacamole Appetizer and it took 20 minutes to be brought to us!! Then my sister that is pregnant ordered a Chipotle Chicken and we specifically said no spices and they brought it to her extra spicey!! Charlie the so called manager was very unprofessional and said to my sister what would you like me to do take it off or bring her a new one. He was very mean and did not apologize!! Also the shrimp tasted spoiled and when we were about to leave the waitress through the check at her with a mean face. Worst restaurant experience ever for my family I will never step foot in their again!!!!
Review Source:After a long day of work and kids activities we were looking for something delicious and we found it.
We did take out. Â When I got there the place was packed. Â The food was delivered at the time they told me to arrive. Â
When I got home, my tacos (the fish tacos) were excellent. Â My wife really enjoyed the scallops. Â
I look forward to eating there again.
This is a north shore version of Mexican...not very spicy, Americanized Mexican food and very over-priced. Theatmosphere is nice, and the outdoor balcony is pleasant, but if one is doing Mexican on the North shore, once can do better food-wise and price-wise going to  Evanston's "That Little Mexican Cafe"...service at That Little Mexican Cafe is also friendlier...and less pretentious.  We love Mexican food, but this is one place we will not be visiting again...alas.
Review Source:Today, I tried Depot Nuevo for the first time and I thought it was pretty good. To start off we had the ceviche which was nice but I have had much better ceviche's. The fish was nice and fresh but I have to think there are a few other app's that I would enjoy more.
My dad and I both had the New York strip steak which had a lot of flavor and is the reason why I gave Depot Nuevo 4 stars. When I go back I am going to sit outside on the patio and get wasted. They have an amazing tequila selection but I had work the next day so I just had a beer.
The service was very attentive and friendly. I look forward to coming back!
My feelings align with many of the 2-3 star reviews in that the food overall lacked the "bite" I've come to expect in latin dishes. I can't help but compare it to so many fantastic places in Chicago - I expected more for the price.
My chimichurri sauce was unexpectedly watery and couldn't even taste it on the steak. The meat itself was cooked as requested but a bit chewy for my tastes. My wife's flank steak burrito was very average.
To be fair, the chips were authentic and salsas tasted homemade. Service was great (would give it 4 stars) and the place was packed. I walked in with high expectations and I think I was expecting something more authentic - Depot Nuevo's website explicitly states the dishes are "Latin-inspired", not necessarily authentic.
The best part about our dining experience was the chips and salsa, which are TO DIE FOR, in my opinion.
We ordered a couple of appetizers - ceviche and quesadilla. The plating was pretty. I am not a huge fan of ceviche in general -- I thought the quesadilla was interesting. Everyone in my party ordered from the tortilla portion of the menu, so I can't speak for the rest of the menu which sounded delish. I ordered the tacos with tilapia and flank steak. I ate only the tilapia tacos which were delicious.
I would say this place is a good choice if you find yourself in the Wilmette area. I would return in the summer to sit outside after browsing the shops in Wilmette and I would try something different on the menu, as well as a marg.
Depot Nuevo: great drinks for a suburban restaurant with a central location in downtown Wilmette. Â Close to the metra and has quick carryout service, as I've taken out from here as well as dined in. Â The guacamole is fresh as are the homemade chips; but it's a pretty americanized version of latin cuisine. Â
I guess my expectation was a little high as it does mention latin fusion, but the simplest ingredients in latin food; cilantro and lime are sometimes lacking in their main entrees. Â Those two contrasts in flavors can really make or break the final taste of a good taco or fajita. Â But, the flavors just don't really stand out.
As a local, this is a quick option other than the basics of Chinese and sushi in the area. I've had all their varieties of tacos, shrimp fajitas, and order the chips and guac, but the portions are "minimal." Â I'd like to expect for the prices I pay I'd be able to have share-able portions, but entrees the size of tapas plates? Â Beware as well, while the chips are light and crispy, they are very greasy. Â
The staff is always attentive and friendly, but other options in Evanston or even the Lalo's chain can provide a little bit more punch in your meal with a little less punch in the wallet. Â
It's family friendly; so if you have a grandmother you'd like to take out to dinner or a child you'd like to treat while enjoying yourself an adult beverage, salud.
Great atmosphere. Good drinks. Food...ok. Had the chimichurri (sp?) steak and it was not like the argentinean variety that is a delicious blend of olive oil, garlic, and parsley. It was weird like it had mayo in it or they tried to Americanize it. Previously tried the chorizo stuffed chicken. It was bland and boring. Tried their chicken and lime tortilla soup...bland. This place lacks flavor. Service was friendly and attentive.
Go there for drinks, eat elsewhere.
Love this place! Â The wife and I went up to Wilmette to pick up a Craigslist find, and the seller recommended that we check this place out. Very cool space, especially the outside deck. I would venture to say that 2/3 of the seating capacity is outside, so winter will probably be quite full inside. Beautiful space, and the food was very tasty. I tried a spinach salad with bell peppers, toasted tortilla strips, and chipotle grilled scallops. Mmmmm...great balance of fresh ingredients, and probably some of the best scallops I've ever had. Â Apparently they do curb service carry-out, and I heard the owner talking about a new online ordering option that would be live sometime this fall. Â Service was friendly and solid. Seemed like a kid friendly space (at least on the deck). Â I'll definitely go back, and recommend this spot to friends.
Review Source:My first 5 star review on Yelp. I love this place. We live in Highland Park, I think there are 10+ mexican restaurants within 2 miles of our house. Depot is worth the drive. It is HANDS DOWN the BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT on the NORTH SHORE. The chips are mind blowing, I think I eat 3 bowls of chips before I even order, thats because Im getting WASTED on the Escalade Margaritas. We always come here with friends, and always have a great time. Margaritas, Chips, Margaritas, Fish Tacos, Margaritas - fresh and healthy tasting, not typical. Again, this is My first 5 star review on Yelp. Â This place is good.
Review Source:We had been trying to eat here for a couple of months now, but every time I called for a reservation (only a day or two in advance) they were already booked. So I figured this place must be amazing. Sadly no. I think it is always booked because downtown Wilmette lacks restaurants and there is no where else to eat!
The food was decent and the service was good, but nothing special. I wouldnt go out of my way to go back, but certainly would not avoid. They have a nice porch and is kid friendly, both of which are nice.
I went here with 3 co-workers in March '09 and I tell you, we had a great time here.
The place is small, quaint and cozy. I wouldn't call the cuisine Mexican, because it isn't. I would call it a Hispanic Fusion instead.
I was looking forward to ordering their flank steak, but our server's recommendations were the braised duck and halibut specials that week. Most of the time, I order the specials because they show me more about the Chef's creativity and emotions for that week. So I ordered the duck and another from our party ordered the Halibut. The duck was a hit! I ended up sharing the dish with my friends simply because they couldn't get enough of it. The duck had a perfect sear and was presented in the wine sauce that was rich, but not too rich... I'm salivating as I write this.....and it's been at least 6 weeks since I had it.
Depot Nuevo is a great place. The service was good and the prices were pretty reasonable.
This restaurant is housed in the old Train Depot which was moved to its current location a number of years ago. Very neat inside, very colorful, nice staff. We had a group of 8 and had a reservation and dropped right in on a Saturday night. Most of the group had tacos of different varieties and didn't see anyone with anything left on the plates. My fiance had enchiladas and I had a daily special which I wasn't overwhelmed by, but I really want to get back and try more menu items.
It is as stated in other revues a small venue, so big groups beware.
Cute decor, friendly staff, good drinks. Â Food is NOT GOOD! Â So boring for a Latino place.
The no-reservations policy is really annoying. Â They wouldn't reserve us a table for our party of 10 (on a Tuesday!). Â It's a small place - not somewhere you can easily get a table for 10 by just showing up. Â We went elsewhere.
I visited for a new event called "Taste and Tweet"! We got a sampling of the menu, along with three very delicious margaritas and tweeted about what we thought.
The chef is Mexican, but French trained so the has some unique influences. The food was fresh and not heavy like some Mexican-Latin food can be. Â This is what we had:
Starters:
Gucamole and homemade chips
Grilled Shrimp and spinach quesadillas
Raosted Corn Bisque (sooo good, and I learned, is not chicken-stock based so all vegetarian!)
Entrees:
Argentinian-style flank steak with chimichurri sauces, jalapeno sour cream mashed potatoes and green beans (seasoned well and very good)
Chipotle Rubbed Trouth with bacon cabbage confit, jalapeno sour cream mashed potatoes and green beans (I don't even like fish, but this was light, flaky and tasted so good
Chorizo tacos with green rice (yummy, good cilantro flavor)
Desert:
Pastel de Tres Leches (great cake that is not heavy and very fresh)
The owner, beverage guy (sorry that's really not his title), and Chef Alvaro were so gracious and gave us great explanations about the food and drinks. Â They even have listerine inthe bathrooms so you can keep your breathe nice and fresh after all of the delicious flavors! OHHH also, for all you city folk, you can can take the Union Pacific North line Metra (the one that goes all the way to Waukegan, from Ogilvie, and just walk about three blocks and you're there! Â I can't wait to go back!
I was excited about trying this place, checked out the menu beforehand and thought it was worth a shot. It was a perfect summer evening, so we opted to eat on the wraparound deck, which was really a great setting.
Here's the scoop.
The good: Love the outdoor porch, super friendly waitstaff who doesn't rush you, DELICIOUS margarita (very fresh with real lime juice), generous portions at decent prices, peaceful place to have good conversation with someone you like! :)
The not-so-good: The food lacked soul, in spite of the menu's descriptions. It seemed very safe--not too spicy, not too 'out there'--just generic. The menu is not Mexican, not South American...just blandly Latin.
We were too stuffed to eat dessert, so  I can't review that part of the menu.
Overall I was left with an impression of...meh. I don't know that I would go out of my way to burn a path back there to eat, but it was certainly a decent meal.
Update: Â We went back to Depot Nuevo last Saturday night - remember, the food rocked and I said I would give it another shot. Â
The wait for an outdoor table was still around 30 minutes, but the hostess kept us informed and happy. Â The service was terrific, with the exception of the 'backwaiter' who plopped our drinks on the table without asking whose was whose. Â Our waitress was friendly, attentive and knowledgeable. Â The food still rocked - we tried the BBQ glazed salmon and Trout this time and loved them as much as the Chorizo Crusted Tilapia. Â The spinach and nopales is a great side that I will order every time. Â Thanks for the improvements, Depot Nuevo - you just won us over as permanent customers.
**If I could I would give this 3.5 stars, but I'll round up** It's time the North Shore got a Mexican restaurant!! The owner of The Noodle (also in downtown Wilmette) just recently opened up this new, hot spot.
The inside is VERY BRIGHT. The Fiesta dishware looked eerily similar to mine- I think I have the same colors. There are not many tables inside so I'm sure the wait can get long. They do have a large outside porch with lots of seating- perfect for the summer time. What's better than sitting outside with a margarita and chips & salsa?
I had the chorizo encrusted tilapia- it was really, really good. My brother and sister had skirt steak/flank steak which was very tasty as well. If you're in the area and in the mood for mexican-check this place out. Don't come from the city to go here- there are better and more reasonable Mexican restaurants in the city.
I'm happy for Wilmette.
Brand new restaurant on the North Shore, and my guess is that it will be THE new place up here for at least the next six months, if not more. Â It's located in the the historic Wilmette train depot which was built in the 1870s and was moved to this location many years ago. Â It's walking distance from the current Metra train station.
Big, wraparound covered porch outside with a fair amount of seating. Â Walk inside, and you immediately find high ceilings and a welcoming bar. They have successfully redecorated the old place to give it a fairly authentic Latin vibe. Â You're also greeted with a nice mix of artwork, historic photographs and the sounds of salsa music audible in the background - but not overwhelming loud. Easy to listen to the music AND talk - nice touch.
Now, this is not ,and probably never will be, a place for frat boys or 20 somethings to go out on the town - it's still in the 'burbs; yet it is a great choice to take a date or have a drink followed up with some dinner. Â
Great selection of high end, quality tequilas and specialty margaritas. Â Mixture of Central and South American flavors and mixed in with funky versions of some Mexican dishes. Â I skipped dessert ,but they were loving the Tres Leches cake with strawberries at the table next to mine.
Worth a stop on the way up to Ravinia this summer.
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