Antioch's Depot Tavern the place for drinkin' & rockin'
Since opening at the end of 2010, the family-owned Depot Tavern has been bringing in crowds looking for a place to drink and listen to classic rock. The friendly service and extensive drink menu make it a great spot for a laid-back night out.
Motif: The space features a large central bar with comfy square stools surrounded by long tables that are good for big groups. Flat screens behind the bar are tuned to sports, though it's no sports bar. Casual players gather around a pool table, and you can choose tunes from a jukebox when there isn't a band or a DJ. A smaller side room has more tables and its own TV set and hosts parties two to three times a week.
Crowd: Depot Tavern primarily draws in customers in their early 30s to 50s. Dress is casual, and the place is lively, with patrons sharing shots and conversation loud enough to be heard over the music. Most customers come in after dinner, with the place getting packed by 10:30 p.m. on music nights. A Wii bowling league on Wednesdays also brings out a solid crowd.
Service: The spot only has six employees, and owners Eric and Lisa Nordby are regular fixtures at the bar, with their son often working as bartender. Eric is passionate about his place and happy to chat about it. If you ask for a beer recommendation, he can go on at length about his favorites until he finds something to suit your tastes.
Food: The bar currently only serves food for fundraisers, parties and other special occasions, though a wings-focused menu is in the works and should be available by April.
Liquid consumption: Depot Tavern boasts a huge selection of craft beers, with 75 available by the bottle including Rogue Dead Guy, Goose Island Sofie and Matilda, four varieties of Bell's and Capital Brewery's Doppelbock. As a special treat for beer lovers, the bar is organizing a trip to Chicago for a brewery tour in March.
The bar also serves 15 types of high-end tequilas including Riazul and Don Julio, and they're working on expanding their options for vodka and bourbon. You can drink on the cheap Wednesday and Thursday when imports are $3.
Music: Classic rock bands play every Friday and Saturday night with acoustic duos taking the stage some Thursdays and DJs spinning Wednesdays. Depot Tavern also organizes a heavy metal show three times a year. There's never any cover.
Parking: There are plenty of free spots in the strip mall parking lot.
Overall: Depot Tavern is a welcoming place to rock out and drink the night away.
Depot Tavern
311 W. Depot St., Antioch, (847) 838-1090, <a href="http://thetavernondepot.com">thetavernondepot.com</a>
<b>Hours:</b> 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday