Venus is our favorite Thursday night spot!! If you come here ask for Noelle! She's the best!! Food is amazing and staff is incredible read more

Thursday night we had an Amazing special chicken parmigiana. Our server named Noelle was so friendly and fun making you feel special instead of just another person off the street! read more

Great location beachfront Ample parking Friendly, competent, patient waitstaff Outstanding bar selection Food is reliably good but failingly imaginative appetizers that are simply illogical in concept and delivery read more

Update. So sad. The lobster roll is no longer offered anymorwith just butter. Big disappointment. Tried to reach out to Venus but no contact info on their website. . read more

Loved the bright windows, open concept, clean aesthetic with seaside color vibe, and the VIEW! There is a reason half the walls are glass: so you get a view of the beach and, depending on when you're there, the sunset. Venus is a fine dining establishment but the wait times for service once we were seated and cold service were unexpected at such a nice place. This was our first time here, so hopefully we caught this server on a bad day. She also brought out our appetizers and entree at the same time, which was shocking. Due to this, we felt like we had to eat quickly so the entree didn't get cold. We often order several plates and share all the time, and never has any other restaurant brought every dish out at once before! This was the first. **THE DETAILS** Venue: 5 stars The venue is quite beautiful. You can't beat a place that is on the same street as a beach! Location: 5 stars It is literally AT Rio Del Mar Beach! Parking wasn't terrible, but the lot is tiny, so I can see it becoming difficult to park at certain times. Crab coquettes: 1 star It was so dry, I couldn't even finish one of them. It was hard to eat. Also, you can smell the crab, but you don't taste it. I did appreciate that our server gave us a heads up that these coquettes are not made like crab cakes, but we still didn't know this was a red flag warning to not get them. (Consider this a warning, my friends!) Instruction for eating: each bite must be followed by 3 gulps of beverage. Calamari: 2 stars I looooove calamari, but the ratio of squid-to-batter was off. There was too much batter, and it was thick and over-fried that with each bite, you don't get to enjoy the squid. If you want something crunchy and salty though, this appetizer is it. Miso salmon over coconut rice: 3 stars The salmon was tender and flaky, and cooked well. The skin was crunchy and flavorful. The coconut rice, however, was very mushy, like it was cooked with too much liquid. This was a disappointment because we ordered the miso flavors of the salmon knowing it would pair well with the coconut rice, but the texture of the rice was that of baby food. The bok choy was fresh and added a brightness to the dish. All in all, it was an okay dish, but not for something costing over $30. Cocktails: 5 stars All were delicious. (Venus makes their own gin!) Service: 1 star Slowwwww like molasses. Other than seating us, which was an our fault for not having reservations, we had to wait over 15 mins for a server to acknowledge we existed, then another 15 mins to get water after she said she was going to bring us water. It was a hot day, and there was no breeze or air conditioning in the restaurant, so I mentioned to our server that I was very thirsty, but we sat there for 30 minutes at an empty table with just our menus. It was perplexing. Like I mentioned earlier, the appetizers and entree were all brought out together, which made us feel rushed to eat faster so the food wouldn't get cold. (The server should have asked if that's how we'd prefer to be served and not assume this.) Different people, not only our server, would place items on our table, like drinks, and each person did it without saying anything and without smiling. They also placed items down on the table startlingly hard. (I made a joke to my friend that they don't like us here the first time it happened, but when this happened multiple times, it was no longer funny.) **OVERALL** I think the scene is great (venue/location) and drinks are great. The food items can be hit or miss. The vibe, however, is what YOU make of it because the service is lacking. Table service needs re-training. I think Venus is a good place to go for the bar and maybe some bar food only. read more

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3% fee for using a credit card. I stopped by and tried a gin and tonic with Gin 02 $14. It didn't work. Maybe I selected the wrong gin. Also, the house-made tonic seems very different from the usual brands like Fever Tree, so I think their gin+tonics have a very different flavor profile than what I am used to. The Costco in Santa Cruz sells the Venus Gin 01 for $28, a decent price break from the $34 menu price here. read more

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Makes little sense that this place is not rated higher. The location is wonderful on the beachfront with comfortable indoor or patio dining options. The bar has creative and fun options, often feature their own gin, with a great upscale beach vibe. The food has been tremendous - especially the Halibut Carpaccio and Miso Glazed Salmon. We have been here a couple of times now and have so appreciated all the entire Staff. Last visit our Server was Noelle. She was wonderful! Although it was a very busy night, with a large corporate group dominating the main dining room, Noelle was required to be flying around. Yet she still guided us through the menu, timely delivering drinks, apps, main course, and dessert...all with great service, knowledge and wonderful humor. She was a joy! We will go back again and continue to enjoy the location, people and futher explore the menu. read more

I enjoy coming here because it's so close to the beach and usually like to sit on the patio and enjoy the sunshine and lunch. This last experience dining we decided to try out a bunch of starters to share and drinks. The pitcher of beach don't kill my vibe was really good, it's like pink lemonade. I think it is premade because it came out very quickly. The crispy pork belly was the best thing we had, 10/10 recommend. It is sweet, and the mustard greens go great for a bitterness. It was such a flavorful dish. The foccacia is also delicious, it came with 3 pieces and it's warm and crunchy but soft! I really liked the shrimp cocktail, the waitress said they poach them and the texture is like buttery goodness. I swore I tasted a smokiness to them too, they definitely had some sort of seasoning on them. Would get these 3 items again!! I wasn't that into the bean and leek soup, wasn't very flavorful and I didn't finish it nor order this again. My friend also got the clam chowder and he didn't like it either, it was watery. The soups were a miss here. The calamari wasn't the best either, it's a light batter but not seasoned, the cocktail sauce was good though. Had lots of horseradish! Our server had a great personality, she was outgoing and didn't make anything awkward when we let her know we weren't feeling the soups. She handled the situation well and with grace. I would give this a 3.5 stars! I still enjoyed my meal and will return in the future. read more

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My girlfriend and I got sat by Noelle N. by the window who would be our server. She did not bring dinner menu's when seating us and instead we only looked at the Oyster Happy Hour Menu that was already at the table. Our 3 appetizers and drinks came out and Noelle had not checked in on us probably for 15 minutes since the food/drinks had come out. I switched seats with my S.O. and caught our server next to us at the Toast kiosk and as soon as she looked at our table/food, I caught eye contact with her and asked if we could order some more food/drinks. Noelle did not come back ever again after dropping off our third(and final) drink at 5:01. Our steak frites came out at 5:22 and we left shortly after. Asked the food runner/busser guy for our check/box for leftovers. We ended up seeing the guy busser/food runner more than we saw Noelle after getting food/drinks and decided to tip him $15 ourselves while only giving Noelle not even $11. I always tip at least the minimum 15% at sit down restaurants but today I believe that Noelle did little to nothing and did not even deserve the minimum. My girlfriend noted that it was not busy in the restaurant and when we walked outside to leave there were only a couple tables. Food/drinks were good but service absolutely horrible by our server. FYI: My girlfriend and I are both servers at restaurants as well and have never had such poor service before. You always check on your tables AT LEAST once after their food comes out and even more if they are drinking alcoholic beverages(more drinks ordered=higher bill=more tips). read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

Came on a busy night and sat at the bar, and wow I was so happy with the service! Sofia and Chanel were cheerful and knowledgeable. They helped me decide on my drink and dinner and continuously checked in on me throughout the night. Also shoutout to the kitchen LOVED the food. read more

I love Westside Venus, but was very disappointed by the food in Aptos especially for the price. Note: the staff was delightful. Critique: Hush puppies: overcooked and dry. Crab? Couldn't even get through them with my fork. Shrimp cocktail: 6 shrimp??? As with the pork belly, 3 tiny pieces. Tasted fine, but not for the price. Fish n chips: also dry and only one filet. Overpriced. Salmon mousse had no flavor. I think with some attention to detail, the menu could be on point. But it was disappointing for luxury prices. The drinks however are always amazing. I think you guys can fix this as many of our issues are the same others had. read more

Made a reservation online, showed up and was walked right to our table despite a busy waiting area. The waitress interesting... she mentioned she got called in early since it was Valentine's Day and said "all I heard was money," so at least she was honest? Sour punch non alcoholic mocktail was good, classy fizzy orangey, worth eight bucks? Probably not. Gin and tonic came with grapefruit, when hubby asked for lime, but he had to complaints. Pork belly appetizer was delicious. Crispy outside and juicy inside, the sauce was sweet and salty and the peanuts were a good crunch. There were some greens on the plate to make you feel less guilty eating pork belly, but we all know the truth. It came with three pieces so you'll like fight over that last one. I wanted to love my halibut, but it was so overcooked I had to use a knife to cut it. I loved the fennel salad on top, but if you aren't a fan of bitter flavors I wouldn't recommend it. Grapefruit, dill, arugula were a lot, but it was better than the fish. We also had the short ribs which was the favorite of the night, and actually so much more tender than my halibut it fell right apart with just a fork. You can't beat the sunset we had tonight. Not sure how I feel about the waitress telling the folks next to us, "time to go" (literally) because the next party had arrived, but I suppose that's how you keep the dining room moving? For the cost of the food, if I'd like to chat with my dinner party with our coffee and dessert, I would imagine it isn't a terrible inconvenience. Oh, not the greatest overpriced espresso martini we have had, so alcohol heavy it was a disappointment. I'd give it 3.5 stars but I don't know how to do half stars. read more

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Amazing service, beautiful ambiance, and seriously great food! Everything we ordered was fresh, flavorful, and well prepared. The staff was friendly, attentive, and made the entire experience enjoyable from start to finish. The atmosphere is welcoming and perfect for a nice dinner or a night out. Overall, a fantastic experience and definitely a place I'd come back to. Highly recommend! read more

Let me tell ya, the Tempura Maitake took me on a flavor experienceeee. I tried each of the ingredients separately first. The butternut curry polenta was genius and flavorful, yet needed a dash of salt. The beet greens were tender. The pomegranate sumac gastrique was yummy but there was wayyy too much and it was overly sweet. The Maitake mushroom itself was crunchy but could use some finishing salt. From a visual perspective, it was brightttt and beautiful but I wonder if being able to see the top of the mushroom would have been more appealing to the eye than the base stem. When trying all the dish's components together, the flavors danced and invited curiosity, especially with the bite of mint. A little more salt and just a drizzle of the gastrique would balance the dish perfectly I can tell the chef had fun crafting the that dish as it was seemingly the most expressive one, definitely worth a try! The weather was so gorgeous and the patio is definitely the place to sit, especially cause of all the doggos. Staff was attentive and the vibes were chill. read more

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We stopped in around 1pm on a Sunday where they wern't busy. We asked to be seated outside on the patio which has a nice view of the water along with plants and trees. We were provided menus and waters quickly. We waited about 7 minutes for a server so I went back into the host stand and asked if our server could come by. A few minutes later a girl came out and seemed annoyed (not sure with us or the host?) apologized for the wait and took our orders. We decided to share the crispy fish sandwich and Thai Mushroom soup and had a pacifico draft. We asked for an extra plate, so were happy the server asked to have it split for us, which was a nice gesture. She also seemed more friendly when she came back out and we ended up being happy with her service after all. The fish sandwich was delicious, was fresh rock fish with a great crispy batter and came with lightly dressed mixed greens on the side. The Thai mushroom soup lacked flavor, was a thick coconut base which had potential but didn't have any spice or seasoning. They also put coconut shavings on top which completely ruined it for me. The pacifico draft was ice cold and tasty so we did appreciate that. I would try this place again with different menu choices and recommend especially due to the convenient location by Seacliff Beach. read more

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Delicious food! Cant complain, it's always a great time and atmosphere. Not kid friendly but they do accommodate. I would say if they had a spot for kids to change diapers in the bathrooms would be a plus. read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - Sour smash and old fashion. - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

This place has delicious food and I love that they make their own vodka and gin. Had a Mother's Day dinner there and it was fabulous.

Service: 5 stars - our server and bus person were both very friendly and prompt. Food: 3.5 stars. We went for lunch on a Sunday and the menu was very sandwich-forward (which is fine). We brought an out-of-town friend who was hoping for some seafood, but the only offering was a fried fish sandwich. I was happy to see that the sandwiches came with a mixed-green salad or fries for no extra charge. My spouse ordered a Reuben. The bread was amazing and the meat was good, but it wasn't saucy enough and they skimped a little on the sauerkraut. I had a cup of white bean and leek soup with a "market" salad. The soup was delicious - I wish I'd had just a big bowl of that. The market salad was pretty phoned-in for a $16 item. A pile of mixed greens, over-dressed in vinaigrette, with a few apple slices, a couple of halved grapes, and a decent amount of feta. Kind of disappointing, but tasted fine (if boring). Drinks: 4.5 stars. Decent beer selection (some from Fruition and the usual Uncle Dave's, always a favorite). We opted for a cocktail, since it's a distillery, and had a tasty gin drink with strawberry and basil. Refreshing. A little more of a "daquerie" vibe than I was expecting. The cocktails were reasonably priced compared to other places we've eaten. Ambiance: 4.333 stars. Cute, modern place with huge windows. Nice views of the ocean, which is just across the parking lot. read more

Donell was a fantastic server and so attentive, but the food oh goodness the food! So fresh and delicious! The Brussels.. HAVE THEM! The fish and chips are so perfectly cooked and I love halibut so much! The calamari was tasty and not fishy at all which I appreciate! The views are great and the decor is simple and clean, and as a huge plus the bathrooms are clean and beautiful. Great experience read more

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We loved to come here on Taco Wednesdays. They have the best margaritas in the county. BUT I got violently ill the last TWO times I ate her. Just awful. The first time I had the seafood pasta (I've had it multiple times before with no problem). This time I was off the charts ill. The next visit I ordered the vegetable soup and the salmon pate. I returned the soup because it was absolutely tasteless. I made the huge mistake of eating the pate. I will never eat at Venus again. Ever. Never. read more

Nice place right off the beach. Perfect for in house cocktails. Had the fish and chips, and a few apps. Highly recommend the oysters. Will be back for happy hour next time! read more

We had reservations for 830 pm. We arrived at 8:20 and we ordered appetizers and drinks. The waitress, Angie, did not come back for 30 mins. We flagged her down and when she came back to our table she said that the kitchen was closed and we were too late to order. We were shocked. The manager said that the kitchen staff wanted to go home and laughed in our face. We asked if we could just order our food which would have just been steak frites and lobster roll. They said it would take 20 mins and they wanted to go home. They offered us a free dessert but it took them 20 mins to bring it out. It was still frozen! At this point, they could've made us food! It was all so terrible and they didn't care. We do NOT recommend this place at all. We were insulted and we suggest no one come here. They were unapologetically rude. read more

Cool spot at Rio Del Mar with friendly service, indoor/outdoor seating, well made food and cocktails made from booze from their distillery in Santa Cruz. Though it's on the beach there aren't much views unless cars aren't parked, which I'd say is next to never during business hours. Parking can be challenging at times, but the experience was worth it for our group of 6. read more

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Pros: Wait staff is very friendly, cocktails are excellent, ambiance is fun and pleasant, and being near the beach is a huge bonus. Cons: The 3% additional credit card fee is unacceptable--that alone is reason not to return. Venus: do the right thing and absorb that cost rather than slapping it on your patrons, who are already paying a premium for your offerings. Also, the food is okay but not great. Fish was somewhat bland, fries were unremarkable, salad was not nearly what one would expect from a higher-end restaurant, and the croutons were strangely hard and sort of stale. read more

Lexi, the bartender, was great. My wife and I only had a quick glass and Brussel Sprouts (which were nice), but it was really enjoyable. Cool bar, comfortable, and very engaging staff. We will for sure come back! read more

Disappointing Food Quality, Only Saving Grace is the Location! I wanted to love this place given its prime location, but the food quality was highly disappointing.If you decide to dine here, do yourself a favor and do not order the steak frites. My husband's steak arrived completely burned on the outside, yet very rare and stringy on the inside. The server never even asked how he wanted his steak prepared--though they curiously ask for temperature preferences on burgers. When I brought up the poor quality of the steak frites, the server openly admitted that management uses a cheap cut of meat. Across the board, the food quality is poor. The dishes are standard, uninspiring, and lack flavor or creativity. There is nothing spectacular or unique about the menu to justify the price or the experience. The only reason we came here is that it is the only restaurant conveniently located within walking distance of the beach with nice ocean views. If you want a drink for the view, it might be worth a stop, but plan to eat your actual meal somewhere else. read more

Great and only spot to go to in rio Del Mar. I could eat the lobster roll everyday. And fish and chips are to die for. Frozé Paloma and espresso martini are hitters read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - Frozé Paloma - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

FOOD POISONING!!! We've been here several times and enjoyed the ambiance, service, and food, but their food quality has clearly taken a nose dive. The menu descriptions are deceiving and my husband got food poisoning from the oysters. We rarely get upset over a subpar meal but every dish was borderline insulting and my husband spent the entire night expelling his insides. We're both grateful I narrowly avoided getting sick because I'm pregnant. I obviously avoided the oysters, but had shrimp cocktail which could've been cross contaminated. ---------------------- Oysters: Server didn't know the name of them but just said they were the small ones from Washington. When they arrived they looked huge and...bloated. I made a face, but didn't want to start throwing off the vibe bc I was already annoyed with the other dishes and wasn't the one eating the them. It didn't come with cocktail sauce (wtf) so my husband used mine from my shrimp cocktail - I overloaded it with horseradish so both of us were amusingly distracted with how potent I had made it. We now know the horseradish probably covered up the taste of the spoiled oysters. Dungeness Crab Hush Puppies: presentation was nice, but was literally a fried ball of corn meal that was SO dry. There was NO crab in it. It was served with what looked like whipped butter with flecks of red, that we assumed was the "crab". No flavor whatsoever. Shrimp Cocktail: The color was off. Smelled fine, tasted fine but looked slightly brown. Doesn't come with lemon or horseradish and was charged $1 to add. Grateful I didn't get sick from it and in retrospect should've avoided entirely. Thai Mushroom Soup: Confusingly gross. Was expecting something reminiscent of Tom Yum Kha, but it smelled like Hawaiian Tropic sunblock and tasted like bland cream of mushroom soup. Other than the overpoweringly coconut cream (tasted like flavored cream - WHY??), mushroom and the toasted coconut, didn't see any of the ingredients listed on the menu. Just looked like overly cooked chopped onions and celery. Texture was gross too, like mucous. Thai soups are SO common, cheap, abd easy I don't understand how you could f*ck this up so badly. These were all EASY appetizers. Needless to say we won't be coming back. read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - Took the soup home to see if I could spruce it up, but tossed it after my husband's all nighter . - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

It's a jewel nestled in the sand dunes of Aptos beach. With both indoor and outdoor dining options available it is very accommodating. The service was excellent as was the food. Our party of six had a fantastic time dining from the special prefix menu they had that week. read more

Been here a few times as the place is clean and friendly and pleasant, but we were very disappointed today as the service was dismal. We would normally have 2 or 3 drinks each and few apps, but the bartenders were preoccupied, took their time to take our order then didn't ask how we were or offer another drink, so we left after one. When we did leave there weren't any thank yous or good bye's, it wasn't as friendly as usual. read more

Omg waitress prancing around shaking and stroking her long, unsecured hair. Please, for the love of Serve Safe University, mandate your elegant employees to pull back and/or wrap their long ass hair for your guests! Also pre-batched cocktails taste just like that. We used to enjoy freshly mixed and shaken cocktails when they first opened. read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside Aptos CA Fri 12/27/24 Here we come to the beach! Venus Distillery is on Esplanade! White stucco & modern comforts! Let's go inside! © From the Bittersweet Bistro staple, next stop is Venus Distillery! This terrific location in Rio del Mar is practically on the beach! The sun sparkles, the skies brighten, and the ocean waters invite! VSCK is contemporary Californian mellow space with New American style! High ceilings, open beams, industrial feel, floating metal wrought shelving, glass jars with aromas & smells! Spirits are everywhere, our Californian bourbon! Distilled right here in Santa Cruz! Once again, after taking care of business, after enjoying a few cocktails at the Bittersweet, we situate ourselves at the bar here at VSCK! Handcrafted cocktails that showcase in-house distilled spirits, it's a must! A Venus spirits experience brings your spirits up! Eccellente! BEACH, DON'T KILL MY VIBE Venus gin no. 01, strawberry, lemon, basil Gin + Tonic with Gin No. 01 Gin + Tonic with Gin No. 02 EL LADRÓN MARGARITA: el ladón agave blanco, lime, triple sec, salt rim Venus Martini! Focaccia: Sea Salt, Rosemary, Whipped Butter! Fries: Fresh Herbs, Garlic Aioli, Ketchup! Crispy Brussels Sprouts: Date Jalapeño Cashew Cream, Black Garlic Sauce, Rose Pickled Onions, Nori Sprinkles Customer-focused staff! TYSM! Cocktails & Dreams! Succulento! è molto saporito! *Hangin' out, hangin' out down by the beach I hear it now, I hear it now sweet melody Neon lights, neon lights illuminating Music on, music on my TV screen Cocktails and dreams give them to me! [ Review #818 w 13 pics Jan 22, 2025 ] @Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside Aptos CA Fri 12/27/24 read more

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NOT KID FRIENDLY. So many families around and yet they violate state law by not having a diaper station in the bathroom. A $110 wall mounted diaper station. I want to like this place, I do. The food was OK, but mid for the price. You're paying extra for the location. We went at a normal time and it was not busy at all, ordered basic dishes and it took over an HOUR for out food to come out. We had to order a second round of appetizers (which should have been on the house) and had to ask about our entrees three times. Then we tried to use the BATHROOM and were told to walk all the way over to the state beach with kids. Excuse me? I've never wanted to dine and dash so badly in my life (and I've never done it) You're making me leave your restaurant and walk way far away over to a disgusting public bathroom with no soap and you think I'm walking all the way back to cover my check? Not next time! WTF. Maybe the kitchen staff also have to use the state beach bathroom and that's why the burger took over an hour. Maybe people got food poisoning recently because the state beach bathroom had no soap or "Employees must wash hands" sign. Nasty AF. Two stars, one for location and one for friendly wait staff. read more

What a fantastic experience! Not only was the staff hard-working, but they were also friendly and gave Great recommendations. High praise to Angie our amazing server and the rest of the hard-working crew. read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - Perfect place to celebrate a birthday - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

Located in Rio Del Mar beach. We had the Thursday special chicken Parmesan with side salad and a glass of wine for $28. It was pretty good. Would have liked a little pasta with it. The hostess could have been nicer. We requested a table outside and when I asked if the heaters were working, she just shrugged and said "I don't know". Luckily the heaters worked. Our server was good though. If we go again, I'd sit inside. Outside, we were looking at the parking lot. read more

Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen - Beachside - Outdoor patio - New American Near Me - Aptos, California

This place is loud. If you want to have a conversation, you should sit outside and bundle up. We had reservations, but no one greeted us when we arrived and it took some time before someone arrived to check us in. The restaurant wasn't crowded, but it was loud. We asked for a quiet table and there were plenty available away from others, but we were seated between two tables full of happy celebrating loud people. They were having a great time and they should. We just couldn't hear ourselves speak and had to start yelling like they did. At one point, we thought maybe we would just text each other from across the table. The menu isn't terribly original. The salmon was lovely and prepared well but did not arrive at the same time as our other food. The buratta and tomato jam appetizer was very greasy. It wasn't what I expected because buratta usually isn't presented this way. I liked the tomato jam, but the whole thing was floating in olive oil and a little offputting. read more

Venus has become one of our go-to spots for a casual dinner that still feels like a treat. Bonus: dogs can join you on the patio! We usually start with Old Fashioneds, and theirs are better than most. We tend to order them with a different bourbon, though, as the house one drinks a little hot for our taste. The menu has a nice selection of comfort foods, and we have enjoyed their oysters, Caesar salad, chips and dip, mac and cheese, and El Ladrón burger. The ambience around the bar is pleasant, and the tables by the windows are particularly nice. When seated in the middle of the dining room, though, it can feel a little exposed, with tables fairly close together. The only small hiccup tends to be the arrival--when we walk up to the host stand, it's sometimes empty or the host is briefly occupied, so the entrance can feel a little awkward. Overall, Venus is a dependable spot for a good meal near the beach, and we're always happy when we end up there. read more

Venus was a perfect place to visit over my weekend beach staycation! Just a few steps away from Rio del mar state beach, and right next to a liquor store, made Venus the perfect place to grab a seaside bite to eat! On the weekends they offer a lunch menu from 12p-3p for pickup. https://order.toasttab.com/online/venus-spirits-cocktails-beachside My boyfriend and I opted to wait for dinner since they had a lobster roll on their dinner menu. Staff was very nice and friendly while inquiring about dinner take out and although i did not stay very long, the inside atmosphere was very warm and lively! They have a very modern interior and a charming outside patio. I had the lobster roll and it was loaded with fresh meat and had a nice lemony kick, plus it came with a salad that actually felt fresh and crisp. My boyfriend got the El Ladron burger and fries, the fries were crispy and yummily seasoned with rosemary, and even though the burger was fairly simple all of the ingredients tasted very high quality! Overall I would definitely recommend this spot to anyone looking to enjoy the beauty of Rio del mar :) Would definitely love to come back to be able to enjoy the inside and try some of their cocktails. read more

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This is a great spot for good food, good drinks, and good service. The lobster risotto is my favorite and the pork belly appetizer is delicious. read more

had a really disappointing experience at Venus Spirits Cocktails & Kitchen yesterday. What was supposed to be a quick dinner on the patio turned into a 1 hour and 45 minute ordeal at a restaurant that didn't even seem very busy. The biggest issue was the service timing. A table next to us arrived about 30 minutes after we did, yet somehow they received their food roughly 20 minutes before ours while we were still waiting. Even getting drinks took forever. It took about 20 minutes just to get a beer, which felt pretty ridiculous. By the end of the meal we had each spent around $70 for one course and two beers, which would be fine if the experience matched the price -- but it didn't. To be clear, this didn't seem like the fault of the servers or waitstaff. They were doing their best. This felt much more like a management or kitchen coordination problem, because the pacing and organization of the service was clearly off. To top it off, the only acknowledgment of the delay was a small wooden token for a free drink on a future visit. Unfortunately, after this experience, I don't think there will be a next time. Really disappointing, especially for a place in such a great location in Rio Del Mar. read more