I loved the food, it was hot and very tasty, the coffee was delicious too, and the service was very good.

The food as well as the service was amazing, the owner is kind and interactive with customers. 10/10 service and food!!

Wow- Cafe Nouveau is a hidden gem! New to the area we decided to ride our bikes over for a late brunch. When we arrived we asked where would the best place be to keep our bikes and we were ushered to a secure area. We dined outdoors and the service was incredibly attentive an friendly. The menu is eclectic and it took us some time to first decide between breakfast or lunch and then what to order. From the fresh juice in the mimosas to the flavorful Korean bowl and chorizo scramble, everything was delicious and the portions are large. Due to the variety of menu items, this is a great restaurant for a large group as there is something for EVERYONE- vegan, gluten free, pescatarian, health conscious, and for those who want to channel their inner Elvis or just be a little naughty, please try the peanut butter bacon banana French toast sandwich. We will be back! read more

My daughter absolutely loves the breakfast burrito and the sweet potato biscuit here, so we came in this past Sunday for breakfast. Unfortunately, our experience was disappointing. My daughter was almost halfway through her sweet potato biscuit when we discovered a hair baked inside of it. We informed our waiter, and while he did replace it, the response felt very casual and dismissive. Later, I ordered pancakes, and while spreading the butter, I found another hair on the plate. Again, I let the waiter know, and his response was basically, "Well, I don't see it, but I'll get you another." At that point, the experience was already ruined for us. We ate a little of the replacement food but honestly did not enjoy it after finding hair in two separate dishes. What surprised me most was that nothing was taken off the bill--not even the pancakes. I truly expected at least some acknowledgment of the inconvenience, especially after two incidents during the same meal. Even a sincere apology or having a manager come speak with us would have gone a long way. Instead, the situation felt brushed off. I want to be clear that I was not trying to get free food--I still tipped well because I understand work is work. But as customers, we expected better handling of a situation involving hygiene concerns. My husband has even worked at this restaurant before as an electrician, so we were especially disappointed by the lack of courtesy and concern shown. read more

What can I say hospitality at its finest. From the moment we walked up to Cafe Nouveau, we were greeted warmly and made to feel genuinely welcome. Since it was my first time visiting, my girlfriend mentioned it to the staff, and they immediately went above and beyond. They asked if we preferred inside or patio seating, then even gave us a quick tour before seating us outside. Our server, Victor, told us, "I have the perfect spot for you," and tucked us into this beautiful little nook on the patio that honestly made us feel like VIP guests. Victor gave us great recommendations. I ordered the country fried chicken, and my girlfriend had the garden omelette. Everything came out beautifully presented, fresh, and full of flavor. You can tell they truly care about quality here. What really stood out to me was the service. Victor and the rest of the team constantly checked in to make sure we had everything we needed. My coffee cup was never empty and trust me, I drink a lot of coffee in the morning. At most restaurants, you're trying to flag someone down for a refill. Not here. The attention to detail and hospitality were next level. At the end of our meal, Carlos came by to thank us personally. He told me he's the dishwasher, manager, owner, and cook all in one. He shared that they've been in business for over 24 years, and after this experience, I completely understand why. If you're a restaurant owner or manager and want to see what true hospitality looks like, this place should honestly be studied as a model for how it's done. The entire team was friendly, professional, and welcoming from start to finish. Huge thank you to Victor, Carlos, and the whole crew for such an amazing experience. This is officially my #1 café recommendation in Ventura. - Ian Lantz read more

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Café Nouveau is where breakfast first seduces, then decorates the crime scene. The service is fast, sharp, stylish, and attentive without clinging like a needy ex at a bus stop. Coffee is smooth, civilized, and blessedly not one of those scorched brews that punches you in the thyroid. The maple bacon beignets arrive dusted like they've just escaped a blizzard in New Orleans after being assaulted by a pork wagon. Ridiculous? Yes. Delicious too. The Eggs Benevilla is the true headliner: a deep-fried tamale replacing the usual English muffin, topped with eggs, lighter jalapeño-kissed hollandaise, avocado fanfare, and sautéed potatoes that actually deserve your loyalty. Both side sauces slap--one vinegary and bossy, the other sweeter and salsa-like. Then the room begins its strange little opera: jewel-toned mosaic tables, sunflower glasses ordering you to "Enjoy!," old wood floors, star lanterns, fake rose-garden windows, and enough burnt-orange, storybook charm to make you suspect Édith Piaf retired here and got into brunch. Even the water arrives like a supporting actress with perfect timing. Outside, Ventura still looks marinaded in sea salt, civic fatigue, hungover hippie optimism, and those pleading little signs begging everyone to keep it clean, as if the whole town were a lovable delinquent. In the hidden front entrance area where a bouncer/busboy like greeter is sits quasi-porch seating as an odd little outdoor opera loge seating area, where the special and crowned drama damsels and foo-foo puppies hold court beneath a vaguely bellhop-bouncer aura. At least two of those dogs absolutely have therapists, and one may be working through trust issues with its tax accountant. Café Nouveau is weird, warm, theatrical, and very, very good. The crosswalk parking looks lethal, yet traffic miraculously yields. read more

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Beautiful ambiance, exquisite service, and one of the most popular spots for a weekend brunch! They have a small parking lot across the street, but be prepared to hunt for a spot to park and wait for a table during peak brunch time. Amazing decor with art nouveau touches and plenty of plants. Menu is very extensive with something for everyone, including children and vegetarians. Portions are huge and their famous potatoes live up to their reputation. My only reason for deducting a star is because of their extensive menu, everything is done very plainly, the dishes are technically good, but there is no chef creativity or personal touch. I'm sure most patrons find the copious servings and beautiful service and surroundings perfect. I just wish it was less of a brunch factory. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Eggs Benedict - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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I've attempted this place twice now. I'll start with the good: the service is always fantastic. Everyone is great. And the restaurant itself is very cute, with a woodsy, outdoor feel amongst the trees. The bad: the food is very mid. And ridiculously expensive for what it actually is. I got a wrap both times and both times they came out like a bowl of soup wrapped up in a tortilla that made me feel yucky after the meal. My egg white wrap didn't look like it had egg whites in it at all. Nor did the chicken one I had a few weeks ago. Paying $27 for a breakfast wrap that looks like this (and more importantly did not taste well) just doesn't make sense to me when I can make 4 of them at home for the same price that are better. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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I can not say enough wonderful things about this place. My husband and I stumbled upon this cafe while on a road trip and it is now on our road trip "must stop" list. We had our little dog with us which was great as the patio is dog friendly (and the workers were actually very friendly to our dog, unlike places that just "allow" dogs). Each table outside felt like it's own little oasis, tucked into a corner here or there. It made it easy with the dog as we weren't sitting right on top of other people. The menu is huge and there were SO MANY things we wanted to try. The maple bacon beignets? OMG. Heaven. My hubby also LOVED the Korean inspired loco moco type thing he ordered (can't remember what it was called). My chicken frisco sandwich was good - but not the highlight of the meal. Portions were generous, which was good because this was NOT a cheap meal. Probably the most I've ever spent on breakfast. But...worth it. The staff was SO SO friendly and the place is a hidden gem. I can't wait to come back. read more

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Came on a Saturday. Joined the waitlist on the way for a total wait of 30 min. Eggs Florentine- the hollandaise was bland and needed salt unfortunately. I did however love my au gratin! Loco moco- the meat was good but the gravy wasn't a regular brown gravy. It definitely had wine in it which completely threw me off, as that's not how loco moco as are made Gouda frittata - this was meh unfortunately Maple Bacon beignets - our favorite. Perfectly delicious! Blueberry muffin - loved it! Not too sweet and perfect texture Our server was very nice. I enjoyed sitting outside as inside was very loud and crowded. Happy I went but probably won't return read more

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So delightful I had friends from out of town and I wanted to take them to one of my favorite Ventura breakfast places Our waiter was so fun and they were so impressed with the menu Man, that was a good breakfast read more

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Cute place. We got a little weirded out at first walking in, thinking we were walking into someone's house. It has a very unique but really cute ambiance, and the customer service was so friendly. The food was hands down delicious. The place is on the smaller side, so if you're looking for a lot of space this probably isn't it. However, it's super good and definitely worth a try. read more

Came here for brunch around 11. There was a little wait but thankfully the weather was nice as we did have to wait outside. There wasn't really a waiting area but that didn't bother me too much. The service as soon as we got there was great! The staff were really kind no matter how busy it was! The restaurant itself is also really cute! It looked like it was a house so the space is smaller but it was cute and more of a cozy vibe. And the food.. delicious! Literally everything was good! The savory options, the pancakes, even the coffee, delicious! Also love that they had beignets because I feel it's rare to find here in California if it's not at Disneyland. So we will definitely be back! 5 stars for sure! read more

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This place was such a gem! It was easy to find parking, we were seated immediately around 7am on Saturday, and the service was so quick and efficient. The place was very cutely decorated, too. We came here because of how close it was to the ferry we were taking that morning, and it was the perfect place to come! I got the Nouveau Scramble and my boyfriend got the Breakfast Sandwich. We really enjoyed both of them, and it was a generous amount of food. Everything was delicious. For a little story time: My boyfriend describes himself as "not very food-motivated," but he turned to me randomly about 10 hours after eating here and said, "That was a really good breakfast sandwich." He honestly has never done that before, so this speaks volumes! read more

Cafe Nouveau - Nouveau scramble - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

We went to Cafe Nouveau on Easter Sunday morning and honestly had a really nice experience. They don't take reservations, but they do have a waitlst you can join ahead of time or when you get there. Even on a busy holiday, we only waited about 15-ish minutes to get seated, which wasn't bad at all. Parking is street parking - you might have to drive aroudn a bit, but it was not too bad. Google Map takes you right there without any issues. The ambiance is super cute with a laid back vibe - loved the funky decor. Service was friendly, and our server checked in on us a few times and kept our water refilled, which we appreciated because it was a hot day. For food, I got scrambled eggs and added my own veggies and cheese - the portions (especially with the sides) are pretty big, so definitely come hungry. We also got a sweet dish and I was a little worried it might be too sweet, but the French Toast was actually really good and well balanced. And don't skip on the beignets - so good! They honestly reminded us of when we visted New Orleans. read more

Great brunch spot in Ventura with lovely indoor and garden seating. Outdoor seating is dog friendly, and our pup always enjoys being here with us. They do have a few (delicious) vegan options, and the food is consistently good. This is a favorite spot for my (now college aged) daughter and I to brunch, and a bit nostalgic as we used to live in Ventura for a number of years. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

Cafe Nouveau is one of my favorite breakfast spots. I absolutely love the outdoor seating area; each table feels private, which I really appreciate and makes the experience even more relaxing. I was there last weekend for my sister-in-law's birthday breakfast, and everything was perfect. We started with pomegranate mimosas, and I ordered the churros French toast, which was absolutely delicious. My family had the beignets, and they loved them as well. The staff is always so friendly, welcoming, and accommodating. They were great with recommendations and made us feel very taken care of. They even came out to sing happy birthday to my sister-in-law and brought her a treat, which made the celebration extra special. Any time my sister-in-law and her husband are visiting from out of town, this is always their first stop. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Pomegranate Mimosa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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This place is always consistent. We try to stop in a couple times a year when passing through. Great service, Dog friendly and the food never disappoints. Carlos the owner is always visible and genial. read more

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Great first time! Recommended by several friends. And we were very happy with the choice. Sat on the nice patio for breakfast. Service was super. Relaxing ambiance. Eclectic vibe. Yummy food. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Blueberry pancakes, brioche French toast, etc. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

Cute place. Feels like ur in someone's living room. Food was great service was great. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Sweet potato Biscuit - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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This spot isn't just brunch... it's a full-on celebration on a plate. From the moment you walk in, the energy feels special. The staff is genuinely amazing, welcoming, attentive, and they make you feel like you belong there, not just like you're another table to turn. Now the food... wow. Every dish comes out looking like edible art, but it's not just for show. It actually delivers. Fun, creative, and seriously delicious. You can tell there's intention behind every bite. My personal favorites? The s'mores pancakes, Oreo pancakes, and the churro French toast. All of them are next-level indulgent, especially with their homemade "secret" syrup that honestly deserves its own spotlight. It ties everything together in the best way. This has become my go-to place for birthdays and celebrations, and it never misses. You can feel the care in every detail, especially since the owner is hands-on and involved, which makes the whole experience even more special. If you're looking for a brunch spot that's not just good but memorable, this is it. read more

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Delicious beignets! Such a nice pick me up. You can do half maple bacon beignets with regular beignets. I love something simple so the regular beignets hit the spots. Breakfast food in pretty generous portions and very hearty. read more

Had their frisco burger with fries. Oh my gosh this is such an amazing and filling burger. The onions contribute so well to the sandwich, along with the secret aioli sauce inside and the patty is well-seasoned. The burger also makes you feel full, and can prevent you from binge-eating some more after. Although their fries are decent, I had a bite of my father's sweet potato fries and it hits the spot 100%. I'll definitely get sweet potato fries next time I come here. No glaze, this is one of my favorite restaurants to go to in the Ventura County area. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Frisco Burger with french fries - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

Very cute inside very the food is over the top so good. Split the bacon beignets end of the breakfast taco. Incredible. It's worth it to come here just for the beignets. Wait staff perfect. Just come here. Splitting those two things were perfect. So tasty and different. So good. read more

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Ventura: Peruse the menu first so you don't wait in line then whine about the prices. Get over it. You're paying for a very unique restaurant loaded with charming ambiance, amazing meals and great service. Been there several times and was lucky enough to be seated in the private outdoor area with our own little glass fire pit in the middle of the table. Kept our coffee warm! Immediate and impeccable service every time. I suggest you order out of your comfort zone for something unique & delicious. Like I said, peruse the menu. I wouldn't want to come here for bacon and eggs. We've ordered the Poblano Del Mar three times. It is better each time. The White Chili Scramble is good, too. The excellent Bacon, Gorgonzola, Carmelized Onion Fritata a plus plus. Also have had the Chile Relleno omelette. Loved it. However, Poblano Del Mar is a such outstanding dish that I have not seen on any other menu in Southern California, so it's must for me. And it's shareable. Beignets are very good. They're not my thing, but my three sisters gobbled them up. I took delight in the blueberry corn muffin. Wait your turn and enjoy the scenery in this wonderful restaurant. Coffee while you wait. read more

Cafe Nouveau - Blueberry Corn Muffin. Cute smile but ate it anyway. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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Where to start... hmmm... I come here for the patio seating in a classic ventura atmosphere. I resisted the maple bacon beignets for years and tried them lat week. Amazing. Now I will have to go back to resisting them or gain ten pounds. The Gorgonzola, bacon arugula frittata could only be improved upon with more arugula. The sweet potato biscuit and blueberry corn muffins are unique. Potatoes au gratin are amazing and definitely go to your thighs. Had the vegan Buddha bowl last week. It was good but I prefer breakfast there. The Mediterranean omelette is a sauce with all the ingredients in it, so if you ask for no tomatoes or no "something else" then you get feta cheese only. I had to order it a couple times to realize that. Breakfast Sammie is great. Oh, and they have good coffee and their mimosa and bloody Mary's are great too! Pics are just from my last visit. read more

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We took the kiddos to Santa Barbera Museum and stopped at cafe Nouveau along the way, liked it so much we came twice during our stay. Their matcha pancakes were my favorite especially with their homemade whipped cream added on top! My favorite dish was chile verde and eggs and their gratin potatoes! My husband really enjoyed their eggs benevilla which is a jalapeño and cheese tamale covered in their hollandaise sauce both really good! Service was amazing both times, servers were so kind and accommodating since we have 5 kiddos, our 5 year old being the oldest so we come with a lot and patience is needed lol will definitely be back when in the area and highly recommend! read more

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Came here at 8:15am on a Wednesday and it was wide open. I had my choice of eating inside or outside at the patio. I chose inside and ordered the Eggs Benedict with a choice of hash brown. The server mentioned the sautéed potato was popular so maybe next time. Got my meal by 8:30pm so here's to efficiency! The service was immaculate. The server was very sincere and came to check in on me a few times despite it being a quick meal for me. My take on the meal - lots of food. Hash brown was delicious and plentiful. Egg's Benedict was weird. Canadian bacon takes over a lot of the flavor due to the strong flavor of ham covering the taste of the egg as well as makes it really chewy so not too pleasant of an eating experience. I probably would've went with the Florentine instead had I known. The server surprised me with a small brownie treat at the end of the meal which was delicious! It was soft but still had a small portion of nice crunchy texture when biting into it. Good quantity but the price for the meal was questionable for me. I would have to try their other items next time to solidify the rating. read more

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Went here for the first time for my birthday in April. The ambiance is wonderful, I loved how the place is decorated. It has a vintage vibe to it. The tiled tables are stunning, and I was mesmerized all night. I ordered the Mac N Cheese, it was STELLAR! Some of the best Mac I've ever had. I was very pleased with the portion size and the flavor. More than enough for one person! Every dish ordered my family enjoyed! The jambalaya my dad ordered was pretty spicy, as it should be. My dad couldn't handle the spice but, as a chef myself, it was SPOT ON! Exactly how I expect Jambalaya to taste, it was rich and flavorful and had a kick. My wife ordered the risotto and it was spectacular! They also gave me a birthday ice cream dessert and I was very surprised and happy about that. I love bread pudding and wanted to try it but it had raisins and I'm not a raisin girl, so I didn't end up ordering it, though I'm sure it is fantastic. Our server was such a sweetheart. He was very attentive, dealt with my dad's spice complaints like a champ and I appreciated it! Overall very impressed with my experience and will definitely be back again! read more

Cafe Nouveau - Seafood Risotto - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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Randomly went here while in the area for camping & so happy we did! I love that you can join the waitlist ahead of getting there so it didn't take too long to get seated. They were awesome about seating us with our baby and dog in the back patio so we had privacy & space (please note you can't bring strollers but you can bring your car seat & the high chairs can hold the seat) Our server was super friendly & attentive and all the staff were helping each other out and all stopped by the table to check in. It was such a nice vibe and although it was super busy everything came out hot and delicious! My husband got a burger which he loved and I got the pecan and banana pancakes which were DIVINE!! Definitely go here if you get the chance! Highly recommended read more

Great food, charming place. Didn't get to sit on the patio this visit, but will be back soon.

All time favorite breakfast spot !! Wow the food here is incredible !! Quality and flavorful!! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu but you must try their sweet potato biscuits with butter and their caramelized sauce ,yum! Street parking Dine in or out Great service Delicious food read more

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Food, service, ambiance all 100%. This place has achieved ultimate perfection in dining. Everything is dialed in. Victor our server was awesome. He was quick and informative. I was impressed by the collective effort of the whole crew. We sat outdoors and it was so comfortable and spacious, although it was busy it felt private and relaxed. I ordered the frittata ....again. Amazing, once again. My kids ordered French toast with a vanilla cinnamon syrup and my husband a white chili scramble. Everything amazing once again. Love this place, until next time! read more

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We love coming here and dining on the patio! Its lush garden setting is just so welcoming! And we always bring our little dog as they are very dog friendly! This was our first time coming here for dinner and ohhh it was delish! They brought out some yummy bread with a tasty bruschetta sauce. I had the chicken Milanese and my husband had the Jambalaya! The 4 stars (not 5) is for the service... our server James was very nice however he left us sitting way too long before coming to take our order. We literally were ready when he came for our drink order and after serving them he disappeared for almost 15 minutes. We had asked for bread when he took our order, and he said it was coming but he totally forgot to bring it. We asked again as he was zipping by us and he said "oh yes! I'll get that" we were hoping to nibble on that while waiting for our food but the food came out with the bread also, he didn't check on us until we were almost done. Again, he was very nice, just very inattentive. It's ok we still love dining here and we definitely will be back! read more

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The service and the food is amazing . Thank you for the amazing service . We will Come back again . read more

Love it here! Staff is always on top of everything and the food is always delicious. I love coming here for the beignets being from Louisiana, they're a 10/10. Super cute place! read more

The staff were awesome! So delightfully nice. The maple bacon beingets were awesome.

Absolutely Phenomenal Breakfast Spot - Almost the Best in Town! (Two trees still has my heart) I had an amazing experience at this breakfast gem--it's pretty close to being the best in town! From the moment I walked in, the cozy ambiance and welcoming staff set the tone for a perfect morning. It even has an outdoor options for beautiful days like today! I ordered the chocolate brioche French toast, and it was nothing short of heavenly. Rich, decadent, and perfectly balanced--not too sweet, with a delicate crunch on the outside and a soft, warm center. Covered in Nutella and strawberries! It's one of those dishes you think about long after the meal is over. I also tried their beignets, and wow--pillowy, warm, and dusted generously with powdered sugar. Absolutely delicious and definitely a must-order if you're visiting. If you're a breakfast lover (or even if you're not), this place is a must-try. With food this good and a location that's easy to get to, it's no wonder it's quickly climbing to the top of my favorites! read more

Cafe Nouveau - Chocolate Brioche French toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

Called the restaurant to see what their wait time would be like for a party of 5, and they said if we got there right away they would have a table so we rushed over! When we got there they were SO nice we felt like celebs. The food menu is super extensive, basically has something for everyone and is like an international menu! Our waiter was funny too, didn't get his name but he had the best suggestions. The churro French toast was good & all my friends liked their food. The atmosphere inside is soooo cozy, perfect for a brunch & right now it's decorated for Christmas so it's even cuter!! So happy we stumbled upon this place. read more

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Back to Cafe Nouveau for our 28th wedding anniversary breakfast before heading out for a golf date in Ojai. This place has not lost its charm. It even gets better each time we visit. They now have a parking lot across the street. Super convenient. Just be sure you use the crosswalk. Service impeccable. Very attentive and courteous. I ordered the florentine eggs Benedict. Yum! Hubby had the breakfast burrito. We shared a side order of blueberry pancakes. They don't skimp on the berries. Yum! Can't wait to return to Cafe Nouveau. read more

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