Brophy Bros. — Restaurant in Ventura

Come for the Happy Hour 3-630pm (inside only), and the free parking.

Pros and Cons...

The bread, by far, steals the show. It's fresh, airy, chewy, has a delicious chewy crust.

Thirsty? Do NOT drink the tap water, water with ice, water with lemon. It tastes like it came straight out of a 1950s lead pipe. And it probably did. Lol. The Taste is just terrible. Which means now you have another good excuse to come during happy hour, and order an actual beverage.

Ceviche was good. If they add a drop of oil, some cilantro, maybe a pinch more salt, it would be great. The portion size is okay, probably about 8 oz of ceviche, planted over about 12 oz of lettuce/salad. There's a lot of salad underneath that you don't realize until you start digging in.

Steamed Clams were a bit rubbery. Overcooked by like 2 minutes too long. The butter sauce served on the side needed salt though. Ironic, since usually most places are over salted. Lol. But you can always pour some salt to your liking I guess.

Steamed Mussels... they are large and fresh. You can definitely taste the freshness. I prefer the Mussels over The Clams.

Atmosphere... HUMID inside the bar area. I would say the outside temperature was probably 75. There was a slight breeze going on the outside patio. The minute you stepped inside though, it felt like you were walking into a mild sauna. Hot and steamy for sure. What saved us was sitting on a corner booth, right in front of a huge Industrial fan.

So pick and choose your agenda. If you want a temperate environment, sit outside, but you won't be able to get the happy hour. If you sit inside, you get happy hour pricing, but you do have to suffer through a little bit of humidity.

Service... one of the downsides unfortunately. So we were seated, Hostess didn't even ask us if she could take our drink order or anything. What irks me the most was that I saw two tables that were wide open on the outside patio. But the hostess insisted on seating us inside, saying that the two tables outside were reserved. After the hostess sat us down, it was at least 10 or 15 minutes before either one of those parties at the two outside tables showed up. I call b*. I think the hostess should have set us outside, and made the other two tables wait when they showed up.

So... sitting in a booth meant for 6 people. We were only 2. Hello? Talk about a waste of seating space.

Oh, our waitress took about 5-6 minutes to come over, to take our order. Then it was like another 20 minutes of us just sitting there. The place was not busy at all. Please keep that in mind. I can understand if this place was swamped or something. But there were a lot of Empty Tables around us, and also a lot of empty seats at the bar.

Food finally got delivered, but then no recheck by the service staff to see if we were doing okay. Whatever. One thing that got me was that I was seeing other waiters and waitresses walking around us, and not one of them bothered to check in.

I was actually able to flag down a different waitress who added to our tab with another food item.

After about 8 to 10 more minutes, our last dish came out. Then about another 10 minutes went by before our original waitress came by to check on us. Then she checked on us one more time about 5 minutes after that. A little too late if you asked me. My thought here is that she took our order, and then went on a break, but didn't bother to tell another server/waiter to check on us. Whatever.

Would I come back here again? Probably, if I was in the area, on a date, with some people visiting from out of town maybe.

• One thing for sure though, I would definitely sit at the bar, because the service Sitting AT the Bar is way better, and I would only come during the happy hour time frame Monday through friday,...

I've been meaning to write this review for some time.

My go-to place in Ventura is Brophy's on the harbor. Brophy's is almost like a Cheers bar ... most of the guests are friendly and enjoyable to speak with. And many are die-hard regulars.

The food is very good, reasonably priced and the view of the harbor and surrounding hills is simply awesome. The staff is exceptionally well-trained and work to provide guests with great service (even when they are slammed), and a wonderful experience. I have never found a staff more well-oiled than those at Brophy's. I attribute the harmony and support they provide each other to the leadership of the owner and the two managers, Tyler and Nikki. I have never met the owner as for the most part his managers run the show. However, a few days ago the place was packed with people waiting for seats. A gentleman jumped up from his table and went to the bar and cleaned off the counter for two patrons. I then learned he was the owner. I was impressed.

Each bartender and server I have interacted with goes well above and beyond service I have encountered at other restaurants. They make me feel truly special, and I don't feel like I'm just another face in the crowd. As a patron and provider of marketing services to restaurants for decades, I appreciate what Brophy's brings to the table.

Another recent experience reinforced my positive opinion of the staff. A patron had too much to drink, was becoming annoying and abusive to the bartender ... calling him nasty names. He calmly listened to the man's vitriol, and instead of getting embroiled in an angry conversation, simply told the person that he couldn't continue to serve him. The young man was totally in control of the situation and his emotions, and peace was quickly restored.

If you haven't paid Brophy's a visit, do yourself a favor and give them a try. They have great clam chowder. Everyone, including myself, raves about the cioppino, which is one of their featured dishes. Love oysters? Buy them by the half shell or enjoy their shooters. The new pumpkin cheesecake is to...

a Harbor Gem: Festive Vibes and Generous Plates

Nestled by the harbor, this spot strikes a balance between cozy and lively, especially during the holiday season. The atmosphere was a solid 4.5, with festive Christmas lights draped all over, creating a warm, inviting vibe. Add to that the friendly and attentive servers, and you're set for a delightful dining experience.

The Food Rundown: The seafood pasta was a highlight—fresh and flavorful. The fish and chips, while slightly overcooked, still managed to hold their own. The batter-to-fish ratio was spot on, which is always a tricky balance to nail.

The sea bass plate was an interesting experience. I'd give it a 4.5 for execution. The blackened option was a bit unexpected for me. I'm more accustomed to the buttery richness of Chilean sea bass, so that might explain my slight hesitation. Still, it was flaky and well-prepared, just not quite my personal favorite.

The fish sandwich? A definite winner. Packed with fish and bursting with flavor, it stood out as one of the best dishes on the table.

Drinks and Portions: One thing that stood out was the generosity—both in the food portions and the drink sizes. It’s rare to find a place that doesn’t skimp, and this spot delivered on both fronts.

Final Thoughts: If you’re looking for a chill spot with great food, festive vibes, and attentive service, this harbor-side gem is worth a visit. While it might not hit a perfect 5 across the board, the overall experience—flavorful dishes, generous portions, and a welcoming atmosphere—makes it a memorable dining...