Moqueca Brazilian Restaurant

Such a treat to go here. I've dined here just a handful of times over the past 5 years and it's consistently wonderful. Servers are lovely! This time I ordered two of the traditional cocktails, Caipirinha and they were SO good. This restaurant has gotten more popular - def make a reservation, at least on the weekends.

Amazing at every level. Food is top notch, high quality and staff is top tier. Heart of Palm appetizer with bread is a staple. we tried the steak skewers tonight and they were amazing as well. Dessert menu just showed up so I’m going to stop typing.

One of the best restaurants I've been to in a while. I had the seabass Moqueca. Everyone enjoyed their food. Even the flan was one of the best I've ever had. Service was also excellent. If I lived closer, I'd go back often.

One of the standout aspects of my visit was the exceptional service. The staff was incredibly welcoming, attentive, and knowledgeable. They took the time to explain the menu, offer recommendations, and ensure that every detail of my experience was flawless. I truly appreciate their dedication to providing top-notch hospitality, making me feel like a valued guest rather than just another customer.

What lovely restaurant in the heart of Thousand Oaks. Quite close to the civic center for dinner before an event. Fish soup is their specialty. I was pleasantly surprised at the reasonable prices. Appetizers and main courses (I had the white sea bass) were full of flavor...I kept thinking of the "flavor party" happening in my mouth after every bite. Plenty of close parking, staff was pleasant, helpful & efficient. I give this place two thumbs up and plan to visit again soon. Oh yes, do try the coconut flan for desert...you'll thank me.

Moqueca was the perfect place to celebrate a birthday! The server was enthusiastic and knowledgeable of the dishes and guided us in our selections. The appetizers and main cuisine dishes had an amazing taste profile! We look forward to our next visit and highly recommend!

The food here is very unique. The dishes are well made and very filling. I like the food here. Drinks are just alright.

First time eating here, it was really good. We had the double order of Sea bass (2x) for 5 people. Plenty of food. I loved the sauce that came with it. I will return this was very enjoyable.

My girlfriend from Brazil said it was authentic! Probably one of the best meals I have had in such a long time.

We ordered: Scallops on the shell 5 stars They were so fresh and delicous, perfectly seasoned, and I love the spring greens underneath it drizzled in olive oil. I literally wanted to lick the plate. Steak skewers 5 stars These were amazing. The steak was drizzled with chimichurri sauce with a crumbly nutty, maybe breadcrumbs or grounded down cashews they roasted on top, and the spring greens was on the bottom which I also ate all of it. Highly recommend, definitely order. Sea bass Moquecca 5 stars This was my favorite! This dish was dairy, free and gluten-free and made with the tastiest tomatoes and fish that was cooked perfectly with cilantro as garnish, so balanced, highly recommend 10 out of 10

Brazilian food is rather rare in Southern California. The Wood Spoon was an institution in Downtown Los Àngeles, but with the Chef-owner's heavy work related injury, the restaurant closed. So Moqueca is one of the few representing a cuisine whose country covers most of South America. 1) Coxinha (koh shin ya) is mashed potato in shape of a large tear drop filled with herb braised breast meat chicken covered in fine bread crumbs and fried. Basically, it's a coquette. Malagueta Chile Aïoli (ah ee oh lee) mayonnaise with a purée of pickled red chiles that is creamy, acidic with a red chile pepper smokiness. Nice way to start off a meal. 2) Moqueca (moh keh kah) is an African influenced fish and/or shellfish stew made from a base of tomatoes, onions, garlic, lime, coriander, palm oil and coconut milk. Moqueca seems to be in a neck & neck race with Feijoada to be the national dish of Brasil. Fibrous Bay shrimp, soft overcooked Bay scallops, squid, bits of mushy white fish in a reduced stew. Pile of chopped Cilantro adds that soapy, fresh green herbal aromatic. Sauce is a bit bland. Perhaps more lime, coconut milk, garlic could have upped the flavour profile. Little sauce boat of not too spicy Malagueta Chile in vinegar-oil can be added to add more piquancy & acidity. 3) Mousse de Maracujá (mah rah coo jah): A creamy, rich yet refreshing light pudding of passion fruit captured the musky, tropical scent of passion fruit to a tee. Great way to end the meal on a high note. 1-3) Caipirinha (kah ee pee reen yah): Cachaça (cah shah sah) is distilled from sugar much like Rum and mixed with lime juice for the main flavoring. Food here with the rather underwhelming Moqueca is 3+, but what made Moqueca restaurant 4 stars is the friendly and understanding service. Due to heavy Ventura Frwy traffic, we were running late so I informed José and his partner that time was of the essence since we were going to the nearby Performing Arts Center. They did a great job in getting us out as soon as possible. Muito Obrigado!

Such a great Brazilian restaurant in town with delicious and flavorful seafood and steak. We had the picanha starter, which was wonderfully tender. A little on the salty side, but not enough to complain about. The moqueca bowl was a large enough portion for around 4 people, and included fresh and equally tender seafood. They serve you rice and chili oil on the side if you're into that. We also ordered the flan for dessert, and it was some of the best flan I have ever had. Service was also great. We were one of the last group of people that came in for the night and we didn't feel rushed.

The food here is excellent, best food I've had in Thousand Oaks! Service was attentive too. Would definitely go back here.

Amazing service; we called ahead for a reservation and they were able to accommodate 12 people on a Tuesday night. The ambience was great as well. I've never had Brazilian cuisine aside from steakhouses such as Fogo De Chao, and so I was very excited to try this place. All of us got the moqueca dish (can't go wrong with ordering the dish that the restaurant is named after)! They came out rlly hot and with fresh seafood. The soup was great poured over rice or by itself and the portion size was huge. I had to take the rest for leftover lunch tomorrow. We also got pao de queso (off menu item), plantains, and skewers as appetizers. All absolutely amazing and cooked to perfection. Recommend trying.

Right on Thousand Oaks Blvd in a strip mall, you will find Moqueca,..one of the best restaurants in Thousand Oaks. It has been a few years since we have visited, but the food remains top notch. I started with a classic Caiprinha cocktail. It is no joke and has a lot of alcohol. I recommend the namesake dish...the Moqueca. I ordered the Mahi Mahi -- mixed shellfish version. So yummy. My partner had the Hearts of Palm salad---light, refreshing and delicious. We had the Coxinhas appetizer which were tasty and different. Service was great. The waitstaff help each other and are helpful.

Absolutely loved this place!! Arrived right at opening and to my surprise they have a great happy hour menu! Laura was amazing and spent time explaining the menu to us. I would come back just for her service alone. I'm not a huge fan of fish so I was excited to find out they had a vegan version of the Moqueca and it was delicious!! So comforting and flavorful. Overall I thought this place was fantastic. Just wish I lived closer to come more often!!

Service was friendly and helpful. Really comfortable and welcoming experience. It's great to see food from another region of Brazil. Definitely, we will be back.

It's great Brazilian restaurant in town that has some special weekend dishes that are not available during the week. I had the shrimp and sea bass moqueca for one and it was a very hearty portion of yumminess. Comes with rice and honestly one can load up with rice, is so good. I had a side of collard greens and plantains. Left full and happy. I tried their steak and chicken plates, awesome food. Staff are very friendly and knowledgeable of the menu. Large dining area and easy to hold conversation with your own party. Facilities are clean and plenty of free parking.

I always love LOVE love this place. Tucked away in a small strip mall with ample parking for all. The owner is accommodating, the food is outstanding and the drinks will not disappoint. I typically get the scallops (on the shell...yep on the shell), empanadas and the fish in the tomato sauce. They have hot peppers in oil that is super hot and adds so much to each dish so make sure to ask for it on the side. For dessert try the banana dessert with ice cream...YES do it!!! I would highly recommend this place to anyone.

It had been a few years since I had dined here. Our group enjoyed sharing our dishes. The fried yucca was delicious. We ordered the shrimp moqueca, feijoada, and the sun dried tomato grilled chicken. All were very tasty and good-sized portions. I think the heartiest dish was the feijoada and was probably my favorite of the 3. Service was prompt and friendly. The restaurant was not super busy for a mid week evening, so it was nice to be able to chat with each other, as it was not too noisy.

Wow! This place is a local secret that serves some absolutely delicious morsels. We all know the traditional Brazilian steakhouse way -- with servers carving meat tableside straight from the skewer -- but this restaurant is taking a completely different route. My aunt and I planned to taste a mix of flavors, by sharing several small dishes family- style, yes -- we preferred to miss out on one dish. I highly recommend going out of your comfort zone and trusting your server. However, when we ordered the sea bass speciality dish with coconut milk, I am not a fan of coconut milk but it tasted very mild and was fabulous! I am definitely jonesing to get back there next time my family visits Ventura County.

Can a fabulous dinner at Moqueca Brazilian Resturant for valentines. Reservation was required for this day. The staff was attentive and kind also very hopeful with explaining the menu their signature cocktails. It made the whole experience wonderful. The restaurant has plenty of tables very spacious. The decor was nice really made you feel that you were in a fancy restaurant the food and the cocktails were amazing. I enjoyed the moqueca seafood. The steak that I had was well cooked to perfection and all the cocktails were good. I would recommend this resturant for those who want to change it up. Brazilian food is delicious.

Truly a gem in the suburbs, Moqueca stands out as a rare find for unique regional foods in this area. All the moqueca dishes are delicious, but my go-to is the mixed seafood with fish--it's simply divine. This is not your usual Brazilian meat dishes that Americans are familiar with, making it a refreshing and exciting culinary experience. The appetizers are equally impressive, with standout options like the meat skewers, empanadas, and scallops on shells. Also, you absolutely must try the caipirinha. It's delicious and very strong, perfectly setting the tone for a delightful meal. There's always a fun crowd at Moqueca, some of whom I assume are of Brazilian origin, adding to the vibrant atmosphere. I've even been there when they were showing a Brazil football game, which made for an even more engaging experience. And let's not forget Rodrigo, who is wonderful. I believe I first met him when he opened in Oxnard, and it's always a pleasure to see him.

We went to this restaurant to celebrate my sons 21 birthday. We have eaten at the same restaurant in Port Hueneme and the food was good. This location the pricing was higher and the menu seemed to be more limited on offerings. We ordered two soups for two for the four of us. The soup was OK and it was salty. With drinks and meals our bill was $160. We would not patronage this location again.

This is easily my favorite spot for Brazilian food. They specialize in seafood cuisine, and the Moqueca is a must when you come here. I always start with a caipirinha - cachaca muddled with fresh limes and sugar. I've never had it better any place else, and I love that the owners frequently bring in new cachacas to try. Highly recommend. I had the Mariscada Moqueca, which is a mix of seafood including lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and sea bass swimming in the most amazing soup. I love coming here on a cold day, and it's plenty for leftovers the next day! Service is great. Huge shoutout to Laura and Jose who always make you feel like you're dining with family! Ambiance is good for date night or even a family dinner. I look forward to my next meal here!!

Planning for dinner on the weekend? Definitely make a reservation! We had a reservation at 1830..but since we were both starving, we got there an hour earlier. Got seated and about 15 mins, the restaurant was packed & people waiting. Since it was our first time, we ordered the recommendation. Everything was good and flavorful. But it all changed when I put the chili oil on.. maybe I put too much. It wasn't spicy but i feel like it masked all the other flavors.. Got a cashew fruit cocktail, tasted like limonade. Refreshing. Recommended Capa Santa Gratinada: it's a chance of luck - we didn't get lucky, a couple small scallops.. but the flavor was perfect. Coxinhas: chicken filled (almost mistaken as crab meat), tastes great its own- the malagueta sauce is a bit odd for me (color reminds me of cesar dressing). Lobster Moqueca (individual): tender perfectly cooked lobster- stew had a lot of tomatoes.. so much so much tomatoes.. try this with rice without the chili oil - Pudim de Caramelo: this flan is extremely dense but so smooth and delicious (get dessert first) Pave De Bombom: dessert in a cup, texture reminds me of tiramisu-layers of chocolate candy and milk flan and chantilly cream (would lick it but kind of hard)

Solo comí carne 3 veces pues tardan mucho en volver a pasar a demás de que reserve la promoción de $49 por tiempo limitado, y salimos pagando precio regular, no había mucha variedad en el bar de ensaladas, creo que este lugar está sobre valorado. La atención de los meseros es genial, pero no diría lo mismo de la comida.

The place has nice interior even though it looks like it's in a strip mall. The food was not what I expected. The menu was talked about as if it was good but it most of the dishes were missing any flavor that would indicate as such. The famous moqueca bowl was bland and here's what they did - they made a big stew that was missing flavor entirely and add your protein to the boiling mix, so if you get seabass or anything seafood, it's cooked beyond the point of rubber. You get wads of rubber in liquid mixed with rice. It's like someone is pulling a prank or something on everyone. And they charge you like they know what they are doing in the kitchen. How hard is it to folow a recipe and cook a stew? Clearly it's a challenge for this crew.

A great place to have some fresh seafood dinner. I have always ordered their shrimp and seabass combination. Their fried plantains and yuccas are always on point too!

Nice service from our server. The environment was very chill and vibey. Got there around 5pm and there was no wait. We got two appetizers and the sea bass and shrimp moqueca. It's one of their specialty dishes, which is nice to try but I'm not sure if I would get it again since it was about $70 for two of us.

This was fabulous, FABULOUS. Had the sea bass Moqueca bc they were out of mahi mahi. A little pricey at $36 but oh man was it good! The aroma of wine and herbs, and the soft, flaky and moist texture of the fish. It was like comfort food at its best. They serve it in these clay pots with seasoned white rice. A real gem esp considering it's directly across the street from my condo off Maegan place. I just love this neighborhood for restaurants like this one. I'm feeling lucky! If you want authentic homemade, then this is your place. You almost don't want to leave because the food they serve with the wine and herbs smells so effing good!

Loved everything about it. Food. Service, ambience and easy parking.*******************

I've eaten here a couple of times and every time, I wonder why I don't go more often. There are so many delicious appetizers and entrees on their menu, so many delicious things to try!!! The stroganoff and steak have been my favorites, but the moquecas are amazing as well. I love the steak skewer and empanadas appetizers, too. The service is great and it feels welcoming and warm inside the restaurant. A great date night or girls' dinner spot!

Great meal here. They had a ribeye as the special which tasted great with the sauces. Also the sea bass Mosquera was good. A lot of food for one person. The plantains were a taste side slight I do like mine a little sweeter and moister usually. The dining room was the right size and set up well for a pleasant evening with unique decor. The service was very attentive. Would recommend for anyone.

The food here is so good. No where has anything like this. The Moquecas are amazing and every appetizer we have tried has been delicious. They also have a great kids menu for our kids. The service is friendly and attentive. The only drawback is the atmosphere leans more toward an older crowd. It would be great if they had a night with music or a something to bring in a younger crowd. Still, if you're looking for a delicious meal in a relaxed setting, this is a solid choice!

Wonderful food, excellent service. We really loved the Tortinha De Palmita appetizer, the Sea Bass Moqueca, and the fried plantains dessert. Our waiter was thoughtful and efficient, and we really appreciated his explanations of the menu. It was a delightful meal - we will be back!

Best food, service, ambiance in town! My #1 go to restaurant. Family owned, caiparina drinks are delicious, large variety of flavorful Brazilian ood; my fav is seafood Moqueka, plantains, salad + rice. Sandy

Brazilian steaks are supposed to be tender but the steak we had here was the hardest steak we have ever had.We complained and nothing was done. This place came highly recommended but not sure what others ordered but nothing we ordered met the grade.

Wonderful food and service. It is one of our must hits when traveling south to LA. The Chilean Sea Bass Moqueca soup is amazing.

All of these years later I came back to say that I have not yet been disappointed. The food is still amazing, the service is fantastic, and the ambiance couldn't be any better. Unlike many restaurants that fade away after a strong start, Moqueca has only gotten better!

I think the flavors of this restaurant were good but the food was way too salty. I went with a group and we all agreed it was too salty.

Where do I start?! This place has been a favorite of mine since my now husband took me here on our first date back in 2016. The atmosphere is welcoming to either casual dress or fancy dressing. The food is amazing! I haven't had a bad dish from them. From the salad to the moquecas, they make food very well. In my opinion, there are only two downsides. 1. They aren't open for lunch anymore since stupid covid. 2. The takeout on the delivery apps can be disappointing. Otherwise, the food in the restaurant seems authentic (since I've never been to Brazil). The food has great flavor and is seasoned to perfection. Our favorite dishes are the Moqueca and the stroganoff (either rice or noodles) can't go wrong. The eggplant topanod (probably misspelling) is delicious. I also get the crab or lobster mixture to put on the bread. The staff are friendly and welcoming. All-in-all, go to this place and eat some deliciously unique food.

Delicious!!! One of the best meal I ever had for 2023. We made reservations three hours before and got a table. When we got in, our mouth started watering. The aroma was indescribably amazing. We were greeted warmly and sat right away. The place was packed. Glad I made reservations because we were starving. A friend of mine recommended this place and he just became a great friend. Obviously we ordered one of their main dishes. The Moqueca. We ordered the fish (sea bass) and shrimp moqueca but first the beef empanadas came along. We love the crispy light texture and inside is packed of well seasoned ground beef. I ordered the roasted chicken breast. By far it's the most tender juiciest chicken breast I ever had. My knife cut through with little effort. Smokey and lots of flavor. Back to the moqueca, the broth was heavenly. I immediately drenched my rice with it. The shrimp was sweet and fresh and the sea bass just melted in my mouth. Wow! Mind blown! If you read this far then stop what you're doing and pay a visit and get ready for an experience of a lifetime. I could easily say the people who works there love what they do. Five star service! So much love goes in to one plate. Way to go Chef!! Can't wait to try them all!

We chose this fabulous place, found on Yelp, because it was close to gardens of the world. It certainly did not disappoint from the minute we walked in. Not busy at lunchtime, so no reservation needed thank goodness. But we were greeted with smiles and treated like family. The menu was explained to us, and we were not disappointed with any choices we made. The empanadas were the best I've ever had and for our entree we shared a shrimp moqueca (their signature dish). Perfect portions for lunch and again the service was outstanding. We can't wait to return.

Good food but not amazing or even all that noteworthy. Tried the empanadas and the combination moqueca. Both were lacking flavor and quite expensive. There were other things on the menu that looked good and might have been better but we had to try their namesake dish. The ambiance was fine but not as nice as this place seems to think or one would expect. I found the chairs to be rather uncomfortable. The service was very good. We were well taken care of despite the lackluster flavors and disappointing ambiance. Cost for two (2) adults, no drinks, no dessert, with tip: $170.02 Yikes. I can think of far better places to spend your money for a nice meal out.

If you have a hankering for an authentic caipirinha cocktail, this is your place! The original is excellent and reminds me of what I enjoyed in São Paulo. The moquequinha clay pot with rice and shrimp or with sea bass was excellent with flavorful sauce topped with cilantro. The picanha grelhada (grilled skirt steak) needs some improvement. It was a bit dry and the chimichuri sauce was too thick and not very flavorful. Great service, ambience and bar.

Moqueca is a real gem in Thousand Oaks. This Brazilian restaurant has very friendly staff, very flavorful food, and a warm, homey atmosphere. We started our meal with the Espetinho de Picanha. These skewers were very tender and flavorful; a little more seasoned than I'm used to, but it wasn't overly-seasoned. My wife and I ordered separate Moquecas (one Sea Bass, and one Mahi & Seafood Mix). Both had such a wonderful depth of flavor and the fish was flakey and the seafood was tender. The portions were enough that we could have shared a single Moqueca. The Banana Frita was also perfectly prepared and was a good finish to the meal (even though it's listed as an appetizer).

The food was great, we had the sea bass and Garlic Shrimp appetizer! The drinks are fantastic also! and the service was excellent, we will definitely be coming back!

Omg this was such a hidden gem for us! We came here after out shopping trip at the Camarillo outlet mall looking for a place to eat dinner and celebrate my husband's birthday with my parents and it did not disappoint. The food was delicious and unique! We love their specialty moqueca! And the steak we got was also cooked to perfection at medium rare. Would definitely come back and visit if we have a chance to visit thousands oaks again.!

Went to Moqueca and was greeted by the friendliest host who provided excellent customer service, and gave us wonderful recommendations, starting the evening off on a memorable note. We enjoyed their succulent shrimp and flavorful Picanha appetizer. The freshly made Brazilian cheese bread isn't on the menu but certainly worth ordering and waiting for. It takes about 30-40 minutes to make and is a warm, cheesy pillowy delight that I highly recommend getting. From the grill to the table, the authenticity of the Brazilian cuisine is undeniable, making this spot a must-visit for anyone craving flavor, a relaxing ambience, and excellent service.

Definitely recommend. The food and service was amazing. We had the Lobster and Shrimp Moqueca and Picanha. It was delicious.

The shrimp moqueca soup was amazing probably the best thing there. Also the scallops entrée was delicious as well.

Brazilian yes please. The food was to die for. Unexpectedly came into this joint and left happy. Seafood was tasty. Service was great. The staff made us feel welcome and were on top of everything. In a strip mall but felt the Brazilian vibes for sure.

First time having Brazilian and feel so lucky that I was able to try Moqueca...at Moqueca! It's an AMAZING dish. We also had their Feijoada. Both dishes were an absolute culinary delight! The wait staff were extremely friendly, explained all of the dishes and were very attentive during our time there. I wish I lived closer, I'd got there on repeat!

The most amazing Brazilian food! They made fresh Brazilian cheese balls that came out hot and fresh. Everything was delicious and fresh. Will definitely come again

I rode in on the late train having just tried this spot for the first time, despite having it bookmarked on Yelp for literal YEARS. Maybe it was for the best because now I'm addicted. Moqueca is amazing Brazilian food with two locations in the 805. My girlfriends and I tried this spoke for a weekend lunch. We came around opening and were surprised as it wasn't really busy. My guess is it's more of an evening spot. It was nice though as there were only a couple of tables filled so we had the place almost to ourself and the service was on point. Our waiter was super lovely and helpful as we asked questions about the menu and he also helped ensure that we didn't over or under order. We were checked up on throughout the meal and the other wait staff were all friendly and gracious. The complimentary bread with chili oil and eggplant paste were fantastic. For appetizers we did beef empanadas and fried calamari. I'm not normally the biggest empanada fan but I can say they were really yummy here and served with a nice sauce. The calamari were 10/10 - crispy and large portion. Easily a fan favorite at the table. We ordered the large shrimp moqueca and it came with white rice. This dish was easily enough for three people and we even had to leave some behind as it was so filling. All of us were impressed with the amount of shrimp in the dish, they don't skimp at all! A really good value and the flavors were out of this world. So comforting and just the right amount of heat/spice. Such a fun unique dish we all loved it. Also the classic Brazilian cocktails sealed the deal for me. Such a great menu here for food and drinks, this spot is perfect for a meal out with friends or a romantic date night. The price point was appropriate for the amount of food we got and again, the value for seafood was pretty stellar. Basically splitting it three ways it was about $50 a person, which included a cocktail, two appetizers, and a main entree. You really can't beat it for A+ food and a nice dining experience throughout. I will definitely be back and don't be like me, taking forever to try this spot. It's worth the adventure!

This is the best Brazilian clay pot dish ever with tantalizing seafood (octopus, clams, mussels, calamari, shrimp) and white rice so sizzling hot. Broth has the best flavor! Fried plantain were delish.