Fairfax Brewing Company opened Sept. 10, offering a valuable addition to the local community-oriented dining scene. From the classic FAX Cheese Burger and Fried Chicken Sando to the more eccentric Yellowfin Poke Tuna Tacos, Fairfax Brewing Company offers a streamlined menu featuring customizable options to suit everyone’s tastes. 

Fairfax Brewing Company was created by Alex and Lisa Stricker and brewmaster Larry Berlin and executive chef Dan McGarry in the building where Ross Valley Brewing Company, Iron Springs Pub & Brewery, and HenHouse Brewing Company formerly resided. 

Berlin was the original brewmaster at Ross Valley Brewing Company and he previously worked at Iron Springs for several years. He helped design and build Ross Valley Brewing Company 30 years ago when it first launched. McGarry, a Fairfax local, was previously a chef at Duke’s in Huntington Beach and a Guy Fieri signature restaurant in Sonoma County. 

The restaurant’s atmosphere is family-friendly, with a kids menu and a game room. The game room includes vintage Skee-Ball machines and a Pac-Man game for diners of all ages to enjoy while their meal is being prepared. The seating options include a variety of indoor and outdoor seating including high-top tables, booths, a bar, and picnic tables. 

Whether you’re dining indoors or outdoors, the restaurant’s ambiance is the perfect combination of rustic and chic. The fake plants that surround the bar, the lit-up Fairfax Brewing Company Signs, the warm lighting, and wooden accents give the restaurant an elegant feel while still remaining true to the classic local family-friendly gastropub vibe. 

Unfortunately, the excitement surrounding the new restaurant has attracted crowds, and it can take up to 30 minutes to get a table. The staff are friendly, but the long wait and somewhat inattentive service make the dining experience less enjoyable.  

Fairfax Brewing Company has a limited menu, with only one main burger option. The FAX Cheeseburger is a standard burger patty topped with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, secret sauce, and a choice of either cheddar or pepper jack cheese. The burger is also available with a veggie patty upon request. It costs 19.00 dollars with optional add-ons that can ring up to 25.00 dollars. 

The burger’s initial appearance isn’t particularly impressive. However, the satisfying taste makes up for its lacking appearance. The juicy patty is exceptionally grilled and perfectly complemented by the rest of the toppings and sauce.  

Another option for those in the mood for meat is the Fried Chicken Sando with pickles and secret sauce on a challah bun. The sandwich costs 17.00 dollars, making it one of the cheaper menu items. 

Although the chicken is perfectly crispy, the famous secret sauce overpowered its flavor.  The sauce does not compliment the chicken the same way it does for the burger. When combined with coleslaw, the sauce overpowers the chicken, making it hard to enjoy the sandwich as a whole.

Both the burger and sandwich come with a complimentary side of fries or a salad. The shoestring fries are perfectly crispy, and although they border on being too salty, they are still quite enjoyable. 

The house salad with balsamic dressing, however, is a little disappointing. Consisting of a meager amount of lettuce with a single cucumber and two halves of a cherry tomato, the salad feels lacking. Despite its simplicity, it serves as a nice palate cleanser when paired with the richness of the mains. 

Leading up to its opening, The Fairfax Brewing Company consistently advertised the quality of their drinks on social media. The Raspberry Citrus Cooler is a homemade raspberry citrus shrub added to rosemary simple syrup and club soda. A shrub is typically a combination of vinegar, juice, and sugar made with a 1:1:1 ratio. The cooler costs only four dollars, and although the drink is a unique concept and may be enjoyed by some, the vinegar is overly dominant. 

The Fairfax Brewing Company offers a rustic-chic yet fancy dining experience. Their selective menu with extensive options for add-ons lets everyone choose and alter their food to best suit their taste. The positive and inviting atmosphere successfully encourages diners to return. However, due to its high prices and inconsistent service, the Fairfax Brewing Company earns four out of five feathers.