Fitchburg has so few restaurants, especially south of McKee Road, that it’s no surprise Me & Julio has seen big crowds almost every night since opening in May.
When you walk in, it feels like a chain restaurant, perhaps a cross between Texas Roadhouse and Chili’s. An awkwardly positioned host stand is to the left of the entrance, and a giant bar sits in the middle of the restaurant.
Drinks and apps. You could be fine just having some specialty cocktails and eating off of the lengthy appetizer list. Me & Julio crafts its own margaritas, martinis and Bloody Marys.
- My favorite was the passion fruit margarita. It’s sweet, not too dense and not too tequila-y.
- The tequila old fashioned is an interesting spin on the classic Wisconsin cocktail. In fact, it really does resemble an old fashioned, though a bit stronger.
- The walleye fingers ($11.99) were pricey for the portion size, but I was pleasantly surprised by how fresh the fish tasted and the fact that it wasn’t overly breaded.
American and Mexican. You’ll find both American and Mexican cuisines on the lunch/dinner and breakfast menus. While you wait for your food, you can munch on some free popcorn that comes with your table.
- I enjoyed the heat and multitude of flavors in the Julio Burger ($11.99) coming from the poblano peppers, ghost peppers and chorizo patty.
- The plate of fish tacos ($12.99) is pretty filling. Unlike the walleye, the cod in the tacos did not taste fresh, but they were semi-saved by the thick, flour tortillas that tasted like grilled pita bread.
- I look forward to returning for breakfast to try the cajun hash ($11.99), which includes andouille, chicken, shrimp and cajun Hollandaise.
Me & Julio is open for dinner every day, lunch Monday-Friday and brunch on weekends. Tuesdays feature half-price classic margaritas.
I’m glad we have finally have a restaurant to take over the space long abandoned by I’m Here. That restaurant would be 
Nachos, quesadillas and tortas comprise the rest of the menu. Get a beverage with the torta ($7.50). Meat (in this case, the very tender pulled pork), black beans and Mexican rice centering a large bun–while tasty and filling–will make you pretty thirsty.
This past week, Qdoba added bacon jalapeno queso to its queso lineup, and I was invited to give it a try. It’s a winning formula: hard wood smoked bacon and jalapenos mixed with creamy queso. I ate a spoonful (yes, a spoonful) and was impressed–lots of bacon and a good kick.
Keeping on the topic of bacon, Pizza Hut offered for a limited time the cheesy bacon stuffed crust pizza ($11.99 for one topping, but it’s now gone). I’ve never been a fan of the stuffed crust, as usually by the time you get the pizza (carryout or delivery), the cheese has solidified. Adding bacon was thoughtful, but it didn’t wow me, though I did appreciate the generous portions of bacon.
