Ozeki - Ventura

We had a late-night craving for sushi, and I was glad to find this place still open. The food was well-seasoned, and it wasn't too busy at that hour. I gave service 4 stars because there was only one lady serving all the tables that night, but overall, everything was great. I will definitely go back!

My friend and I arrived at Ozeki an hour before closing on a Thursday night, and the place was empty. We informed the woman serving us—who appeared to be one of the owners—that we were just looking for a light snack since we both had somewhat upset stomachs but still wanted to refuel. We ordered a house salad, garlic edamame, chicken salad, dumpling soup, and a salmon roll. What struck me about every dish we received was the painfully small portion sizes and the lack of effort in their presentation and flavor. The house salad arrived in a cute little soup bowl and was incredibly underwhelming; it was clumpy and overly sweet. I finished it in about four bites because it was so tiny. The garlic edamame came out in an even smaller portion, and we couldn’t help but comment on how little we were served—it was overly buttery and salty as well. For $7, we received a handful of soybeans that weren’t even appetizing. Next, we laughed at the chicken salad and dumpling soup that my friend ordered. We both wondered if the portions were meant for ants! His soup came in a bowl smaller than the salad and was gone in just three sips—definitely not worth the price. The chicken salad was dismal: barely any greens and what seemed to be less than an ounce of chicken, chopped into tiny pieces. I ordered the salmon roll at the last minute, and it was the saddest salmon roll I’ve ever seen—just salmon wrapped in rice and nori. No avocado, no cucumber. The rice didn’t even taste like sushi rice. Honestly, I have to question how the owners can call this a Japanese restaurant. It felt as though they had no cooking background at all; they simply glanced at a sushi menu and thought, "Let’s give this a try," but were incapable of even executing the simplest dishes correctly. Clearly, the owners have little regard for how their food looks or tastes. It reminded me of cafeteria food where each diner receives the smallest of portions. Before ordering, I was excited by the appealing Ozeki rolls I saw on the menu and suggested to my friend that we come here again in the future. But after experiencing the lackluster quality of even the basics, I certainly wouldn’t trust them with more expensive ingredients. I would highly recommend steering clear of Ozeki and instead trying Koba Sushi (2026 E Main St) or Banzai Marina in downtown Ventura if you're looking for a quality sushi experience in this city. You’ll definitely get better value and taste there.

We were a bit apprehensive when we arrived at an empty restaurant at 5:45 on a Wednesday evening, but our meal ended up being fantastic! The jazz music and serene atmosphere created a delightful dining experience. The food was fresh and flavorful. Our children enjoyed the Yakisoba and shrimp tempura, and they even tried sushi for the first time! Ozeki was a popular spot back in 2000, and I truly hope the business experiences a resurgence again!

The prices online are false. I was the only person there for a while. I wanted green shells. The price is listed here at 6.95 for 5 pieces. It's 8.95 for 4 pieces. Also ordered edamame. I heard them swing it on their backs. The bowl was half as big as my fist. I expected a cereal dish, not a small one? Side of the rice bowl. These are silly things you can complain about. I'm sorry. I hope they update their prices online. If that was right, I would give him 4-5 stars. It was $28.93 for a Sashi (salmon) salad, edemame and green shells. I tipped to make it $40. I was still hungry when I left, but I ate very fast since (but I was a lot UNGRY when I came in). When I look back, I notice that my level of hunger earlier clearly decided my satisfaction. I think other people with normal hunger would be good to eat there and be sufficiently satisfied.

I love coming to this quiet and friendly spot. The owner is very attentive. If you come to this little while in the wall next to 99c in ventura you must try the snow roll. It's so yummylicious. I love it and the koyjo roll is awesome. I love to come here and relax, enjoy my food.