Wonderful service and delicious food. Had the vodka crème penne pasta. The bar and outdoor patio is beautiful as well.

I ordered the seafood pasta which was out of this world! My boyfriend ordered a steak with a blue cheese cabernet sauce. He is very picky about his steak and said his was cooked perfectly; and although the sauce sounded weird to him it tasted so good that he has asked if I could make it at home! read more

Cafe Zack - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Definitely 5 stars. Great service. Great food. All around fantastic. Always have a great meal when in Ventura!The best!

Wonderful evening! The food was really delicious! Best meal I've had in Ventura! I had the halibut special with fresh spinach, roasted potatoes and vegetables. Everything was cooked perfectly and flavorful! The halibut came with a chipotle parmesan sauce that was superb! My boyfriend had the duck, he finished everything and said it was delicious! We finished with a warmed apple tart with homemade vanilla ice cream, so good! The cocktails were great too! We will definitely be back often! read more

Food was good, but nothing special. Very homey and friendly. We had the duck and the short ribs. The duck was very good. The ribs were good, but I could have the same elsewhere. We were seated right by the doorway and the distraction of people coming in and out was a little much. For the money, I think there are better options out there. read more

Cafe Zack has the best steaks in town. Their fish is so good, too. Everything is perfectly seasoned and cooked. I got my steak cooked medium, and it was absolutely mouth watering and delicious. The vegetables are flavorful and cooked completely without being mushy. Great ambiance with nice toasty heaters on the patio. Even small details like the lighting and the purse hooks made it so comfortable. I can't wait to go back! read more

Valentine's Day disappointment for . $100 / person . Seated outside 45 minutes after reservation . Still no glasses of water or server 1 hour after reservation . Crab cake mainly filler . Salad 90 minutes after seated. Continuous restaurant kitchen not keeping up with demand and overall staffing shortage problems . Entree 2 hours after reservation . Ran out of one of the 2 desserts and forgot to offer tea and coffee included in limited menu . Should never go there with 5 seatings 30 minutes apart while they let customers linger well after they finished eating . Wine by the bottle started at $90 and poor wine by the glass selections. Ambience and food fine but who cares after poor execution and exasperating 2 1/2 hour experience . read more

Stoped to charge our Tesla and this place was right next door. Let's give it a try. WOW, WOW!! Fantastic dinner, great service, reasonable prices, nothings cheap these days. We were delighted and highly recommend read more

Pleasant atmosphere. Everyone is eager to please us patrons. Food was delicious. Look forward to coming back. read more

We've Been Thrown Out Of Better Places Than This... ...should have been my response when after enduring a sub-par overpriced meal in an underwhelming dining room, we were told (Albeit politely) that "People Are Waiting, so if you're not going to order anything else..." This is supposed to be a quaint, upscale local restaurant... not a quick-serve place. (We were there 1-hour and 45-minutes) We had just given feedback that 3 of the 4 dishes we ate were vastly over-seasoned. My wife ordered a pasta dish which was fine but our friend's fettuccini/seafood dish had so much "Heat" that he could not finish his meal. His wife and I both had the Mahi-Mahi. They were both smothered with a dense sauce which was also too spicy and salty. I scraped off the sauce and was able to tolerate most of it. When we mentioned this, the server, (Who I quoted above) said that she told the chef and he says, "there are spices in every dish..." or something that made us feel like we were out of line to complain. Our dinner partners are regulars and have introduced many people to this local restaurant. They were embarrassed by the food quality and equally incensed by being asked to leave before we were quite ready. Our dinner partner, asked for the owner who was apologetic but did not do anything else for us to leave with a smile. I love and support small businesses and in particular small local restaurants. They have a very hard job and enrich communities. When offered feedback, they should embrace that with grace and see it as an opportunity to gain a fan. Instead, this restauranteur made a regular championing customer into a story teller and possibly a former customer. Certainly for me, the next time, I plan to spend $200 on a meal, Cafe Zack will be very low on my large list of local restaurants. read more

Delicious food you can taste the quality. Restaurant inside is charming but super cramped. Overall good service a little slow but it was a busy night. read more

I really hate to write this review, because I support small businesses so much. I read an article in the paper about the owner working his way up to owning the place, and then buying the property. I live close by so I made it a point to try it out. It was my son's 23rd birthday, and when I made the reservation I told them that. When we arrived it took several minutes for us to even be noticed. There was a large party on the patio, and we were seated nearby. I was also kind of disappointed by the decor , which didn't seem like there was a lot of effort made. I really wanted it to be a special treat for my son and I expected a little bit better ambiance. I don't know if they were low on staff or what was happening, but our waitress was harried and not very attentive. My son really loved his steak, and I got the Caesar salad and the lobster appetizer, which I was really looking forward to. Simply put, the lobster was raw. It was disgusting . The Caesar was fine, nothing to write home about. My kid's sides were not impressive. And pretty small too. The steak was okay, but also not all that exciting. The waitress kept rushing back and forth, and a couple of men (the owner and another guy ? He didn't seem like a busboy ) also did, but they completely ignored us. I really didn't even want to complain about the lobster because honestly it didn't seem like the waitress particularly cared about our table and I felt like I was bothering her. The capper was that I reminded them for the third time that it was my son's birthday and that he needed a dairy-free dessert. The waitress told me there wasn't any, even though the owner had told me on the phone that there was. Finally she came back with a smallish bowl of sorbet which was freezer burned. I was really disappointed, but I didn't want my son to know because he would have felt bad. All told, we had three glasses of wine between us, two appetizers(That were supposed to be my dinner) and one meal. . It all came to $150. I was totally appalled, the quality of food just did not merit those prices. Maybe they were just having an off night, but I'm not going to risk my hard-earned money to find out. I was really irritated that they charged us $8 for the gross sorbet--really?!? I will not be going back. read more

Delicious food, excellent service, and a beautiful ambience combined to make for an incredible dining experience. Had a fantastic birthday here. read more

So my husband and I love this local place and hidden gem. The food is delicious and we love that it's close to home. I will say last time we went I felt like we were forgotten as our dishes took an extremely long time, and I was hoping that it had nothing to do with how we looked, but they offered us a free glass of wine each and we were fine with that and plan to go back! read more

Cafe Zack is so awesome!! The food is great, the steak was so tender and cooked perfectly!! Jose was an excellent server. He was very attentive and helpful. They also have a new full bar which I think is such a great idea. I will be coming back whether I am looking to eat a great meal or just getting a drink at a nice local spot. read more

We were so excited to try somewhere new out here in Ventura so for our 26th anniversary we booked a dinner reservation! My husband was excited there was duck so that's what he got. He ordered it medium rare and it came out well done so that was disappointing for him. I got the mahi mahi and it was dry and over cooked. Typically I would have told them but I just didn't want to on our special day and honestly they should have known before that left the pass that both dishes weren't up to standards. I'm not sure this place is worth a second chance! read more

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Incredible place Staff was friendly hard working funny Excellent Food was off the charts fantastic We got lucky and stayed one night in Ventura before heading to Ojai Zacks was way better than all the high priced over rated restaurants in Ojai A MUST read more

We always find the most delicious and unique dishes at this establishment!! It's our favorite restaurant in Ventura so far. It may not look like a 5 star restaurant from the street but once you enter the cozy place, you feel like your home. The staff are very attentive and informative and we've never felt neglected when we are there. I've never had duck before but now it's my favorite dish there! We try to bring other couples to try it out and everyone always loves it. We usually call before showing up so they can have a table ready. There are 3 sections to sit at; inside, in the lanai area and then outside (which has heaters if needed). My favorite appetizer there is the Lobster with sweet Corn served on corn husks. Delicious! The desserts are spectacular as well. read more

Cafe Zack - Lobster with sweet corn appetizer - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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There is not much of interest to eat in Ventura, unless you are willing to settle for burgers and fries or ramen. This place is the only alternative downtown (Barrel 33, next door, does not have a serious kitchen, though it's great for wine and snacks.) Café Zack serves real meals, with enticing starters, solid mains (though there could be more vegetarian options), and perfectly fine desserts. I have always found the staff friendly, but not always so competent. I recommend this restaurant above all others in downtown Ventura. The space is charming, the food is at a level above every other place in the area, and the prices are reasonable. read more

Always great food and exceptional service! I used to cone here monthlywhen we lived in Ojai, nowI live in FL and am delighted to be able to return on visits! read more

Such a cute and quaint little restaurant! It's perfect for date night or girls night or if you're celebrating something. They now have a room in the back where conferences and bigger groups can be accommodated which is nice. However this room is not as insulated and can be louder and colder as a result. Beside atmosphere being on point, the food and drinks are also very tasty. I almost always get the pork medallion when we come here because it's a treat when we go to Cafe Zacks! The lobster corn appetizer and the potato leek soup are also always solid choices. Last night we tried the seafood curry fettuccine, a glass of moscato, and the creme brûlée as dessert and they did not disappoint. Parking is free on the side of the street. Usually no wait time in the restaurant unless you choose to go on a holiday such as Valentines then def make reservations. The only complaint I have is the complimentary bread is so hard and cold and bland. I wish they served up some delicious focaccia bread or garlic bread! I am such a sucker for bread so this would make all the difference to me! Our bill came out to be about 100$ for everything which is $$$ but like I said, this is a bit more upscale classy sit down for nice celebratory events! Bite the bullet and treat yourself once in a while to great food! read more

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This place is no joke , we stopped by on a random bike ride and fell in love with this place, the scallop appetizer was absolutely perfect . The staff was in point and extremely attentive . I can't wait to come back again. Do yourself a favor and take the love of your life here you will not be disappointed . Hector, the owner is all over it and couldn't be a cooler guy. read more

Another perfectly lovely experience at Café Zack. Hector and his staff treat everyone like family and the food was of course delicious. I always recommend this restaurant. You absolutely can't go wrong. read more

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This is a quaint restaurant with a cozy atmosphere. Well presented dishes and delectable desserts. read more

Cafe Zack - The view from the windowsill - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Visiting Ventura for the weekend, saw the reviews for this restaurant, thought I'd give it a try. Should have made reservations, it was a 45 minute wait. After 1 hour I was told there are no tables freeing up but a family of six who check in after me were also waiting, I'm assuming here but I am sure they were given my table, more people bigger bill. They offered the bar, after much reluctance I took their offer. They tried to be gracious but I was literally in front of the bathroom. I just couldn't so I walked out. People before profits! I forgot to mention that I was asked to wait outside. The party of six got to wait inside. Why was that? read more

Our first time at Cafe Zack last night, excellent food, service & ambience! It's larger than it appears from the outside, & has a great patio dining area. Two of us had the prosciutto penne, our friend had the Kurobuta pork chop, and hubby had veal piccata, all were delicious! The owner came by to introduce himself & check on us. We tried a couple of the desserts also, homemade ice cream was great. We'll definitely be back! read more

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A pleasant hidden gem. I've lived in Ventura county my whole life, and just recently found out about Cafe Zack from a family friend. A quaint little spot tucked away in Ventura. While the seating is a little snug, there is still a hipster/luxury vibe. My husband is a bourbon snob (lol) and judgy on how people make their Old Fashions. This is only one of four (Larsen's, 1901, The Ranch House) restaurants in Ventura County where he says the Old Fashion is done properly. Not over sweetened and THANK GOODNESS they use the right cherries! The food was incredible. I'm not a big red meat person. I tend to gravitate towards vegan, vegetarian, or chicken options. Well, I tried their beef filet mignon and I was BLOWN AWAY by the angels in the kitchen! I've had pretty good steaks in my day in upscale high end restaurants all over California and in other parts of the U.S. & the world... but hands down (and I feel really silly typing this) but HOLY SHIT! This is the best filet mignon I've ever had in my life. Ever. I love trying new things at restaurants, but this may be my go-to here from now on here at Zacks Cafe. Literally the most incredible, perfectly cooked, deliciously tender and mouthwateringly flavorful meat over ever had. BRAVO! INCROYABLE! Magnifique, il n'y a pas assez d'adjectifs pour exprimer la profondeur des saveurs dégustées... pas de SENTI & EXPÉRIMENTÉ à travers mon repas. Just stunned. I can no longer say: I'm not a big red meat eater. read more

This was my first time dining here, and what an experience! Hector and his team did an amazing job with our party of six. We sat on the patio which was enjoyable; heaters are placed around the patio in case it cools down a bit. Food selections were plentiful and delicious. I had portions of the halibut and filet mignon, cooked exact as we requested. Enjoy two different wines. They have an extensive wine list and beer selection. Couldn't miss dessert either, yum! Great place to celebrate a birthday, which we did, or enjoy a nice dinner with your mate. Looking forward to visiting again!! read more

It mad tasty I really recommend . Worth the price yuhurd. The service it mad good too. The ambience is also mad good too. read more

Cafe Zack - Thanks for the great service - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

It was nice. Nothing wonderful. Nothing bad. Just mediocre. Nice ambiance. Food was pretty good. It was difficult to make a reservation, as they do not do them through their site or a third party like yelp or open table. Website provides an email to contact, so I requested a reservation through email and did not hear back. Then tried calling several times with no response. When I was finally able to get ahold of them, they said they do not check the email. When we arrived for our reservation, the place was empty so not sure it was even necessary? read more

Wonderful food and ambience. I ordered the duck breast which was cooked perfectly. A great spot whenever you are in Ventura.

Cafe Zack is the best in terms of quality and quantity of great food for a reasonable price, with awesome service staff in a quaint but elegant ambiance! My favorite restaurant in Ventura for decades! read more

Always good food! Small restaurant with great ambiance. Have never had a meal I didn't like, after 20 years of eating there! The service is impeccable. read more

3.5 rounded up to 4 since you can't review fractions. The good: the ambiance was nice on a weekday evening. Hard to enjoy fine dining if there's a loud crowd or children running around. No need to speak up the heat each other. My GF's steak, although it visually didn't not look like the requested medium rare (almost no pink), had the taste and texture of a perfect medium rare. Not worth griping about the color when the rest was perfect. The bad: I chose the pasta aglio&olio with tiger shrimp. At $28 I was pretty disappointed to get a total of 4 shrimp no larger than a silver dollar. If they were jumbo prawns I guess but between 50cent coin-silver dollar size? The pasta was ok. Not mind blowing and with the frugal shrimp allotment I was bummed. Overall the didn't fail. But when people are spending $50 per person on food you expect to be impressed a bit. read more

26th anniversary. Had our first date here. It was Voila Cafe back then. It's changed hands over the years, but never strays from its core that it does well: couple of pastas, couple of meats, couple of apps, all with a little twist that's all it's own. Always great. Now we have teens we take with us, and they love it. Order the peppercorn steak, the nightly duck preparation, the pasta de jardin. Start with whatever the night's soup is. Finish with a recommended dessert. Seating is tight but intimate and romantic. We always forget how much we like this place until we're here on our anniversary. read more

A special treat. Ordered dinner for the first time in many years (and first time in pandemic) and the food is still amazing. This restaurant is a prime example of how simple ingredients cooked with expertise can become divine. Matt was very helpful and friendly with our phone order and pick up. I only wish that my wife and I could have enjoyed our anniversary meal in the restaurant, but taking it home was a close second. read more

Cafe Zack - Rack of lamb. Butternut squash ravioli. Provençal veggies. - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

Thank you, Cafe Zack, for providing a wonderful dining experience for my husband and I as we celebrated our 37th wedding anniversary at your restaurant. Our waitress was delightful and helpful in choosing our wine selection and the bus boys were very attentive to our water glasses and such. The food was perfectly prepared and delicious. I had the salmon and my husband had the filet mignon. He enjoyed the caesar salad and I enjoyed the garden salad. The back patio ambience was intimate and comfortable. Thank you for helping to make our celebration special. Jodi & David Farrell read more

Pros: service was exceptional! Wine great. Cons: We had the Mahi mahi and the duck breast both were quite plain and bland. Particularly for being house specials, these plates were a big disappointment. Just to drive this point home, the food tastes like what I would make at home, and that's not saying much. read more

Sweet little place! Food was delicious. A little on the pricey side, but worth it for a special treat. read more

Cafe Zack - Medallions Of Pork Tenderloin and soup - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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Usually not a fan of sauces on my steak but this place does it right. Really nice ambiance and quality food , 10/10 read more

Cafe Zack - Filet with peppercorn steak - Seafood Near Me - Ventura, California

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