Snapper Jack’s Taco Shack is currently celebrating their 25th anniversary. They offer a mix of Mexican and seafood from three different locations. These locations are in Venture, Camarillo and Thousand Oaks. With a wide variety of items on their menu, and nine different savory salsas to spice up any item on the menu at their salsa bar. In this episode we dive right into the core of customer experience—from the ocean-themed ambiance to the enticing sound of fresh fish cooking on the grill to welcoming smiles, the relaxed beach-town vibe, or the ideal Baja-style taco, which embodies Snapper Jack’s positive vibes.
Jaydin, Itzel, and Joselyn spent Easter Eve wrapped in the warm charm of the Heaven Made Market, where the coffee is rich, the flowers are fresh, and every small business feels like family. We found the sweetest vintage pieces, got permanent jewelry with meaning, and treated ourselves to cookies that tasted like childhood.
Come along in the vlog — it’s one of those days we’ll never forget.
Don’t forget to follow these vibrant vendors on their Instagram pages below! ↓
Known as “the happiest place on Earth”, Disneyland is a highly sought out destination for many due to its incredible attractions. Offering tasty unique food and drink options, character meet ups, rides/coasters, shows, and more! Between all of that, high prices, long wait times, and the large crowds it can get a bit overwhelming at times. However, no need to fret I’ll be going over some of my favorite recommendations and tips that I’ve learned as someone who has a magic key (annual pass) and has been going frequently for a few years. So let’s dive in!
Tip: The best cold brew is served at the Dockingbay in Galaxy’s Edge
Fave Foods:
Disneyland
Jolly Holiday Cafe
Jolly Holiday has great dining options, they have sandwiches, soups, salads, and pastries. My go to is the beef birria grilled cheese sandwich. Very flavorful and a decent sized portion. They also offer seasonal options. Around the holidays they have a turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce that’s definitely a must have.
Hungry Bear has a great menu selection offering barbecue, burgers, chicken tenders, and tons of delicious desserts. If you’re a barbecue fan you’ll definitely want to check it out! I love to try their seasonal funnel cakes so if you ever see one available make sure not to miss out on it!
The boardwalk dining for Lamplight Lounge is the perfect stop for shareable appetizers, and a delicious drinks. My all time favorite is the “Spotlight” barbacoa nachos. I personally am not a seafood fan but I’ve heard amazing reviews about the lobster nachos as well. Besides the amazing food and drinks it has a beautiful view as it sits on the pier by the ferris wheel. To get seated you just walk up and join their virtual walk up list. Definitely worth the visit!
Cocina Cucamonga is located in San Fransokyo Square, and serves Mexican cuisine. Most of their food is incredible, the only item I’m not a fan of is the street corn. My go to order is the quesabirria tacos. If I’m feeling extra hungry I’ll add on a side of cilantro lime rice, and of course wash it down with an horchata. Seriously too good to pass up on!
Most dining options allow for mobile ordering so check ahead to schedule orders for asap or a later time!
*Tip: Do NOT eat at Galactic Grill at Disneyland I’ve tried it a few times and every time has been disappointing. Save your money and go literally anywhere else!*
Best Drinks (alcohol)
Tip: You can mobile order your drink ahead of time just like food. Just be sure to have a valid ID, 2 drinks per 1 ID can be given!
Disneyland
Oga’s Cantina- must join waitlist before hand or make reservation, for those who are under 21 no problem there’s no age restriction to enter! Make Reservation
The Fuzzy Ton-Ton (my go to)
California Adventureland
The Brewery X Baja Blast (Made with alcohol)
Hollywood Lounge
Shmoozies
Award Weiners (get the Brewery X Baja Blast)
Lamplight Lounge (get the Dole whip shots)
Pym Testing Lab (get the R&D Martini)
The one on the left is Litmus Lemonade (contains alcohol) which tastes just like the Starbucks Strawberry Açaí Refresher, and the one on the right is the R&D Martini which tastes like an espresso martini (this one is my new favorite)
Navigating the Lightening Lane:
The Lightening Lane isn’t perfect and can be confusing so this is my advice on using it as someone who doesn’t like to wait!
Plan ahead which rides are a priority for you. If you’re park hopping the pass applies to both parks, and you are able to book slots every 2 hours.
Popular rides will run out of slots earlier in the day. I constantly see rides like Guardians of the Galaxy, Space Mountain, and Indiana Jones only offering slots for 11pm by 3pm. So, for popular rides like those I’d advise you book them earlier in the day to ensure a slot.
There are two rides that are excluded from the pass and are available for separate purchasing. These rides are Rise of the Resistance at Disneyland, and Radiator Springs Racers at California Adventure. Each ride is available to buy a separate pass for $20 each.
-If you don’t feel like spending an extra $20 I’d advise using the single rider line for Radiator Springs Racers, since you can wait the entire time with your party and just ride separately.
Tip: Hit Radiator Springs in the night for the best views, the whole area gets lit up and is stunning
-Rise of the resistance doesn’t do single riders so your best alternative would be to either go right when the park opens or right before the ride closes. Do note though that this ride closes by 10pm even when the park closes at 12am.
As everyone knows rides do break down here and there and will close for maintenance, in the event that the ride you booked the pass for is not operating during your time slot you’ll be given a unique pass. A cast member will scan it and you’ll see a single use multi-use experience will pop up. You’ll be able to use this at any ride that accepts lightening lane. (Some people will use this as a hack if they know a ride will be down most likely all day in order to use the pass on a ride that doesn’t offer a slot for a long time)
You can only book each ride one time. Although you get new bookings every 2 hours, you cannot repeat a ride using lightening lane. So, if the wait time for a ride is relatively short I’d recommend waiting to use it until it gets busier.
Lastly, use the tip board where you schedule slots to keep up with wait times and in between slots fit in rides with shorter wait times to maximize your experience.
Ride Hacks
On Big Thunder Mountain try to maintain eye contact with the goat while going through the bend as it’s said to make it feel faster.
The Matterhorn ride has two tracks; the left side and right side. The left side is more aggressive, while the right is more gentle. So, if you like thrill take the left, and if you like a more mellow experience go right.
The Winnie the Pooh and Storybook ride offer a special experience to the first riders everyday. If you’re the first in line to either ride you get to sign a book. Personally, I’m not usually there that early, but for my morning people you may want to consider it as it’s a unique experience!
The Monsters Inc ride at California Adventure sometimes offers their own version of the single rider line and is referred to as a buddy pass. Buddy pass is applicable to parties of 2 and 1, and the entrance is through the exit. Just make sure to ask a cast member to see if they’re offering it that day.
Rope Drop Hacks
Most people who rope drop will go to the right side of the park first, so do the opposite and go left for less crowds at Disneyland
If you rope drop at California Adventure start at Pixar Pier, and knock out all of those rides
Thank you for reading, and I hope these help you with your next Disney day! If you have any questions don’t hesitate to reach out 🙂
In today’s day and age, we as people are so accustomed to the food we eat being fast, industrialized, machine made and lacking any soul. Fast food chains litter towns and cities as the easy, on-the-go spot to grab a bite to eat. Dining culture in the United States made that shift in the 1960’s when places like McDonalds opened their doors and the world was first exposed to how cheap, quick and reliable food could be. It seems that since that time, real dining experiences and food culture have been lost to some extent and everyplace must feel as streamlined as possible. In this article, We will discuss some of the best dining experiences in Ventura County that bring food and experience to the forefront and offer guests with meals that’ll have them returning over and over.
The first restaurant on this list is Azafran. A family owned Spanish-Peruvian Fusion restaurant located in Camarillo’s old town. Azafran offers a cozy ambiance and stunning menu with dishes ranging from blackened octopus, prosciutto toast, Shrimp tacos, Peruvian ceviche, and French press coffee to go along with it all.
Photo Via Visit Camarillo
The spot offers a breakfast/brunch service as well as dinner with a small menu that is perfected by the chef. Even with the smaller sized menu, there are still options for everyone with dietary restrictions in mind.
Plenty of satisfying vegetarian options like Chaufa, a vegetable fried rice or the Pulpo, a confit potato dish with white bean puree and cherry tomatoes. Pictures of their dishes, although plated marvelously, still can’t express how flavorful, and delicious the dishes are. The cozy atmosphere mixed with the open kitchen design and almost home-interior like layout, Azafran truly makes you feel like you’re at home with some of the best food you could possibly imagine.
The next restaurant is Am Noodle, located off telephone road in Ventura. Thai restaurants are in no shortage in the area, but few offer the more traditional style of dishes as Am Noodle does.
What brought the restaurant to my attention initially was people raving about how a dish they grew up with was finally done right again, which soon after, prompted a visit with some friends. The place is small, only seating around 20 people, but the food and overall atmosphere makes up for it. Thai food is easily accommodated to almost anyone’s food needs whether that be vegetarian, vegan, or any allergies. I’ve tried many different Thai curries at various places but almost nothing compares to their Panang Curry. A thick, red curry with much more citrus and zest than it’s counterparts. Served steaming hot with a heart shaped mound of white rice on the side, every bite is as good as the last one and will keep you wanting more.
A place I find to have had a redemption from an earlier time, The Greek, located at the Ventura harbor had had its ups and downs but has seen itself still thriving to this day and remains a place that stands out in the city.
The Greek opened its doors in 1994, making it the oldest location on this list. In 2011 the restaurant was featured on Gordan Ramsey’s “Kitchen Nightmares” where he went around the country to various struggling restaurants and helped lift them out of the chaos. The Greek, which has been family run, was in turmoil and the food was poorly rated at the time, but since that time, the restaurant has been one of the few from the show to survive the test of time and flourish since then. When dining here you are greeted with the scenic view of the Ventura Harbor which radiates in the sun during the day time, and glows with the lights of boats and the harbor walkway at night. The restaurant features a large outdoor patio, perfectly suited for its environment as well as a cozy interior that shimmers with the blues and white that resemble the Greek flag. The food is some of the best Greek and Mediterranean cuisine in town and offers authentic flavors as well as globally known delights like Souvlaki and Moussaka. If you are looking for fresh caught seafood or great quality steak, The Greek is for you. Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as supplying guests with a full bar, the restaurant also offers live music and dancing at nights, taking advantage of their location size and setting by the water. The Greek is one of those places you could take a date, or a group of your friends and enjoy a great meal, great atmosphere and a great view.
The last place, while not in Ventura County proper, but still within the boundaries of the “805” is The Boathouse at Hendry’s Beach. Tucked away in a small cove a few miles from Santa Barbara’s State Street, the Boathouse is an upscale seafood spot that although bustling, is still loungy in nature.
This is the most expensive and upscale place on this list, and although it’s not a family owned restaurant like that others, it is still a place that serves tremendous food that is perfect for a special occasion type of meal. They boast a menu that ranges from eggs benedict for breakfast to a seared mahi mahi and lobster risotto for dinner as well as a raw bar that brings oysters, clams, mussels and anything else you could want. Similar to The Greek, the view and setting of this restaurant makes it stand out against other places. Tucked away in a quiet cove, the restaurant has a massive gallery window looking out towards the ocean. Upon my visit here, it was a clear evening with a bit of swell in the water which provided the view of a few surfers out in the water, with the backdrop of the setting sun. The view alone is enough to make you enjoy your experience, but the food will keep you wanting to come back every chance you get.
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