Came here for drinks but had no idea it was happy hour! Got the sweet potato taquitos and they were super tasty! There were a lot of other options that sounded tasty but I'll have to come back when I'm more hungry. The atmosphere in here is so fun and chic. A lot of space for big parties and the drinks are great! Staff is very welcoming and nice. Will be back! read more

Cocina Jaguar - Flauta de Papa - Mexican Near Me - Ventura, California

I'm slowly making my way through their menu here and all the drinks I've had are top tier. Vampiro - has a strong hit of licorice (absinthe) but a good iced fruit to mellow it out. Tamarindo - if you've ever had a nice refreshing agua fresca, imagine that with a perfect spike of alcohol. Mango Slush Margarita - the slushi margarita here has an odd consistency, but the alcohol in it is STRONG. The mango is one of their rotating flavors. Harvey Milk - this is my favorite drink I've had! Looks like horchata but has a nice mix of spices. Watermelon fix - refreshing and fruity, almost a slushy consistency. Cacao Negroni - the only one that tasted like straight up flavored rubbing alcohol (but that's just my opinion) Oaxacan Cobbler - tropical juice with a nice hint of mint read more

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Exquisite mezcal , omg if you know about Mezcal this is the place to come and get a shot of mezcal. Great cocktails as well. Janice's mime with vodka yummyyyy read more

Cocina Jaguar - The one to take, no ok e in ve turn carries this kj d so come and enjoy a real Mezcal - Mexican Near Me - Ventura, California

After visiting Jaguar Moon a couple times, we finally got around to ordering food from Cocina Jaguar. While Cocina Jaguar is located inside Jaguar Moon, they are not the same entity, and you have to order from them and pay separately from your bar tab. That being said, they make it convenient in that you can either order from your table via the QR code or at their counter. Food is delicious, but definitely on the pricier side. Each of their tacos is around $8. Super tasty and seems like good quality. But nobody ever just orders one, so for two of us it came to over $60, and we were still slightly hungry after. As I said, the food is good, I'd just have to really be in the mood for it to pay that much. That being said, super lively place that's fun to come with a bunch of friends. Stop by, grab a drink and some tasty food. read more

Cocina Jaguar - Mexican Near Me - Ventura, California

A week ago I left rave reviews on Jaguar Moons page but having now dined here twice and absolutely falling in love with the food, I wanted to make sure to give some credit to Cocina Jaguar which is the restaurant concept within the Jaguar Moon bar. The food and hospitality here is unmatched and an easy new favorite of mine in downtown Ventura. Chef Ramon is serving up unique and inspired dishes from Mexico and aside from him creating the most delicious and beautiful dishes, I am happy to report that he is also the nicest and most hospitable chef I have had the pleasure of meeting for a long while. I am so eager for this restaurant to be a success but it's safe to say it will be. The hype is totally out there in the community and I've loved seeing this place packed night after night when I've checked them out. Definitely kudos to my friend Jara S. For turning my friends and I onto this spot because it truly is fabulous. Back to the menu - the food is all tasty and you truly can't go wrong with whatever you pick. I'd recommend doing tapas style and ordering a little bit of everything for the table. The food is beautifully crafted and the flavors are so on point and creative. I haven't had a bad dish and I love that this menu here isn't some run of the mile bar food type of menu. This is truly a 5 star menu of bites but done in a fun way and that isn't intimidating given the atmosphere that the bar and staff create. Some of my favorite bites so far have been: -Ribeye Tacos -Halibut Ceviche -Scallop Crudo -Ahi Tuna Tartare I love the freshness of their seafood dishes and the pop of color and flavors that are represented in these dishes. For someone who doesn't love seafood the ribeye tacos are an absolute must. Those tacos are juicy, flavorful, and a hefty bite. My friends also shared that they really like the fried chicken tacos, that will be next on my list to try. Food here is 5 star home run. I'm so happy we have this spot now in downtown Ventura and I can't wait for you all to give this spot a try. Truly fabulous food and the atmosphere is very fun yet inviting. Kudos to the team who made our last dine in experience a 10/10 - shoutout to Chef Ramon, James, Jordan & Chris. read more

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The food is amazing . Tastes the Ribeye Taco and OMG . So gooooood . The Chef has hands of gold because anything he touches is divine ! This is not the only restaurant he has and I am extremely happy he is now in Ventura. Shaking up the scene .. bring something new and vibrant . Enough of the same old thing. Come check them out ! Great service . Everyone is friendly. read more

Amazing new addition to downtown Ventura. I love all things Corazon in SB so I was so happy to hear that we now have a sister restaurant here in town. We tried all the tacos and they were so incredible! Everything about them was perfect in every bite. I can't wait to go back to try more of their menu options. It's a small menu but honestly everyone can find something they will thoroughly enjoy. Service was order at the counter and they bring your food out to your table. We noticed we got 2 different kinds of menus so I think they're still trying to streamline their offerings. Decor was great! So chic and made you feel like you're in vacation. I know they're expanding their back patio area by summer so I can't wait to see their full completion. read more

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The staff and food are excellent. They have unique cocktails which need to be explored. The food is all prepared to perfection read more

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First off, the space has been nicely built out. From the really nice sign out front, to the ultra clean bathroom. They did a great job with the interior design, the colors are great. The interior is all hard surfaces so it very loud even with a very small crowd when we were there. If you're with quiet talkers it may be hard to hear them. I understand all the issues that have been raised in other reviews. The place is very fragmented, disjointed and confusing. There are really two entirely separate operations. Think of it as a bar with a food concession/vendor selling food, operating out of the bar space. The food menu is very limited, which can be good as they can focus on what they do best. However, in this case the few item we had were very oily, not greasy, but rather heavy on some sort of vegetable oil. We had two types of tacos the Cochinta (pork) and the chicken mole. The blue corn tortillas were great, best part of the tacos. The pork was very nice but really needs some hot sauce. The Chicken mole taco was OK, the mole is thin, again the blue corn tortilla was the star. Some reviews said they had trouble getting served, we had two servers come at us. One was the bar tender the other seemed to work for the food vendor. We no sooner ordered food when the bar tender came over to take a food order. She was trying to be helpful, saying she could take the order for the food side. You get two separate checks. The food side doesn't like to take cash, "we don't keep loose change." What's entertaining is both sides bring you the handheld credit card machine, the food side has the 'tip' percentage pre-set at 15-18-20% & the bar machine is pre-set at 20-22-25%. Yes, they do both have the 'custom tip' option we're all used to now. Bottom line, great place to stop for a drink when you walk Main Street and want a drink and a bar snack of sorts. I'm not a bar person, I was there for the food and to check out a new place, but that may work well for others. read more

What a great new find! I attended during the soft opening. Miami vibe! Love the bright colors, bold flavors of food. I got the Paloma and Harvey Leche. Enjoyed them both. I love the open space and seat yourself. You can go for food or drinks. Service was great! read more

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This was my first time visiting Cocina Jaguar and it did not disappoint. I went with a friend and we ordered the Flautas de Papa Mussels and Clams Peruvian Scallop Crudo All the plates were shareable and seemed to be enough portion wise for our appetite. You have to order at the counter and had I not messaged beforehand I might have been a little confused. Once we ordered, the food was brought to our table. We started out with the scallop. The flavors were tasty and refreshing, but seemed to compete with each other a little bit. Didn't get to taste enough of the scallop in my opinion. Next up were the flautas. The papa is a sweet potato filling and these were delightful. Perfect outer crispness and mouth watering filling with just the right amount of crema and salsa to garnish the top. The last dish brought out to us were the mussels and clams. The flavors were delicious leaving us wanting more. Everything was cooked to perfection. The sauce was so tasty. I used every morsel of the bread to soak it up! It's definitely a vibe and I love all the artwork, murals and IG worthy opportunities you can get pics! My friend and I arrived pretty early. Searing seemed plentiful, but it's a first come first serve and as the night progressed it got busy, so if you have a larger party, it could be more challenging to grab a table. Also, as the night ensued, it was pretty loud. Sometimes hard to hear the conversation of the person right across from me. For us it didn't ruin our experience, just know it's not necessarily the place to be able to have intimate conversations. I will definitely return. There was more on the menu I'd like to try! read more

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I can honestly say the tacos here are beyond delicious! We ordered the Cochinita Pibil (which was as tasty and juicy as ones I had in Merida, Mexico) and the Costra tacos. It is not hyperbole when I say the Costra taco with tender ribeye and cheese toasted in the tortilla is one of the best tacos I have ever had. I went back for seconds and told the couple who had just sat down next to us to order one. They too went back for seconds. The margaritas were delicious and I would go back to this restaurant in a heartbeat. read more

Always love the food here. Such quality ingredients...and the Happy hour food menu is legit! Tuna tartar is my hands down favorite menu item. I can never pass down fried chicken but that taco was beyond ordinary - the best combination of flavors . A must try. read more

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Drinks were beautifully crafted. The atmosphere was the perfect way to start the night. Service was friendly and welcoming. Bravo team! Might do a retake and try more of the menu tonight read more

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Amazing food and good drinks. Wonky ordering and unfriendly food service that they could simplify by coming to your table and listening. Didn't listen to my order that I repeated twice then I asked if he could grab my card on file from the bar to which he kept motioning for me to tap a card I didn't have on me. Wrong taco order and never brought my Diet Coke. On plus side bartender was super friendly and did come to our table and the broccolini taco was one of best I've ever had. If they get the service right this could be one of best places in VTA. read more

Love this place! The food is so fresh, thoughtfully sourced and delicious. Chef Ramon is a bib gourmand award winning chef & Chef Adam is very talented. I love the ceviche to start and flauntas. I rotate through the tacos. I've tried all of them at this point. The fried chicken one is my favorite. But I love all of them. I'm gluten-free and can eat most of the menu. Occasionally they just switch the tortilla out for corn. They have the best mussels & chorizo I've ever had. The cocktail program at Jaguar Moon pairs perfectly with the food. It's such a fun spot. Beautifully designed, comfortable with a great team running things. It's 2 businesses in 1 location. You order cocktails from the bar or server & food at the counter or QR code from your table. This place is in my regular rotation. Nothing but great experiences and delicious Mexican food. Great happy hour too Monday-Friday. read more

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The food is absolutely incredible! We had the tuna tartare, which is unbelievable. We also had the fried chicken taco, which is delicious. Also had three other tacos all of which were incredibly good. Don't hesitate to come here. read more

This place is great! I never liked Mezcal until this night. The drinks were fun and inventive. The bartenders were fabulous. We didn't try the food but we will next time. Always ask the bartender what their favorite drinks are And they will steal you in the right direction. Kelly was our bartender and she was wonderful very knowledgeable and she made great drinks. This is definitely a place to hit in downtown! read more

si eres mexicano o latino NO VENGAN. Pinches flautas de camote que no mamen. 40 bolas por dos cosas.. se pasan de verg. 6 dolares por un taco UN TACO read more

We come here once a week, and until tonight, it would have been 5 stars - BUT - tonight we found out they have taken the fish tacos off the menu. What?!?!?! No fish tacos in Ventura??? Bring them back!!!! read more

I went up to order and they immediately knew I was vegan by how I ordered. They gave me recommendations for next time to veganize the items. The flautas were so yummy!! read more

Cocina Jaguar - Flautas de Papa - Mexican Near Me - Ventura, California

Run don't walk to Cocina Jaguar/Jaguar Moon! With an exceptionally curated menu highlighting the flavors of Central and Southern Mexico, there is no other restaurant/bar like this in Ventura! The quality of the ingredients and the balance of flavors is unmatched! Servers are attentive and the aesthetic was expertly designed. There are delicious options for meat eaters, vegetarians, and pescatarians alike - you won't be disappointed! read more

A great spot for a date! We both ordered cocktails which were beautifully crafted and tasted great. The bartenders were very attentive and professional. The ambience was gorgeous- they did an amazing job designing and decorating. read more

Cocina Jaguar - Mexican Near Me - Ventura, California

Cute new spot with ample seating. Servers for drinks were very helpful and stopped by often. You have to order food seperately at a food counter. Seating is first come first served, no reservations. read more

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Stumbled in here on their opening day and was quite impressed! We waited a little bit to get inside and for our drinks (which is to be expected on their first day) Adam saw we were waiting for sometime, apologized for the wait and offered us complimentary tequila shots . Drinks were awesome and the ambiance was amazing. I highly recommend this place! we will be returning tonight for dinner! Awesome customer service!!! read more

Hip and cozy ambiance. Delicious food and drinks. Both have an amazing balance of subtle flavors. I have to say, reading the menu items, I wasn't sure if they'd be good, but all were a pleasant surprise! We loved the ceviche, the Ribeye and the Tik fish tacos, the carajillo slushy, and the Jaguar Moon cocktails. Service was top notch. Can't wait to come back. read more

Great new addition to Ventura nightlife! The beautiful and bright decor makes you feel like you're on vacay. Mexico City pink meets Miami meets Yucatán. Drinks are yummy and so is the food! I like that it's not a sit down restaurant and you can order, pay separately and have it taken to your table. Makes it easier when you're with a group. read more

This place is a Jaguar-of-a-find! Awesome decor (the jaguar paint in their main hall is quite nice and detailed), great drink options, and a very interesting Oaxacan inspired menu. Their service is also fast and the waitress we got was very friendly and accommodating. My first visit was as a part of a Yelp Elite event and they provided some mezcal and tequila tasting, as well as a sample of their delicious menu. I really liked their mezcal, Malbien, it was very smooth and tasty. I wasn't a big fan of their white tequila, but I can see how this one would be great for a margarita. On the other hand, I enjoyed their Colimita Pilsner, it was refreshing and smooth. I also met their talented Head Chef, Chef Ramon. Great guy, very friendly, and proud of the cuisine he represents. The first bite I tasted was a Peruvian Scallop Crudo, a scallop cooked on lemon, served with pomegranate seeds and some other tasty things on a seashell. It was delicious, I had never had a scallop this way, so it was both tasty and refreshing. The next course featured a Tlayuda de Hongos, a mixture of mushrooms, pepitas, and other vegetables lightly cooked in a tasty Oaxacan sauce over a type of crispy tostada. Also delicious! The third plate was Chicken Mole over a tortilla chip, which was absolutely divine, I'm not that into mole, but this was tasty. Very recommended. The final dish I tasted was a Cochinita Pibil taco on a purple corn tortilla, which was as fun to eat as you would think (since the tortilla was purple). This too was outstanding, but I should caution you that it was a bit spicy, so if you don't like spicy I would stir clear of it . Jury is out on this one, definitely recommended and well worth the visit to Downtown Ventura. Let yourself be the prey of great taste and ferociously good drinks at Jaguar Moon! read more

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Venturing around Ventura Main Street and found this gem of a restaurant. The space is wide open with a loungy-relaxed vibe. Jaguar bar is at the front of the space and offers a wide variety of excellent tequilas and other hard liquors. Their margaritas are honest, not too sweet and professionally made. Top-notch. As for the restaurant itself, we tried the ceviche and various tacos. The quality and presentation of the food was simply outstanding. My personal favorite was the fried chicken taco, but I doubt you could go wrong with any of them.. We'll return again to sample more tequilas and more food. read more

Nothing is more stupid than having a bar and basically an indoor food truck in the same place operating as two different business entities. So you sit at the bar - they don't give you a food menu because - not their business. You have to open two different tabs. It's dumb. The only way this makes sense is if the restaurant can't get a liquor license - literally that's the only thing I can imagine is the case. Two stars because the mezcal margarita was good - but I won't go back. Didn't bother waiting in the longish line to order food like I'm literally at a food truck. Walk two blocks up and have the cocinita tacos at Rumfish - there you can order the same exact food - in a nicer spot - for the same money - while seated - and on the same tab. Note this review is also in the Jaguar Moon listing as they are indistinguishable from one another. read more

The tartara de atun is one of the best dishes I've had in my entire life, and it's on the happy hour menu.

Over price for food and very limited menu and weak drinks.service was good except that you have to walk up to order your food. Cocktails there's staff to take your order,however,for food no. Kind of a joke.1 taco and 1 kind of meet quesadilla( not big) $35 and a tip $5. It was easier to put in my order by myself read more

Tacos were so delicious!! So excited this place opened in Ventura. Drinks are perfect.

Waited in line for 8 minutes trying to get the happy hour menu items. I was next in line when it hit 6pm and the cashier said "sorry you're too late". I said I was in line this whole time and she said it didn't matter. Even though it was seconds past 6pm (not even 6:01pm). What a waste of time for what seems like mediocre food and service. The bar attached is wayyyy better service and great people but cocina jaguar is not it, take your business elsewhere read more

Wow! just WOW!! Amazing flavor and well seasoned food. I am a guacamole connoisseur and hands down,...the MOST delicious guacamole ever! Clean, fresh and quality ingredients. Yes,..tacos are not a few bucks but they are QUALITY and DELICIOUS. If you want amazing flavor, non greasy, and higher end flavor, then you will love this place. This is not for taco truck eaters. This is for those who appreciate well orchestrated food profiles and eating and drinking in an eclectic place with a fun vibe. Highly recommend the vegetarian options (broccolini and cheese tacos,..superb) and for those who love meat,..the ribeye tacos. Suggestion: get friends who appreciate flavor and quality and order an array of tacos,...sip eclectic tequila drinks and enjoy the vibe. So glad this place is in Ventura! Going to be a regular and cannot wait to introduce it to out of town guests. read more

Not sure if I should write this review or not, because I didn't even stay for the whole experience... but here is why we didn't stay: walked in, no acknowledgment from bar which is in the middle of the room, seating off to the sides. Confusing--no menus, no servers--no clue how to order anything. We grabbed menus off the bar-- again, no one even looked in my direction (at other places "Hi, Welcome!" is the usual response, right?). Food and drinks are elaborate and creative (a cocktail with roasted corn, ok)--but nothing that really struck me as something I would be dying to try. We opted for ribeye tacos and a margarita, and the Cocina Jaguar margarita. How do we order? We went to the bar and stood. Finally the bartender looked at us without smiling and looked away without acknowledging us (it was early in the evening and not terribly busy). The volume was ridiculously loud--and it was just like, I don't know--restaurant abuse? We left and went up the street to Model Citizen happy hour for a relaxing time. I don't mind volume in a bar. I don't mind experimental menus--but I don't like confusion and being ignored by wait-staff. The place seems bogus. I won't be back. OH-- it is an interesting interior. Beautiful, I guess. read more