We had one of the coolest servers we've ever met at Café Fiore -- Evan! He was super easy to talk to, had great energy, and made our experience truly enjoyable. His friendly vibe and great service really stood out. We're definitely looking forward to coming back! read more

Cafe Fiore - The Lasagna Con Ragu Di Carne aka The Star of the show! - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

Had not been here in awhile and wanted to check them out again. I had the FETTUCCINE AL FILETTO and it was ok. Not blown away. It was missing flavor for me. The house salad was good. My friend really enjoyed her meal. Service was good. This restaurant feels like walking into someone's home which is cool. It was busy and there was live music on a Wednesday which was cool. I'd perhaps come back and try another dish. People were having a blast dancing so that was great. Overall 3.5 because .. I loved the vibe they created were people can really enjoy themselves. I always appreciate feeling welcomed in downtown Ventura. Lately, I've received really cold bad service in downtown so this place is a breath of fresh :) despite the food not being my favorite. I may have chosen the wrong dish. read more

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This place was fabulous with delicious food and huge portions. The Pasta Integral was a unique dish that I just loved. All the ingredients worked so well together and it was healthy on top of it with the whole wheat pasta. We'll definitely be back when I'm town! read more

Everything we ordered had WAY too much salt. I'm heavy handed with salt but this place uses too much, even for me. Based on other reviews this is nothing new. Hopefully the owner reads the reviews and cuts the salt by about 2 cups. read more

Haven't had dinner here in years so finally came back for a night with friends. Ambiance is good - super lively, fun for a group of people. But that's where it ends. Cafe Fiore has definitely gone downhill since we were last here. Service is extremely slow in all aspects. When our food finally came to the table, one dish was missing. When it finally came more than 10 minutes later, it was cold as if it had been sitting out the entire time. I ordered the Fettuccine Al Filetto - for $26, definitely would not get this again. Everything about the dish was bland - steak had no seasoning, sauce was flavorless, and the pasta was served luke warm. Overall, not that enjoyable. Drinks were average. Their red sangria was decent. For the price you pay, the quality and flavor or the food was subpar. Don't think I'll be returning unless the food and services goes back to its prior glory. read more

The food here is some of the best Italian food I've tasted. The service is outstanding because each server shows an amazing attention to detail that shows me they care very much about each customer. The inside has a traditional feel with a nice bar in the middle of it all. A wonderful place for special occasions or casual get togethers. Definitely worth a visit! read more

4 of us stopped in for a late lunch! Appetizers were Calamari E Zucchine Fritti Tempura calamari, broccoli, zucchini, & fennel. Mamma Tina's marinara. and Minestrone Soup Dinners we chose 2 Butternut Squash Tortellacci Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce Linguine E Vongole Linguine pasta tossed with Manila clams in a garlic white wine herb sauce Buttermilk Chicken Sandwich Slaw, hot pepper aioli, melted provolone, brioche bun Emma our server was very friendly, efficient & attentive The Dinning room was Uniquely upscale Italian comfortable with wood tables and booths with colorful cushions the bar is very unique. All pastas are handmade a unique trait in today's restaurants. All our meals were delicious and very filling read more

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This is a beautiful spot in a great downtown Ventura location, but the ambience was the only positive thing to note unfortunately. Went here on a Saturday night. Though the place was busy, it was in no way packed. There were plenty of servers and we ended up waiting 30 minutes to order. We had to flag down bussers and runners for most of the night and ended up seeing our waiter only twice. For the food order and the bill. Drinks took forever and so did the food. Unfortunately the food was very lack luster. Bland and not worth the wait or prices. The shining star of the night was the bread which is super yummy and served with a bruschetta type sauce. We requested more bread during the long wait for our food and it was provided. I don't believe I'd return here. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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My sister recommended Cafe Fiore for a family dinner. Highly recommend reservations if you have a big party. If you're having dinner outside, bring a jacket as it can get chilly. Our server was friendly and attentive. We got served bread but on the menu, it stated that refills are $3 per plate so heads up to the bread lovers out there. Here's another tip, if you're a Yelp user, check in and you'll get a free dessert during dinner. Everyone enjoyed what they ordered. My salad didn't get delivered but my server made it right by comping my dessert. Our party had children as well as vegans - there was something for everyone. Cafe Fiore is great for intimate dinners and celebrations. I would come back again! read more

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This is a great restaurant with lots of holiday decorations. They do have holiday drinks but they were out of one of their holiday drinks due to them not having eggnog. They however did not let us know right away only until after the order had been placed. I ordered the seafood pasta and the poinsettia spritz. We did have to wait more than 45 min for our food to come out so that was a bummer because service was slow as well. We were already eating when they offered fresh parmesan as well so it would have better for them to bring it out with the food. I did enjoy my drink but my pasta did seem to be missing some flavor. It was good but it just needed a little more seasoning for flavor. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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Amazing dinner, service and live music. From the host to the server and bartender and even the other customers, we felt welcome. We will be back ! read more

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I've been here a few times in the recent months and every time it has been so delicious. I used to frequent this place when it first opened and always enjoyed the food. It's worth going back if you've been before Oso Boco is amazing. read more

Went there around 7:30 PM on a Friday night, 1/23/26, with two friends. We got very rude service from our server. She didn't greet us kindly, and she has very rude mannerism. When my friend asked her if the restroom was inside, she just nodded her head with an annoyed face and said nothing. She aggressively slammed my friend's cocktail on the table when it came out. We had to wait about 20 minutes for our waters. I had to stop her to ask her for our waters. I did not get her name, but we left no tip. I would not recommend going here. The service was almost enough for me to leave before even trying the food. The server did not even let me finish my review on the card reader POS. I hit thumb down on the service and she rushed me to get the card reader to the next person. As for the food, it's less than average. The only thing we enjoyed was the atmosphere. I have not gotten this bad of service elsewhere ever! read more

My first time at the restaurant and surley not my last. The ambiance walking into the restaurant was beautiful and a great menu from the drinks list to the wine list and the food. I had a HUGE and delicious cesar salad, after the tortellini butternut squash for my main course which was good rich n creamy. The crumbrulee for dessert was a finishing show stopper. Our server Edwin was very kind and attentive. I cannot wait to be back. read more

Cafe Fiore - Crumbrulee, shareable for two guests - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

I had the veal shank. I have eaten a lot of those in my life at a lot of different places. This one was by far the best. We had an excellent server. Heathers on Fire were really good. read more

Amazing food the lasagna was out of this world we were supposed to share and I hogged all of it oh and delicious desserts!!!!! read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

My husband son and I all went to this Jem of a restaurant. We had Cindy as are server . She was excellent, sweet kind, and patient with us . Her recommendations for the specials were super good, my ceaser Salad with the shrimp was delicious , my son had the pasta special and my husband had the eggplant . I also loved my mocktail I had two.We were so full but Cindy still asked us if we would love one of there delicious deserts . We just couldn't eat anymore.We were in Ventura visiting my son it was are second time in two days going to Cafe Fiore. The beautiful ambiance and the music and especially having Cindy as are server was a real delight . Thanks Cindy for making are trip and are meal extra special. You made are nite. Robyn and Steve Talian read more

The atmosphere is picturesque and cozy. We ate in the bar area. The food was good, although mine seemed a bit salty. I had the spaghetti and meatballs. The portions were large. The bread and tapenade served when we sat was delicious. I shall go again soon. The reason I did not give it five stars is because the waitress needs a bit more training. After I finished my appetizer, the waitress took the used silverware off my plate and put them on the table. Oh, no, I do not use silverware place directly on tables. I asked for clean silverware for my entree. Also she forgot to not include ice in our drinks after we told her to not put ice in them. read more

Cute place in downtown Ventura! Parking in the area is always challenging but parking structure is right next door on the corner of California Street. The ambience is nice-kind of old school decor that provides that feeling of "there has to be history here". The booth we sat in was not the most comfortable, there isn't a lot of room between you and the table. It's pretty squished. Hard to get in and out. As we were leaving, we noticed some of the other booths were the same. They were pretty busy for Thursday night, and it took a while before our waitress was able to come take our drink and appetizer orders... they bring out this yummy bread and chunky marinara dip with a slight kick. Bartender made killer lemondrop martinis. The jumbo shrimp wrapped in pancetta, and Gorgonzola were very tasty, shrimp was a little over cooked but still had fantastic flavor! The Calamari Fritte was really good, the rings were a little on the large side and chewy, and we loved the fried broccoli and zucchini that was mixed in with it. We also shared a baked pasta dish-rigatoni with fried eggplant. It was a little disappointing. We thought the fried eggplant was going to be like a breaded eggplant Parmesan style but the consistency and flavor tasted more like sautéed eggplant. The flavor was yummy. Just wasn't what we expected. Trying to get another drink was a little difficult as our server was very busy, tending to many tables -she wasn't very attentive. However, the food runners/bus boys were great, constantly removing plates etc... I suppose I would recommend giving them a try. read more

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My familly loves this place. My 6 year old daughter feels comfortable dining here and loves the pizza. The lasagna is one of my favorite dishes. Service is great and made us feel comfortable. We love that they have live music as it really adds to the experience. It's more than just a place to eat, you can enjoy drinks, dance and listen to great music. read more

Cafe Fiore - Lasagna - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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I had dinner on the day before 4th of July so maybe that might not have been their regular service. The restaurant was very crowded and it took a long time for them to come and take our orders. I asked a waitress, " Can we order? " and she said, " I will be back" but she didn't. The waiter named Eve was very nice. Even though they're busy but he was trying to do his best. We ordered Alfredo pasta, risotto and wine. Food was ok. I like pasta and risotto to be more Al dente. They had music and we enjoyed it. Outside seating are available. There is a public parking but we parked in the neighborhood. read more

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Love the butternut squash dish! So divine! It literally just melts in your mouth. Butternut Squash Tortellacci: Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce The service was great, they truly make you feel at home. We sat in one of the back larger rooms and the ambiance was very cozy, inviting, plenty of space for everyone, decor truly makes you feel like you're somewhere else. You could easily spend hours talking here. The drinks are amazing as well! Will definitely be coming back soon! read more

Cafe Fiore - Butternut Squash Tortellacci Homemade Butternut Squash filled Tortellacci in a Brown Butter, Sage Cream Sauce. - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

Had the best double date here. We all left feeling groovy and uplifted. The food was so delicious that we got an additional to-go order for weekend noshing. Our helpful server was Anthony, top notch good human, plus we chatted with server Amy who is a total delight. We'll be back! So much goodness I want to try on their menu. Also the music playlist ruled - found ourselves swaying in our seats and softly singing to ourselves while munching - well done CF. read more

Good food. Was very busy. Nice server, was a bit flustered from how busy the night was

Food: salads were outstanding. Main course was disappointing. No flavor. Service: waited 45 minutes to get order placed-waitress forgot she had not taken our meal order. We come here every time we come to Ventura but our latest meal experience was completely disappointing. We will likely skip the next time. read more

Went for lunch, sat inside. The calamari and blue crab salad was good! My friend got the club sandwich, it looked good too. Overall I think the inside could be updated, to catch up With all the new restaurants and cafes, but it a stable staple in DT Ventura. read more

We always visit this spot when we're in Ventura and it never disappoints. First time having Ernesto as our server--he was friendly, attentive, and gave great recommendations. The Fettuccine al Filetto was absolutely outstanding. Quaint atmosphere and consistently excellent food. We'll be back! read more

I'd give this restaurant a solid 4-4.5 stars! It's criminal that they currently have 3.6 stars on yelp??? I would've never tried this place if it wasn't for word of mouth recommendation, and I am so glad that we did!!! Our food was absolutely delicious. We got the burrata/beet salad to share which was amazing. I ordered the chicken parmesan with spaghetti - huge portion size and very tasty; highly recommend. Husb got some fettuccini pork dish which I personally found average/lacking flavor. And we got an order of kids chicken ravioli for our toddler which he was a major fan of (I couldn't even taste the veggies in it - score!) Overall we loved our dinner and will certainly be coming back!!! read more

it was going well it was a honest mistake that we where figuring are bill out they gave us one ticket bill it's hard when there are 4 separate transactions and to calculate our bill when i had 3 margaritas. We didn't tip accordingly to our waitress she came back threw plate and ticket and money on the table and says was my service not good enough. There is a proper way to handling the situation, how do you want me to correct it when you could of put the money on the table and approached us nicely and not rude, we would of correct the tip amount, but when you come back rude that's not right. it doesn't say there's a 15% tip is mandatory yet you forgot the butter a couple of drinks and we where not basing a tip on that and we where patient and nice to her and our tip calculation where off by $10. I won't be going back if you have to act in that manor and the tip is optional not mandatory read more

Incredible service and incredible food! The shrimp arrabiata was exceptional. The cantalouper drink is a new fav and the lasagna was soooo good! read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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While the service was commendable, I was disappointed with the presentation and lack of flavor. Despite the attentive staff and timely service, the dishes lacked aesthetic appeal. Some were sloppily plated, while others seemed hastily arranged. This aspect detracted from the overall dining experience, leaving much to be desired in terms of visual appeal. It's unfortunate that the excellent service wasn't matched by equally appealing food presentation. and let me add they were hauling trash through the dining area. Why would the manager let that happen in front of customers? read more

Cafe Fiore - Fettuccine Al Filetto The wrong way - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

A loud venue for a relaxing meal with five other work colleagues. Separate checks were allowed which was a plus. The food isn't exactly as described on the menu but was tasty. Wine selections were sparse due to a missing shipment. The waitstaff could have been more attentive and had to be asked to speak up several times due to the loud live music. I think there are better venues if you are looking to be heard and have a conversation with your dining companions in downtown Ventura. read more

We arrived in Ventura this evening and had planned a new restaurant stop for dinner. Loved the idea of getting a bunch of good Italian Apps. And Fiore has a lot of choices, salads, antipasto at good value and sounding delish. I had a few glasses of wine - Rosato and a Barbera - (too many chardonnays!!) hubs had a rye cocktail which he liked, I thought was a tad too Rye focused and out of balance. Basket of bread - house made focaccia.. take it away, I'll eat it ALL!! Lol Mussels and Clams- pretty good Carpaccio - good beef flavor - too much sauce Fried Carciofi - I'm nuts for artichokes. A little oily, same sauce and it's a little salty. Sautéed broccoli - too much salt - sent back for a redo and came back better, nice roasted garlic flavor Trio of desserts - pistachio semi-freddo - omg delish!! Butterscotch pot de crème was ok. Chocolate lava cake - good, typical lava cake. A good experience, quiet for a Thursday but it was later in the evening. The food was good but I think heavy handed in oil and salt. A few great stand outs! Would try it again. read more

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Food was amazing and the service a plus. The ambiance has really a cool relaxing Italian cafe vibe. Many dishes I hope to return for.

Ambiance is ok with many tables -you can watch games. Food quality is also more like from a sports bar than a family Italian restaurant. The pastas are over cooked ， lamb shank tastes like boiled and with a sauce poured over it. read more

Service Made a reservation for outside table, confirmed our reservation at the front and sat us inside. Took 20 minutes for a server to greet us, finished our plates and drinks without server asking us if we wanted another drink or dessert. Ambiance Sat at a table with over grown landscape, had to move our table to have a conversation without drooping down plants in our face. Food Average Italian food with high price, will not return. read more

Ambiance for happy hour was very cool. Drinks and happy hour food awesome! Dinner ambiance was pretty good. Wasn't too impressed with my dinner nor was my wife. With that said I'm very picky with my Italian food because I'm Italian. Portions were good. I will go back for happy hour 100%. read more

We've been coming to Cafe Fiore for years and we've always loved this beautiful local gem, but the last few times weve come we've thought, "Is it our imagination or is this place getting even better?" It is! We don't know what's changed but everything is getting steadily even better than it's always been: the food is so very fresh and homemade and so well-done. The atmosphere continues to feel warm and inviting and we always feel like family coming in. Our server Cindy provided impeccable service tonight like everyone here always does. We feel so fortunate to have Cafe Fiore here locally. Food, service, cocktails: amazing! Definitely recommend this local gem. read more

Superb lasagna. Baked to total perfection. Oozing cheese and sauce. Will be back. So so good. read more

Cafe Fiore - Italian Near Me - Ventura, California

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Such a shame how bad service can ruin your perception of a business. I'm posting this because I think management should be aware of their employees and being a veteran service industry employee myself, I feel the need to speak up here. I'll keep it short, but I came here with my husband and family for a special occasion and our server made our experience pretty unwelcoming and not enjoyable. After waiting upwards of 10 minutes to be greeted by anyone, our server came over to take orders and didn't acknowledge how long we'd waited. When we asked about a pasta on the menu she replied condescendingly to my family member that she had no idea what that pasta was and we ended up having to google it for an answer because she would not help us. I ordered a drink when our appetizers came out and had to ask where it was after I was finishing my entree. Again, no acknowledgement of the abnormal wait time for our normal asks as a restaurant patron. Overall, we were treated like a nuisance and felt as if we were being bothersome to our server. If we do come back, we will only sit at the bar. read more