The Oasis

On our way from Phoenix to Denver, we decided to take the scenic route & happened to come upon this small restaurant in a remote area. The staff was attentive while the food was way above average for such a small diner.  I had the honey fried chicken dinner with fries. Chicken was a bit on the small side but delicious while the fries were fresh...not frozen. They purchase much of their items locally & they peel, slice, blanch & deep fry their own french fries. DELICIOUS !!!
Looking around, I could see that many of the "locals" frequent this diner which adds to its homeyness. Yes, I would eat there again & recommend this place. Nothing fancy just good food.

During a recent visit to Saguache, CO, we had the opportunity to eat at the Oasis. Wildfires were raging in mountains just to the south and the sky was dark grey with thick smoke and raining ash. we were a group of 17 road cyclists that had just finished riding 72 miles from Gunnison and were parched dry and hungry. A quick Google search revealed only two eateries in town and one of them was closed! Our only hope for food was the Oasis. So I called to see if they could accomodate our group and the woman who answered said, "I don't know", "I have 40 firefighters coming in anytime now that I have to feed". "Let me see if I can find some more help. Why don't you call back in 10 minutes and I'll let you know." I agreed and hung up. In less than 10 minutes, she had called back and said she could feed us. "Hooray" we shouted and headed over to stuff ourselves.

The food was plentiful and tasty. I had chicken enchiladas smothered in green chile and the green chile was some of the best I've had. Our server kept the chips and salsa coming throughout our dinner and the biggest surprise was how good the margs were. I expected them to be made from a cheap sugary artificially flavored mix, but in fact they tasted great. If it was a mix, it was a really good one.

While were there, the 40 firefighters arrived, I'm sure even hungrier that we were. As they entered, we gave them a hearty round of applause.

As crazy as the night must have been for the Oasis staff, they maintained their good humor and smiles.

After dinner, we retreated to the bar area in a room behind the dining area. There is a nice little bar, a pool table, and a tile floor perfect for dancing. we hung out there and danced a little salsa until we tired out and headed back to our motel.

The next morning, we returned for a hearty breakfast of pancakes, french toast, huevos rancheros, scrambled eggs, juice and the never-ending pot of coffee. We were all so grateful for their hospitality and kindness.

All in all, the Oasis more than lived up to it's name.

Yelpers, I know what you're thinking, "A 5-star review?" But of course...one star for every extinction-level-event I experienced as a result of eating the food at this joint.  Look...I am usually not the kind of person that shares information about their stomach problems and resultant leavings.  The only reason I bring it up is to save at least one traveler from their fate.  Perhaps I am not being detailed enough...

Upon walking in my group of six was greeted by utter silence and barely a glance from the staff.  The service was lackluster at best; it took forever to get drink refills (which we had to request) and to pay our bills.  The food?  Here are some highlights for you:

*A hamburger "cooked to perfection" apparently means an overcooked leather hockey puck, as tasteless as it was attractive.  
*A breakfast burrito that included not only potatoes but also a tortilla...brilliant.  There's no improving on this timeless classic.
*The Speedy Gonzales included a taco featuring mystery meat and a bean burrito smothered in translucent goo which they referred to as green chili sauce.  Although it seemed slow to start, eventually it lived up to its name several hours later in a public restroom in Denver.
*The salad was mostly harmless and by default was the winning order of the day.

While this is by no means a complete list, I believe it is enough information to steer road-weary travelers (and perhaps some brainwashed locals) away from the scene of the accident.

On the upside, there was plenty of parking.