Mai's Cafe

1967 E Main St, Ventura, CA

★★★★4.3(318 Google reviews)

Crema's Take

Mai's Cafe is a beloved neighborhood Vietnamese spot where owners William and Karen create genuine warmth alongside generous bowls of pho, crispy banh xeo, and standout chicken katsu that keeps both locals and road-trippers coming back. The casual, welcoming atmosphere strikes that perfect balance between a quick lunch counter and a place where families linger over full breakfasts, making it feel less like a typical restaurant and more like a comforting extension of the community. What sets it apart is how the food—from the flavorful broths to the special off-menu pork meatloaf—tastes like it's made with care, matched by genuinely kind service that makes you feel seen.

What to expect

MeetingsFull breakfastTraditional drinksLight foodSlow sitFamily friendly

Google Reviews

Carrie Smith
★★★★4 months ago

I went to Mai's for Pho on a rainy day. It was very warm and comforting, flavors were great and size was generous. The meat wasn't my favorite, I wish I got chicken. Atmosphere is very casual. The kpop demon hunters music played 5 times in a row before they finally changed it. Loved the food, good spot in a strange neighborhood.

VenganAcomer 805
★★★★★3 years ago

Special thanks to William and Karen. They were very welcoming and their customer service was above and beyond. I used to come here as a kid since I lived down the street. It’s super clean, and has a nice updated look to the restaurant. It’s located next to a market so you can eat before or after you get your groceries. The food was very delicious, fresh, tasty and presentation was niiiiiiiccce! I’ll Be back and update more food pictures as I try new items. If you have “ebt” they will also take that form of pay, this is a very nice of them to offer fresh cooked meals with people with food stamps. This Family owned business is a perfect representation of community! Mai’s Cafe, you have my support for any future community events you may want to be part of ✊🏽🙏🏻💯🔥.

Becky Tran
★★★★★3 years ago

Went here for lunch and was very pleased with the food. We tried a bunch of their items: spring rolls, pork meat loaf (special, not on the official menu), banh xeo / crepe, pho, mochi chicken, and a special plate with beef, sausage, and pork meat loaf. Everything was delicious. We went on the hottest day of the year, but they have AC, and it was cold enough inside that we decided to also get pho. The mochi chicken was good! But I have to say my absolute favorite was the banh xeo / Vietnamese crepe with shrimp and pork - it was perfectly crispy. We also ordered some Thai teas and lemonade, which was refreshing. They also have boba drinks here that I'd recommend too. :) Great place to eat in Ventura, CA!

Elena Ionescu
★★★★4 years ago

Quite typical Vietnamese restaurant — very chill atmosphere with nice people. We felt welcomed. To my surprise they served alcohol beverages— did not know they have a bar. I was craving for pho soup and oh yeah, they did delivered.

eriko p
★★★★4 years ago

Quick,easy and tasty. Fast and kind service. I ordered the Beef Bun and my husband ordered the Katsu Chicken and the Beef Curry . The chicken Katsu was the BEST! We were driving through and was hungry so this place fit our cravings.

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