The food and service were just not good. Had Risotto but they added chicken which really is not Italian. It was just ok, but was very expensive. My husband ordered a bottle of beer and it was $15! We never were asked for any drink refills and my water glass was empty. Everything is overpriced. I also had the caprese salad and while they give you a "lump" of mozzarella cheese on the plate, it was mushy inside and not solid. Never experienced that before with this dish. read more

Just as a fish rots from the head down so does a rancid attitude descend from owner Maria F. to her servers Cyndi G. who sent an unprofessional and condescending private message to me in response to my original 3 star review and our main server of the night who's name I never got and prompted me create this review in the first place. I have never had such bad service that I felt a responsibly to not only post an honest review of their service but also go in at a later date to ensure management knew how poor their service was for a larger party. I was not there to get anything for free or a reduction or refund on $123 included tip. I was just there to share my experience at their restaurant a few nights prior. One of the first things Maria F. (the owner according to yelp) says to me is that Cyndi G. tells us everything she responds to. That alone told me she couldn't care less about anything I had to say because she already knew. So I asked her if she thought the response I got from Cyndi G. was in anyway condescending or unprofessional and she said no. The conversation went on a bit longer but I mainly wanted to give her our parties perspective on what happened even though I could tell that it was going nowhere. The food was not great enough as to tolerate this unfortunate level of customer service. My original review is below. It was 3 stars because the food was good but I had to change it the following my interactions with Cyndi G. and Maria F. Now Cyndi G. has begun like and comment on this post as I update it to taunt or try to kill me with fake kindness. I approve of her continued abysmal customer service. Let everyone know who you are girly I'm having fun too!! Food was amazing!! Service however was not. Server Cyndi G brought us something we did not order and then gave an attitude when we asked to have it removed from the bill. Unfortunately had to ask for a manager to get a 6 dollar item removed from a $790 check. Far from ideal service from the server Cyndi G but we really appreciated the manager who took the item off without question. read more

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Walked in told bar at cafe fiore, was first come first serve, sat down then told the place we sat in were reserved??? First come first serve means no reservations... what gives???? read more

I love everything about Cafe Fiore. That's my favorite restaurant in Ventura. The food is delicious, excellent service, and also, the ambiance is beautiful and cozy. Believe me, I'm a very picky person ;) read more

Ordered some online for delivery and never got any food ! After 2 calls to the restaurant they don't have any idea were the delivery is at and the delivery website says it has been delivered ! But wait they then charge me again for my food and still no food ! Don't do business with them !! Don't order delivery from them, You will never see your food ! And after talking with them there's nothing they will do ! Have to go through my bank and stop payment that sucks because it will take 7 to 10 working days to get my money back ! read more

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We will never go back had to listen the whole time to a stupid bartender talk highly of Trump and argue with customer. He should be pouring drinks and doing his job! read more

Amazing food, fantastic service, and perfect ambiance! The food was DELICIOUS and reasonably priced. Every food item we tried was so rich with flavor, we left nothing behind! Do yourself a favor and get the tiramisu (you'll thank me later.) We will for sure be coming back to try different food items. read more

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We had a really disappointing experience at Cafe Fiore, mainly due to the service from Cyndi G From the start, she came across as uninterested and inattentive. It took a long time just to be acknowledged, and throughout our visit we felt like an inconvenience rather than welcomed guests. Simple requests were either forgotten or met with attitude, which made the whole experience uncomfortable. It's unfortunate because the atmosphere has potential, but service like this completely overshadows everything else. When you go out to eat, you expect at least a basic level of courtesy and attentiveness--and that just wasn't the case here. Hopefully management addresses this, because great service makes all the difference. I will never go back read more

They got it all wrong on our take out order; super disappointing! Never had the interest to try again.

we love cafe fiore! great service, amazing food, divine drinks, and a beautiful ambiance. perfect for a night out. can't wait til next time!

Horrible experience at Cafe Fiore! June 27, 2024 @ 5:00pm. And please note, we are locals and have frequented this restaurant for years. For this evening, we had a friend visiting who wanted to come to this restaurant. Reservations were booked for 5:00pm days in advance (and noted for patio as she was traveling with a dog). We arrive at the hostess station on time and stand and stand. A young man was back and forth but no acknowledgment. None! Nobody waited on us, even though he was right at the counter. Seriously all we needed was a smile, a hello and be with you in a moment! We all totally understand when things get busy (but it was NOT busy). Finally, a young woman with short black hair comes to the hostess station only because the telephone was ringing and AGAIN...NOT EVEN EYE CONTACT with us or a smile and instead of putting the telephone on hold, she continues to talk on the phone. At length! At this point we discuss leaving but I said loudly that I guess the phone call was much more important than the guests - whom had reservations - and were standing here in person right in front of her! Seriously this was appalling. She acted like it was such a bother to greet us let alone take us to our table. She finally, with a huff, shows us to the table in the rear patio. The last table in the back. We were seated next to an extremely drunk obnoxious man located directly next to us against the brick wall. He had a sweet old dog with him that we all felt sorry for as this man had no ability to care for the dog. The man was so drunk. From the moment we sat down. He would not stop shouting at us. We were polite at first then decided to ignore him. This is one of our biggest issues, the server kept giving him additional alcohol when he requested!! Where is the protocol for stopping this excessive behavior?? Talk about feeding fuel to the fire. Part way through our dining experience, this drink man tried to get up and fell. Hard. Crashed against his table and caused all the glass to crash to the ground. Only one other two-top table was occupied, and the two of them and the three of us were just appalled and shocked at this was happening as we are trying to spend a nice evening having dinner. Back to us. From the start, service was horrid! This was a Thursday early evening and not busy! We had to ask for waters. Twice! My husband had to get up and go into restaurant to find a server to ask for Parmesan cheese, we had to go in and ask for another drink, on and on. No bread basket and bruschetta spread was ever served, really. None! In all the commotion we forgot about it until the meal was done. This should not have been on us. They should've served it at the top of the meal. Food was mediocre at best. My friend ordered the Risotto con Pollo e Finghi . It was watery and not creamy. Looked like out of a box! My penne All'Arrabiatta was just blah. Not dressed with any presentation. Food is simply not up to a level for these prices. I swear they are serving boxed or premade frozen foods. All in all. Simple not acceptable! Trust me. We will not be back. And we will spread the word. We gave them chances. We had another horrid treatment about 3 years ago with rude treatment by the owner - an older woman with dark hair - when she treated us with bad manners from the start. But because we enjoy the patio and the foods we've giving them more chances. We sure miss the days of Ursula and kind servers. We're Thomas Fire survivors, we love this town. But we do not want to be treated like crap especially when prices are so high to go out to dinner. We spent $103 NOT including tip. And hated the entire evening. It's just not right. read more

Cafe Fiore - Yes. We spent that much excluding tip for a horrible experience!!! Stupid us. - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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We got seated at 6:15. No bread, water or drinks until 7. Our lady is sweet but her service is SOOO BAD! I was soooo hungry when we got here . I asked 4 people for bread! Finally got it 45 mins later. The service is NOT GOOD. Sorry to report. The food is really good. That's why 3 stars. Otherwise I would have given 1 star. Very sad. read more

Food was delicious and the environment was perfect when we came for our bible study group and we got some of the kindest servers as well.

I went here for my 12 birthday and I had an enjoyable time at Cafe Fiore.This Italian restaurant has the most amazing food, it has foods with spice, sweetness and everything else. Cafe Fiore has a brilliant ambiance from the photos to the decor it has an overall dazzling vibe. My waiter was so kind he came to our table multiple times to refill our glasses throughout the night he was amazing kind. read more

Had not been here in awhile and wanted to check them out again. I had the FETTUCCINE AL FILETTO and it was ok. Not blown away. It was missing flavor for me. The house salad was good. My friend really enjoyed her meal. Service was good. This restaurant feels like walking into someone's home which is cool. It was busy and there was live music on a Wednesday which was cool. I'd perhaps come back and try another dish. People were having a blast dancing so that was great. Overall 3.5 because .. I loved the vibe they created were people can really enjoy themselves. I always appreciate feeling welcomed in downtown Ventura. Lately, I've received really cold bad service in downtown so this place is a breath of fresh :) despite the food not being my favorite. I may have chosen the wrong dish. read more

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So good, as always! Our cocktails were great (especially my Fig Smash), and our meals were superb. My husband had the salad off the specials menu, and I had the Tortellacci Di Zucca (butternut squash ravioli). Just delish! Our server, Shyla, was attentive without hovering. Just a great experience! read more

The best Italian food in Ventura County. Anthony, our server was amazing. Service is great. Prices are wonderful and the atmosphere is incredible! read more

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We had one of the coolest servers we've ever met at Café Fiore -- Evan! He was super easy to talk to, had great energy, and made our experience truly enjoyable. His friendly vibe and great service really stood out. We're definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

Cafe Fiore - The Lasagna Con Ragu Di Carne aka The Star of the show! - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

4 of us stopped in for a late lunch! Appetizers were Calamari E Zucchine Fritti Tempura calamari, broccoli, zucchini, & fennel. Mamma Tina's marinara. and Minestrone Soup Dinners we chose 2 Butternut Squash Tortellacci Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce Linguine E Vongole Linguine pasta tossed with Manila clams in a garlic white wine herb sauce Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich Slaw, hot pepper aioli, melted provolone, brioche bun Emma our server was very friendly, efficient & attentive The Dinning room was Uniquely upscale Italian comfortable with wood tables and booths with colorful cushions the bar is very unique. All pastas are handmade a unique trait in today's restaurants. All our meals were delicious and very filling read more

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This is a great restaurant with lots of holiday decorations. They do have holiday drinks but they were out of one of their holiday drinks due to them not having eggnog. They however did not let us know right away only until after the order had been placed. I ordered the seafood pasta and the poinsettia spritz. We did have to wait more than 45 min for our food to come out so that was a bummer because service was slow as well. We were already eating when they offered fresh parmesan as well so it would have better for them to bring it out with the food. I did enjoy my drink but my pasta did seem to be missing some flavor. It was good but it just needed a little more seasoning for flavor. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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Haven't had dinner here in years so finally came back for a night with friends. Ambiance is good - super lively, fun for a group of people. But that's where it ends. Cafe Fiore has definitely gone downhill since we were last here. Service is extremely slow in all aspects. When our food finally came to the table, one dish was missing. When it finally came more than 10 minutes later, it was cold as if it had been sitting out the entire time. I ordered the Fettuccine Al Filetto - for $26, definitely would not get this again. Everything about the dish was bland - steak had no seasoning, sauce was flavorless, and the pasta was served luke warm. Overall, not that enjoyable. Drinks were average. Their red sangria was decent. For the price you pay, the quality and flavor or the food was subpar. Don't think I'll be returning unless the food and services goes back to its prior glory. read more

This place was fabulous with delicious food and huge portions. The Pasta Integral was a unique dish that I just loved. All the ingredients worked so well together and it was healthy on top of it with the whole wheat pasta. We'll definitely be back when I'm town! read more

Excellent patio, great food (fruite di mare(, meatball soup and 1/2 bottles of wine. Service was very good.

The food here is some of the best Italian food I've tasted. The service is outstanding because each server shows an amazing attention to detail that shows me they care very much about each customer. The inside has a traditional feel with a nice bar in the middle of it all. A wonderful place for special occasions or casual get togethers. Definitely worth a visit! read more

Everything we ordered had WAY too much salt. I'm heavy handed with salt but this place uses too much, even for me. Based on other reviews this is nothing new. Hopefully the owner reads the reviews and cuts the salt by about 2 cups. read more

My sister recommended Cafe Fiore for a family dinner. Highly recommend reservations if you have a big party. If you're having dinner outside, bring a jacket as it can get chilly. Our server was friendly and attentive. We got served bread but on the menu, it stated that refills are $3 per plate so heads up to the bread lovers out there. Here's another tip, if you're a Yelp user, check in and you'll get a free dessert during dinner. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. My salad didn't get delivered but my server made it right by comping my dessert. Our party had children as well as vegans - there was something for everyone. Cafe Fiore is great for intimate dinners and celebrations. I would come back again! read more

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Amazing dinner, service and live music. From the host to the server and bartender and even the other customers, we felt welcome. We will be back ! read more

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This is a beautiful spot in a great downtown Ventura location, but the ambience was the only positive thing to note unfortunately. Went here on a Saturday night. Though the place was busy, it was in no way packed. There were plenty of servers and we ended up waiting 30 minutes to order. We had to flag down bussers and runners for most of the night and ended up seeing our waiter only twice. For the food order and the bill. Drinks took forever and so did the food. Unfortunately the food was very lack luster. Bland and not worth the wait or prices. The shining star of the night was the bread which is super yummy and served with a bruschetta type sauce. We requested more bread during the long wait for our food and it was provided. I don't believe I'd return here. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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I've been here a few times in the recent months and every time it has been so delicious. I used to frequent this place when it first opened and always enjoyed the food. It's worth going back if you've been before Oso Boco is amazing. read more

My first time at the restaurant and surley not my last. The ambiance walking into the restaurant was beautiful and a great menu from the drinks list to the wine list and the food. I had a HUGE and delicious cesar salad, after the tortellini butternut squash for my main course which was good rich n creamy. The crumbrulee for dessert was a finishing show stopper. Our server Edwin was very kind and attentive. I cannot wait to be back. read more

Cafe Fiore - Crumbrulee, shareable for two guests - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

If you like really really, really salty food, you'll love this place. It was so salty, it was an edible. Also, the hostess had a real attitude I would avoid this place at all cost. The food stinks. read more

I had the veal shank. I have eaten a lot of those in my life at a lot of different places. This one was by far the best. We had an excellent server. Heathers on Fire were really good. read more

Cute place in downtown Ventura! Parking in the area is always challenging but parking structure is right next door on the corner of California Street. The ambience is nice-kind of old school decor that provides that feeling of "there has to be history here". The booth we sat in was not the most comfortable, there isn't a lot of room between you and the table. It's pretty squished. Hard to get in and out. As we were leaving, we noticed some of the other booths were the same. They were pretty busy for Thursday night, and it took a while before our waitress was able to come take our drink and appetizer orders... they bring out this yummy bread and chunky marinara dip with a slight kick. Bartender made killer lemondrop martinis. The jumbo shrimp wrapped in pancetta, and Gorgonzola were very tasty, shrimp was a little over cooked but still had fantastic flavor! The Calamari Fritte was really good, the rings were a little on the large side and chewy, and we loved the fried broccoli and zucchini that was mixed in with it. We also shared a baked pasta dish-rigatoni with fried eggplant. It was a little disappointing. We thought the fried eggplant was going to be like a breaded eggplant Parmesan style but the consistency and flavor tasted more like sautéed eggplant. The flavor was yummy. Just wasn't what we expected. Trying to get another drink was a little difficult as our server was very busy, tending to many tables -she wasn't very attentive. However, the food runners/bus boys were great, constantly removing plates etc... I suppose I would recommend giving them a try. read more

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I had dinner on the day before 4th of July so maybe that might not have been their regular service. The restaurant was very crowded and it took a long time for them to come and take our orders. I asked a waitress, " Can we order? " and she said, " I will be back" but she didn't. The waiter named Eve was very nice. Even though they're busy but he was trying to do his best. We ordered Alfredo pasta, risotto and wine. Food was ok. I like pasta and risotto to be more Al dente. They had music and we enjoyed it. Outside seating are available. There is a public parking but we parked in the neighborhood. read more

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Love the butternut squash dish! So divine! It literally just melts in your mouth. Butternut Squash Tortellacci: Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce The service was great, they truly make you feel at home. We sat in one of the back larger rooms and the ambiance was very cozy, inviting, plenty of space for everyone, decor truly makes you feel like you're somewhere else. You could easily spend hours talking here. The drinks are amazing as well! Will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Cafe Fiore - Butternut Squash Tortellacci Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce. - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

Amazing food the lasagna was out of this world we were supposed to share and I hogged all of it oh and delicious desserts!!!!! read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

My husband son and I all went to this Jem of a restaurant. We had Cindy as are server . She was excellent, sweet kind, and patient with us . Her recommendations for the specials were super good, my ceaser Salad with the shrimp was delicious , my son had the pasta special and my husband had the eggplant . I also loved my mocktail I had two.We were so full but Cindy still asked us if we would love one of there delicious deserts . We just couldn't eat anymore.We were in Ventura visiting my son it was are second time in two days going to Cafe Fiore. The beautiful ambiance and the music and especially having Cindy as are server was a real delight . Thanks Cindy for making are trip and are meal extra special. You made are nite. Robyn and Steve Talian read more

Front desk girl was not very warm but still seated us efficiently. My FETTUCCINE AL FILETTO was not great. All I could taste was the pasta with a little butter and lightly salted. Pasta was fresh but still needed to be cooked a little longer. I added some fresh parm that our waiter brought to us after we'd been sitting there for a while. Would've been nice to have had that at the start. My date got the Risotto and he felt it was okay. Not great. Maybe they had a lot going on that night so I'll give them one more shot. read more

My familly loves this place. My 6 year old daughter feels comfortable dining here and loves the pizza. The lasagna is one of my favorite dishes. Service is great and made us feel comfortable. We love that they have live music as it really adds to the experience. It's more than just a place to eat, you can enjoy drinks, dance and listen to great music. read more

Cafe Fiore - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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Went there around 7:30 PM on a Friday night, 1/23/26, with two friends. We got very rude service from our server. She didn't greet us kindly, and she has very rude mannerism. When my friend asked her if the restroom was inside, she just nodded her head with an annoyed face and said nothing. She aggressively slammed my friend's cocktail on the table when it came out. We had to wait about 20 minutes for our waters. I had to stop her to ask her for our waters. I did not get her name, but we left no tip. I would not recommend going here. The service was almost enough for me to leave before even trying the food. The server did not even let me finish my review on the card reader POS. I hit thumb down on the service and she rushed me to get the card reader to the next person. As for the food, it's less than average. The only thing we enjoyed was the atmosphere. I have not gotten this bad of service elsewhere ever! read more