This place is truly a gem in Ventura! This was my first time going and I have spent a significant amount of time in the town! Firstly, the staff is fantastic! So accommodating and friendly! We had a fairly large group and took up most of the restaurant; we were grateful for the hospitality! The food. Amazing! All local and fresh and I love the seasonal rotations! Will recommend to coworkers and will be back! read more

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Came back two more times. Got the Maine Lobster Ravioli from the daily menu the first time and I regrettable have to acknowledge that I just cant appreciate Lobster Ravioli as this is the second time I got a lobster ravioli from a reputable restaurant and I can't taste any lobster. I much rather have my ravioli packed with cheese and have a more flavorful meal. The second time, it was a pleasant surprise that my waiter recognized me and greeted me with a welcome back. I got the 8 oz choice beef filet mignon with the porcini mushroom sauce per my waiters suggestion. I have the say the sauce was delicious! Half of the steak was juicy and scrumptious and the other half was held up by the sauce. I would give this review a 4 for these two visits but will bump it up to a 5 for the hospitality (thanks Junior!). read more

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Hector and his team front of house and back of house are wonderful. The menu presented by Chef Sal is always great and there's nothing on the menu that you can afford to miss! The Rack of Lamb or Wild Boar are my favorites but make room for dessert please with a Zack's Pie or perhaps some Apple Dumpling. Great pre or post dinner cocktails are a must and Hector Jr is a true professional behind the bar. One of my favorites in town and love that they are open on Mondays when eating out choices are not so many. Easy 5 stars for Cafe Zack! Perfect for a table for 2 and can handle large groups too! read more

Best dinner restaurant in Ventura. Excellent quality, well-prepared food and thoughtful, attentive service. Pleasant, comfortable environment. White tablecloth dining without a stuffy atmosphere. Pricey, in line with restaurants of this quality. read more

Our favorite Ventura restaurant! Outstanding appetizers, entrees, and salads. Indoor and outdoor seating. Very friendly and comfortable. Their menu often has delicious specials. It is our go to place when we are in town. A+ read more

Cafe Zack - Appetizer: Prosciutto and fig with pine nuts, basil, and olive oil. Spectacular! - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Matt's service was impeccable, the pepper crusted filet was so tender and flavorful. Such a wonderful, hidden gem in our community. read more

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Hidden Gem With Exceptional Steak! We hosted our company Christmas dinner at Café Zack, and I was absolutely blown away by this hidden gem. From the warm, attentive service to the rich, bold flavors and cozy atmosphere, it truly felt like a magical holiday dining experience. We sat on the patio, which was perfectly heated and comfortable. Our servers gave amazing recommendations -- we started with the baked brie and the Tuscany pear salad, both of which were incredible. For our entrées, we all ordered their signature filet mignon with peppercorn and mushroom sauce on the side. The steak was buttery, tender, and full of flavor -- and the mushroom sauce was definitely a favorite! We ended the night sharing a decadent chocolate mousse pie that was unbelievably rich and delicious. My only regret? Forgetting to take pictures because we were enjoying ourselves so much! I can't wait to return. Easily a 10/10 experience! read more

Cafe Zack - Certified Angus Beef Filet Mignon - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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My husband and I held our wedding rehearsal dinner at Cafe Zack on Thursday, Sept. 18th with members from both sides of our families. The rain threaten to bring our party inside, but in the end the weather mostly held up and we were able to keep our original reservation outside. The restaurant set up a nice, long table outside on their patio with string lights and space heaters encasing us. Our waiter did a good job of managing such a large party and keeping tabs on everyone's wants and needs. The food was very delicious! I had the lamb and ate every bit. My husband had the salmon and my sister had a mussel and shrimp pasta. I took photos of those items, but honestly the whole table had various dishes and I only took my phone out occasionally to snap a few photos. Unfortunately I didn't take any dessert pics and couldn't eat any either because I was so stuffed, but it all looked really good. I did try the ice cream and that was really good and creamy. My sister and step mom both got the dumpling dessert and I had envisioned them being small / delicate, but in reality they were HUGE! All of our family members loved the restaurant and couldn't stop talking about how good the food was. Even my husband's French relatives were impressed and were joking about going back to eat there again before they left. I would also like to say a big thank you to the restaurant because one of my husband's uncle is vegan and there was a bit of a mix-up internally about his diet, but we had already booked the restaurant and didn't want to have to find a different place. Thankfully, they were willing to work with us to prepare a vegan dish for him so he could still attend. read more

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This is a beautiful intimate restaurant perfect to enjoy a nice dinner. They have seating inside and outside. Service is very personalized and I noticed many of their guests frequented the restaurant often as the waiters knew them by name. That is always a great sign indicating great service and great food. My husband and I made a reservation for dinner and started off with their delicious crab cakes. They were made to perfection: crispy, light, and packed with flavor. I had 2 of their speciality drinks with mezcal and they were made just right. I ordered their prosciutto penne which was very filling and only ate half of the portion. The mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes were just the combination needed to pair with the prosciutto. We ended the night with their bread pudding with ice cream. While the picture I captured may not look appetizing you will have to simply order it to taste the rich pudding flavor. Overall we had a lovely dinner with delicious food! read more

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Great food, impeccable service. We sat outside on their cozy patio. We had a wide variety of dishes, all of which were perfectly prepared. The filet mignon was amazing. Prosciutto penne pasta, tye duck breast, the rack of lamb were all on point. They have a nice wine list. read more

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A perfect lunch for three on a Monday. Hector knows how to impress and make your dining experience memorable. Perfect service from Hilda made our visit a pleasurable one. read more

The food service and atmosphere is always fantastic! They have a full bar now which is a great addition. Unfortunately the beer selection is limited. All the beer is from the same brewery. There are so many local beers it would seem reasonable to have a wide selection and supporting all local breweries not one. On the good side I had a great gin and tonic! read more

One word - AMAZING!!! Although a small, cozy establishment - the food was exceptional and service great. read more

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We decided to go for a nice dinner on February 13 We arrived there, and everybody was in a good mood and it was a great atmosphere. It was pouring rain, but it did not bother any of us. I had the chicken PIZZIOLA and I mentioned to the waiter that I love artichoke hearts... I think they doubled the artichoke hearts. I was so happy. Mark had the bone in ribeye. Every once in a while, it's nice to go out to a grown-up restaurant and celebrate.. This is our celebratory restaurant. Thanks for making it such a nice evening for us read more

Cafe Zack - It was a rainy night, but so glad we went out - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Had such a great experience here! The food was delicious and service was great. I highly recommend making a reservation especially for the weekend dinner times (we saw some people get turned away without reservations). The filet mignon was incredible and if I'm ever in the area again I'm definitely ordering it. The restaurant is like a little house with a cute patio in the back. It's dark inside and very cozy and can get a little loud but seems like a great spot no matter where you sit. read more

Cafe Zack - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Lots of details done well! Chicken sandwich and house salad were fresh and tasty. Ambience was really nice. Service was great. Handy location for Tesla charging. read more

What a terrific little restaurant in Ventura! Cafe Zack's has a unique menu with such things as Slow Roasted Boar Shank oven roasted Milanese with a rich Demi-glacé or a Duck Breast prepared differently every day! They also make their desserts fresh everyday so they are ever changing! They do have a Great wine and Beer list and also have speciality drinks! Service was extraordinarily great friendly and fun. Definitely a must try if visiting Ventura CA read more

Cafe Zack - Just a little setting show off! - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

We've come to Zack's twice, and well, I guess it's okay, but wouldn't be my choice. Let's start with the good...cute transformed old house in Downtown Ventura has a nice ambiance. The patio is super cute and heaters to keep you warm on the cool close beach proximity evenings. Water was constantly refilled without asking. The staff is super friendly and attentive. The food...meh! Our order included the 16oz cowboy rib-eye. It's cut at under a 1/2" thick and was likely closer to 10-11 oz. Ordered medium rare and came closer to medium to medium well. Last year they got my topping sauce wrong so I've had both the peppercorn and blue cheese. Both toppings are good. Steak is not a quality cut and the mid-grade Costco steaks are 200x better. The Tuscany salad...beautifully presented. Something was stale though, either the walnuts have been sitting around in the humid air too long or the Gorgonzola was getting old. Crab cakes...pretty good and a nice presentation. But, when eating the bed of lettuce noticed it was brown and wilty. Dessert had an Affogato. Google what an affogato should look like and what I expected to get. Instead I got an old ugly college cafeteria bowl full of espresso, a bit of Carmel at the bottom and two small scoops of ice cream that not only looked terrible, but was pure espresso tasting and too harsh on the palette to finish the night. Last year had the Apple dumpling and it was good but crust was still doughy. Probly good for a date night table for 2. Wouldn't suggest for a party. Waiter was a bit rushed and kept saying I'll be right back, the kitchen is getting backed up. read more

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Café Zach is set in a whimsical house turned restaurant with quaint dining rooms and al fresco dining. Service was pleasant and comfortably paced. We enjoyed the Salade Maison with fresh ingredients. The Norwegian salmon was well seasoned and the green beans were perfectly tender. The only disappointment was the French Onion soup. The onions and broth were tasty, but the bread was not toasted and the cheese was barely melted and tasted like deli counter Swiss. A toasted bread with broiled Gruyère would take this to the next level. read more

Cafe Zack - Norwegian salmon - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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wow, if I could give out 6 stars, this would be the place. Our new favorite for a fine dining meal in Ventura County. I can't believe we've been here nearly 10 years without dining here. At the reco of some friends (C Zak is their fav) 3 of us dined at 7pm--on a Monday the place was 75% full--a good sign. We opted for outside--nice weather, widely spaced tables, very pleasant and inviting. Matt our waiter was incredible--2 steps above--99th percentile in everything: pleasant, efficient, friendly, accurate, knowledgeable etc, etc. He brought us water, bread, drinks (which were very good). Everything was paced at our pace (which was a lot slower than most as we closed the place!). After Matt answered our questions, informed us of specials and what they did not have available that night (often forgotten by servers until after you order it!!!), my wife opted for the caprese salad and lobster ravioli. My buddy and I opted to share an 8oz filet and a wild boar shank, proceeded by split pea soup. The caprese salad was large and reported delicious-comparable to that she had in Italy 3 months ago. The Lobster ravioli was filled with chunks of actual flavorful lobster--sauce was excellent and portion generous. The wild boar was melt in your mouth tender as was the filet (we opted for the cracked peppercorn sauce which was excellent). The filet was cooked perfectly-med/rare pink but not bloody-which was appreciated. Lots of veggies (not overcooked). The dessert options were extensive--all memorized by Matt--with detailed descriptions. His 13 years of experience shows. We opted to share an apple dumpling with a full apple inside the puffed pastry and covered with caramel sauce and of course home made french vanilla ice cream on the side-awesome and huge even for 3 to share. In every way a phenomenal evening and meal. Yes it is on the pricey side but I can't remember ever having a perfect filet not to mention a wild boar shank and it not being a bit pricey. No corner cutting or skimping to get a meal like this. We will be back. read more

Cafe Zack - apple dumpling - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

As always we had a wonderful lunch experience. We ordered the Mahi Mahi and it was fabulous! Very moist and lemony. We also shared the fresh tomato soup and the quinoa salad. The waiter was amazing! read more

Place was already 5 stars, I just used to get a cocktail somewhere before having dinner here. Now they have a full bar (this is old news I'm just late to the party)! More money out of my pocket directly into theirs. Smaller restaurant, incredibly intimate. Service staff feels like they are all family, happy to be there because this is what they do. The food is lights out, short rib tonight was just fabulous and I've never had a bad meal here. Will be back soon. read more

An amazing evening!! My first time in a while and my boyfriend's first. Super attentive service and delicious food. Not going to wait so long to get back there! read more

We've been loyal customers for years at Cafe Zack. Always, and I mean always, perfect food and spot on service from the entire staff. They now have full bar service as well Hector Jr. the owner's son waited on us last night 7/22. He was a most gracious host and fills in for his dad in the best ways. You'll spend some money here, but it's well worth the experience. Our special occasion "go to" place. Thanks Jr! See you next time... read more

Cafe Zack - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

It's not that I really like all of the restaurant establishments I frequent here in Ventura, but I do have a tendency to pick the really good ones and keep going back. Cafe Zack is on that list. Family owned and run, the exterior acts to camouflage the culinary wonders you'll discover upon passing through the door. There isn't one person on staff who doesn't seem legit pleased that you decided to dine with them. The owners are often present to kindly greet you. The service staff are extremely attentive and always seem to sense when it's a good moment to check in with you. The place itself is a comfy, nicely designed and functional space. Somehow they managed to fit a full bar and seating in a minimalist space and they've even saved space for live music! The patio is a perfect spot to have a meal while enjoying the mild Mediterranean Ventura climate. But what about the menu you ask? Everything I've tried has been fresh, cooked to order and flavorful. We often take turns tasting off each others plate and think we'd have been just as pleased had we ordered each others meal. But that sirloin...wow! And yes, of course, there are wonderful desserts as well! You cannot go wrong with this nugget in our coastal town. Reservations highly recommended. read more

It isn't often that we find an upscale restaurant that completely blows us away but Cafe Zack was a great little find. We feel blessed having a restaurant in Ventura that would be impressive even in Los Angeles amongst a slew of great restaurants. We really enjoyed the rack of lamb, the Mahi Mahi and Chicken Piccata with the accompanying salads and bread baskets. But the best and most unique menu item was the chocolate pie....fabulous! And finally, gotta mention our server, Hilda, who was funny and feisty and great with some good banter! read more

Keeps getting better. This place still rocks... on the rocks. Top off the consistent fine wine list with a tiny new bar and a full liquor license. Premium craft cocktails, fine Scotches, tequilas and aged bourbons and ryes. (Michter's is the well whiskey- try the Don's Manhattan with secret ingredient Cynar) The bartender Davis has been doing this forever and really impressed with his in-depth skillz. There's a great outside patio now with heaters. Parking is always a challenge, but worth it. read more

Cafe Zack - November 2024 cocktail menu - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Great service wonderful food. I didn't know about this hidden restaurant we are going for Thanksgiving. Can't wait.

Staff very attentive Food was amazing Presentation was great My second time here and it is a favorite. We love to cook and his sauces were superb Worth the money The corn and lobster was excellent read more

Birthday lunch for my daughter today. Delicious as always. Renovation came out beautifully patio very pleasant with our beautiful weather

My boyfriend brought me here for our anniversary/valentine's day this year and it was quite the treat! The food came out with good timing and was great! For our appetizer we got the special heart shaped ravioli in a decadent creamy tomato sauce which was definitely my favorite of the night. My boyfriend got a steak which was cooked perfectly and I got a pasta with steak which also was quite good! The only negative thing I have to say is that the complimentary bread was a bit stale and dry. Everything else was delicious. Our server was super kind and attentive- a younger guy with dark hair. It's really important to us that service matches the price and our server definitely exceeded the expectations! It's a pretty intimate setting but we went on a weeknight so it wasn't too packed. The outdoor area is super cute as well. We'll definitely come back! read more

Cafe Zack - Heart shaped ravioli - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

First time going here with some girlfriends and we had a great time catching up. The service was great. I loved my pasta. The corkage was $25. Which is very reasonable. read more

Cafe Zack - Pasta a la checca with mushrooms ‍ - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

We went to Oxnard last night to escape the triple digit temperatures in Los Angeles and had the most amazing experience at Cafe Zack. I hesitate to just say amazing "dinner", because all aspects of our evening were so pleasurable. The ambiance is quaint and welcoming. We sat in their outside area that is cozy, covered in trees, with big band music lingering in the background. The service was beyond. The owner was warm and welcoming and our waitress was absolutely perfect. We felt very embraced by the entire staff. We started with the crab cakes that were very flavorful. My husband had the duck which was grilled, cooked to a perfect medium rare, and covered in a robust port wine blueberry sauce that was scrumptious. I had a hard time deciding with so many wonderful options, but opted for the short ribs and was not disappointed. They were fall off the bone delectable. The mashed potatoes on both plates were creamy and delicious. But I must give a BIG shout-out to their vegetables also. Too many times upscale restaurants' vegetables are bland and overcooked, but Cafe Zack's were grilled or charred and so, so, so good. If Cafe Zack was located in Los Angeles, I would definitely be a regular. They do not use Open Table or other reservation service, but provide a contact form on their site which worked perfectly. I emailed the night before and got a quick response confirming. Thank you Cafe Zack for a fabulous night and dinner experience!!!!!! read more

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Love everything about Cafe Zack. Staff, food, ambiance...all of it. We dine here often and are never disappointed. Weekly specials keep it fresh and the regular menu is great as well. read more

Quaint ambiance, friendly/professional service, and food consistently delicious and served hot every time.

I usually don't do multiple reviews for the same restaurants but for Cafe Zack I'll make an exception. We went last night for my wife's birthday with another couple and sat on the patio which is our preference. The atmosphere out there is just wonderful. Our server was great, as she always is, and we were very well taken care of. The food was great as always, and as a special they offered an asparagus and crab meat soup which was beyond amazing. I highly recommend it if it's on the menu again. I had pasta with shrimp, our friends had chicken and pork chops, and my wife had the special which was "Pasta D'mare". It contained shrimp, muscles , and scallops. FANTASTIC. Thank you everyone at Cafe Zack for another memorable dinner, and all around amazing evening. read more

Always delicious and such warm, welcoming and attentive staff. Quaint location located in a 1930's era house with a nice outside patio. I've been here multiple times for lunch and they always impress! Try it, you'll like it! read more

Cafe Zack - Catch of the Day - Grilled Salmon on vegetables. Absolutely delicious, like every meal I've had here at Cafe Zack! - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Really yummy food, a beautiful ambiance and very solicitous wait staff. All so lovely. I hope to come back many times!

Pasta dish with shrimp had five medium shrimp. Pasta itself was fine and well seasoned. Biggest issue I had was when we entered the restaurant a restaurant employee was slicing the bread at a counter with his bare hands all over the bread; no plastic gloves on. That was kind of a turnoff and seemed unsanitary to me. read more

First time at Cafe Zack! Food: So delicious. The peppercorn sauce is PEPPER forward, so be careful if you don't like spicy. Everything tasted so great and our filets were cooked perfectly. The biggest bummer for me at this restaurant is that you don't get to choose your sides. My husband doesn't like vegetables, and it's unfortunate he had no other option to choose his side / family style sides. If there were side options, we would give this a higher rating! Service: Truly excellent and attentive. Our server was so knowledgeable and kind and checked in on us. Ambiance: Cozy, and really cute on the inside! We loved the light fixtures and art. Overall, we really wish there were side options for the entrees. However, everything else was awesome and we will be coming back! read more