The Tavern

My favorite bar in Ventura! I love the way this place is designed! So neat that it feels like you’re in one huge house, going from room to room like some college student at a frat party! Each room has a bar and different music, depending on the night, there may be a live DJ, a band or both. Plus if you don’t want to stand all night, there are lounge areas both inside and outside on the huge patio. Pool tables are located both upstairs and downstairs and there are 3 bars to choose from. Drinks here are well made and stiff, you get what you pay for! This is a great place to just hang out, mingle or dance/​rock out!

Super swanky spot to enjoy a night out of buzz in’. Also, a really cool reception option for an engagement/​rehearsal or wicked cool birthday party.

I really love this place! The best of anyone’s world!
I lost my ring there tonight!
Upstairs in the pool room near the jukebox… someone please help!!! Dear gift to me :-(Hopefully my love for the tavern prevails

Good
Great atmosphere cool place to go hangout and socialize
Bad
Bad music bad staff security’s are cool bartenders are ok if your lucky sometimes intoxicated themselves not to point fingers but theirs one in particular that has long hair and a beard. He is extremely unhappy with his life and takes it out on customers causing them to leave.

I have been to the tavern at least 5 — 6 times and I have to say as a local I will NEVER go to this bar again. My last experience here was absolutely terrible.
First of all. The drinks are over priced and it is a constant struggle just to get a simple drink.
Second of all. A security guard kicked me and my friend out of the bar because he thought we were giving him attitude when all we were doing was answering his question about why we used the back door to grab something out of my car? WTF man really!?! Having a bad day? Don’t take it out on paying customers. He literally kicked us out and had us leave our beer that I barely even had taken a drink out of because he didn’t like my buddies attitude? You are fking kidding me right lol? Seems like someone needs to get some action man. Unbelievable. I did enjoy going to this hoopty ass bar but now I guess I’m going to take my business elsewhere: D which is fine because I feel like I’m getting lung cancer just by sitting outside on the patio. Chumps! The worst part about it is that we were being completely chill to this guy and he was getting all red in the face like we stole his lunch money or something. You need to chill. if you need to blaze a bowl I got you.
MESSAGE TO THE OWNER!!!
Have a talk with your ‘security’ guard
(the one with the high cheek bones and long stringy brown hair and is tall and skinny and in my opinion ugly af)
Tell him that it is not okay to pick on paying customers just because he is having a bad day! I will never come to this bar again or recommend anyone to this place ever again all because of your crappy security guard who was on a power trip. You can just tell by looking at him that he just looks for any reason to kick people out lol. SMH!!!
Anyways, reading this you may think oh it’s just one customer but just wait. There’s only so many people in Ventura and eventually they will get tired of the BS too. See, I may be just one person but the numbers add up buddy. So keep on producing a terrible rep for yourself eventually people will give up on the bar.
MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE: do not go here

The security was rude as hell and got in my face just because my cousin was too «intoxicated» for her birthday. Seriously rude people all around

You won’t find a better bar in town. In fact you’d have to go to LA or Santa Barbara to find anything as good. Sucks it’s the only good bar in town, but if it were in any other city I bet it would still be one of the best places to go to.
Fantastic food, especially for being a bar. My only critique would be their steak being too salty (but for $ 12 during happy hour, I can’t really complain).
I do Miss their old beer selection, but their limited choices are still solid. Their cocktails are very good as well, they definitely know what they’re doing. The staff there is awesome and the vibe is always good.
You can not beat their daily happy hour, half off ALL the food!
P. s. People need to stop stealing their pool balls.

My friends and I went for their Sunday brunch, it was a 5 item menu. 5 out of 6 of us got sick from the food and the 6^th person was nauseous all night.
Never going back, it’s not worth throwing up for 2 days.

Been here many times with friends and yes its fun but we always seam to have issues getting drinks due to understaffed bartenders, theirs usually only 2 or 3 and it takes foreeever because its always packed. Another thing is literally 3 or 5 times there is always something wrong with the bathrooms so there is a longer line at the outside ones and it takes forever. Other then that is a great place to go have fun with friends

Big and rambling, with a huge outside deck. Ping pong and corn hole games were available. You can get lost wandering around the various rooms on the two stories. Sort of reminds me of my years at college, where all the furniture was old, worn and of questionable cleanliness. The whole place seems sort of run down, and as you wander about, the various rooms reveal various groups of patrons, young, older or in between. All indulging in seperate pleasures, and each group carefully seperate from their neighbors.
The bar had some interesting cocktails, and a fair selection of bottled beer, but only two on draft– the waitress said they were between vendors, and would have more in a week or two… The small plates were tasty, but the selection was limited.

This is by far my favorite bar in Ventura county. I just became the Duke of this bar tonight so yeah… Kind of a big deal. Lol. But seriously this is the coolest bar in Ventura county, and probably one of the coolest bars I’ve ever been to I. My life and I’ve lived in San Diego, Seattle, been to Thailand, Hong Kong, Malaysia, London, San Francisco, Hawaii… Just to name a few… And this bar is really up there in my top 3 favorites. The music is almost always amazing (sometimes the bands that play are kind of off) the drinks are amazing, they have a custom cocktail menu, and the outside porch area is too dope. Trust me, just come here, and you’ll have a great time. Just keep positive vibes with you and an open mind and you can’t go wrong!

We had visited this place once before with a smaller group. We had sooooo much fun that we brought along the whole gaggle of CAS. We once again had a fantastuc time. The food was very tasty and so affordable with or without happy hour prices. Staff is super friendly and fun to talk to. There locals as well were willing to join in and give opinions.
I had 24 people that can’t wait to come back to Ventura to come here!

The tavern is definitely not my favorite bar to go to, but all my friends love this place. The music is usually pretty good, drinks are cheap and the people are so-​so. If love smoking this is your place. So much smoking outside I feel like I need an oxygen tank by the time I leave. I wish their establishment provided «legit» bouncers, not guys that walk around dancing with the half naked girls that run around. And this place desperately needs more bartenders! We had to wait a good 15 minutes for our drinks. It was only 2. The bartenders work their asses off! But the guests could be more satisfied if there was an extra pair of hands behind each bar.

Out of all the crappy bars in downtown Ventura this is the least crappy. You never really have a great time, but you never have that bad of time either.
The bartenders tend to be rude and change the prices of the drinks randomly.
The mojitos are decent.
Overall mediocre time mixed with an awkward high school reunion.

One thing I’ve come to find is just how hilarious some Unilocal reviews of bars can be. It’s interesting to see the expectations that some bar-​goers have when it comes to well made drinks, food, and entertainment goes. The Tavern is one of the only eclectic, old world feeling bars in downtown Ventura. It offers a victorian-​era vibe and a fun, laid back atmosphere that makes it a good time to hang out, grab drinks, and enjoy either the live bands or music on play.
I have only been to The Tavern twice, once as our night-​cap on a Tuesday night and once for their happy hour on a Friday. Most recently, for happy hour, we had two of their best cocktails that were featured on their drink menu. The bartender was knowledgable and friendly. There was a great piano, bass, and harmonica live music and I just love the touch of old-​time (TCM) movies playing on their screens. On my way to the restroom it looked like the patio out back was beginning to liven up and I know they have all kinds of games and pool tables for customers to enjoy.
On the Tuesday night it was a bit slower but I suppose that can be expected on a weeknight. I only had beer at the bar, but it was nice to make small conversation and hang out. The atmosphere has been nothing but inviting and warm. Everyone seems to be very relaxed and The Tavern is just a nice bar to grab well made cocktails and enjoy your company or the live music.
I haven’t been when things get crazy i.e. 10:30pm on and I have heard it becomes quite lively. Eventually we’ll make it out because I know I’ve heard from other friends and locals that it’s the place to be for a fun night out downtown!

The Tavern is an awesome place to meet with friends or make new ones. I recently had a Birthday party at The Tavern. The service was excellent, the management was accommodating and the food was delicious!
The atmosphere in the patio is inviting. There’s a waterfall, a photo booth and lots of room to dance! There are even heaters for those who feel a chill, couches and recliners to relax on. My guests and I were delighted with everything!

Really loved this place — felt like a upscale House Party — with each room having a unique atmosphere and feel. and multiple bars — if you go here, walk through each room and go upstairs and outside on the huge open space.
we went on a Friday night and at 10pm it wasn’t too bad, but by 11:30 they had a band and it got much more crowded — still a good time —
will be back

Hot damn, this venue is ah-​mazing. The structure reminds me of an old New Orleans style manor house. It has a large front grassy yard by the entrance where the bouncer checks your ID, and zeeee dopest outdoor patio around the back — heat lamps, carnival lights, lounge patio seating, fire pits, outback bar. The interior has many different rooms and unique seating areas, and everything ties in with the rustic homey– vibe. There are so many different corners to explore, and different seating arrangement for large and small groups. ATMOSPHERE. ATMOSPHERE. ATMOSPHERE. This place feels like one large HOUSE PARTY.
My issue with The Tavern is the music selection. While the ambiance implies laid back and low-​key, the music is completely ridiculous. They play EDM and Top 40 the entire night, and this place turns into a Vegas night club. It’s absurd, and such a turn off. The earlier part of the night was really chill, and then it turned into a shit show around 8:30pm. I doubt I would return, but possibly for day-​drinking.

So I’ve been here twice now (in Prob a two week span too!) and I really enjoy their happy hour. Atmosphere is the best here. The place is huge! And you wouldn’t think that from looking from the outside. I like how it is sectioned into about 4 parts because who doesn’t love options right?! You can sit inside where they have a nice cute bar and cushion bar seats with performers on weekends. You can sit in what looks like someone’s family room if you’re looking for a little privacy. Walking dead is always playing in that room hah. You could head on over to their «dance» room after 10pm on weekends and show off some of those moves you got. Or you can sit outside with nice heat lamps, pretty Christmas light, a waterfall, and a firepit for the best romantic ambience.
Specialty Drinks are around 7 bucks. 2 off wells drink. Food are half off. HH is 5−8pm everyday. Enjoy!

Great place!
3 stars though because the bathrooms are dirtier then Monica Lewinksy’s pussy after the Clinton scandal.