We went back to Bistro 13 for dessert because we wanted a special treat when we went to the beach. Again, Giovanni and his staff exceeded our expectations!! We had a pistachio cheesecake that was orgasmic! It's not like any cheesecake you've ever had. It's from Italy. The tiramisu, of course was fabulous. If you want a special experience and treated like you are the queen, Bistro 13 is your place. It is our favorite place. read more

Bistro 13 - Italian pistachio cheesecake - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

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Nice place but meh. Bread is just sliced bread---very boring. Their eggplant dish ($28) is literally 3 slices of eggplant (not breaded, not seasoned---super boring), then they slab one piece of cheese over the top and melt it and put it on a plate with sauce. The sauce is good, but the dish is ridiculously overpriced---you will be leaving hungry after you eat it. The minestrone soup that came with it was watery and not much pizazz. To get a side salad instead of soup, they upcharge you $--more for a Caesar. Won't be returning. read more

Such a pleasant dining experience. I sat outside with my mom. The waitress was so thorough and delightful. She also made spot on suggestions. Her tastebuds are legitimate from appetizers to dessert. I felt like there was a cheat code. Everything came up roses. I ordered the butternut squash raviolis with the minestrone soup. The pistachio cheesecake is a light and flavorful dessert. Also Jesus came out with the pepper and cheese and answered my question about the great tasting bread. Very friendly guy. It was an easy and nice time. They also have a room on the side with a small bar and some tables. I recommend trying this restaurant. So tasty. read more

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Meeting a friend for dinner. We ate here several times in the past. This time we ate indoors. We had a table in the back. While it was pretty empty, it was very quiet and easy to hear each other talking. Service was excellent throughout. I ordered the seafood pasta special. Frankly, it sounded like the seafood special I had the first time I came and that was excellent. It was described as shrimp, calamari, and salmon in a red sauce. To my surprise, it came out swimming in what looked like a reddish broth rather than a red sauce (see the photo). My friend got the same dish but in a garlic sauce. Her's was also swimming in a broth. The dish was bland to the point of being flavorless (adding salt and Parmesan cheese was of not help). I ended up eating the fish out of the dish and leaving over the rest. Another gripe was they now add a 3% surcharge for using a credit card. I get it - VISA charges them and they pass the cost on to the customer. They should just tell you up front and give you the option of paying cash to avoid the add on costs. So 5 star ambiance and service with 2 star food. Will I come back - yes. But I will ask about the sauce ahead of time to make sure it is a sauce and not a broth. read more

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Wonderful place! Had dinner here at this hidden gem! The food was spectacularly delicious! Everything was very fresh, tasty and served at the perfect temperature! The service was top notch! Never an empty glass and always very friendly and attentive! The ambiance is very cozy and warm. I could see spending all evening there with my lovely wife or friends and family and a nice bottle of wine. Great place that my brother Glen took us to! I hope to be back soon! read more

Bistro 13 - Caprese Salad - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

Had a great date night and dinner at Bistro 13 tonight. Cheyanne was our server and was great. We had the burrata salad, shrimp appetizer and sea bass w risotto- all were excellent. read more

My husband and I went to Bistro 13 for Valentines dinner. The service was amazing. The waitress was very attentive, the busboys were very prompt, and the food, as always was sensational. They had their regular menu rather than a fixed menu for the holiday. And the ladies got a rose . Pretty classy read more

Great food! Great ambience! A local charm with consistent service. Totally recommend.

We came here with a large group of 16 people -- and not only did the restaurant handle our reservation beautifully, but every single one of us left impressed. From start to finish, the service was warm, attentive, and accommodating, which is no small feat with a group our size. The menu had something for everyone -- from fresh pastas and flavorful sauces to perfectly cooked meats and delicious seafood. Every dish that came to the table was beautifully presented and even better tasting. You know a restaurant is doing something right when 16 different meals arrive hot, on time, and every single person is raving about theirs! read more

Came here for lunch with my mother in law. It was a cute little place with indoor and outdoor seating located near the Roxy Theater. They are open for lunch till 2:30. They gave us bread and butter packets to start. The bread was a bit hard. The tap water tasted like dish water, definitely not filtered and had a weird aftertaste. I got Caesar salad with chicken but the chicken was soooo salty which on top of Caesar dressing which is naturally salty from anchovies it was way too much salt for me. I think my biggest issue was all the flies in the restaurant which did not feel sanitary to me. I was constantly swatting away various flies. read more

Terrible food. I'm not sure where all the food reviews are coming from. The chicken was mushy and tasted horribly and the pasta was subpar l. I could've cooked better Italian at home if I boiled some pasta and threw some Alfredo on it. Would never come back. read more

Had the pleasure of visiting the area and dining at Bistro 13. From the fantastic and attentive service to the delicious food we were very pleased! There is a great variety on the menu, standouts included the clam chowder, filet with risotto, and chicken picatta. Management was wonderful and service was prompt, thorough and of course accommodating. They made our late evening celebration dinner for our girls gymnastics team wonderful. Thank you! read more

Go there! You won't be disappointed! Cuisine: 10 Service: 10 Ambience: 10 Not too loud for normal conversations. Wait staff and kitchen staff have been there for years. That speaks volumes. Giovanni Tromba, the owner, is the host all other hosts should emulate. Excellent selection of wine as well. Full bar, honest drinks. If I didn't like Viennese, Chinese, Japanese, Hungarian, and Indonesian food, I'd be there every night. read more

This restaurant is cozy and has large windows that make it feel spacious. Service was friendly although our server did miss a specific request on one entree, and we waited for the correction. The house salad while fresh and had a delicious dressing was only lettuce and carrots -- pretty dull. The pasta carbonara was delicious and the angel hair with Italian sausage was much tastier with the requested (and delayed) sautéed mushrooms. Servings were generously sized. read more

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This is our go-to date place and never disappoints. Food is always exquisite, service is warm and friendly, yet professional. The staff is so welcoming - not uptight like many high-end restaurants. Our family celebrated our son's wedding here, many years ago, so we always have fond memories. read more

Super delicious! The appetizer was a crostini with warm Bree cheese and roasted garlic with a balsamic reduction, yummy! I had the amazing bureta salad for my entree with HUGE amount of bureta cheese, roasted beets, candied walnuts and more. My friend had the eggplant dish and the house salad. He loved it! Wine is affordable and a generous pour. My new fav restaurant in Camarillo. Excellent service too read more

We had a great experience eating here. I ordered the Cappellini Pomodoro which was delicious. My husband had the risotto with chicken, shrimp and sausage which he loved. We each had a Caesar salad and ended up with some tiramisu and an espresso for dessert. Our waiter was very kind and knowledgeable about the menu. This small family owned business is one of our favorite places to eat. Giovianna (the owner) wasn't there this time and we really missed seeing him. This place is a gem. I highly recommend it. Sincerely, Terry S. read more

I was attending a conference and I stayed at the Sonesta right next to this restaurant. This is a classic Italian place. Servers dressed with pride, table clothes, cloth napkins, a wide variety of very Italian pastas and dishes. I tried the chowder and it was decadent. And the bread...wow. I mean, it looks underwhelming but then you realize that this is a humble garlic bread, one that does not need to brag with any fancy anything. I also got the chicken piccata. Again, delish. It's just a lot of food (which is not a bad thing!) It is more expensive than an Olive Garden but the experience and how well the staff seems cared for makes it worth it. read more

Bistro 13 - Pollo Piccata - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

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This was our first time at Bistro 13. We were passing through the area and called our regular Italian place that we have frequented and they would not take a reservation or put our name down until we got there, so we looked for an alternative and found Bistro 13. We everything happens for a reason. We were welcomed with open arms. The service was outstanding. Great recommendations, and always had someone coming by the table to check on us. The restaurant itself is in a shopping center, but don't let that dissuade you from stopping in. The inside is divided from the entry/kitchen side and the main dinning room. We sat near the entry in front of the kitchen and got to see all the action. The food! I had the seared salmon, and it was fantastic! My wife had the eggplant and she said it was the best she ever had, and she has it often. My daughter had the Chicken Picatta. She gave me a taste and it had the perfect balance with the lemon in the picatta sauce. All the dishes were amazing. We found a new Italian restaurant in the area, and were telling all our friends. Until next time, Cheers! read more

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We found this hidden gem when our son was graduating from Cal State Channel Islands. Excellent service! The food was amazing! read more

Bistro 13 - Mushroom Risotto with Filet Mignon - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

Maybe we ordered wrong. We came in on a Sunday. I got the butternut ravioli which was way too rich & needed some acid to cut up that richness. Could barely eat it. Bread was ok. Chicken piccata was a bit rubbery & in a cream sauce instead of a light wine sauce which is how we prefer it. The room was a bit cold feeling. It needs curtains to block out the view of the mini mall. The gal doing water was great. She took care of everything but the service seemed stretched with two big rooms and only a few people working. Food came out very slow. Not sure I'd give it another try. Bummer. read more

Bistro 13 - Butternut ravioli. Too rich for me. - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

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This review is for the waiter only. Everything else was good. First off he didn't bring enough menus for everyone even though we had a reservation. At the minimum you know how many menus to grab based on the reservation. Secondly he failed to take the order of one person in our party. He took everyone else's order and just walked away. When we called him back he nonchalantly/begrudgingly took the last person's order. No apology. No acknowledgement. Very very inattentive and a bit of an attitude. His helper on the other hand was pleasantly the opposite. Courteous, friendly, and attentive. Owner needs to have them swap positions. Food was really good but the waiter ruined the atmosphere. read more

Bistro 13 - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

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Reserved a room for a wedding celebration - 35 guests. Giovanni worked with me to create a menu appropriate for all food preferences and dietary needs. Room was setup perfectly when we arrived. They were willing to use our floral arrangements and added lighting enhancements with table - lighted oil lamps. Food service was impeccable - food delicious - service fabulous. All attendees were very, very pleased with the event. Thanks to Giovanni and his fabulous staff. You executed the dinner celebration perfectly. Much appreciated - bride and groom here from Tokyo, Japan were ecstatic. Many thanks. See you soon. Jill R. read more

I thought this was a very nice Italian restaurant. It's a little more upscale than your average restaurant. I thought the food was quite good and the service very attentive. The dinner entrees come with a choice of soup or salad. My salad was nice, but somewhat on the small side. In all fairness, most other restaurants like this would probably charge separately for the salad. I ordered the pollo piccata which I thought was very tasty. It came with pasta and a side of vegetables. They also offered a number of different daily specials which were introduced by the server. Had the salad been larger, I probably would have given this place a "5 Star" rating. read more

Bistro 13 - Pollo Piccata - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

Small cute place but authentic Italian food. You must try it. The owner is very nice and welcoming. A big shout out to the service, just outstanding. read more

Excellent local Italian restaurant. We were pleased with the superb service and quality of food. The ambience is classy and I can't wait to go back on a hot summer's night and sit out on the patio. There is quite a selection on the menu and I saw many different plates arriving that looked scrumptious. Try to use credit cards or cash as there seemed to be a glitch with the debit cards. read more

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The food was absolutely amazing per usual. The staff were very intentive, very friendly. Restaurant was very clean overall great experience.

The food and service here is absolutely top class. I can't say enough good things! We go here whenever we're in town. The staff is really attentive and always takes great care of us. read more

The service was nice. I couldn't decide which soup to order and in a panic I told the waiter that no soup for me. He was so thoughtful and presented me a pink clam chowder free on the house to try because the rest of the people at my table all had the same soup. It put a giant smile on my face. read more

One of the best Italian place in Camarillo and the owner it's legit Italian citizen, a very nice gentleman. We had great service beginning with the owner and ending with the busboy . Everyone was so polite and courteous. One of the last business of the past where the waiter/ busboy pull the chair for the guest , then bus the table , clean the crumbs, go around like dancing refilling your drinks and smile... box and pack your leftovers and after you leave they're ready to do it again and again with the same smile. That's great service and you recognize it. Food was so good : we had bruschetta, beets salad with burrata cheese, Halibut then cappuccino and tiramisu for dessert! Maravilioso ! I would like to go back and try other things too! Not many places have a nice ambiance but they do and that's just lovely . read more

We came here with a group of 7. Service was great, we had multiple waiters taking orders and bringing drinks, food, and desserts. Unfortunately, the food wasn't that great. At least not what I had. The bread up front was a bit dry (it appeared old), the risotto was crumbly and not at all creamy, the lady fingers in the tiramisu were partially crunchy. For the price I expect much more attention to detail and quality of preparation. On the other hand, the sorbets were the attraction of the evening. They came inside the fruit they were made of, which was a delight to look at. The chocolate gelato was super rich and flavorful. I think it really depends on what you order here. Maybe the pasta is better, I didn't try it. I might come back and give it another shot, but this time around I was rather disappointed with my food. read more

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Bistro 13 is such a great find in Camarillo that I only wish I had heard about this place sooner. It's a clear favorite amongst the locals as it's usually busy and the night we came was no exception. We dined early with a reservation and were seated right away but about 30 minutes in most of the patio seating was gone. I'd highly recommend making a reservation. Service was friendly and as prompt as they could be given the bigger crowd the night we dined. Despite some wait time, I could see everyone here was hustling around and trying to ensure drinks were filled and orders were promptly taken. Our waiter was very friendly and checked up on us often throughout the meal, while also allowing privacy to converse and eat. It looked like either the manager or the owner was here the night we dined as many customers complimented him on the service and food. You can tell they appreciate your business here. The atmosphere is also just really lovely. Located in the less trafficked area of a shopping center it was quiet and lovely to sit outside on the patio. Nice decor and lighting, but also plenty of seating inside if that's your preference. The meal - we started with wine and decided to dig into some appetizers. We had the Brie toast bites that were out of this world delicious. We agreed it was one of the best dishes we tasted that night and will surely get that appetizer again. My friend got the steak risotto which was fabulous. The risotto was spot on perfection and the filet bites were cooked great. A perfect dish if you're a risotto lover. I opted for the ribeye and sadly it was over cooked. As simple as that. I ordered medium rare and it came out medium well. I should have told my waiter something but then I wouldn't have been able to dine with my friend and that surely would have killed the night waiting for awhile for anew cook on my steak. It's always disappointing when they don't hit the mark on cooking a steak as you asked for it. I will say the flavor was good as were the sides, but a miss on this dish. Maybe safer to stick with pasta next time? I can safely say had my steak been cooked correctly I would gladly have rated this spot 5 stars. But mistakes happen and it was still a lovely meal. I will definitely be back again for some wine, Brie toast, and a pasta this time. You just can't beat the atmosphere here and the friendly service. Always good to support a local business and I'm excited to bring some new friends the next time around. read more

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Been coming to this restaurant for years. Always accommodating for my big family whether it be outside or inside. Service is always on point and the food is delicious. Highly recommended. read more

The food was decent but a bit pricey. The table got a basket of garlic bread which was VERY yummy, and I ordered the lobster ravioli. It was not bad but not the best I've had. Someone on my table got the bolognese lasagna and said the carrots were still crunchy. It was generally a nice ambiance but I wish they would not put news on the TV. I'd like to enjoy dinner without hearing about politics for a little bit. The service was subpar in my opinion. After being seated we had to ask for water and our menus. Otherwise it was a decent experience. read more

Bistro 13 - Lobster Ravioli - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

Family operated and located in a spacious mini strip mall area close to a retirement community. We were visiting friends and since they had just relo'd here, they heard about Bistro 13 and were eager to try it. I made a reservation to dine al fresco on the patio. In fact, I think I would prefer outdoor dining than sitting inside which is a bit dimmer. The table setting on the patio was very pleasant. I ordered the delicious appetizer Brie with sweet roasted garlic on mini Foccacio toasts to share. It was eye trickery as I initially thought it was figs on top but it was indeed garlic. I also ordered the Mushroom Risotto with Filet Mignon and the Chilean Sea Bass special. They seem to specialize in delicious risotto. It's rich, creamy and very flavorful. Since my son is partial to Chicken Parm, the Chef made it for us off the menu which we appreciated. My friend also ordered the Lamb special which was a nice alternative from pasta. All the entrees were presented beautifully. I would definitely recommend this place if you are a local entertaining out of town guests or passing through town. It's a warm place and the food is really outstanding. Service was great too. Plenty of parking. read more

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10 of us for dinner tonight. Everything was excellent. Everyone was happy with their meals. Service was great and friendly. Food came out quickly and hot. Never had to ask for anything. Refills were offered, didn't have to keep asking. Will definitely be back! read more

We tried Bistro 13 for dinner last night. Honestly this is the kind of restaurant I have been looking for in this area for years. It's a little more upscale than you might expect for the area, the interior is crisp and beautiful, the staff is well dressed and friendly, and the food was superb. Perfect for a date night out. I always like to try something familiar my first time at a new restaurant. I had the pollo piccata and a glass of white wine. As everyone else has reported here, it was delicious. My wife had the caprese salad and an aperol spritz. She was quite pleased with both. Both our server and the owner stopped by a few times to make sure everything was right and we had everything we needed. They really got this part right and it makes all the difference. Attentive and aware service, but not overwhelming. Honestly, I am looking to go back and explore their menu a little deeper. There were a lot of dinner menu items that I really want to try. And we shared the tartufo for desert, but they have a number of imported Italian cakes and gelatos that we really need to try. read more

We were driving from Santa Barbara to our hotel, and the front desk recommended we go to this Italian restaurant. I ordered a Chilean bass with risotto lemon sauce, and my husband ordered a ribeye steak. The bread, beer, wine, and entree were delicious. Also, Jorge accommodated us at 8:30 pm. The service was excellent. read more

Bistro 13 - Chilean bass with lemon risotto - Bars Near Me - Camarillo, California

My husband and I hosted a Christmas Party here for the holidays with our family of 30 people. Giovanni made the planning very exciting and eased my nerves and anxiety I had hosting a large dinner party. He was easy to talk to and made great suggestions. He was open to any ideas I had and reassured me that he had my back. When we arrived for the party the staff was so friendly and kind. It was a private party that had dedicated staff to serve us. We had young children attend and even they loved the food and had a great time. Whatever we needed we received so quickly. Our private bar tender was the best part. He stayed late with us and chatted as if he was part of the family. I plan on hosting another private event here when the time comes. The food was top notch, the ambiance was perfect, and the service was excellent! Thank you Giovanni and all the staff at Bistro 13 for a lovely evening. You made my husband and I look good. :) -Michelle read more

Delicious food with warm and professional service. Arguably the best Italian restaurant in Ventura County.