WOW! If you like shrimp, you've got to get the shrimp po boy sandwich. Plenty of large shrimp with fries on the side. I asked for extra aioli sauce and added a little hot sauce to add a little spicy kick to it. Delicious!! The service staff was very attentive and friendly. Someone was always stopping by to ask if I needed a drink refill and to check on my satisfaction with the meal. The restaurant and restroom were very clean. The food came out quickly and the shrimp were still hot. I'll definitely be going back for more! read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Shrimp po boy sandwich. There's bread under there somewhere! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

I had a really positive dining experience at Cajun Kitchen Cafe in Ventura. The service was excellent--friendly, attentive, and welcoming from the moment we walked in. The food quality was also outstanding. Everything tasted fresh, well-seasoned, and clearly made with care. It's easy to see why this place has such a loyal following. That said, I do want to offer some respectful feedback about the decor. While I understand the restaurant leans into vintage and Southern-inspired themes, one of the large photographs on the wall appears to depict a pre-Civil Rights era social gathering with an all-white crowd. Given the historical context of that time period, imagery like that can feel uncomfortable or exclusionary to some guests, even if that wasn't the intention. I share this feedback not to criticize the restaurant's values, but to encourage thoughtful consideration of how historical imagery is experienced by a diverse customer base. The excellent food and service create a welcoming atmosphere, and updating decor choices to reflect more inclusive or culturally representative imagery could make that experience even stronger. Overall, I truly enjoyed the meal and the service, and I hope this feedback is taken in the constructive spirit in which it's offered. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

Had lunch File Gumbo large bowl. I should have ordered a small bowl I had to take the leftovers. The gumbo was very well seasoned and filling and ample. I like hot and it made me sweat I enjoyed it. Prices are reasonable affordable. Don't come for the ambiance it's very plain. Service was good and sparce. read more

I was pretty disappointed with breakfast at Cajun Kitchen. The service was good and the food came out quickly, so credit where it's due. Unfortunately, the food itself did not live up to the price. I ordered the steak eggs Benedict, and the steak seemed like it had been reheated from the night before. It was very overcooked, tough, and lacked flavor. We also tried the crab Benedict, which was mushy and surprisingly bland. Neither dish had the richness or seasoning you'd expect from a Benedict, especially at around $20 per plate. Overall, this felt like run of the mill diner food being sold at premium brunch prices. I know Ventura isn't exactly known as a major food destination, but there are definitely better breakfast options in town. The fast, friendly service was the highlight of the experience, but the food alone wouldn't bring me back. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Steak benedict - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

Very good food and fast service! Nice portion size. Great spot for breakfast or lunch.

Their jambalaya was absolutely amazing! Beignets was super delish! Simple and to the point. Service was fantastic! New Orleans vibe.. Best jambalaya I've had in a very long time. You must try read more

I've been coming here and to the Santa Barbara and Carpinteria locations since 1998. Cajun Kitchen has always had really good food. I love the jambalaya! My wife and I came for lunch today and for the first time ever we were disappointed. The French dip was chewy - I had to eat it with a knife and fork. She had the Monte Cristo special and said it seemed like it wasn't freshly made. The French toast bread was burnt on the edges and seemed like it had been put on the grill a second time to heat it up. Similar with the hash browns. I'm hoping this is a one time slip-up and not a sign that Cajun Kitchen is going downhill . For the prices they charge these days, I expect better. Oh, and there was a customer carrying on a speakerphone conversation for the first 20 minutes we were there. It was so loud. When we brought it up to the wait staff, she said he'll be paying pretty soon. It wasn't soon enough. read more

We walked in on a Saturday morning and were seated right away. There was a farmers market outside so the streets were busy. Service was top notch the waitress was sweet and never let the coffee or water drop below half. We sat by the windows up front and got to people watch while dining. I had the fried chicken benedict with grits. Nice choice, chicken was cooked perfectly and eggs were poached just right. Topped with a bland gravy but a little hot sauce and pepper kicked it right up. There was bacon under the chicken and a dry biscuit underneath it all. Pretty good but if they made the biscuit light and fluffy with a good sausage gravy it would have been heavenly. read more

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I can't wait to pass by Ventura next time to eat at Cajun kitchen again! We ordered Gumbo and my husband had breakfast; it's all delicious, especially the gumbo bowl, it tasted even better than some restaurants at New Orleans. The gumbo was full of flavors, with plenty fish, shrimps, seafood; I had to take home more than half of the huge bowl. The environment was calm and relaxed, the service was good, the food was delicious! read more

Awesome place on Main Street, with a super chill brunch or lunch vibe. I had the soyrizo breakfast burrito, which was huge and great. We love a place with good vegetarian options! The service was so quick and everyone was super friendly. We were seated right away and had a really nice experience. read more

Huge portions! Huevos rancheros is filling with rice and beans included, as well as usual eggs and tortilla and all the salsas. Chorizo was perfect. Corner beef hash dish is hefty with a portion size of the entire dish. Beignets were nice but denser than traditional beignets from Nola. Service very attentive and professional. Seating can be tight with really no perfect table for more than 4 people. Booths can be small. read more

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I had the Shrimp & Andouille Grits with two fried eggs. Very Good. This little place has some very good breakfast items and much more. The parking this aera is pay read more

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Not the first time we've been to this place so I decided to add another review on it. We were seated quickly, which it was pretty amazing considering it was Sunday morning around 10 AM. The place was busy, but not too bad. We were seated quickly and got our coffees and ordered our food. I ordered the chicken fried steak and my wife ordered the chili Verde omelette. The portions were perfect and the food was delicious. The service was quick and efficient. We will definitely be returning. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Chicken Fried steak and eggs - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

Food 10/10 service always 10/10 even when they are slammed the service is consistently good. The staff is so nice and welcoming. Have yet to have a bad meal here, and they do a really good job of checking in even when they are packed and letting you know they'll be with you as soon as they can. The last time we were there a guest had a medical emergency and the staff had to subsequently re seat the whole patio and our sever still took a moment to let us know she'd be back and we never went a few minutes without someone checking on us, there were three different staff members that came back to offer refills on drinks etc. Everyone is so on it. read more

It was a beautiful, sunny 73 degrees when we arrived in Ventura, with the cool ocean breeze coming through Main Street as we were deciding where to go for lunch. With our love for spicy food, Cajun Kitchen Cafe caught our attention. We were greeted and seated right away with our drink order taken as we looked through the menu. Everything sounded really good. Ultimately we wanted to try a couple of our Louisiana favorites, so we went with the Jambalaya and Etouffée with a plan to end with the Beignets. The wait wasn't too long for our food. My husband really enjoyed his Jambalaya. He mentioned that it was spicier than others he's had. The warm biscuit was a perfect complement as it helped temper the heat down a bit. The menu described the Etouffée creole sauce as "mildly spicy". It was delicious but SPICY! The cornbread did nothing to temper that down for me, lol. My husband tried some and said it was spicier than the Jambalaya. The restaurant closed early for the Labor Day holiday. Although there were still some customers as we finished, we chose not to order anything else. We'll have to come back for those Beignets! Our drinks were kept refilled. Portions were generous. Nice and friendly servers. read more

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The food here is fabulous. The jumbo has a nice Cajun bite. The hash browns are fluffy yet crispy. My darling husband loves fish for breakfast, this is the place for it. Many delicately choices. Great service. Fair prices for the quality of the food. This is a locals' favorite. read more

Walked in and chose our seat and our waiter came over after a few minutes and took our order! I ordered chili verde omelette and wife ordered bacon and eggs. CVO was pretty average and hash browns as well. It was nice that they had a Cajun seasoning on the table that definitely helped. My wife's Bacon and eggs were again pretty average. Nothing wrong with either dish just really pretty average. Restaurant was moderately clean and service was an again pretty average nothing really good or bad! Prices are decent and there are a lot of options to choose from. Only a handful of good breakfast options in town so I can see us coming back at some point! Maybe be a little more adventurous next time and try one of the Cajun breakfast options! read more

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I have not been inside the establishment so I can't comment on the ambiance or the service within the establishment. However I can comment on the food. Cajun Kitchen Cafe delivers a punch of flavor! Every dish I have had, and I've had many, has been delicious! Their biscuits and gravy are dense and satisfyingly filling. The fried chicken Benedict is perfection. The chicken and waffles is outstanding! The bacon is exactly how it should be, every time. I have never been disappointed by a single dish. Everything is cooked to perfection, and I can only imagine how much better it is when it's fresh out of the kitchen, straight to the table. If it's this delicious when I have it delivered, it must be exceptional when brought directly to table. 10/10 reccomend! You can't go wrong with anything on the menu. The portions are generous, so show up with a big appetite. This is our go to brunch spot nearly every weekend. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Fried Chicken Benedict - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

I've been here twice. The first time, I tried the jambalaya. I love spicy food, but the meal was too spicy for me. It's probably because I'm from Southern California and not Louisiana? I could have tolerated the jambalaya better if it had rice on the side instead of in the broth. The second time I went, I wasn't super hungry, so I ordered beingets with fruit. The donuts were made fresh and the fruit and caramel sauce seemed so too! I liked them a lot. My dad also enjoyed his turkey bacon avocado tomato sandwich. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Beingets with fruit and caramel sauce - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

Really enjoyed our visit to Cajun Kitchen Cafe! The food was delicious, the service was super friendly, and it was such a pleasant surprise to see a baby changing station in the restroom. It made things so much easier for us as new parents. We really appreciate when restaurants think about families -- we'll definitely be coming back! read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Delicious Beignets - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

One of my go-tos for breakfast in downtown Ventura. They consistently always have delicious food as well as a good drink menu (for those of you finishing up a night shift!). Their Crab Cakes Benedict, Crazie Shirley's Scramble, and Jambalaya & Eggs are our top 3 favorite breakfast dishes here. Generous portions, usually have enough leftover to bring home. Plenty of seating options, and staff are always friendly when we're here. Great choice for breakfast! read more

We came in for lunch before our walk in the Botanical Gardens. Great wait staff, from when we entered until we left, we felt welcomed and appreciated. We ordered the beignets with syrup and I believe there's about 9 on the plate. They tasted similar to a donut. I had the Heuvoes Rancheros. It had red beans and rice with cut up andouille sausage. Slices of avacado, sour cream on two tortillas. Absolutely delicious, but very saucy! My son ordered the Seafood Gumbo and the bowl was big enough for 3 people! He loved his. We took home our leftovers. read more

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This is my favorite place for a special breakfast. My go to order here is Andouille Shrimp & Grits. I stopped by recently for a bowl and it rocked my world. Figured I should Update my Previous (5 Star) Review. My previous review (attached below) was all about the truly unique Huevos Rancheros they serve here. It's really a great version. Well worth a try. As I wrote in my original review, I love Huevos Rancheros because it can be so wildly different every place you order it. You never know what you are going to get. Beans on the side, beans under the tortilla, or no beans. Red sauce, green sauce, no sauce, you just never know what will be set in front of you. Albeit to a much lesser extent, Shrimp and Grits is kind of like that too. But while I love rolling the dice with Huevos Rancheros, I do not like to take chances with Shrimp and Grits. No way. I'm very particular when it comes to Shrimp and Grits. I have very exacting expectations. Very few versions satisfy me. The version of Shrimp & Grits here at Cajun Kitchen Totally Satisfies. Seems most places where I find this dish on the menu, it's just Shrimp & Grits. Sometimes comes with, sometimes without eggs. One of the things that makes the dish so great here is the addition of the Andouille Sausage. The Andouille is sliced up and sautéed to perfection, and there's plenty of it. It's just about Perfect, it blends so harmoniously with the Shrimp that you can't imagine having the dish any other way. Ah, there's the rub. The only negative about the Andouille Shrimp & Grits at Cajun Kitchen is that it's so good you really won't want to order the dish anywhere else, because you know it will probably be inferior. And I'm sure Cajun Kitchen is fine with that. It was probably their plan all along. Their Andouille Shrimp & Grits dominates all others. It freaking rules! Mikey C says: Laissez les bon temps rouler! Original review from Cinco de Mayo, 5/5/22: My all time favorite breakfast order is Huevos Rancheros. Anywhere I go, if it's on the menu, I'm bound to try it. The great thing about Huevos Rancheros is it can be wildly different from restaurant to restaurant. Other breakfast choices are usually more alike than different from place to place. But with Huevos Rancheros, you never know what you are going to get. I love to roll the dice. The Huevos Rancheros here is marked with a red star on the menu to indicate it is a Specialty of the House. The minute I saw that red star on my first visit, i knew I would be back, sooner rather than later. So today was that day. What better day to tuck into some excellent Huevos Rancheros than Cinco de Mayo? And excellent is was. Blew my damn socks off. Had to limp home and change into my sandals. The menu makes it clear this is not a traditional Huevos Rancheros, and it damn sure isn't. The Cajun Kitchen version is an artfully constructed tower of deliciousness. It featured layers of crispy fried corn tortilla loaded with well-seasoned red beans and rice, a slightly spicy chorizo and melted jack cheese, all of which was topped with a traditional ranchero sauce, two eggs cooked exactly to order and several slices of perfectly ripe avocado. The Huevos here are served with a steak knife and you need it! The crispy fried corn tortillas cannot be easily cut with anything less. The crispiness of those tortillas is such a wonderful contrast to the creaminess of the red beans and rice. The way all the ingredients come together is sooo satisfying. So satisfying you wish the meal would never end. And it almost seems like it won't. The order is so big and the dish so filling, there was no way I could finish it, and I walked in hungry AF. If I was asked to describe the customer service at this location in one word I'd say: Exemplary. Outstanding waitstaff up in this mug. Mikey C says: Goodbye Joe me gotta go, me oh my oh. Me gotta go pole the pirogue down the bayou... read more

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Tried to place while visiting Ventura. Glad we did. The food portions were huge and pretty tasty. They had friendly service and free public parking across the street if you come early enough. read more

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I had been craving shrimp and grits for a couple of months now and went here hoping I'd found the holy grail. I was wrong. The inside of the place is pretty chill and the fresh squeezed orange juice was really good. The shrimp and grits though, they need some work. The shrimp? Seasoned to perfection. Gas. Amazing. (I did request blackened after seeing photos) The sausage? Also, seasoned to perfection. Over-medium eggs were slightly overcooked but nothing to really complain about. I got the dish to go so it probably cooked in the container. But the grits? Oh boy the grits...They tasted like the Great Depression....No butter, no salt, no pepper, no onion or garlic. Nothing. Just grits and water...the cheese given wasn't mixed in with the grits, it was just on top and melted. Truly disappointing. If these guys can make real savory grits, that dish would be unstoppable. But again that orange juice was really good. Super refreshing. And the front of house server was very helpful and attentive. read more

Terrible service :( I go to the Cajun kitchen's in Santa Barbara and the one in Ventura was a nightmare. I just wanted water and we asked 3 people for waters and no one brought us any. I'm a server as well and I understand when it's really busy. I didn't care or complain that the server didn't check on us, but I was upset we didn't get waters until after our food was brought over. read more

Came out to have breakfast with my family a day after Valentine's Day. The menu had tons of options and plenty to pick from which we absolutely love . I leaned towards the breakfast sandwich which was well prepared and cooked to perfection. The rest of my family went for the chilaquiles and wow they were sooo good ! The service was 10/10 from the hostess to our waiter Jason who was so nice and delivered everything we requested with no problem . Overall a great please to consider trying read more

SERVICE The venue is a bit small but we were able to grab a table. I personally wouldn't want to sit in the center area next time as I feel people walking pass can pump into my food lol. The staff was nice, the place was clean and the wait wasn't long. FOOD It's hard to find grits in Ventura County, and good at that. I will say the second time we returned our grits were absolutely horrible lol. It was just white water. However, the first time we visited (images attached) they were good. The grits came with eggs, and was filled with cheese, shrimp, and sausage. The food was a take out order if questioning the packaging. We also ordered French toast was also good. WELL I am so glad we found this place and actually found it accidentally. We hope to become regulars here. read more

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As long as Cajun Kitchen has been in town I've never given it a thought to try. While dropping the car off down the way for new tires it led to the perfect time to walk Main Street since I typically avoid it because of the street closure. While doing so we decided to give Cajun kitchen a go for breakfast. We had a perfect window table watching the activities outside. While glancing the menu I was hopping to see more southern inspired breakfast options but it was mainly standard options. I did opt for the jambalaya and eggs with corn bread. The jambalaya was good had small I mean small diced sections of chicken and sausage with the bell pepper diced in larger sections. The shrimp was plentiful with 8 standard sized shrimp. The rice was perfectly cooked and the dish was perfectly spiced with a little heat. The corn bread was corn bread, reminiscent of the box type and didn't have much of a flavor. We started with the beignets and understood immediately why they had an option with fruit, caramel and whipped cream. The pastry was small, doughy and tasted like a fried pancake, it was even served with syrup so it wasn't gonna win straight out the go. The other option was the huevos rancheros which had tostadas crumbly chorizo and rice. A unique take on the dish that wasn't too bad. All in all it was a tasty meal but lacked the southern craving I was looking to satisfy. read more

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I ordered a gumbo to go. The staff told me they usually have it unfinished to go. I said it was ok. When I got home, I discovered the seafood was all raw in the broth. It would help in the future if they explicitly say that the meat is not cooked. I thought unfinished meant not fully heated rather than completely raw. read more

This is my second time coming here, and it's still good. The blackened catfish was seasoned and cooked perfectly. The cornbread was so moist and soft; not your dry cornbread. Service was good as well. They always made sure my coffee cup stayed full. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Blackened catfish with fish and corn bread - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

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The Cajun Kitchen Cafe has very good soul food. The catfish in particular is almost as good as mine. Everything is excellent. Highly recommended read more

Went to one on our way to Solvang one year and liked it so decided to try this one on our way to Santa Barbara. Big disappointment. The fried chicken biscuit with gravy was soggy and not at all like what you'd crave when you hear fried chicken. Food was lukewarm and generally lacking in flavor. Leaving this review so I can remember not to come back. read more

Nice enough brunch. Food was good not amazing. Big portions and decent price point. Fairly understaffed so made the experience a little more stressful than I prefer. Bit of a wait for a table on a late Sunday morning, to be expected. I tried everyone's meals - haha - and everything was ok. Not super blown away by anything except the biscuit! Fries were cold, hollandaise watery, crab cake was sort of tasteless. Maybe I didn't order the star items. But with a little increase in number of staff on weekends probably be more enjoyable. read more

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Great breakfast house, friendly service. The food comes out rather quickly, and can accommodate larger parties. I love their grits there and used to love their beignets, until we became a problem for me. I've been eating here for years, the food used to be great, Now it's just OK. I think it's their meat supplier that changed. But it's still good. read more

Stopped by here for lunch which we discovered on our stroll down Main Street. Service was quick and friendly. The jambalaya was spicy and tasty-descent amount of shrimp but not so much chicken and sausage. Not as hearty as I've had in the past. Mom had a huge burger which she enjoyed. My sister and cousin had the seafood gumbo-it was too spicy for them-had to order with extra rice. The large is huge! We should have gotten smalls. We brought leftovers home which we will doctor up. Corn bread was fantastic! Hot out of the oven. read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Jambalaya - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

Food cooked with lots of butter and love made for a great start of our day in Ventura. We were able to sit in their outside back patio because we had our puppy with us, and if we very nice out side because they had heaters to keep us comfortable. Our waiter kept and eye on us and kept our coffees hot! The food, was very very good. I got the shrimp and grits and it was delish my hubs got the jambalaya and eggs and he kept saying with each bite, " this is great." read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

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Amazing service by Reeka ( our server's name). She was just a pleasure to be tended by. She really was attentive and so nice! They were on it with the water refills. I Can be a water fiend. We sat outside as it was a wonderful sunny day in DT Ventura. We went on a Friday right before I had to work over time! Enjoyed the sun and people watching. I ordered and the classic eggs Benedict and my friend did too. They cooked the eggs just as I asked for them.. poached soft! I love my running eggs! However, the flavor of the ham and English muffins wasn't of my liking. Not they're fault, we all have diff flavor preferences. I'll be back to try other dishes! read more

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Amazing welcoming service, very attentive although it was really busy. The beignets were light and delightful! The shrimp and grits with andouille sausage was rich and flavorful! Will definitely be back! read more

Cajun Kitchen Cafe - Shrimp and grits, beignets, coffee, and mimosa! - Cajun/Creole Near Me - Ventura, California

My wife and I rode our bikes out here on Memorial Day. Being newer to town I hadn't tried this location. S.B. And Goleta hundreds of times. Food and service were spot on. Parking can sometimes be an issue for those with limited mobility but parking is close by. Will definitely return. read more