Cafe Zack

Café Zack was such a great experience! Matt, our waiter, was incredibly welcoming and polite. His kind and genuine demeanor instantly made us feel comfortable and right at home. The food? Absolutely delicious — totally worth every cent. And don’t even get me started on the desserts! My fiancé had Zack’s Pie and loved every bite. I went with the crème brûlée cheesecake, and I’m not exaggerating when I say it was the best cheesecake I’ve ever had in my entire life. The flavor was absolute perfection. I highly recommend this place — amazing food, outstanding service, and a warm, inviting atmosphere. We’ll definitely be back!

Let's start with the obvious: you can drive right past this place and not even see it. It is a converted house with minimal signage, and I think that adds to the charm. Reservations highly recommended. Now to the good and bad ... it's worth the visit but it comes at price. I had their crab cake appetizer (superb) and wild boar shank (you'll have to wait 30 minutes for this to cook), a glass of wine and their flourless chocolate cake. It set me back over $100. I WOULD GO AGAIN. Every bite was top notch. I sat indoors, but there is a small nice patio in back. Next time I'm trying their duck.

Had my birthday dinner there and was so glad I choose there. The atmosphere felt more private than most restaurants that pack you in. They have indoor outdoor spaces. We had crab cakes, delish and noticeably homemade. Then rack of lamb and lobster ravioli, yum! Flourless chocolate cake for dessert. Oh, excellent martini and perfect wine as well as cappuccino. The waiter and owner made us feel at home. We’ll definitely be back! ❤️

The food is amazing, the service was fantastic, the patio has heaters so it isn't too cold- all around this is somewhere I'll come back too. It's a little expensive but the food absolutely justifies the price tag, sooo good. They have good shirley temples and their maraschino cherries aren't your average, so good. The lobster with sweet corn was amazing.

Good food, helpful service and a casual atmosphere make Zack a winner. We enjoyed out varied dishes including the pork and pastas. Everything was good, if not outstanding. The service was professional and unstuffy. The restaurant basically has the feel of a converted house. It's cozy. We would return.

Best restaurant in Ventura county. Hector and his staff provide a great dinning experience every time. Their outdoor patio is great along with the best Filet Mignon around.

We had stopped to charge our car, and just happened upon this quaint restaurant. The food was delicious, the service was very friendly and professional, and we highly recommend it.

Cozy, quiet Cafe Zack is a great place for intimate lunches or dinners with a little bit of a European feel. The food was definitely above average, all meals served were visually and tastefully attractive. Wait staff and employees and accommodating and friendly. Good place to eat in Ventura.

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!

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.

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

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.

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

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.

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...

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.

Great service. Absolutely exceptional food, the peppercorn filled mignon was by far the best we've had.

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

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!!!!!!

Been here multiple times and each was wonderful. Staff is very attentive, whether private party or smaller gathering. The food is fabulous, much that I wouldn't even attempt to prepare at home, and I'm a wonderful cook. The event at this cute place is an experience. Worth the money!

This is such a good restaurant. I went here with my gf for a little date night and as soon as we walked in I felt a tad bit under dressed haha. The food is good and the ambiance is very classy. The staff here is very attentive and they were willing to work with us in ensuring that we had an allergy friendly meal. One tip for first timers is to make a reservation as it appears they get booked.

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

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.

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!

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.

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!

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.

Hector our waiter was amazing. Very knowledgeable about the restaurant, great explanation of the menu. The food was very tasty and fresh. The service was really good and we did not feel rushed. Definitely a place to come back to.

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!

Service: Impeccable, attentive server to your needs Ambiance: It's a little small , quaint place but very cute. Very little parking Food: The bread is good, soft in the inside and crunchy outside. Cold though. The Brie I expected was just brie inside the bread with some pecans on top of fresh bread. It would have been great with some strawberry jam or something a bit sweet. The riveted was delicious, cooked just right . A little salty for me but the meat was tender and marvelous.

This place is horrible... I tried telling the waiter to send back my plate but the rack of lamb had no chance. I devoured it. All jokes aside.... This place is the best restaurant in Ventura by far. Their wine selection is always amazing and their food is delicious and beautiful. Great service. Super quaint and also romantic. I give this 5 stars

Conveniently located near an EV charging station, came here during lunch service with my 8 & 9 year old. We were sat in the cute little patio area in the back of the house. This space with string lights hanging and patio heaters, has intimate date night vibes. We all had the recommended specials, my kids had the split pea soup, which they devoured, and I had the mahi-mahi over a bed of greens, mango, papaya, tomato and avocado. The salad was well balanced, fresh, and absolutely delicious. Shared the generous portion with B and he did a little dance as he chewed. Service was above and beyond. Drinks were refilled promptly and our waiter exuded genuine warmth and care. Looking forward to dining here again.

Went here for my husband's birthday and everything was delicious from the appetizers to the dessert! Great service too and nice atmosphere. Great patio outback!

The food, atmosphere and staff is excellent. Cafe Zack is my favorite restaurant in Ventura.

Amazing ribeye, great service, romantic setting. Our go-to place for a nice quiet dinner.

This is a well-known secret spot; how's that for an Oxymoron? It is intimate, romantic, and special. We came for Valentine's Day Dinner. They planned very well for a popular dining out holiday; timed reservations; a prix-fixe 4 course menu, 2 appetizer choices, soup or salad, 4 entrees choices, a chocolate dessert and a glass of champagne; not overpriced but a special occasion price. The food was fabulous. I usually order duck when I eat here. It was not offered so I made do with a perfect medium rare filet mignon with Béarnaise. Hubby had Seabass. We were pleased from start to finish. They have patio seating with super heaters. Hubby got too hot. The whole meal took two hours; this is leisurely, grown up dining. I would leave the kids ( and dogs) at home. Locally owned. Inside dining as well, but I have not done that. Street parking. This was a wonderful date night experience.

Friday night this was a small beautiful location. Very nice to have a small date night. The lighting was just perfect. The food was excellent the salmon was cooked just perfect. This restraint I butter forward but doesn't over do it. The boar dish was excellent. Perfect serving of veggies and protein. The potatoes were soft and tasteful. The afogato is a must have. The coffee was excellent it was bold and flavorful and mixed well with the salted caramel. It was probably the best I've had. It's served to share. The service is great. I noticed how friendly the staff is they make you feel like you are a regular. Definitely coming again

Five star level food and service. Just when you thought Cafe Zack could not get any better they open a full bar!!!! Yay!!!!

We continue to LOVE this restaurant! The owner Hector goes above and beyond and the food is DELICIOUS! I would highly recommend and we do, to all our friends and family! I would give this 10 stars if I could!

The atmosphere employees and food was outstanding The manager and chef cared about us the selection was unique and catered to our individual needs will definitely go again thanks for a great evening

Always a great experience. Great food and service is outstanding! Highly recommend for a night out

Sent an email requesting a reservation letting them know that this would be my wife and I 25th wedding anniversary. Did not get anything in return so made sure to call the day before to set up a reservation and once again let them know that this was our 25th wedding anniversary. In either event, when we arrived, nothing was said to us about our anniversary. Not they were expecting the red carpet, but maybe just a pleasant comment wishing us congratulations would've been nice. When we got here, we do no were seated quickly. We sat in the outside area and while the ambience was nice, the heating lamp was on full blast and it was a good 72° outside so I was getting cooked. The server was kind and attentive and was able to turn it down, but already I was feeling a little uncomfortable. We ordered a bottle of wine, which was nice, and waited for quite a while before we got to place an order for our appetizer. It took a while to show up, and when it did, the crabcakes were burnt. They did not taste like crabcakes. While hesitant, I did let the server know that I did not care for them as my wife and I barely ate half of them. She offered to take them back and offered to bring another set of them, we agreed. The second order wasn't much better than the first. My wife ordered the filet mignon and I ordered the ribeye. While my wife thoroughly enjoyed her meal, I cannot say the same for my ribeye. It was smothered in a sauce, which I knew it was going to be, but yet it was super salty and rich. Normally, I finish a steak that I order in a restaurant, but in this case, I got more than half of it to go. Maybe the dog will enjoy it. I gave this place three stars because it came highly recommended and I felt bad giving it lower but the only saving grace was that my wife enjoyed her meal so maybe in the future we will come back but it would not be my first choice. Maybe another dish on the menu will satisfy.

Bomb bomb bomb. Service is great. Food is better! If your looking for a great meal, high quality and friendly service look no further. This is definitely a hidden gem. Some reviews are negative based on ambiance, but looking past that there's no reason to be upset. All meals can be customized and value is there. I'm so surprised the level of service at a locally-owned, high-quality restaurant. Great for any occasion!

I love local restaurants and enjoy supporting them but what I love more is people not taking advantage! My husband brought his work crew here for going away party and my husband chose this place because he's tried it before, likes their food and seating area so we came here. It was a large group. I really enjoyed their food to say the least. One thing I did not like was the overcharging! I thought that was ridiculous!! we had a very small cake for the going away and they charged us to "cut the cake" to probably 10 pieces $25-$35 when the cake itself was probably $30. I was annoyed about that part but was not able to say anything since we had guests with us. food is good, but I am not a fan of people taking advantage when you've spent close to $800. SO I will take my business elsewhere to another local restaurant!

I loved this place the food and service was fabulous. Ambience is great too. Would most definitely come back.

I'd like to start my review by thanking Matt, our server, who not only made us feel at home but took an extra step to help me. My friend and I had walked out of the restaurant for a block when I heard someone shouting behind me. It was Matt. It happened that my sock, which I thought that I've lost during doing the laundry, dropped out of my jacket and Matt found it. He chased after us for a block to ask if it was mine and returned it. You can't imagine how thankful I was. Matt was already very busy serving the tables (because it was a Saturday night), but he chose to do this favor to me. Thank you Matt! Back to the food - we ordered Tuscany salad and the duck breast, both were very delicious. They offered to separate the dishes into two portions because my friend and I were sharing them. I loved the raspberry sauce paired up with the pear and cheese in the Tuscany salad, the sweet and sour flavor making it extremely fresh. The duck was cooked with perfect temperature so that the meat was at the right tenderness. In sun, great food, fantastic service! I'm glad that I started my Ventura trip by dining here!

Cafe Zack is an absolute GEM in Ventura!! One of our favorite places for date night with an adorable, romantic ambience. Their steak and pasta dishes are cooked to perfection! Their apple dumplings are insane and one of my all-time favorite desserts. And don't get me started on their roasted potatoes; crispy on the outside and completely melt in your mouth! I even called and was able to get the chef on the phone to ask about the recipe! Would love it if they had larger portions of these golden nuggets! Overall, Cafe Zack is truly a 5-star experience, the only thing I would recommend is for them to get a liquor license so they can serve delicious cocktails (although they have a good selection of beer + wine!)

Zack's Cafe Is The Best Restaurant In Ventura A Perfect Dinner & Lunch Menu With A Very Relaxing & Cozy Vibe & A Gorgeous Ambience Too Hector & His Staff Always Take Care Of Myself & My Guests I Been Taking Since Early 2003. Just a incredible family small restaurant with lots of love coming out of that kitchen

We just had lunch at Café Zack and we really enjoyed it. The food, the service the ambience all were lovely. the owner Hector was great and our server Hilda was fantastic.

After many years of great food and great service, something has gone awry at Cafe Zack. The other evening we booked a table for dinner. The service was very slow, the food was just OK, and the decor was showing quite a bit of wear and tear. We won't be going back anytime soon, sadly.

Everything is great about Cafe Zack. Excellent service food, drink. My wife and I eat here every time we're in town and are never let down

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

Delightful restaurant excellent food and desserts. Easy living here. Very attentive waitstaff. I'm going to try after dinner drinks and dessert next visit!

Amazing staff that is attentive and had great recommendations. Started with the caesar salad and the pork chop special. It all was perfection. The balance on the flavors of the salad were beyond. The selection of wine was great and the sauce on that pork chop. This is a place you can sip, savor and relax. The outside patio is perfect for an intimate relaxing night. If you are wanting great service and food this is your place! I wish I had room for dessert and more wine. Then you could just roll me into bed. Can't wait to come back here for what I'm sure will be another epic meal.

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!

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 .

BEST filet mignon I've ever had! Staff is very nice and service is quick! This is by far our favorite restaurant for date night! Highly recommend!