Restaurants in Oxnard Shores

Creating Spencer Makenzie's Fish Company was a labor of love for John and Jennifer Karayan, who spent 20 years perfecting their eclectic Californian recipes before sharing them with the public. Named after the couple's 5-year-old son and 3-year-old daughter, the business began as a concession trailer at festivals and fairgrounds, presenting healthful alternatives to traditional fast-food options without sacrificing speedy service. The concept took off, and the trailer eventually blossomed into a permanent location a couple of blocks from the shore.

Although the chefs use only sashimi-grade fish and make everything from clam chowder to sauces and salsas in-house, they don't stray far from the restaurant's unpretentious fairground roots. The Ventura County Reporter recognized the company's dual commitment to quality and convenience in 2011, honoring the eatery with awards for Best Fish Taco and Best Cheap Eats.

The same thoughtfulness with which John and Jennifer designed the healthful and flavorful menu led them to embrace a variety of environmentally friendly practices. In addition to donating their used trans-fat-free cooking oil to biodiesel refineries, they exclusively stock the restaurant with biodegradable plates, utensils, and employees.

Chalkboards of handwritten specials, an acoustic soundtrack by artists such as Jack Johnson and Bob Marley, and 36-inch flat-screen televisions playing skateboarding, surfing, and sporting events add to Spencer Makenzie's Fish Company's casual, laid-back ambiance. At the same time, photographs of local beaches line the walls and serve as a gentle reminder of the inspiration behind the ocean-fresh menu.

C-Street, which is tucked into a charming ocean-front hotel, satiates diners with fresh California cuisine made from ingredients such as locally farmed vegetables and recently caught fish. Guests nosh on steamed mussels in a saffron bouillabaisse, filet mignon with a merlot blue-cheese sauce, and harbor-fish tacos with avocado salsa. Outdoor seating offers them a chance to swirl a glass of wine from the full bar while listening to the nearby seabirds' calls and personal cell phone conversations.

Tomas Cafe & Gallery, noted on NBC LA for their take on the classic Mexican breakfast dish chilaquiles, staffs a legion of chefs and baristas who craft inventive breakfast and lunch dishes from local ingredients paired with coffeehouse drinks. In addition to brewing their own blend of coffee, the baristas furnish empty hands with mugs full of latte or cappuccino. Guest dine within the restaurant’s vibrant dining room, which is decked out in neon pink and bright yellow walls speckled with local artwork. Natural light floods the interior, breathing life into overhanging palm trees, which are rumored to steal succulent cinnamon rolls while diners aren't looking.

The servers at Chuy's Mesquite Broiler tap eight draft brews and mix up their signature margaritas to temper the heat of their southwestern and Mexican fare. After diners visit the complimentary chips-and-salsa bar, they can settle in and consider the menu's options, which include mesquite-broiled tri-tip tucked into jumbo burritos, half-pound Angus barbecue bacon burgers piled with onion strings, and california tacos with mesquite chicken and avocado.

Every Sunday at Chuy's Mesquite Broiler, the HD flat-screen TVs broadcast whichever NFL games and razor commercials are playing. Daily specials mix up the menu, and every day from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., bartenders keep busy mixing pitchers of margaritas and other happy-hour favorites. Diners can admire colorful airbrushed artwork and take kids to play arcade games inside or head out to the patio for open-air dining.

Tucked away in the Ojai Valley, well-concealed paths wend past copses of lush trees to the popular garden sites of The Ranch House. There, diners relax among gentle streams and verdant foliage within an oriental teahouse, or see if they know how to yodel upon two elevated redwoods decks overlooking the grounds. Alan Hooker, a chef renowned for incorporating herbs into simple, yet elegant dishes, founded the Eden-like setting more than 40 years ago.

Lauded on an episode of Food Network’s The Best Thing I Ever Ate, his seasonal cuisine includes free-range chicken breast stuffed with brie and grilled swordfish steaks brushed with lemon thyme butter that make them too slippery for traditional mid-dinner duels. To complement those flavors, Alan assembled an award-winning wine list with approximately 650 selections. After their meal, guests can tour the rest of The Ranch House grounds, working off the meal as they stroll through the herb garden and bakery.

Everything at Ojai Beverage Company revolves around their drinks. That's because cousins and owners Jorge Alem and Joby Yobe grew up in the liquor business, and wanted to create a space for fellow aficionados to sample, purchase, and pair their wide selection of wines and beers. Their guests sample glasses of wine from local vineyards, cleanse palates between sips with bites of the kitchen's pulled pork sliders, olive tapenade, or burgers blended with a cabernet and rosemary reduction. Bartenders pour out 20 local and international beers such as Ninkasi's Sasquath Legacy WheatWine or Rodenbach Grand Cru's sour red ale. Once guests have found a vintage or beer they like, they can purchase it in the shop. To keep up to date on the shop's newest and most unique flavors, guests can also sign up for their monthly beer club which sends bottles of beers picked for their flavor or ability to christen a ship.