Absolutely love the food ( the clay pot dishes) and the service and location are exceptional!

Went here with my family for my birthday and tried other items: ITEMS WE LOVED: 1. Camarao ao Alho - so freaking good. 2. Lula Frita - I'm typically not a calamari girl - but this is the one exception. 3. Beef skewers 4. Feijoada - a black bean stew with sausage so good! 5. Raspberry Caipirinha - new favorite drink!!!! Never skip the plantains :) read more

Moqueca has one thing going for it immediately: location. Sitting quietly in the harbor in Channel Islands Harbor, the setting is relaxed and pleasantly unpretentious. It's the kind of place you stumble into after a day on the water, which actually feels appropriate for a seafood-forward Brazilian restaurant. The problem is the food never quite matches the promise of the name. I lived in Brazil for a while, so I tend to chase those flavors when I see a Brazilian restaurant. This place tries, and the food is perfectly tasty, but authenticity is where things start to drift. The menu hits some expected notes. You'll see things like moqueca, picanha, bolinho de bacalhau, camarão ao alho, and caldo verde. On paper that all sounds promising. But the execution feels softened and Americanized, and the overall menu reads like a curated sample of Brazilian dishes rather than something that feels rooted in an actual Brazilian kitchen. Moqueca itself, the dish the restaurant is named for, should be a vibrant stew layered with dendê oil, coconut milk, cilantro, lime, and peppers, the kind of thing that hits you with aroma before the spoon even reaches your mouth. Here it's fine, but it lacks the depth and brightness that make the real version so memorable. Feijoada shows up as a special some days, which is good to see, but honestly it's the kind of dish that lives or dies by its ingredients and slow cooking. With good cuts and some patience I can make a better one at home. The biggest red flag on the entire menu, though, is what's missing. There is no Pão de queijo. For a Brazilian restaurant, that's almost an affront. Pão de queijo is practically the national snack; warm, chewy little cheese breads made with tapioca flour that show up everywhere from bakeries to gas stations in Brazil. Leaving it off the menu feels like opening an Italian restaurant and deciding bread isn't necessary. Portions are also very American. Plates are enormous. That might sound like a positive, but it often just means a lot of food gets wasted unless you pack it up. For those of us staying on nearby boats in the harbor, hauling leftovers around isn't exactly ideal. None of this means the restaurant is bad. The food is good enough, the seafood is solid, and the harbor setting is pleasant. But if you're coming here hoping to revisit the flavors of Brazil, it falls short. It feels more like a Brazilian-inspired restaurant designed for American expectations than a place that truly captures the cuisine. It's enjoyable. Just don't expect the Brazil you remember. read more

Beautiful view of the marina, relaxing ambient, moqueca and dessert were delicious and filling. We had ordered a palmito dip but instead got a salad (didn't want to complain so we ate it after verifying that our waiter wrote the wrong thing). Don't bother getting the salad as many of the mixed greens looked old plus it seemed like someone who got a handful of canned palmitos, 3 tomatoes and a salad dressing and slapped it on a plate. Not worth the price. The rice that came with the moqueca was hard in some parts as if they didn't finish cooking the rice all the way. And our server kept spilling water every time he refilled our glasses. read more

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Service was good, went on a Sunday not so busy so it was perfect. First time trying Brazilian cuisine & I was pleasantly surprised. Lots of flavor, ambience was great beautiful views of the water. read more

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine - Linguine Mariscos & Spaghetti a Bolognesa - Brazilian Near Me - Oxnard, California

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We love this restaurant. Last night my daughter had a 20 person wedding reception on the indoor patio. They set up a long table and cake table. It was in a corner area where the guests had room to walk around and socialize. The food & service was top notch. They even cut our wedding cake. I would use them again! read more

Warmly welcomed. Seated with a lovely sunset view of the Channel Islands Harbor. I chose the Seabass Moqueca (Clay Pot dish) as my entree and it was amazing! The two large filets were buttery in texture and swimming in the flavorful stew. I almost ordered another side of rice just to soak it all up. For dessert, the Pave de Bombom was also a special treat. It had the makings of all my favorite sweets - creamy, custardy, nutty, and chocolatey. It was like a heavy custard that tastes similar to tiramisu. It is very sweet, so it has to be a special treat or shared. Large parking lot out front. Restaurant is upstairs on the 2nd floor. read more

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine - Seabass Moqueca - Brazilian Near Me - Oxnard, California

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Great place. Nice location overlooking the harbor. Love the Moquecas in the clay pot. We'll be adding this restaurant to our regular rotation read more

Ambiance and Appetizers, count me in! My friend brought me to Moqueca in Oxnard for some sunset appetizers and gossip, we had a wonderful time. Such a beautiful place to dine for a date night or simply a girls night. I had already been to their Thousand Oaks location and loved the food and menu, so it's nice that I knew in advance the food would be 5/5, just had to get a feel for the vibe. This Oxnard location is amazing because of the views. While I find their Thousand Oaks location to feel slightly more upscale and authentic you really can't beat view of the harbor from their second story restaurant. The location here is what makes the place. I love that their windows face the water boats, there isn't a bad seat in the house. My girlfriend and I are yappers so we opted for their covered outdoor second floor patio which was lovely. Service here was also amazing. I am so sorry I can't remember our servers name but he was very friendly, helpful in giving us recommendations, and gave us a great amount of check ins to ensure that we were enjoying ourselves. We opted for some light bites - small appetizers and drinks. I've had their clay pot seafood dishes and they are amazing. Don't skip out on these but for the sake of this review, just focusing on our appetizers. Love their calamari here. Lightly fried and large pieces of squid. Not little heads/tentacles which I like but that's okay. Their rings are good here. Loved the dipping sauce. Our waiter also recommended these croquette style potato balls which we loved as well. Super tasty little fried bites. My friend really enjoyed her guava cocktail and I got a guava Mocktail, which I appreciated that they may look super cute and only charged me $4. That's how it should be!!! lol. Some places be charging $10+ for a mocktail sigh but thankfully not Moqueca! Very generous with their pours and great service all around. read more

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This is my first time eating Brazilian food other than Brazilian bbq and it is sooooo good. We reserved a table because we had 8 people and they sat us at a beautiful table by the windows overlooking the marina around sunset. Very nice view and ocean breeze coming in on a nice summer day. Interior was interesting as well with Brazilian dolls and artwork. All the moquecas and feijoada were served in clay pots the traditional style. They were all sooo flavorful and the seafood was really fresh. I wish there was more seabass in the seabass and shrimp moqueca though. Next time will order just seabass moqueca. By far my favorite was the feijoada. Beef was super tender, sausages juicy, beans and sauce perfect with some rice and farofa. The rice was also sooo good. Think it was stir fried in some fragrant garlic oil maybe. Calamari was one of the best I've ever had. Super light batter and soft calamari rings. This is a seafood place so I would stay away from the pichana. Save that for Brazilian bbqs. The plantain fried were really good though. Whatever that chili oil was with the bread... amazing. Had to take some home haha. Not crazy spicy but so fragrant and flavorful. First time trying guaranara, my aunts childhood drink when she was growing up in Brazil. Also tried the caipirinha. Very interesting flavor. The pina colada kinda masked alot of it so I will have to try the classic flavor next time I come back. Also the beer was super smooth. It's a dark beer but not like ur typical dark. Lots of parking, restrooms in the back of the restaurant. You have climb stairs but I think there is an elevator so no worries about accessibility. It is on the second floor but you'll see a sign on the building that says "moqueca" 100/10 recommend and definitely coming back next time I'm in the area. I dream of sizzling feijoada and a dark Brazilian beer with some farofa and rice. read more

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My first time trying this Brazilian place. I was very impressed! The food is Not what you think of Brazilian BBQ with flowing meat but itemized by app, salad, entre and most impressively their signature dish - moqueca. The menu is full of selection. We decided to have two appetizers with a large moqueca with seafood. All dishes were excellent !! Service was good too! Price was reasonable I strongly recommend one to try this place. read more

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Nice ambiance, with views of the harbor. The food was a little bland, but otherwise decent, seemingly fresh. Not a churrascuria, but a varied menu with authentic dishes. Service was prompt and attentive. I will be back! read more

Hubby and I enjoy coming here. Delicious food and great service. They also have delicious cocktails and desserts!! Parking is free and accessible. read more

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Nice view. Very good food, . . . except. The drinks were very weak or watered down and flavorless, and there was not enough pasta in the seafood linguini (maybe that's a good thing???). I quite literally ran out of pasta before the seafood by a long shot. I had an espresso martini that didn't taste like coffee at all, and there was very weak or little vodka. It tasted more like a cold hot chocolate. The other specialty drink from the menu (I don't know which one was ordered ) was also weak and watered down. We didn't complain because our server was very nice. Needless to say, our next drinks were beer and wine. The music was nice and came from some Yamaha speakers that I have other experience with. A good sounding system. Our server was very thorough and on top of her game. Subtleties in her performance were noted by me as being rather refined. I don't remember her name, but she was very good. Yes, the hot chili oil is outstanding. Dicks read more

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The food was amazing (we had SEAFOOD MIX MARISCOS and SHRIMP CAMARÃO moquecas), and Stephanie was excellent. Beside having a large party to hand to, she was very calm and personable with us: her service was outstanding. Whomever makes personnel decisions, make sure you do not loose her. All in all, if you are in Oxnard's area and would like to taste something exotic (Brazilian) do not miss this gem. read more

When I was tasked with finding a place for a work dinner in Oxnard, I panicked on finding a spot. Luckily Moqueca popped up and I was happy to provide a new experience for myself and the rest of my team! We made reservations for a party of 6 at 6:30 pm. When we arrived on a Friday, there was live music and a few people around, but it wasn't until later that the place started to fill out. The ambiance was nice, especially with the live music. It felt like a nice place without being too stuffy, with lots of folks wearing shirts and shorts. For food, we started with pastelzinhos and the capa santa gratinada. Honestly, I think you can skip the capa santa gratinada, as the scallops were pretty tiny and overcooked. The pastelzinhos however were pretty tasty and had a good amount of filling. The main that I ordered was the bobo de camarao. I have never tried moqueca or dishes similar, and I really enjoyed this food! The stew was nice and tomato-ey, feeling like a hearty meal when piled atop the side of rice. Lastly, for dessert I got the banana caramelada and a decaf coffee, both of which were tasty but not out of this world. So overall, I would suggest perhaps sticking to the mains if you are judging purely off taste. Service was friendly and parking easy with a lot attached. Overall, not a place I would seek out going to again, but a lovely meal to try out. read more

Highly recommend to experience at least once. The food is delicious, the service is excellent, and the ambiance is relaxing. To top it off, the views of the harbor are to die for. After longing to dine here for some time, I convinced my family to join me on an epic experience of Brazilian cuisine by the sea. I enjoyed the food and spending time with family. The only downside is that it is pricey here so while it's a great place for a date or a drink, I probably wouldn't frequent often. read more

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Wow! What a gem. Completely surprised by this one. Place was beautiful. Overlooking Marina. Food was incredible. Stephanie and Trevor were top notch! So attentive. So nice. You have to order sea bass and shrimp! Delicious. Definitely coming back. read more

Went a few weeks ago to the Oxnard restaurant and a couple months ago to the Thousand Oaks restaurant. Both were delicious and we couldn't stop raving about it to our friends and family. We live on the west side so the trek out there to break bread with friends and family was worth it both times. Everything we all had was delicious and came HOT to the table: empanadas, calamari, steak, skewers, Seabass & shrimp Moquecas, steak and the salmon entrees. All delicious!! Thank you. read more

5 star everything. the best restaurant on the harbor in Oxnard. The steak is outrageous. The calamari is the best i have ever had. read more

Great experience! The food here has tons of flavor! Waitress was very nice and took time to explain menu items. Nice view of the water and boats from inside the restaurant. The beef empanadas were well seasoned and the fried pastry was nice and crispy. It came with a tasty dipping sauce. The Brazilian stroganoff had layers of flavor and the crispy potato straws gave it a nice mix of textures. Got a side of fried plantains as well and those are always my favorite when I see them on a menu. read more

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Moqueqa remains my favorite Brazilian restaurant (outside of Brazil!). Owned and operated by Brazilian expats, they offer a wonderful selection of North Eastern Brazilian see food stews. Delicious! They also have the best caprinas north of Rio! Service is polite, friendly and "falla portugesa". Looking for a waterfront experience that is a little different, come to Channel Island Marina and try Moqueca! read more

I enjoy the Channel Islands Harbor very often - almost every weekend. But I'd never eaten here until yesterday. It was really cold, and soup just sounded really good, and this place seems popular, so why not? My husband and I ordered the coxinhas appetizer and the seabass and mariscos moquecas. Everything was delicious. The soup broth is very flavorful and the seafood is cooked perfectly. The chili oil dip and the vegetable dip they serve when you sit down is really yummy. I actually bought a jar of the chilis so we can have that chili oil at home. Warning - it's VERY spicy. They were out of a couple menu items that I'd like to try, so we'll definitely come back. Cheers! read more

I travel to Oxnard occasionally for work, and Moqueca has been my go-to dinner stop for years. It's quiet, soft music in the background, you don't have to yell to talk. And it's right on the marina. There were three of us dining this time, so we got a calamari appetizer, moqueca mariscos (mixed seafood) entree and then we each had a dessert; flan, banana empanadas, and banana caramelito. Calamari; lightly battered, so you get more of the calamari flavor and texture than a thick better. Moqueca mariacos: a moqueca for three was actually more like enough for 5-6 people. Served piping hot, and very tasty. Dessert; we each tried a bit of all three desserts. All were good, but the flan was my favorite. The service was good. The only complaint involved a mix up on the credit cards since we were all paying separately. No big deal. It happens. Overall, I recommend stopping in. The next time I'm here I plan on trying the Brazilian stroganoff. And the flan. read more

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Best food. Especially the Seafood stew that comes boiling to your table, with either shrimp and cod or other varieties. Staff is professional, and warm. The Brazilian drink "Caipirinha" taken from sugar cane and mixed with or Passion fruit, etc is Amaaazing!! Dessert: passion fruit mousse , to die for. I rate 6 STARS read more

I had a very pleasant experience here. Food was great, and.........they had live Brazilian music, a guitarist and singer. Very nice. And...the food. Xcllent sauces, bread, dips, as well as a small bar with a monitor for viewing sports. Everything I need! had Moqueca Seabasss con Camarao. Soooo savory. They certainly don't skimp on flavor. Shrimp appetizer had a nice lemony flavor and was tender. The arttichoke dip with bread was divine, as well was the dip / sauce with the tomato texture. I also really like their Hot chili oil. Drizzle a little of that on your bread and dip!!! Unbelievable. read more

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We came here for Father's Day because my dad suggested it. He said it was really good. It was ok. We left disappointed. The complementary appetizer was An eggplant and onion topinod with super spicy chilli sauce. The dip was mildly spicy and very mushy. I asked the waiter what it was because when they placed it on the table, they didn't say anything to us. Receiving our drink took at least 30 minutes. We ordered a Pina colada wasn't an actual pina colada. It was a TEQUILA flavored pina colada drink, meanwhile pina coladas are RUM based! Im not going to lie I almost spit the drink back into the glass:/ I told the waitress, Roberta, "I'm sorry but this drink is horrible." She tells me "you don't have to say it like that." I said "how should I say it?" Roberta," I don't like it" Me," ok I don't like it please take it off of our bill" After that we got a new waiter. The steak was overcooked, hard to cut. It lacked flavor, but once you started eating it, it was tender. A butter sauce would've been nice with that steak. The black beans were cold. Also they gave us some seasoning that tastes like bread crumbs. The rice was completely undercooked. There was definitely a crunch with every single bite. Apparently there was a chimichurri sauce, but it really was basically pesto. The fries might not have ever touched the oil because they were that cold and hard. Apparently the lobster was good. I ordered the Seabass, which was in the same sauce as a lobster. I think the Seabass was a little bit overcooked, but it was still good. Everyone's rice sucked. Brittney was very nice and friendly. Roberta wasn't. The best part of this meal was the presentation and the beers. read more

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We love the traditional Brazilian stew that is delicious and deep in flavor. The customer service is always lovely and food is cooked to order. You can also tell that they use fresh ingredients. We love the seafood option the most, but they are all very good read more

The service was excellent (I think Travis was our waiters name) and the food was very good. Had the lobster moqueca and the scallop appetizer. The former was excellent but the scallops were small, dry and disappointing. Will return and try another appetizer read more

Roberta is the best! Best service, best recommendations and the perfect attitude for a wonderful afternoon of appetizers and fresh cocktails! See you soon read more

Food, service and ambiance all scored 10/10. Our first time here and we were so excited to try the stew in a clay pot. I love my food served hot and the flavor of the stew was just the right amount of spice. Everything was perfect and we got seated next to the window with view of the harbor. Live music that was not loud and very romantic. Great time and I highly recommend this place. read more

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My husband and I have been to this location many times. Last Saturday night we brought a group of friends. We always enjoy their quibes and empanadas as our appetizer. Usually we get one of their delicious moquecas but we decided to try something different. I had the Brazilian stroganoff with fettuccini. The flavor was amazing! That's probably my new favorite thing on the menu. My husband had their special feijoada and enjoyed it as well. It was a busy night but the girls working did a great job tag teaming our table making sure we were taken care of. One of our tables moquecas was mistakenly dropped on the ground and they did a great job replacing it and making things right. My husband loves the Caipirinhas here and our friend enjoyed the Martini with cashew milk. Definitely try and get a table with a view of the harbor. read more

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Excellent views. Nice view of the water along the window. This is the spot! They are consistently great, decent prices, wonderful ambiance, just all around amazing. The salsa is housemade, the best, I love it! Bread chips are always fresh. The variety is impressive. The fresh made seafood sauce that comes with the Lobster and Seafood Mix Moqueca is the GREATEST SAUCE EVER MADE. Its got a depth of flavor from being marinated in garlic and lime juice with a complexity that will make you ooooze. The Brazilian Stroganoff steak pasta is sublime too. It lends itself more to a highly refined teriyaki. Prepared perfectly, not overcooked. Comes with this amazing creme sauce, fantastic! Appetizers are large enough to share. Some friends ordered the steak skewers and we raved about them. The calamari was so delicious. Easy to chew, crisp, and wonderful with a nice layer of seasoning, just right. And of course, the flan is the star of the show. Creamy and decadent, each bite is pure heaven. Ambiance is always amazing, lighting is nice and low, place is VERY clean and beautiful. Prices have gone up since Covid, but still ok for todays standards. The customer service here is always impeccable, making the dining experience top-notch. We recommend going when Joshua and Trisha are there. Definitely make a reservation ahead. read more

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Not very busy. Place was clean. Little upscale. Cloth table covers. Atmospheres was very nice. Food was ok. Ravioli was undercooked so a little chewy. Sauce was good. Not enough flavor. The bread basket was oily looked like French bread Moqueca not very good. Fish and shrimp. The prices are high. I have had better in San Diego and the San Fernando Valley. The atmosphere is nice. The waitress never came and asked us how was everything. Or do we need of anything. And there where only three table used. read more

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine - Expense. And only ok. - Brazilian Near Me - Oxnard, California

This place has been a staple at Hollywood Beach for a long time and with good reason. Lula Frita: Calamari rings lightly seasoned and deep fried served with a tartar sauce. These disappeared fast. It's a perfect start to the meal. Just enough to take the edge off, but not so many that you're stuffed before your meal arrives. Camarao alho y olio: shrimp sautéed in garlic and olive oil: Another really delicious perfectly cooked appetizer to tickle the taste buds. Good sized juicy shrimp. Tapenada (veg dip) with bread crisps was offered as a complimentary starter as well. Their chili oil is delicious. Consider dunking the bread crisp in the oil before adding a touch of the tapenada for a great kick. Spaghetti Bolognesa: yes, we had a picky eater in the group--- but holy cow, the meat sauce was spectacular. Well seasoned and as good as any Italian restaurant would serve up. Paella de Mariscos: Brazilian white rice cooked with a seafood mix of clams, mussels, calamari and shrimp and broccoli Moqueca style, served with fried plantains. We got the large, and it served the three of us well enough to bring home enough for another meal for one. So in other words, four people coups have easily made a meal of this and been filled to the gills. Perfectly seasoned, deliciously cooked this all in one dish made for a gastronomic party in my mouth. The texture of the seafood, alongside the well cooked rice (not mushy) and a bite of sweet fried plantain added a different dimension of flavor. Drinks: I ordered the original caipirinhas and hubby got the mango. Both highly boozy but well balanced. They remind me of strong, well-made margaritas. read more

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Been there many times over the last 15 yrs and it's always been excellent...but this weekend was an off night... food and service. Hopefully that's all it was. I will go back and give it a go again... read more

We came to this restaurant with one simple hope: to celebrate a family member's birthday with a nice meal. What we got instead was a slow descent into chaos, confusion, and utter disappointment. From the moment we arrived, things were... off. The restaurant was nearly empty -- maybe two or three other tables max -- yet somehow, it took over two hours for our food to arrive. Oh wait -- it never arrived. That's because they forgot to put in our order. For two hours, we sat hungry, asking politely about our meals, and were reassured with empty platitudes while the kitchen did... what, exactly? Rearrange the spices? We had a boat tour scheduled (which we told them about), and as the clock ticked past the point of no return, the birthday celebration we had planned turned into a sad waiting game. We asked for the food to-go instead -- they offered to give it to us for free as a gesture for the monumental screw-up. Fine. We waited another 15 minutes for them to package it. Then -- get this -- they came back and told us they changed their minds. No more complimentary food. We could pay for it, if we still wanted it, after waiting 2+ hours and getting absolutely nothing. The audacity was staggering. When we expressed our frustration, we were told we just needed to be "more patient." Excuse me? We were more than patient. This wasn't a full restaurant during a rush -- this was a nearly empty dining room on a slow night. If this is how they handle two or three tables, I shudder to think what a Saturday night looks like. Mass panic? Riots? Spontaneous combustion? The entire staff seemed overwhelmed, unprepared, and completely disconnected from the reality of running a restaurant. There was zero accountability, and worse -- a stunning lack of basic courtesy or professionalism. The birthday we had hoped to make special was instead defined by hunger, stress, and an utter absence of service. Avoid this place at all costs unless you enjoy long, hungry evenings full of broken promises and blame-shifting. Truly one of the worst dining experiences I've ever had -- and not even a bite of food to show for it. read more

We visit Oxnard regularly and we always enjoy at least one meal at Moqueca. The food is different and unique, yet everyone (even picky eaters) really enjoy the new flavors. We've introduced many friends to Moqueca and they've all loved it. Oh and gorgeous views, live music, and an elevator to get to the second floor if necessary. read more

The food, atmosphere, and ambiance was great! The drinks were also delicious along with the views!

Yeah, this is my go to date spot in Ventura/Oxnard. People rave about places like Lure, Rumfish, etc, but the uniqueness of this cuisine, paired with the portion size and fair pricing, makes it my top pick for date night. Ample parking, near the waterfront, and decent service staff, you really can't go wrong with having a meal here! I would recommend avoiding the patio if there's too many people, as sounds appears to echo and it can get really noisy compared to the main dining area. I ordered a Brazilian Feijoada and a Paella de Mariscos, and it was some of the best food I've ever had in the area. For starters, the Feijoada is only available on weekends, and considered Brazil's national dish. Although I've never been to Brazil, I can still confidently say that the dish is truly unique and tasty. It came with black beans, pork, and sausages, which paired amazingly with the brazilian rice. There was also salad and some dipping spices. The flavor is hard to describe, but if you come on a weekend and it's available, I would recommend this dish. The Paella?? Delicious, 100% have to order. I order it everytime I come here, simply because it's soooo good. There is a ton of flavor, yet it's more easy on the taste buds compared to its Spanish counterpart. It's a seafood paella, and the smaller saffron (or lack thereof) actually makes it taste better IMO. A small portion is enough for 1 person. Between the 2 dishes shared by me and my gf, we left feeling absolutely stuffed. I also ordered a strawberry cocktail, which tasted mainly of alcohol. Nothing to say on their drinks since I usually don't order them. All in all, this place feels underrated for the delicious food they serve. The paella and a moqueca is a must order; you don't come to a Brazilian restaurant to order their american menu. The service was decent; service could be slow and I recommend calling the waiter over if you find yourself getting impatient. Just don't expect the service to be 100% attentive, even if the restaurant feels empty. read more

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine - Complimentary bread - Brazilian Near Me - Oxnard, California

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