Great find in Ventura! Asian food has certainly come a looooong way since I was a kid!…read more Was needing a quick bite before swim finals. First, the gal who took our order was super friendly and helpful. The food was really good. Reminded me of We had the original chicken wings, japchae, kimbap, bulgogi bowl and the yuzu and grape ades. All of the dishes were wonderful. Chicken was nice and crispy --good flavor throughout and not greasy at all! The japchae had a great balance of flavors and the shiitake mushrooms, in particular, had really great flavor--must have been marinated for a long time to soak up all the juices! The kimbap was delicious! It was fresh and the pickle in it (Japanese call it takuan, idk what its name in Korean is) was super mild. It didn't overpower the other ingredients. The bulgogi was a solid dish. It had also the glass noodles on one side and plenty of meat and veggies. A good, well-rounded dish. We will come back for bing soo after the kid finishes finals, if it isn't too late! A local regular enthusiastically suggested we try it, so we will be back. The drinks were really delicious as well. Not too sweet and refreshing taste--I think each one is handmade individually. Overall, I highly recommend this place. It has all of the taste of real Korean home cooking at a good price point. You can get quality dishes in a casual in-and-out setting. We will be back for sure!

I recently tried Matna, and overall the experience was just okay. The food wasn't bad, but the…read moreprices felt way too high for what you get. I ordered the bibimbap and some wings. The bibimbap was very standard -- nothing special or memorable about it. It tasted like a typical Korean bibimbap you can get at many other places, but here it was priced at $12.75, while I've seen similar dishes at other restaurants for under $8. The wings were the same story. A small portion of five wings costs $12.99, and while they tasted fine, they were just ordinary Korean fried wings. Nothing about them really stood out to justify the price. Overall, the food is decent, but there's nothing unique or special that makes the higher prices make sense. In my opinion, the only thing that stands out about this restaurant is that it's overpriced for what it offers.

Good service friendly lady she was happy. The happiest lady in Oxnard…read more Good Chile burger Good tender brisket Kool-aide was a little weak

BBQ Worth Fighting Over at Smokin Jay's BBQ & Coffee from Potheads Coffee…read more My wife and I recently stopped by Smokin Jay's BBQ and paired it with a visit to Potheads Coffee, and it turned into one of those meals you end up talking about long after you leave. From the first bite, it was clear this spot takes their BBQ seriously. Entrées: We started by ordering a brisket plate, which came with about 1/4 lb of brisket, roughly six solid pieces, along with macaroni salad and baked beans. Our original plan was to share, but that quickly changed after the first few bites. The brisket was tender, flavorful, and cooked just right with that perfect balance of smoke and juiciness. It didn't take long before we realized sharing wasn't going to cut it. So my wife went back up and ordered a brisket sando with fries, and it absolutely delivered. The sandwich came loaded with brisket, pickles, slaw, and sauce, all working together perfectly. The fries were a great side, crispy and a solid pairing with the sandwich. Sides: The macaroni salad and baked beans that came with the plate were both on point. The mac salad was creamy and complemented the richness of the brisket, while the baked beans added that sweet and savory depth you want with BBQ. Sandwich Details: The sando really stood out, especially with the addition of the slaw. My wife usually isn't a fan of coleslaw, but this one changed things a bit. It wasn't overpowering and added a nice crunch and balance to the sandwich, tying everything together without taking away from the brisket. Drinks and Service: Grabbing coffee from Potheads Coffee alongside the meal was the perfect move. What really stood out, though, was the service. Jay, the owner, was walking around checking in on customers and genuinely engaging with everyone. He even helped my wife decide on a coffee based on what she usually orders at Starbucks, which was a great personal touch. He later stopped by our table, chatted with us for a bit, and made the whole experience feel welcoming and personal. Ambience: The atmosphere strikes a great balance between laid back and lively. It has that casual, welcoming BBQ spot feel where you can relax, enjoy your food, and not feel rushed. Pairing it with Potheads Coffee adds to the experience, making it feel like more than just a meal but a spot you can hang out and enjoy. Overall: Smokin Jay's BBQ is hands down the best BBQ spot I've had in Ventura County so far. Between the quality brisket, well put together sides, standout sandwiches, and the personal touch from the owner, it's an easy recommendation. Pair it with Potheads Coffee, and you've got yourself a top tier Ventura food stop that's definitely worth coming back to.

Not bad, place was nearly empty at lunchtime on a Wednesday. The person who took my order was…read morekind and helpful after I explained it was my first time in. She asked how hot I liked my chicken and having never been I asked if she'd ever been to Dave's hot chicken so I could judge spice levels. She said she had not but recommended one hot and one medium (I ordered the two slider meal). Good was served promptly and nice and hot having just been made, I couldn't tell which was the hot and which was the medium as I couldn't tell by looks. The first bite was okay, spice level was more on the mild side for me, slaw on the first sandwich tasted like they bought it at the grocery store and the bun was just so-so. Good overall. The second sandwich tasted exactly the same and I could tell no difference in the spice level. Now for the chicken, it was crispy which I like but the quality of meat just wasn't as good as others I've had, certainly not chicken breast but maybe more chicken nugget type meat. The fries however were outstanding, lots of spice, fresh, crispy and hot out of the fryer. I happened to be down in Ventura for a meeting and thought I'd try this place, in the future I think I will stick with Dave's for the meat quality and overall better sandwich quality. I wish they had a 3.5 star because I would've clicked on that.

Ventura "ANGRY CHIKZ"…read more 7 minutes wait to give order. I was first in line at counter. I finally asked server with her back to me all that time while she was talking with kitchen re orders, is there someone available to take orders? She SPUN AROUND AND SAID "They are figuring out who gets what order"! I'm outta here.

This is the best place ever! the food was incredibly delicious and the service was just as great if…read morenot better! I came a little short on a 3 finger combo and the guy taking my order payed for me. I was extremely grateful for that guy and will 100% consider coming back here, 100% recommend for food and service!

We started our visit to The Collection with lunch. There are several restaurants nicely spaced…read moreapart, but I suggested we check out The Annex for more options. The husband's mind was made up as soon as we walked in to see the large chicken statue in front of the glowing red storefront of Gordo's Hot Chicken. We looked at all the other food offerings, only to end up back at Gordo's. Ordering was very easy on one of the two kiosks. The team members are also quick to help or answer questions at the register. Our food came out fast! The Sandwich Combo (Regular/Hot) with fries and Mac & Cheese, no slaw for the husband. Gordo Fries Combo (Spicy) for me. We found it all fresh and delicious. The option for two sides (included) is great. We found the chicken moist and tender -- the heat levels were perfect. The Mac & Cheese was a favorite. It was one of the husband's sides and generously piled on my Gordo Fries. There's plenty of clean tables and seating inside The Annex. Orders are packed to-go so you can also enjoy it outside at the park or community areas.

I had never tried Raising Cane's I don't love love chicken, I am more of a steak gal but I liked…read moreit. The chicken was good. I don't like sauces on chicken but my sisters love the sauce RC offers. Also not the biggest fan of crinkle fries. Service was quick. RC is always busy and when I stopped in, it was no exception.

I don't get the hype. The sauce is the only heavy hitter. I'm glad I tried. I can now put it behind…read moreme.

A friend recommended this to try the roasted chicken and Tri Tip. As simple as it can get but the…read moreflavors are so wonderful. On their sign pollo and Tri tip are their specialty and That's what we ordered. The combo plate cakes with baked beans and tortillas. 1/4 chicken white or dark meat and 4-5 pieces of Tri tip. Beef was tendered and chicken was moist and flavorful. Ordered at the counter and they will bring it out to your table. Cheese cake and flan are good as well. It was very affordable. Check this place out when you're in this area.

I was there yesterday and mi wife pick it up and it was good and on time definitely come back again…read moreand recommended to others

The food was amazing! I had the shrimp Po'Boy and my daughter had the 2pc Fried Chicken (Leg &…read moreWing) with macaroni and cheese and corn bread. The service was fantastic, was a husband, wife and daughter operation and they were down right hospitable. The ambience was average but they did have an area for live music, which they said they have on the weekends! A must try and I will definitely be back to try some gator and gumbo!!

I ordered the gumbo. It's a complete different type of gumbo that I'm used too. This one is more…read moresoupy. Watery and honestly, I didn't even know if I like it or not. It has some meat, sausages and crab legs, some shredded chicken meat mixed with the rice and the soup. No okra, No beans, not spicy at all. Grayish watery gumbo. On the side, I was given like a tapatio kind of spicy sauce. The other one that I got is shrimp creole. NOW.... This is yummy. More like the gumbo that I frequent. Thick stew, shrimp, perfect spice. Love this!. Staff are super kind and friendly. Extra star for them. I'm coming back for more Shrimp creole!!

Came here late at night around 1030 PM. First time ever. Read about how this is one of the old…read morebuildings in Downton Oxnard, so decided to check it out since it was the only place open at that time. Very friendly waitress greeted us upon entrance upstairs. We ordered to go as we had our little one with us. Food came quickly while only one other customer was present. We ordered Honey Walnut Shrimp, egg drop soup, and the shrimp corn dumplings. We liked the soup the best. Will have to return earlier in the day to and give it another chance.

Overall 3.5 - is that the rule for good Chinese?Once Golden Chicken Inn NOW New Chicken .. still…read moreoldest restaurant in Ventura County in downtown Oxnard. New owners. Authentic Chinese food, Beijing pies, dumplings and more ! It's an old building ... est since 1929 I believe. So old decor , nothing fancy and there are stairs to climb. We had red Mongolian Beef and General tso. Mongolian beef had a lot of veggies but beef was tender. Tso was crunchy. The restaurant was pretty empty . I think a lot of people grab to go because we were the only guests for the longest. The chef came out and didn't speak much English but was so excited to let us know he was happy to cook for us. Free soda if you pay with cash. We had cash and our dishes were about $16 . We left tip. Parking can be difficult.

Went in today after a long day of work hungry Got my food…read moreand went home Got home opened my box and realized I was given the wrong order in the correct bag (number). I was upset naturally as I had to drive all the way back. When I went it in Jacob helped me and took accountability for the order being wrong. I appreciate his customer service skills but do wish I was compensated for my time the food was a little cold and at least a free drink would've been nice. Once again thank you to jacob for making the situation easier for me l appreciate it!

Updating to add few pics. Today I went after the lunch rush, and the young man running the register…read morewas friendly and delivered great customer service! The ambiance is definitely industrial cool, but the graffiti artwork really is unique and very LA vibes!

There's nothing like an evening filled with hanging with friends surrounded by a pile of meat…read more Which is exactly how my Sunday evening was spent hanging out at Gen! Arrived around 7pm on a Sunday and were super silly and didn't put in a reservation beforehand, so we had to wait about 30-40 minutes before securing a table (pro tip: GET A RESERVATION! Sunday night is family night, so it will be tough just being able to simply walk in without a wait). After a beer at another location, we got the glorious text from Gen saying our table was ready, so we scrambled to get back ~30minutes later. We were seated and were met with Arvin, our incredible server. Since we all have been there, he didnt have to go through the rigamarole of telling us how to our nght would go, so we got to orderin! First off, the menu is HUUUUUUUUGE. There are so many options to choose from and we got so many things. My personal favorites were: Kimchi fried rice w/ Cheese - so flavorful with a little bit of kick (i love the spicy) Corn Cheese - because of course Spicy Pork bulgolgi - Again Spicy Honey spicy bulgolgi - This surprised me at how much i liked this. So good They even serve my favorite sake here (Kikusui) which was excellent! Great night over at Gen! Arvin, our server was amaxing, gave us lots of recommendations and treated us really well. This was a bit of a going away dinner for myself, but I know that there are tons of other locations of Gen! If I don't catch this particular location again soon, im sure ill be at another up north!

I have been coming to this Gen location ever since it opened, so there's definitely some nostalgia…read moretied to this place. On a busy Saturday evening, expect the usual 45-60 minute wait. We ordered from the regular menu. The brisket seemed leaner than I remember and didn't taste as high quality as it used to. The pork belly was cut way too thick, I prefer thinner slices so you can get a better char and crisp texture. The galbi marinade also felt a little off this time, slightly too sweet and missing that smoky charred flavor. That said, the service was above average and surprisingly quick despite how busy it was. Honestly, one of the main reasons I still come here is because there aren't many KBBQ options in Ventura County unless you're willing to drive out farther.