My favorite restaurant in Ventura County. The menu is always changing, focused on fresh ingredients, and never disappoints. You can tell the chefs really care about both the food and presentation. Great cocktails and a wine list that pairs well with everything. The quality is top-tier, and the pricing feels fair for the experience. Service has always been friendly. Pro tip: start with an appetizer, order at least two entrées, and don't skip the sourdough or focaccia--both are incredible. The butter (sometimes with caviar) is a standout. Love the retro, minimalist vibe, and the brewery next door makes it perfect for a drink before dinner. I recommend this spot to everyone new to the area. read more

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Braised Short Ribs w/ Polenta, Braised Cabbage and Demi Glacé. My last meal at Model Citizen for whatever reason I have given many chances. Probably because I saw the potential and they are only opened Mondays when I am available. Braised Short Ribs was probably the better out of all the other dishes I've tried but for the price point, there wasn't anything going for it except for quantity. The staff's are amazing though. They truly do deserve the mandatory 18% gratuity. read more

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Outstanding. Besides the mysterious and funny name, the food was great. Memorable. We will return, even though from LA. We ate from the Happy Hour menu. The tiger prawns have a great sauce (& are difficult to eat -- we used our fingers and while a bit messy, effective.) We also had the steak tartare -- great!! And then a strawberry crostata -- also very good. Anyway, we loved the place and will return. read more

This place has a rotating menu that never gets boring! Had the pleasure of trying a couple new dishes- WHOLE BRANZINO W/ SAUCE VERT, HERB SALAD AND WINTER SQUASH & BRAISED SHORT RIB W/ POLENTA, BRAISED CABBAGE AND DEMI GLACE Both dishes were delicious and packed with such delicious flavor. The braised short rib was so tender and the cabbage paired perfectly. Always have great service here, as the staff is very friendly and attentive. They usually have some nice tunes playing during the dinner service. I look forward to visiting again for their next new menu items. read more

Model Citizen - Braised short rib - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

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Model Citizen is one of those vibey spots that feels elevated without being stuffy, and Mondays are my favorite time to go. They are open Thursday through Monday from 4 pm to 9 pm and closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Happy hour runs daily from 4 to 6 pm and all night on Mondays. And yes, you can order happy hour from anywhere you sit in the restaurant, which immediately earns bonus points. Mondays have the best energy. It is relaxed but still lively. I am obsessed with their salads, especially the Caesar, heavy on the parm please. The happy hour menu never misses. Smash burger with a side of fries and garlic aioli is a must. And if you are getting a drink, go for the Negroni. They make a very good one, balanced and done right. Great food, strong drinks, and a really good vibe. Model Citizen is a go to when you want something fun, elevated, and reliably good. read more

Model Citizen - french fries and specialty cocktails - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

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By now I think everyone knows Model Citizen is one of my favorite restaurants in downtown Ventura. It's the ambiance, the decor, the super sweet staff, amazing food and unique drinks that have kept me coming back. Model Citizen is such a breath of fresh air in the area. I love seeing them succeed and when it's a packed house on a Thursday night it makes my heart happy. We've got to always support local gems and small businesses in the 805. I've never had a bad dish or cocktail here at model but here's some of our recommendations from tonight's menu. The Happy Hour Smash Burger: Sucker for a juicy perfectly cooked double smash burger. We are purist sometimes and the simplicity of a patty, cheese and secret sauce is sometimes all you need. Baby Gem with plum, pistachio, feta and honey vinaigrette: the salad of all salads. I'm grateful my friends make me eat healthy sometimes lol! This salad was perfectly dressed where every bite was coated in their delicious light honey dressing. The feta gave the salad a perfect creaminess and who doesn't love plums? Delicious! Rigatoni with vodka sauce and sausage: GET THIS! Spicy, creamy, and the stracciatella dab made this dish a slam dunk. We made many interesting moans at the table while eating this bahahaha (sorry to the couple next to us) but really, pasta done right is a beautiful thing. We had so many other amazing bites: oysters, happy hour skinny fries, and corn fritters. Too many options to choose from so just highlighting a few. The best nights to come in my opinion are Mondays for all day happy hour or Thursdays currently as they do a $10 cocktail deal. read more

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This has been on my list for months! Lovely place! Very clean, eclectic ambiance. The minimalistic kind which I love. Their choice of drink-ware, server ware was tasteful. I didn't have a chance to try the cocktails because I was driving - but the ones my friends ordered were amazing! We had the focaccia for appetizers- delish and really flavorful and well proved! For the entree- I had the crab tagliatelle which was divine! Slightly lemony, and delicious My friends had the schnitzel and the hanger steak and both were fantastic. Definitely worth visiting, and specially great for both date night or family night. read more

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Fine dining at its FINEST! What a gem of a restaurant here in downtown Ventura. I've visited about 3 times now and leave so satisfied and full every time. I recently visited with some girlfriends and got to share a variety of dishes that were all so incredible. Thursdays are $10 cocktails and great happy hour options until 6pm. Their menu seems to be more of a rotating one with great seasonal options that really highlight the produce of each season. We tried the smash burger, fries, and corn fritters from the happy hour menu. All 3 were a homerun on flavor! For mains we got the baby gem salad with plum, pistachios, and feta and the DELICIOUS rigatoni with vodka sauce. Please get both while on the menu. Service was great! I love that they were showcasing children's art on the wall. Gave it such a personal touch and we even got to meet one of the mini artists while visiting. Pro tip: make a reservation to secure your spot. I was thrilled to see them have a packed house on a Thursday and equally thrilled we had made a reservation and got a comfy booth. read more

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Perfect dinner to celebrate my birthday, the food was so good and the service as well! My friend got the wagyu burger and it was so delicious, so was their gnocchi and steak! Amanda was our server and she was super nice and helpful with any questions we had. It's the cutest restaurant and I'm surprised it wasn't that busy but it was a really rainy weekend. I think their menu changes seasonally which is cool but also doesn't match their website so if you're trying to plan ahead it might be a bit different when you get there. Loved it! read more

Model Citizen - Burger, steak, Caesar salad - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

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Happy Hour Review Only: Popped in for happy hour before a dinner event! I was welcomed by the super modern minimalist ambience. Seating featured tables, booths and a bar that you can curl up to. Just before five, I settled down at the bar to enjoy their happy hour offerings. Happy Hour is offered 4-6pm Wed-Sunday and all day on Monday. For happy hour they have a selection of drinks-wine, cocktails, beers and food offerings. I decided to try their margarita- Margarita was good but nothing special- they did not add their own spin to it- instead kept it classic. If you seek a classic margarita than this fits the bill. Margarita was ten dollars. As oysters were on the menu-I decided to sample some oysters too- well maybe a half dozen- on happy hour they are each 3.50. Oysters were from Washington and VA. I decided VA was too far to travel, so went with the Washington oyster that seemed fresh, not fishy. They were tiny little oysters though. The service at the bar was excellent. The bartender was very attentive throughout my visit. As I was just there for a quick happy hour, I would be interested in exploring the rest of the happy hour menu and sample their dinner menu. read more

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Very nice dinner experience with fantastic service. Cool vibe, the music is on point, place is spic n span clean. read more

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Don't ask me twice to go, delicious sourdough, fresh lobsters, tan ink fish with locally grown zucchini, to die for , wow this meal made me feel happy. . The only thing g was the selection of mezcal - sold a well mezcal as a premium mezcal. Don't recommend their mezcal. If u want to get a delicious mezcal go to Jaguar . Across the street. But their good is delicious read more

We stopped by because we saw they were donating a portion of their proceeds to vcdefensa! The special was a smash burger and it was so delicious. We got an order of fries to share, and they were light and crispy. Our server recommended the sex in the city cocktail and it was insanely good. A wonderful mix of tangy and sweet. It's a fun place with a great atmosphere, I will definitely be coming back! read more

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Came for dinner and was impressed with the fries. The dishes are small but good for sharing. Make a resy as it gets packed. read more

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This is one of my favorite restaurants at the moment. The interior has a modern vibe and I love the openness that flows through the restaurant thanks to the huge windows and minimalist design. Their cocktail and culinary program is amazing! I love the creativity displayed through the unique options available. Everything is fresh and crafted with the utmost care. I enjoy their rotating menu which aligns with whatever is in season. Some of my go-to items include the twilight princess (gin cocktail), patatas bravas, happy hour smash burger, crudo, and charred broccolini. Service is usually great, but there have been a few times the servers seemed a bit understaffed so check ins & item delivery was a bit delayed--however, it is always worth the wait considering how great the food and drinks are. Very happy to see a restaurant like Model Citizen taking up space in downtown Ventura. read more

Simply perfection. I came for happy hour and stayed for full dinner because of the vibe and the food. Started with a spiced old fashioned that was delicious. Then did a happy hour oyster and whipped Brie. The oyster was so fresh. The whipped Brie blew my mind. Imagine the best oozy Brie with juicy berries and honey drizzle paired with warm toast. I shockingly ate the entire plate. I went with the chicken schnitzel and it was definitely the best schnitzel I've ever had. It was topped with sauerkraut, curried carrots, seared chanterelles. It was crispy and juicy and I could make a different bite with the creamy sauce and toppings with each bite. I had to do dessert. Pavlova with quince and strawberries and amazing. I also got a peppermint tea to match. The texture of the pavlova with crisp and crunch and creamy crème Anglaise. Can't go wrong. The staff was incredibly friendly and warm and checked in at just the right times. One of the best dinners I've had in a while. I'll be back next time I'm in town. read more

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Wow .. wow .. wow! The dim lights , the aesthetic clean look and the service ? 5/5! We opted to sit at the bar and Ray is the best bartender. So attentive and friendly. Marg was delicious. Great happy hour! I will be back to try the food. This visit made me want to return for sure! 18% service charge already included. Which I don't mind as I became accustomed to this when I lived aboard. read more

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The hanger steak was perfection and the fries were addicting. Service was friendly and I appreciated them explaining the tip was built into the check. Will return. read more

My wife took me here a few months ago and holy cow. You cannot beat that happy hour menu. This is now my favorite spot to eat and drink. I literally make trips up here just to go here! read more

10/10!!!! Everything--from our server Kelli to the lovely cocktails, great food, and the cutest atmosphere--was phenomenal! Went here with a group of 4 and just told Kelli to choose our items for us. Every single dish she recommended was excellent. We got the sourdough bread, oysters, roasted squash, grilled broccolini, pasta with fennel sausage, schnitzel, and braised short rib--everything was so good. Drooling just thinking about it! It felt amazing to show up and have Kelli lead the way. It was the first time for 2 out of 4 of us, so this just felt so comfortable. She was incredibly knowledgeable about the food and cocktails and really made our experience above and beyond! Such a great experience--highly recommend! The only sad part? I only got a picture of our cocktails because we were so focused on the food and the moment. Just goes to show how great Kelli's service was and what an excellent experience we had living in the moment! read more

Model Citizen - Gin martini with oyster & caviar - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

You know the scene in ratatouille where the critic eats the ratatouille and is transported. Thats what every dish on this menu does. We started with the hamachi crudo the perfect light starter,fish melted in our mouths. Which lead us to the ceasar salad with crispy capers, Japanese sweet potatoes were an absolute perfect blend of crispy and soft and the chicken schnitzel is a flavor i never want to be far from. The that's all folks is my favorite drink- a fat washed whisky with arugula syrup is perfectly balanced. 10/10 read more

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So delicious! Amazing service too, and such a cool ambiance. Feels very modern and fresh. Loved everything here, especially the oysters! Yummmmm!! read more

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Gorgeous restaurant, mid food and service, and solid drinks. Came for happy hour and honestly was not too impressed with what we got. Firstly, the happy hour does not have much going on. We got the Arancini and the sourdough bread with caramelized butter (not on the HH menu). The Arancini is a single deep fried ball filled with short rib in a marinara sauce that is reminiscent of like a mole variation in my opinion. It was aight, but I would never want to eat it ever again. The sourdough bread was served warm and I quite enjoyed it, but who doesn't love bread?! the caramelized butter went well with it, but again nothing to write home to. The old fashion my partner got was delicious and wonderfully priced at about $10-12 (can't remember). Wonderfully balanced and smooth. Service was quite slow. We were seated at the high chairs/tiny table area and it was hard to get anyone's attention and it took forever to get our food. Luckily I was in good company and just admired the beautifully simple yet chic design of the interior. All in all, I think this place would be great for just drinks and aesthetics, but not much more. read more

Model Citizen - Arancini - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

We went to Model Citizen for a special birthday and had an absolute blast. The food was delicious and the service was great. They even let us stay a bit past closing to finish cutting the cake and enjoying it without feeling rushed. Would highly recommend to anyone, whether it's a two party date night or an eight party celebration. read more

I was so excited to go to this place with my friend, but ended up being highly disappointed in the customer service. No one spoke to us, besides the bartender who helped us and who checked us in. Outside of that everyone just walked around, didn't say hello. There was a guy that was behind the bar with the other bartender and he just kept looking at us but never said anything. Very odd, but spoke to everyone else who came in after us. there was even a guy who I guess was like the waiter and he literally reached over us to grab our plates and didn't say, "excuse me are you finished?" or "pardon my reach..." just nothing! The food was really good and so were the drinks and the aesthetic is really cute. The place has a lot of potential, but because the customer service was not welcoming at all I don't know if I would return. read more

****************** Unique cuisine, prepared with quality ingredients Exceptional Cocktails ... layered and well balanced Nice atmosphere ... Good service ... A terrific date night spot, great booth options for a quiet conversation. $240 ** for two ... Four small plate food selections: - Ceasar Salad to split - Tuna Tartare - Pasta - Squash Two deserts Four cocktails ** Beware of the added 18 % "staff gratuity" Our server, Macy, was juggling multiple tables and at times the bar was slow (20 mins) to get a second cocktail out. But each cocktail was nicely crafted - kuddos I'm annoyed at the Model Citizen management for the 18% gratuity automatically added to my check. Annoyed enough to perhaps never return. 40% gratuity? I'm irritated at myself for "accidentally" tipping an additional 20% gratuity on top of the total bill (meal, tax, 18% gratuity) - trusting the traditional dining model we've all experienced countless times over the years. But not reviewing the details the dinner check dropped at my table. Honestly, I Feel a little bit conned / deceived ... Transparency might look like this ... "hi, here is your check, we have an 18% service fee added. If you feel you'd like to add additional ..." Personal Responsibility isn't lost on me. It's my responsibility to review my dinner check. Trusting the establishment was a mistake on my part. * read more

Overall this place is a great place to catch up with old friends over nice dinner or take a date. Dessert was the star dessert was the star of the show and the fennel salad came in close for 2nd. Steak was done nicely. The tagliatelle with tuna chunks was a miss. (Huge miss.) Overall service was friendly and seemed very efficient. They took care of us for the bad pasta, which was very nice. It's has an elevated, mid century modern dinner vibe. Food could be better, but great time nonetheless. read more

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Model Citizen is truly a hidden gem in Ventura. I dined there on a Saturday night and was impressed from start to finish. Compliments to the chefs and the entire staff the quality of the ingredients and the creativity of the menu really stood out. The cocktails were expertly crafted and thoughtfully balanced. My biggest takeaway: when the owners and staff are genuinely passionate about what they do, it shows in every detail. I highly recommend Model Citizen and absolutely look forward to coming back. read more

Small, clean, comfortable upscale bar/restaurant. We just ducked in for quick drinks at the bar w/Sara. She's great! Cordial, yet takes care of business. We WILL be back! read more

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Solid 4 star restaurant in downtown. I would recommend a reservation online for ease of being seated at a spot you would like. I was surprised that the restaurant was quite full during my visit on a Thursday night at 7PM. I ordered a Sourdough Bread with lemon butter, Handmade Rigatoni, and a Pan seared Sea Bass. The price to portion ratio is a little steep compared to other restaurants in the area, but the flavors make up a part of it. The sourdough bread, although as appetizer, was my favorite part of my meal. The bread was toasty warm, and the lemon butter complimented it perfectly. I was honestly a little surprised by the portion size of the rigatoni; the shredded beef and flavors were amazing, but I was left on a slightly empty stomach. The seabass was also really good, but again, it's a piece of fish with some beans, so it wasn't as filling as other downtown restaurants in the area. I also ordered a Bend and Snap cocktail, and it's...really unique. Although very crisp and refreshing, I felt like I was drinking snap pea juice. Not really my glass of cocktail, but I can see the appeal in people who want something a little different (which is why I ordered it). Note that there is already a mandatory 18% service charge, which kind of explains the nice service. Our waitress was very friendly and happy to answer all questions we had regarding the menu. However, I wish they were a little more attentive as I remember waiting a while for them to hand me a check so I can pay. read more

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Food was delicious and drinks were great! Definitely pretty pricey for what you get though! Service is good not great read more

Model Citizen - Lemon meringue - New American Near Me - Ventura, California

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Came in for restaurant week. We were a party of 5. We had the perfect game plan. We basically had a little powwow right after the menu was dropped off. Course 1 had 10 choices. We got 5 different kinds. Course 2 had 4 choices. We got 3 different kinds and 2 of the same. Course 3 had 5 choices. We got them all. First, this place feels very LA. In the best way. I felt like I was in WeHo. I loved the color theme inside. It was so clean. That's my vibe. Simple and clean. Second, we loved how a lot of the dishes we had had hints of Indian spices. We had so many questions. Being a big group worked out for us in that we were able to try so many different dishes. The highlights for the group were the following:: Crudo - my pick. It was fresh, pleasing to the eyes and innovative. We all fought to get more bites. I could've easily murdered the whole plate on my own. Mussels- every piece was thicc. Don't even get me started on that broth. We had to ask for more bread. I was ready to slurp it like soup. Bread - you complete me Schnitzel - probably one of the best ones I've had. The last good one I had was outside of Berlin. Overall, food was great. We didn't care too much for the dessert. None of them stood out for any of us. We were all also super full by the end mostly because the portions were pretty large. The service was great until the end when it felt like we kinda got forgotten. I'm gonna have to come back with just one other friend for a more chill meal. read more

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If I could marry the brûléed shallots, I would. I have been wanting to visit this restaurant for over a year, waiting for the right moment to go and the wait was so worth it. My friend and I visited on Memorial Day, and were welcomed by friendly and attentive staff. Due to the holiday, we were able to sit wherever we wanted, so we sat across from the bar, which gave us a nice view of the whole restaurant. The sun shining through warmed us up without it being too hot, and the music fit the aesthetic of the space so well!! I started off with a drink from their happy hour menu: a margarita. It was incredibly refreshing, a bit citrusy, and had a nice amount of alcohol in it. Next, we ordered the fried baby artichokes. I wasn't sure what I was expecting, but was pleasantly surprised when fried artichoke hearts arrived. They were just barely crispy, setting it apart from typical fried food, and the lemon aioli provided a zesty and citrusy taste that always compliments artichokes. The next item we ordered from the happy hour menu was the zucchini fritters with peptia ricotta. If you like hushpuppies but want to try something a bit different, these fritters are exactly what you want. They were crispy on the outside, and soft and savory on the inside. The pepita ricotta was so smooth, I almost forgot I was eating cheese! The ground up pepita is just small enough that the texture of them doesn't take away from the smoothness and flavor of the ricotta. Next up: dinner. I had been craving a nice piece of steak in who knows how long, and the Bavette steak with shallots more than hit the spot. I ordered mine medium rare - which I found was too rare for me for this cut - and completely devoured it. The steak was juicy on the meatier sections, and that's pretty much all I need in a steak. The vegetable that comes with it seems to be seasonal, so it was served with seasoned asparagus. The asparagus was the perfect combination of soft and firm, easy to cut and chew. My favorite though? The brûléed shallots. I had no idea you could brûlée non-dessert items and I am so thrilled to know you can. These shallots were soft in texture, initially sweet as you first bite into it before the taste of shallot shines through. It was a perfect balance of sweet and umami that I cannot stop thinking about. If I could marry the brûléed shallots, I would. Finally, to end the night, we ordered from the dessert menu the Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova. I had never heard of pavlova before and now that I have? I wonder why it's taken me so long to try it! This dish was such an amazing blend of flavors and textures, even providing an activity of demolishing it and savoring every bit of your hard work. It was sweet and tart, with the merengue balancing it out, so as to not overexcite your tastebuds. It was the perfect palette cleanser to end the night. And of course, this entire experience would not be possible if it weren't for our server, Jenna. She was so kind and friendly, very attentive and on top of things. All in all, I had an amazing experience at Model Citizen and highly recommend this for special occasions, date nights, or even to treat yourself. The prices were also reflective of the quality of food and is no more expensive than any other sit down restaurant on Main Street.This is exactly how you bring "Los Angeles" to Ventura. I will definitely be returning soon!! Reminder: I went on a holiday, so it wasn't very busy and I don't know how different it would be when it is. Also, the ambience and aesthetic is nice, feel free to dress up a bit!! read more

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Everything is beautiful and perfectly cooked. They change the menu to keep things interesting. The whipped ricotta toast and broccolini and happy hour burger are my personal favorites. The atmosphere is great and they have amazing cocktails read more

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We always have unforgettable experiences at Model Citizen and last night was no exception. I left telling my partner that it was the best meal I had ever eaten. We started with two cocktails and both of them were exceptional. Whoever created the drink menu is a genius. We had the thyme drink and the heart to heart drink, I think... Moving on to the food, we had the focaccia and burrata, the Caesar salad, and the curry sweet potatoes, the hanger steak, and the chicken schnitzel. 10/10, no notes. Dream meal. The only thing I would change is we were originally sat at a two-top extremely close/in between two other tables. I hardly had enough room to maneuver between the tables to sit down , let alone be comfortable for an entire meal. We uncomfortably asked to be moved to a high top and were accommodated gracefully. Though, I think when you're spending this much money on a meal, ambiance and comfortability of diners should be considered a lot more. No one wants to sit that close to other couples who are also out for romantic anniversary dinners. Besides that, great restaurant and great staff. read more

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My family and I recently came here for my husband's birthday dinner. We ordered the bluefin tartare to start, and had the spicy rigatoni, crab linguini, maitake stroganoff and the 7oz prime hangar steak. The tartare was delicious and creative , unlike any tartare I've had before. The rigatoni and stroganoff both came out cold. The stroganoff noodles were a very hard 'al dente' but the mushrooms were very buttery and flavorful. The rigatoni was good. The crab linguini was ok but an almost too mild flavor that fell flat. The best entree at the table was the steak. Delicious chimichurri and mushrooms on the side. Service and ambiance were attentive and pleasant. Thank you Model Citizen. We'll come back but not for the pasta. read more

Great ambiance and fantastic quality of food. Enjoyed a few shared plates with friends. Steak and the whole fish were delicious. Drinks top notch as well. read more

Loved the oysters, drinks, and desserts! The restaurant and workers were all so amazing. My grandma and I really enjoyed our time here. The food was so delicious and the atmosphere was so nice. I definitely recommend the strawberry dessert. read more

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Model citizen is one of my favorite restaurants in my hometown. I only discovered it about two years ago, and I've been here several times. Every meal has been amazing, the atmosphere, ambience and the staff have never disappointed. I returned December 13, 2025, only to be disappointed. The food was still great, but the clientele was not what I remembered. It is definitely on the decline, not only to mention that somebody had a dog sitting at their table. I found it pretty annoying as it barked here and there. I asked the waiter if it was a emotional support dog, he replied "I don't know." Apparently you can bring your animals into this restaurant. My meal with my spouse including the tip was about $150. Unless they clean this up, I'm not going back. I have a dog, and love animals, but this is not acceptable. Don't get me wrong, the food was amazing and my server was very attentive. Model citizen needs to police their patrons. read more

Started with high hopes from review of previous menu which had seasonal options, including several vegetarian. Tonight's menu had only one, and they were out of it. Server asked the manager if there were any non-meat options, and reported back that they could make us butter noodles with vegetables. Uninspiring. Paid $55 for two drinks, bread and olive oil. The cocktail was bad too. Avoid this place. read more