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Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Categories: Restaurants Steakhouses Nightlife Bars Wine Bars Steakhouses, Wine Bars [Edit]
2009 E Thompson BlvdVentura, CA 93001
(805) 652-1055
- Hours:
Mon-Wed 5 pm - 10 pm
Thu-Sat 5 pm - 12 am
Sun 10:30 am - 10 pm
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Romantic
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
41 reviews for Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
Review Highlights
"four course meal great deal."
(in 8 reviews)
"To top it off we got their homemade bread pudding."
(in 8 reviews)
"...were super friendly, the live music was great for the..."
(in 5 reviews)
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41 reviews in English
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Review from Nick K.
Malibu, CA
11/15/2011
My wife and I came here with our friends for happy hour. We had a wonderful time!
I know that it's been mentioned in the reviews already but allow me to join in saying that the Happy hour here is with out a doubt the best that i have seen in the area.
The prices were fantastic for the food and the drinks. The food was delicious, (Try the Prime Rib Tacos!!!!) the drinks were excellently made.
The service was very good, even though they were busy. The (live) music was great. Not terribly loud either, we were able to have a nice conversation but still enjoy the music.
Over all had a great time I would go back in a heart beat. If I could rate 6 Stars i would. -
Review from Darrell B.
Oxnard, CA
Updated - 2/6/2012
Came again with other friends - Sat in the music room on a good night - All food MUCH better (same fairly lame server . . . but didn't ruin anything much less the evening, the entertainment or the meal - - - all very very good) and the VALUE with the regular weekly coupons is special!
I'm a fan now - - give this place a 2nd chance. Real rating against its peer group has jumped from a 3.0 to a 3.8+1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/10/2011
The Place
good - Nice corner spot on easy to find road in quiet, residential part of Ventura -… Read more »
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Review from Deana D.
Stevenson Ranch, CA
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
Yelped for a good place to eat dinner and stumbled upon Prime, nice surprise. They had some live music which was really nice because you had that ambience and it wasn't so loud that you couldn't have a conversation.
We both got the four course special which was $35/person, but because we checked in on yelp it was discounted to $25.
First Course: bacon wrapped figs & bacon wrapped scallops, both delicious.
Second Course: Wedge Salad- hubby liked his wedge; Spring Mix Salad - dressing & caramelized pears were way too sweet for my liking, but loved the apple slices and walnuts
Third Course: NY steak special, smokey mac and cheese and grilled asparagus. The steaks were tender and the mac and cheese is AMAZING, get it!
Fourth Course: brownies w/vanilla ice cream for dessert, can't really go wrong!
Service was great too, his name was Ross & he was very attentive even thought it was busy. Overall we had a wonderful experience & will definitely be back when we are in the area. -
Review from Gen R.
Ventura, CA
11/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
First time visit was Sunday evening. Honestly, it was one of the better dining experiences we have had in a very long time!!
Mr. R was thinking about taking family here for his 40th so we wanted to check it out. It's an intimate dining experience for sure. 6:30 seemed to be the best time to go for dinner, not crowded despite two large groups having dinner.
By checking in with Yelp, we received a coupon for the 4 course meal - definitely took advantage of it! It's usually $35 per person and our coupon was for $25. The food was delicious!! With the meal, we each had our own starters (Mr. R. had the gulf shrimp, I had bacon wrapped scallops), salads (Mr. R had the steak house wedge, I had the tender baby greens), sides (Mr. R had creamy spinach, I had asparagus spears) and prime rib. I'm not one for prime rib but man, this was great!! The portions are big and well worth it.
Service was great. Our server was the manager and she was very attentive and welcoming. From seating us, to drink orders, to ordering and finally the bill, we had no problems with timing or being served.
We would definitely recommend this restaurant to friends and family. Looking forward to a return trip. -
Review from Vikki D.
Oxnard, CA
1/25/2012
Love this place. We use to drive to the valley for a decent meal but now that we found Prime we can stay close to home. We attend the wine dinners as well. Which I really enjoy because you get smaller portions of primes fantastic food but many courses. . The wine and pricing is unbelievable. Better prices than I have gotten as a wine club member. The owner Jan is the hardest working woman I have met. Keep up the great work. Ventura needs more quality restaurants.
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Review from Natasha C.
South San Francisco, CA
12/15/2011 4 Check-ins Here
What a little gem of a joint. The happy hour special is quite appealing with their drink prices and starters at half price. The live band is entertaining, fpor 2 people who ordered a total of 4 drinks and 6 (yes, we are oinkers) appetizers, the bill came out to only $60. Now that is pretty saucey, I will have to come back and give it another go!
Word of advice, get here at the start of happy hour, it gets quite packed and the stuffed mushrooms are not much, you get 4 little mushrooms the size of quarters on a really large plate, skip this choice and go for the tuna tar tar and the prime rib tacos! -
Review from Mark M.
Ventura, CA
10/11/2011
I like this place a lot! I don't know of anywhere in Ventura with a better happy hour. Not only are the deals good at happy hour, but the food is amazing.
I have also been just for dinner. The place can be a little pricey for some things, but watch for coupons. They generally have offers every week for a four course meal. I recommend using the coupon on a Saturday night so you can also enjoy live music.
Great environment...great food...friendly staff...nice deals...good drinks. Yeah, that looks like five stars to me. -
Review from Jack F.
9/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Mixed feelings...
We enjoyed Prime's dark, intimate environment, the live music played at a volume perfect for dinner & conversation, and a good bottle of Santa Barbara pinot noir ($45).
What we didn't enjoy were our meals. The New Zealand lamb chops ($45) and prime rib ($25) were pretty much discarded without comment by us. I'm sorry to put it this way, but the other courses were just not very good either.
I'd like to return for Happy Hour some evening. The bar area looked like a great place to have drinks & appetizers and enjoy the atmosphere, but It's unlikely that I'll make dinner reservations again.Listed in: Room For Improvement
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Review from Heidi S.
Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, CA
9/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
My boyfriend and I took a spontaneous mini vacay to go wine tasting near Santa Barbara but stopped to spend the night in Ventura. We entered and the atmosphere was definitely romantic - dim lights, live entertainment singing nothing but soulful/R&B oldies, and 2 HDTVs playing football games at the bar. =)
I checked in on Yelp and received a discount on their pre-fix 4-course meal. Here's the run down
First Course -
Tuna Tartare (LOVED it!!!)
Crab-stuffed mushrooms (only comes with 3 mushrooms but sufficed)
Second Course -
Baby Greens (if you like sweet flavors of fruit and savor of nuts in your salad then you'll enjoy this salad)
Wedge Salad (boyfriend liked the bacon and the blue cheese dressing)
Third Course
Filet Mignon (not the best I've ever had but tasted exquisite with the scalloped potatoes)
Rib-eye steak (boyfriend liked it as it was juicy and tender and not fatty)
Fourth Course
Twice Baked Potato - a big portion with a lot of cheese!
(I opted for the scalloped potatoes and asparagus that came with the filet mignon - definitely a must!)
Dessert
Bread Pudding - can't eat it alone because it's a huge portion!
All this plus 3 glasses of wine and coffee came out to ~ $125 = worth it for all the fine dining we had for the night including the ambiance and friendly service (Ross was great)!
Will definitely go back if we had the chance to be around the area again. -
Review from Adam R.
Santa Monica, CA
11/30/2011 Seated via OpenTable
My friends and I came here for a last-minute celebratory dinner on a Sunday night, and we all left happy. Incredible food, classy ambience, and excellent service.
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Review from Patricia L.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
11/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great prime rib. Really big food. Love the twice baked potato. Our service was very good, really attentive. Wine by the glass is a little pricey however it is a generous serving. No room for dessert took home leftovers. Cheers.
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Review from debbie d.
Woodland Hills, CA
12/2/2011
The best freaking meal I've had in a very long time!!!! WOWWWWW!!!!!!
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Review from Tiffie L.
6/30/2011 12 photos
4.5 Stars - My brother just graduated from UCSB last week and chose this Prime for his graduation dinner. Solid choice, Preston! Prime is quite unassuming... in the middle of a more industrial feeling street/ neighborhood, who would guess there is this classy little place?
The restaurant is divided into two sections - upon entry, there are a few tables as well as a bar with a couple of TVs set to sports channels. Then, in a connected room there is another section with live music and more tables.
We mostly opted for the$35 prix fixe which came with an appetizer, salad, and entree. The appetizers were somewhat small, but tasty (my favorite was the crab stuffed mushrooms!). The salads, though, were HUGE. I had the baby spinach, which was delicious. Some of us had the Wedge, which was also rather large. I devoured my salad... and barely had room left for the entree. I'm not a huge prime rib person, so I cannot say whether it was great or not, but OMG the stuffed salmon is AMAZING. It was not in the prix fixe menu, but it is one of the BEST salmon dishes I have ever had.
And I have nothing but highest praise for the service. At times, it felt a bit slow, since we were all heading back to Orange County that night and did not want to leave. If I had time to leisurely enjoy a meal, it would have been a perfectly, not rushed dinner. But our waiter was seriously the most friendly guy ever. He was extremely patient with our large group of people and accommodating to our many requests. I also brought a cake for my dad's birthday and he did a wonderful job storing it, bringing it out, and even asking the live singer to sing happy birthday. Obviously, we did not order their dessert, but he did not give us any qualms about it and provided a truly excellent experience. -
Review from Monica C.
Watsonville, CA
11/17/2011
I absolutely fell in love with this place..great service, amazing food, big portions, music, and nice ambiance..four course meal great deal
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Review from Abe N.
Ventura, CA
Updated - 11/17/2011
As good as it gets, they make sure everything Is going perfect for you
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/13/2011
I was just amazed how the food came on time. The food was great!!!!! We had a party of 12 what… Read more »
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Review from Katie D.
Goleta, CA
Updated - 10/16/2011
Unfortunately, we paid a ton of money for a sad display. The steaks were all ordered medium rare and mine was purple bloody rare, my mom's was well-done and my husbands was just right. A steak house should get something like the steak-correct. We won't go back and I feel bad but it is too expensive for a loud over-priced joint.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/18/2010
WAY OVER PRICED! VERY LOUD! $26.00 is way too much for the icky steak. I will take Sizzler before… Read more »
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Review from Amber M.
Ventura, CA
10/31/2011
Excellent happy hour prices, amazing food, great atmosphere. This is a definitely one of the nicest places in Ventura. Extremely well staffed, great service. A great date night spot for birthdays, anniversaries or special occasions. The drinks are excellent, especially the Island Cruz martini. It can be expensive but the "Best of Prime" is a fabulous deal with a 4 course meal for around $30 a person.
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Review from Lee A.
Ventura, CA
11/28/2011
Best happy hour in Ventura... Try the burger!
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Review from panda p.
Oxnard, CA
11/28/2011 1 Check-in Here
A couple weeks ago my new hubby and I got hitched. We were looking for a nearby steakhouse to take out immediate family to, 15 to be exact. Relying on yelp reviews we decided to make a reservation. I don't drink very much and my husband prefers beer so Jan helped us choose a couple of wines and some champagne for our table, amongst our budget of course.
On the night of the dinner everyone ordered something different and let me just say it was amazing! I had medium prime rib with a twice baked potatoe and it was perfect. The appetizer portion is good for one person as we all had the 4 course meal. Second we had a salad, I chose the wedge with ranch and the third is a meat and fourth the side. The meat and side were huge! Nobody finished their meal but certainly took it home. We didn't try their dessert because we brought our own cake. Our server was great and very prompt. She would go around the table explaining extra options not on the menu and wines. It was a saturday so they had a live band which was a singer and a bassist. They were pretty good and it was mellow. The seating was comfortable and the mixed drinks had a nice kick. I am very happy with everything and I know this place gained 15 new customers. -
Review from S B.
Orange, CA
8/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
Great food and service. Try the bread pudding. The owner is very nice and knows customer service.
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Review from Henrika F.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
10/5/2011
The outside of the building is pukey brown? You can't miss it on Thompson, and I do applaud PRIME for working so hard to put Ventura on the map. The appetizers were good, but the best of prime PRIME was OVER cooked- the owner was a bit hysterical and defensive- I am sorry that I didn't like the meal enough, or her to go back for another chance
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Review from Kevin W.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
6/21/2010
I made reservations at Prime for my wife's birthday. It was our first time eating there. We arrived for an early evening dinner and were seated immediately and well tended to the entire time. Great martini and wine list- my wife chose a glass of their cheapest wine and was pleased. Atmosphere was elegant and the food was terrific. The jazz singer sang Happy Birthday to my wife as she was served bread pudding a'la mode with a candle on top! When the bill finally came, I was pleasantly surprised and felt compelled to tip over the usual 15%.
There will definitely be return visits ti Prime:) -
Review from Elicia S.
Ventura, CA
9/25/2011 1 Check-in Here
Prime was an amazing experience. The boyfriend and I went to celebrate our anniversary, we had the best experience that we have had to date dining in Ventura County. We went Saturday night with 7 o clock reservations, we were seated quickly, and greeted quickly by our waiter. We decided to do the choice of Prime, our waiter told us that there were even more additions to the choices. The meal was delicious, for appetizer we ordered the tuna tartare and chile rellenos (different but really good), we both had the wedge salad (blue cheese, tomatoes, onions, bacon), we both had the Prime rib one with macaroni and cheese (honest to God, to die for!!!) and one with Au Gratin potatoes (tasty, but I wished I had ordered the mac and cheese), and we topped it off with bread pudding (fantasmic, no lie). The waiters were super friendly, the live music was great for the atmosphere and pleasant, and the price is unbeatable. Also, we used the "check in" discount option because I saw it on yelp, they took twenty dollars off the check, no awkwardness that often comes with using a discount :). Honestly, go to Prime. You will be happy that you did. We will definitely be going back.
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Review from bryan f.
Los Angeles, CA
Updated - 11/13/2008
Watch your step as you enter Prime because they now allow motorcycle parking in the restaurant.
I dont care how small a town this is - this is just wrong. And the funny thing is that the next morning that same bike was parked in the side lot all by itself. Did somebody need a little attention that night?
And by the way, do your sound system testing when the restaurant is closed. I come in to have some peace and quiet as I had thought you were more of an upscale place. Youve outdone yourselves with your decision making. Whats next, karaoke night?
If youre really interested in being the restaurant you think you are, then read my review about Delius in Long Beach and maybe take a peek at their website. Thats how its done. Take notice.
http://www.deliusresta.../
Thought we had a good thing going here, but I was wrong. Take care and good luck.
And this has nothing to do with Sommer. Shes the best thing going on at Prime...2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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10/9/2008
Update #2 for Prime;
Wandered into Prime for Monday Night Football this week. Sat at the bar and was… Read more »
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Review from Shine C.
Los Angeles, CA
10/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
The short review:
Having experienced eating at some overpriced/well known establishments and steakhouses (i.e., Ruths Chris, Lawrys, etc.) in the LA/Beverly hills and South Bay areas, very few have made an impression on me with stellar food and/or respectable service. Thankfully, Prime Steak house has both including wonderful live music, an extensive wine list, and an intimate non pretentious atmosphere with enuinely friendly service. Initially my bf wanted to treat me out to a nice dinner. I checked Yelp and we narrowed our choice between Watermark and Prime Steakhouse. He chose Prime Steakhouse and I'm glad he did. On the way there, my bf checked Yelp for directions and saw there was a special for Yelpers. What a great find! $10 off a four course meal of choice. This made the dinner even better! In all a wonderful find, great food, and exceptional service. Highly recommended.
For more detailed review:
AMBIANCE: Understated, but elegant. Because bf is not really a planner, we ended up without reservations (I would not recommend this esp on a weekend!), but we were lucky enough to be greeted by the maitre 'd, the owner and our server Dave and was immediately seated in our own private booth. The restaurant presented an intimate, yet unassuming setting with dim lights, black leather booths, deep woods, and oil lamps at each table and a small bar at the far end of the room. Perfect for casual romantic dinners and an evening with good company. Prime clearly has an established reputation with happy patrons enjoying good food and good wine. A private party was in a separate area, a few other patrons were also celebrating their special occasions, and live jazz, r&b and soul music was being played through the evening. Meanwhile the owner regularly mingled and checked up on guests as did our server. The evening remained intimate and relaxed. The workers appears to actually enjoy working there and quite efficiently and me being able to speak normally and still having a nice convo with my bf made me a happy girl.
SERVICE: If I were to sum it up in two words, it would be "attentive ninjas". Quick, efficient, and blended into the background. Our server Dave kindly explained to us their specials, gave recommendations when asked and answered all our questions. He was patient, good natured, knowledgeable and professional. He even volunteered to take our picture a few times until it came out right--what a nice guy :). As our courses came we were given time to enjoy sampling our meal before being asked how it was. Our table was also quietly and efficiently attended to cleaned and arranged seamlessly between courses. We barely noticed our emptied plates being taken away and silverware being rearranged. We never had to flag down anyone for anything, and we were never unnecessarily bothered during our meal. Drinks automatically filled, trash speedily taken away, and plates cleared once we clearly finished. I was very impressed. I would give Prime five stars for their service alone. They work like a well-oiled machine.
FOOD. Delicious and well portioned. You will definitely feel satisfied, if not full, in the end. My bf couldn't finish his prime rib and he LOVES steak! When it comes down to flavor, the food is prepared well with fresh ingredients. First course scallops in a cream sauce and bacon wrapped dates. Scallops were tender and a hint of sweetness with the light cream. The bacon wrapped dates were a nice blend of sweet and savory with the subtle ginger flavor and molasses honey like cure on the bacon. Second course we chose the Tender Baby Greens with poached pear, candied walnuts, granny smith apples, Gorgonzola cheese and red onion in honey balsamic dressing. From the bite of the greens, crunch of the walnuts, the coolness of the pear, crispness of the apple, bold sweetness of the dressing and the slight tang and sharpness of the Gorgonzola--easily one of my top 3 favorite salads. Main course and side was prime rib with house made cream horseradish sauce (bf loved). The prime rib was a perfect medium rare, soft, sweet, and tender. For the side, he surprisingly chose the "Smokey Six Cheese Mac & Cheese". Now, I like mac n' cheese, but I would never order it eating out. I mean its mac n' cheese no matter how well you dress it up, right? Wrong. Prime's mac n' cheese is like cheese Heaven. Bf describes it like eating a soft mozz cheese pizza without the dough then having that lovely smoky crunchy bacon like flavor on the top, but I'm pretty sure it was the cheese doing all the work. Cheese aficionados MUST try this. MUST. I had the ball park sirloin with baby asparagus. The rib eye was also cooked perfectly, sweet and tender. If I had to choose between the two cuts, I would probably lean towards the prime rib, but both were very delicious. In the end, we were both too full for dessert. Good thing :P In all, a perfect end to lovely Saturday evening. Great food with great company. -
Review from Benny E.
Oxnard, CA
12/30/2008
With my wife ready to deliver our second child at any moment we decided to have "the last supper".
I picked Prime because I wanted to to try a new place. We walked in with no reservations and surprisingly were seated within 5 min. The hostess was not at her station when we entered but made her way to us in adequate time. We were seated by the bar unfortunately, but I am not going to complain with no Reservations,
I had the Sampler dinner for $35, which is a 4 course meal.
First up: Tuna Tar Tar- Very good! Spicy and savory. A great starter!
Second: Cesar Salad: Awesome- I love Anchovies, and this salad had em!
Third: 6 way Smoked Mac And Cheese- Pretty much awesome. Smokey and layered with a nice crust on top.
Fourth: Prime Rib: Now I am not a Prime Rib Expert, but I am a Steak guy.
There was way too much fat in this steak for me. I was constantly spitting out gristle and fat, also I asked for Medium, and I defiantly got a medium rare. The seasoning was great though.
Desert was Ho-hum. Bread pudding, pretty dry and unmemorable,
So everything except the desert and the PRIME rib was good, which is why I am knocking this baby down to a 3 star.
The meal was very pricy, with a $140 price tag with tip for 2. We both agreed for that ammount we should have went to Brooks!
On the plus side, my wife started pre-labor during this meal, and she delivered a beautiful baby girl abut 35 hours later!Listed in: Where to ge when you feel like…
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Review from Justine T.
Santa Barbara, CA
4/13/2009
Friday night was my second time at Prime and although I was a little worried about strolling in without reservations, we were seated immediately.
The table was kinda strange... the owner (I think she's the owner) said that it's her favorite but I'm still up in the air about it. It's a small, round table that is very tall and requires bar-stools to sit at it. Great location, but feels sort of funny because you are towering over the rest of the room.
We each ordered a glass of their cheapest red which at $8 a glass hit the spot without breaking the bank. I wish they had more of a selection, especially for less expensive wines. There's definitely an overload of California wines which speaks volumes about Prime's Cali-pride but doesn't make for a very exciting wine list.
We started with a split order of calamari 'cause we were hungryhungryHUNGRY. For dinner, Jonny ordered the prime rib, medium rare, which was cooked perfectly but looked a little fatty for my taste.
I had the Chef's Special which is a flatiron steak with blue cheese and sauteed onions on top. I've been branching out from my "medium-well" habit so I asked for it to be cooked medium and it was so tasty that next time I might even go for the medium-rare. You can never go wrong with blue cheese and the sauteed onions were amazing with a carmelized taste and a hint of balsamic.
They forgot to bring us bread which was fine with me because I'm not eating flour but that's sort of a staple when dining out and I could hear Jonny's tummy grumbling so I wish they'd brought some for him.
The couple who sings on the weekends came over to our table and chatted us up and we absolutely love them. They are TOO cool and we will be back soon for their awesome covers like "At Last" and "Rollin' on the River" and some more tasty steaks!Listed in: Date Night!!
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Review from J S.
Ventura, CA
10/23/2011
I love this place! The service and food was excellent. I highly recommend this restaurant to anyone who is a foodie!
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Review from Beverly H.
Ventura, CA
6/30/2009
I was very excited to see a new Steakhouse in Ventura. My husband and I went to celebrate our anniversary. The food was excellent and the service was superb. The owner did visit our table and sent out a desert for us to share for our special day.
It was great and I look forward to going again.
This has taken me a while to get around to, but we went to Prime for Thanksgiving dinner this year. The food while good was nothing to write home about. We had a reservation but it did not seem to matter, we had to wait while our table was put together, while we waited (a party of 3) two larger parties were seated and began ordering. The hostess/owner was so unfriendly. Our waiter was nice and did his best but he was being over worked. The bus staff was very helpful in getting drinks and checking on the status of our food once we got to order. I would like to think this was just due to the busy night and the owner overbooking the tables to make a buck. But from talking with friends who have been there when it is not a holiday they are getting the same treatment. T -
Review from Vince D.
San Diego, CA
2/24/2011
Killer $35 four course meal, got the tuna tartar, wedge salad, baseball steak, mac and cheese! All fantastic, dinner for two plus drinks ~$100 definitely going back
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Review from Byron S.
Ventura, CA
3/6/2011
The food was excellent and our server James was very personable and did a great job.My friends and I went out to celebrate some birthdays as well as date night. We all tried the best of prime 4 course meal. The menu had a fine array of choices and all items tasted as great as they sounded in print. The ambiance and decor was very nice.
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Review from Jen B.
Ventura, CA
2/9/2009
I think Prime is much better than many reviews give it credit for. Thank goodness my husband had an open mind and took me last night, or I would have simply gone on the word of a few people, and missed a very good dinner.
I read the other reviews, and to be honest I was not too excited about the thought of dropping $100 on a dinner that was sub-par, with so many other high-caliber restaurants in the area that we enjoy (Aloha, Johnathan's, Cafe Zack's, Scotch and Sirloin, California Grill in Camarillo). My husband convinced me to try it, and I went begrudgingly. I am SO GLAD I did.
I had called earlier in the day to find out about specials, and spoke with a hostess who was not completely informed. However she WAS eager to answer my questions and asked the manager for assistance in order to give me the right information. When we arrived that evening, she remembered me and referenced our earlier conversation, noting the special we had come to enjoy. We were seated immediately at a clean table, simply decorated.
Our waiter Justin was more knowledgeable about the wines than I expected. (I am a bit of a wine snob. Many times waiters suggest some of the more expensive wines on the menu just to push their bottom line. Grrr.. You know who you are.) He inquired about what we were to order, then suggested a few options and explained why they would complement our meal. I went with his recommendation and was very happy with its pairing AND value. He continued to check back regularly, though someone else delivered most of our food. All the courses came out in almost the perfect amount of time - we finished the current course just in time for the next to arrive.
We both chose the "Best of Prime" 4 course dinner. My tuna tar-tare was WONDERFUL. One of my favorite dishes, Prime put a new delicious twist on this. The tuna was fresh, avocado creamy, and the cream wasabi dressing on the mixed greens really pulled together all the flavors. My husband had the gulf shrimp and he was also very happy.
Our salads - the prime mixed greens and the wedge - were simple and well thought. Tasty dressings. Crispy almonds. Crunchy bacon. What else do you need?
Entrees. I chose the stuffed salmon with savory mashed sweet potatoes. Yum! Creamed spinach inside salmon - not exactly figure friendly, but well seasoned and well cooked. The potatoes were a little loose, but not overly sweet and definitely original. My husband chose the stuffed chicken breast - moist, well cooked, flavorful yet not overpowering Gorgonzola cream sauce. And the 6 cheese mac n cheese...This is HANDS DOWN the best mac n cheese I have ever had! So smoky and decadent, beyond creamy, and more than I could have asked for in a mac n cheese. Original mix of cheeses too - Gorgonzola, cheddar, Asiago...don't remember the others, but I tasted them all!!
We spent what we expected, and had a better meal than expected. As a Prime convert, I highly suggest people give Prime a shot of their own before casting aside a good restaurant for the faults of a few. Whether a bad review was a select instance - or whether the owners of Prime took heed and made changes after some mistakes- I do not know. But last night's dinner was good. Better than good.
We will be back. -
Review from Juancarlos H.
Oxnard, CA
9/10/2010
Get only the four-course meal with the Baseball-Cut Steak, well, because they have the tendency to undercook their cuts. Also, stick to the Baby Greens Salad as the Ceasar one sucks and get the Ahi Tuna Poke as your appetizer. Get the house wine, it rocks, but don't order cocktails, the bartender sucks. It's on the pricey side, but you don't have to really dress up too much and it's not crowded since it's in a sketchy area and has an uninviting exterior. They have live entertainment which I found awkward for the small size of the place, but the lead singer is cool and I eased into it. I've been here three times and like it a lot.
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Review from Alan R.
Ventura, CA
10/10/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Great food and value. Ask about the Best of Prime. Appetizer are very flavorful.
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Review from Chantell D.
Valencia, CA
6/11/2011
Just had the most amazing dinner ever. Made a reservation for 715 but got there a little early at 7. That was no problem because the hostess remembered our last name and took us to the table right away. She explained to us their prime deal special which is a four course meal for only $35!!!! My husband and I decided to try it. He got the filet mignon and I got the chicken. Both were to die for!! Perfectly cooked and seasoned. Our waiter, Glenn, was amazing. He was friendly and quick with refills. The food came out in perfect timing and at perfect temperature. To top it all off, our waiter brought us out Delicious bread pudding. My only regret is that I don't lve out here to frequent the restaurant more often. Would give this place more stars if I could. Off the charts food, service and atmosphere. I would highly recommend this place!!!
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Review from Victor V.
Camarillo, CA
Updated - 5/28/2009
I don't know why my prior review is not showing, but here it is again:
Forced to pay for food we sent back and never ate!
Just awful !
Went there with my gal on a Saturday night for a nice romantic dinner. We had reservations for 7 PM.
Our waiter was nice, but the service was a bit on the slow side, I figured this was due to the weekend crowds--but the food was sub par.
My dinning partner ordered a mixed drink, which was ok.
I ordered a Seven and Seven in a tall glass, but they brought out a short glass which tasted like whiskey and soda water. I told the waiter about it and he said "no problem- I remember you did order a tall.
The replacement drink was all booze and no Seven, which would please a lot of the heavy drinkers in the place, but I prefer a nice mixed drink when I order one.
I decided I'd just stick with ice water.
Looking at the "special menu" recommended by the hostess, I chose the PRIME four-course meal with Prime Rib as the main course. My gal also picked the four-course meal but went with grilled chicken and creamed spinach.
They brought us some bread slices, which were great.
No one had asked if we wanted more bread or more water.
The first course came out about fifteen minutes after we ordered- for me it was Tuna Tar Tare- not bad. Hers was some shrimp. The salad for me came out after another ten minutes. I had a wedge, which was not a wedge, just a slice of lettuce. My partner had some soup, which was the best part of the meal.
Once those were done, we sat for half an hour with no one checking on us.
The owner was busy fawning over a table of people to the right of us.
At that point I figured that it would be best to go elsewhere but it was my gal's first time and the reviews seems to reflect a great dinning experience from others.
After forty minutes from our initial order being submitted, a server showed up with our food and quickly left, never to return.
I had ordered an end cut of Prime Rib, but this piece of meat looked like a bar-b-qued pork shoulder. It was slightly warm, dried out and tasteless. My partner's chicken was cold, old and dry. Her creamed spinach had un-melted cheese inside.
We pushed our plates aside and waited for someone- anyone to come over and check on us. After ten minutes of staring at the staff, a different young gentleman came by to ask if we wanted doggie bags. I said the food was terrible, tasteless, and cold. He asked if we wanted him to reheat it!
He removed the food and headed to the back.
The couple at the table next to us said their food was cold and tasteless as well, but they weren't going to say anything until they heard me complain.
Our server came by and asked what the problem was and I told him. He said he'd take care of it. I said I would be happy to pay for the drinks and the two courses that we consumed. He said he agreed with that.
Upon his return, he said the owner refused to only charge us with only what we ate, and that we would have to pay the whole bill, including the food that we sent back!
I went to talk to her ( her name is Jan) but she refused to only charge us with the items we consumed, but did offer to give us a free meal the next time. I said the food was so bad, we would never come back. I again asked her to charge us what we ate, but she flatly refused and claimed they could not resell the food and that we had to pay. She said no one else was unhappy with the food. I told her to ask the table next to us as they had the same complaints. She said she was "not going to go there".
Then she said she was going to have to ask me to pay the bill and immediately leave her restaurant. I said I had no bill yet! She claimed it was on the table, but it was not. The server had been holding the bill. I paid and we left.
Stay away from PRIME and Jan the owner !!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/18/2009
Forced to pay for food we sent back and never ate!
Just awful !
Went there with my gal on a Saturday… Read more »
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Review from Elle M.
Ventura, CA
2/21/2011
My husband and I had a tasty meal last weekend at Prime on February 13. Unfortunately, we ran into a few disappointments which overshadowed the food itself. First, were quite surprised that the Valentine's Day prices were in effect for the entire weekend. This was not advertised until we got into the restaurant. Their normal 4 course special was hiked up by 20/pp for the entire weekend. We went there to celebrate one last meal the two of us before the birth of our first daughter, not Valentine's Day. The waiter, Ryan, tried to push wine on us twice even though I obviously was ready to have a baby.
We asked for water and he told us that we'd get it soon , but we waited for about 10 minutes and received nothing. He came back to check on us, saw that we didn't have water, and blamed it on his bus boy. My huband and I ordered the chile rellenos for the appetizer and were not disappointed. The food was great- baseball cut skirt steak, fresh asparagus and the best macaroni & cheese I've ever had. However, I still can't get over how snooty our server was. He basically ignored us for the rest of the night and didn't have our water refilled until we asked him. Again, it wasn't until about 15 minutes later that we got more water. I also noticed that he again threw his colleagues under the bus when a woman sitting near us noticed that her steak was undercooked. Rather than apologizing, he told her that he checked on the order he wrote down with the cooking staff and said they just did it incorrectly while rolling his eyes. Not too professional, buddy. I doubt your coworkers invite you out for drinks after your shift is over.
Overall, the food was really good, but our service will make me think twice about dropping another 100.00 on a meal at Prime if we were to be treated like this again. -
Review from Veronica D.
Ventura, CA
3/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
We had been putting off going to Prime due to the reviews but we decided one night to give it a try since we live within walking distance. Our experience was excellent from the beginning. First off, we had forgotten the coupon for their 4 course prime dinner but the owner (Jan) chose to honor the discounted price. Second, all the staff was very friendly and very attune to our needs, our wine (which was also excellent) glasses and water glasses were always full and they checked on us frequently. The food was worth at least twice the price we paid for it. Between the two of us my fiance and I got the chile relleno and crab stuffed mushrooms as the first course. The second course was the cesar salad (which had traditional cesar dressing) and the steakhouse wedge salad. Third course, he had the prime rib and I had the veal chop. Both were superb. They melted in your mouth and the veal was so moist and flavorful that you forget you are eating red meat! The fourth course was steak fries and the smoky 6-cheese mac and cheese (both were served as side dishes to the third course. To top it off we got their homemade bread pudding. Even my fiance, who is not a big fan of sweets, commented on how good it was. Overall I say Jan had done a wonderful job with her restaurant, it was a memorable experience and we will certainly be going back!
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Review from Doug S.
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
11/14/2009
Loved it, great place with great food. The waitress prompt and attentive. The menu is pretty open with something for everyone. Our waitress suggested a bottle of wine that was fantastic. They also have a special that's four courses for only $35.00 bucks. I would totally go again.
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Review from A M.
Camarillo, CA
8/22/2011
Me and my husband have been going to PRIME at least once or twice month for the past year or so, and we have NEVER had a bad experience there. I give it 4 stars and not 5 because of the service and the owner. Every time we go there is never a hostess and we are always stuck standing there waiting for one. If its during the week, the service isnt usually that bad. During the weekend, you usually will wait a little while. The servers are ALWAYS really friendly though and are trying their best, but you can tell they are understaffed. I would recommend them hiring a full time hostess that stands at the door like they are suppose to and not the owner. I don't think she should be dealing with any of the customers. The owner doesn't really seem like a nice lady and shes usually kinda rude. My husband and I are really laid back people with a ton of patience so this never really bothers us and the fact that the food is DEFINITELY 5 stars keeps us coming back over and over. We have NEVER had a bad experience with our food. We always get the 4 course meal and we have tried most everything on that menu. We love the mussels, tuna tar tar, not the wedge salad but the other one( cant remember the name) prime rib, and all the sides a great! Oh and the bread they put out before hand is addicting! We LOVE it! It can definitely be on the pricey side but its well worth it, it is our twice a month splurge. They always have coupons out though, that's what we love! Someone also mentioned on here there bread pudding being bad!? I am a huge bread pudding fan, and NO bread pudding has ever been better than theirs, it is my favorite and ive tried every bread pudding under the sun! I would definitely recommend PRIME :)
