Reno: The Depot

Subject: FOOD & BEVERAGE

Place: The Depot - Brewery - Distillery - Restaurant

Locale: Reno (Aces Ballpark Area)

The Depot  Website

Visits: 3 (most-recent was October 2015)

Food:     4 out of 5 on the Fork-O-Meter

Venue:  5 out of 5 on the Fork-O-Meter

Beverages:  3 out of 5 on the Burp-O-Meter

Will I return?: Probably

NARRATIVE:

Here again, we have a clever building repurposed from a previous life. The Depot was built in 1910 as the headquarters for the Nevada - California - Oregon Railway system. What the current owners have done is to transform the facility into a multi-use dining and drinking establishment while at the same time not subtracting from the historical feel whatsoever. I really like being here.

The exterior of the Depot is very clean and that appearance carries itself right into the entrance. Very crisp lines throughout, with vintage-looking Edison bulb lighting sprinkled about. The are two floors here, both anchored by a bar - the upstairs bar being slightly smaller, but with the same vintage flair. Several different dining areas are available, including some upstairs. One interesting note: on the main floor men's restroom, the original floor safe, obviously weighing a LOT, still occupies one of the walls behind plexiglass (sorry ladies, but see their web page for a picture). Bar stools, high-top tables, and conventional seating is available. Additionally, there exist a couple rooms in which couch seats are provided to imbibe and socialize.

Main floor bar area

2nd Floor Bar area

I enjoy eating in the upstairs section primarily because I can peer out the very large windows out onto the world while dining. Would like to go back here on a nice, snowy day for that view. It seems a bit quieter upstairs, regardless of the proximity of the bar. It is a nice place away from the main floor, but without losing the feel of the main floor. Nothing wrong at all with the main floor bar and dining rooms. The main floor is where louder discussions were taking place and was definitely the place to hang out with work peers etc.

As the name implies, this is not only a restaurant and brewery, but a distillery as well. The Depot distills their very own Whiskeys, Bourbon, and Gin. The resulting products have slowly been filtering out into different bars and restaurants throughout the greater Reno area (just saw their whiskey at the Wild Garlic yesterday) - another sign of how small local businesses are supporting their like kinds in the region.

A wide variety of different, unique beers are produced on site by The Depot. Each of those sampled by yours truly were quite good, although I generally will not venture into the lighter versions of any beer. A current listing and description of their beers can be reviewed on the website link provided above.

I have actually eaten here on two of my three (to date) visits. The first visit was eating at the main bar. The second was enjoyed at an upstairs table near a wonderful window. Again I would recommend reviewing The Depot menu via the website link in order to better understand their other offerings - after all, I don't eat EVERYTHING on the menu, but I certainly do my best.

House ground beef patty, house pastrami, Swiss cheese, sauerkraut
& Russian dressing. The fries include a house made catsup.

Chicken wings with house made BBQ sauce.

Cous cous and Kale Salad: Pears, Bleu cheese & kale tossed with candied pear
vinaigrette & topped with pomegranate seeds. Added grilled chicken to this one.

Beer-battered Vidalia Onion Rings w/ housemade BBQ Sauce

The food overall at The Depot is remarkably good. Above that, the other offerings in the menu are also enticing. I recall not being able to make up my mind on one selection (hence the extra onion rings, wings, etc). I truly believe that everything here was well-prepared and served promptly. In fact, on one of the nights we visited, they were providing each table with a new appetizer idea - cornbread fritters with a bourbon glaze and served with honey - that we quickly snatched up and enjoyed. These fritters are now on the permanent appetizer menu.

Truth be told, as much as we enjoyed the food, the drinks, and the atmosphere at The Depot, I think while we would definitely enjoy coming back here (and will), it is almost a place I would want to "save" for special occasions or when dining with out of town guests. It is that kind of a special place - a great facility with excellent food (and choices of the same), and offering a decent selection of beverages. A place to hold in reserve like a trump card. 

We shall play this hand again.

-BG