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    VEN A Communal Eatery

    4.8 (66 reviews)
    Closed 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM
    Updated 2 weeks ago

    VEN A Communal Eatery Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - VEN A Communal Eatery

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    Beth C.

    Amazing! Amazing intentional menu, that tastes perfect. We tried the jerk chicken tacos, shrimp tacos, fries, and Cajun pasta. The owner and his wife are amazing, great service and conversation. Relaxing and friendly environment. Will definitely be coming back.

    Soul chicken salad
    Linda D.

    Amazing find. We stopped at Ridgecrest on the way to Death Valley. We googled eatery around there and decided to try the soul food. Food is awesome. Service is by husband and wife who are super friendly. We shared the table with 2 other group of people, we chatted with them. Soul chicken salad is sooooo good, the jerky chicken meal is wonderful. We also ordered a side garlic fries, which we thought would be too much, they were all gone. Will certainly come back again if we are in the area.

    Jerk Chicken Platter
    Natalie P.

    A cute new spot serving delicious comfort food in Ridgecrest! I've always been impressed with the restaurant scene in Ridgecrest given the town's size, but the addition of VEN really takes things to another level. I remember enjoying their burger when they were only a food truck, albeit it was a bit pricey. But now that they have the full restaurant open do I really get the vision - the service is great, food is absolutely delicious, and it's clear they really take pride in the food they make. Even if it were in a bigger city with more options, I know VEN would still be in my regular rotation. So far i've tried the jerk chicken platter and the il figo salad which were both delicious! The food comes out quick and is a good size portion. The fig vinaigrette on the salad was so yummy, the salmon I added on top made it the perfect light dinner. My coworkers loved the shrimp and crab mac n cheese, which i'll definitely be trying next time!

    the soul bird sandwich

    I'll be honest, I was a little confused at first. I saw the name "VEN A" and expected something more Mexican or Spanish, then I looked at the menu and wasn't really sure what to expect. It felt a bit all over the place at first. But the reviews were so strong compared to everything nearby that we decided to try it on our way to Mammoth. When we got there it was pretty quiet, and the owner sat us and took our order himself. He was really friendly and took the time to walk us through the menu and give recommendations. We ended up talking with him quite a bit, and once he explained his background and how his food is influenced by different cultures, the menu started to make a lot more sense. You can tell he really cares about what he's making, and he's very genuine and easy to talk to. We ordered the jerk chicken tacos, the creole pasta, and the soul bird sandwich. I had asked about modifying the sandwich and he mentioned he doesn't really do modifications, which I actually respected. It felt like he really stands behind how each dish is meant to be eaten. The food ended up being really good. The pasta surprised me the most. It looked simple at first, but it was creamy, slightly peppery, and really flavorful without feeling heavy. The beef had a nice char that added a lot. The jerk chicken tacos were also really good, super juicy and flavorful, and everything worked well together. The habanero sauce wasn't very spicy, more on the sweeter side, but it complemented the dish well. There was a small mix-up with my sandwich at first, but he caught it right away, fixed it, and even let us keep the first one. Both versions were good, but the one with pickles had a better balance. The tang really pulled everything together. We ended up finishing everything, which we weren't planning on. Overall, it was just a really good experience. Good food, and a really nice conversation with the owner that made the whole visit feel more personal. We actually wanted to stop by again on our way back, but they were closed. I wish we lived closer because we'd definitely come back. It's a spot that deserves more attention.

    The Vanguard Burger
    Monica P.

    Another amazing meal! The service, the ambiance, and most importantly our dishes were superb. I recommend Ven once again. You won't be disappointed.

    Jerk chicken player half eaten!!
    Suzette C.

    We came here for the first time tonight and can I just say OMG why haven't I come sooner!! Best flavor !! The jerk chicken was amazing and so full of flavor! The tacos are the best and even the burger is so delicious and not just a patty of tasteless meat! The ambiance is so relaxing and chill. Smooth tunes, great lightening not too much not too little. The owner is the nicest and so attentive. This is the best place in Ridgecrest in my opinion!!!

    Hunny Lemon Chicken Sando and Watermelon Ginger Lemonade
    Mark M.

    Amazing food and the service is always top notch!! Clean and the food comes out quickly and piping hot!!

    Owner with my family!
    Liza G.

    This restaurant was amazing! We ordered the smash burger/fries and Cajun shrimp tacos. They both were so delicious! My son said they were the BEST burger and shrimp tacos he's ever had and I agree with him! You gotta get a side of the secret sauce and ranch that is homemade. They are so yummy! It's a family owned business and they are so welcoming and friendly. The service was outstanding. Definitely worth checking out!

    Jerk chicken plate
    Evan Z.

    The food was so good and fresh. We shared plates. The arugula salad was very fast and the Il Figo salad was amazing. The pastas had so much flavor. I want to try everything

    Caribbean Chicken plate

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    26 days ago

    Excellent food! Excellent service! A real gem! The ambience was classy and comfortable. Thank you for a great evening. I will be back!

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    3 months ago

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    7 months ago

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    6 days ago

    The best food in town! The jerk chicken tacos are so fire and the new fries are so good!!

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    26 days ago

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    1 month ago

    Business owner information

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    Reese H.

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    9 months ago

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    5 months ago

    Great good, great vibes and wonderful people! Always try to support local but they make it easy.

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    2 months ago

    Food is so delicious every single time, haven't been disappointed yet. The owners are also sooo nice, highly recommend!!

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    11 months ago

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    8 months ago

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    3 months ago

    This place is a gem! The food was delicious! The owners were very friendly. The communal table allows you to talk with fellow diners.

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

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    10 months ago

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    2 months ago

    I have eaten from this business twice and will continue to eat there. The food was excellent and the service was top-notch.

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    8 months ago

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Best Jerk chicken platter I've ever had. Chef came to talk to every table. Service was stellar. Great clean restaurant design and concept.

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    2 years ago

    Business owner information

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    Reese H.

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    4 months ago

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    9 months ago

    I was good but the service was really slow. We ordered a cheese cake and a peach cobbler. And it so good!

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    This restaurant is a must visit if you are in Ridgecrest. The people are very hospitable. The food was delicious!!!

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    10 months ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - VEN A Communal Eatery

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    Bahay Kubo Ridgecrest

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    I placed my order through DoorDash and went to the restaurant for pickup. As soon as I walked in,…read morethe place felt open, spacious, and very clean. The staff had my order ready right on time, which made the pickup quick and easy. I tried the Thai tea boba first, and that's when I knew this place was going to be good. When the milk tea is made right, you can tell the food will be just as good. The Thai tea was honestly one of the best I've had. Coming from someone who's tried Thai tea all over Los Angeles, this definitely matched that level. Then I tried the chicken katsudon, and it instantly became comfort food for me. It was flavorful, fresh, and so satisfying. This is easily one of the best comfort food spots I've found in Ridgecrest, and it truly reminds me of the quality restaurants back in LA County. Highly recommend -- I'll definitely be coming back!

    We were surprised to see a Filipino restaurant on the way to Death Valley so we knew we wanted to…read moretry it out! It definitely is more of a hole in the wall vibe, which to me usually is a sign of good food. There was a steady flow of people who came in to order after us so seems like a pretty popular spot. We got the ube milk drink with boba. Had a nice amount of ube paste on the cup as you can see, they did not skimp out on it! Nice milky ube flavor after mixing. We ordered the pork lumpia, chicken pancit and lechonsilog (garlic rice plate). Everything was made to order so it was nice and fresh! Lumpia were nice and crispy, good pork flavor and on the salty side but paired well with the sweet chili sauce. The chicken and veggie pancit was freshly off the wok, even 10-15 mins into the meal it was still hot! It also was on the salty side with peppery flavor. The lechon was crunchy and cut into nice 1-2 bite pieces. The garlic rice tasted more like pepper than garlic to me, wish it had a little more garlic flavor. Overall the food was just a bit on the salty/peppery side for me, but otherwise seemed like a good place for classic Filipino food. Their menu also had other things like pho, katsu, loco moco so has different options for everyone!

    Photos
    Bahay Kubo Ridgecrest - They sell imported chips, cookies, and mochi.

    They sell imported chips, cookies, and mochi.

    Bahay Kubo Ridgecrest - Thai tea, lumpia, and pancit for here.

    Thai tea, lumpia, and pancit for here.

    Bahay Kubo Ridgecrest - Exterior

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    Exterior

    Kristy's Family

    Kristy's Family

    3.9(260 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $

    The diner was definitely better than I expected and we will return! The Pancakes were really good,…read moreand was the Veggie omelet. However, the Homemade Cinnamon Roll was just okay. The gentleman who took our orders was nice and very patient! The ambiance was nothing special-typical diner. The toilets could use good cleaning, too, but the bathrooms were generally okay. We stopped here on our way to Mammoth from San Diego, and we would return!

    It's a country diner, with booth seating and 50s oldies playing softly in the background…read more We were seated promptly and drink order taken right away. Coffee has free refills. I had the Country Benedict, which is a sausage patty and an egg on top of a biscuit and covered with gravy, served with hash browns. The egg was over easy, and the yolk, when broken, blended deliciously with the gravy. The hash browns were crisp and fresh - very good. The biscuit was buttered, which was a pleasant surprise. They pay attention to small details like that here. Mr. P enjoyed his burger, which came with fresh onions, tomato and lettuce on a specialty bun. The burger was smashed, yet very juicy. His fries were golden brown crisp and cut thick. He liked them a lot. This was easily the best diner breakfast I've had in a long while. Looking forward to stopping in again when I'm nearby in the future. I am full and happy.

    Photos
    Kristy's Family - Old school coffee shop/diner type place. Wish me luck.

    Old school coffee shop/diner type place. Wish me luck.

    Kristy's Family - Meat lovers omelette

    Meat lovers omelette

    Kristy's Family - Misleading advertising.....$0.99 coffee??? But only on Monday and Tuesday upon further discussion with staff

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    Misleading advertising.....$0.99 coffee??? But only on Monday and Tuesday upon further discussion with staff

    VEN A Communal Eatery - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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