Ventana Grill Events Team Reviews

I love this place very much! Lovely restaurant with delicious food.

Sunday brunch is great, but it's popular and the line can be long if you don't get there early. Regular dinner is very nice with great views from the seacliffs.

Great place with a great view and great food. What more can you ask for?

Used Open Table, it never registered my reservation. Recommend calling yourself.Got there on a pretty crowded night and Allison made it happen. She was polite and managed to get us a table in the sunset room. Beautiful views, great food, moderately priced, quality service.
Traveled from Florida and worth the trip.
You made a couple very happy.

Beautiful eatery with bar in a beautiful setting. The food is served well with a smooth service but the meat portions do not match what is ordered on the menu. As a result, the price quality is not satisfactory.

Both food & service can be a mixed bag here.
Some of the dishes are both delicious & are hefty
meals (e.g. Burrito...either fish, carnitas, or Vege).
If you get apps then prepare for doggy bags.
The chocolate Mousse desert is both the prices
at $9, but is likely the best. Between the Chocolate
shell, the Mousse, the Raspberry puree, the whipped
cream, the Choc stick...well...you get the idea!

Some of the apps fail to various degrees. The Clam
Chowder tastes good until you notice that there are
no perceptible clam bits present. The Calamari
was bizarre, since the rings were naked of the bread
crumb coating, while the tendrils were overloaded
with oily breadcrumbs. It obviously looked poorly
made & should have never left the kitchen. The squid
itself was fresh & excellent, but the coating was a
huge failure. We ate 1/2 of it before it dawned on me
why it looked so strange.

After some of us have some excellent local Fossil Point
Pinot Noir, we noticed that the French Champagne was
reasonably price for a restaurant. Since we were
kind of celebrating all our recent birthdays, I ordered
a bottle. Strangely, just the $80 opened bottle was
placed "naked" on the table. Bizarrely, I had to ask
for an ice bucket to cool it. It was presented as an
after thought & was placed right on our table without
a towel to wipe off condensation. Since no service
person ever came to pour the Champagne, I had to
pour all of it! I never been to a restaurant where they
did so little, so bizarrely! Obviously, management
needs to retrain their employees in both service &
food preparation....this is not a self service "Sport's
Bar"....especially when you pay around $200 for 3 people!
Surely you expect more.

Amazingly, they had both adequate parking & some
empty tables. We did have to wait in the bar area for
about ten minutes, but took the time to sit at a cocktail
table. They seemed understaff, as the bartender himself
had to come out to help us. He was quite nice & made
an excellent Vegetarian Virgin Bloody Mary for my
honey after I told him that she was a bit hypoglycemic.
After they told us our super-nice window table was ready,
I grabbed two Pinots & paid at the bar for these drinks.

Fortunately, the table that we sat on had some of the nicest
views of both the Ocean & the Sunset. Since this definitely
distracts one from lackluster service or food prep errors,
you don't bother complaining....since you are so grateful
for the amazing views.

The table service was uneven & one does feel rushed.
The food came out too fast & both the apps & the main
meals overlapped. The waitress was very pleasant &
fully answered our questions & accommodated our
complex dietary preferences.

Lightly, due to the lack of training, there was
NO PROPER CHAMPAGNE SERVICE.
IT WAS DIY! That was bizarre at best &
shocking for a sit-down upscale restaurant.

While we are locals, this place is always
packed with tons of tourists & locals....so
it seems that management can get away
with understaffing, poor supervisor, & service.

Strangely, no manager ever came around to
ask us for feedback...at least, we I was at the
table & not taking outside pics of the sunset.

They do have what looks like a good Happy
Hour & a decent Buffet on certain days & times.

I suppose that the Buffet's self-service & DIY
attitude sadly transfers over to dinner service.

Fortunately, if management gets their collective
act together, all these problems can
potentially be solved.

All in all, we did have a good time here...but in
retrospect there was serious deficits in both
food prep & service. Of course, all the
Champagne, great views, & great company
helped evoke happiness & some heartfelt
discussions. Later, my honey noted that
we were a bit loud...so I need to apologize
for that. Sorry!

Now I am going to eat my leftovers!
Thank you!

Really yummy Spanish flavors I had pumpkin seed encrusted sea bass with spinach and apricots. Husband had pasta w seafood. Large potions. Great service. Beautiful view. We walked in at 5:30

The service was excellent and the food was delicious. The shrimp cocktail was a great combination of shrimp and the tomatoe sauce was delicate balance of sweet and spicy. The chicken mole sliders were good but just a little dry but with taste. The halibut tacos with chipotle sauce was good. Beautiful scenery of the beach and great place to walk to the cliff.

Loved the food here. Service was excellent.

Highlight of the dinner: homemade tortillas and salsa.

2 adults, 2 kids.
Adults got a salmon special and vegetable enchiladas in mole
Kids got chimichurri steak (adult menu) and nuggets and fries.
Everyone loved their meals, the steak and salmon were really the standouts.

We all had dessert, fried ice cream, chocolate fondue, chocolate mousse, strawberry cheesecake wrap and again, not a single complaint from anyone. Parents (or any group, really) all know how rare that is...

The only criticism I would have is that the beer list is pretty limited. In their defense, however, the tequila menu is expansive.

Great food and cocktails! Great location and views as well!

Food is absolutely gorgeous and the deserts are even better - truly scrumptious

Best expensive restaurant around. Make reservations or suffer the consequences.

I'm vegan. Just ask. Ventana is more than willing to cater to your needs even though there are no vegan choices on the menu. They are a bit pricey.

Lovley setting overlooking the ocean, food and service were fantastic. The strawberry cheesecake was to die for. Sea bass was equally good and the tortilla starter was a nice touch. Even the Mexican angle on the drinks was outstanding with the Mexican manhattan. Highly recommend.

The asada steak nachos were great! Salmon was awesome. Lovely location and great service. Only thing was a super weird sulfer smell inside and then it s overpriced but I guess that s the beach location. You get a ton of food for what you order though!

Great place, the food is excellent and has a great view

Delicious food, great service and we didn't have to wait long! Beautiful view!

Amaaazing brunch! Definitely worth the $. Great food, great staff :)

Come for the sunset and eat some decent food, too. I recommend the chimichanga, calamari Caesar, coconut margarita, or the burger. Reasonably priced and quite tasty.

First time at this Restaurant, great food and drinks. The views of the ocean are great and the staff are wonderful.

Beautiful ocean views! Good-sized portions at very reasonable prices.

Best ocean front restaurant around! Their food is amazing and the service is excellent. You can tell they truly care about their customers' wants and needs and really value their feedback. Not to mention their brunch is to DIE FOR. Definitely will be coming back here!

Incredible views paired with absolute quality food. The Carne Asada Nachos makes for a perfect appetizer, the steak is charred to perfection and aptly portioned with the tortilla chips. The Steak and Shrimp Molcajete is a very well-seasoned, flavorful dish. A must-stop if you are near Pismo Beach!

Good food and a wonderful view! Staff was very attentive as well

Great view of the ocean. A little pricey, but worth it. Great spot for drinks & apps

I must say this restaurant is definitely the perfect location for food, service and location. Let's first start off by the food, the menu surrounds a more Hispanic vibe with options that caters to everyone in your group. The menu may appear simple, however in its most simplistic form, it gives variety. The food is well seasoned to perfection that leaves you lingering for more. The service is wonderful. Our waiter was always there when we need him and created an overall great customer experience. With the food and service, the icing on the cake has to be the location. You can step out into the balcony area to view nature in all its glory. I suggest going for dinner to get a glimpse of the sun beginning to set. Overall, this place is a must try for people who are visiting the area, because once you go, you'll definitely want to return and try the other things off their menu.

This spot was pretty good. The Mac and cheese lobster was amazing. Great flavor and so cheesy. The Molcajete was ok. I wouldn t have it again. Not that it didn t taste good. I have had better. I would definitely eat here again and try something different. But I must have the Man and cheese again. The service was great. The waiter was kind and helpful. The coconut Halibut was pretty good. The sauce and the veggies added my more flavor. @raulvsfood

Hands down one of my favorite restaurants in the world. They have found the perfect intersection of food & beverage quality, ambience, and price! There are multiple magazines and rating sites that have listed this as the Top 100 Best Restaurant Views in the USA, and they aren't joking!

Incredible! Sun and sea and food. What more can you ask for?

SUNDAY BRUNCH: Regular items plus decent seafood selection and several Mexican dishes as well as bottomless mimosas.

We have been waiting for you guys to open. So thankful! Great job on following all the guidelines. Best Cadillac margaritas ever!

The fish tacos were excellent. The El Jefe Margarita was spicy and delicious.

The food was amazing - fresh made tortillas with cinnamon and sugar butter - they also serve 3 different types of salsa. The coconut halibut was delicious - I ordered it 2 nights in a row. I also recommend the coconut mojito. Laura, our server was very friendly and attentive. The sunset views can't be beat

I tried to make reservation but they were fully booked. Visited here anyway for early dinner 5:30. We we're lucky, no wait but the place was full on 30 minutes. Food was delicious. Views were amazing.

Came here based on a recommendation and I was pleasantly surprised. The clam chowder was good.. different good from Splash because its lighter and flavorful. We also tried their fish and chips. Lunch time, they serve cod and Dinner time they serve halibut. We tried and compared both and they both tasted great with good flavor but I prefer the cod because the meat was more flaky and moist. Halibut is meaty and offers more flavor. Each have their benefits. Kids had beef taco plates. Beans and rice were ok. The meat was cooked well but Id prefer some salsa and veggies since it has one texture and extra flavor profile could elevate it. My kids prefer street tacos and were bummed that there was no cilantro and onions. Probably weird they like vegetables this much but they've got my food palate gene.

Very nice view, good reception, very fast service and very rich dish!
Highly recommend!

I had the nachos. A+, but find someone to help you finish them. Don't eat them all yourself.

Excellent food, beautiful sunset view, not crazy expensive

Very popular restaurant with spectacular views of Central Coast. Reserve to ensure you get a seat. Home made tortillas cooked fresh as you watch. The menu has a great selection of Cal mex fusion.

2 hour wait for a party of 6 but small parties 15 min

Ventana Grill is my favorite place on the central coast. I have been to most places. They have an excellent bar with reasonable prices and same with the lunch and dinner.
Personally, I like to go about an hour before dinner and have a drink on the veranda. It is very peaceful overlooking the ocean. You won't be disappointed.

Bring your ID. I'm ten years older than the legal drinking age and despite being with my husband, parents and son they wouldn't serve me a margarita with dinner because I didn't have my license with me. The young manager stuck to the "if you look under 35" rule even after my mother and father vouched for me. It's not the first time I've felt "undervalued" as a customer here. I got the impression that they're so busy someone else will be right along. The food is good but not good enough to keep us there so we left before the apps. Had a much more relaxed meal with drinks at McLintocks over the road!

One of our favorite restaurants. Everything from the food quality to the drink potency to the service to the views of the Pacific are great.

Great view, great menu, great staff. Try to make a reservation if you can.

Excellent atmosphere, good food and drink, huge view right out to the ocean.

I would not go back. The service was good but my wife's food was cold and the senic area is the reason to go here.

The food was great & it's right on the water. The sign says "Ventana Bar & Grill" - the "bar &" wording made me skeptical about the quality of the food, but how wrong I was! And you are literally right above the water.

Amazing food great view good service. Philip was our server and we ordered clam chowder which had an abundance of clams and the steak nachos were humungous. The views do not disappoint and our waiter Philip was on point!!!!

Food was amazing, the service was great. Definitely coming back

Beautiful View, delicious Clam Chowder and excellent Bar Tender/ Mixologist

Went to the little stand outside and got some really bomb fruit cups!

Great place for a business lunch or romantic dinner.

Great food, if you get a seat near the windows the views are incredible, especially at sunset.

We were so pleasantly surprised by this outstanding restaurant. The setting is spectacular and on the ocean, the decor / atmosphere is casually elegant. Right away the service was excellent. The hostess made us comfortable while our table was being prepared. This restaurant is obviously quite popular, as every table was full on a Friday night.

Our server was terrific. Learning this was our first time to the restaurant he took the time to explain the menu and specials, as well as noting our dietary restrictions.

The food. Wow!!! First of all, there was a lady hand making tortillas in an area in full view of the diners. It brought back some fond memories of dining in Mexico. The tortillas were excellent.

I had the Sopa Azteca (tortilla soup) to begin and my husband had the clam chowder. Both of us kept remarking how much flavor our soups had. Delicious!

For my entree I had the Arrachera Steak and Shrimp Molcajete. Outstanding flavor. It's been a long time where food in a restaurant has delivered so much flavor. The portion of the dish was generous; the steak was tender and the shrimp were perfectly cooked.

My husband loved his vegetarian enchiladas. I had a taste and they were delicious and also full of flavor.

We think this is one of our better dining experiences and hope to return when we visit Pismo Beach again.

If you're not feeling like having a big meal try out the nachos for a meal! Amazing!

Make a reservation as early as possible! Especially for brunch. There reservations will fill up weeks in advance for it. They do allow people to eat at the bar during brunch if you get there early and have a small group. Beautiful views, great staff, and a variety of great food! Come hungry

I stopped for a drink, I didn't eat, so I can't judge the place from this point of view. But the place is beautiful, a rocky balcony over the ocean, with pelicans, cormorants and seagulls

Beautiful setting and our waiter was attentive. The food was disappointing. My swordfish was not very good. It was one of the specials so should have been better. The clam chowder was very good. For the prices the fish should have been perfection.

Great location, food, and service. Good vegetarian options. No Wi-Fi or crayons for toddlers, bring your own toddler entertainment.

Friendly service, yummy Mexican food and beautiful views!

Love the Ventana Grill. There isn't a bad view in the restaurant. A very knowledgeable bartender helped us. Our food was fantastic. My husband had the fresh fish and I had the scallop salad. We look forward to returning again when visiting Pismo

Awesome food, but we had to wait for around an hour to get a table.

unfortunately food in the US really bad, would not recommend to anyone, greasy food and who cares nothing about the customer's health.

The ocean view is amazing. We came right at sunset and it was very romantic. The food was 5 star restaurant quality for a surprisingly low price ($20-40). I would recommend this place any day and we will absolutely be coming back.