As a member of an organization on campus, we had moved in early after Christmas break in order to attend training. But we all wanted to do something exciting for the first night back, and so found ourselves deciding on a place to go for a good social bonding time. After relaxing at home, we were ready to break into the new semester with vigor.
After a long debate, I heard most of the classic Fairfield locales being mentioned, but then one name stuck out to my ear: Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill.
I had never been or heard of it, but I can now rank it as one of my favorites. First impressions are always the ones that stick with you and what sticks with me till now was the massive wall of bottles behind the bar. It reached up to the ceiling and had multiple levels. It was a sight to see.
There was a very Western feel to the establishment, and of course, my brain had caught up with me enough to remember Geronimo from history class, the famed Apache leader, and hence the name for this establishment. There was a live fire crackling in the back. Antlers and skulls of desert animals on the walls, paintings of Native Americans and images of buffalos and horses running in the plains. There was a general rustic and desert feel to it, even though we were in the very beachside area of Fairfield, Conn. I particularly enjoyed that some of the tables had glass in the center through which you could see a sand display with fake skeletons sticking out, and hidden treasures.
My general rule of thumb is that you can measure the quality of an establishment by the quality of its bathroom, and this bathroom was exquisite. The ambiance was mysterious, with dim lighting that fit the vibe of the restaurant. A welcome contrast to the usual LEDs shining on you. The washbasin looked like a carved out, hollowed stone that was found in the Grand Canyon and I was all for it.
But the proof is in the pudding, as they say, and so we come to the meal. Well, others did, because I didn’t. I watched as plates of tortillas and quesadillas were dished out to my peers. Drinks were refilled, and the aroma of sizzling meat filled the atmosphere as I sat and watched on. I gave a subtle gaze towards the kitchen to see if I could sus out our waiter but he had disappeared promptly.
Of course you had to have my luck to be at a table with well raised, polite people because no one touched their food on account of me. The best part was they were acting as if the food wasn’t there to console my feelings and hungry belly. I couldn’t watch their misery and I told them to dig in! The food is on its way, I told everyone, and myself.
10 minutes… 20 minutes… 25 minutes go by. The waiter comes up apologizing. I say it’s fine. 30 minutes pass and a manager finally rushes up to me apologizing for the delay and explains that my steak (yes, I ordered a steak at Geronimo, enough people have given me the confused look but I don’t care; I like what I like) was burned and they’re re-cooking it. I said it’s fine, but then she hit me with the proposal of a free drink “on the house” and I could have literally forgiven her for stealing my wallet at that point. I ordered an additional soda water with extra orange slices and sat patiently for my food, which did eventually come. It was delicious, they even tossed up a complimentary salad for my wait, which I certainly appreciated.
After an experience like that some might say “no way,” if asked to go back. But I would say “oh yes!” The reason is simple. The customer service there was unparalleled. They were so genuinely concerned about this slight delay and went the extra mile to guarantee my satisfaction which made me feel like they cared for the customer. That was a great show of character for the establishment as a whole and I will certainly be returning in the future.
Geronimo serves a southwest style of food located at 2070 Post Rd, Fairfield, CT 06824.
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