I don't know what legend this is but it looks pretty intense
Exterior: 2/5
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| Blink and you'll miss it! |
Habanero is housed in an industrial-looking building in an industrial-looking area on the south side of Wabash. Its exterior blends in so much and its signage is so small that I drove by it twice trying to find it, even with Google Maps telling me where to go. The outside is quite clean and well-kept, so it's not like they aren't putting love into their space. It's just that I want it to look more like a restaurant and less like a storage center.
Ambience: 4/5
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| Fun in the entryway |
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| Seating area |
The interior of Habanero is extremely different than what you expect after seeing the outside. It has intricately carved booths, classical Mexican decorations, and and otherwise well thought-out decor. It's just as clean as the outside, but much more inviting and comfortable. I went for lunch on a Friday and there weren't many people there, but I have a feeling that it's comfortable even when it's crowded. The booths are roomy and there's also table seating if booths are not your cup of horchata.
Variety: 3/5
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| Jamaica Agua Fresca |
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| I didn't get a dessert but they sounded fabulous |
Although the restaurant bills itself as having both Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican favorites, I didn't see anything on the menu that I didn't expect from a garden-variety neighborhood U.S. Mexican joint. (The molcajete might be the exception.) There are a few options within each menu category, but you're still going to wind up eating burrito, chimichanga, enchiladas, etc. and choose either the chicken or the beef lane. The dessert selection did look pretty interesting, though. I wish I'd had room for a banana burrito.
Quality: 3/5
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| Chips and Salsa |
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| Beef Quesadilla Rellena |
I came here in part because multiple people told me they love the food, so I was ready to be blown away by some cheesy meaty bready goodness. Unfortunately, I have to say my meal didn't make me stand up and do the Macarena. I got the quesadilla rellena lunch special with beef. The beef turned out to be dry-ish ground beef and there was so much of it stuffed into the tortilla that it was giving loose-meat sandwich. I did enjoy my Jamaica agua fresca, and I loved that they served me enough of it to fill a waterbed mattress, but it was by far the sweetest Jamaica I've ever had, which diluted the tang of the hibiscus that makes the agua distinctive. The chips and salsa were fine, although the flavor of the latter was more tomatoey than seasoning-y. Now, the last person who recommended this place to me told me to get the Betty Burrito and I didn't do that because it wasn't one of the lunch specials, but maybe if I had my opinion would be brighter. As things stood in the moment, though, the food was fine but not great.
Kid-Friendly: 4/5
I was flying solo on this trip, but if my kids had been with me I think they would have enjoyed Habanero. The decorations, especially the photo op in the entryway, are colorful and fun. The Niños menu offered a nice blend of Tex-Mex and American-grease options, including a meal that's just mozzarella sticks and fries. (I don't think I've ever seen that kids' meal option before and I thought it was pretty useful.) The next time my family is in town for a show at the Honeywell Center Habanero seems like a good option for keeping the littles fed and entertained.
Would Eat Again?: Yellow Light
There's nothing bad about Habanero. If I went back, I would try something else to eat and have a perfectly fine time. But of all the restaurants I've tried in Wabash this is probably the one I'm least excited about. Now, this place seems wildly popular with the locals. Maybe it has a really fun atmosphere in the evening, or maybe I just caught them on a bad day for quesadillas. But based strictly on this experience I'm not going to bend over backward to come here. I hope they can refurb their exterior into something more exciting, and I hope their menu keeps the Wabash community coming back for more.
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