The food is good, but it a town with so many outstanding options, its lack-luster. The bar lunch menu features sandwiches, burgers, salads, and some interesting appetizers. The food always arrives luke warm since it is prepared at another on-site restaurant (they should use plate covers to keep it hot while transporting it). The cocktails are hit-and miss. During slow times of the year, the mixes and juices are not fresh. Also, although they claim to be open to the public, from the boardwalk, you have to walk all the way around the building and enter from the hotel entrance, walk through the hotel, and then get to the beach-front bar. If you're lucky, someone will leave the rusted side gate ajar and you can slip in that way. However, this continues to be a favorite destination for me simply because you can't beat sitting outside overlooking the beach and ocean. This could be an epic location if they had beach access, a host, and slightly improved food and drink. read more

It was ok. The menu was ok the clam chowder was ok the bartender was ok and the ambiance was ok only because I could hear the ocean. Just ok read more

Aqua Bar - Menu - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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This is my second time staying at the Crowne Plaza hotel, and enjoying their bar. It is a full service bar with an extensive menu from the Moofish Café. The service in the bar has been wonderful each time I've been here and the food is delicious with great selection. We checked in early to our hotel room and had lunch on the patio. Nick was our server and was helpful and attentive. My husband had the fish tacos which he seemed to enjoy and I had the Caprese wrap which was delicious. We came back in the evening as they had live music and the Dodgers on the big screen. Unfortunately I don't remember our servers name that evening, but she was very busy, very nice, and very helpful. We had a hot beverage and a piece their strawberry shortbread pudding dessert, which was amazing and perfect for two to share. The lounge filled up with both hotel, guests and locals, and the guitarist was wonderful and provided beautiful music which many got up to dance to. I highly suggest paying Aqua Bar a visit soon! read more

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This restaurant is located in the Crown Plaza Hotel, on the ground floor. As you can see from the pics, it has great views of the ocean and boardwalk. We monopolized the 2 over-stuffed chairs facing the ocean for wine and munchies. The sea breeze was great and, on this afternoon, there was a good laidback vibe. We shared the cheese quesadilla, see pic. While the quesadilla was fine, the 2 side sauces were good. Both relatively light, yet had ample flavor with very mild heat. While we started our afternoon here, sea breeze and all, other dining and entertainment options are very close. On other days, we would walk the boardwalk or the pier, and end back up here. This ended up being a good hangout spot between activities for us. read more

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Best kept secret in Ventura. Great view. Wonderful food served until 10pm. Friendly servers. read more

Aqua Bar - The spectacular view from inside Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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Located inside the Crowne Plaza. The food does not match the upscale ambiance of the restaurant. Options are limited. I believe they used to have a full mention with entree options - now it's limited to small plates, salads, sandwiches/burgers. The food is fine and is definitely not worth the price - steep upcharge for eating by the ocean. Would not recommend eating here. Drinks were great. Dessert was delicious. If you're looking to wet your whistle or satisfy that sweet tooth (and don't want to leave the hotel), then come here. Otherwise, just walk across the way to Aloha for better food at comparable prices. read more

All around great customer service at the Aqua Bar and hotel. The food was excellent, as were the drinks. The staff was always attentive and pleasant, even when they were most busy. Aqua Bar was a nice comfortable hangout (inside and out.) Would definitely recommend! read more

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I went for happy hour and had a great experience. They validate your parking , happy hour menu has a good variety and great prices. My margarita was decent but my tacos were delicious! The service was actually really fast and the sever was friendly. read more

Aqua Bar - a cocktail with a lime garnish - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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Great place to enjoy ocean front views, sunset and amazing drinks in Ventura. We were staying in the hotel and went to check out the dining scene and decided to start with a drink here. Very reasonably priced, super busy bar. It was probably more busy coz it was Labor Day weekend and they had a live band performance. A huge shout out to the extremely busy bar tenders who are working tirelessly to get the drinks going all night. Michael at the bar has great energy despite being so busy. He greets everyone, remembers your favorite drink and even offered me a taste of 2 wines as I was not sure which one to pick. I highly recommend a visit here while in Ventura. read more

Bar service at the outside patio was so bad my aura turned black (with a hint of yellow because it was a sunny day). Great views. Ok food. TERRIBLE SERVICE!!! We've been there 3 times and service has always been pretty bad even when there are no other customers. read more

Just what we were looking for. The ambiance was great and so were the food & drinks. Cesar salad with blackened chicken was delicious. The service was a bit slow because they were short staffed and busy. They had a band playing so there were quite a few patrons for one bartender and one waitress. They were very accommodating and friendly even though I'm sure they were a bit stressed. Came back second night in a row for drinks and dessert. Justin was very attentive and an excellent server. read more

Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Love this place. Ocean views and great weather make this place a perfect spot to eat, read and enjoy the atmosphere. As for the food, they have a variety of great choices from burgers to wings that will satisfy your hunger needs. The desserts from the apple strudel to chocolate mousse will keep your tastebuds satisfied and controlled. Service was on point as the staff will make sure your needs are met. Parking can be at either the public lots along main or Thompson. read more

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What a lousy experience. We ate here solely because hotel restaurant is closed Sat night. We sat in the bar lounge awaiting someone to come to our table for quite some time. When neither of the two barmen came over, I went up to the bar to place our food order. When I was finished with the first course, they brought our second course. They did not remove the first course plate. It sat on our table throughout our meal. The staff were clearly more interested in chatting with each other and other staff, and the occasional hotel guest or customer that came to the bar. Food was fine. Soup, $8, Salad with chicken, $15. VERY loud music playing at 5pm. Needless to say, I'll go somewhere else on Sunday night, when the hotel restaurant is again closed. read more

Great bar on the first floor of the Crown Plaza right on the beach. Sit outside snd enjoy the weather with some small bites!

bryleigh Jose and Richard are amazing and hilarious! Had such a good time with them we will be back

Good food..Good service. Lots of choices. I had the fish tacos. The tuna salad looks like a better choice for lunch.

Mikey and Richard at this bar have taken care of me since I got here. The patio is amazing. Drinkies kept coming as my waiter and bar tender took care of our party. Small party of 4 but all taken care of our drinkies. Come here and get taken care of. Please make sure you ask for the best of the best. read more

Our server Justin got us our happy hour food and drinks JustIn Time! Great deals and awesome food and good drinks. Lovely indoor and patio seating with views of the beach. The fish tacos, beet hummus and ravioli were all delicious and all happily happy hour priced! They also validate parking. Get there before 6! read more

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Great ocean front spot in downtown Ventura. Great drinks, great pours, friendly staff, and for it being in a hotel, the prices for food and drinks are actually not overinflated. The Cadillac margarita made by Hugo was exceptional. Inside and outside seating. read more

Aqua Bar - Enjoying drinks with a beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Wife and I like to come here. The view is great and so is the food. The New York Steak with Lobster Mac and Cheese is amazing good! Great cut perfectly cooked. Generous pieces of lobster that were very tasty in good Mac n cheese. The cauliflower steak salad is very delicious as well. They pour generous drinks. All in all the price is very reasonable. read more

Came here for some live music and a little bit of food the service was great food was ok then we got a second waitress that was rude service wasn't acceptable after maybe next time it could be a better experience read more

Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Ciaran is amazing! What a hoot that guy is! I haven't enjoyed sitting at a bar that much in a very long time. He made my drink just how I like it, and I even stayed for more drinks than I normally would have. The food was nice and hot, drinks were perfect, and he completed our meal with a nice hot cup of coffee! I'd give 10 stars if I could! read more

We've been here multiple times, it's walking distance from our home. Great food & service every time! This time we went for lunch, had the salmon & chicken sandwich, both were delicious. Large portions, reasonable prices, dog friendly patio, & great beach views. read more

Aqua Bar - Salmon - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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These places make me wish zero stars were an option. We came for a birthday with a big party. The drinks took possibly almost an hour and I never even got my drink as well as another person in our party. When it came to the food it took forever and they gave us the wrong meal then proceeded to tell us we have to pay for that meal because they messed up. I left midway through because I had things to do but everyone had bad things to say. read more

We sat at the bar and waited for the bartender to stop talking to the servers. He then started pouring them drinks to try and waited for them to sample before helping us. I ordered a Margarita and watched him make it. When he went to strain the drink into the glass, he couldn't find the top, so he used his unwashed dirty hand to keep the ice back. I was totally disgusted! I would not recommend this place or Carlos to make any of your drinks read more

One of those places you wished you'd had any other option. We checked in around 7:30 at the same hotel this restaurant is in. There were only about 6 choices on the menu. With two picky teens it really didn't work. We got two orders of their fish and chips, two Shirley temples and two beers and spent $100 including the tip. Don't bother unless you're absolutely desperate. read more

This bar is in the hotel I'm staying at. I read reviews about excellent service and beautiful sunsets by the fire pit. I've been sitting by the fire pit for 45 minutes now, no fire even though last night it was on at 6:00 it's now almost 8 and no service. They've been serving the table across from me, saw me and didn't say anything. I guess I need to go inside and get a drink and ask for the fire. Finally asked me if I wanted anything. I ordered a melon margarita on the rocks no salt. Got it on the rocks no salt but I'm pretty sure melon margaritas are green not orange. Asked for the fire still not on. If they can't or won't turn it on at least tell me why. Omg the guys that just sat down by the fire pit asked to have it turned on. The waitress who served them immediately said oh yes of course I don't know why it's not on. Whatever terrible first impression! read more

Awesome bartender and great service! Sunday also had happy hr all day. I love the drinks and the food! read more

Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Great job Richard our server! Been coming to aqua for a number of years now, off and on! In the past customer service hasn't always been this top notch...Richard and the rest of the crew were working hard to keep the patrons happy! I hope the customer service continues to be at its best read more

I visited the bar twice while staying in the hotel for a week. The first time, I sat in the lounge area for almost 15 min before getting up and walking away. The waitress walked past me three times and didn't stop. They weren't busy. HH in the hotel restaurant and across they way. The second time was a little better, I actually was able to place an order without losing my patience. The ice in the rum & coke was starting to melt before the bottle of wine was opened. Two things I noticed ~ the staff stands around socializing WAY too much and the bartender is also making all of the drinks for the restaurant across the lobby. The best thing about this bar is the view of the ocean. They really should have a set time to light the fire pit instead of being hounded by guests to get it lit. read more

Came here for the first time tonight to get some dessert. The food comes from NOM Tequila Grill so it's definitely good food. I give this place 2 stars because of the service. I don't know if they are understaffed or what but service is extremely slow. We will ask for utensils and not get them for more than 5 minutes so we are unable to eat our food. read more

Aqua Bar - Patio of Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

I was a little hesitant to go to Aqua Bar after reading the poor reviews, but was glad that we ended up stopping by. Despite the complaints about the service, we actually found it great. The bartender and server were both very friendly and attentive. While I just ordered drinks, I liked that they had some local selections, as well as happy hour on the weekends. My friends got a bite to eat, which seemed reasonably priced and they had no complaints about. I also appreciated the fact that they had two different size options for a good portion of the bar food items. The ambiance is nice and the outdoor fire pits are a nice way to watch the sun set or pass the day. read more

This place was a disappointment. The location was awesome, the food was ehh and the service (or lack thereof) was terrible. Came in 15 minutes before the end of happy hour and grabbed a seat outside. The server saw us but never came over to give us a menu after sitting there for a bit. I sent my husband into the bar to get a happy hour menu, which they didn't have, so my husband had to take a picture of the chalkboard with the "drink specials" Still no server, so I sent the husband back inside to place our order and came back with our drinks. I had finished my drink pretty quickly and sat awhile with an empty glass despite the server passing by our table a few times and STILL never came over to our table. We ordered the calamari which was tough but the salsa/sauce made it better. At this point, we had no desire to stay so we got the servers attention as she was passing by again, and asked if we could get our bill and she said no and to go inside and get it from whoever we ordered with... I gave this place two stars because of the location, but everything else wasn't impressive to say the least. Will not be coming back. read more

first time staying at the hotel and the poolside bar option was AWESOME ! carlos the bartender was so great and welcoming. we had no idea there was a bar and so grateful he came over to say hello right away . Gen was our waiter inside the prior night and was also so helpful ! amazing mango margaritas ! view of the beach is beautiful and dogs allowed read more

It was the first time I've ever been to the Aqua Bar and I've lived in Ventura county for years. It was a fantastic experience! I am in the hospitality industry so when I am out customer service is the first thing I notice. I sat at the bar and immediately the bartender, Adam, was beyond helpful. I was indecisive of what I wanted to drink and he was so patient with me, and also recommended a couple of bar favorites (I went with a classic lemon drop). A server near by, Nikla, overheard the conversation and asked if I have ever had a raspberry lemon drop before. It was a great recommendation! Adam clearly knows what he is doing because the drink was exceptional! I highly recommend visiting the Aqua Bar at the Crowne Plaza even if you aren't staying there! The location and the service are great! read more

Great Bar on the Beach. Good for Happy Hour while watching the sunset. Good place to eat lunch on Ventura Beach. Service is slow and bar staff is not overly friendly read more

I only gave this place 1 star because I had to put something in order to post. Ordered 2 mojitos for happy hour. Since there is only one form of alcohol in the drink, AND IT was happy hour we thought we'd get the happy hour price, $6.00. NOPE !! $22.50 for two of the bitterest, weakest drinks ever. Maybe the additional $10.50 was to pay for the bartenders condescending attitude as he went into a long convoluted explanation as to why it was so much. It was so complex I can't even remember all the reasone he gave. Something about muddeling was mentioned. ( I had ONE unmuddled spearmint leaf in my drink) All in all I wouldn't recommend this place to my worst enemy. Beware folks, you might want to ASK if your getting the happy hour price when you order. Bye bye Felicia, and take that rude,flippant, bartender with you !! read more

The happy hour menu was fine but they only had one for the entire bar. Very slow service but we were a big groups read more

Aqua Bar - Happy hour menu - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Lovely spot to look at the ocean, but don't expect to be served drinks or food here. I sat for 50 minutes today right beside someone who had been served food and in full view, and the waiter never checked in to see if I wanted anything. Even folks beside me who tried to go to the bar for service were unable to procure a drink. I left to eat somewhere else. read more

The bartenders Alex and Hugo took care of me very well. Even accommodated my vegetarian restrictions, worked with kitchen was unwilling to but in the end got me to something to eat.The View from the patio is the bonus :) read more

Aqua Bar - Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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