4. Restaurants

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine

3550 Harbor Blvd,Ste 201, Oxnard, CA, 93035
  • (805) 204-0970
  • Store is closed

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine Menu

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Visit below restaurant in Oxnard for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 2221 N Rose Ave )

Visit below restaurant in Oxnard for healthy meals suggestion.

Chili’s ( 2221 N Rose Ave )

  • John Anthony G.

    I've been here a few times already, which means I like the food. There is really only one thing to get here and that is the food that they specialize in: the moqueca. It is amazing, as it should be as it is the dish that the restaurant is named after. It is a seafood stew that is served in a traditional clay pot, and eaten over rice. Since I'm asian, it's right up my alley. The other items on the menu is alright, nothing that truly stood out. I tried the Risoto de Mariscos, which was quite good, but still would have gotten the moqueca instead, Truthfully though, why get the other stuff like chicken if you're going to a place that specializes in a specific dish. My biggest complaint is the service, which has been good the majority of the time I've been here, but there was one time the waitress was absolutely horrible. She just had a horrible attitude, but I guess even the best places have their off day.

    (4)

  • Crazy Bernie S.

    One star is minimum...Sorry but if you read my reviews you'll see that I rarely give a restaurant (or any business) a bad review. This dump deserves it though. Went there when it first opened and was pleasantly surprised and happy. Then the second time was not so good. Then, this last time, for my 50th birthday with 11 close friends was a disaster. Had a reservation and there were only about two tables occupied other than ours. The waiter was a dick from the start. Don't you hate that? It all went downhill from there. Waited over 30 minutes for first round of weak ass drinks to arrive at table. no bs. I kept asking the dick about the bread chips they usually serve with some kind of tasty spread. He kept looking at me as if I was speaking another language and saying that "yes" they still have that. Well, we never got that. That's the only thing they have that is always good. But not for us I guess. At the very end my wife asked someone else and they brought us a clear plastic to-go container of the stale bread chips. When I saw that I couldn't believe it and asked about the spread. The broad said, "oh, you want that too" and walked off with an attitude and got us an ounce of the paste to go. They totally missed the point. We wanted the crap served to the table like it was suppossed to be hours ago. Anyway, if you go there and order their signature pot of shrimp and lobster for 72 f...king dollars prepare for the most over cooked shrimp and lobster of your life. I was eyeballin my friends nike and thinking it was less rubbery than the crap we were served. I will NEVER return to this brazilian hell hole again and as a matter of fact i am going to predict that they are out of business before the end of 2010. Good riddance.

    (1)

  • Mary C.

    Excellent food at reasonble prices. Overlooks the water. The night we were there, they had live entertainment. The crab appetizer was delicious and very reasonably priced at $5. We had the Moqueca seafood plate for 2-well seasoned. My daughter had the chicken soup and loved the richness of the broth and the seasonings.

    (5)

  • liany k.

    this is another place that i really would like to love but my experiences dont let me... it took 1 hour and plus mins to get our food, it was ridiculous they had 5 tables in the whole restaurant! i was really baffled by the amount of time it took and by then i had great expectations on the food and honestly it wasnt worth my time we had their sunday special of black beans and collard greens with a side of rice. the black beans had really fatty pieces of pork in it, the collard greens are fried and the rice is rice... the only good thing at this place is their "turn overs" which in my opinion they are not turn overs but whatever thats what they called them, they were seasoned really good and filled with chicken(will post a pic of them) i asked the waiter to tell me what they were made out of i couldnt decide if it was potato or yucca and he told me he didnt know and apparently he didnt care because he never came back with an answer.

    (1)

  • Shell H.

    I used to live in Northern Brazil, so was very excited to have some of my favorite coconut and seafood dishes. One of my best friends was visiting for the weekend, so I thought this was the perfect time to try out Moqueca and show her the other side of Brazil - what people eat when they aren't eating churrasco. We walk up a bit before 2:30 in the afternoon on Saturday. The sign says open, and there are people eating and others at the bar. So, we figure it is still ok to go in - people eat later on the weekends. After standing there about 5 minutes, the bartender says she'll be with us in a bit.. she continues to chat with the people at the bar. Then she goes into the back, comes back out and goes right back to the bar. Another waitress, presumably the owner, comes out and says she will be with us in a bit. She then goes and talks to guests at the tables. Then she says she will look to see if there is an open table.. mind you, by this time there were more open tables than full. She continues to walk around the restaurant, glancing up at us every few minutes. Now, if we had been poorly dressed or something, I would have understood but this was completely out of line. After about 15 minutes of stupidly waiting for a table, we walked out. Perhaps the food is good, but I'll never know - there are plenty of businesses in Oxnard that are amiable towards their customers, who when charging $35/plate don't act like little children. Perhaps in the future when they don't want to serve guests, they should just put the closed sign out. It's funny how those things really do work..

    (1)

  • Grendel d.

    Fun road trip up to Oxnard from LA just for this restaurant. We had a fairly large group and shared the fish & shrimp and jumbo shrimp moquecas, plus appetizers and sides like plantains, quibes, grilled scallops, crab, fritto misto, & bacalao. Nice food, good personal service and conversation with the daughter who helped her mom establish this sweet place serving the best of Espirto Santo. That said, they've had to accommodate the American palate-- those who order fish dishes but don't like the taste of fish (!) and who can't stand the taste of garlic or the heat of a few chili peppers. I thought our dishes were very enjoyable if a bit too Americanized, but we were assured you can order Brazilian style if you want more flavor. Their chili peppers (served as a side in oil) are some of the best I've ever had. I didn't think they were so spicy as others have attested, but had a rich roasted flavor. Caipirinhas were good and desserts were okay but not the strength of the menu.

    (4)

  • jenilee p.

    moqueca was an unexpected surprise - a delightful find in a california suburb by the water. most brazilian restaurants i've been to focus on a few seafood appetizers, and then a rodizio dinner of meat, meat, and more meat. moqueca, however, went full fledged seafood feast to leave us ::brace for pun:: stuffed to the gills! all kidding aside, this is a very cute little restaurant. the dining area fills a room with a series of windows hugging one wall, giving the restaurant's clientele a nice view of boats docked in the harbor. service from start to finish at the restaurant was excellent, with waitstaff eager to recommend items, and explain portion sizes. as many of the items on the menu were intended for two, and we were a party of three, our waiter took a look at the appetites before him, and suggested a whole bunch of appetizers, and one item of their restaurant's namesake: the moqueca. so for appetizers: - the frito misto: mixed fried seafood items with a light crispy batter. the star of this dish were those delectable tiny white baby fishes. having grown up on fried smelts in new england, i'm always a big fan of eating tiny fishes, bones and all. - cap santa gratinada: one member of our party is a scallop fanatic, and these little scallops on the half shell, cooked in olive oil and cheese certainly delivered. the fresh scallops were perfectly cooked, juicy and sweet. - quibes: this may have been my least favorite item, but also one of the most interesting that we had. think of a meaty falafel... like I said, very interesting. - salada de bacalhau: having just arrived in california, and my body screaming for vegetables of any kind after being on a plane all day, a salad was a smart choice. but this particular salad pleased even those who do not always do right by eating their vegetables. sauteed potatoes and salty codfish were sprinkled among a salad of leafy greens, delicious yogurt dressing, and boiled eggs. the olives were a nice touch too. i would order this salad as a healthy lunch any day of the week. and the main event: the moqueca mista de mariscos. this stew, which i'd never had before, arrived at the table in a steamy clay pot. bits of fish, octopus, shrimp, and other items were floating in a rich tomato and garlic based broth. a plate of white rice, and another little container filled with something i cannot pronounce, but the server said was like a fish gravy that goes very well with the moqueca. the stew, the rice, the fish gravy. the seafood, all simmering in their own juices, with not a single element tasting of being rubbery or overcooked, but just slowly allowed to come into its own. good lord, moqueca, where have you been all my life? i would recommend this dish, and any of the varieties to anyone that appreciates good food. though i can't imagine this part of california growing overly cold in the winter, this bowl of soup strikes me as the perfect meal for a blistery day. a wonderful restaurant, a good meal, a few caipirinhas, and good friends. i would eat here again.

    (4)

  • kate r.

    The place was clean and nice. The food was fine, but I thought it a bit overpriced for what it was. Like a nice restaurant trying to be really fancy. Make sense?

    (3)

  • Tim T.

    Thanks for a wonderful dining experience yesterday. Everything was perfect: the cocktails, the salgadinhos, the wine list and, of course, the moqueca. I am a fourth-generation Southern Californian. We say that restaurants that have a view of the sea have no need to serve good food, as people will come anyway to a meal overlooking the water. Your establishment puts the lie to that. We will eat the rest of the moqueca today for lunch.

    (5)

  • Val T.

    Well, well.... I'm a Brasilian citizen and live in Las Vegas for over 7yrs. We travel to CA a lot for my husband's work and went for dinner at Moqueca Restaurant and what a WONDERFUL time we had!!! I FELT LIKE I WAS BACK IN BRASIL!! The waiter, Rodrigo, was EXCELLENT...he made us feel so AT HOME!! and the food, OMG!!! WAS SPECTACULAR DELICIOUS!! REALLY authentic Brasilian food...well, HIS MOM is the chef(they're ALL Brasilians), how more authentic that can be?? WE JUST LUV the environment, the food, the people..everything was GREAT. By the way, the drinks WERE EXCELLENT too, we just kept orderin THEM ALL!! OMG the bill wasn't pretty, but it was all good!! WE DEFINITELY recommend this place and for sure we'll go back more times!! There's ONLY one thing I have to comment, the musician guy on the guitar, i'm sure he's Brasilian, but his music SUCKS!! he was putting me to sleep. Rodrigo, here's a suggestion to ya: put some Pagode, samba, some more exciting music man and u will see ur restaurant PACKED!! I guarantee!! THANKS SO much for the great service!!

    (5)

  • Joe O.

    One of the best meals I ever had in Channel Islands. The moqueca is so flavorful. Service is amazing. You have to get the Moqueca!

    (5)

  • Kelsey C.

    Oxnard is a really long drive for me, and the food at the other end better be worth that much time in the car. After a curiously strong Caipirinha, my road rage subsided somewhat. Unfortunately, the Capa Santa Gratinada didn't do much for me. Aside from a pretty presentation, there's not much flavor to them. The Moqueca Mista de Mariscos is a smart seafood mix, but the watery stew was more like boiled seafood in water and salt. The side of Banana Frita was sadly the best thing I'd had all night. You never leave a place like Moqueca without wishing you bottle that fun-filled ambiance. Fortunately, I now have a bottle of Chili Oil to spice things up at home...where I will be staying because I can't honestly say this was worth the drive.

    (3)

  • Alicia G.

    Really good. The service was great, my water was always full and I needed it with the chili sauce they provided. We got the scallop appetizer, came plated beautifully with 8 small scallops. We also shared the moqueca with fish and all the other seafood bits. It was delicious! There was enough food for 4 people! Would like to go back and try something else off their menu...

    (5)

  • Asahi S.

    Food....was....excellent . BUT, our waitress was really rude. She treated us like peasants. She slammed the food down and would say "WHAT!?" Whenever you asked a question. Good lord. Get a new job champ.

    (3)

  • KY C.

    Moqueca is simply amazing!!! It's by far the best Brazilian food in the area! The prices are also superb. $30.00 on a meal for two!!! #AuthenticCuisine

    (5)

  • Brian N.

    I went here with a couple girlfriends and had a blast. I will start with the moment I walk in. We had reservations for 3 and were seated promptly. The toast appetizer is a perfect start to the meal. The dip is a complete mystery to me but it's really good. Needless to say I had seconds. When I go to a restaurant I don't like to apply my preconceived ideas about how a place should run or operate. Instead I like to just let it happen and take notes as we go. Ok with that being said service was interesting 5 people took care of us over the course of the night and service was one part of the Meal I really enjoyed. It's was kind of a casual loud environment for a pricey place but I kind of liked it and felt very comfortable. We ordered the Lula Frita I didn't try it because I don't like most seafood ( I know why am I here) but the others said it was amazing. They ordered the Amazon berry cocktail and said it was super strong so I stuck with my pitcher of water I was drinking. One of my gals orders the full lobster and shrimp moquequa and wow it's to die for. Perfect in every way. The rice is infused with garlic ... Must I say more. They serve these peppers in oil that was one thing I would pay to take with me as a condiment for home cooking. They were sweet and spicy and omg really good. It's a little on the pricey side ($78 for lob and shrimp) It was really good and I will be bring in my family to try this little gem in CIH.

    (5)

  • Lorenzo M.

    I have been here twice. Once on a date and once for my mom's birthday. Both times, I had a good experience. It's located on the Channel Islands Harbor, right by the water. Good views from the windows. The ambiance is good and casual, but also a great setting for a quiet romantic dinner. The seafood is very good. If you order a seafood moqueca, it comes in a big terracotta dish with lots of sauce and is great for sharing. The broth is very tasty and the seafood cooked perfectly. The drinks are nice and strong, so take it easy :) My only complaint is that they don't have bread. They only have a crostini type bread that is the consistency of a hard crouton. I'm from Spain, so we like to dunk bread in the sauce.... That's the best part of the moqueca dish!! The sauce is delicious. Next time I go there, I will be all ghetto and bring my own baguette in my back pocket. No way I'm leaving all that yummy sauce behind :) PLEASE MOQUECA.... GET SOME BREAD!!!

    (4)

  • shea b.

    This place right here is the best eatery in town! The food takes a little long to come out but it's worth the wait. The moquecas are the specialty and they are truly special. Specially delicious! They make you want to take your finger and scrape the bowl to get every last bit. I also had the shrimp risotto which had a great flavor and texture. I wish it wasn't the only place like it, but I'm glad I found it. The location is great too.

    (5)

  • Victoria P.

    I love this place. When my husband leaves for deployment I always buy a large Moqueca Mista de Mariscos. The portions are so large I can split it up for lunch for entire work week. The ingredients are so fresh, light and healthy. I never get sick of it. I wish everyone could exprience this place. Much better than the usual pile of meat brazilian places ppl are use to. I could eat this everyday and literally do sometimes. The only reason I didn't give this place a 5 is because I don't care for much of the other stuff on the menu. The Moqueca is definitely the way to go!!!

    (4)

  • Michael B.

    This place is definitely a treat. It has a pretty great view of the Marina, and the food is very tasty! I also simply really like the idea of Brazilian food in a small beach town in Cali. The Moqueca is their flagship dish, and it is all kinds of delicious. This is definitely a shareable dish, with enough to completely satisfy two ravenous people. Loaded with onions, cilantro, and your choice of meat. They even have one with bananas! The drinks here are fun, hailing from Brazil. For me, the only catch is the price -- it is definitely on the pricier side. That being said, you get your money's worth, and the unique flavors and taste combinations of Brazilian food is just a lot of fun. I definitely recommend you check it out!

    (4)

  • Jennifer T.

    I have no idea what the complimentary appetizer is called, but it's amazing. I even tried to replicate it once (we were told it's some sort of eggplant based dip), but I failed really hard. You really want to eat the dish that the restaurant is named after: moqueca. It's a tomato-based seafood stew served with rice. There's a few variations to choose from, including one with lobster, but I've had the fish and shrimp combo each time. They say each order serves two people, but I've always had leftovers. The restaurant is right on the harbor, and there are splendid views of the water and boats. The last time we visited, they had samba dancers for entertainment. It's hilarious to see the dancers try to pull up shy men to dance with them. I volunteered my fiance because he can dance!!! He went toe-to-toe in a booty shaking contest with one of the dancers, it was so hilarious and fun!!! He lost, of course....because they're professionals. Hahaha.

    (5)

  • Hugo R.

    Food was great.. Nice place, the only reason I did not give it 5 stars, was because it would have been nice if you could actually see the water, Its right there, its a shame you can watch see it.. other wise great restaurant and recommend it..

    (4)

  • Bob B.

    Try something different and eat here! I was skeptical about trying the Moqueca dish they're famous for (based on photos and ingredients), but am so glad that I did! I love the flavor and hot sauce they give you to really bring it out the richness. This place is great for a classy date. They had really fun live music, serene ocean views, and stiff drinks! Get yourself a Caipirinha for a true Brasilian experience.

    (5)

  • Serge S.

    Moqueca with mixture of seafood and rice, great view into marina from the 2nd floor, Brazilian authentic soda and cocktails - this was great lunch, served by courteous and friendly waitress. While Moqueca was over $40, it easily filled my wife and me.

    (5)

  • Alin A.

    Good for kids good for adults . So far I'm having great time . The food is amazing I don't like sea food but this place is great .

    (5)

  • G'sela T.

    Very nice place with a great atmosphere and great view of the harbor. I went for dinner about 5:10 pm on a Monday holiday. There were 2 parties waiting and only one woman staffed the whole place, with a couple tables already seated, so we had to wait a little bit. Even though there wasn't enough staff, she was efficient, calm, knowledgable, and very friendly. A real pro. Drink - Acai Caipirinha - delicious!! Bread basket with an olive bruschetta-like topping was very good. On the salty side, as olives are, so beware. Dinner - chicken stroganoff was tasty! Meat was tender and sauce was flavorful. Would recommend.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    Unlike the seafood place downstairs, I was pleasantly greeted upon entering and seated promptly. I asked the helpful waiter if they had gluten free options and he decisively said "absolutely" which is always encouraging. On his suggestion I had the Moqueca De Peixe Com Camarao... A fantastic soupy base made up of broiled tomatoes, garlic, onions, lime juice, cilantro and a bit of coconut milk. All poured over a very healthy portion of nicely seasoned white fish & large shrimp served in a boiling hot pot. They served the Moqueca with garlic infused basmati rice (wow) along with cucumbers and a vegetable chutney made from roasted egg plants. The kicker was the hot sauce... Vinegar, oil, salt, roasted micro-peppers... Reminiscent of Tabasco it was the perfect compliment to both the fish entree and the eggplant dip with cucumbers. I ordered the "half" portion and the entire meal (which was enough to stuff me) came in just under $30. All in all, an excellent meal served with a smile and cordial conversation in no time at all. I really enjoyed the Moqueca. Having never tried "coastal Brazillian" food before, I'm an instant fan. I hope to find an opportunity to come back here and highly recommend it if you're in the area looking for something unique and delicious.

    (5)

  • Yoshiko G.

    I had lunch with my Japanese friends at this restaurant on Tuesday. It's at Channel Island Harbor. The restaurant is on the second floor but there is an elevator so it's easy for mother to go upstairs with baby stroller. We arrived there around 11:30 and there were a few customers already but there are many tables so I don't think you have to wait at all on weekdays. We got seats at outside table( but it's not actually outside) and could see nice harbor view from there. I ordered seafood mix moqueca( you can chose from fish, shrimp and seafood mix). It's tomato base and a lot of seafood! One of us ordered carbonara and it was also good. The moqueca was big portion so we couldn't eat dessert at all. The staff was very very friendly. I recommend you come at lunch time so that you can enjoy authentic Brazilian food at cheaper price than dinner.

    (5)

  • Valarie G.

    Such a find! Tucked away in Channel Islands Harbor Marina is real Brazilian food! Come and get your moqueca here! They have authentic and well made moquecas and the service is always wonderful. Come on the weekend to see their "Brazilian Dancers" (I doubt the dancers are actually Brazilian but it is still fun). They have a great drink menu full of fun fruity cocktails that will make you think that you're on a Brazilian vacation in no time. The seating is great as almost anywhere you sit in the restaurant, you can have a beautiful harbor view. Portions are big so you can share a moqueca (which is good because otherwise it would be a bit too pricey for me). The food is fresh and well done - be sure to get the flan for dessert!

    (5)

  • April W.

    I have been dreaming of the mixed seafood moqueca since I went here. There was more than enough food in a half order, and it paired really well with the Syrah I ordered with it. I have to say that it had a great flavor and the coconut is not overpowering. Neither is the "brazilian spice" in the dish. It's fantastic. If you like spicy, make sure you ask for the spicy oil and add a bit (a few drops gives a nice, consistent heat without dominating or masking the flavor of the dish). I LOVED it and would definitely eat it all again.

    (5)

  • Paul C.

    Excellent ingredients, excellent recipes, and very good service. The waiters and waitresses are very proud and knowledgable about the cooking style, which translates into a great experience. I travel and eat out a lot, I was very impressed. During the meal, my wife and I started looking up clay pot cooking and will try to cook some of the recipes this restaurant posts on its website. The waiter says there are "how to" video's to help explain. The only negative is the ambient noise in the restaurant is very high, probably because the windows were closed and the place was packed.

    (5)

  • Steve H.

    Huge portions. Food was just ok ordered the house speciality items. Was good but not overtly pressed. 2 waiters for entire restaurant so service was extremely slow. Plus sever acted as bartender! Not worth the high price.

    (2)

  • Bethany D.

    What a great gem in the Channel Island Harbor! Located upstairs from SeaFresh so it's a little difficult to spot. The food is amazing! Great find! Thank you Yelp!! My husband and I shared the fish and shrimp Moqueca and Hearts of Palm dip. We ordered the individual portion of the Moqueca and it was plenty to share. The Palm dip was so so. Nothing super special. The drinks were outstanding! I highly recommend this restaurant when you're in the mood to try something different!

    (5)

  • Keith A.

    Soooooo gooood. Best Brazilian food I have ever had. You have to try the Brazilian cocktails. A+++++

    (5)

  • Donna H.

    I wish I could give this place a better review because the food is just so tasty. But unfortunately, the service made me drag it down to three stars. My husband and I started coming here shortly after they opened. When the owner (a lovely woman) was there, the service was impeccable; and thus the entire experience was a pleasant one. But then she started leaving others in charge and that's when the service started to slip. A couple months ago, we came for lunch on a Saturday. We were the first and only ones there for a while; yet it took a long time to get our food. We made a clear request to our server: "Absolutely no cilantro, please." We said it twice and then reconfirmed a third time. We thought it had really sunken in, because the server made a special point of commenting how some people love it and some really hate it when; and that it might be genetic. So 25 minutes later, when our moquecas arrived, we were stunned to see they were loaded with cilantro. So they went back; and another 25 minutes later, the cilantro-free moquecas arrived! (P.S. We had to plant the idea of getting some bread to tide us over; the server never thought if it!). Fast forward to yesterday. I like to let bygones be bygones; and, as I mentioned, the food is just so darned good. We brought our friends from Thousand Oaks to Moqueca, and crossed our fingers that the previous experience was a fluke. We waited about 15 minutes to get water. Then the server (a different one) took our order. It should have been pretty simple- four lunches. No special requests except (you guessed it!) no cilantro. We ordered two chickens, one beef stroganoff and one fettuccini with seafood. 20 or so minutes later, out comes the food. Two chicken and two beef stroganoff! Really? Anyway, I suggested to my husband that he be a good sport and eat the stroganoff, but he really wanted seafood. The server checked with the kitchen and reported back to us that his dish would be out in six minutes. That's what she said! She then instructed the rest of us to eat slowly! Thirteen minutes later, we were done eating and his food wasn't out. We had been giving him lots of tastes so he wouldn't feel bad. He got fed up when he saw our server setting tables rather than being in the kitchen to grab the food the second it was ready. My husband then walked over to her and told her to cancel his order. Some guy came over to tell us that it wasn't the kitchen's fault because "How were they supposed to know?" I asked for the owner at that point and he proudly proclaimed that he is the owner. Turns out he's the owner's son. He had the worst attitude! He acted put-upon by the entire ordeal - as though we had done something wrong. I thought about calling his wonderful mother, but was afraid she might blindly defend him. So I wrote this instead. I feel sad- because now I can never taste that wonderful food again. I have to stand on principle. After all, service is half of the experience. It ruined our afternoon!

    (3)

  • Isabel C.

    My fiancé and I went for dinner here for our first time. It was not a busy night. Food was great, service was horrible. After we got our meal waitress never came back until it was time to hand us our bill. My fiancé did not have a drink to go with food due to lack of waitress coming to check if we needed another drink. Very disappointing.

    (3)

  • Bill W.

    Just finished a most enjoyable dinner. We were a party of six and had the clay bowl seafood dinners. The flavors were terrific. The sauces delicious. Very different. The servings ample. The wait staff did a great job. An all around pleasant evening.

    (4)

  • Claudia B.

    A very nice surprise tucked away at the Channel Islands Harbor Marina. Who would have thought that authentic Brazilian food would be HERE? I, for one, did not. Naturally, it was a Yelp search that led us to this place. As soon as we arrived, we were seated. Within seconds of that, Brazilian samba music began playing, and VERY loudly I might add, followed by two lovely ladies clad in the typical brightly colored Brazilian samba costumes...... which had more on the headdress than on their bodies. :-) They were quite entertaining, but because the music was so loud, we didn't even attempt to speak to our waitress...... the show lasted about 20-25 minutes. Our timing was such that we got to see the entire show....... which meant we couldn't order a thing....... including drinks..... for 25 minutes. Once we were able to order, we figured....... when in Brazil, do as the Brazilians do...... we ordered the following: Capa Santa Gratinada - an appetizer of scallops sprinkled with parmesan cheese and broiled. I expected more flavor...... assuming Brazilians like flavor, using a lot of spice. These weren't bad, but they were bland. Moqueca Mista de Mariscos - The name "moqueca" designates exactly this way of preparation which is using a clay pot to cook the seafood and vegetables with no addition of water. The ingredients for this particular moqueca included seafood, onions, tomatoes, garlic, lime juice, coconut milk, cilantro, "urucum" and "malagueta" pepper. The moqueca is served in the same clay pot it was cooked, with sides of white rice and "pirao" a thick broth made from the moqueca and yucca flour. It's basically a seafood stew. Nice flavor, very tasty, but I was expecting more..... not sure what more, but something more. Some exotic combinations of ingredients, so I guess I was expecting the flavor meter to be hit out of the ballpark. I would maybe get a different kind of fish next time....... there are choices. We got an "individual" order, which still fed the two of us.... plus we ordered below...... Brazilian Stroganoff - we had to send this back....... it was actually cold when received, which is not a good thing when made with a cream sauce loaded with beef, tomatoes, mushrooms, olives and onion. Once it came back thoroughly heated through, we found it to be very flavorful but a bit too rich for us. Fried Plantains - good, but this is the second time now I've had Brazilian plantains, and I just find them mushy...... not fried...... it's not so much that I expect batter because there isn't any....... but I expect some level of crispiness crunchiness if the pieces are fried. These weren't.... just mushy. The dining experience actually began with a complimentary bowl of Beringela, which is an eggplant spread, served with a basket of toasted French bread slices. They would have brought more for us, but we declined so as to not fill up on that. It was quite good, though. I even went full tilt and ordered a Brazilian cocktail...... a Manga Caipirinha, the key ingredients being limes, sugar and the Brazilian alcohol, Cachaça, which tastes a lot like rum to me. I got mango flavored. It had a very refreshing and tasty appeal. I would definitely come back here and exclusively focus on the moqueca entrees. That is what they are known for in this regional Brazilian cuisine, so I'd stick with that. This was a fun place to go.....

    (4)

  • Ady R.

    Excellent service!!! The food is delicious, very simple but super yummy. Moqueca is the BOMB. You must try platanos fritos (mouth watering) The location is perfect, beautiful view of the harbor. Definitely I will come back.

    (5)

  • Ben S.

    RED ALERT! 4.5 star review! To date, I've never gone this high on a review. I thought about rounding up to the fifth star on the rating graphic, but decided against it so as to not get everyone too excited. Nonetheless, Moqueca is a VERY solid 4.5 stars. I dined here about a month ago with my wife and some friends (the family style menus is perfect for sharing and impressive in its presentation), but the experience is still pretty fresh--because everything was that good. I'll just come right out and say it, though: this restaurant doesn't get 5 stars from me because the interior isn't really befitting of a 5-star dining experience. Fine, call me a snob. But for a dinner to be perfect, EVERYTHING at the restaurant had better be perfect. Onward and upward: to mark a special occasion, I called ahead and asked about corkage. Answer: an extremely reasonable $10 (or was it $15?). My expectations for wine service were pretty low, and the server proceeded to blow me out of the water. Stemware was nice enough that I could tell someone actually put some thought into the fact that this place might have some patrons who care about wine, so that was a nice touch. And moreover, the wine service in general for BYOB was just really nice--our server came off as very experienced in this department. The great service really set the overall mood of the dinner. Our group ordered two starters: the camarao ao alho e oleo and the risoles. The camarao are sauteed shrimp that are cooked sort of scampi-style in garlic and oil/butter. They didn't come off as greasy and were very nicely cooked. 3.5 stars. I've come here before, and let me tell you: don't miss the risoles. They're essentially croquettes, with a perfectly-cooked outside and ultra-creamy, uber-rich filling. Outstanding. 5 stars. I mentioned that the family-style entrees are both delicious and impressive in presentation. All the moquecas and the bobo are cooked in the traditional style using a clay pot and are brought to the table still bubbling. Since we used Restaurant.com for one of the big coupons, we went all out and got the lobster moqueca and the bobo de camarao. Insider tip: make sure to save the chili oil they bring you with the pre-dinner bread and tapenade. The fresh chili oil is crazy hot, and super delicious when you use it to finish the moqueca you've put on top of your rice. The lobster moqueca was very delicious, if very pricey, but did not blow my mind. 4 stars. I was able to convince the group to spring for the bobo instead of another moqueca, and that's mostly because I love curries. When I saw that the bobo had coconut milk, I was going to fight for that one tooth-and-nail. And boy did it deliver. The coconut milk added such a nice richness without being too heavy, and the tomatoes and cilantro added a real nice freshness and hint of acidity. I could have gone home happy just eating this. 5 stars. Moqueca is not in the most convenient location. Which is great for me, because it means it doesn't get too crowded. But folks, this is really a well-kept secret of not just Oxnard, but all of Ventura County, at this point. If you get the chance to go, you'd be a fool to pass it up.

    (4)

  • ana d.

    We went yesterday at this restautant (Saturday July 17, 2010).It was our second time at this restaurant. After 1 1/2 hours of leaving Moquecas Restaurant my husband started to experience discomfort- after that he began to vomit very intense for about 2 hours. He was very ill for about 4 hours (vomit , diarrehe and fever) and we had to took him to COMMUNITY MEMORIAL HOSPITAL in Ventura. At the hospital he was diagnosed with food poisoning and everything is related with the food he consumed at Moquecas Brazilian Restaurant. What is most disturbing is that my mother in law went to the restaurant to talk with the owner and the owner treated my mother in law very poorly. Very disappointed about that. update Nov 24-2010 I believe you are WRONG because the Environmental Health Division of Ventura County respond to us on September 3rd . They told us they were going to inspect your restaurant during that month and the food poisoning occur during July. What surprise me is that another person posted food poisoning at your restaurant and you have not done ANYTHING about it. Not an apology, not anything! This is not misinformation, this happened to my family. If your restaurant now has a clean bill -good for you- But definitely you need to improve customer service and admit responsibility. The treatment we receive after that incident was inconceivable.

    (1)

  • Susan J.

    Poor service and not the normal great food using Amazon Local Coupon. I had dined heree once before and thought it excellent, so I bought the Amazon Local coupon. I was so disappointed this time. I didn't realize they would cut the quality of food and service to make up for the proice of the coupon. We were treated like coupon diners, service was rushed and poor, never even checked to see if we needed anything. The waitress had to be reminded to light our candle 3 times. The shrimp used in their signature dish were baby shrimp instead of the usual giant prawns! I would think the porpose of having a promotional coupon would be for people to have a great experience so they would want to come back and pay full price. I never realized it would be the exact opposite! I say a resturant should not offer a deal if they are going to give you the worst of everything.

    (1)

  • Joseph L.

    It was good...nothing to write home about (in fact, i almost didn't write this review...but what kind of yelper would i be?) the service was pretty mediocre...they apologized and said that they were busy that night...didn't see all too many people around though. the food was ok. i read a review here about the risoles being pretty good. but for empanadas, i was a bit disappointed. i still think that 1810 in old town pasadena has the best empanadas around. as for these risoles...5 stars they are not. The moqueca was pretty good. i was surprised at first, because the serving looked pretty huge...but actually it was pretty small...but good for two. we got the shrimp moqueca and we enjoyed it. all i have to say is this though....i don't know about how great a brasilian spot this can be when i end up drinking pink lemonade because they don't have antarctica guarana. that's like not having coke or pepsi...but rather shasta brand cola.

    (3)

  • Richard O.

    Was incredible and the lobster was perfect, service very good first time there ever, staff helpful and kind.will be back we live on driftwood street.see you next time. Thanks Richard

    (5)

  • Mark M.

    One of the best meals we've ever had! Delightful staff (Rodrigo was great). Unbelievably delicious food. Seafood in a clay pot, boiling hot, wonderfully fragrant spices, rice, *spicy* chile oil - amazing. Fried plantains, sweet! Black beans, sausages, pork, over rice. Very unique. Do it.

    (5)

  • fredrick b.

    I came here with my future mother in law and fiancé to test the place out for our rehearsal dinner. What a complete FAIL! We arrived at 1 ordered at 1:10 and didn't get our food until about 2:10. If you have the time to wait around for 1 hour for your food, then this is the place to go. Clay pot dishes were the only good thing about this place and the ambiance. Spaghetti carbonara and shrimp over rice was horrible. Decided not to stick with the place for my rehearsal dinner.

    (1)

  • Bryan T.

    After reading all the buzz on Yelp I was quite excited to try Moqueca out and experience it for myself. After reading a large portion of the reviews I decided this would be the perfect place to go for a romantic date with my girlfriend. I was extremely disappointed with my experience here and will most likely not be coming back. First off, we came on a Thursday night at about 7:00 which I assume must be prime time for them, as it was packed full. I didn't make any reservations (shame on me) and we had to wait 30 minutes for a table for 2t to open up. Once we were seated, my girlfriend and I were put right next to another couple. We were close enough to them that if I wanted to simply reach over and take food from their table, I could have. On the other side of me was ample room enough for about 2 more tables, so I don't see why they couldn't have moved the table over just a bit. Another thing that didn't help with the close quarters was that the other couple kept staring at us like we were invading in their space, or like we were making dirty jokes or grabbing each other or something. I couldn't help but wonder why we were being stared at so bewilderedly. The ambiance during our visit was far from romantic and quiet as many other reviewers have stated. I attribute it to the large crowd but it was quite noisy. Also, despite it being freezing cold outside, inside was WAY too warm. I was sweating just sitting around and I noticed our waiter was also sweating profusely, but I assumed that was because he was running back and forth and through the kitchen. The decor was also mediocre. Nothing stood out as amazing to me although the artwork native to Brazil was a nice touch. Overall the ambiance and seating arrangements earned a 2/5 for me. Now, onto the food. My girlfriend ordered a Pepsi which was normal but I decided to go a little more exotic and decided to try the Cashew juice. Now the juice surprised me a little since it came in a can, and I was charged somewhere in the neighborhood of 4 dollars I believe. Now the juice, despite being out of a can, was actually very good. It was light, creamy, smooth, and had just a hint of sweetness to it. Sadly when I asked the waiter what exactly Cashew juice was (prior to ordering it) he struggled with the answer. The best he could tell me was that it was made from the cashew fruit and pointed me at a painting on the wall done in Brazil of the fruit. As for the appetizers I got the sampler plate (salgadinhos) and my girlfriend got the coxinhas. Both of our appetizers arrived in a fairly good time and were fresh. Now be warned as I have never had Brazilian food before, and didn't know what to expect; the food is deep fried with a crumbly sort of breaded crust. The texture is similar (but not the same) as what you might find on fish sticks but to a finer grain and it's fried to a very dark brown. The outside is very nice and crispy, and the inside is gooey and the two textures combined is quite interesting. As that is not quite my palate I didn't finish any of my appetizers. Again, being new to Brazilian cuisine I didn't know what to expect, but was slightly disappointed with how heavy the appetizers were. There was a LOT of cream and to my disappointment, very little filling despite the size of each item. Despite this being a sea-food restaurant, be aware that most of their fried items are actually very heavy and over done. Neither I or my girlfriend could eat more than a couple bites of the appetizers. For the main dishes, I ordered the Moqueca de Camarao (why go to a restaurant and not try the food it was named for?). The price is a little steep for what amounted to a few pieces of fish and shrimp inside of a clay pot (44 bucks for an order for two) and to be honest, while the food was good, the price was way too high. Also the fish that was in the pot was Mahi Mahi and overdone (most of the pieces were dry and reminded me more of overcooked chicken breast instead of fish). Needless to say I did not finish the meal and took it home and gave it to someone else. My girlfriend got the Frango Grelhado which she also only ate about half of (not because the portion was large, but because the food was so smothered in that heavy cream she couldn't eat any more of it) and didn't even bother requesting a box for leftovers. Combined the food and the appetizers were good, but definitely not the 5 star quality they are priced to be. So to wrap it up, I was disappointed. I felt like even though I only ate a little bit of the appetizers and a little bit of the main dish, I felt really heavy and slightly sick from the heavy cream. I'm not saying this will be your experience, but be prepared to eat very heavy food. Sorry all you Mocequa fans, but here's one person who was not at all impressed with what he saw.

    (2)

  • Cher E.

    Loved everything about this place.

    (5)

  • Karen V.

    Dinner on 4th of July 2010 Had reservations for 6pm - got there about quarter till and were seated immediately. Our Server was Natalie - she was great!! The BF LOVES calamari - gotta order it whenever it is on the menu (sigh) -----it was o.k. needed more seasoning, but the actual calamari was very tender and good. We wanted to try a couple o shots of the Leblon Rum --- ewwww, sorry! but it was pooey. It is a white rum with a mango flavor to it. So, got two glasses of 14 Hands Merlot ---- mmmmmmm much better!! Time to order dinner - I ordered the RISOTO DE MARISCOS and it was perfect!! The BF ordered the FETTUCINI COM MARISCOS but asked Natalie if he could have the white wine sauce instead of the red tomato sauce --- the chef accommodated ! suh-weeet :-) No dessert, we were too full and happy

    (5)

  • Holly E.

    Ok so I bought a living social deal.since we had been.wanting to try this place. When.we first entered the location and atmosphere were great but we had to.wait for a hostess for over 5 minutes. We were asked if we had a living social.voucher and we replied yes. They sat us at a nice table amd then rhe waiters started telling us in an unpleasant manner this is the menu and what.did.we.want. it was supoosed to include.a cocktail and she.said we were only.allowed the original. I asked well if they are the same price cant I get one with flavor. She started blankly and eventually replied. .well I can only tell you that is what.were promoting and I cant give you anything with a flavor. Wow! Right off the bat a.bad experience. Once I convinced her all rhe same price so shouldnt matter...she walked off and . eventually brought back the flavored drinks. I thanked her. .which she did not reply to..and.we decided what to order. Once.the.food arrived it was actually pretty tasty and . We enjoyed it. Overall we felt like we were treated with very unpleasant service. Im not sure if it was bad waitress or simply unhappy we had a living.social .deal. but in the end we wont go back based on service.

    (3)

  • Erika L.

    My cah cah is what we unaffectionately call this now....since that is what I had for the last 24hrs. I gave one star ( because I had to...) because the waitstaff was really nice. In fact, the restaurant was empty and they just were overly happy to have someone come in. The downside is the food, presentation and authenticity...Horrific. If you are from Brazil, have been to Brazil or want to try some authentic food...don't come here. Twice in my life ( this being the second ) I have sent food back to the kitchen. Our appetizer was a plate of pinwheel like, laid out fried finger sized pieces of mystery on a bed of tired mesclun bed with a cup o' mayo ( swear to god ) in the center... I bit one and it was hard to tell what it was...It was mushy fish. We were ravenous, but I should've stopped there. We ordered the clay pot specialty with the mixed seafood for 2. It was rice-a-roni with 4-5 calamari rings and mystery flakes of other seafood. Horrible. Unappetizing. Shameful. 40$ for a bowl of rice, some broccoli and a few calamari rings. We left and felt cheated. We came up to stay at a local beach hotel to escape the stress of home for a bit. Like everyone, times have been tough and to spend 100$ on a dinner that was worse than something my 7yr would make ( her latest specialty is a fruit stripe gum and avocado salad...which rivals this )...was just not what we had hoped for. If you want a good place, go to Ventura or a local hole in the wall with some authentic food. Hell, fish n chips at the hotel would blow this away. Seriously, Save yourself the money...and a night of diarrhea, bloating and heartburn that me and the BF enjoyed. Thanks My Cah Cah.

    (1)

  • Amy K.

    What a nice little gem of a place! The interior is lovely with a relaxed, nicely dimmed atmosphere and a flat screen TV in one corner playing some sort of caribbean concert. The complimentary olive tapenade & chili oil dip for herbed baquette toasts was tasty. We shared the heart of palm salad with a delicious creamy, herb yogurt dressing on field greens, tomatos & cucumber. It was exactly the kind of refreshing light start to the meal. My friend ordered the chicken breast with veggies & rice and he said it was good. The portions were a good size. My other friend and I shared the lobster tail & mahi mahi moqueca for two. Moqueca is a Brazilian seafood stew with tomatoes, onion & herbs. It is accompanied by a thick fish stock & yucca flour tomato sauce on the side that I loved. My friend didn't have any because the stew itself was great with the white rice that comes with the dish. The moqueca was full of robust flavor and was perfect for a chilly evening. As mentioned in the other reviews Rodrigo was very nice....and cute. He was pretty much a 1 man show in the dining room, being the host, bartender and waiter. Although the service can be sort of slow since at one point there were 5 tables, he made sure to pay individual attention to each table and he patiently explained the dishes and happily engaged in fun conversation. He didn't seem rushed or flustered at all. We are so glad Yelp helped us find this little gem for a Christmas eve dinner, especially when there aren't too many nice choices in the Oxnard/Ventura area.

    (5)

  • Godfrey S.

    Oxnard has very few good restaurants. I had eaten at Moqueca when it was first opened and enjoyed the great view and service. Now that it has become popular, I must revise my opinion. Whilst the decor and view remain great, the food shows many signs of a decrease in quality. My chicken pasta dish has only a few small pieces of chicken in it. The salad was some lettuce, two tiny tomatoes and two slices of cucumber, with a sprinkling of yogurt sauce. One of my guests ordered the sirloin steak - it was tough, very salty and uneatable. Our cocktails of Caipirinha contained a poor modicum of liquor, and the glass was packed with small pieces of ice. The bread is tiny slices of toast, and even with the supplied toppings, unexciting. The glass of Malbec was only 4 oz, and cost $9. On top of this is a mandatory 18% service charge, and a line for additional tips! What a ripoff! The restaurant is noisy, with the kitchen doors continually flying open. I will not be returning unless big changes are made.

    (2)

  • Scott D.

    I love this place! The Moqueca bowls are so flavorful, some of the best fish I have ever eaten! Our waiter was super helpful, and the ambiance is nice too. I will return!

    (5)

  • Jennifer B.

    We got take out from here and it was delicious AND carried very well for take out. It was about $40 - $45 to go for two dinners plus a side of fries which isn't bad at all for a nice dinner for two. I got the chicken stroganoff with rice and my husband got some grilled chicken dish that had an amazing cream like sauce over it with veggies. The stroganoff was rich, which is expected with a cream sauce, and was just absolutely delicious. The chicken in it was high quality white meat and it was topped with miniature shoe string French fry crumbles. Seriously it was mouth watering good. Both of the meals carried very very well for take out and I was impressed with the presentation too - we literally just had a really nice dinner to go which was so nice because we were on vacation. We will definitely go back.

    (5)

  • Dave P.

    I love this place! They are the real deal, serving dishes from the southeastern coast of Brazil where seafood is the main fare rather than the all you can eat buffet that is more commonly known to us in the United States. I have enjoyed everything on the menu at least once and have never been disappointed. If you're ready for some variety from the everyday beef, chicken, and pork... Moqueca is the best!

    (5)

  • Retired B.

    I tried the shrimp moqueca ($42 but shareable among 3 people)... good but so salty! Fried plantains were tasty. Quibes (Minced beef and crushed bulgur) appetizer tasted sort of like a hush puppy but on the dry side. They give bread and dip... the oil with peppers is super spicy. It instantly burned my tongue when I tried it. I dared my friend to eat the whole pepper and luckily she didn't die or cry (otherwise I would have felt really bad).

    (4)

  • Zabe B.

    It was ok....a bottle of some pepper sauce would get to 5 stars.

    (3)

  • Melanie B.

    Once again, I was compelled to turn another friend onto this Gem in the harbor! I took my bestie out there for a nice Classy best friend dinner and was not disappointed. It was on the past Saturday night around 8pm. The place was packed, but we didn't mind taking a seat at the bar and ordering a favorite bottle of Red wine. Shortly after we had started to imbibe and plenty of "catch up" conversation, the charming hostess led us both over to our table. Dinner was wonderful as always! The energy was high, due to a packed restaurant, but even still it made it a fun, warm and exciting atmosphere. Especially great for people watching and to my surprise a few of the service staff had recognized me from reading my review regarding my previous experiences here :) Talk about making a Girl feel special ;) I love this restaurant, definitely in my top 3 faves. Thank you for living up to the hype and promotion I constantly tell all of my friends about. I will recommend and send everyone I know here. Sincerely, Your loyal patron for life, "M" PS- I am very excited to try out the new Dessert offerings. I missed this last time, due to not saving any room from my wonderful dinner and bottle of wine and also the AMAZING EGGPLANT TAPENADE that everyone must try with the incredible toast that they start every meal with. My friends and I just stopped in tonight for a impromptu last minute dinner, party of five and let me just say that- Moqueca, you are such a gem. The staff is so friendly & accommodating and the food is to die for. Thank you for going above and beyond for us and making your food top notch, despite the time of night it is. We will be back here again and again and again. The Eggplant tapenade is the best I've ever had and we all like it so much, we wanted to order a pint of it to take home. To start we ordered the shrimp appetizer- Camarao Ao Alho E Oleo, which is so delicious and flavorful, I would say you could even order it as a side dish. The entrees- I ordered the shrimp salad-Salada De Camarao, which I think was the best shrimp salad I ever had. My Husband ordered the chicken dish-Frango Grelhado, which I had ordered the last time we dined her, which was also our first time and it was just as good, if not better than we had both remembered it to be. The plantain are the Best thing I have ever eaten. Two of our friend ordered the seafood pasta dish- Fettucini Com Mariscos, which did not disappoint, we all sampled it and loved it as well. Our other friend ordered the steak plate- Picanha Grelhada which was also delicious, I personally think that the plantains would be a better choice of side, as opposed to the yucca frittes that come with this dish- but again... that is just my creative opinion. Other than that wine was great and bears were enjoyed. Thank you for an Epic late night dining experience, we are so glad we decided to walk up the stairs :)

    (5)

  • Sue Y.

    Rodrigo = waiter fail. After 15 mins waiter had still not taken our order. He was so rude and ill-mannered. Other waiters told us they couldn't help us because Rodrigo was our waiter. Heard the food here was good but didn't get to try it. Might go back when Rodrigo isn't there.

    (1)

  • Megan M.

    This place is absolutely, fantastically delicious! My husband and I love trying new foods and have never had Brazilian food before. We were browsing restaurant.com for a place to eat before a movie and discovered this little gem on that site. We googled it to see ratings and, as you can see here, it had great ratings so we decided to give it a try and we are SO GLAD that we did! Moqueca sits right on Channel Islands Harbor so there is a beautiful view that you can see no matter where you are seated in the restaurant. They have wait staff constantly filling your drinks and checking on you (which I loved). Our waiter made it a point to ask us if we had been there before and politely suggested a dish I hadn't been considering then gave us some time to think about it and look over the menu. I was happy he did because it was wonderful! The Moqueca dishes are their signature dish - seafood of your choice (we had shrimp) is cooked in a clay pot with an olive oil/tomato/onion/lime sauce (obviously more goes into it) that is to die for! This "stew" is placed on top of arborrio rice and is very filling. We also had their soup, which was also unique and delicious. They serve toast with an eggplant/tomato topping that is like a Brazilian bruschetta and, as another reviewer stated, it is quite addictive. We were seated nearby the kitchen and I constantly heard all of the wait staff notifying each other when food came out to ensure that the food didn't sit under heat lamps or get cold. The atmosphere is beautiful and romantic. It is very quiet, even when the restaurant is full. They have unique alcoholic drinks and a special Brazilian rum made from pure cane sugar! Needless to say, we will be returning to this place. We have been craving their food from the moment we finished eating! P.S. - We didn't have our 2 kids with us but they did have a pretty decent kids menu and I think even my super-picky eater would have liked something from it.

    (5)

  • Baylee G.

    This is a great restaurant with awesome food! Get the moqueca, Its worth it. We had the seafood moqueca which has no fish, keep that in mind.

    (5)

  • Dan R.

    Most Brazilian restaurants - I am told - feature beef. This place in the Channel Islands Harbor, features seafood. The signature dish is also the name of the restaurant - Moqueca. It's hard to describe, truly exotic for my California taste buds, but a big treat. It's like nothing I'd ever had. Great ambiance, excellent view, spectacular service. I recommend it to all of my Sail Channel Islands clients - it's the next pier over, an easy walk from our yacht.

    (5)

  • Jimmy T.

    What a surprise! Very good and a hidden gem! Good food and good portions.

    (4)

  • Sophie B.

    Awesome food! Everytime ive gone there ive had a great expirence!!! Try the fish moqueca and the caiphirinia!! So happy to have a great restaurant back in the harbor!!

    (5)

  • Joanna V.

    What a gem! This restaurant is a little hidden on the second floor nut right on the water, with some good views of the harbor. The ambience is romantic and intriguing. The service was friendly and our waitress very knowledgeable about different items on the menu. We had their specialty- moqueca with fish and mixed seafood, which was amazing! The fish was shark and there were shrimp, mussels, clams and octopus, everything in a tasty tomato sauce. We got scallops as an appetizer and OMG it was exquisite! I just gorged on it :) They also serve some bread with sautéed veggies which can fill you up pretty fast. My drink - Brazilian Passion was so fruity and fresh that i drank it real quick ;) Our daughter had some mango juice which she said was pretty good too. Unfortunately, we were too full to have any dessert but the menu looked enticing :) Overall, it was a surprisingly nice experience, very cozy place, with romantic Brazilian music in the background and I truly recommend that everyone goes to that restaurant for some unique taste!

    (5)

  • Lou Lou M.

    I have been to this restaurant at least 4 times over the last 3 years and each time with my BF and never had a complaint thus far. The lobster and the shrimp moqueca, black beans, rice, and the calamari was delicious the last time I was here. I enjoy the moqueca dishes, sides, appetizers and the caipirinhas!!! It is tucked away in Oxnard and it is worth the drive from San Fernando Valley.

    (5)

  • Linda N.

    This Brazilian restaurant features a fish soup dish cooked in a clay pot called (surprise surprise) moqueca. So don't come here expecting a meat fest (although there is a steak option on the menu). My boyfriend and I both got a half order of one if the moqueca dishes, which we still had leftovers of (a full portion is meant to be shared) I got the seafood mix moqueca and it was really good. For dessert we had the passion fruit mousse and it was amazing! The wait staff is friendly and attentive and most of them are actual Brazilians. There was even a samba performance (we went on a weekend evening so I don't know if they do this every night). There are nice views of the marina so it's a nice date spot (you can request terrace seating, heat lamps included). It can get kind of noisy but it matches the restaurant's ambiance. My only warning: this place is NOT cheap so be ready to put down a good amount of money. It's well worth it though!

    (4)

  • Rockit O.

    Holy Moqueca!! I loved this place. Wow. When I think of Brazilian food I think of grilled meat, now I have a whole new taste for Brazilian food. We had the hearts of palm salad which was awesome, not those canned hearts of palm that taste like a can, these were fresh and delicious. Mussels Moqueca and Plantain Moqueca, both were outstanding. I think this is my new favorite restaurant. I had never heard of a Moqueca...it's kinda of a stewy clay pot dish with your choice of the main ingredient. Mostly seafood. I will definitely be back for more. Prices were reasonable.

    (5)

  • Mike V.

    we had an enjoyable meal here, the scallop appetizer was a bit on the bland side, but the Moqueca was very flavorful. reasonably priced and a good location with a great view.

    (4)

  • Tracy J.

    Our waiter Rodrigo was informative, friendly and attentive. We wanted a little of everything so we ordered a crab CASQUINHA DE CARANGUEIJO appetizer. Healthy portion and quite tasty. We truly ejoyed the eggplant tepenade as well. We ordered one MOQUECA DE PEIXE COM MARISCOS - FISH MOQUECA WITH SEAFOOD MIX-Absolutely delicious. Bascially a seafood stew you put on top of white rice. Also ordered FRANGO GRELHADO grilled chicken with veggies, rice and fried plantains on the side. Cooked perfectly And our daughter ordered the Penne Brie with roasted cherry tomatoes. It was rich and creamy. My daughter said she wanted to lick the bowl! Everyone shared and it was truly a good amount of food for three adults and two kids. Highly recommend Moqueca. Great view too! We will definitely go back!

    (5)

  • Angie A.

    Best food for miles around! We are addicted!!

    (5)

  • Brittany T.

    Everything here is SO flavorful and wonderful. I never thought I would be interested in Brazilian cuisine, yet alone find a good place in Oxnard, but Moqueca changed that thought very quickly. Everything from the side salad to the calamari to the clay pot dishes to the view of the harbor is just delightful. Make sure you ask for their special chili sauce...that stuff is like crack and adds a little extra kick to everything!

    (5)

  • Jim L.

    Great date place if you aren't in a rush and like to relax. What a buzzing, busy place. I recommend reservations, though they are hard to make. Some things that prevented the 5th star. 1) calling in, you get a phone tree. They are busy and probably a bit under staffed. This is because it's a popular place. I recommend trying again during the dinner hours to get through. 2) the server we had wasn't as attentive as i'd like. with water glasses and other beverages low, it took a bit of waving down or making eye contact to order other drinks or asking for more water. However, 1) The location is a great place. 2) Free parking. 3) Amazing friendly staff. 4) Romantic location. 5 Amazing food. Definitely go for their signature dish. We had the Lobster and Shrimp Moqueca because we wanted to try their best. It seemed like a lot of other people had it too. But i think their seafood is just as popular. We got 2 large lobster tails and a lot of shrimp. they definitely didn't skimp and I felt like it was a good amount. Would have loved an appetizer, but the 1 dish was more than plenty for both of us as it also comes with a eggplant and bread appetizer. I'd come here again, and definitely recommend it. Call ahead for reservations and enjoy a great relaxing evening.

    (4)

  • Tad D.

    Thanks to my daughter Jen , boyfriend George and My wife Denise for a great lunch and wine tasting at Hertzog and Magnavino! Great Fathers day

    (5)

  • Natalie D.

    Moqueca was awesome!! Both the restaurant and the dish itself. The service was great, the food was great, I'd definitely go back. We first ordered the SALGADINHOS. It was a sample platter, which was great, cause we got to try lots of different things and they were all yummy. Then, every 2 peolpe shared a moqueca. It comes in the big clay bowl and lots of rice. We got the one with the fish and shrimp, and also the seafood mix. Everything was so fresh and delicious! It might be a little pricey at first, but when you share the food, it turns out to be reasonable. The fish moqueca was a little more food than the mixed seafod one. I think the sample platter, and the fish and shrimp moqueca would be enough for 3 people to share. They also bring really good bread and a dip in the beginning. It's a lot of food! They also took our gift certificate from restaurant.com with no problems. =)

    (4)

  • Michelle E.

    From beginning to end, the food here was simply amazing. We were not sure if this would stand up to our standards, but they surpassed them by miles. The house appetizer (free) is a very delicious tapenade. It was light and flavorful. Our chosen app.was heart of palm and spinach dip. Yumm! We had a chicken and a steak entrée. Juicy flavorful meats with fresh veggies and great garlic rice on the side. They specialize in moquecas, which are different types (your choice) of seafood cooked and served in a clay pot, with different veggies and broth, and served with garlic rice. Their desserts are all to die for!! I have eaten at much more expensive restaurants. We had an appetizer, 3 alcoholic drinks, 2 entrees, 1 dessert. $80.

    (5)

  • Dayne D.

    A bit on the expensive side, and the service was a tad slow, but the food more than made u for its flaws. Their signature dish is to die for, but dont waste your time arguing over which one you should get because they are all pretty much all the same. The waiter was also extremely helpful and explained everything else to us clearly. I look forward to comin back! :)

    (5)

  • Walt W.

    Overall dining experience was slower than I prefer and it was still good. Great food, great location, nicely appointed facility and friendly servers.

    (4)

  • Kyle R.

    Short and Sweet - I hope you find this helpful. Must go Service is always a little slow Bit pricey, Lunch special is 1/2 price I always take out of town-ers here, never had a complaint - all want to return next time Not a fan of the fried 'street food' appetizers Love the baked scallops It is casual, it is the harbor, it can be noisy Must Go

    (4)

  • Roger L.

    Friking great food and excellent service Finally some great food in south oxnard that's worth reviewing. Will be back

    (5)

  • Al A.

    overpriced...sorry I have been to dives in Venice that served better brazilian food. Unfortunately this place didn't get the memo about being a Churrasco...because they are more of an al acarte...meah

    (2)

  • patty b.

    There were four of us today for lunch. We ordered the "Moqueca" specialty of a "stew" like entree which we enjoyed. Mine was the shrimp and the others ordered the "mixed fish" selection. Everything was tasty and the service good except of one thing. When we said we were there to celebrate birthdays, generally, a restaurant would bring out one dessert to be shared by everyone.I asked about this and the waitress said they don't do that. I have been to Brophy Brothers celebrating my birthday with 6 others and they brought us a very nice dessert for all to share. Tonight, my husband and I went to Prime Restaurant and when I asked the wiatress to take our picture, she asked if it was a special occasion and I told her I was my birthday. After dinner, she brought me a nice little dessert for us to share. I'd say almost all restaurants try to recognize birthdays of those who dine with them - BUT not Moqueca!

    (3)

  • Grant M.

    Waited 25 minutes at the table just to be ignored by three waiters. HORRIBLE SERVICE. DO NOT RECOMMEND.

    (1)

  • Jay C.

    If you like coconut broth seafood stews, you'll love Moqueca. I had the fish Moqueca and the Mahi Mahi cooked perfectly in the broth, firm and flaky. It gives a normally dry fish a much juicier taste. They have a bunch of drinks that all seem to be variations of capirinha. Only knock would be the price; it's a bit high. The rice that came with the dish was great as well.

    (4)

  • Deb K.

    Had dinner here with a group of friends last Saturday. Chose this place based on other reviews as well as their tv commercial. It was a little hard to find the restaurant right away, but all I can say is WOW! Our server, Hannah, made her recommendations to all of us especially in the appetizer and dessert department. She did not steer us wrong with the shrimp appetizer and the three desserts (the flan, the chocolaty bombom and the coconut custard). The entrees were just as delicious and filling. Return trip is in store! You won't go wrong with this restaurant if you enjoy delicious seafood!

    (5)

  • Lin M.

    I went here with my boyfriend on a weeknight and loved it. There weren't many people there so I'm not sure how it is during the weekend. We ordered the shrimp risoles for an appetizer, Moqueca de peixe com camarao (fish and shrimp moqueca) as the main course, Pave de bombom for dessert, a couple of capirinhas, and a beer. I think we finished everything and left very satisfied. The service was great. I got to practice a little bit of my portuguese with the watier who was very friendly and professional. He answered all our questions and explained some of the food on the menu. The location of the restaurant it really nice too. Free parking and the restaurant is on the 2nd floor overlooking the pier. It is in Oxnard so it won't be as crowded as restaurants in some other neighboring cities which is nice. I'm already planning my next trip back!

    (4)

  • raygine c.

    I found the restaurant has an excellent view, I went inside, the waiter is super nice, I brought my pellegrino water accidently, but he offered to pour it into our glass with an ice. Excellent service! He recommend moqueca, and surely it is my first moqueca I ever had! It tasted like a stew/curry with mixed seafood, with an unique flavor and a perfect cooked rice.I definately love it. My friend had craving for pasta, so we ordered their spaghetti carbonara which is not soo good. But I will come back just for their moqueca!

    (4)

  • Lisa Z.

    What a gem of a place. I was fortunate enough to be invited to dinner here a couple of times recently. The food is delicious--bright flavors and the moquecas are fun to share with someone while you watch the ships in the harbor. Service is efficient and super friendly in a genuine sort of way. I love this place.

    (5)

  • Diana D.

    Definitely a fancier place than I had anticipated. The servers know the food inside and out. Beautiful view of the harbor, especially at sunset. Without a doubt, this is some of the most incredible food I have had this summer. The flavors are unique and so delicious. My family ordered: Lula Frita- decent calamari Banana Frita- so sweet and incredible grilled flavor Bobo de Camaron- PERFECT shrimp, delicious sauce Arroz de Polvo- could NOT get enough of this, PERFECT octopus! Can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Desire J.

    I was very surprised and fell in love with this place at first bite! Love love love the food. They also have a friendly staff and a great view of the harbor.

    (5)

  • Sunshine H.

    Ordered the shrimp moqueca, an alcohol free gauva drink, some plantains, and a caipiriniha for my husband. Our server was Ryan he seemed nice. We sat in like a back corner and the light was out and the other was on and off so very dark. There was a guitar player but we couldnt really see him he sounded ok. Restaurant was a little on the louder side kind of good because we have a 2 year old. They have a kids menu but we didnt order off of it. We went on a Friday night. They bring out some bread and a spicy oil and spread. Just use a touch of oil and the spread taste pretty good but the bread was little too hard and dry for my taste. More like a thick cracker. Plantains, and gauva were great. Unfortunately, the shrimp moqueca had cilantro, A LOT of cilantro. I told the server I did not like cilantro please no cilantro but I guess he forgot. Because it was just my husband, my daughter, and I and she was too little to eat it we had a lot of leftover because the cilantro is very strong in the dish. It is a lot of food plenty for 3 adults. It is pretty expensive. We spent almost 85 but had a 25 restaurant.com certificate. It was good enough to go back again and the server was nice.

    (3)

  • Connie D.

    I loved this restaurant. We happened on it by chance and, having lived in Brazil many years ago, we were excited to try it. The service was excellent, the food great and very authentic to the region of Espirito Santo. The atmosphere is very pleasant and we were able to spend a long evening visiting with our friends. I hope they do well!

    (5)

  • T A.

    Great place!!! Went there Memorial weekend. Made a last minute reservation and they were accommedating. A little pricey, but it is not too bad if you share a meal. Unfortunately, my date had a great view of the Harbor, but I had the wall view, but it was all good. Atmosphere was great, but a little noisey, but still great. The Moqueca was great with the rice, everything was perfect. Planning another trip to Port Hueneme, and Moqueca is one of the must go to resturants on my list...

    (4)

  • w w.

    This place is the dog's balls. Good food. I went there without any hype, but if there had been, I'd be willing to say that it lives up to it. Mixed seafood Moqueca was very tasty. ORDER THE DEEP FRIED CHICKEN something or other for an appetizer. That was perfect for an app. Really could have eaten more of those. If you are a dude who can eat a lot of food, then you can probably house a Moqueca by yourself. I did split mine, and I didn't go away hungry. Will DEFINITELY return to this place. Definitely a good date place.

    (4)

  • Paulo B.

    Food is ok, price is great! Very nice restaurant.

    (4)

  • Mark P.

    What a Nice place. As a Brazilian food fan, finally a restaurant with different taste than the common Churrascaria. Food was wonderful and capirinhas are great. Service and ambiance is nice. Beautiful view of sunsets in the harbor. If you are looking to take friends for a unique treat, this is the place. A bit pricey for the amount of food.

    (4)

  • Bryan P.

    I went here for a work function. We were put on the patio, which had zero atmosphere. It took more than 15 minutes to get a beer (which I really needed...), and the food was horrible. It might have been the "big group" menu; we all got the same luke warm mystery appetizer that the waitress didn't bother explaining, the entrees were all just different proteins on top of white rice with similar sauce, and the desert was underwhelming. Sorry for the ambiguities, but this was about 6 months ago and I have worked to strike this place from my memories. It sounds like it's great for small parties, but if you have a big group (10+) go somewhere else.

    (1)

  • Lisa G.

    Excellent food. Great atmosphere. I have been here about 6 times now and have not been dissappointed. Sometimes the service is a bit slow but worth the wait. The Caipirinha drink is fantastic. if you like a really great mojito...you will like this drink ...except this one is a little less sweet than a mojito and the way they make it is perfect!! They also have a berry version of it. My Aunt tried the berry version and loved it. I stick with the original. Any of the Moqueca's (Stewed seafood..main entrees) are absolutely delicious. The calamari appetizer is really good and so are the scallops. The prices are pretty reasonable considering the fresh food, atmosphere and the nice views. They also serve generous portions. If you like new exotic foods you will love this place. Everything always tastes really fresh and delicious. Everytime I have come here I have been with someone new and each and every time my guests have raved about the place. I highly recommend this place.

    (5)

  • chris g.

    The food is the best. The service is phenominal. The cost is a little expensive but is worth it.

    (5)

  • Dave A.

    I'm giving 3 stars because the food really is quite good. The service alone deserves either zero or one star. Really, it was that bad. From no one at the front for several minutes, to worse than minimal staffing (one untrained waiter and one waiter who was doubling as the bartender for 15 tables), to slow service, to missing orders.... Honestly, it made what should have been a great dining experience into a stressful, slow one. I only tipped because I felt bad for the table-clearing staff, the only helpful, attentive employees in the restaurant. If you want to experience another side of Brazilian food other than meat, meat, meat, this place should have been a good bet. As it is, hard to recommend.

    (3)

  • Ricardo H.

    Loved the platinos

    (4)

  • Dr. m. B.

    Very cozy, nice atmosphere with live music on Friday nights. Samba dancers on Saturday night. Food was delicious. Flan was super tasty. Service was excellent!

    (5)

  • Chisato S.

    I underestimated how popular this restaurant was. We went there on Saturday evening around seven without a reservation and had to wait about 45 minutes to get seated. So, I recommend calling in ahead. We started with crab and grilled scallops and shared the seafood moqueca. Dishes came with colorful flavors. If you love real seafood flavor of octopus, squid, etc., you would love the moqueca. It served with fluffy white rice and that complemented the dish well. On the other hand, I thought $15 corking fee was a little high. The services was very slow. Our waiter, young guy, was never around and we had to grad other servers to call him or get things for us. But, overall, I am glad we looked up this restaurant and went.

    (4)

  • Carinne H.

    Moqueca definitely exceeded my expectations. The hostess and waiter was super friendly and taught us how to pronounce menu items after we botched them. We ordered the crab salad as a starter and had the fish, shrimp and veggie stew as the entree. With drinks our meal cost about $80 whick isn't bad considering all the seafood we got. The food was great and I felt light and healthy afterward, as opposed to heavy and bloated. You can feel that way too if you don't overdo it on the rice!

    (4)

  • Lana C.

    Oh For Yummmm! Went there with my loving husband, for an early Valentines Day dinner. The very attentive service started with an offering of a beverage, of which we chose a nice Pinot Grigio. The ubiqutous eggplant and spicy pepper dip was next. We ordered the crab dip as an appetizer, followed by a Moqueca of lobster/mahi mahi/shrimp. We just love this restaurant. Rodrigo is our usual waiter, and he is as charming as he is attentive. Oxnard Harbor is so fortunate to have such a wonderful restaurant in town!

    (5)

  • Hello M.

    I had mixed feelings about my entire experience here. My girlfriend's family and I went here for Mother's day. The service was bad. We had a reservation, and still they seated us late. It was 90 minutes from when we ordered until when we got our food. I understand that on Mother's day the food can take a while, but when other families that are seated after you, especially families with more people in them, get their food first, you start to wonder what's going on. We nearly walked out, but as we stood up from the table the owner came and apologized. He said our food would be right out, and that his own Mother was cooking it, and he pleaded with us not to leave. We decided to stay for 10 more minutes, and indeed, the food did arrive. And, thank God, the food was delicious. A good blend of seafood and spice. Their signature dish, Moqueca, had such a deep and complex arrange of flavors. After all the hassle the guy ended up giving us half off of our tab, a courtesy that gave this place a second life. I'm not sure if I can recommend it for a special occasion, but if you're in the area and are looking for good food (food you're willing to throw down some bills on) check this place out.

    (3)

  • Lauren L.

    I tried this restaurant because I was feeling in the mood for something new and exciting and this place did just that. The mussels and calamari appetizers were so tasty. We did the crab and shrimp Moqueca were really good we did family style with them and it was a perfect amount of food. We ended the meal with the coconut custard, Carmel flan and this other chocolate thing they were AMAZING!!!! I recommend this place but be patent because it takes a bit but its worth the wait. Watch out the drinks are strong :)

    (4)

  • Sue D.

    Two friends and I tried out this new family-owned Brazilian place in Channel Islands harbor, Moqueca. It is a lovely space, upstairs in a brand new building (next to the deli, Latitude something?). Great harbor view and a nice room painted in soothing green tones, clean, modern, definitely nice enough for date night. The menu is fairly extensive and focuses on moquecas, dishes which are baked in large clay casserole dishes. Also quite a few other Brazilian specialties, many involving seafood, We ordered a hearts of palm salad, which was greens, cucumbers, a few tomatoes and hearts of palm with a tangy cilantro-yogurt dressing. The salad was big enough for 3 as a starter. My friends got the shrimp in garlic and oil, which they loved. About a dozen perfectly cooked garlicky shrimp with butter to dip them in. We ordered a moqueca of plantains and an arroz con polvo (squid) which was also baked in a moqueca. Both were delicious and were served with a big dish of rice as well as a shrimp-yuca sauce and a dish of chiles in oil, very spicy and nice. We also got a side of garlicky green beans. My friend ordered a caprinha that was delicious. For dessert, we got a milky flan with homemade pineapple preserves that was fabulous, not to be missed, and some very good coffee. 1 app, 1 salad, 2 mains, side dish, caprinha, sodas, 1 dessert and 2 coffees: $103. All was excellent and gets my gold seal of approval.

    (4)

  • Patti H.

    Lovely service from a very vivacious and gracious woman, Dawn. Completely sold us on their signature clay pot dishes and it was amazing! Would come here again and and again!

    (4)

  • Lou L.

    The Brazilian cuisine is really good and different than the average fair. I can't remember the Brazilian dishes we have ordered on the 3 occasions we have visited but we have never been disappointed. Only negative is that I wish it was quieter. But that's just a personal preference.

    (5)

  • Martha P.

    I love love this place. Their food is so good and the service good as well. My husband and I had our "second" date here. Another reason for loving this place. Great memories!

    (5)

  • Summers T.

    Wondeful drink menu to start! Scallop appetizer was good, not out of this world, but they were perfectly cooked. Steak was good, The simple rice and black bean side was very surprisingly flavorful. The stroganoff was by far the best dish we tasted. Very rich and yummy with the pasta. Desserts were all a flan type thing, not my favorite I would have liked something else but for flan it was excellent, extremely light. Service was great. On top of things without being stuffy. We dropped 100$ on three drinks an app, two entrees, extra side, and a desert including tip. Not and at all for the wonderful atmosphere and great quality food.

    (4)

  • Shannon K.

    Wow; the food here is incredible. We went with their specialty, the Moqueca (fish and shrimp was recommended and did not disappoint), and fried plantains. Fresh. Flavorful. Balanced. The service was great with a very helpful and friendly staff. The view of the harbor is lovely. Overall, an absolute treat. Will be recommending it to all of my friends!

    (5)

  • Sierra E.

    Perfection none the less!! Amazing food, service and atmosphere. Yes a little pricey but worth it for a romantic date night on the harbor! A must try!! Two thumbs up! P.s. try the clay pots simply amazing!

    (5)

  • Galen S.

    Maybe 4.5 stars. 3 times here in 5 nights..good restaurant on its own. The repeat dining tells two stories: delicious food, and not much competition for good food in Oxnard/Ventura.

    (4)

  • Anna N.

    We had a wonderful time!! Brazilian dancers, great service, fantastic food and drinks.... The Moqueca with shrimp and mahi mahi was a delicious mix of flavors! My husband ordered the Brazilian steak and also thought it was fantastic!

    (5)

  • M R.

    Moqueca...I can't find the words to describe how much I love this family owned restaurant. The food is delicious -- a mixture of seafood in sauce and spices with veggies mixed in. The prices seemed to be high at first, and then I realized each moqueca feeds 2-3 people, so really, it's very affordable. Great selection of Brazilian beer along with a full bar. The staff is friendly and happy to make suggestions. This is an amazing place!

    (5)

  • Willy W.

    I found out about the restaurant Moqueca while browsing through yelp and restaurant.com , but I've known about moqueca all my life as it is a specialty dish from Brazil, most notably from the states of Bahia and Espirito Santo. Let it be said, that if you go here: you must order their namesake. I mean it's what they specialize in, so why wouldn't you, right? This is NOT your "typical" Brazilian dish, which, sadly, for most people means meat served on swords nowadays. But their cuisine has so much more to offer... if you're willing to go to this restaurant in Oxnard. For those who don't know, moqueca is basically a marinated seafood/fish stew made in a clay pot. It's served along with rice and pirão (fish stock thickened with yucca flour). So mix it all together for an awesome meal~ However, they don't make it simple for you either - which is a good thing. Instead of giving you a single option, they give you about 7. We chose the Moqueca com mariscos mixto (seafood mix) which is kind of like the best of everything minus the expensive lobster. They also serve a bobó de camarão which is a coconut milk & mandioca (cassava or yucca i think it's called here) based dish with shrimp. I might have to go back to try this one day in a larger group or familial setting. We also ordered their appetizer sampler, which is such a nostalgic treat for me. It included things like kibe, coxinhas, bolinha de bacalhau, etc. They gave us some complimentary bread chips with an eggplant and tomato sauce. They weren't stale by any means and the combination of the two was pretty addictive. I had to remind myself that the real meal was still coming - so don't fill up on bread! They do serve authentic drinks as well... try a caipirinha (similar to a mojito) or Guaraná (Brazilian soda) if you've never had them. The service was fantastic along with pretty good views of the harbor. Parking is free which is great. The only thing I would change is the location. They are far away from where I live *sigh* Otherwise a fantastic place for a meal that most people have never tried before. I'll be back!!

    (5)

  • Kirin W.

    This place is amazing!!!! The drinks... Appetizers... Main dishes... And dessert were all super delicious... Not to mention awesome service :) I couldnt ask for anything better lol. Try it!

    (5)

  • Rodrigo C.

    As a brazillian from the south, I felt the moqueca had a bit too much cilantro, which steals the taste away from the fish. The plates serve more than 2 for sure, service was great! Passion fruit Mousse and caipirinha is a must have! And one can never leave an authentic brazillian restaurant without having a coxinha, very well recommended.

    (4)

  • Tim B.

    The appetizer was good and the wine was good, however both my wife and I had terrible main courses. They were both tasteless, over-salted, and overpriced. The cook must be a smoker due to the excessive amount of salt he put in both of our main courses. I mentioned the over salt issue to our waiter and he said nothing?? It was like he didn't hear me? He was very nice though. We were there the night of the dancers. The Latin dancers were very fun and great to watch. Our dessert was very good and the best part of our meal. Not worth the $130.00 we spent and we'll not be back.

    (1)

  • Kevin M.

    Generally, if the restaurant's names itself after a dish they serve, get that dish. And so it goes without saying that Moqueca is amazing. Whenever fate brings my wife and I anywhere near Oxnard we make an effort to eat here. You'll probably want to get a caipirinha to start things off. The appetizers are for the most part solid but obviously you're here for the moquecas themselves: boiling hot pots of fish stew that inhabits a space somewhere between a cioppino and a thai fish soup. We usually get the fish moqueca cause it's the most affordable and I'm reluctant to order anything with shrimp anyway--but if you feel like splurging I'm sure the lobster moqueca is great, too. Prices can be a little bit high, it's true. But I think a lot of these price complaints come from an annoying ethno/eurocentric school of thought that cuisine from Latin America/Asia/Africa has no business pricing itself alongside French bistros and Italian osterias. Some people won't think twice about paying $25 for shrimp scampi over factory-made angel hair, but they'll balk at a $40 Brazilian hot pot for two. Obviously, if you can get the same quality food for cheaper, yes, you're eating overpriced food. But I challenge you to find a restaurant with a better moqueca in Southern California. There aren't any. And on top of all that: you get an amazing view.

    (5)

  • Sabrina L.

    I found this place on Yelp. Naturally, I ordered the Moqueca with fish and shrimp to share with my family. It was super rich, super garlicky and absolutely buttery (in terms of richness in flavors) & delicious. If you love seafood & can enjoy a tomato-based broth, you will love this dish. The rice they served was buttery (literally) but when we ordered a second side of rice, it was undercooked. Unfortunately, while the moqueca was delicious, my husband said his spaghetti was not. He ordered this to share with our daughter but the spaghetti looked really dark. I had ordered a side of sauteed vegetables for us to all share and my husband practically licked the plate clean! They cooked the veggies with tons of butter and garlic. Seeing everyone chow down on broccoli & carrots & peppers with such joy made my day! Service was fantastic although our very authentic Brazilian waitress had a very thick Portuguese accent that was a little bit hard for us to understand at times. They had a live musician playing and singing Samba music. It was quite lovely! A good experience overall.

    (4)

  • Gary E.

    I purchased an Amazon Local coupon for four people and got around to using it yesterday. First, I have to say, the food is excellent...and amazing. No question about that! As a matter of fact, I finishing up right now what I didn't eat yesterday.and it's still pretty darned good. That having been said, the only thing preventing me from returning in the future would be the cost. I paid $80 for four meals which included a specialty alcoholic drink (ample alcohol), soup (which was excellent), entree (especially good served in clay bowls that maintain the temperature) and the best flan I've ever eaten. That's certainly inexpensive for a good restaurant. However, that was half price of the usual meal price. Add tax and gratuity and you would normally be looking at a $150-plus meal for four. As it was, it cost over $100. The view was beautiful, being right on the wharf of Channel Islands. The interior aesthetics were a little short, although there were regular tablecloths (I consider that a plus). So, I give the food a 5+ (superb), but the cost a 3.

    (4)

  • Raymee N.

    Another tough one.... Here's why: 1. Service- outstanding, 5 stars. Thank you, Tatiana!! 2. Food- delicious. So incredibly flavorful, 5 stars. Fish with Mixed Seafood Moqueca...wow!!! 3. Cocktails- great! Original Caipirinhas, 5 stars. So, why only 2 stars??? 2 reasons... We got their around 6:00 on the 4th of July. Restaurant was practically empty. Was told that without reservations, they might not be able to seat us. They "checked" and decided to seat us at a table far from any view. We asked if we could have one of the many empty tables along the windows, but were told they were all reserved. Two other couples asked the same and left when they wouldn't allow them to sit at one of the empty tables. We ate our entire meal and paid our bill all while those tables remained EMPTY!!! So, why couldn't we sit at one?? And why would you let tables sit empty all night waiting for those with reservations much later in the evening?? Totally don't understand that. And, second reason- the food, as good as it was at the time....well, let's just say we both were up all night...not a pretty sight. (Sorry if that was TMI). So, sorry Moqueca...won't be back and will not recommend. That's all.

    (2)

  • Brian L.

    Great food, delicious and recommended. Also in a great location overlooking the harbor, exotic drinks with pineapple, coconut and all those great things. It seems the owner is also the waiter, so you get excellent care!

    (5)

  • Very D.

    Quick stop to see the place. Sat at the bar and had scallops and Calamari with my wife. Drinks were very good and the appetizers were great. Everyone is very friendly and attentive. Service a little slow but worth it! Will be going back for dinner. Love the view of the harbor.

    (4)

  • Manuel A.

    Tried the place for the first time, and it was a great experience. The waitress was very helpful with making a selection on what to eat. I will warn you though that if it's only two people, get the half order, because the portion sizes are huge. The drinks are strong, which was fine for me, and made my experience even better.

    (4)

  • Cathy M.

    Decided to try something new and was delighted! We had the calamari, then the lobster and shrimp Moqueca. We were very impressed, it was so delicious. I was ready to go back the next day! Beware of the drinks! One knocked me off my feet. Yummy

    (5)

  • Stephanie D.

    Excellent! I'm not very familiar with Brazilian cuisine but this was a great introduction. The service was wonderful, our waitress was very helpful. The clay pot fish stew we had was delicious and the fried plantains were excellent.

    (5)

  • Rick E.

    Wow, what a great place!! Service was excellent - Everyone I spoke with was knowledgeable, friendly and excellent at verbally describing their dishes. I was part of a larger group and the kitchen staff managed to get all dishes out at the same time! Hot and fresh! No evidence of food being parked under heat lamps! Everyone loved their dishes and complimented the vivid flavors. I ordered the stroganoff---loved it. I was playing it safe because I am not in to the fish dishes. Since there were so many compliments flying around the table, I sampled everyone's dishes and loved them all.

    (5)

  • Chris M.

    One of my favorite restaurants in the area. I love the crab app, and all the moquecas!!

    (5)

  • Chris G.

    Sometimes you come across a restaurant that aggregates 4 stars, and you try it and cannot, for the life of you, figure how many people can consider this food any good. It's a candidate for Kitchen Nightmares is what it is. I will get the good out of the way early. The service was good and attentive, and that was the only good part of the meal. Location wasn't that great, and the tip off should have been the dirty table cloth and the bizarre and non sequitur decor. We ordered the sample appetizer at the suggestion of the waiter, which unbeknownst to us, was ALL deep fried items. This was clue number two that we should've left but we didn't. We waited for the mish mash of deep friend items that resembled Gorilla knuckles and couldn't deciper one from the other. All of them had some mystery filling that had no flavor, and to top if off, the presentation was a joke, with the food placed on top of wilted mesclan mix and a ramekin of mayonaise in the middle. For our entrees, we ordered the seafood paella, which the menu boasted was cooked in clay pots! WHO CARES. ITS A CROCK POT! The paella, not cheap for two at almost $40.00, was a total letdown. As my GF and I fought over the calamari rings, which were the only recognizable seafood, I realized that I couldn't find any seafood, only seafood bits, as if the discarded pieces of the seafood were used for this dish. It gave me heatburn that kept me up all night, a really awful concoction. My GF daughter had the best thing I ate there, which was the childrens pasta. The food was hot, and delivered in a timely manner, it just wasn't any good. The recipes aren't good, the ingredients worse, and I can only assume that the reviewers here are owners of friends of the owners. Even the room temperature tapenade was below average.

    (2)

  • K L.

    Rodrigo is awesome and the food is amazing. Everyone must eat here!!!

    (5)

  • Michael Q.

    My wife & I just moved to Ventura (from Bakersfield) 2 weeks ago and have been exploring all that our new coastal playground has to offer. While we are still in unpacking mode we have managed to try a few restaurants in town and Moqueca was quite a surprise! I happened to be at the Channel Islands Harbor visiting a few real estate offices (I am a loan officer meeting new people) and decided to take a stroll at the harbor around noon. I saw the sign for Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine & immediately called my wife to come meet me here for lunch. 20 min later she arrived. The 1st thing we noticed when we walked in were the amazing aromas coming from the kitchen. A blend of seafood and indigenous spices. We knew right away we were not in an American restaurant. The server Patrick warmly greeted us and gave us a table near the window overlooking the harbor. They had a menu with lunch specials ($10.95) that appealed to us. There were about 12 or so items you can choose as a lunch special and I chose the Spaghetti Carbonara (spaghetti pasta cooked al dente in a bacon, egg & parmesan sauce....YUM). My wife had the Anacapa Chicken Salad (BIG portion)! Both meals were exceptional and the portions were large enough to bring some home. Quick note prior to your food coming out he brought us some baguettes with 2 types of spread/sauce that were the rockstar of the lunch!!! We are still talking about those. After lunch the owner (from Brazil!) came over and said hello to us. She was very nice and we complimented her on her restaurant. 5 star food. 5 star service. 5 star view. 5 star experience.

    (5)

  • Vero Z.

    I lived in Brazil for 7 months and I never thought I'd have an authentic Brazilian experience close to home. I'm happy to say this place is amazing. It took me several years to try it out because I assumed it would not be authentic...please don't make the same mistake!!! The service is amazing. The cocktails and Palma louca refreshing. The moqueca de camarao and picanha was incredible. To boot, they had live bossa nova during our meal. Needless to say I loooove this place!!! Hope they have many many more years of success!

    (5)

  • Aileen V.

    My sister had heard of this place from the Ventura Star. We arrived on a Thursday afternoon around 1:30pm. The place was pretty empty, yet we still had to wait a couple of minutes to be seated. What makes this place wonderful is that every seat has a view of the harbor, and the food is scrumptious. The lunch menu was a reasonable price. They serve lunch until 2:30pm on weekdays and 3pm on Weekends. I would definitely come here for lunch to save a few dollars. I ordered the fish filet dish with black beans, rice, and fried plantains. My sister had the fish stew dish. She got very little rice. If she wanted more, we would have been charged an extra $1. Not exactly budget friendly. We wanted to try the star Brazilian drink, but they were not serving it. If they ran out of the alcohol, then poor management on their part. The waitress was also a bit phony and not super helpful. A gentaleman in the next table, who was Brazilian, requested the bread with cheese. The waitress told them that they don't serve it like that and then proceeded to ask them when the last time they came here to argue her point that they never served the dish and the customer was wrong (even though they repeatedly told her that they have been served that dish every other time they have come here). To top off the poor attitude the waitress also told the man that the bread was only around $2. Additionally, another group came in around 2:15 pm and she told them to hurry up and order because the kitchen was closing. Overall, the portions were huge and the meal super flavorful. For that reason I gave it 4 stars. However, the service was 1 star.

    (4)

  • Pamela R.

    Went to this restaurant with a friend to enjoy a nice, relaxing evening meal. What we got instead was an extremely rude waitress who not only messed up our order, but then blamed us for her mistakes. I have worked in many restaurants in my life, and I can tell you that there is no excuse for this type of rude behavior or treatment to customers. Her anger and defensiveness was extremely unprofessional and unnecessary. All she needed to do was acknowledge her mistake, apologize, and then rectify it. Needless to say, I will not be going back to this restaurant.

    (1)

  • S D.

    The price matches the quality and quantity, food is delicious/ healthy, the free olive spread with the bread is tasty, and the music is phenomenal. I could eat the Mixed Seafood Moqueca everyday and be ecstatic.

    (5)

  • Susan J.

    My dad lives in Oxnard. My aunt, his sister, came from the midwest to visit. Someone from out my way asked If I'd ever eaten here. I said no. Talked to my dad, he hadn't either so we all went. Pros: Very good overall service Reasonable prices Food was awesome Cons: No one ever asked if we wanted anything other than water to drink. We ordered calamari and quibes (did I spell that right). They both said the calamari was almost the best they'd eaten. The quibes was good, I would not serve it with honey mustard though. That doesn't go with the minty flavor. It needs something cleaner. (IMHO) I had a shrimp risotto. It appears Italian influenced but it was so full of shrimp. My dad had shrimp Ravioli. He liked it and said it was full of shrimp too. My aunt had one of the clay pot dishes. 5 types of seafood over rice. She really liked it. We didn't have desert. My dad said he would go back again and took fliers to share with his friends.

    (5)

  • Megan G.

    A great lunch stop if you're in the Oxnard area, worth the trip off the beaten path. The restaurant has great views of the marina, asked to be seated by the window if available (never had any trouble getting seated at lunch time). Try some of the amazing caipirinhas, they come in an assortment of tropical flavors, such as mango, passionfruit, and acai. The lighter version of this drink are caipifrutas, which are less calories but also a bit less interesting of a flavor (they taste like the juice of choice). We started off with the seasoned scallops and the moqueca style crab meat. The scallops are amazing and the presentation is great as well. The crab was pretty good, but improved with a little doctoring up with extra limes. Next time we'll add the hot peppers as well. For the main dishes, we both had the mixed seafood moquequinhas. The flavors were amazing, again, try a few bites with the hot peppers if you're into a little extra heat. Will be back again for another trip!!

    (5)

  • Alan R.

    Amazing, family-owned traditional Brazilian restaurant. The bubbling, seething cauldon of a moqueca for two is a fantastic experience.

    (5)

  • John L.

    My wife and I have been to Moqueca 6+ times, and rate it as 5 stars because it has: -Consistently delicious food across the menu -Excellent cocktails (at very reasonable prices during happy hour) -Nice views of the marina from most tables -Very friendly, helpful (but not obtrusive) wait staff -A good location that is safe with other interesting things to do and see nearby We have always enjoyed our meals/cocktails at Moqueca immensely and keep asking ourselves why we don't go there more often.

    (5)

  • Yo R.

    Good service, food is good, family style dishes, small portions, must try I think you either love it or hate it

    (3)

  • Jane K.

    Customer Service: 0 Food: 0 If you want imitation Brazilian food watered down and SALTED down, knock yourself out. Best part of this restaurant, is the farmer's market which is located outside!

    (1)

  • Debbie F.

    Excellent food, so unique and delicious! The service was incredible and the dancers provided needed entertainment! We had a party of six and everyone of us thought it was an incredible meal!

    (5)

  • Bryan W.

    Foodies and chowhounds will both be pleased by a trip to Oxnard, CA to try the fine seafood dishes prepared in the Moqueca's kitchen's. I read an artile written by Joshua Lurie on the Brazillian seafood served here 18 months ago, but enjoyed my own first meal here this Sunday. foodgps.com/moqueca-oxna… If you are Catholic, celebrate lent, and avoid meat on Friday's jot this restaurant down for an indulgent Friday night dinner next spring. The primary dish here is the eponymous Moqueca which is a fish stew based in a fish broth richly seasoned with saffron. We ordered ours with fish and shrimp. The shrimp are perfectly, tenderly cooked. The large filets of fish (species unknown to me) were savory and delicious. We ordered one full bowl and shared between two people, but you could easly share among four, especially if you're also ordering appetizers and dessert. With such a strong association between Brazilian food and the red meat heavy Churrascaria cuisine, I'm happy to find a new way to enjoy Brazilian food!

    (4)

  • alyssa e.

    Great place food is excellent little pricey but good Drinks are great too

    (5)

  • Mrs. E.

    Incredible find, thanks yelp! The service was prompt and the was food amazing. We have to be careful with food because of celiac s disease and to have a dinner and many choices of dessert free of gluten was very enjoyable. The view of the harbor was nice too. The clay pot dishes came bubbling to your table and was full of fresh seafood and herbs and broth!! I plan on going back often!

    (5)

  • Gabe R.

    First time trying a sit-down Brazilian place. It was the best. Seafood Moqueca and Paella were delicious. Even after we were done with our food, the clay pots were still hot to touch.

    (5)

  • Andrew N.

    I've never had brazilian food like this. You have to order the namesake of the restaurant when you come here: The Moquecas (clay pot concoctions of seafood marinated with garlic and lime juice, cooked in a clay pot with tomatoes, cilantro, onions, urucum essence, coconut milk and olive oil). I was a little apprehensive of the prices when first viewing the menu, but it ended up being moderately priced after the dinner since it seems most of the dishes are meant to be shared judging from the portion sizes, especially the moquecas. Our party of 5 ended up ordering one moqueca and two entrees and it was the perfect amount of food. The meal started with bread chips and an eggplant sauce. The bread chips were good but a little too dry for my taste, even with the sauce. Our first entree was a risoto de mariscos, which was a seafood risotto with a white wine sauce. I didn't like this too much. The white wine sauce was overwhelming in the dish and I think it could have used a bit of a reduction. Also, I don't think the white wine sauce was reduced long enough since the risotto seemed to come out lukewarm due to the sauce in the dish. Another entree we ordered was the file de peixe, which was a sauteed fish filet topped with a lime cilantro sauce. This was served with plantains, rice and veggies. The fish was cooked perfectly and this was pretty good. Nothing amazing, but still good. The plantains were very nicely made. We also ordered a fish moqueca with a seafood mix. The fact that the dish is served in a sizzlingly hot stone pot was really great. The coconut milk in this was what really made it amazing. This was very enjoyable over rice and the seafood tasted fresh. Get this! The view from the dining room was cool being able to see the harbor of docked boats outside. On the saturday night we came, there was also a samba dancer doing her thing around the dining room. The only problem with this was that the music was too ridiculously loud. It's impossible to hear a thing when the dancing is going on. There's a wide selection of brazilian drinks and beers that are interesting to try.

    (4)

  • Jamie A.

    I am also a sucker for free parking and a view! It was a little hard to find as my GPS gave me some round-about-way through not-so-nice areas to get here. I was pleasantly surprised to see it was in the harbor and there was no wait when we arrived. I have never had anything like Brazilian seafood soup, so I was exited. Fish broth soup in huge iron bowls and fluffy rice!!! Awesome. I was thinking the soup base was going to be super salty and fishy, but it was an even flavor of fish, garlic, onions and tomato. I especially liked the eggplant, hummus-like dip they gave us with bread crisps. Points for beer from Brazil and Stella on tap. If i am in the area, I wouldn't hesitate to come back.

    (4)

  • M E.

    Food/atmosphere is great. Owner Maria is just the best.

    (5)

  • Magnolia S.

    Oh my gawd. Oh my gawd. Oh my freaking GAWD! What a scrumptious meal we had there! I'm a southern woman through and through, but I recently traveled to California for a week. This restaurant looked interesting, so we decided to give it a go. WOW! I'm ruined now for anything Brazilian for the rest of my life. Similar to Mexican restaurants, they give you a sauce (eggplant tapenade) with little crispy garlic bread thingies when you arrive. The garlic bread is kind of like melba toast, but with buttery garlic. It was out of this world. However, my husband didn't like it all that much. He said he felt like he was eating croutons. The wait staff was very friendly but not as attentive as I would have liked. Getting a drink refill was difficult. I'm not a stickler for super attentiveness, but we're talking about them not checking after about 30 minutes into our meal. Another thing that bothered me was noise. It was very loud. and quite difficult to hear what our waitress was saying. I never did fully understand what that sauce was, when I asked. My husband thought that she said eggplant tapenade. I finally called and yes, that's what it was. In any case, it was, it was just amazing! I would have been fine just filling up on that. For dinner we selected the Bobó de Camarão, which was out of this world. Both of us ate a lot and we still had enough for another meal. My husband loved it too. I know it sounds like I'm complaining more than praising, but I just want to point to the number of stars I gave it. The food is just so worth the visit, despite the slight shortcomings. All in all I was very pleased. If I ever make it back out to California, I'll see you there! :D

    (5)

  • Steve W.

    This is my favorite place in Oxnard. They have a beautiful view of the harbor. The last time I ate at MoQueca, we watched a fishing boat unload a catch of sea urchin. When I say fresh fish, I mean "FRESH" I recommend the fish soup & guava drink.

    (4)

  • Josh M.

    A very cool and delicious place. Unique and (so far as I can tell) authentic Brazilian seafood. For Ventura county this is probably a solid 4 stars, I just don't like to grade on a curve. But it's very nice. If you're anywhere near Channel Islands Harbor, I would definitely recommend a try. We had the eponymous main dish, which is a really excellent Brazilian variation on bouillabaisse. I love seafood stews, and this one hits the mark nicely. Nice flavors and presentation, and big chunks of fish and fresh shellfish. All done quite well. The rest of the meal was not particularly remarkable. Apps were a little greasy, and desert was fine but not notable. The service is quite personal and friendly, but was a little overwhelmed the night we came. The location has a cute view of the harbor, but is otherwise just a large room. It's pleasant, but again not the draw. Thus, the name says it all -- go for the moqueca itself. If you like seafood stews and haven't tried it yet, definitely get down there.

    (3)

  • Kaity K.

    Ridiculous! This place is so yummy. I would go here again and again. From the moment you step in the door you smell it. And you want to eat! Service was amazing. Was a little loud but that was just a group of women having a good time. Great place for a date.

    (5)

  • Tara T.

    One of my favorite restaurants by far. Had my wedding rehearsal dinner here several years ago and ever since my husband and I come back for our anniversary. Nice atmosphere, nice people, family owned, and great food!

    (5)

  • Jeff K.

    I wanted to try something a little different, and this place delivered. First off the service was excellent. Now maybe part of that was because we came in a bit early for dinner and it wasn't too busy yet, but the staff took great care of us. We also really liked the view of the harbor. Now, onto the food. I got the moqueca because I figured that was their specialty. It was a seafood stew served in a clay pot, and it was delicious. It was so flavorful that I couldn't stop eating it, but eventually I had to because those clay pots are just enormous. All in all we had a great time and I can't wait to go back!

    (5)

  • Mitchell K.

    Great location Great service, but, that is where great ends... I read so much about the seafood clay pots that I was sure to order. Seafood was overcooked, broth not seasoned, a C+ at best. There wasn't even salt and pepper at the tables, I would understand that, but shouldn't the kitchen have some? What is all the fuss about this restaurant? I am a local and understand the severe limitations of the food scene, but, you got to be kidding. Ratings are not justified.

    (2)

  • Roger H.

    I wrote a more in depth review of this restaurant, please come check it out if you're down to see more of what I think. theemptyplates.blogspot.… Well, the food is good overall, just that the price is slightly above average, not a place everybody can come very often.

    (4)

  • S B.

    Ten stars! Best taste ever. Moqueca is so good it's hard to try anything else. Fried calamari appetizer is always perfect. Great harbor view too and nice staff mostly from Brazil.

    (5)

  • Kathryn H.

    I had lunch at Molqueca the other day and was blown away by the signature dish, Molqueca. I got the mixed seafood version which comes to the table bubbling in a clay pot. The seafood was varied, octopus and mussels and clams and shrimp, in a broth with diced tomatoes, garlic, and an extremely balanced array of flavors that didn't overpower the senses but were extremely flavorful. I got the Brazilian caramel flan for dessert along with the Brazilian coffee. The flan was dense, pudding-verging-on-cake-like, but refreshing and clean after the warmth of the Molqueca. The Brazilian coffee was deeply flavorful but not burnt or bitter, almost worth a visit on its own! I don't live in the area but will definitely look forward to another trip so I can eat there again!

    (5)

  • Jersey V.

    The food was excellent and the drinks were unique, but the service was slow. I ordered the seafood moqueca and it was delicious. The restaurant is NOT a Brazilian steakhouse; quite the opposite. The food focused on seafood, and the moqueca is made in clay pots; very similar to paella (which they also offer). Although the moquecas are intended to be shared, you can order a 1/2 size in case you can't get agreement from your group on which to order. This was very helpful as we all tried different ones. My colleague ordered an interesting cocktail with mango, it was similar to a mojito. The service was extremely slow. At first I thought it was because we were waiting on a guest to arrive, but even after he showed it took way too long to get our orders in and to get the check at the end. Be prepared to hang out and enjoy the view and your company, and you'll be fine!

    (4)

  • Chris S.

    The food is horrible and the service is worse. I had planned a romantic evening with my fiancee', instead we both got sick from their undercooked seafood. I believe they tried to compensate with the overcooked chicken. The service was so bad, I thought we might be on a hidden camera show. The capper was when they lit all the candles on every table but ours. I live across the water from this place, I just try not to look at it.

    (1)

  • Ann G.

    We came when they first opened-a little awkward as there was only one couple in the whole place, and instead of putting us somewhere else in the spacious dining area, the hostess starts to put us right on top of this couple. We ask for something a little farther away-strange reaction like we were putting them out-they said they had to set places, but all the tables were set as far as I could tell. Anyway-was trying not to lose interest at this point.-a warm, organized and accomodating welcome really sets the tone, and unless a restaurant is packed, patrons don't enjoy having to sit on top of each other and hear each other's conversations. I was feeling grumpy but shook it off, knowing I was minutes away from a Caipirinha...our table ordered the seafood risotto, and I wanted to order the fish filet with vegetables, but was disappointed to find out it was tilapia. Have you read about how gross our supply of tilapia is? Fortunately, my husband suggested we split the fish moqueca (I'm allergic to shellfish, sadly) - our options were locally caught thresher shark or cod. for the stew I absolutely detest cod, so we went with the shark. It was fantastic-a delicious blend of tomatoes, garlic, olives, cilantro and the shark was perfect. The risotto was not as impressive-skimpy amount of shellfish, and the risotto was a little too paste-y. Plantains were delicious, as was the hot oil that comes with the moqueca (use carefully.) Order the moqueca, and be sure to get a side of farofa to sprinkle on top.

    (4)

  • Ghettochef13 _.

    If you are looking for an LA dining experience in the 805 than this is your chance. Very nice inside with a casual customer base (beach folks). Food is great and you don't feel like you are about to bust out of your clothes after eating here. Fresh ingredients come out in the flavors of the food and you won't be disappointed. Fellas, this is great spot to surprise your girl on date night... You'll score major points!

    (5)

  • Dustin B.

    Came on a Thursday for my fiances birthday and loved it. Strange thing was that it was empty! Where is everyone else eating?? Get here! It's delicious! The Moqueca dishes are fish/shrimp/seafood-based and are served in a thick tomato broth. I highly recommend these. Every dish I tasted (apps too) was 5 star. Moqueca may the be the best restaurant I've tried in the coastal Oxnard/Ventura area. I could go into all of the stuff we tried, but just trust me that it was all good...can't mess up an order here. Aside from food, the staff was very friendly and attentive and the caipirinha cocktails were on point. Feelin them a little bit this morning, in fact. Overall, great experience...this place deserves to be much busier.

    (5)

  • Alissa R.

    A friend and I stopped by yesterday (Valentines Day) for lunch. I got the Shrimp Moqueca and Christian got the SpaghetiCarbonara and we ordered two drinks. Mine was a something colada... Everything was perfect!!! I was a little nervous after seeing Bridesmaides to try Brazillian food.... and from my exserience around/on the harbor hasnt been very good, but I am so happy we decided to try it out.. The only down side was that it was freezing in there.. but I really can't even blame that on them, after all I was the one who got a frozen drink. I am actually already craving the Moqueca again!

    (5)

  • Joe C.

    Delicious. The lobster and shrimp moqueca was perfectly cooked. With the hearts of palm salad and the bom bom desert, it was fantastic meal. This being my fourth time at Moqueca, I am impressed at the consistency of the food, particularly the lobster, which can get rubbery if not cooked well.

    (4)

  • Larry V.

    The food was so-so, overdone on the lime juice. We ordered some scallop and shrimp appetizers were good, but were a bit gritty. My friends ordered the shrimp risotto, but this is where the lime juice was a bit much and overpowering. I had the shrimp moqueca which was good, but not enough to bump the rating to 4 stars based upon the experience from the group as a whole

    (3)

  • Jamie M.

    Expensive for dinner but very worth it! My friend and I tried a mahi mahi moqueca and the sauce itself was amazing in addition to the food! I also tried cashew fruit juice (I learned the cashew nut has a fruit!), mango juice, and flan. I highly recommend this place if you want some nontraditonal food that is not too spicy and very tasty.

    (4)

  • Patrick P.

    As I was looking up Yelp for restaurants around Oxnard, this Brazilian spot appeared. I was intrigued. Our group thought it was worth a try. Our party of 4 arrived here on a Friday evening (8pm) in late October 2011. Parking was plentiful at the time. In fact, almost no one was around. What do you expect on a cold evening by the harbor? But it's nice with the sound of the water and the fresh air. I've been in the harbor area once before during the day, so I imagine the area being nice whenever you decide to come. The restaurant provided a romantic atmosphere and dim mood lighting. An acoustic guitarist was playing background music when we arrived. Service was prompt and friendly. Tried the signature dish that the place is derived after, Moqueca. According to the menu pamphlet: "The preparation consists in using a clay pot to cook... with no addition of water. The ingredients include seafood, onions, tomatoes, garlic, cilantro, olive oil and 'urucum'." No addition of water? Again, intrigued. Moqueca comes in a large clay pot fit for two to share (or for one with a hearty appetite). I tried the moqueca de peixi com mariscos (Fish and seafood mix moqueca), which ran for $38. I think the fish slabs were okay, but next time might do without them. The stew is rich and flavorful, though I could see how some may think it's too salty or strong. It comes with rice, which helps with the strong flavor. Don't be shy about asking for more rice if you need to. Price can be a bit steep though. Expect to spend $40+ for two people. A great place to take someone special.

    (4)

  • david k.

    Went to this place for dinner recently because it looked interesting... The restaurant was really nice and we go a table with a gorgeous view of the marina. The service was quick and friendly. I ordered the shrimp and fish Moqueca and it was fabulous. The stew was flavorful, not too heavy and really hit the spot. The only complaint i really have is that the rice that come with the Moqueca was a little under cooked. We sent it back and got another order of slightly under cooked rice. Nevertheless, letting the juice from the stew soak into the rice made for a really nice bite! Overall a really great experience and i would totally recommend this place for a nice romantic or intimate dinner.

    (4)

  • Karen H.

    We were a party of four and sat out by the windows overlooking the harbor. We waiting quite awhile before the hostess came over and asked if anyone had helped us. Answer was no and shortly thereafter our waitress arrived. All was fine until our appetizer arrived...tasted good but then my daughter bit down and hit something hard. It was a large piece of wood in the meatball! We called them over and after a few apologies we were served our main course. The ood is good and servings large. But must say the service is bad, very slow and if you need a condiment better get up and get it yourself. When we received the bill they had taken off the appetizer but would have expected more...like a free dessert since my daughter could have broken her tooth on the wood piece.

    (3)

  • Arnold W.

    What the heezy!?!? Fine dining does exist in The Nard! For my 600th review I came here! J/K! I took my mom here for mother's day. Special place for a special occasion woohoo! I saw this place off some foodie blog I don't recall which one exactly, but the pictures looked amazing, and when I looked at the bottom, it said "Oxnard". Was there another Oxnard in this world, could this really be? So we opted for this place instead of the one and only Korean restaurant in Ventura County. I'm glad we did! I've never had Brazilian food before besides the Brazilian BBQ. There's more than just meat to Brazilian food, there's a whole lot of seafood. Located in the Channel Islands harbor area, they should have a steady supplyline of fresh seafood. I'm not sure if that's the reason but it really shows in the calamari. We ordered the FRITO MISTO, which included fried shrimp, calamari, and smelt. The smelt was really good, shrimp was super small, but the calamari was so good. Fried nicely and oh so tender. One of the best fried calamari I've ever eaten. My grandma loved loved the tapenade. It's so good you can eat it by it self. We had a party of 6 so we ordered the following dishes, most served 2. We ordered MOQUECA DE PEIXE COM CAMARO, which came with a mahi mahi thickening sauce. This was good, by the look of it, you'd think the super flavorful and salty, but it's a little bland. The fish is excellent, tender and cooked perfectly. We also had the BOBÓ DE CAMARO, this was by far my favorite dish! It tasted like a Brazilian curry. If I come back again, I'd definitely order this dish again. Also had the PICANHA GRELHADA, which we ordered it medium because we were sharing it. I'd prefer medium rare. Anyways, steak was flavorful, but overall the steak was kind of tough. The orange "breading" was interestingly good, I think it's crushed cheez-its! ha! The RISOTO DE MARISCOS was really good. Risoto was cooked well enough, but personally, I'd prefer a simpler risoto. It was good though. Service was pretty good, water was refilled and was checked on pretty often. It wasn't overly expensive either, came out to ~$30/person. Overall very high 4, but since we're in Oxnard and fine dining is scarce, I'd definitely come back for something/one special. 5 stars!

    (5)

  • T D.

    We drove down from Santa Barbara because I had heard so much about this restaurant online. Everything we had was recommended by the waiter who seemed to be the owner. We had the fish and shrimp Moqueca, the feijoada, and a Caprahaina cocktail to start things off. Everything was great and I couldn't recommend this place more. The restaurant was also kid friendly. Ours loved the beans, rice, and bananas that seem to come with everything.

    (5)

  • Ai L.

    Was here few times for lunch. first time was great! the 2nd and 3rd time got a bit salty.

    (4)

  • Shaolin N.

    Even though food was delicious and the restaurant is nice with a beautiful view of the marina, I'm not sure if I will be back again to this place. The service is the worst I have ever experienced in a restaurant. I don't know if it was because we visited this restaurant on Easter, but they had only 2 servers for the entire restaurant. The host, who looks like she is the owner, made us wait 15 minutes to be seated even though there were several tables available. She said she gives priority to reservations. Once at our table, it took us 40 minutes for the server to take our order, and we were not the only table waiting for a server to take the order. Many people had to stand up and look for service.

    (2)

  • Cheryl B.

    Searched for restaurant with view and great food and found Moqueca. We had amazing food overlooking the marina. We started with a Brazilian cocktail which was so refreshing consisting of lime, soda and Leblon, nummy. Our entree was beautiful and steamy in the black bowl. Really fresh ingredients and we accompanied ours with plantains which was a great contrast to the flavors in the moqueca. Make sure to order the Yucca flour to sprinkle on top of your moqueca and we used the chili oil for a condiment also. We realized after dinner that we did not receive the beginners basket of crispy garlic bread with sauce nor did we get the salads that we order. But the entree and service certainly overcompensated for our missing out... Cannot wait to go again. Next time we will allow enough time to take an evening stroll around the harbor after a wonderful feast.

    (5)

  • Mary Jo T.

    So delicious! We went for lunch on a Saturday, everything was so so good! I got the shrimp moqueca, husband got shrimp ravioli, friends got risotto, mixed seafood moqueca, beef stroganoff and spaghetti carbonara. But, best of all... Their house-made chili oil to spice things up AND garlic shrimp appetizer was so good! We will be back... Soon, I hope!

    (5)

  • Chris T.

    Love the food and Caipirinhas! Family owned and operated and always had good service....Side note, It's quietly a good place to watch a soccer match...

    (5)

  • Roslyn F.

    I've been her twice and I enjoyed myself. Even though I enjoyed myself I don't feel comfortable in giving this place higher marks yet. I haven't had their moqueqinha bowl, which I hear is really good. I had the beef stroganoff the first time I came. It was tasty. Second time around I had their shrimp salad with balsamic dressing... this was tasty as well. But nothing to "rave" about. But I will rave about the chocolate mousse dessert! LOL. I have a huge sweet tooth and that chocolate mousse was delicious. They have different types of flan too but since my grandmother makes the best flan, I dare not eat flan anywhere else. The wait staff was attentive and very friendly. I also like the fact that each time I've gone, my boyfriend and I got a nice view of the harbor. This place is A-OK and I will be coming here again.

    (3)

  • Ay V.

    Went there for my anniversarry ... Was sooo good ! Definatley gotta go back

    (5)

  • Heidi B.

    My husband found a Groupon for this place, so we thought we'd give it a try for dinner tonight. I was thoroughly impressed! Most of the restaurants in the harbor leave a little to be desired, but the atmosphere was lovely, the staff was friendly and helpful, and the food was great. Even our toddler ate his dinner, which is saying something, and we all enjoyed the live music. We're already making plans to go back and try some different dishes with friends!

    (5)

  • Grannyapple G.

    Great food, atmosphere and service... very lovely setting with harbor views from some seats, but the food was most interesting and flavorful.. My 2nd time there, and I was impressed both times... My dining partner loved it :-) 5 stars

    (5)

  • Clarissa H.

    You must come here. I'm serious. Read the other reviews, now back to mine, now back to theirs...Now mine. What do you see? truth. Do you see all those other 4 - 5 star ratings as well? That's right ladies and gentlemen. Gorgeous, sexy Brazilian owners making gorgeous sexy Brazilian food, all I need from them is a Brazilian wax and I'd be good for life. Indulge in their exotic food. It's really sexy food, kind of makes me uncomfortable how beautiful their decor, set up, presentation of food, the utmost respect and love for their food and how it is teaming with flavor. Their pastas are disgustingly amazing, and their Brazilian rum and other yummy cocktails make me feign like a Whitney Houston for her crack pipe. Obviously being a local here in the area, I will tell you that you will NOT be disturbed coming here, you will find much serene peace and great tranquility with the view, overlooking gorgeous channel island harbor, they do offer live music every so often, it's definitely friendly for those who are skeptical about trying 'foreign foods'. This truly is a 5 star restaurant, owners are very nice and I believe the wife of the owner is the chef or... Works at the bar? ( How can you confuse that? I don't know ) but whatever it totally works. If you're a broke ass and daddy won't pay, save up and go sometime, even if it's with a friend, or do it up single like me, we can go together if you're cute ;)

    (5)

  • Gabe P.

    Best Ferjuada (I hope I spelled it right) ever! Waiters are (or seem to be) Brazilian, knowledgeable about the food and the culture, they can actually explain what's "behind' the food, not just bring the plate to the table, so you can better choose the food and the drinks. It's not the typical Brazilian restaurant where they bring you all kinds of meats, not sure if they do that. The views of the ocean marina and the mountains are nice. We ate there on a Sunday afternoon, after a kayak ride at the center downstairs, not too busy.

    (4)

  • Bob L.

    Awesome, fantastic food! Great service! Strong drinks. What else do you need? Will go back soon.

    (5)

  • Jen B.

    I ate here well over a year ago but the meal is still fresh in my memory because it was that good! I had the hearts of palm salad, fish moqueca, and pave de abacaxi (pineapple custardy thingie) for dessert. The salad was nothing to write home about but the moqueca was OUT OF THIS WORLD. So delicious! I ate half of it and had the other half wrapped up for lunch the next day. The pineapple custardy dessert was also absolutely amazing and I ate every shred. I only wish I had their recipe. :( Service was attentive and extremely friendly as well.

    (4)

  • Jenn L.

    You can't go wrong with this restaurant! Food and drinks are great, I've tried several dishes and haven't been dissappointed yet. Waitstaff is pleasant and they do not rush you. Happy hour is great too!

    (5)

  • Sandra B.

    I ate here for the first time last week and it was wonderful. We did not have a reservation and the restaurant was pretty full, but we were able to get a table for two. There was a gentleman playing the guitar and the overall atmosphere was relaxed and casual, yet classy. They brought us some complimentary toasted bread and a delicious tapenade. We started out with cocktails. I had the Por do Sol which is a rum drink with mango and passion fruit. As the waiter described it was delicious without being too sweet, just as I asked. Pretty strong too. My date ordered a caipirinha. It wasn't my taste, but he enjoyed it. It was a bit tart and you could really taste the alcohol. It was just what he wanted so we were both happy. For dinner, I ordered the file de peixe and it was awesome. The fish was cooked perfectly and topped with a creamy lime cilantro sauce. It came with sauteed veggies, rice and fried plantains. I ate everything. The combination of flavors is what really stuck with me. It wasn't spicy at all, just full of flavor. I tried my dates dinner, he ordered the Brazilian strogonoff. It was good, but heavy and I preferred my meal. Overall, a wonderful little restaurant. In fact, I have been craving the fish ever since so I just called to make a reservation for Friday. Can't wait to try it again! It is a must if you enjoy full flavored food.

    (5)

  • Chris V.

    Small place a bit pricy but if you like brazilian food its alright.

    (2)

  • Joleen Q.

    The service is great and the last time I was here, they had Brazilian dancing. It's right by the Channel Islands Harbor. The drinks are authentic and bomb. I got food poisoning from here last time I went but the food was delicious!

    (3)

  • BnT B.

    Always good food but somewhat slow service. Ambiance? It's on the Marina and on certain days they have dancers.

    (4)

  • Rachel B.

    Try the signature dish.. Moqueca. The Leblon Caipirinhas are the best!

    (5)

  • John K.

    Congrats to Moqueca Restaurant for the fine review in today's Los Angeles Times! latimes.com/features/foo…

    (5)

  • Taline R.

    SO GOOD. Make sure to try the fish and shrimp moqueca!

    (5)

  • Frank W.

    Just had our second meal here - we came for the special fejioada, the national dish of Brazil ( they make it one weekend a month). It is this incredible black bean stew with sausage and meats served over rice with kale, oranges and toasted manioc (a tasty coarse grain). Simply superb! Started with rhe shrimp risoles, a light pastry crescent deep fried to perfection. And the Brazilian beer, Palma Louca, was a perfect foil to the meal!

    (5)

  • Rick F.

    All I can say is the food is awesome, the service fucking sucked. I've been here before, and after tonight, I can honestly say, never again!

    (2)

  • Tuyen C.

    We were just floundering around looking for a place to dine during a recent business trip. We checked out the menu and spoke with the waiter a bit about the restaurant. The way he described the Moqueca style of cooking sold us all. It is a Brazilian stew in tomato based sauce with fresh herbs and coconut milk. It was the last ingredient that sold me. We ordered the scallops for appetizer and it was delish - highly recommended. When the Moqueca fish and shrimp stew came, it looked great. However, I was a bit let down upon tasting it. The sauce was not all that unique other than you can tell right away that it is just a tomato base cause. There was no hint of coconut milk. To me, it was just a glorified marinara sauce. Anyway, it was an OK experience. I am not daydreaming about coming back here again. But the scallop appetizer was done quite well.

    (3)

  • Garey E.

    I love this place. Don't know where another Brazilian place in Ventura county that compares. Went here on a Friday nite with my wife. Had the seafood mix which was good enough for two. So good. Then topped the night off with Pave de Bom Bom. This was the first time that someone was playing music in the background so it was a little louder then usual. Not to mention you have a beautiful in view with the pier in the background also.

    (5)

  • Andreas T.

    I had high hopes for this place, went one night with a group of about 8, got there after the rest were seated, it took about 10 minutes to get a drink. When the food came it was nothing to write home about. Several in the group were raving that I needed to try the seafood bowl, but the fish was not good, fishy tasting and nasty. I eat fish at least three or four times a week, cooked myself, get it from the Fresh Fish Fanatics that sell every Sunday at the harbor right out side of the restaurant , so I'm spoiled on the freshness aspect. The Caberet dancers were nice, giving my 15 year old son practice for stuffing tips into a strippers g-string in later years! Still, not w ought there for me to go back

    (2)

  • M L.

    My husband and I had a great dinner here. I ordered one of the tart Brazilian cocktails while my husband had a beer. We started with the scallops and they were awesome; cooked just right. The toast and eggplant tapenade they brought us was also yummy. We then had the moqueca with shrimp and fish. The rice and stew was awesome. The service was friendly and everyone was simply great. I would definitely eat here again.

    (4)

  • Karma L.

    Decided to try this place a few months ago and my friends and I were very pleased. We showed up on a Saturday evening, greeted and seated quickly. We started off with a few refreshing and tasty cocktails then ordered dinner. My friend and I shared the Moqueca Mista de Mariscos (Seafood Mix Moqueca) with a side of Banana Frita (fried plantains) and Feijao (black beans). The blend of the stew-like seafood mix on top of rice, with the plantains and beans was delicious. We would definitely try this place again. The location is beautiful with ample (free) parking.

    (4)

  • Jocelyn C.

    Absolutely love Moqueca, the food is excellent. Always get the moqueca mista de mariscos and it is more than enough for two and heats up great on the stovetop as left overs! Atmosphere is a little bland but nice views of the harbor depending on the time of day. I wish they had longer hours on the weekends. Looking forward to going back soon!

    (4)

  • Joe S.

    WOW. This is one of the best meal experiences I've had in a long while: 1. Food was excellent. I had the Moquecas and my dining partner had the fish special. Both were VERY special dishes 2. Ambiance was great and wait staff was terrific Only bummer was that we went during the week and the Feijoada is only available on Sunday. REALLY want to try it next time ... can't you make it an every night dish??

    (5)

  • Patrick J.

    Second visit was also excellent. These folks are very consistent. Very creative appetizers, drinks, main entrees. A different menu, not your typical Brazilian meat fest. Wine list is OK. The view from most tables face the marina. Service is very good and all items are explained very well. Rodrigo was our waiter both times and is a very helpful pleasant man. Will be going back soon.

    (5)

  • Mike C.

    Amazing and authentic. I've been to Brazil and this is as good as it gets. Try the Feijoada, which is only served on the weekend. Its the traditional black bean stew with various meats. The Moqueca is also a good choice, due to the uniqueness of the flavors. Basic items are so delicious here, like white rice. Never had better. Try the cassava root fries. Order a caipirinha. Or try the authentic brazilian soda called Guarana. You will get a true Brazilian meal here.

    (5)

  • Sean C.

    Only been here nice but it was amazing. Seeing this on yelp while looking to see what's in the hood for good food. I know I'll be going back again soon now. If you haven't gone once yet, you need to get there.

    (5)

  • Mel D.

    Great atmosphere! Food taste amazing! The desserts are great. Friendly waiters. The only reason I don't give a 5 star is because their coxinhas is very small.. has more dough than stuffing, I can't barely taste the chicken. I am Brazilian and this is the only Brazilian restaurant around. A little pricey but very worthy!

    (4)

  • Arthur R.

    Amazing! You HAVE to try the moquecas!

    (5)

  • Dr John H.

    This place was great. Everything was delicious. Great service. A delightful evening. Will be going back for sure.

    (5)

  • Cortney T.

    I've been here several times and each time the food and service has exceeded my expectations. The clay pot is to die for!

    (5)

  • Su L.

    Everything was soooooooooo good. Appetizer, seafood, and dessert...the view was great too since you can see the harbor outside of the window. I stopped by the restaurant on the way back from Solvang. It's a bit far from where I live but I think it's worth it to drive up there just for food from time to time - that's how good the food was!!!

    (5)

  • Y W.

    I looooooove this place! Food is awesome and staff are super nice. Beautiful marina location. It reminds me of Comercio in Salvador. I wish that they were closer to my house. But, hey, it's much easier than traveling to Brazil. Moqueca is one of my favorite NE Brazilian dishes. Although I've tasted Moqueca many times in Brazil mostly in Bahia, I think their Moqueca is totally a killer! (Espirito Santo style.) When I'm there, I'm in heaven...

    (5)

  • Ignacio V.

    Very interesting that the Oxnard Harbor (Channel Islands Harbor) has a lot of options for seafood restaurant. Even a Brazilian seafood restaurant, talk about unique areas around Ventura County. OK so I like to be aware of what is going on around the city, and I found out that we were going to have our first annual Oxnard International Restaurant Week, and who was going to participate, right here Moqueca representing Brazil, muito legal, I always wanted to try their moqueca! And to get a discount on it, I think that made the decision that I should go and grab something. At first when I saw the price I was really shocked, it sounded expensive. However me being a really good Catholic and knowing that gluttony is a sin, I thought this dish needed to be shared, I mean it's a lot of food for one person to eat and the plate along with the check, was going to split in two, so I brought my brother! We ordered a side of Bananas Fritas, with a moqueca de peixe com camarão. Our waitress told us that today's fish was going to consist of shark (for the fish) really interesting, I've never had shark, however I remembered that a couple of weeks I tasted sword fish for the first time, and it was really good! So I was like, OK, let me go for the shark, there I ordered it, the excitement of the hunter becoming the hunted was going through my head at 100 miles per hour! However I was worried about how much mercury this fish has in its system, but I will brush that aside for this time. Banana Frita: Really good for a side dish, however I wanted some ice cream to go with it! But we devoured the banana in less than 5 minutes, along with the free bread pieces that we got and sauce. The Moqueca: After our waitress explained to us the process of making the moqueca and how the owners bring the clay pots from an island off the coast of Northeastern Brazil, and why they are an important part of the dish, we were confuse. The moqueca was really good, it was so rich in flavor, the tomato was noticeable along with the garlic, and onion. The shark was also really good, the texture was soft and it did not have the fishy smell or taste. The meat also seemed that it cooked fairly well with the stew. The wetness of the moqueca went so well with the steamed white rice, good combination, brought me back to the lessons I had in my Portuguese class, my teacher would always tell us how the food in Brazil always had a mixture of wetness with dryness. O Sertão also came to mind when I was eating, even though most of the region is nowhere near the coast! Service was also really good, staff was friendly, and easy to talk to. The only bad part that I minded was that it was too fancy! But I guess that's what they are trying to go with.

    (4)

  • Miki O.

    Very nice place by the channel, very good Brazilian songs selection, and the food makes you feel like you're in Brazil.

    (5)

  • Murray B.

    Great food. A new style of cuisine for me. Comfortable interior. Staff very helpful and understand the menu. Had the Fish Moquecas it was excellent. Guitar music was marginal. Will go back again.

    (4)

  • a o.

    FYI, if you're going to redeem a RESTAURANT.COM gift certificate, be sure to bring your attorney with you to litigate the terms before sitting down, & don't we all enjoy doing that when we go out to dinner? the certificate (unlike others for other restaurants) did not say it excluded alcohol, but the restaurant insisted that its saying "valid on food, dinner" meant that it did, and so because we didn't feel like arguing, we had to shell out another $16 and wait around another half an hour after our meal, on food to go that we didn't even want. we live in such a mechanized world.

    (2)

  • Bofa S.

    I went there on a weeknight. The place was very clean and had a great view of the marina. The seafood stew was great. I would definitely order it again. Overall, it was a good experience.

    (5)

  • Marconi de M.

    It was a very pleasant find! Even in Brasil is rare to find it unless you're in Espirito Santo State. And they did it better than most of the places I tried in Brasil! The moqueca is really superb, I had it with shrimp on my first time and fish and seafood mix on my second time. The casquinha de carangueijo... the sampler of salgadinhos... Beatiful view on a family friendly place. For sure we will be back!!!

    (5)

  • Ed M.

    The family and I wanted to try something beyond the typical Brazilian BBQ and we found this place in Oxnard. We had the Brazilian Beef Strogonoff and the Moqueca De Peixe which is fish cooked in a clay pot. The Strogonoff was decent but the Moqueca was awesome! The fish is cooked in a tomato based sauce with cilantro and other veges. We also enjoyed the bread and eggplant dip that was complimentary. Hopefully I can find such Brazilian alternative in L.A.!

    (4)

  • Jason M.

    My first Brazilian food! Food is really good and I love the malagueta sauce (chilli sauce)! It's so good with the moquecas.

    (4)

  • Gayle F.

    Absolute genius... Delish... Fresh...very friendly environment. Staff is amazing. Caihperanias delish. A must try with amazing view

    (5)

  • Dr. E.

    Great view and decent service. It's a little pricey but one would not expect different at a restaurant with a harbor view. There were 4 of us there and we all thought the food tasted basic. But it was probably just an off night. I'd give them a chance if I were you.

    (3)

  • George L.

    Been there twice and will go back for sure. Good appetizers and main dishes are in hood portions. From sea food to steak it's all good. Worth the trip!

    (4)

  • Kat T.

    Omg! This place is absolutely delicious! When in with my husband and sons and we loved it. The food was delicious and the staff was super friendly and nice. We will be back soon! Ps- we had the Moqueca. Mine was shrimp and hubby's was seafood mix. Can't wait to try other stuff

    (5)

  • Katryn R.

    A wonderful experience. Our server, Roberta, made the perfect recommendation as this was our first visit. We savored the scallops in the shell. They were amazing. My husband and I shared the moqueca with fish and shell fish as it was a 2 person meal. It was delicious but a lot of food. It was filled with fish, shrimp, mussels, clams and calamari in a wonderful savory tomato base. We struggled, but we didn't want to leave anything. Next time, I think we will split a single portion since we enjoy appetizers. Roberta offered the suggestion to change our wine selection from Pinot Noir to an Argentinian Malbec. It was a fantastic recommendation. The staff was amazing, attentive and well trained. We enjoyed our table by the window with a wonderful marina view. We took an order of cinnamon sugar plantains to go. Wow! Even though we didnt enjoy them until a few hours later, they were wonderful. Dipped in a homemade caramel sauce and paired with a Cabernet Savignon, it was heaven! Looking foward to going back.

    (5)

  • Dave A.

    Yummy Brazilian comida in Ventura County??? COM CERTEZA, but only here in Moqueca!!! Located along the Channel Islands Harbor, their specialty is Brazilian fruta de mare, which is not as common as the Brazilian churrascarias in Southern California. Luckily, it's found its way to Oxnard to offer a tasty seafood alternative to the plethora of fish & chips and sushi joints that pepper our area. Tatiana was our sever who had an infectious smile and took care of us splendidly as we indulged in the sunset views our first time here. I was distracted by the seals playing in the middle of the harbor for a time being. We sampled a few things from the menu... *LULA FRITA: Wonderfully prepared, with only calamari "circles." Batter was light and crispy and the calamari was soft and not chewy at all. Tasty! *QUIBES: This meat and mint leaf mix was quite flavorful! What's interesting is, it isn't greasy or soggy. The meatballs have a crisp dry exterior and inside is still moist. This is a filling appetizer, as was the calamari. Unless you have a big appetite or with a sizeable party, may wanna just stick with 1 apertivo. *PICANHA GRELHADA: I know, I KNOW!!! Why ya gettin' beef AT A SEAFOOD JOINT?!?! Hah ;) I just couldn't resist. The picanha cut at Brazilian churrascarias are SUCH A DELIGHT to consume, that it was all I could think if once I saw it in the menu. For a top sirloin cut, it was pretty flavorful and tender, prepared "medium" as requested. Not as amazing as the churrascarrias I've frequented, but really good for a top sirloin cut. They had no problem substituting grilled veggies for the rice, which was served nice 'n crisp. The yucca fries are more dense than potato fries. *MOQUECA DE PEIXE COM CAMARÃO: Ah! Their namesake is a DELIGHT, IF you enjoy seafood. This Panela De Barro (clay pot) dish comes in 2 sizes: a) "WHOA! That's Huge!" standard size. The menu claims it "serves 2" but more like 4. b) Baby Bear just right size, a.k.a. "individual" that easily serves two. Their broth concoction of garlic, coconut milk, olive oil, urucum essence, tomatoes, onions, and cilantro is completely palate pleasing! We had the fish and shrimp option for our first go at it, and it was GOOOD! Their signature dish could easily be ordered again :) *PAVE DE ABACAXI: This perfectly sweet sobremesa of pineapple homemade preserve layered between milk flan and chantilly cream was A LOVELY way to end our visit. We came to enjoy the harbor sunset and sample a new cuisine on this special day, and we had a wonderful time! A great option for a different take on seafood in our area ;)

    (4)

  • Irvin M.

    My wife and I decided to try something new. We took a walk in the channel island marina and this Brazilian place caught our eye. We are glad it did. The staff was so friendly and our waitress knew her stuff. We told her it was our first time and I was picky. She choose drinks from the bar for us and said if my wife didn't like it we didn't have to pay for it. No other better way to sell your restaurant. We had the traditional fish in a pot dish (can't remember the name ) it was delicious. We chose the dish and Again our waitress chose the type of fish. Everything delicious. The only thing I would have liked better is a better view of the marina. The windows are high and the tables are low. You can't really see unless your tall. The food and drinks make you look past that. We will be back with friends. Thx to everyone there.

    (5)

  • Zsanae K.

    After 5 years of coming here I'm still pleased. The service and quality of food is still exceptional. This is my favorite restaurant.

    (5)

  • Cherry D.

    Went here today for lunch. Ordered their signature fish dish. It was delicious. The calamari is good, but cut kind of thick. The plantains were good but wish they were cut thinner. Overall great service, food, and price. I plan on coming here again.

    (5)

  • Debra R.

    We had friends visiting from Brazil, so we hit this place that overlooks the Oxnard Harbor three times in three weeks- once for lunch to check it out, once for Samba night, and once for a special Sunday brunch. We raved about the food each time. My husband and I shared the moqueca twice, with delicious fresh fish in a wonderful flavorful stew, which I'm now addicted to. The huge pot really does serve two, so don't order one for each of you! We always ask for more malagueta sauce and eggplant tapenade to go with every meal, and we enjoy a traditional caparinha off their extensive drink list. Drinks are strong. I enjoyed their nicely grilled shrimp and a large fresh salad, while my husband had the pork stew only available on Sundays. Our Brazilian friends were thrilled with their steak and white rice, with a guarana to drink, just like home they said. The owner's family is originally from Brazil, so it's very authentic. The samba show is a hoot, not to be missed. Our group of ten on Samba night enjoyed the show and the food. Check their website for special dates. The servers welcomed us like family on each of our visits. Service is leisurely, but who cares? We were enjoying the show, the food, the drinks, and the view.

    (4)

  • Kristi N.

    This was pretty darn good. We went for an early dinner just as it was getting dark; the view was spectacular. This is upstairs at the Oxnard Harbor and really showcases the finer side of Oxnard. Three people, we had the Quibes, served with a delicious yogurt mint dipping sauce: the Salada de Palmito, served with the same delicious sauce as a dressing and Moqueca De Peixe Con Camarao, a clay pot seafood dish. We had a side of plantains. Dessert was Flan. When we go back I will have a very hard time not ordering the very same thing. This food is the bomb. Nothing was greasy, everything tasted fresh and healthy. The salad was a stand out. The server, Tatiana (?) was as charming as she could be. This amount of food was more than enough,inter in fact, they package the leftovers in a nice plastic container with a lid. The check, with two glasses of delicious Malbec was reasonable for fine dining with cloth napkins.

    (5)

  • Pablo M.

    The scene is very nice with views of the harbor. We had the scallops for an appetizer and they were delicious and that's from someone who's not at all into scallops! We upgraded to the sea bass moqueca from the standard white fish of the day and it was worth it. The second time around we added shrimp. The sea bass tenderly falls apart and is delicious. Generous portions will leave 2 people with a lil to take home!

    (5)

  • Miik B.

    Always a Five Star experience when Roberta is our waitress. Very knowledgeable of the entire menu and wine list. I've had almost everything on the menu and have never been let down. Last night for my friends birthday we had Brazilian Streak semi rare. So good my eyes went crossed.

    (5)

  • Pamela E.

    Moqueca is the most delicious Brazilian restaurant in Southern California. Get their shrimp Moqueca with white fish! The alcoholic drinks are very strong and delicious! The views are beautiful no matter what time of day you go. The live music makes the restaurant a very lively experience.

    (5)

  • Sandra V.

    Great service, ambience and food. No pao de queijo, so can't give 5 stars! My first moqueca and loved it!

    (4)

  • Susan S.

    The food is awesome and the service gracious. The stroganoff is great, as is the shrimp moqueca, also the heart of palm salad. You will not be sorry if you try it!

    (5)

  • Marlena B.

    The price is right!! The hubby and I went here for date night. I absolutely enjoyed it. We both ordered appetizers, drinks, entree and desert. Seating: Seating was fantastic. We sat in an enclosed outside area with a full view of the harbor. Staff: The staff was quick and efficient. Our waitress ensured we had everything we needed. She wasn't overbearing and didn't play the disappearing act. 2 thumbs up for the waitress. Food: First the portions are definitely made for more than one person. Flavorful, flavorful, flavorful. It was both our first time trying brazilian cruising. This was the place for a first time experience. We will definitely be going back.

    (5)

  • Ana P.

    We found this restaurant by chance let me tell you wow!! Ok I have no words for it ! Seafood Mocheca was just amazing !! It was cute to hear our servers accent trying to pronounce the names !! You will not be disappointed !

    (5)

  • Joey D.

    I'm not into eating a lot of meat but I'm telling you right now this place is actually pretty amazing, so far looks absolutely clean the Carpet is clean, the view of the marina is spectacular. The waitress are always smiling and take the time to explain the menu. Dawn was our server and she was a delight.

    (5)

  • Yogina D.

    The Moqueca was really good! Been here twice. don't have a lot to compare it to, but for this neck of the woods it's a pretty good choice. The atmosphere could maybe tricked out a little more for the prices. Waitress was great. Overall a nice dining experience. Don't order the scallop appetizer. It's scallop jerky.

    (4)

  • Dee D.

    Walked in with big expectations - greeted by a wonderful aroma and were seated within 6 minutes by a very friendly hostess at a table by the window. Then it went downhill ... In the following ten minutes we waited for any form of acknowledgement , 5 waiters had walked by and around our table during this time. NOT ONE acknowledgement while we were there - as if we weren't even there. After 12 min of waiting we left - very disappointing!

    (1)

  • Ruby O.

    Pricey for sure. Food looked amazing just very bland, and because it's a higher end restaurant they did not have any type of seasonings on table. Waited a while to get refills. But everyone was very kind and the view was amazing

    (3)

  • Karen E.

    Love this place! While visiting out in Oxnard, we found this place through Yelp. It had good reviews and we heard great things about Brazilian food...So why not give a try. We ordered the following: Fried Plantains - Best we've ever had while dining out. Lula Frita (calamari rings) - Very good. Picanha Grelhada (Steak) - Steak was tender and tasty. Rice and black beans were paired with the steak. File De Peixe (Fish) - Loved the creamy lime cilantro sauce that was spread over the fish. The dish was served with rice, fried plantains and veggies. All went well with the fish. From now on, this will be our go-to place whenever we are in the neighborhood. Not only is the food good, the view is just as nice as it sits right over the harbor. Service was pleasant and friendly.

    (5)

  • Vicki C.

    I am a sucker for ethnic treats and I jumped at the opportunity to try Brazilian cuisine at Moqueca on a recent visit. We boated in on a Sunday afternoon and enjoyed happy hour after a stroll through the farmers market. The Brazilian national cocktail is the Cachaça so I ordered that to start. The bartender shook up fresh limes, smashed ice and the gold medal award winning Leblon spirit to create a refreshing and strong cocktail that I liked. They were running a promotion with Stella beer and giving away really nice glasses with each Stella. My husband loved the glasses so I had a Stella for him next. Three of us shared a scallop appetizer and some calamari and I liked the presentation of scallops on the half shell. I am not a big fan of Parmesean cheese on seafood but it tasted okay. We also got some bread with eggplant tapenade which was tasty. Moqueca was a fun place to spend the afternoon, and the boat ride home was great, thanks in part to the Cachaça.

    (4)

  • Mrs. D.

    This used to be one of mine and my husband's favorite restaurants. We come here for anniversaries and special occasions. It has always been excellent, but when we went to eat at Moqueca's last night as our last dinner together before my husband leaves for deployment, it was a less than pleasurable experience. Before beginning, let me mention that the restaurant was not full and it was not a busy night. We ordered drinks as soon as we sat down and it took close to 30 minutes to receive our cocktails. We ordered some of our favorite appetizers (the crab dip and scallops on half shells). The dip, which is normally white, cheesy and full of lumpy crab meat was bright red, full of tomatoes and had very little crab meat at all... not to mention, the dip was lukewarm and not hot. The scallops were undercooked and the toppings were soggy versus crispy. Then it was time for our food (which took close to an hour to arrive). We ordered the lobster and shrimp moqueca for two. After cutting one of the lobster tails in half, I realized that it was undercooked (the meat was transparent). After waiting for our waitress to come check on us, I asked one of the other waiters for a new lobster tail. He took the lobster tail back to the kitchen and my husband gave me his to eat because by this time I was starving. Our waitress reappeared about 15 minutes later and presented another moqueca stating that the cook made us a brand new one. Come to find out, it was the same lobster tail that I had sent back. I knew this because the lobster tail was cut in half from when I discovered it was undercooked earlier. By this time we were extremely disappointed and ready to leave! I am not sure if Moqueca's has new management or a new chef, but the food and service are definitely not the same!!! Additionally, the quality does not reflect their prices! Even more disappointing, my husband and I were not able to enjoy our last dinner together before deployment. We will not be returning to this restaurant...

    (1)

  • Joel B.

    This restaurant is inconsistent at best. My wife had the fish entree, I had the brazilian chicken strogenoff. The fish was served with absolutely no spices. The chicken was horribly over salted. The worst part is that our server disappeared for over 30 minutes and did not check back to see if our meal was edible. Restaurant owner: Make sure your chefs are tasting the foid prior to serving! The lack of service and quality are no excuse for a $70 meal.

    (1)

  • Antho L.

    I was invited here by an old high school buddy that I met up with that I hadn't seen since graduating from high school. When I heard there was a Brazilian spot that opened up near the marina, I was intrigued to try it out since having lived in the area as a kid, all I ever remember was the old Lobster Trap Restaurant that our family used to go to on a frequent basis right on the water. While waiting for my buddy to show up, I sat in their bar area and ordered a Brazilian juice made out of cashews. It had an interesting nutty taste to it and was somewhat refreshing yelp.com/biz_photos/moqu… The ambiance was cool with a view to the marina with all the boats in their slips. Teh far wall had shelves with what looked like native Brazilian artifacts and figurines yelp.com/biz_photos/moqu… The view of the marina is nice here but especially spectacular during the day yelp.com/biz_photos/moqu… After my friend arrived, we grabbed a table and sat and reminisced about days gone by. Looking over the menu, we decided to order the namesake dish of the place called the Moqueca. Now, Moqueca is a seafood stew made of a tomato-based sauce, native herbs and spices and coconut milk. It is traditionally cooked in a clay pot and the dish originated in the northeast region of Brazil as was explained to us by our server. You can select different types of seafood you want in the stew such as shrimp, calamari, clams, shark, fish chunks as they had different kinds of Moqueca. We decided to have the mahi mahi and jumbo shrimp be the main ingredients to our stew. It sounded really awesome when our server described it to us that I couldn't wait to try it. We were first served a basket of bread chips along with a really tasty eggplant tapanade. I could have eaten this all night, it was so good. yelp.com/biz_photos/moqu… After a while, our Moqueca was served. You usually order it with a plate of garlic rice and after ladling some of the scrumptious looking stew on my plate of rice, I anticipated how good it was going to taste and I was right, it was delicious! yelp.com/biz_photos/moqu… We were also given a flour mixture called "farofa" which can be sprinkled on your stew. It is apparently made out yucca powder and is utilized to accentuate the meat flavor of the stew. It was somewhat bland in taste and used to most likely thicken the consistency of the stew. So the verdict on Moqueca is a definite two thumbs up. It's not your traditional Brazilian spot when we Angelenos think of Brazilian because we're accustomed to southern Brazilian cuisine found in churrascarias which dots the L.A. landscape with its AYCE meats and buffet. This was a thoroughly enjoyable experience and the service staff were all very friendly, attentive and engaging. This is definitely a great place to experience northern Brazilian cuisine. I'd highly recommend eating here as I personally look forward to enjoying more of the dishes when I get the opportunity.

    (4)

  • Nadia G.

    My bf suggested this place for dinner last night. I had been wanting to try moqueca and their signature drink so I was excited. We each had a caipirinha...I had the passion fruit and my bf had the original. OMG. These were some strong delicious drinks. To start we had a crab appetizer. It was very "fishy" but good. We decided on the lobster/shrimp moqueca to share and ordered a side of plantains. I love fried plantains and these were delicious. My bf said they were the best part of dinner. The moqueca was good. Not exactly what either one of us expected but it was good. I was too full to order dessert maybe next time.

    (4)

  • Michael R.

    Moqueca is an homage to the sea. It features dishes from southeastern Brazil, a cuisine that often utilizes seafood. From its awesome harbor views to thoughtful touches throughout the restaurant of fish sculptures you are reminded of what the restaurant celebrates. This establishment deserves nothing less than a 5 star rating, it completely embodies everything you want out of a restaurant. I'll start with the most important, the food. Everything I have had tried so far has been outstanding. By far their best dishes are the Fish Moquecas that are served family style on a huge clay pot with a delicious aromatic side of rice. They recommend 1 Moqueca for 2 people, but seriously it could feed 3-4 with an extra side of rice. The staff, amazing group of people. Humble, attentive and very helpful in menu selections. Most importantly service has been consistent every time I have been there, which is key to any successful restaurant. The view, really beautiful outlook of the Harbor. A perfect romantic spot for a date night or any other occasion. All in all one of my favorite restaurants in Ventura County.

    (5)

  • Manny E.

    If the had freshener ingredients it could be a great place my lemon wedges where old tiring brown all over. The cucumber cuts where dry out and their salad dressing was not that tasty. Definably not Brazilian.

    (2)

  • Delcia L.

    Best service , detail explanation on the Brazilian food. Waitresses are knowledgeable and great. Answered all questions . Awesome . I will drive back with the whole family.

    (5)

  • Sherina A.

    Moqueca is a hidden gem in the Channel Islands Harbor but it's well known to foodies. The staff were very friendly & accommodating to the customers. They made sure we were taken care of. Tatiana = awesome waitress & great @ what she does. We ordered moqueca fish & shrimp, clearly the highlight of the dinner. It's a seafood, tomato base stew with herbs and spices. To add a little kick, ask for the chili oil. In addition to our meal, was a complimentary bread chips/crackers with the best eggplant tapenade. So much flavor in a veggie dip & almost feeling guilt free. The beef stroganoff was easily forgotten. Though very tasty, the meat was a little chewy & sauce just somewhat sour. It could not compete with the powerful flavors of the moqueca. This place is awesome with views of the harbor.

    (5)

  • Vicky L.

    Hostess was really rude ... I completely understand that on Valentine's Day things can get hectic but politeness should be a norm!

    (1)

  • Marc S.

    Incredible! I've always wanted to eat here and the food lives up to is expectations. The mixed seafood in a clay pot is filled with flavor and the baked scallop appetizer is out of this world. The servers are sweet (a little slow a la European style). Decent atmosphere.

    (4)

  • Kg H.

    Ordered the Moquequinha, had the choice of shrimp or seafood mix. Go for the lunch special to give it a try if you've never had Brazillian food.

    (5)

  • Stephanie K.

    Being the only Brazilian in the county, this place has an edge but it was just ok. Overpriced for what you get, I think.

    (3)

  • Luciana B.

    Moqueca is a restaurant that serves this traditional Brazilian fish dish called moqueca. It is a stew that can be made with fish , shrimp or a mix of different seafood. Being from Brazil I really felt it was as authentic as it gets. Very well seasoned, with the right amount of coconut milk and cilantro. It is located in the second floor of a commercial center by the harbor with great views. We ordered a moqueca of sea bass and shrimp. It was enough for 3 people. We also had the "casquinha de caranguejo" which is sort of a crab stir fry that is lightly baked. and of course, the yucca fries. Everything was delish. It took about 20 -25 minutes because it is made from scratch. They have a very hot pepper sauce that I added tiny little drops and it was perfect. I wish Oxnard was closer.

    (5)

  • Bud B.

    Superb as always!!

    (5)

  • Kevin M.

    This place was amazing! Great service.... fantastic food.... Perfect evening for my wife and I on her 40th birthday. We will definitely be going back! Oh one minor criticism... they could throw in a little Sepultura into their background music mix just to spice things up ;^) (just kidding, of course) Keep up the good work guys. The Murphys

    (5)

  • Theresa O.

    As long as you are not looking for one of those crazy Brazilian meat houses, this place had the best Brazilian food I've ever tasted! A must is to order the signature dish in the clay pot. It will indeed feed two plus leftovers. My favorite is the mixed seafood. We went on Friday night, and the plantains weren't bad; those with me enjoyed them, yet I am always more savory than sweet . I can always count on great food at this place: it's somewhere I enjoy taking guests because it is different and great.

    (5)

  • Derek C.

    Amazing food and authentic. The staff is very friendly and a nice place for a date, party or hang out at their bar. Right by the harbor and quitr romantic as well. A must visit if you want to experience Brazilian food.

    (5)

  • Joseph L.

    Oxnard Annual Strawberry Festival = lotsa berries, hand sewn goods, cutting boards shaped like peace signs and/or skulls, and stuff if you actually bought you'd have morning regrets over = FAIL Moqueca in Oxnard = Brazilian Seafoods Stews = EPIC i'm a huge fan of Brazilian bbq and this is actually much different from what i'm used to. in one of the provinces they happen to eat a lot of stews and paella which is the main fare of this restaurant. the restaurant is really picturesque and gives a nice view of the harbor. get the mixed seafood moqueca stew or the paella. the moqueca has really nice undertones of cliantro, tomato and onions in the broth with just a hint of coconut to make it creamy. i thought they did a really nice job of not overcooking the seafood and there was plenty of shrimp, calamari, clams and fish chunks throughout. our awesome waiter Roderigo brought out some special spicy peppers marinated in some kind of oil that really gave the nose a run. if they don't offer it, be sure to ask for it and put some on your rice. Brazilian rice is so thick and filling, plenty of oil and salt cooked into it.

    (5)

  • Jack F.

    I've eaten at Moqueca a few times in the past year or so, but can't seem to get hooked on their menu. Recently we dined there with family and shared quite a few dishes that included fish, shrimp, and lobster. The Seafood Moqueca that included Mahi Mahi was good, as was the Shrimp Moqueca. The Lobster & Shrimp Moqueca, though, was very unimpressive. Truthfully, the two lobster tails were as tough as shoe leather and, frankly, at $62 the dish was a major disappointment. I love fresh seafood, but I hope that overcooking lobster isn't their signature cooking style. Good service, nice location, cold beverages, and (badly) overcooked lobster equals "Meh. I've experienced better."

    (2)

  • Devyn R.

    Very good food and nice service. My husband had the steak and I had the chicken, both of us were extremely happy. The plantains and black beans were delicious.

    (5)

  • Joanne L.

    If Korean tofu soup and Italian zuppa di pesce had it baby, it would be a pippiin' hot bowl of Brazilian moqueca! Moqueca is a seafood stew in a clay pot with spices, tomato base, and loads of seafood. I didn't have much expectation when I first came into the restaurant. The seafood stew is a LARGE portion, definitely can feed 2 people by itself. We ordered the seafood + fish stew, can it came with lots of squid and fish meat among other stuff. The clay pot keeps it pipping hot to the last drop. I also like the fact that it comes with a bowl of flavored rice and a special oil-based hot sauce. Perfect pairing. The dish is kind of pricy ~$40-60, depending which one you get, but it's definitely worth it for 2-3 people. This is such an unique dish and I cannot wait to come back again. Moqueca... I am in LOVE!! They also have a pretty strong caipirinha. I always order this drink, and so far, only Fogo de Chao and Moqueca are only two faves. We also tried the potato/chicken turnover, but I thought the fried potato balls were a little thick. If you ever tried Portos in Burbank or Glendale, it's very similar to the potato balls but heavier.

    (5)

  • Julie D.

    Whenever I'm at Sea Fresh, I always tell myself I should eat at Moqueca since they're upstairs. It took me a while, but I finally made it. I actually thought they served typical Brazilian cuisine so I was expecting it to be a churrascaria. I was not disappointed when I was informed that they predominantly offer seafood. Everything we ordered was recommended by the guy who waited on us. I forgot his name, but he was an excellent dude. The service here is ridiculous good. Kind of unheard of in the area. I love the artwork they have displayed. The passion fruit flan was to.die.for. I loved that flan so much I ordered it the next week while I was at Sea Fresh downstairs.

    (5)

  • Frank K.

    MMmmmmm Baybay!!!! Good stuff!! I MEAN GOOOoooOOOdddDDD!!! Kind of a Chiopinno/ Paella Mix!! Very interesting... My date and I got the seafood/shrimp mix!! EXCELLENT!! Over rice, with a hot oil mix-in. GREAT!! Could have kept on going just on flavor alone... It's THAT good!! Don't plan on room for desert... Left-overs are superior, but get extra rice to go. Don't tell the kids what it is and they may love it to... Then, once you lure them in take them there... Nice place with a special feel... Enjoy this place.. Special...

    (4)

  • Jennifer W.

    My husband and I popped in here for dinner during our one night vacation at the Mandalay Beach Resort in Oxnard. Turned out to be a great choice! On Saturday night there was chill, live Brazilian music and a peaceful ambiance. The drink menu was extensive, and the food was delicious. I had the traditional dish - moqueca with white fish - a garlickly, limey, cilantro-y, fish soup that was so delicious. My husband had the steak with fried taro and veggies. We were both very pleased with our meals!

    (4)

  • Patty G.

    This place is amazingly good! Service was excellent, drinks were good, food was delicious, & it was reasonably priced! From the moment you walk in, you can smell the flavors, we will be back very soon!

    (5)

  • Nazy J.

    Beef stroganoff was very yummy But the place was very dim and empty... The staff were amazing tho Unfortunately as nice as their location is , they didn't wow me at all

    (3)

  • Alfonso M.

    My wife and I stopped by the weekend before Valentines day in order to avoid big rushes etc. I was pleased with the food but the service leaves much to be desired when it comes to the waitress that helped us. There was another waitress in the restaurant working at the time and even she, even though we weren't her table, was way more polite and attentive than the one assigned to us. The waitress seemed overly rushed without having many tables at the time, she even made a rude comment about doing something for a customer who wasn't in her area. When she stopped on to check on is "very far and apart" she simply asked how everything was and didn't even wait for an answer before she moved on. She seems to be an experienced server but might be burnt out and might need a vacation or something. The service aspect of a dinning experience counts for almost half of any ratting you will get. Hope management takes this into consideration.

    (3)

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Map

Opening Hours

  • Mon :5:00 pm - 9:00pm

Specialities

  • Takes Reservations : Yes
    Delivery : No
    Take-out : Yes
    Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
    Accepts Bitcoin : No
    Good For : Dinner
    Parking : Private Lot
    Bike Parking : Yes
    Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
    Good for Kids : Yes
    Good for Groups : Yes
    Attire : Casual
    Ambience : Casual
    Noise Level : Average
    Alcohol : Full Bar
    Outdoor Seating : Yes
    Wi-Fi : No
    Has TV : Yes
    Dogs Allowed : No
    Waiter Service : Yes
    Caters : Yes

Moqueca Brazilian Cuisine

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