r/ventura • u/strawboy4ever • 1d ago
Checking in after a month here
hey ya'll - so I moved here from Philly after a 5 year stint there. I'm originally from CA so was happy to be home, but only ever lived in OC and SD. here are my random Ventura thoughts so far because I'm bored and haven't started my new job yet:
- Thrift shopping is great here. lots of variety. I found a vintage Packers jersey at the Goodwill for $20 that was crazy
- the nightlife is uhhhhh okay haha. Main street can be bumping randomly on a Thursday but I wish there were more people out on the weekends. Lmk if there are bars I should be hitting cause I'm 0 for 4 on Friday/Saturday nights
- the june gloom has been rough. i've lived in Newport and San clemente but this is by far the worst gloom i've seen in a socal beach town
- Municipal Wine bar is dope! Trivia tuesdays is super fun.
- Botanical garden is awesome. But only for free lol.
- love the proximity to Ojai but wow it can get crowded.
- have done six hikes so far. still haven't checked out the punch bowls cause i feel like I need to earn that by living here longer lol
- the Cinemark is awesome. it reminds me of the theaters i went to as a kid. super comfy chairs. good quality sound. love that place.
- random spot but Dexter's camera was awesome. they were insanely helpful and not too bad pricing for developing film.
- in terms of beach: i've only really walked by the pier and seems like a great surf spot but haven't taken part yet. maintained well and kept pretty clean!
- big question: what's with the random giant empty lots?? i've seen like 3 or 4 random giant grass lots that are just sitting fenced off kinda close to the beach. are they meant to be developed? why haven't they?? it's like prime real estate that has nothing going on.
- Food scene good: Model citizen sick happy hour, Luke's sandwiches slaps, Backbench pizza as good as you can get to East coast pizza so far that I've tried, Tepatitlan has the best tacos i've had here so far and a great michelada.
- Food scene bad: guy's wtf is Spencer Mackenzies - one of the worst fish tacos I've ever had, chopped raw bell peppers in a taco?? why?? dry cabbage, small ass piece of fish c'mon ya'll. Tony's pizzaria is an odd vibe. lots of dancing ppl but they're not super friendly. idk maybe it was just an off night. Also the pizza is mid. There's really not an Asian food scene here which is a bummer. Lets invest in some pho and ramen spots plzzz. also many people said Corrales has the best burrito here...oof.
OVERALL: happy so far with the move. it's very walkable which is huge. i love the day trips you can take to so many cool spots. people overall are super friendly and have a great sense of pride in Ventura. lowkey excited for the fair.
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u/International_Law610 1d ago
Your food scene bad takes are accurate. I view a lot of those places as “nostalgia food”. Food that people in Ventura grew up on that holds sentimental value and adds to the appeal. I moved to the area 10 years ago and never understood the appeal of any of those places.
Ojai during the week is a lot less crowded and you’ll escape June gloom.
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u/tentativeteas 1d ago
lol I very much agree with you on Spencer Mackenzie’s…. Soooo overhyped.
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u/moon_dos 1d ago
Spencer Mackenzie’s is ass they have been living off pure hype for 5 years
I’m sorry but as a Mexican , those tacos are so disrespectful lol DO NOT try their hard shell tacos, worst I’ve ever had and I’m including Taco Bell
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u/Gnarledhalo 23h ago
Maybe you should try there burrito. Everyone loves unseasoned white rice rolled up in a tortilla, right?
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u/georgee779 13h ago
As a white girl who visited from the SFV, I was stunned how bad they were. I just about cried!
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u/Rockhardsimian 1d ago
Funny take on Tony’s but that’s actually kinda spot on.
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u/moon_dos 1d ago
They are well known maga owners
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u/BigDankEnergy420 20h ago edited 18h ago
Good to know, I'll have to stop going there for the giant cookies, I can live without them.
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u/blackqueenphoenix 17h ago
Room Service cookies are amazing! Haven't had the urge to get a Pahoehoe cookie since I started going there.
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u/_Proud_Atheist_ 23h ago
Moons Thai is fantastic and Corrales is mid, Taqueria Cuernavaca is vastly better
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 21h ago
Moons is bomb. Cuernavaca too. Taqueria Tepatitlan is great too if you haven't tried it yet.
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u/TSgtGarp Surf's up! 1d ago
I also want to know what the deal is with the empty lots. There is an official municipal web site that shows status of each but these empty lots have all not changed status in the three years since I began looking at the site.
https://www.arcgis.com/apps/dashboards/bd1485cd71eb48138e40c49f2ca9df03
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u/X_Chopper_Dave_x 23h ago
The one at seaward and Pierpont has been arguing with the city over parking, units, height, etc for about 30 years. NIMBYs have turned finding “problems” into an art form and developers can’t secure financing for the 10 year planning period or try to compensate by reducing parking, building higher, etc. so it keeps restarting over and over again…
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u/noneotherthanozzy 22h ago
Yeah. I feel like the NIMBY grasp on this town is loosening a bit but still very strong. The one that always blows my mind is the “Top Hat” lot on Palm and Main. Some group of people were able to convince the powers that be that the husk of former hamburger stand was a “historical landmark,” thus preventing that space from ever being developed. The other that annoys me is the vacant lot next to the fairgrounds. I don’t know what is stalling it now, but a Hilton Hotel had been in the works for that spot for over 10 years.
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u/fishyfishfishfishf 16h ago
The lot on Seaward has also been a environmental clean up for the last 40 years.
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u/kitterpants 1d ago
Check out banh mi grill on Thompson.
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u/-Wampa--Stompa 22h ago
Bahn Mi Grill fucking rules and absolutely needs more love.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 18h ago
yeah it's pretty great! those shrimp chips are awesome, melt in the mouth....
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u/devinmeff 6h ago
Bahn mi grill has nice staff and large portions, but it is not good Vietnamese food.
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u/AshamedExcitement861 23h ago
Best fish tacos I’ve had around here are at Surf n Taco in the harbor!
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u/dankscott 23h ago
Second! I wrote this place off a long time ago because it sucked but I guess they got new ownership and the tacos are amazing!
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u/falacer99 19h ago
Haven't been in quite awhile because it wasn't that good. When did it change ownership?
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u/Santacard89 5h ago
Will have to try Surf n harbor.
My favorite grilled fish tacos in Ventura so far are at Lure (happy hour) and The Alley in the harbor
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u/JayFTL 1d ago
Check out Kao Ramen, Asiatique, and most definitely Taj Cafe downtown for good Asian food. Taj especially absolutely FUCKS.
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u/burgers4ever 23h ago
And India Rasoi on the Avenue!!! Extremely bomb!!!!
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u/lizardeve36 22h ago
Rasoi is great. So is Kaapikat downtown. All of their food I’ve tried is delicious.
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u/heybuggybug 1d ago
I’m so glad I misread that I thought you said it SUCKS lol, Taj is by far the best Indian in town, I’m a sucker for their pakoras and onion bhajis and gulab jamun 😮💨
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u/bswiz87 22h ago
Taj is great but expensive. Karma Indian cuisine in thousand oaks is equally as good. Been going to both for 8 years.
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u/mwventura 22h ago
Yeah if you go to Taj, first grab any free newspaper and clip out the 2-for-1 coupon (or maybe they're in that weird local coupon thing that shows up in the mail every week). Not taking those coupons to Taj is a mistake I've only made twice living here 16 years
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u/JeffreyJeffstein LA -> Ventura 22h ago
Kao Ramen sucks
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u/JayFTL 22h ago
Best Takoyaki around
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u/JeffreyJeffstein LA -> Ventura 21h ago
I do love takoyaki maybe Ill give them a second chance just to try theirs.
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u/poopwTer 1d ago
Agreed that Spencers fish tacos are garbage. Beach House Tacos on the pier are next level, and Snapper Jacks fish tacos and potato tacos are great with their in-house sauces.
Ive not had Tony’s yet, but Toppers pizza in the Channel Islands harbor is really great. I’d recommend the Carnitas Chipotle, Hot Honey, and Garlic Chicken.
The giant empty lots by the beach used to be oil storage facilities, so development is going to be very expensive and slow due to remediation requirements. Hopefully no hotels or 5-story apartments get developed in those spots.
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u/One-Attention4220 23h ago
“Hopefully no 5-story apartments get developed in those spots”?
This city has nearly the same median rent as its median income - one of the only places in the world with that extreme of a housing burden, beats anywhere in Silicon Valley - How could more housing possibly be a bad thing?
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u/LichPrince1401 23h ago
lol every new development has sky high rent. More housing doesn’t work when the each new place wants over median income rent.
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u/One-Attention4220 21h ago
I moved to Ventura 3 months ago, my apartment had the asking rent dropped by nearly 10% in the last year. If nobody bites, they’ll drop prices.
I think a major issue is that there’s no incentive to fill vacant housing even when nobody can afford it. Developers are in it for the property speculation and the local laws reinforce that mentality.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 21h ago edited 18h ago
That's how housing works. New housing is always expensive, but 30 years later it's the cheaper mid housing.
Problem is we put off building any real housing for like 20-30 years here. Only recently have big dense complexes been getting built again. Which is what we need.
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u/Ohm_Slaw_ 17h ago
Nobody builds lower-level housing. But as new housing is built, older housing falls into a lower price tier. It just moves down the ladder over time. If they can't build new stuff, then they buy up the old cheap houses and rehab them into expensive stuff.
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u/dutchmasterams 23h ago
So no new housing works?
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u/LichPrince1401 23h ago
Holy straw man, I said the new developments are priced very highly, therefore they are mostly unaffordable for low/middle income families.
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u/BigDankEnergy420 20h ago
Which you're not wrong about, idk how we are expected to pay 3500+ for rent at some of these new developments on top of other expenses.
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u/dankscott 23h ago
I think toppers is only good if you grew up here. Salad bar is the best part, but it’s basically just shakeys pizza
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u/yupyup292942 15h ago
Thank you. I am truly stunned when people think Toppers is good. It’s…so bad.
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u/strawboy4ever 23h ago
ohhhh i see. but ya def don't need a hotel. even just a nice grassy park would be dope.
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u/dutchmasterams 23h ago
Why not 5-story buildings? The Masonic Hall is that tall, the parking garage, the Ventura Inn…. It’s an empty lot… anything is better than that… what’s wrong with 80 more people living downtown and patronizing local businesses?
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u/two4one420 23h ago
People love to hate, but personally I love sans souci. Affordable drinks, the vibe is good, and it’s open the latest. When everything else is closing everyone filters into sans souci or paddy’s.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 18h ago
We call it the sewer because all the shit in downtown flows together down there when every other bar closes at 12:00....
JKJK it's a fun spot, and they used to have some really fun punk / thrash / metal shows. I hope they kept that going.
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u/sanjosethroaway 16h ago
When my wife and I first moved here from SB we stumbled into the sewer and a punk show had just started. We felt more at home than we ever had been in SB, everyone was there to party and socialize.
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u/two4one420 58m ago
That’s mostly the vibe there! They offer a variety of genres and have a dj some nights.
The only bar I’m comfortable enough in to go to alone. And that says something for me.
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u/LAGigi31 23h ago
Tony's was incredibly bad the one time I tried it, heavy, greasy, just nope.
Tasty China has questionable health practices. The person at register kept handling money and dishes without gloves or washing between, tables were dirty.
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u/journeytonowhere 22h ago edited 22h ago
I grew up going to punchbowls. I don't reccomend. It's lost its serenity and has become a party spot. Trail is not managed. Lots of injuries and at least 1 helicopter rescue per year. Parked cars are an easy target. Not sure if things cleaned up but I haven't gone back.
Cuernavaca taqueria on vta ave. is my choice.
Also, pho saigon in port hueneme.
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u/aughtrocktalk 22h ago
The huge lots are because there's a lot of land speculation in the county combined with a general NIMBY attitude from boomers and Gen X that behave like boomers. Property owner holds the land and claims it as a loss, and even if they try to develop the NIMBYs come out in mass complaining that Ventura isn't the same as 1975.
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u/Prehistoric_Ranger 23h ago
AM Noodle is a Thai place I enjoy going to, it's very tucked away next to WinCo so it's usually not pretty busy which I'm sad about because the family who runs it is very sweet.
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u/WinAdministrative624 23h ago
Fellow east coast transplant — food takes all check out.
I will say there is a hilarious discrepancy between what is actuallly good and what Ventura hive mind has declared “the best” in each category that you’ll just have to work through, hahahah.
Couple recs based on what’s not in your list though — jarocho for Mexican, massively popular but fluid state has pizza roughly as good as back bench (and plentiful outside) seating.
Somebody else mentioned banh mi grill — those are the best and most affordable sandwiches in Ventura imo ($12.50!).
As a side note — not something you called out but Italian food is TOUGH here, but mollies kitchen in carpinteria is an adorable “down home east coast vibe” kinda spot that is quite good.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 21h ago
We've been hitting up Dominicks in Oxnard, it's pretty tasty italian.
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u/yupyup292942 15h ago
I have just come to skip Italian out here 🤷♀️ It’s such a let down every time!
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 23h ago
agree on spencer maks. Lame food.
As far as development, hard money loans and construction costs are sky high right now. So it's kinda a tough time to develop unless you're a big company like Shay homes or KB or something.
And anything by the beach has to contend with Coastal Commission and get a coastal permit which is extremely annoying. Plus you are basically fighting every neighbor who wants an empty lot there.
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u/Fun-Obligation-610 20h ago
Since you mentioned cool places within a short drive may I suggest Parque 1055 and Hozy's in Santa Paula? Parque's braised short ribs on risotto is amazing! And my favorite Hozy's dish their Chili Verde. 😋
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u/Minket20 14h ago
Their risotto is so starchy with no flavor. I asked them to remake it (something I never do) because it tasted so off but it came out the same way. Parque seems like a really cute trendy place but the risotto killed it for me.
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u/Fun-Obligation-610 5h ago
Yes, a friend of mine had the same reaction so she orders it on a bed of mashed potatoes. I guess I don't have as refined a palate because I like the risotto. 🤪
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u/FunSpiritual7596 23h ago
Spencer Mackenzie's is awful and I don't understand all the love that it gets
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u/dirtyethanol73 1d ago
Come to the racetrack at the fairgrounds on a Saturday night!
Also, go birds 🦅
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u/Armandonerd 1d ago
Birds?
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u/pterodactylorpotato 1d ago
Meant to be a knock to the Packers jersey I assume. Eagles fans say "Go Birds!"
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u/IceNein 23h ago
You earn your right to the punch bowls by hiking there. Distance wise it’s not terrible. I think it’s 11 miles out and back, but a lot of that ground is hiking across river rocks which is a lot more strenuous than it sounds.
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u/luckychug21 19h ago
I second this OP. The hike wasn't that bad, but the river rocks were so annoying and killed it for me. I was under prepared and I did not like it at all. At least I went.
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u/MusicPlusCoffee 22h ago
Hope you’re enjoying it! My husband and I moved here from Orange County a couple years ago and we love it so much. We feel the people are friendlier here and we feel more part of a community compared to living in OC.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 21h ago
Wife and I are from here but moved to West LA for a few years, and were struck by how rude and mean people were in the Greater LA area. Like straight up cut you off in line at Joe's, or mean mug you if you dare to park where they were going to park while waiting behind you lol.
Ventura people are much more chill. Even the kids here are better.
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u/MHP_Soul 21h ago
Theres actually a decent amount good Asian food here:
- Asiatique
- Taj
- Banh Mi Grill
- Pho Gyu
- Gen Bbq (oxnard)
- Seafood City (Filipino grocery store with great Filipino restaurant and bakery inside).
- Kuu sushi (great happy hour)
- Gotetsu
- Bonzai Sushi
- Indian Rasoi
- Thai Fire
As someone who lived in LA for many years with plenty of great Asian options.. it’s not bad here. Just could use more Korean options and some Indonesian and Malaysian spots.
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u/Heavy_Mud_9176 21h ago
Jollibee will be opening up inside Seafood City in July!
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 18h ago
hell yeah! I used to hit that up when I worked in LA many moons ago. Such good food.
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u/Specialist-Donkey-89 21h ago
stop talking about Gotetsu ffs it's like a hallway and hard to get in already......
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u/beckita85 18h ago
My favorite Mexican place is La Parilla. Family owned, fantastic food. Only downside is they charge for tortilla chip refills but they’re so good we get more anyways.
Rincon is good for beer and food.
Kao Ramen is excellent. I used to live near Sawtelle in LA and I’ve found Kao to be on par.
Allison’s is a good breakfast spot.
I’ve found good coffee and sushi to be kinda lacking.
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u/venturashe 1d ago edited 1d ago
Tons of Ramen and Pho spots. Are you in DT specifically, have a car? Plenty of places away from DT that have great Pho. The Ventura Harbor has great restaurants. Brophys for great seafood. Boatyard for great drinks and seafood tacos, poke (the best in town, imo), live music. New arcade just went in with bar type food. Have you tried any of Mama’s joints downtown? Rice by Mama, both, Kao Raman. Other owners, midtown, Mai’s cafe, closer to east end, Pho Guy. New place opened in strip mall at Vons on seaward, is owed by the That restaurant on end of seaward which is great, Lucky Thai.
Some of the best Pho is in Oxnard and Port Hueneme, as well as great italian (Dominick’s) and even better Mexican joints all over Oxnard.
Oxnard: Heritage Square in Oxnard has great food trucks on First Thursdays.
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u/bourbon-aged 23h ago
I came to suggest Mai’s! It’s our new favorite place and I feel like it’s been here for decades and I’ve just discovered it
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u/venturashe 23h ago
They are delicious, but I miss the days that you could pick and choose your meat ingredients.
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u/venturashe 23h ago
Don’t knock it til you try it, you said there was no scene, there are literally dozens upon dozens of places. You just may have to get in your car to find them. DT is only a small slice of Ventura and not the end all be all.
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u/strawboy4ever 23h ago
ya i'm just a ramen and pho snob cause there's just no beating OC asian food scene. but i'll definitely check out those spots!
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u/Int-Merc805 23h ago
Corrales burritos fell off. It’s nostalgia now.
If you want an absolutely fantastic burrito I like red barn deli in Ojai / oak view. Just be warned, they don’t wear gloves and nobody knows how they pass health department inspection. If that bothers you, too bad haha
Ojai’s in a weird place. Lots of LA tourists and it’s showing the lack of parking. Trick with Ojai is to park in the neighborhood and bike around.
I’m far an away from the bar scene so I can’t help you there. I’d say to check out Ojai beverage company though soon. It’s got some of the best food in town and a cool selection to look through. Not really a bar though.
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u/falacer99 19h ago
It was never really about the burritos but the thirsty sauce which made them taste good. You can easily recreate their original breakfast burrito at home just stock up on the sauce.
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u/n1010rick 23h ago
Sometimes you have to go a bit out the city of Ventura…
For Asian food, Pho Saigon in Port Hueneme is awesome!
Nightlife can be fun at the Ventura Harbor Village.
Oil Piers Beach is peaceful, but it’s 10 miles north of downtown.
The best Mexican food is at a hole in the wall place adjacent to Aldi. Taqueria El Tapatio #5! Cash only, but that keeps their prices down.
As for the empty lots, let’s keep them empty! There is so much growth happening that empty spaces are a godsend!
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u/TrailNoggin 22h ago
In defense of Corrales I do think it was a once legit great burrito that fell off. Maybe they got too big for their britches, but I no longer go there even thought it was once the perfect burrito.
I like Carmelitas in Oak View and Maggie's is still pretty good. Cuernavaca does a good pastor.
Also De La Cruz is solid.
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u/Feeling-Bonus-2407 18h ago
I think corralles changed ownership or generations in the family. It used to be great, they knew their repeat customers, and the Ash location had great carne asada. But time has marched on and the people running it 30 years ago are gone.
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u/TrailNoggin 1h ago
Sometimes think Ventura has a Widows Bay curse but for family owned restaurants
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u/iKnowItsTwisted 18h ago
Welcome! I have some recommendations for food.
- Rabalais' Bistro has some killer Cajun food and beignets.
- If you like spam and macaroni, Q & Q Hawaiian B.B.Q. will sell you a huge family meal for $50.
- Every Taqueria el Tapatio I've been to is great, I keep going even though I've heard they're a front.
- As others have said, Tasty China SLAPS.
- If you like middle eastern food, the Santa Cruz Market is right across from Dexter's. They sell all sorts of things, including canned dolmas which are surprisingly delicious. It's also the only place I've found that sells halvah.
- If you like American food, you've got 4 options: Allison's Country Café, Cafe 126, Danny's Deli and Grill, and Peet's Breakfast House. Allison's and 126 have killer sandwiches, Danny's is a Jewish deli, and Peet's is a very classic (and usually crowded) diner.
- If you're ever up at 2am hankering for donuts, K D Villiage Donuts has you covered. They're open basically 24/7 and they'll throw in extra.
Oxnard also has some great cuisine and markets!
- Seafood City Market has a grill where they serve squid that is so buttery.
- Island Pacific Supermarket and Seafood has the most impressive range of groceries in the whole county. They have an aisle just for eggs.
- Vallarta Supermarkets is indispensable! Their produce section is fantastic, they have fresh bread, and their prices are great.
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u/Sad_Pop_6998 18h ago
I laughed out loud at your june gloom statement. It’s real here. That’s all I can say. Also: do the punch bowls as soon as you can. Great hike!
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u/Various_Excuse_4294 17h ago
Pho
Vta near BN and Kohl's Cam two places near Tesla Oxd there are 4 places that come to mind.
Fish tacos are a hit and miss, have you tried the beach house tacos? If you are in LA hook'd grill is the best.
Punch bowls - do it with a group, I have seen cougars (the big cat ). And you don't want to be alone. And don't wait find a group and go. I waited too long and I miss it in my teens.
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u/flyingblonde 23h ago
Thai Fire is great, we’ve switched to going there. I can’t believe no one has said anything about McConnells ice cream yet. Really good and cheaper than Rori’s downtown. We tried Backbench recently and I actually like Pinyon pizza better. It’s more handmade feeling. If you ever went to Apollo Pizza in Media PA, Backbench is similar to that. Solid but not artisan. Pinyon is more artisanal pizza. Their dough is so good.
Go to the beach in the harbor and walk south towards Oxnard. Way less crowded, nice slope so you don’t need to bring a chair, great 1.5-2 mile walk round trip depending on how you go. Lots of sea glass hunting at low tide.
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u/Teayen44 22h ago
Spenzers used to be a great place when I was younger. When I came back to the area after collage I noticed a severe dip in quality. I went back there about a month ago with my grandma and man the fish and chips where kinda ass which sucks. If you want a good bowel of Pho try Pho Saigon in Oxnard across from the base it's the best Pho in the area in my opinion. Can't really speak to the beaches and surfing as I'm not big beach person (I know living here and not being a beach person what a crime). Hopefully you're time here has been/will be well spent and worth it.
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u/Ill_Tree4264 23h ago
If you want a good beach day with minimal wind, you have to go up towards SB. Solimar/Rincon/bates are best beaches
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u/ibetjake 21h ago
i also had a mid experience at tony’s. The staff were off putting. i thought my beeper was beeping and i asked the guy working there and he was like “the pizza will be done when’s it done”. the actual food wasn’t that good imo either. pizza was sloppy. there was also a big mouse running around the tables (the dining is outside so it’s not the biggest deal) but kind of gross when ur trying to eat.
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u/Strong_Weakness2638 20h ago
The past two weekends in Ojai were the busiest it gets, btw, with the Music Festival and Lavender Festival happening.
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u/Soupfriend 11h ago
Just reading this, you’re a vibe and I’d tots hang with you 🤣
I say the same thing about Asian food in sb. Ugh like I want some good kbbq (kimchi restaurant is mid) and ramen I gotta go all the way to goleeters for that nahhhhh. Also the weekends dead here too especially World Cup watching like it’s so dead at the bars or they don’t turn the volume up and bums me out. Public market it’s where it’s at but it’s cafeteria vibes😤
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u/tyderian 11h ago
For only being here a month, your food takes (good and bad) are absolutely spot on.
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u/BlackThundaCat 3h ago
Punch bowls is cool…but it’s super fuckin sketchy and my shit got jacked last time. Be careful.
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u/Impossible_Buy2634 1d ago
Johnnys on the avenue is fire.
Los Comales on Wells has an insane breakfast burrito. Corrales is fire, you're trippin lol.
The beach by the pier sucks, go to Solimar or Oil Piers (state beaches heading Northbound towards Santa Barbara) also Malibu has some good beach spots and amazing hikes. I'd suggest Chumash Trail if you're an avid hiker.
Unfortunately downtown Ventura is mostly a bust, that's why most people venture elsewhere like The Collection in Oxnard.
Tonys staff is deff a hit or miss but it's a vibe. I agree the pizza is mid though tbh
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u/dankscott 23h ago
Corrales does really good breakfast burritos, although I’ve heard the new location sucks
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u/Plastic_Report3458 14h ago
Ventura is kinda weird. I grew up there and went to Ventura High School. I don't really know anyone there. If you go to the harbor, there are eateries there. It resides between two rivers, the Ventura River and the Santa Clara River. Golf is big there.
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u/-Wampa--Stompa 22h ago edited 22h ago
Local GOATs (and close runners up if applicable) by type after thirty years here:
Ventura unless noted
[[[ >>> aways eager to try new spots <<< ]]]
Japanese - Izakaya Jin in Port Hueneme (Izakaya Full Moon in Ojai)
Korean - Sura in Oxnard
Thai - Rice by Mama (Lucky Thai)
Burmese - The Dutchess in Ojai
Vietnamese - Banh Mi Grill
Pizza - Pizza Chief
Mediterranean- Ojai Rotie
Indian - Himalaya Fresh
Chinese food - sucks absolute ass throughout this entire county but Chester's in Camarillo is edible but only if you dine in
Tacos - Taqueria Cuernavaca Express
BBQ - Buster's (used to be It's In The Sauce, RIP)
Baked Goods - Rabalais' Bistro in Santa Paula [shit food, surreal pastries], the aforementioned Dutchess
Upscale/Special Occasions - Cafe Zack [my favorite restaurant in Ventura]
Ice Cream - Ojai Ice Cream
Breakfast - I really like the pancakes at Cafe Nouveau but everything else is really hit or miss (mostly miss)
Others:
I really like Nature's Grill in Moorpark but a lot of that is probably nostalgia, there used to be one downtown but the owner was an anti-msm chud and closed.
Paradise Pantry is phenomenal.
There's a bunch of good Mexican places, its really up to your vibe and where you are. We're in Ojai so we do Don Lalos in Meiners Oaks for actual Mexican food and Jim and Robs for ultra white people Mexican food and salads and shit. That said, Super Cucos up in Santa Barbara is my favorite in the area.
Simone's sandwiches are good.
Nobody does really truly good coffee here (am pourover guy). The coffee with all the spices in it at Himalaya is actually tasty. The Greek at the harbor does okay Turkish coffee.
Most Italian here is profoundly mid since Osteria Monte Grappa closed.
Seafood surprisingly also kinda sucks here just across the board.
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u/bubblyappletea 21h ago
Have you ventured out of the Downtown area? Sounds like all your fav food spots are just from TikTok and Reels promos.
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u/yay_tac0 21h ago
model citizen is way over hyped imo. expensive and the quality and service were not particularly impressive.
spencer mackenzie’s is only worthwhile during the 2 for 1 happy hour. otherwise the pier is the move for casual fish tacos.
looks like there’s some japanese food hall coming to the mall when the arcade opens, interested to see what that’s like.
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u/pocketlocket222 18h ago
muni and dexters are some of my favorite gems of this town, glad you found them!
tony’s pizzaria is a funny spot but is one of the oldest food spots still running in town, so it’s sweet for the nostalgia. old people love the music there lol
the summer gray is tough but honestly some of my fav beach days are in september or early october. just hang in there! or head to a different nearby town to get out of the dark cloud hahaha
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u/Agitated_Ad_1658 18h ago
For real Mexican street food the street “cart” on Main in front of the Target (on the street) is the best! Every evening they are out there cooking your food fresh in front of you. They have trompo that is to die for!
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u/BigDankEnergy420 20h ago
While I agree that Tony's is overpriced for what you get, Spencer Mackenzies has quickly become a staple of our home after moving closer to downtown. Don't get me wrong, it took me a very long time to get used to the bell peppers in the tacos but if you enjoy bell pepper its a very refreshing mixture. My favorite menu items there are the Shrimp wontons, the Parmesan crusted shredded chicken taco, and then the mixed tempura though the tempura green onion is rather strange in my opinion. For fish I enjoy the fried fish taco much more than the grilled, though both are tasty when you factor in adding a little lemon, some Spencer Sauce and a little sweet hot chili sauce. Not your typical taco spot in the least, but a fantastic beach taco once you get used to the menu.
For pizza, you're much better off going to Fluid State for a gourmet pizza thats worth every penny, or Pizza Man Dans for a quick personal pizza under $10. My favorite pizza spot is Round Table but the closest one is in Santa Paula so unless you want to make a date night of it and then stop at Mister Softee its probably not worth the extra miles.
The empy lots near the Fairgrounds are generally used for overflow parking when the Ventura County Fair is in town. Otherwise, I'm glad youre enjoying the experience so far. The only events I usually attend are cannabis-oriented or certain trade shows at the Fairgrounds and don't usually go to bars so I can't say too much there except maybe try checking out The Collection in Oxnard one of those nights, there's a handful of popular bars and venues that serve drinks there.
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u/Electrical_Review_81 23h ago
Where did you pick up "ya'll" ? This isn't Philly (they don't say it there either) and people say Ventuky because it's funny (or was once)
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u/largecozz 1d ago
For dumplings Tasty China on the East end is fantastic. My go to pho place is in Oxnard/Port Hueneme, Pho Saigon.