Had an incredible experience at Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom in downtown Fairfield. From the moment I walked in, I was welcomed with genuine hospitality by Paul behind the bar. Super personable, great energy, and made the whole experience feel effortless. I ordered the peanut butter and jelly burger--smash-style patty with bacon, peanut butter, jelly, Tabasco, and pickles--and wow... one of the most unique and satisfying burgers I've had in a long time. It hits that perfect balance of savory, sweet, and nostalgic. I asked Paul what he would pair with it, and he absolutely nailed it. He introduced me to "Chimp My Ride" from Solano Brewing Company, a rich stout with chocolate and peanut butter notes that complemented the burger perfectly. It honestly brought back that childhood lunchbox feeling in the best way possible. On top of that, Chef Jamie personally brought out the food and took the time to connect--great conversation, great presence, and you can tell there's real pride behind what they're doing here. The vibe, the style, the food, and the people all come together here. Easy five stars. I'll definitely be back. read more

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Some of the best dining experiences aren't planned, they're discovered. With the thermometer climbing to 103 degrees, the Spain vs. France World Cup semifinal kicking off on the big screens, and a craving for an ice-cold craft beer, I wandered into Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom, a downtown Fairfield favorite that's been serving locals since 2017. Within minutes, I knew I'd found exactly where I wanted to spend a hot summer afternoon. The atmosphere strikes the perfect balance between neighborhood tavern and craft beer destination. Vintage bicycles hang overhead, dozens of rotating taps line the wall, and the energy is lively without ever feeling chaotic. Whether you're catching the match, meeting friends after work, or simply escaping the summer heat, Rustwater has that welcoming vibe that makes you want to stay for another round. Following the bartender's recommendation, I ordered the Chicken Ciabatta from the specials board with a side of crispy tater tots, and it was absolutely the right call. The sandwich arrived beautifully presented on a perfectly toasted ciabatta roll with just the right amount of crunch. Inside was juicy grilled chicken layered with smoky bacon, melted provolone, crisp lettuce, ripe tomato, and a flavorful pesto mayo that brought everything together without overpowering the fresh ingredients. Every bite delivered a wonderful combination of textures and balanced flavors. The tater tots were exactly what great tavern food should be, golden, crisp, and light on the outside with a fluffy interior. They became downright addictive when dipped into a combination of ketchup and a Ghost Hot Sauce that once they are out they are out adding a slow-building kick that complemented the crispy potatoes perfectly. As I enjoyed a cold pint from their outstanding rotating tap list, Spain put the finishing touches on a 2-0 victory over France, sending them to the World Cup Final. Great soccer, an exceptional craft beer, and a fantastic lunch, it doesn't get much better than that on a scorching summer afternoon. Rustwater has earned its reputation over the years, and it's easy to understand why. Friendly service, an outstanding craft beer program, elevated tavern food, and an atmosphere that invites you to linger long after the final whistle. If you're looking for one of downtown Fairfield's best spots to enjoy creative tavern fare, explore an ever-changing lineup of craft beers, and catch the big game, Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom deserves a place on your list. I'll definitely be back to see what's on tap next, and without question, those crispy tater tots will be making another appearance on my table with the ghost hot sauce, if still available, due to the company going out of business. read more

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Food's okay. Beer's okay. Nothing really stands out either way. What does stand out is the random political graffiti inside. I'm not coming to a bar to read someone's opinions on the wall--keep that to yourself. If you just want a casual drink, it'll do. But the whole vibe feels a little sloppy and unnecessary. Clean it up and focus on the food and beer instead. read more

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What a great place to go downtown Fairfield. We just moved to this town and we were heading out and wanting something to eat. We went over to the mall area, but we're kind of over all that. All they have over there is pretty much chain restaurants. We went downtown and I saw this place on the corner and it had outside seating and it was shady. When you get into the restaurant, you see that this is one of those pay at the counter and then order and get your beverages and then go take a seat. I wouldn't say we were instantly greeted when walking in, but somebody did eventually take our order. They were pretty knowledgeable about what type of beers that they got on tap. I got myself a hazy IPA and my partner had one of their lagers. I ordered the pastrami burger and we got the fries that were also pastrami, cheese and it's really delicious mayo sauce. The burger came out on a pretzel bun. It had all the Irish pastrami and the taste went well with the burger itself. The fries were delicious, they were definitely crispy and held all the pastrami and the juices from the pickles and sauerkraut very well. The one negative thing I can say about the burger is that it was overwhelmingly way too much mustard which overpowered all the other flavors that were really delicious. I definitely love the vibe of this place, the people are great, the bartenders brought our two dogs, water bowls, so that's always great. The people sitting out in the patio were definitely nice and they were saying that this place is like their cheers. If you want a place to hang out and just chill, be who you are, and be around some great people, come down and hang out at the brewery and just really enjoy the weekend. read more

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Ok service. Prices a little high but expected for a gentrification area. Good beer selection. Food was better than expected. Good ambiance. Patio looked nice but it was too hot to sit outside when we were there. Also liked that they had a non alcoholic selection. read more

We stopped by for dinner during a road trip. We ordered Pb & J burger and Don't Go Bacon My Heart burger, both were very good. Service was fast and helpful. We were very satisfied with the meal and will come back again. read more

Great beer, nice staff, and they have good food. I'd love another vegan option besides the omnipresent burger but that's not a criticism just a suggestion. read more

I've been wanting to try this place for years, and I finally pulled the trigger. Located in Downtown Fairfield, this kitchen and taproom is a great spot for some great eats and great beer! Upon entering, you'll notice all the fun decorations. For sure take some time to take a look at everything and read all the signs. You'll sure get a laugh in! Their menu is pretty straight foward. Not overwhelming and exactly what you'd expect at a kitchen and taproom. I ordered their PB&J Burger and wow!! I want to go back already!! It was a sweet and savory delicious mess! The amount of PB&J they add was not overpowering the taste of the tender, juicy meat patty. It definitely added texture and an explosion of flavor! Service was great. Staff's friendly. Food came out in a timely matter. They have a vast selection of beer from different breweries, so you may find your fave one or get to try out something you've always wanted to try! I'll for sure be back here to try more of their food, or just get the PB&J burger again! read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

We keep coming back for their awesome selection of beers on tap--so many great choices every time. The burgers and tater tots never disappoint, especially with fancy sauce on the side. They always have a good hot sauce option too! Jackbox nights are super fun, and the staff is consistently friendly and welcoming. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

This is one of my favorite lunch places! Their cheeseburgers are great, nothing fancy, but hit the spot. A perfect cheeseburger. Fries are skinny and crisp and HOT! Service is fast and friendly enough. They also have a few ciders, which is good, as I'm not a beer drinker. If you are, you have lots to choose from.? read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Beverage menu - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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We just stumbled on this spot on the way to Napa valley. It was very relaxed and they had an outdoor area that was dog friendly which was great for us and our pupper. We both enjoyed a burger and beer each. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

The ambiance is nice and the beer is good. There's plenty of seating. But the service is terrible. I get that it's frustrating to deal with annoying customers, but it's not right to take that out on unsuspecting customers who have nothing to do with it. One of the guys was so rude to us, slamming things down and complaining in front of us making what could've been a good experience bad. It's unfortunate because this is such a great spot. read more

Four stars soley because they don't greet you or acknowledge you when you walk in, atleast they didn't for me. Outside of that the cashier did let me sample the ciders, and the burgers and fries with their sauces were some of the best I ever had. I got the #1 cider and it was delicious. I would come back here and order the same thing and see if they had a flight for the ciders since the price was so good. The sauces tasted like chipotle mayo and garlic mayo w/ranch and the cheese burger was large, food was fresh and price was only $22 for this meal. If they upped their customer service this place would be even better. (The girl who brought me my food was an absolute doll. She asked me if I wanted sauces and brought them back with a smile-blonde hair w/ glasses.) read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Double cheese burger & fries. - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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Punk rock atmosphere and very friendly service. Really tasty smash burgers. One order of fries is plenty for two people. read more

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It was absolutely great here. Our first time here and we will definitely be back and the cheeseburger was just fantastic. French fries are to die for you. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Cheeseburger and fries yummy!!! - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

This is a great neighborhood place. Amazing selection of beer. The food was great as always we shared a double cheese burger and tots. Loved it all. Staff is friendly and the place is very very clean. Highly recommend. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Double cheese burger and super yummy tots!!. - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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I highly recommend trying the PB&J burger with a cold craft beer. The combination sounds strange but it tastes absolutely amazing.

Happened to be hungry and in the area so we did a quick search on yelp to find a lunch spot in downtown Fairfield. After deciding on Rustwater, we headed over to check em out. Ambiance is your typical bar/taproom with inside and outside seating. All wood, very rustic but very clean (which I love). Service was great! Very friendly folks working here. Very knowledgeable and funny. After checking out the menu I decided on the single cheeseburger and my son went for their peanut butter and jelly bacon burger (yea I know but wait!) and an order of their fancy fries (I think that's the name) picture in n outs animal style fries and that's essentially it but it's loaded with delicious caramelized onions and cheese in their own house made sauce. The burgers came out and my son loved his PB&J bacon burger. Said that when he orders a bacon burger that the amount of bacon on this burger was how they should come. He finished that burger and I gave it a try. The pepper jelly was great mixed with the salty/sweet peanut butter and the savory bacon. My classic single cheeseburger was equally well seasoned and dressed. Perfectly cooked to my liking. I will definitely be back! The energy and vibes here was perfect!! 10/10 will be back. read more

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Our 1st time here & Good drinks/atmosphere! We had the pastrami burger & chicken sandwich & fries, all delicious! Beers & ciders were so good too! Definitely recommend!! read more

My husband and I have been coming here for years! I'm glad they made it through Covid and the vandalism that happens downtown.. Good beer, good vibe and good basic burgers and tots... read more

The best burger in Fairfield and it's not even close. Food at breweries and tap rooms are hit or miss but Rustwater's burgers and sandwiches are worth picking them up even when you're not coming in for their excellent rotating beer selections. Prices are super reasonable for the food and beers. There are crowler/growler options depending on availability. And most importantly, the staff is wonderful. Always warm and welcoming. Very knowledgeable on the beers. The kitchen staff is also great. For dining in, there's seating at the bar, tables inside- although it's not very much. Additional seating outside. Rustwater is a must visit and will always get my money and time. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Double Cheeseburger, fries with fancy sauce - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

Visited this place today and it did not disappoint. Was recommended to try the peanut butter and jelly burger and OMG. Definitely will order again. The quality of the food was on point and the peanut butter/jalapeño jelly was great together. Gotta try the homemade dipping sauces they were finger licking good. Inside was fun looks like a great place to watch a football game and try different types of beer. Great customer service by the owner David and most importantly, very clean inside. Do yourself a favor and visit and support this local business. read more

Looking for a place with good beers and food? Come here. It's that casual, no uptight feel here. There's something for everyone here- beer selection is great! And the food comes to you hot and tastes delicious. Friendly and fast service too! I had a pineapple beer which was so good, especially on a hot day. Paired well with my burger. The tots are crispy. Take your time and watch some ball games too on the tv. I enjoyed our visit here. Would absolutely come back. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Tots and cheeseburger - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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Food and service is incredible and the ambiance is dope too. I heard some of my favorite songs that brought me back to high school hahaha everyone was friendly read more

stopped in for a drink and a friend insisted we had to try the PB & J burger. So we split it and so glad that we did! It is an interesting combo I would've never tried otherwise. A plus that it came out super quick Fun little casual spot with lots on tap to try. Family friendly is a definite plus read more

Been awhile since I was able to get into the place -- bad news about good places is they get very busy! lol But that's great for their business and I'm happy to see it. Good to see the bar food and drinks are still good and no lowering of standards there. Same great, friendly staff. Always a pleasure. read more

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Went here for a night with my husband. The food was amazing. We got 2 burgers, 2 fries, and I ordered the guava cider 12 oz which came to about $70. The drink was really good. They got the food out quickly and served us where we were sitting. They also cleared our food which was nice. This was an upscale bar but allowed for my husband and I to have a date night due to the patio seating. Everyone was very friendly. Would come back again with friends for the food and drinks. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Bacon artichoke burger, and Ruben fries - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

Food was delicious! We ordered & shared the Reuben Fries. It was a good sized portion & DELICIOUS! The beer was also very good! I ordered the Sour Punch Super Shandy & my husband ordered the Timekeeper. It was our first time in, the employees were super friendly & explained how the ordering works with them too! Overall, it was a great atmosphere, the music playing was all great songs too! Definitely will be back! read more

Cool place to hangout. Tasty burgers at a good price. Try the PB & J burger. Perfectly balanced and a local favorite. Tons of draft beers and canned micros. This place doesn't disappoint. Played some updated trivia games at the evening too. Bartenders are cool and attentive. Coming back for that PB&J with tots! read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Try the tater tots! - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

Rude staff, food was not very good. My friend had a hair in their food. We gave it another shot and we just both agreed this place will probably be out of business in 3 years read more

I was greeted immediately as soon as I walked in. The gal who took my order said it would be ready in 10 minutes when in fact it took less. The burger is steam hot which definitely means it was made to order. The 1st bite is awesome, the only complaint is that it is too small for me (ha ha!) Love the decorations of the place. Road signs, traffic lights, old gas pumps ! This place is a repeat for me without a doubt. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Decorations. - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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I have been here a handful of times and always have a nice experience. Everyone I've encountered are always nice and check on you. My last visit I sat at the bar during lunch time but they do have other indoor and outdoor patio seating. Tons of good beer to choose from and food menu as well. Definitely pop into downtown Fairfield and give them a visit! { Ig: Oohdearfoodie } read more

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The people were extremely friendly. The food was food. It was good, but not something that I would go out of my way to come back for. Overall, it was OK. Kind of getting sick of every bar playing different trivia games.... read more

Way too much fun here!! Came here on a Friday evening for a moms night and the service was more than amazing!! Shout out to David & Jaimie!! If you're looking for a laid back, chill yet colorful, upbeat & friendly vibe, look no further. I'm not much of a beer person but the ones we had were literally delicious!! Not to mention the pbj butger- a must try if you love peanut butter. Thank you for a great time!! We'll be back again!! read more

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Order a regular cheese burger and veggie burger. They both were very good. The meat was nice and juicy. I would consider changing the the bun. It slides when you bite down. You have to order food, beer, and water and everything else needed before you sit down. Server was fast and cool, but wish they could have offered a taste of beer I was so indecisive. They have both indoor outdoor (patio) seating. Table comes with condiments f some kind of hot sauce/bbq sauce stuff (not the best) As for the decor it's alot going on yout local dive bar mixed with woods and metal a backyard bbq feel for sure. read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Cheese burger - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

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Recently moved to Fairfield and haven't found many places that accommodate vegans--I'm not vegan, but my wife is due to dietary restrictions--so I was happy to discover this place. Awesome beer menu, and it's somewhere I can go with my wife where we can both enjoy the food. I I also wanted to highlight their great service. The people behind the bar were nice as one would expect, but the guy working the kitchen went above and beyond. I had placed the order in a weird way that was confusing. Noticing that one burger was vegan, he came out to our table to make sure that he understood the order so that he could ensure it was fully vegan. I also saw some the same guy being extra helpful to a table next to us with their order. Didn't get the name, but thought his attentiveness was super impressive. We'll be back for sure. read more

A co-worker recommended this place for lunch, and I was pleasantly surprised. Wonderful ambiance with old cars and bikes used to decorate the interior. The menu was small, but each entry was tempting. I went with the PB&J burger. If you've never had a burger with peanut butter and you think it sounds crazy, well it is, and it's surprisingly delicious. I had one years ago in Mississippi, so it wasn't a new experience, but it was great to have it again. This iteration of it was very good, with the only complaint being that there may have been a little too much PB on it. I felt a bit overpowered at the end. But it was good nonetheless. Also had some tots that I would recomas well. The other burgers and food items I saw go out looked great as well. Be it we were on a work lunch break, we didn't sample anybody the beers. The selection looked great, though, and I look forward to trying some in the future along with some other menu items. Check this place out! read more

Large selection of beers (20+ draft and more cans in the fridge) and some ciders. It can be overwhelming so many options there are. Food options are more limited to burgers. But damn the burgers are good. You can taste how fresh they are. The food came out super fast. Cute outdoor seating. Order at the bar. Kitchen officially opens 30 minutes after the bar opens. But my experience has it's been a little earlier. The bartenders have always been really friendly and service is spectacular. They check up on you a good amount. Free samples of the beers you're interested in. I had the ace perry apple cider and the peach cider. Had the regular cheeseburger with Swiss, a side of tater tots, and on a different occasion had the PB&J burger. I enjoyed everything that I've tasted so far. Everything was fantastic! I highly recommend Rustwater for anyone in the area that loves beer and burgers. What a gem. read more

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Always swift service & friendly bartenders, this is one of my favorite local spots to go to! If you're looking for a nice & chill spot with great service & food - this place is highly recommended! read more

Rustwater Kitchen & Taproom - Beer Bar Near Me - Fairfield, California

Excellent customer service, fantastic beer, and killer Ruben fries. Highly recommend!!