Great food. We ate breakfast. I had an omelet, which was tasty. Great, attentive service. Love the diner vibe.

After a beautiful morning walk along the beach, my friends and I came across this restaurant just off of C street in Ventura. Must mention, Ventura is a lovely city with much to see all in an easy walking radius. The Busy Bee Cafe wasn't busy when we came along, about 11:00am which was perfect as we had our choice of outdoor seating and terrific personalized service. Our server was quite patient, answering all of our questions while making helpful suggestions. After perusing their vast menu, I chose a grilled portobello mushroom sandwich with avo, red onion, cheese, lettuce and tomato presented on a delicious whole wheat bun. Sandwich was delicious! Subbed coleslaw for the fries and life was good ;-) Parking can be tricky at peak hours. We parked in one of the nearby lots earlier so had lots of choices. Hope you check out the Busy Bee, there's something for everyone here! read more

A really fun and nostalgic place to stop in! Staff is very friendly and welcoming. You feel like you walked back into a simpler and easier time here at the Busy Bee. Very nice stopping point on your next day trip to downtown Ventura, or getting a late night snack after a show. Enjoy! read more

Amazing place! Friendly staff. Very clean. Love the vintage style. Enjoyed every bite and mainly their morning coffee. Highly recommended. Visiting from Los Angeles and definitely will be coming back. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Coffee and Baileys! DELICIOUS - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

Busy Bee's has always had great food. Today I ordered a bowl of their "World Famous Chili", "World Famous" cause it tasted like it came out of can labeled "Hormel Hot Dog Chili"... I was REALLY disappointed.. I will be back, I just won't order the canned chili... read more

So me and my husband decided to go to busy bees because we never been there before and the menu had really good choices. The customer service was awesome we didn't wait too long and sitting area was nice as well it gives a good vibe and nice people. The only down size was the food of which I order the waffles was undone and the chicken was beyond well done . Have you ever ate something and thought to your self I can cook way better than this yeah that's how I felt. But as they say each is own and this just my opinion next time I'll try some different read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Chicken and waffles - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

We had a great time at the Busy Bee. The Sundae shake, chicken and waffles and tuna melt were all really good we will be back for the fun atmosphere, great service and tasty nostalgia. read more

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They did refund my money back for the the terrible experience I had. Hopefully next time I go it will be a more pleasant experience.

Visiting this spot for the first time and omg! The food was amazing the server was very nice, very attentive to our needs. we came as a family of 5 and 6 of you count the little dog in our stroller. The food was freaking amazing l. I had the sausage omelette. My best friend she had the seafood omelette which looked amazing and I will be coming back for. Just a nice place to come eat at. Also I dig and love love love the 50s area vibe. Will be back for sure read more

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We've gone to Busy Bee many times over the years mostly for lunch. We had not visited in a long time however. Decided to go for dinner. We were VERY disappointed in the food and the prices for what we received were off the charts and not in a good way. The service was good but the food quality was not! read more

A nicely decorated 1950's diner. The chocolate milk shake was yummy! I liked the potato skins as well. Quite a few people for an early Thursday evening. Many regulars talking to the waiter. Excellent service as well! 5 star. read more

I had been wanting to check this place out and I'm glad we finally did. The food was great! The sausage burrito was very yummy and had great portions of sausage, egg & potatoes. We also had the coffee & baileys drink, loved it. My boyfriend had the American breakfast plate and while he was eating it he kept mentioning on how good everything was tasting, especially the pancakes. The service was great. The staff was friendly and attentive. Unfortunately, the juke box was not working but the diner was still a vibe. I'll definitely be back. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Breakfast Sausage burrito - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

I had a wonderful solo breakfast here yesterday morning. It was a busy Saturday but the diner greeted me right away and sat me at a booth. The food was hot and delicious. The restaurant was clean and cute! Definitely going back next time I'm in town. read more

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Great place for brunch and breakfast. Their breakfast cocktails are delicious as well. Has an old diner vibes. Service was excellent, even while busy. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Breakfast combo - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

In all the years that Busy Bee has been a staple of downtown Main Street, I've never been. Recently my father and I have been meeting for Breakfast every Sunday and we decided to not only visit our favorite haunts, but try some new (new to us) restaurants out. I enjoy a laid back, diner like feel when I visit an establishment, that was Busy Bee to the core. We arrived early and had our pick of seating, the booths are definitely well worn from years of patronage . I ordered the western omelet and my Dad ordered a Ham and cheese, both of us were pleased with our meals, and my Dad being the Biggest breakfast critic I've ever known, gave the greenlight to come back. Don't expect bells and whistles, this is down home old fashioned cooking, with decor to match. Prices weren't bad, compared to a majority of the competitors in the near vicinity that are about 15% higher. I'll definitely be back . read more

Just plain good food and good service--go there and fined out for yourself--enjoy --you are welcome read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

We loved the vintage aesthetic and ambiance this place had. It had a lot of character, the neon lights were so cute! As for the food I got a blackened chicken burger, it had a lot flavor and the potato wedges had a good amount of seasoning. For dessert I got a homemade cream pie, the flavor they had this day was coconut! It was pretty sweet but overall the coconut had a great texture. The service was also pretty fast and our server was nice and attentive. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Homemade Cream Pie - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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This is a really fun place to come with kids or maybe a first date. They have typical 50s diner style food. Burgers, fries, sandwiches or some veggie options. They make amazing milkshakes!! It comes in the metal mixer which I love. The kids adores their shakes. They have a jukebox at each table which my kids thought was so cool. This combined with the pictures on the walls of old celebrities and vintage music and red booths is just such a fun vibe. Check it out!!! read more

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Really good service our server was on top of her game. Noticed the ranch was running low and came over incredibly quickly. The tuna melt was really good it was missing something but it was really good. The fries weren't my favorite but the pina colada was AMAZING. read more

Enjoyed coming here for a late breakfast. They offer a wide variety of breakfast options all day. I had the breakfast combo with banana oat walnut pancakes and they are some of the best pancakes I have tried! They were so delicious that I should have ordered the full stack. The decor is very cute and does take you back to a different period. Their shakes are so sweet too that I would come here just for the different flavors they offer. Super fun place to enjoy a bite! read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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Loved the vegetarian options, jukebox, and great service. Charming, comfortable, and great food! read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Portobello mushroom burger and coffee malt. Yummy - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

If you're visiting Ventura, or even if you're a local, you need to stop by the Busy Bee at least once in your life. I have eaten here many times and it's a staple and usually the place I will have lunch if I have friends visiting the area. Love the vibe and décor inside the restaurant. Always reminds me of a restaurant from the 50's or the Happy Days era. This most recent visit had to be outside because of the c0vid, but even though it was a nice day, it was very windy and blustery. Would have preferred to eat inside. But, anyway... Food was fine. Service was fine. I felt a tad neglected eating outside, to be honest. I don't feel I got the same service as I have in the past. But again. Thanks be to the c0vid for that. The clam chowder was the best thing of this visit, and I wouldn't recommend their fish and chips and/or their chicken strips though. The breading on the chicken is really weird and not flavorful or even tasty. And it appears the breading was the same on both?! Huh?! We only had a bite of the one of the chicken strips and wasted the rest, sadly. Should have sent it back for something else, but again with sitting and eating outside, it was just too much work. Have had different menu items in the past and they were good enough. Burgers and fries are a staple here, too. Would recommend for a good quick lunch spot, if only for the atmosphere and location near the beach. :) read more

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Nice little place in the middle of downtown Ventura that looks like a 50's dinner and has indoor and outdoor seating. The service was a little slow at first but once our server got to us she was always around and checking in on us. The food was good, a fairly decent sized portion, and everything was cooked exactly as we requested (ex. well done hash browns and medium cooled steak). I'll definitely be back when we visit again and would like to try other things on the menu. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Steak, eggs, and cottage cheese. - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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Was looking for a old style diner to grab some shakes with the kids. This place hit it the spot perfectly. The pot pie was great. The chili cheese fries were very good. And the shakes were great. read more

I took my family for breakfast and the food was average at best. However my reason for this review had to do with a cup of coffee. My wife ordered a cup and added three creamer cup to it. Jump to the end of the cup when my wife noticed a slimy clump of ???? Come to find out the creamer was spoiled and had curdled at the bottom of the cup. My wife saw it and gagged and ran to the restroom to vomit. I showed the manager the spoiled creamer and his response was "ok". When he brought the bill, he said " I took the coffee off your bill." He didn't ask if my wife was ok as she was throwing up all of her breakfast. Its not like i needed or wanted him to discount our bill, just show some compassion for the situation. We had been eating there for years, but now we are in search of a new place for breakfast. I refuse to take my family places that hires people like the manager. read more

I would give this place no stars but I can't I ordered the sliders which you get 3 one Hawaii one Chicago and one cheeseburger well we I got them all the had in them was just cheese lettuce and tomato nothing else well I will never go there again read more

Solid breakfast spot on Main Street. I tried the western omelette and it was good. Portion was good too. My partner had the stuffed French toast and that was so good! The menu had so much variety, so I will be defiantly coming back to try some other things out. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Western omelette - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

Casual dinning in the middle of downtown, Big selection that is great for big families with picky eaters. The burgers and sandwiches are always a good option and the staff is fast and friendly. It's a good option that is more kid friendly than restaurant in downtown. read more

I had a good experience at Busy Bee Cafe! Staff was friendly, attentive, and the food was good and reasonably priced. There is outdoor seating and was very nice in a sunny day! Breakfast seems to be served anytime they are open which is always nice. Highly recommend! I had the breakfast combo and switched the bacon/sausage for hash browns. read more

This was open on Thanksgiving day. Perfect place to hang out. Food was good. Atmosphere was excellent and we enjoyed the bread pudding. The mashed potatoes and gravy were delicious. The fried chicken was over cooked and dry. Overall it was a great place to go on Thanksgiving day. Service was great. Very friendly staff. read more

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So cool. 50s diner. Jute box you can choose records "vinyl" drops onto turntable. Great food huge portions. Just like 50s 60s. The APPLE PIE IS AMAZING. It's literally the best apple pie ala mode I've ever had and I come here often for it. Wonderfully sweet staff just a great place to hang out. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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The service was wonderful! The man helping us was attentive but not pushy and the food was great! We got the Sunrise Pancakes and Corned Beef Hash meal and it came out fast and was absolutely delicious. The diner is very retro and cute inside and I loved all the decor. It was very clean as well! read more

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Don't judge the book for its cover! On Thanksgiving day my partner and I were cruising for breakfast and most of our favorite places were closed. Being European diners are usually not my first choice and today it was THE ONLY breakfast choice downtown Ventura, so we decided to give it a shot with no expectations. We were very positively surprised with the food ( ordered both egg Benedicts in vegetarian version - it is called Valentino, one with potatoes the other with hash browns). I also ordered hot Toddy. Our sever Lily was just delightful! She was very knowledgeable about food and drinks ( which they have sooo many) and accommodated my request of speeding up our order as we were on tight schedule). The hot Toddy was delicious and the egg Benedicts to die for! Out of potatoes and hash browns the hash is the winner! The outdoor patio dinning is pet friendly. We definitely will be back and will check their Happy Hour which they have 4-7 Monday through Friday! read more

Busy Bee Cafe - outdoor patio - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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Old school mid century diner vibe right smack in the middle of Downtown Ventura... The food was good and the service was excellent. This particular trip I had a BBQ beef sandwich with fries (my arteries suffered but damn it tasted good) and split a shake with my wife. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

I forgot to take a picture because I literally inhaled it. It was so delicious and the best I've ever had and you would never think it because it's busy bee Café, but it's the best Menudo on the planet and have tasted Menudo everywhere I go. read more

Service was great, food was amazing, had the breakfast combo and steak and eggs. Steak was cooked to perfection. And the sausage was yummy. Would deff recommend! read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

A Gem of a Diner located in the heart of Ventura! Shockingly great, good staff and awesome 50's diner decor. Food we ordered: Chicken and Waffles: Holy Crap! That's the first word that comes to mind. This dish absolutely blew my mind. This is one of the best fried chickens I have had in California HANDS DOWN. Yes it took 20 minutes to cook but when it arrived it was amazingly crispy, seasoned amazingly and the waffle was perfect! Cover it all with syrup and WOW this is it. Chicken Fried Steak: Perfectly crispy gravy was delicious another really solid option. Kids Breakfast: As expected not great, bacon was the best part eggs and pancakes were run of the mill premade. Drinks: Ice Tea - Regular Lipton tastes fine Prices are about as expected for diner. They do get very busy however the staff was friendly and helpful, they accommodated the specifics on the orders. They had crayons and jukeboxes at every table so the kids were kept busy while we waited. read more

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If you want good diner food this is the place!! Chicken fried steak as big as your head and $4 mimosas?? If you get a blue plate special dinner it includes soup or salad and a small dessert. Reminds me of my Mel's Diner days. And love the table jukeboxes. read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Pineapple mimosa - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California

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The food was delicious! I had the Turkey dinner and I have high standards for this type of meal but it really surprised me by how good it was. The waiters were really nice and helpful. I really liked the jukebox. :] read more

Such a cute diner, the aesthetic and atmosphere is great. Alcoholic drinks are made well, and food was great. We ordered the Classic Burger and Roast turkey dinner which came with a soup or salad and dessert. Inside the diner at the booth seating there's a wall-o-matic where you can play two songs for 25 cents! read more

Busy Bee Cafe - Diners Near Me - Ventura, California