Strange Beast is definitely a one of a kind bar, but Nick (the bartender) is definitely a one of a kind bartender! I stopped by a couple of days ago, and forgot to post a yelp on the great experience I had with Nick! Not only did he educate me on their cocktail list, but he helped on a personal level with his conversation skills! I wasn't have the best day, not the best couple of weeks. Sitting at the bar top with Nick helped me feel okay again! Great drinks and great personality! Check them out! read more

Came here for dinner with my husband and was in awe! Cute romantic dimly lit restaurant with lounge vibes, cool Japanese retro type art, fun cocktails, beautiful bar and tasty Asian food. Their SPICY EDAMAME is addicting! They add the perfect amount of spice and hint of sugar, highly recommend! The DUCK RAMEN was great too! Everything was cooked perfectly and tasted fresh. Loved the enoki mushrooms and yolky boiled egg. Also tried their Godzilla and KAIJUrolls- both were tasty. My husband is not a fan of kewpie mayo so we had it on the side. TIP: ORDER a side of SRIRACHA and a side of GARLIC CHILI OIL. Dipping your sushi in both of these will take your tastebuds to another level!! DRINKS: It was hard to decide between all the different choices. Millennium Falcon Fizz was delicious- reminds me of a Scooby snack, comes with a foamy top. They give you a bottle of water which is nice, but the waitress forgot to give us a refill when we asked for it. Other than that, the staff is friendly and did a good job checking on us. If you're in the area check it out! read more

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Strange Beast is hands down one of my favorite spots to eat in Downtown Ventura. Whether I'm dining solo, with my partner, or with friends, it always hits the right vibe. Fun, chill, and effortlessly cool. The space is inviting, and the energy feels just right no matter the time of day. The cocktails are top tier. The Chartreuse Swizzle and Mai Tai are my go tos. Refreshing, perfectly balanced, and consistently well crafted. Food wise, you really cannot miss. I always come back for the threesome handroll, pork gyozas, and whatever rotating ramen is on the menu. Everything is consistently delicious. The bartenders are great and attentive, and they also take table orders, which I appreciate. Seating options include bar seating, tables, and a small patio out front. Prices are reasonable, with most items falling in the $5 to $20 range. They also offer a late night menu after 9pm, which makes this a solid option for dinner or a later bite. They host karaoke on Wednesdays after 9pm, which is a fun, low pressure way to let loose after dinner. Backdoor Bento is open daily for lunch from 12 to 4pm and is perfect if you want something quick and satisfying. They also host drag brunch every second Sunday of the month. I have not made it yet, but I have heard great things. They currently have a Stranger Things inspired pop up running from October 31 through January 1. The upside down cocktail is a standout and the same Thai iced tiki cocktail featured at their sibling bar in Santa Barbara, Test Pilot. Strange Beast nails the balance of great food, strong drinks, and good vibes. It feels like a local secret, until you start telling everyone about it. read more

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"MFound the perfect spot to wind down after a stressful day at work! Strange Beast Lounge has a fantastic relaxing retro vibe that hits just right. I ordered the California roll, which was incredibly tasty, and paired it with a glass of Pinot Noir. The wine was surprisingly full-bodied and delicious. What really stood out, though, was the service--the waiter was so attentive and kept checking in to make sure I had everything I needed. Highly recommend if you need a chill atmosphere and great service. read more

Strange Beast - The menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

I came back and got the same meal - the rotating ramen with a Salmon and Spicy Tuna Handroll. The handrolls were fabulous! Might even consider just having a meal of handrolls. The sad thing was that the ramen this time was not good, particularly the broth. The pork belly and egg was good but the broth was the saltiest broth I have ever tasted in my life. Never had I not been able to finish a ramen broth when I wanted to until today. Seems like consistency might be an issue with the rotating ramen which is a huge shame. read more

Strange Beast - Pork Belly Ramen - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Strange Beast is always a good idea! This Japanese inspired bar is the perfect vibes, cocktails, and bites. I've been a few times and leave loving it even more each time. I'm especially loving their spicy edamame and hot dog. Definitely a must when visiting. Their cocktails are stiff so be ready for that. If you're into Stranger Things, this is your time to visit. Super fun themed decor and menu until January. This last visit had great service! Attentive and had great recommendations for us. Looking forward to returning soon! read more

Strange Beast - Spicy edamame, fries, and hotdog - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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While Strange Beast is still a charming destination for a meal, the variety of their offerings has dropped off a cliff and no longer matches the menu posted online. I'd been once before and was excited to reprise the Kale Caesar listed on their website but found it no longer available. Having driven a distance, this was disappointing; apparently people didn't go for a Kale Caesar which surprised me given the almost-comical ubiquity of the Kale Salad. Apparently they ended up with unused kale at the end of each week...maybe stock less? Subsequently, ordering a Bento Bowl, I asked if there was a possible vegetarian add-on since none was listed. Luckily, eggplant was available, but why one had to inquire confounded me. Given the unreliability of their offerings, I'm unlikely to return even though the bowl was flavorful. It's nice to know the homework you've done on the menu will pay off instead of discovering your drive to Ventura is futile on account of avoidable reasons. read more

Strange Beast - Bento Bowl with eggplant - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Very disappointed with the experience, inexperienced RUDE bartender costing you money. Wish I was able to try the food but will definitely never be back due to the mediocre service that makes you eeekk straight out of your bar seat :/ read more

Not a good experience , walked in wanting to order food but wanted our drinks first and the bartender 4/23 10:20 acted as we don't understand liquor. I asked for grey goose martini and he stated they were out but when I asked what they had I was told only top shelf when I asked what was top shelf he said ketel one and Japanese vodka obviously not knowing his liquor. I wish he took the time to explain the difference between the vodkas as is I like distilled and instead I felt insulted. We just walked out based on experience although I wish to try the scallop hand roll maybe next time will be better read more

Strange Beast is a nice bar with some interesting drinks on the menu. They do offer a food menu but we stopped by to try a few of their drinks. Jose our the man behind the bar made our drinks and was friendly and quite the conversationalist. We enjoyed our visit. read more

Strange Beast - Neon wall art at the Strange Beast! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Stopped by on a late Sunday night after wanting a quick bite and this was one of the few places open late. They had karoke going on and it was a full house inside but decided to sit outside as their seating was open. They have a late night kitchen open with limited options that do not disappoint! Despite them having a full house they were on top of their service making sure we had all placed our order! I had the smash burger with fries and their popular ube colada! The onigiri and sama wings are perfect to try as well! Great drink and bites to end the night! read more

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Just stopped in for a quick bite before going to a movie. Fast and friendly service, love the vibe of the whole place, great bar and aesthetics, the sushi was fresh and delicious. Will definitely be back for a number of their other yummy looking items! read more

Strange Beast - Spicy tuna roll, Godzilla Roll, Scallop Handroll - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

I joined some friends for dinner and drinks on Thursday night here at Strange Beast. It was fairly busy with a several other tables and bar patrons. Our server was friendly, and nice. He helped explain some menu options and possible mocktails. Service was reasonable and fair. We ordered chicken wings and karaage as starting appetizers. Both were very tasty. Crispy, savory, and steaming hot. The Alexei surprise was light, semi-sweet, and very enjoyable. For dinner I decided on the kaiju smash burger and my fiancé choice the house ramen. The kaiju burger was very delicious, with caramelized onions for a nice boost of flavor. The fries were well seasoned and the sauce was great to go with it. Ramen was solid. Came with a soy egg, chashu pork, garlic oil. A good portion size, and flavorful. The egg and the pork were standouts. All in all, this is our first time back in several years, and it still doing quite well. I highly recommend this place in downtown Ventura, for cocktail enthusiasts, a date, catching up with friends, or even a solo dinner. Fair warning the restaurant currently has a seasonal theme, which is Stranger Things. Their drinks have seasonal spins and some other changes throughout their menu. There is also some decor alongside the seasonal theme. So your mileage may vary. Cheers! read more

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Cute little spot with some delicious bites to eat some yummy dishes I didn't get to snap a pic of because they were too good to wait on! Love the vibe here very relax service was good they were a bit busy and I feel like maybe more staff would have been nice like literally one more person because those 3 were bartenders servers waiters hosts all those jobs and they were just busy kinda felt like I was hunting them down if I needed something which makes me feel bad! But definitely a spot I would like to try again for the ramen alone I would be back! read more

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Small place, interesting vibe. Ramen was good, not much variety on menu. Was expecting a few more options. Tables were small & close together. Hubby says the dynamite roll was good. read more

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The server was nice and the ambiance was super cute! It definitely reminded me of the stranger things show! I tried a variety of things which included a crab hand roll, spicy tuna sushi, spicy edamame, gyoza and spicy french fries. I feel that every dish with the exception of the crab hand roll, was lacking in flavor. The edamame was super salty, the spicy tuna wasn't spicy at all and was lacking flavor, the french fries were a little too spicy and weren't salty enough. The drinks were extremely strong, which made them hard to enjoy. The concept is there, I think they just need to take a little more time on the food and drinks before sending them out to customers! Overall, this is a spot for appetizers and drinks, it's nothing too hearty or filling. A great spot to start your night! read more

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The cocktails!!!! No need to say more. My friend and I ordered several different ones and shared them and we could not pick a favorite. So unique and delicious. Definitely try the drinks if you come here. read more

Since it's been over a year since my last review I wanted to make sure to come back on here and to give Strange Beast some more hype because they are truly one of my favorite bar and restaurant duos in downtown Ventura. Heck I'll even admit that they are one of my favorite businesses in the 805 because the vibes are moody & rock n roll inside, the cocktails are consistently good, service is always friendly, and the food is unique and satisfying! I love everything about strange beast which I touched on above. They are a great example of how to do it right. I've never had a bad experience here and the atmosphere is my favorite. I really love the decor and what they did with this place stylistically. I love that it's dimly lit making it for the perfect date night spot or girls night. The rock n roll posters are always a cool touch and the pops of red and yellow neon lighting throughout the place are just too cool. Cocktails here are perfection. Well balanced and unique. My top two have consistently been the Melon Ball Z and the Beast Side. I really don't think you can go wrong though. The food here keeps calling me back. I love Asian food and it's so refreshing to have a spot in the 805 doing more unique dishes. Their Sunday ramen series has become a fast favorite of mine and the ramen is always a 10/10. The broth is usually rich, deliciously cooked noodles, love their pork, and side of chili oil makes this dish perfection. Also can't go wrong with snagging a few hand rolls - scallop being my favorite. They are showcasing a new menu this week with revamped bites so be on the lookout. I happily learned that they'll have daily ramen so expect me back many more days of the week! Lastly, staff here are always great. Everyone is very nice, warm, and welcoming. Sometimes they get really busy but I will say staff always do their best and make the experience a great one. I've run into so many nice people here over the last year I'm only sorry I couldn't note everyone's name but upon my last drop in extra kudos to the team - Adam, Torrey and Sam because everyone is lovely and this is a spot deserving of your business. read more

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I had been to Strange Beast before but never for the ramen! Server Sam was wonderful! Such a cute restaurant! It wasn't busy on a Sunday and that's just fine for me! The tonkotsu ramen was great . I added chili oil. I do feel it was a little skimpy on the pork. The pieces of meat were quite small. The egg was perfect and the broth ... fire. read more

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This place hits the spot every time!, menu is small but great quality and savory dishes! Good service, great vibes, quaint cute spot w cool art on the walls - read more

Strange Beast - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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The food was good, the karaoke was annoying. I'd make sure to come during the day if there's a next time.

Best cocktails ever loved the service very cozy spot to hang out Will be for sure coming back read more

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Not impressed with the hamburger for almost $20. I expect a burger not a slider. Charge 8.50 for fries with togorashi but the seasoning on the fries with the burger was togorashi so why an extra charge . Doesn't make sense. read more

The Strange Beast isn't so strange - unique, perhaps, but not strange. Some of their online followers have referred to themselves as "beasties", but I'll bet they're not beasts either. They have a very limited menu (see my menu pics), but don't let that deter you. As you can see from my pics, they have interesting fare. The service was quick and informative. While we didn't try their signature drinks, we did hear good reviews about their signature drinks from a few locals. We shared their Spicy Tuna Handroll (see my pic). This was presented well: neat and colorful. The spicy tuna wasn't too spicy and the fresh veggies had a really nice contrasting crunch. The dressing had a creamy texture and some spice. However, the handroll was relatively small. We also shared their Seasonal Vegetable Tempura, see my pic. There were ample veggies. The tempura was appropriately portioned on some pieces and heavy on other pieces. The center dipping sauce was quite good: light, yet had a nice mix of soy, perhaps broth and something else for depth of flavor. There was the right amount of saltiness to cut the frying oil of the tempura. read more

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Finally made it to Strange Beast. Got there a little after opening on a Saturday, which was nice as it was just us, and it was such a cool vibe. The wallpaper and neon is badass and made me want to sit by the wall. Had a threesome of hand rolls, we're mostly good but definitely a lot of Mayo used in the mix which honestly overpowered the fish/shellfish within. Bite size so we're perfect in that aspect but would've actually much preferred no mayo at all. That way I could have enjoyed the flavors. The drinks we tried were awesome and went down easy. Fun little Ventura spot for sure! read more

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Chicken karage was amazing. Our bartender was great! Very fun for our group! Will come back

Happy Hour is unique and enjoyable Their Highball cocktails offer something for every palate. Hand rolls are fresh, clean and satisfying...and the kale Caesar salad is terrific! Dining space is nice too ... Javier and rest of the staff are accommodating and offer good service with a welcoming smile. We like it here. Only time it disappoints, is when oblivious parents don't leave their "unruly" kids at home. Seriously people - what are you thinking? Class up please. read more

I love the atmosphere, the vibe especially on a calm quiet start of their day. However there's not much that's preset on the menu that I can drink. And since it was lonely ol me, I was not in the mood for food which I'll have to come back and try it out. I'll definitely have to come back another time. I'm a sucker of giving restaurants and bars 3 chances to win me over. So here's to the next visit in the future and I'm looking forward to adding this place to my review page! read more

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Came here for a quick drink and thought it was a cool vibe. You could sit at the bar or a table, so good atmosphere for whatever you're feeling. The drink I ordered was the Beast Side which I loved! If you like cucumber margaritas, you'll enjoy it. I did not try food but the ramen looked really good. read more

Strange Beast - Beast Side - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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I was in the area for work and went to this gem. I was alone and that was weird lol.... But I soon got over it. I ordered an old fashioned- I like to try them everywhere- it did not disappoint. I had the scallop sushi roll, recommended to me... and now I am on a scallop kick. I also ordered an apricot cobbler drink.... Amazing: flavorful, not too sweet, nice aromatics... the whole thing. I also got the smash burger- highly recommend. The service was excellent, and the atmosphere was unique with decorations that match the theme. If you are in Ventura, try this place. :) read more

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One of the few authentic Japanese restaurants I have found in Ventura County, and it is one of my favorite places to go. Love their Ramen Sundays - definitely the best place in VC to get ramen. We like to drive down to LA to get ramen, but Strange Beast has finally given us a local place that serves ramen similar to our favorite ramen spots. Delicious onigiri, packed with meat. Only available on their late night menu after 9pm. One of the few places that serves a good High Ball. Ube Pina Colada is also a unique but delicious drink. Can definitely be an upbeat, lively restaurant great for a date or meeting with friends. Drop on in, and you won't be disappointed. read more

Strange Beast - Onigiri - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

Been here a couple of times now. Love the artwork they have up. It's so unique and fits perfect with their theme. I always tend to go "early"/when they open, so it's always nice and quiet. I never feel rushed. The servers who I have gotten have always been really nice. They know the menu, and if they don't, they let us know they are going to ask. Ive primarily come here to get cocktails. They are really good. I am a fan of whiskey, so the drinks I have gotten are whiskey. Both have been really delicious, and never tastes different. They are pretty consistent when it comes to making cocktails. I've gone for their Dim Sum Thursday. Bao Bun was really good. We've been wanting to go on Sunday for Ramen, but havent had the chance to go. That will most likely be the next time we go. read more

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Strange Beast in Ventura was a great surprise. I came here just looking to grab some dinner and ended up having an experience that made me want to come back immediately. I ordered the bento bowl after trying the Backdoor Bento, and it was exactly what I was hoping for. Flavorful, satisfying, and really well put together. Right when I walked in, the bartender guided me to my table and introduced himself as Nick and mentioned that if we had any questions, that he was here to help. That small gesture went a long way. His knowledge and helpfulness immediately made me feel welcomed, and it set the tone for the rest of the visit. You can tell he genuinely cares about the guest experience and knows the menu and drinks inside and out. Drink-wise, the Beastside was a standout. It's a tequila Eastside, refreshing, balanced, and dangerously easy to drink. I also had a glass of Japanese whiskey, which was a perfect touch and rounded out the meal nicely. Between the food, the drinks, and the hospitality, Strange Beast left a really strong impression. I'll definitely be returning as soon as possible. read more

Strange Beast Bar is such a gem - cozy and great vibes I had a "dealer's choice" mocktail which was fire. Huge shout-out to Nick, truly the best bartender. He's attentive and so kind. Highly recommend and can't wait to come back! read more

Strange beast has been a staple spot for my partner and I for a couple of years now. We always get the same things: the sama sama wings and the kale ceasar salad, with a cocktail or two. On our most recent trip, we were so sad to realize that they had they taken our favorite kale ceasar off the menu! Not only that, but they also completely changed their wing recipe (burning our mouths off in the process!). We did love the new cocktail menu, though! Both stranger things drinks we had were delicious, and the service was great.... But still, disappointed by our favorites being gone. read more

Super cute place for cocktails. I haven't tried their food, but it's a great place to catch up with friends or have a date night. Staff is always friendly and really quick to greet you, even on busy nights. I usually go for drinks with tequila and all of them have been really good. My cousin has tried their whiskey drinks which she said were also really good. read more

Go to the drag brunch!! Pam and her crew are absolute PROS. Delicious Japanese breakfast and the most fun seasonal Stranger Things menu. Thanks for a wonderful morning. read more

I went on a Tuesday grabbed some specials. Love the low key vibe and the decor. Service was exceptional. Food was fresh and hit the spot. I'll be back for karaoke night read more

Strange Beast - Ahi tuna rolls, fried chicken - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Ventura, California

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Loved the drinks here! So many interesting cocktails and they were all so delicious. The service was also great - our waitress was super friendly and gave stellar recommendations. The bar snacks were pretty good, especially the karaage! My friend got the ramen and said it was a bit salty for her liking though. All in all, a great spot! read more

Very cool themed bar. They have creative drinks which I liked. Food was good but nothing to write home about. The focus is on the drinks. Do the dungeon dice option and see where you land. read more