Johnny's Mexican Food — Restaurant in Ventura

Ate here on 9/21/23 and two days later, someone attempted to use my credit card information to make a $445 purchase online. Coincidence? I’m not sure, but an employee here may be stealing credit card info from customers and making fraudulent purchases online.

This is the only place in recent memory where I handed my card to anyone and had it out of my direct line of sight and two days later, a charge was suddenly made using my card. Hard to say my info was absolutely stolen here, but I find it even more difficult to think of anywhere else where someone would have had the opportunity to do so.

I actually had an issue with my order in that I asked for two tacos (one with asada and one with chicken) and was given two asada tacos by mistake. I asked the owner to correct the order after eating one and noticing that both tacos were made with carne asada and he somewhat reluctantly told me he’d prepare another one for me. I even offered to give him back the other taco so he could throw it out if he wanted, but he offered little response to the suggestion and simply said he was making another one with chicken.

I’m uncertain if the theft of my credit info and the subsequent fraudulent charge was some sort of retribution for my request (or if it even happened here), but I haven’t used my credit card anywhere else where someone would have had the opportunity to take my info. When paying, I handed the guy taking my order my card thru the little window and he scanned it in the card reader as it faced towards himself.

I suspect that a camera either captured my credit info as I handed him my card (or as he handed it back) or he flipped it over for a camera to see at some other point during the transaction. I really don’t know for certain, but either way, I likely won’t be returning out of precaution and warn anyone else to be cautious when using their credit/debit cards there. My credit company is investigating and I’ll be calling the local PD in the morning to let them know my...

Johnny’s Mexican Food - Ventura: A Chip Off the Old Block (And It’s Pure Gold)

Let me start with the real MVP here: Johnny’s chips. I’ve traveled the seven seas (okay, maybe just the 101 freeway), tasted chips from here to Timbuktu (alright, fine, just around SoCal), and I can say with complete confidence that these chips are some of the best I’ve ever had. They’re so good, I’m pretty sure they could solve world peace if we just got everyone to sit around a basket and crunch together in harmony.

But Johnny’s isn’t a one-trick pony riding on chip fame alone. The food here hits harder than my dad’s jokes at Thanksgiving dinner – and somehow manages to be way more satisfying. Every bite is like a warm hug from your Mexican abuela, even if your actual abuela is a sweet Polish lady named Gertrude who makes pierogies.

The staff treats you like family (the good kind of family – not the kind that asks when you’re getting married every five minutes). The portions are generous enough to feed a small village, or one very determined college student during finals week. And the prices? So reasonable, you’ll check your receipt twice thinking they forgot to charge you for something.

Fair warning: once you experience Johnny’s, other Mexican food will just taste like sadness wrapped in a sad tortilla. You’ve been warned.

Come for the chips, stay for everything else, leave planning your next visit before you’ve even made it...

UPDATE Returned today and tried a shredded beef California burrito and a chile relleno/pork burrito. The California was really special and I’d return for it any day. The hot crispy French fries melded just right with the beef and cheese. The other burrito was solid but the pork was quite bland.

Customer service was interesting. The young woman at the window seemed like she’d rather be doing something else on a beautiful Saturday morning.

$10 for a slender Johnny’s original burrito (shredded beef in chile colorado red sauce with cheese) made me gasp a bit as they were perhaps half that price the last time I ate here 25 yrs ago. The flavors are pretty good, but frankly I grew bored with the flavor and texture after 3 or four bites, even with the addition of their decent salsa. I think beans and rice would round out the extreme meatiness of the soft, shredded beef. Next time I’ll try the crunchy tacos that other reviewers recommend. After I got my food I noticed the line was maybe ten deep at...