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VEN A Communal Eatery

4.8 (66 reviews)
Closed 11:30 am - 1:30 pm, 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Updated 1 week ago

VEN A Communal Eatery New American Restaurant 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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9 months ago

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11 months ago

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2 years ago

Best burger in town!! Love the Bubba burger go get one you won't be sorry!! Reese and Miriam are really great folks !!

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Reese H.

We appreciate you!

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6 months ago

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2 years ago

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Reese H.

We appreciate you! Thank you for choosing to dine with us.

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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Reese H.

We appreciate you!

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

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Reese H.

Thank you for sharing your experience! We appreciate you.

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1 year ago

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Hands down the best food in town! The Bubba Burger Probably the best burger I've ever had!

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2 years ago

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Reese H.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

INCREDIBLE food, and is run by an amazing family ! You won't regret trying this. It is a must do in Ridgecrest!

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Reese H.

Thank you for your review! We appreciate you. Please come back soon!

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

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Reese H.

Thank you! We hope to see you again soon!

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

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Reese H.

Thank you so much for your kind words!

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6 years ago

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Reese H.

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6 years ago

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5 years ago

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Reese H.

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5 years ago

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Reese H.

We love food and are happy that you love it too!

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6 years ago

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Reese H.

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6 years ago

Great new place to try in town! Their poutine is delicious and they have new food options every week!

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6 years ago

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Page 2 of 2

Ask the Community - VEN A Communal Eatery

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Kristy's Family

Kristy's Family

3.9(259 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

Fireside Cafe & Dinner House Bar & Grill

Fireside Cafe & Dinner House Bar & Grill

1.5(2 reviews)
0.8 mi

The new "Fireside Cafe & Dinner House Bar & Grill" has been open for about 2 weeks now inside the…read moreHeritage Inn and Suites off of Norma. Rumor said that they had done some renovation to what was the old Victoria's Restaurant, but we encountered the same Paris courtyard motif that was the "trademark" of the old restaurant. We were greeted with a "sit wherever you want" by someone wearing a white t-shirt and paint spattered jeans. The menu was presented to us and it certainly was not impressive in style, with its typos and sentences that just ended incompletely (the cordon bleu apparently is "breaded with a creamy"). Our waitress, Diane, took our orders promptly, but the salad that comes with dinner took about 10 minutes to make it to our table; we were the only diners. I had the shrimp scampi, while my husband ordered the ribeye steak, medium rare. His steak came medium to medium well and the toast that came with my scampi was burned on one side and untouched on the other side. The scampi came with 5 plump shrimp, tails intact. Since it was served in a high sided dish, cutting off the tails was a challenge. The sauce on the scampi was tasty, though the lemon flavor was a surprise, hovering at the edge of being almost too much lemon. No dessert was offered, so I don't know if they have any at this time. The menu is close to what is being offered at Ale's, which is in the same parking lot, so the Fireside is going to have to work hard to make themselves special in some way. Diane handled our concerns professionally and she was the best part of our evening. It would be good to have the staff wear something to differentiate them from the customers, as we had no idea who were actually working and who were just friends sitting around. We'll be giving the Fireside another try in a couple of weeks to see if they've worked out some of the kinks. :) All in all, I think they have a HUGE battle ahead if they want to stay afloat and not lose their hotel guests to Ale's and to attract non-hotel clientele. Brainstorming a way to make them special will go a long way in achieving that goal.

By far the most disappointing dinner I've ever had. Upon arrival we were greeted by the…read morehostess/waitress/bartender who told us to have a seat anywhere honestly I think she's the only worker in here. I ordered the ribeye cooked rare it arrived well done with no flavor what so ever and served with frozen veggies and batch made mash potatoes. My girlfriend ordered the chick cordon blue which looked like a Costco chicken bake cut in to 1/4's and served with soggy French fries.

Tutus - Popcorn

Tutus

4.6(42 reviews)
0.7 mi
$

Seriously, EFF snow cones…read more.. To anyone that that tries to pass off a snow cones as Hawaiian shaved ice should have their snow cone shoved up any orifice below their waist... Hawaiian shaved ice is a beautiful, fluffy experience that has a wonderful effect on your tongue...Snow cones are coarse, crunchy crap that you get at second rate fairs... Tutu's is the only place I've been to that still does Hawaiian shaved the way it's supposed to...Light, fluffy and HUGE...They don't skimp on the syrup either...If I can recommend a flavor, I'd have to go with blackberry...Experiment...Play around... The Dole whip is also a wonderful palate cleanser that is just amazing...Whipped pineapple soft serve is probably the best way to describe it, but I would say the best way to know it is to experience it... They also have ice cream brought in from Hawaii... Being that I was stationed in Hawaii and I trolled around to get as fat as possible before I returned to the states, I must say that Hawaiian ice cream is super rich compared to their mainland counterparts...White chocolate, coconut and macadamia nuts? Yes please... Did I mention they have free Wi-Fi? I could hang out here all day... Ask about the hall of fame...If I didn't have to worry about living for the next few years, I'd be on that wall already...

Back for more today. Met the new owner too. Had a huge serving of the pineapple Dole Whip…read more MMmmmmmmm, yummy. The new owner has some nice upgrades in the works. This place is cool. posed some new photos too.

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Tutus
Tutus
Tutus

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VEN A Communal Eatery - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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