Dining Waterside in Oxnard, California

It was a little chilly on the evening we dined at the Waterside Restaurant. However, we had been in California for several days and had yet to dine alfresco, so we requested patio seating. We wanted to experience the full ambiance of dining seaside before we started traveling inland, and the Waterside Restaurant & Wine Bar was the place to do it. The view of the fishing boats docked in the Channel Islands Harbor, the sound of lapping waves and the aroma of salty sea air was the perfect setting. Our host seated us adjacent to the fire pit and set an overhead heater next to our table to ensure we’d stay warm enough while we dined. That thoughtful gesture was the beginning of a lovely dining experience.

Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared in U.S. Long Cuts. We are merging U.S. Long Cuts with Midwest Wanderer, adding a “Beyond the Midwest” menu option.

Waterside Restaurant outdoor seatingOur Waterside Meal

We started our meal with a cocktail and an appetizer. We chose sesame-crusted ahi tuna for the appetizer, something neither of us had tried before. I thought its light flavor tasted like a rare steak enhanced by toasted sesame seeds.

Waterside Restaurant cocktailahi tunaSince we had a big lunch I kept it light with my entrée, a kale citrus salad with mandarins, apples, almonds and dried cranberries, served with sweet-tangy red pepper honey citrus vinaigrette. Skip opted for one of the specials, a pasta dish. We finished the meal with decadent chocolate.

Entree salad at Waterside RestaurantpastaWaterside Restaurant dessertExploring the Waterside Restaurant
Afterwards Jonathan, our server, allowed us closer access to the harbor area to take photos and then showed us around the rest of the restaurant, telling us a little more about it.

Channel Islands HarborEvery table has a view of the water, even in the banquet room.

Waterside Restaurant Banquet RoomThe high-top tables in the bar area are handmade using old barrels for the base.

Waterside Restaurant high-top tablesbar in Waterside Restaurant

Special Waterside Restaurant Events

Winemakers Dinner
Once a month the Waterside hosts a Winemakers Dinner. They prepare a five-course pre-fixe dinner and collaborate with area wine makers. Each course is paired with a different wine. The meal is served at a communal banquet table.

Waterside Restaurant communal tableSunday Farmers Brunch
Waterside always serves fresh seasonal, local food, but you can’t get any fresher than what they serve at their Sunday brunch. A farmers market sets up in the parking lot adjacent to the restaurant on Sunday mornings and that’s where the food for the brunch is sourced from.

Don’t miss a Midwest Wanderer post. For a FREE subscription, enter your e-mail address in the Subscribe2 box to the right and click Subscribe.

$6 Sundays
The Waterside is closed on Mondays, so every Sunday following brunch hours they offer wines that were opened on Saturday or during Sunday brunch for $6 a glass, wines that usually range from $8 to $15. It’s a good time to try wines that you may not otherwise choose.

The weather may have been a bit chilly, but the folks at the Waterside Restaurant & Wine Bar gave us a warm welcome and served an impressive meal. The restaurant, located in Oxnard, California, at 3500 South Harbor Boulevard, Suite 1-111, is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday and for brunch and dinner on Sunday. Check the web site for exact hours and to browse the menus.

Local Accommodations

We stayed at the Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach during our visit to Oxnard.  Find the best hotel deal, compare prices, and read what other travelers have to say at TripAdvisor.

**********

Disclosures: Our dinner at the Waterside Restaurant & Wine Bar was hosted by the restaurant and the Oxnard Convention & Visitors Bureau. Our meal was complimentary, but any opinions in this article are our own.
This article contains an affiliate link, which means that if you book a hotel room through this links, I will receive a small commission, with no additional cost to you.

Thank you for reading Midwest Wanderer. Don’t miss a post. Enter your e-mail address below and click Subscribe to be notified whenever I publish another post. Subscription is FREE. After subscribing, be sure to click the link when you get the e-mail asking you to confirm.


 

One thought on “Dining Waterside in Oxnard, California

  • December 10, 2015 at 11:41 am
    Permalink

    I’m so glad to find this review, we are heading to CA and will be staying in Oxnard next week. We will definitely give this restaurant a try. Couldn’t ask for better timing!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *