Went for happy hour, sat on the patio and was served by Hector. I was genuinely impressed with the quality of the food and the service. He was attentive, courteous, and appeased our special requests. I would come back here again. The patio makes for excellent people watching. read more

Man o man how can I start off... first off, the building has a vintage feel to it, reminds me like if I am sitting in a movie of the early to mid 1900s. Al Capone if you will. They instantly greet you at the door, which I had reservations for, and led me to a choice of tables that had "reserved" on them. I chose the booth, which was comfortable and roomy. Service was outstanding. They check in on you on a consistent basis, whether it is busy or not. When we arrived, there were maybe 10 other patrons, then maybe 30 mins in, the place was packed. Our server, I forgot her name, attended to us regardless of the amount of people. The other servers and workers also made rounds offering water and taking plates away. My partner and I both got "La Duquesa" 3 course meal, which consisted of an appetizer, soup or salad, and an entree. I personally got the veggie tempura which was crisp and tasty along with a aioli that was delicious, house salad with a mind blowing balsamic that was sweet and tangy, and finally a NY steak. They gave me the option to get my steak sliced which I loved, and an au jus that seemed to be creamy maybe with butter? But nonetheless was flavorful. I did ask for a chimichurri that the server forgot but either way I was content with my sauce. Now the drinks. They were on another level. We love going out to try different cocktails and we were nothing less than extremely satisfied. I got the Last Agave which was a mixture of mezcal and tequila, but the ingredients concealed the alcohol so well that it was not overpowering and the ingredients represented the drink, all while you still felt that little warmness in your stomach. My partner got the Anima Tropical which could be equally as good as the Last Agave, with a more tropical flavor to it as the name states. Drinks were well worth the price as they were made with what seems to be experienced hands! Definitely would come back for just the drinks and appetizers after work! Overall very content with our meals, left with full stomachs and the thought of coming back to try more of their signature cocktails read more

First time here. The food: the meat and fish were cooked perfectly but a bit over-salted. We still enjoyed it. The French onion soup was topped with a slice of soft white bread rather than the traditional toasted baguette which was odd and disappointing, but the soup otherwise tasty. Veggies were nicely prepared. Dessert was excellent. The service: prompt and friendly but missed the mark a few times. One staff member came to clear our extra plates while holding a plate containing the remnants of someone else's dinner and it was right in front of my face. That was unpleasant. In general the waitstaff seemed a bit untrained in fine dining, and at the same time trying too hard. Ambiance: It strives for a fancy vibe, but the decor was overshadowed by the gigantic TV above the bar. There is no partition between the bar and the dining room so every table has a few of the game while dining. I am sure there are some patrons that enjoy this but it seems the restaurant has put a lot of effort into giving the place an upscale vibe and the TV just takes away from all of that effort. Will we be back? Probably. It really was the best meal we have had locally in a while. read more

Always drove by this place and have been wanting to give it a try. Naturally, I Yelped it to read the reviews and for the most part, the consensus was that the food was great and i am happy to confirm that it is! We tried the $45 special which includes choice of appetizer, salad and entrée. Rib eye - cooked medium. The hubby enjoyed it very much and he is very particular about steak. Filet mignon - cooked medoum. I enjoyed every bite. It had a beautiful crispy crust and melted while cutting a bite. Both steaks came with a mushroom sauce and they have a homemade chimchirri sauce that they asked if we wanted to try. We preferred that over the mushroom but both sauces were good and served on the side. caesars - well dressed salad with fresh croutons and parmeasan calamari - crispy, well seasoned and served with a small side of marina. We had to ask for sliced lemon. They also have sides available to share for separate charge. We split a baked potato. I have seen bigger potatoes in other restaurants but it turned out to be just right for us. The service was friendly and welcoming. We popped in early evening on Sunday with no reservation. There was one big party of 12 and our 2 person party. Another group came in and we were taken care of timely. This decor inside compliments the exterior perfectly. Very tasteful and elegant. There is a small lot that belongs to the restaurant but also street parking is available. Lastly, I can also confirm they do not serve margarine with their bread. Omg people, whipped butter! Those comments were tripping me out. LOL We will be back for sure. Nice to see some great new restaurants popping up! read more

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What a very beautiful venue! So glad we tried it out. Service and hospitality from every single person on staff here is on point! I would give that 10 stars! The food was very, very good. We brought our own wine and paid the $25 corkage fee. Our server, Alan was very attentive, polite, courteous, knowledgeable, pretty much checked all the boxes! You've got to check this place out! read more

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We really enjoyed our meal. The service was great and there was no wait on a Saturday night which was nice. The mushroom and soup were great starters to a delicious meal. We had a great experience here and will be back to try more off the great menu. read more

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When I first walked in I was very impressed with how elegant the entire restaurant is. The restaurant has a gorgeous bar, booths and tables. Everything was beautiful to the eye. I loved the chandeliers, crown moldings, the lions on the back of the barstools, the gold flatware, velveteen booths, etc. Ambience A+. We came here because I want calamari. I asked if we were dressed appropriately and we were told yes. This place is beautiful and looks fancy. When offered a choice, we chose the booth. The menu is filled with pages and pages of delicious sounding cocktails. We chose non alcoholic drinks. I really wanted a fresh brewed iced tea. Unfortunately, there ice tea is from a machine. I opted for a Diet Coke. The glassware is elegant as is their gold silverware. (That's an oxymoron! ) OH, I digress. We ordered the fried calamari and the vegetable tempura. It did take some time for our order to arrive. We were offered bread. The bread was so small yet warm. I do not believe that that was butter. It didn't melt like butter. When our orders arrived, I quietly noted the very small portion. The calamari was good. As a teacher, I give it a B. The vegetable tempura was also a very small portion. The tempura vegetables were well cooked and seemed fresh. One of the issues was the batter. The batter was so so oily. I was disappointed and confused by the fact that the dipping sauce was not tempura sauce. The dipping sauce that we had seemed like a lighter version of Thousand Island dressing. I do not recommend this appetizer. The service was wonderful. Our soft spoken waiter was kind. I love the way he presented my drink. His folded hands were like a coaster. He did not touch the glass. It truly was a presentation. There was a group of friends at the bar. They were having a great time enjoying the World Cup. There were about six of them. They had the bar and the game to themselves. P.S. There is a surcharge for using your credit card. read more

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Came to give the Duquesa another try with the family. The service we received was spot on. The food we order was delicious, cooked right, enjoy the filet mignon. I am big meats lover. The de ora of the restaurant still the same had the warmly feeling when you come in and greeted by beautiful decora as you are seated. La Duquesa is one to try. We be back again in the e coming months. read more

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Absolutely incredible food and the bar menu is diverse with tasty drinks! The best thing on the menu was the pretty woman paired with the stuffed chicken. However, the bacon wrapped shrimp don't disappoint! Based on the quality of food, drinks, and incredible service they are reasonably priced. Great for big events, birthdays, or a special date night! read more

La Duquesa - Pretty woman! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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I decided to come again on a special day. Our 43rd wedding anniversary I pre ordered our meal it was awesome very well done. I love this place. Service was tops. Again read more

We live in the neighborhood and finally came in for dinner a few weeks ago mid week. We were the only customers which we didn't mind. The restaurant is really fancy and high end feeling. Everything is black and gold which makes even a Tuesday night dinner feel elevated. The service was fantastic! The food was delicious!! Everything we ordered came out at the perfect temp and had flavor like what you'd expect from a high end steak house. Both the chowder and French onion soups were so yummy and the steak was cooked to perfection. Their prices are very reasonable and they even have kids meals for under $10! The drinks were a little pricey but expected for fine cocktails and no complaints on taste and presentation. Wine list was also Looking forward to returning. read more

La Duquesa - Wine and cocktail - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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10 across the board from food, service to ambiance. We sat at the bar for a cocktail before dinner we absolutely enjoyed our experience. As a Ventura resident it's great to see a new restaurant that nails it while stepping our restaurant scene up a notch! -Well done JZ read more

Sunday evening we decided to go for drinks and possibly food in this area. We came across this place for a drink. Once we walked in the Ambiance is beautiful. We decided to sit at the bar to get drinks, but after a few minutes of ordering our first drink, we noticed some ants crawling around and on the liquor bottles. I instantly stop drinking and made it known to 1 of the bartenders. ( older gentleman with glasses I forgot his name.) Although he was nice, he said ook killed one of the ants, and kept working. So a few minutes past and i seen few more ants arised, i let the other male bartender/waiter know instead of cleaning the area or anything, they both went on as if its normal and not concerning. We paid and just left, we were going to eat but since they didn't care we paid for our one drink and left. read more

Came for brunch and at first impression, this looked like a really nice fancy place. The decor seemed fancy, but that's where the good things stopped for us. I ordered the Chile Verde and Eggs. The Chile Verde was passable, but nothing id order again. The pork was tender but the salsa was unimpressive. The home potatoes seemed old and stale. They were barely warmed and had a crunch to them like they were leftovers. That said, we were the first customers of the day arriving shortly after they opened for the day. Service was stilted and not knowledgeable of the menu. I when I ordered the "Chile Verde and Eggs", she responded as if she wasn't familiar with that item and was scrolling through her electronic ordering device and finally replied, "oh, PORK Chile Verde and Eggs," as that is exactly how it's written on the menu. We asked if the steak and cheese omelet had any veggies in it, because we'd like an item with veggies. She said she didn't know for sure, but she "thinks" its just steak and cheese. Overall, not a place I'd race back to. The decor does give the impression of high quality and standards, but overall they need to up their food game and the servers really need to study the menu more when trying to be a fancy high quality restaurant. read more

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Amazing resturant, very nice decor with a french feel. The food is amazing as well. All Americana with quality steaks, sea food ect. Great prime rib on the weekends. This has the ambiance of a 4 or 5 star resturant. Ventura has been needing a nicer place like this. Will definitely be back. read more

La Duquesa - Prime rib - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

The Filet Mignon was cooked to perfection, and the seasoning and cut were top-notch. The Penne with Pink Sauce was flavorful, though my personal preference is the pasta be slightly more al-dente. The Clam Chowder had great thickness to the sauce, the clams were delicate and bright, and the seasoning was well-selected, if slightly too light for my preference. The staff was friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. The ambiance was quiet, sophisticated, and well thought out. I am glad I found this place! read more

We have noticed this spot while driving by several times so we decided to pop in on a Saturday afternoon. It was the "in between time" so there were no patrons dining but we were greeted like we were family. We sat at the bar and the service we received from Jesus was impeccable. He was friendly and knowledgeable. Alvida was the server who was also so friendly and kind. I had a wonderful margarita, he had a few beers and Jesus surprised up with an amuse bouche of tuna tartare which tasted fresh and had a delicious sauce. The menu is quite extensive and had many items that I plan on trying when I return. The stemware and barware shined like crystal- you can see there is pride in service here. They serve brunch, lunch and dinner and also have a great happy hour. Looking forward to returning with friends. read more

Gorgeous food, decor and service. Cant wait to go back!!!!! The service is the best I've found on Ventura in years!

I went in around 1pm and sat at the bar. There were a few parties seated nearby, and the ambiance was lively. The menu was extensive, honestly, a little overwhelming. Pages and pages of drinks, and the same for food. I ended up going with their house special, which came with a soup or salad, a lobster tail, a filet, and a side (loaded potato). Everything was delicious! The service was friendly, the price was great for what I ordered, and bonus points for the super comfortable bar chairs. My only critique is the overwhelming options to choose from on their menu. read more

La Duquesa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

The restaurant ambience is quite pretty and the décor is really nice. However, the utensils felt a bit flimsy and the napkins were a thin, silky 2-ply material, which didn't match the overall aesthetic. I'm also not sure which demographic they're aiming for. I came in at 4pm but it felt like 8pm at an older, more traditional restaurant. The music was very low and a bit outdated, which added to the confusion in the atmosphere. We tried the breaded calamari and the grilled octopus. The calamari was good, but the octopus could have used a little more seasoning. I also ordered a lychee martini, which tasted slightly artificial. Overall, I think the restaurant has potential, but there are definitely some kinks to work out. I hope to visit again and see how they improve. read more

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We have been interested in this place since it's in our neighborhood and decided to give it a go and celebrate Mother's Day here. Upon arriving we were greeted with big smiles into a bright beautiful restaurant. Promptly seated and greeted by our server. We placed our cocktail orders and received our drinks pretty quickly. This was the best part of our visit...had we just gone for drinks then we would have given thumbs up, however we came for lunch and I am still fuming over our experience and the disgust on a plate we were served. First our food took FOREVER to come out. 90% of the restaurant was cleared, no reason for the kitchen to be backed up. Ok, good food takes time, so we patiently wait. When our food comes out I'm at a loss. Two of us ordered two DIFFERENT pasta dishes with two DIFFERENT proteins. We immediately noticed the proteins are on the wrong pasta dishes. One being shrimp the other being chicken. We immediately brought it to your servers attention to which she replied "so what is it that you want??" Ummm perhaps what we ordered?? She takes the plates away to the bar area where she's showing it off to other servers before coming back to our table to say the problem was in the kitchen...ok?? Within a couple of minutes she comes back out with our dishes...clearly the kitchen just picked off the protein and swapped it. Never once asking about if we had any allergies that could potentially be life threatening by picking off shrimp from one plate and tossing it on another. As soon as the plate is set down you can see the sauces are curdled...Alfredo AND vodka sauce. As I moved the pasta around trying to make sense of what I'm looking at I can see it's in a pool of oil. I take a deep breath and try to make the best of it...take a bite and it's COLD...the hits keep on coming. How could something so simple that took so long to come out be COLD!!! To say this experience was a disappointment is an extreme understatement. I'm completely disgusted and appalled by the quality of food we were served. I'd like to add the strip steak and filet mignon sandwich we ordered were both overcooked. For the sake of not causing a scene or further ruining my Mother's Day, we chose to not address it with the server who seemed to disappear after dropping our plates. I caution you to avoid this place for anything more than cocktails. Food is an atrocity. Whoever the chef is should be ashamed of what they put out. read more

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The food was amazing! Service was excellent ! The restaurant was beautiful! Everything 10/10 read more

La Duquesa - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

Beautiful place, Great service, amazing food. Enjoyed every moment there. Clean, romantic setting. read more

This was our second time having dinner at La Duquesa. The first visit was very good but I didn't write a review. Last night's dinner was so good that I want to spread the word and encourage others to check out the restaurant. We each ordered a Special Platter, which is a main dish with a choice of vegetable and a soup or salad. The prices vary; I think our dinners were in the range of $35 to $40 each. All of our dishes (Lamb, French Onion soup, and Brussels Sprouts especially notable) were excellent! My husband was very happy with his Margarita (not an easy feat). My glass of wine was excellent. We didn't have room for dessert. All this in a nice, calm ambience. read more

From the moment you walk in, the first thing you notice is how gorgeous and luxurious the space feels. Every detail, down to the utensils, feels intentional and thoughtfully designed. What stood out just as much as the decor was the staff. Everyone was incredibly accommodating, welcoming, and genuinely thoughtful. From helpful recommendations to little unexpected touches, the service felt warm and effortless. Now, the food. The menu made it hard to choose because everything sounded amazing. My friend ordered the cherry pancakes, and I had to try them. I did not expect to love them as much as I did. They were fluffy, full of flavor, and honestly didn't even need syrup. That's how good they were. I ordered the smoked salmon, tomato, avocado egg white omelette, and it was exactly what I was hoping for. Light, fresh, and still really satisfying. For drinks, we had coffee with vanilla creamer, and each of us was brought our own adorable little creamer carafe, which was such a cute touch. I already can't wait to come back. This place deserves way more buzz than it has right now. Go. Seriously. read more

The interior of La Duquesa is GORGEOUS!!! I have only sat at the bar however look forward to dining in. The food I have enjoyed there is delicious; the clam chowder and the bacon wrapped shrimp are amazing. The staff is always very attentive, generous and friendly- Jesus and Cassandra provide excellent service , recommendations and conversation. They have a 6 hr Happy Hour and they are open on Mondays when most establishments are closed! Definitely one of my favorite 'go-to' places, thank you!!! read more

This was my second time visiting this restaurant, and unfortunately, the experience was extremely disappointing--especially compared to my first visit. I came with a large group on a Saturday night with a reservation at 8:30 PM. Everyone was present by 8:35 PM, and the restaurant was not busy at all. Despite that, service was incredibly slow from the start. We had to flag down a waiter just to take our order. After placing our order, we waited 45 minutes with no updates. I asked a waiter for an estimated time, and he simply said there was nothing he could do because it was up to the kitchen. When I explained we had already been waiting a long time, he just repeated himself without offering any help or follow-up. Another 20 minutes passed, and a different waiter finally checked on our order after we asked again. Only then did our food start coming out a few minutes later. We didn't receive our food until around 10:15 PM--almost two hours after arriving. This was completely unacceptable, especially given that the restaurant wasn't even busy. To make matters worse, nothing was offered to make up for the experience--no apology beyond the bare minimum, no discount, and nothing complimentary. The lack of urgency, communication, and accountability made this a very frustrating experience. Unfortunately, we won't be returning. read more

Amazing place, food, servers and drinks. We will be back soon and will be telling our crew. Great place! read more

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My wife came across this new restaurant in Ventura on Nextdoor and we decided to try it. I was able to make a reservation online which is always a plus with me. We arrived a couple minutes late but were seated right away. We had a lovely plush booth which was extremely comfortable. We were offered water and then our server Alan came to our table and introduced himself and took our drink orders. I was driving so I just had Sprite and my wife had a glass of Sauvignon Blanc which she said was very good. The menu is quite extensive but manageable so after a couple minutes we made our selections. Alan brought our drinks and we placed our dinner orders. My wife had the grilled halibut which came with a choice of salads ( Caesar, house , garden etc...She had the house ) and a premium side of which she had the grilled asparagus. I had the 3 course meal which consists of an appetizer, salad, and entree. They are several choices of each course but I chose the Calamari ( I asked for the rings only since I don't care for the tentacles and they had no problem accommodating me) as my appetizer, the Cesar salad, and the 12oz. New York steak. Each course was timed perfectly and everything was AMAZING. The calamari was breaded wonderfully and both salads were delicious.My wife's fish was light and flaky and the asparagus was grilled to perfection. My steak was also cooked exactly the way I wanted it and along with the sauce it was served with was great. We shared a vanilla gelato for dessert. Great service by Alan and his supporting staff along with great food at a very fair price. We will be returning with friends and family and highly recommend La Duquesa. Well done everyone! read more

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Excellent food service and atmosphere would highly recommend! A little pricey but worth it. read more

Cassie was the best Great place for steaks for lunch! Will be coming back Reasonably priced for great steaks read more

I rarely leave negative reviews, but this experience was frustrating enough that I feel compelled to share it. To be clear, our server was polite and helpful whenever we spoke with her. My frustration is with the overall management and experience of the restaurant. We had a reservation for 12 people and arrived on time, yet still waited approximately 90 mins for our food. Delays can happen, but what made this so disappointing was the lack of communication. We received no updates throughout the evening, and when we asked about our order, we were given very brief answers with little explanation and no acknowledgment of how long we had already been waiting. What made the situation even more confusing was that the restaurant seemed relatively quiet. Aside from our party, there were only two other tables seated, both of which appeared to be parties of two. Given how few guests were there, it was difficult to understand why the kitchen was running so far behind or why no one communicated what was happening. By the time our food arrived, it was after the restaurant's posted closing time of 10 PM, despite us having a reservation and arriving as scheduled. At that point, the experience had already been overshadowed by frustration. The food itself was okay, but it simply did not make up for the wait, lack of communication, and overall disorganization. What disappointed me most was feeling like our time wasn't valued. Had someone kept us informed or offered a sincere apology, this review might look very different. Unfortunately, we left feeling disappointed and will not be returning read more

I think this place could be super great. I just think a few things need to be changed with the menu. I wish the special they offer with the 3 courses came with an appetizer option that is not seafood. When I asked if I could substitute a non fish option the server said no. So no appetizer for me. The other thing is the mains not coming with a side. I chose the filet & it was served just a steak on a plate. I must have a side with my protein so I had to order the overpriced mashed potatoes. The decor was nice and served was polite. Include a side on the special menu & I may go back. read more

La Duquesa - Decor. - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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We're locals and this is our 4th time here. First time for Dinner. What a fantastic experience the wagyu rib eye was the best steak ever. the service was the best. Alan was great and so attentive. Please don't miss this opportunity as a visitor or local. read more

La Duquesa - Dessert - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Ventura, California

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We have been wanting to try this place for a little while, so we made a reservation for Saturday evening. We arrived on time and were seated immediately. My fiance is on a GLP-1, so she only ordered a loaded baked potato. I ordered the Wagyu ribeye, a glass of Cab and grilled asparagus, with the French onion soup to start. The baked potato came out after a few minutes but my steak didn't arrive till about 25 minutes later. The timing was very much off. The steak was ordered medium rare and came out rare on one end and well on the other end. It was very flavorful, but inconsistent. We did not have the best initial experience but may give them one more try to sample the lamb chops. read more

I had a very disappointing experience at this restaurant. The wait for our food was extremely long, and when we politely asked how much longer it would take, one of the staff responded in an unprofessional manner. We understand that restaurants can get busy, but we were the only group at the restaurant and good communication and customer service is important. Unfortunately, the lack of professionalism and the excessive wait time made our visit unpleasant. I hope management addresses these issues to improve future customers' experiences. Will not be returning. read more

Very sexy place. The service is really good. Everyone is super attentive and knowledgeable of the menu. The food is good. I guess depends what you order! read more

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Maria - your restaurant is amazing. The staff had the highest customer service standards and my family and I feel very taken card of. Everyone on Yelp is right, your bacon stuffed shrimp is delicious. your drinks are beautiful (especially the one with the smoke), and steaks grilled to perfection. It was hard to limit my kids to only two refills, and the premium sides were a bit small vs shareable. I am sad that prices went up for prefix, but understand that everything is going up in price these days. Will try to come back with my family for happy hour! I love your clam chowder! read more

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The mushroom soup was great. The steak was super over cooked after asking for medium rare. Salad was - basic house salad and they had good ranch. Octopus was grilled nicely. Lamb was okay- not well seasoned. The restaurant was fairly empty, but had a nice bar setup. read more

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Really good new restaurant. Got the calamari and shrimp fettuccine and it was really good. The appetizer salad was really good. They also have grilled calamari as an appetizer. One friend got salmon and really liked it. read more