40 Best American Restaurants in Ventura

“if you don't go here you are missing out the food is delicious. The staff is great and you can tell the owner has a big heart. Also, remember there is one in Ventura on Main Street next to the movie theater and the other is in oxnard in the collection across from REI enjoy the food“

“Today was my first time giving Happy Place Eatery Food Truck a try, Great fast service, super friendly staff. I gotta say the smash burgers are rich, juicy, and full of delicious flavor and the fries are so crispy and yummy with ranch. Hands Down!!! Follow Your Tastebuds“

“Model Citizen exceeded every expectation and made my birthday celebration truly memorable. From the moment we arrived, the service was warm, attentive, and genuinely personal, making us feel like valued guests throughout the evening. Each dish was exceptional—the patatas bravas were unique and perfectly executed, and the pork chop was outstanding, cooked to perfection and full of flavor. The atmosphere strikes a rare balance between sophisticated and welcoming, creating the perfect setting for a special occasion. The cocktail program is equally impressive, with a top-notch bar team crafting meticulously prepared drinks that rival those of any premier cocktail destination. Every detail was thoughtfully handled, and the entire experience felt seamless and special. I’m grateful to the team for making my birthday so enjoyable, and I look forward to returning again soon.“

“I gotta say it's was my first time being there to experience the breakfast on the cozy patio. I order the pecan pancakes with crispy bacon and their special syrup so deelish. The beignets are magnificent. The staff super Friendly!!! I highly recommend you try this French restaurant out . Follow Your Taste Buds!!!“

“If you're searching for a quiet meal on the beach, this place has few rivals. We came here for our anniversary, and LOVED the rooms, the peace and quiet, the row of chaise lounges at water's edge, the restaurant on site, and the gracious continental breakfast. The management was chill, and we couldn't ask for more.“

“The best breakfast in USA. Don't miss it, a must-try! From Girona to Ventura, the best breakfast in all of California, without a doubt!“

“We all loved Paradise Pantry , the food, the presentation, and the service were all fantastic The attached gourmet wine and cheese store is not to be missed. This place is a real gem in Ventura Ca.“

“Awesome Smokey juicy meaty heaven, get you some now!“

“Even though GrooveSession brought in the whole crowd, these bartenders worked their a$$es off to get the orders out in a timely manner.“

“I had jury duty at the Ventura courthouse and when I was through, I was starving so I decided to go to eggs and things I ordered the chorizo, scrambled eggs, and English muffin with strawberry raspberry preserves and then of course you get the Swedish pancake, which is exactly why I’m so obsessed with this place. The service was spectacular. I got iced tea to drink. I never waited for anything. Everything was always there. The owner of the of the restaurant was so nice. Make sure everything was good. I can’t wait to go back. I’ll actually make a special trip to go to that exit and things particularly cause the service was so great and the honor was so nice.“

“Great food great staff great all around fun place“

“We enjoyed the fried pickles and sandwiches. Fish tacos were also delicious.“

“I was first introduced to Bright Spark In March at the Ventura Beer Experience. We talked with a lovely couple behind the table and tasted Day Trip, which has become my all-time favorite. We were introduced to a concept called Musical Bingo that day, and I was delighted to make my first visit to the brewery on my 55th birthday in May. Every single one of the employees there was kind, gracious, and warm. The food was absolutely amazing and the Musical Bingo is so much fun! I have since been dragging people left and right there and recommending you guys because of what a great laid back family-friendly atmosphere it is. I will be back again and again and again. and I will bring everyone I can with me! 😊🎶🤘🏼“

“Spendy, but isn’t everything these days? Favorites are the breakfast burritos (huge!) and the chicken fried steak. Beautiful view, friendly staff. Linger a little in the parking lot and soon you will see the Great Blue Heron and white heron activity in the eucalyptus grove across the way. That’s worth a few of those dollars right there - what a treat!“

“Thank you Samantha for a nice early dinner tonight 10/7/22 You did a great job considering you could have been issued a bus person to help . Wasn’t thrilled to hear the manager lady reprimand you in the middle of your shift as that can throw anyone off . All in all beautiful young lady giving her all so thank you ?“

“Wow. WOW WOW WOW! this place deserves it all good was made with love and care the owner was beyond attentive you can tell he cares so much about his craft and his people. I got the Filet Mignon and it melted in my mouth it was so flavorful and not too strong on the sauce it danced on my mouth. The atmosphere was very intimate. if you have an anniversary or date night please do yourself a favor and come here. It is on the expensive end, but you get every single dollar worth of food, every single dollar worth of service. I cannot recommend this place enough“

“Great food the Bangers and mashers were delicious!!“

“😊Great healthy lunches. 😀😀“

“Love this place and have been coming for years specifically for their parmesan crusted tacos, think Taco Bell on steroids! They have a lovely patio, you can bring your pups, and the service is outstanding! 👍🏻👍🏻🌮❤️“

“I love Stonefire Grill. Their portions are pretty good size.“

“I have been here many times in the past, The service seems to be slipping no longer as friendly of an environment as it used to be.

I am making this comment over my last three experiences, to be fair in the past It's always been great.“

“Big ole BRC w/Avocado Burrito $10 includes chips/salsa 👌🏾“

“Everything is perfect 😍 Always I go to the Finney’s in Westlake for dinner 🍲 I love this restaurant 🤩“

“The busy bee café is a place to go eat you could eat indoor or outdoor. They wait on you as soon as you get in they are so nice it’s clean services top-of-the-line, and the food is more than top-of-the-line. Great food come in and get it I live in Santa Barbara and I go to eat there each time, I’m there in Ventura.“

“It’s always a favorite. Beautiful classy interior and exterior. The best food and drinks are the best.“

“What can you say about this place? There is no better Sports Restaurant around. Great food, people, and sports.“

“I have visited The Cave twice, a week apart. The first time was for a wine pairing dinner, which we did with another couple. There were 5 courses (appetizer, salad, two entree courses, and dessert) and each dish was delicious. We decided to return a week later to see if it would be as good for just an ordinary night out. The restaurant was not too busy (it was a Tuesday) but each of the dishes we enjoyed was well prepared and very good. We ordered the Macadamia Crusted Salmon, a chicken special stuffed with goat cheese and spinach, and another chicken dish. The restaurant is attached to a wine shop, and if you don't want to sample wines by the ounce or order wine off the restaurant list, you can go into the shop and choose from literally hundreds of wines at all price points and then bring the bottle into the restaurant where they will serve the wine for a very minimal ($10) corkage fee. Done be put off by its location in an industrial park. This place is a gem! Inside it looks like a wine cave and they usually have some quiet live music at dinner time. This is definitely one of the better dinner spots in Ventura!“

“The food is delicious 😋 breakfast 🍳 is the best“

“I love the customer service provided to us also if my waiter was not around and I need something I feel comfortable asking another waiter because I know that they will help us .. I also like when Ely is our waiter because he is very attentive with my kid“

“The food is delicious 😋 breakfast 🍳 is the best“

“One word, Mimosas! Owned by the same family that owns LoRu's at the Camarillo Outlets. Good food and good service. The (chorizo) breakfast tacos were very good.“

“Great atmosphere & the drinks are delicous.“

“Last week I visited Honey baked ham. They make the best turkey sandwich for lunch. I sat in the store and enjoyed the sandwich with the manager who is so energetic and positive! I picked up my Honeybaked ham and promptly took it home. So far I’ve made ham with Anasazi beans and I used the Honey Baked beans soup packet with the ham for a separate recipe. Everyone in my family loves it. The flavor is just right, the ham adds so much flavor and I made it like a stew. I’ll be back. I look forward to trying the turkey next.“

“When Ventura first opened up my wife and I ordered meals to go unfortunately things were a little shaky at the time and the meals were short certain items and some things were correct. After calling Ventura and talking to the manager they agreed that next time we come in the meals would be on them. Well as time goes along some things get lost and today the wife found the receipt and called up the restaurant and talk to the manager his name is Nicholas. Well he did a great job he not only provided the meals for us but he was Very very cordial about it and thoroughly understanding he did a great job he made a lifetime customer with my wife and I and I appreciate his hard work and the good food that comes out of this restaurant thank you“

“They have best Brussel sprouts in Ventura and we try a lot of brussels sprouts. Their margaritas are excellent as well especially the cucumber jalapeño Margie.“

“Went for burgers with my family last night; Six of us, and got the special with bottomless sides and drink. The meal was a great value and the food was delicious. The staff was amazing. We were waited on by five different employees, including a manager. I couldn't have ask for better service. They went above and beyond to make sure that our drinks were always filled, our bottomless sides kept coming, we had everything we needed, and we were all happy with our dining experience.
Great customer service!!! Thank you Ventura Red Robin for making our family dinner night out an enjoyable experience. We will definitely be back.👍😊“

“We love dining here and sharing the special wine dinners with friends visiting or neighbors! Staff always delivers outstanding service and food.

Michele is a top-notch chef!!! What a delightful wine dinner, then gave us another treat at lunch- recreating my 91-year-old dad’s favorites! Levi and staff all deliver their best.“

“Loved everything about it. Can't remember the bartenders name but the tattooed dude was excellent. Anyone know his name?“

“Impressive customer service, while our waiter was busy w/other tables (which is understandable and totally fine) there is a busy bus boy buzzing around with water, clearing off plates and bringing extras people are asking for. Our waiter came and took our drink order. Malbec for me… so good, I had to ask what it was: Öko 🤤 and my husband ordered a smash berry something. THAT was SO BOMB! A hint of mint and full flavor of berries bursting bar god deliciousness! We ordered the butter board, now the presentation could use some work… I’m more about flavor and that butter (two options) was finger lickin good. The waiter took a few minutes to chat and told us it was pineapple butter. 🤯 it’s served with small pieces of… maybe focaccia bread (which btw alone was so good too). Meanwhile, the manager has his eye on everything. He saw the moment we put down our menus, and was there to ask is we has any questions. I did: there’s no house salad on the menu & he accommodated my request for one, which was a deciding factor for my main course. The SoCal Bolognese was bursting with flavor. This is new to the menu, we’ve been a few times… my husband is a fan, I was never impressed… until last night. The chorizo was spicy, but not overpowering, pasta cooked perfectly. The house salad could’ve used more tomatoes, but I really can’t complain since it’s not on the menu to begin with. My husband ordered the ahi steak on top of green beans and he said it was really good. It looked amazing, but I was in heaven with the butter board & the bolognese, my palate couldn’t handle the flavor overload 😜 After about 6 visits, I finally found something worth writing home about. For sure putting this place back into rotation. And the prices… very reasonable. Might be coming here a lot more. Everyone was super nice and helpful.“

“Shrimp scampi pizza!!!!!!“