Nice ambiance and service. Lighting was low which made reading the menu challenging for some. Signs of wear on furnishings but very clean and the food was good but not great. Menu had something for everyone. Very nice version chicken piccata with a spicy twist read more

My husband took me here for my birthday dinner and it was fantastic! Always appreciate a restaurant that is dog friendly but the Black Cat takes it a notch higher. I was expecting outdoor seating but it was fine dining in a covered patio that's almost like sitting inside. We went early so not many people yet which was great. Service was friendly and efficient, food was delicious and well portioned. We will be back! read more

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We had dinner at Black Cat Bistro last weekend. We ordered two appetizers, the Fried Green Olives and the Crispy Brussel Sprouts. Both were very good, but I really enjoyed the olives as they were quite different. For dinner our table had the Polenta, which one person said had a little zing to it (spicy?), the Strozzapreti pasta, which was a vegetarian option with a lot of flavor. Two others ordered the duck and the lamb, and they seemed to enjoy their meals. But let's talk about dessert! We ordered the chocolate pot de crème, which was DIVINE! The lemon cake and the Salted Caramel tart. Those were also very tasty. It's a nice little place. Very quaint. We were probably the loud ones that night with our party of 5 ladies. It was lovely. read more

Small location but there are a number of tables available for outdoor dining. Recommend making a reservation for weekend dining. Our party had the ribeye, pork chop, lamb chops and linguine with shrimp. While there was a lack of salt on the dishes everything was really good and everyone enjoyed what they ate. Especially the pork chop! Definitely recommend saving room for dessert too as the apple tart was perfect end to the meal. read more

Black Cat Bistro - 8 oz ribeye with mashed potatoes and bok choy - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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I ordered Pan Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast which came with barley risotto and baby bok choy. The duck and bok choy were delicious and nicely portioned. The barley risotto however almost ruined the whole plate for me. I asked for a side of rice because I couldn't eat the risotto. The jasmine rice was so delicious with the dish I just did my best to work around the risotto. I really loved the ambiance and how cozy the restaurant and even the bathrooms was. So vintage and sweet while Norah Jones played in the background. I still would totally recommend this spot and do hope to visit again. read more

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First off... menu on line is not the same in the restaurant. Service was amazing. Our server was Ellie. Very friendly and helpful. Unfortunately our meal was not good. Started off with the pork belly. Never had anything like this ever. Couldn't understand the "soup" it was in or the "gigantes" beans. The "award winning" clam chowder had no clams. The chicken piccata with capers had no capers. Had to ask about them. Ellie brought me a small bowl of capers. Chicken was very chewy. The rack of lamb was cooked improperly. The "carrot purée " was something else. Not a good something else. Vegetables were raw. Best thing was the bread and wine. Can't screw that up. Only 2 stars for Ellie. So very disappointed. Come up here so much and wanted to try a different restaurant than our usual places. Sad. Was so looking forward to this. Now we are hungry and looking for alternatives. read more

Delicious food! I will definitely eat here again and invite friends to come along and taste the great food!

Had high hopes for this restaurant and chose it to celebrate our anniversary here. Unfortunately their menu was limited, server said due to the holiday. So no duck for me like I was hoping. My salmon dish with potatoes and veggies all tasted like it had been previously frozen and reheated. My husbands rib eye was so raw and such a huge chunk of inedible meat he was also incredibly disappointed. Charging that much for food should reflect its quality, which it did not, and the restaurant should also NOT have paper tablecloths; very tacky. Spending our anniversary at a table right next to the front door was also a poor choice for placement by the hostess, and that's after getting there when they opened and there were numerous tables still open to choose from. read more

My husband and I made a reservation literally 15 minutes in advance. When we showed up at 5 we thought we might be the only people there, but were assured that there would be other patrons. The restaurant is in an old house with seating in what would be the parlor and the dining room (?). Having a fire place added to the ambience. With the tables being set apart at COVID safe distances, there was appropriate intimacy in the dining while still being able to share a dining experience with other humans. And the food? Yes please. I ate a lot. We started with crab cakes and they had a good amount of crab and crabby flavor. Nice little mango salad on the side. Good way to kick off. The strawberry arugula salad sounded good, so we split a salad. The strawberries were great. My husband had a steak for his entree and it was cooked perfectly. I had scallops which were phenomenal. The scallops were served on top of a corn purée so there was a little too much sweet on sweet for me, but dude I ate everything. There was one server and one person bussing and filling water, yet the service was considerate and careful. Nothing was amiss. I would definitely eat here again, and suggest you try it out. read more

Absolutely wonderful! Went back for my 60th Birthday Celebration!! Quaint with great service and even better food. The building is a converted old house and I recognized the "old" features of a home. Took me back to my childhood days. Lol. Reservation for a larger group is recommended. Have a great time!! read more

My boyfriend and I just had a wonderful dinner here last night. We cozied up in the corner of this adorable 1930s home turned restaurant and ordered a bottle of Spanish wine. Our favorite soup has to be their tomato basil which tastes like every ingredient was plucked fresh from a garden. I ordered the wild salmon and he had the chipotle shrimp pasta dish. I was so happy, I was pretty much smiling the whole meal. Plus we topped everything off with their brownie a la mode for dessert. We were so so so pleased with our whole dining experience. read more

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Pleasantly surprised. The black cat pulls off a simple but elegant meal. I had the pan seared Mahi Mahi with cilantro jasmine rice with capers in a white wine reduction. Clam chowder and the pork belly apitizer. I will warn you the.flavor are not bold and spicy. That being said the food is excellent for all American quizine. Enjoy read more

We had the pleasure of dining at the Black Cat Bistro last night. We started with the quail appetizer (radicchio, apple, and pomegranate molasses). The skin was perfectly crisp, while the meat was tender. We also ordered the rack of lamb and the stuffed pork chop. Both were tender and very flavorful. We loved both preparations and vegetables. Oh, did I mention the hot sourdough rolls? Service was impeccable and we thoroughly enjoyed every bite. read more

Black Cat Bistro - Rack of lamb - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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The wife and I were in town for a wine tasting event and asked some locals for recommendations on a good dinner spot. The Black Cat came up a few times. Made a reservation for the next night and stopped by. Found some easy street parking just a block or so away. The Black Cat looks to be an old house that was converted to a restaurant. The decoration is quaint but the room we were seated in near the back was a bit dark. Service was pretty good and the food was excellent. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Black Cat to anyone looking for an upscale meal. Prices weren't too bad either. Certainly not cheap but not outrageous. read more

Black Cat Bistro - Scallops - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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We were a little concerned when we got there. It was almost empty on a Sunday night, and looked a bit rickety. But the staff were friendly and the food was exquisite! I had the short ribs and they were flavorful and so tender. My husband had fish. He said it was excellent as well. And for dessert we had the salted caramel chocolate Pots de Crème. It was fantastic! We would go back just for that! read more

We came to this restaurant for the first time to celebrate my husband's 60th birthday. Our server (Tommy) was super friendly and kind. Our meals were fantastic. We loved this experience and restaurant. Can't wait to come back on our next trip to Cambria. read more

Overall, a very disappointing experience. I was really looking forward to dining there. The menu promised high end dining. Was there Saturday, 11/4 to celebrate 2 birthdays - party of 6. I had asked ahead of time for them to provide birthday amenities. Instead, service was nearly nonexistent. So much so, that food arrived cold. We were so hungry and made to wait so long that we had to request bread brought to the table before our meals arrived. Not only was my dish cold, but the wine risotto was essentially flavorless. Had to be doused with salt. Sadly, all the party guests had the same problem with their dishes. But, again, the main issue was receiving cold food. That is a service issue. Finally, to top it all off, the server came to our table at the end of the meal and instead of presenting a kindly birthday dessert on the house, she made my guests uncomfortable by asking, "So, would you like to get the birthday girls a dessert?" This announcement sent an awkward hush over the table. Everyone felt put on the spot. The birthday girls felt most uncomfortable of all. At anytime the server could have discretely mentioned that the establishment doesn't provide complimentary desserts and could have asked how i would like to proceed, rather than making the awkward announcement table side. By the end of the evening, after spending nearly $400 on cold food and slow service, a simple dessert would have at least been a nice gesture. They blew every opportunity they had for a good review. read more

I have been to this place twice. It was delicious tonight and last time. I had the sea scallops and my husband had the flat iron steak. Both were delicious! Excellent service and cozy atmosphere. Pot de creme dessert is out of this world. It's a cute and cozy restaurant that you must enjoy while in Cambria. Something for everyone! read more

Black Cat Bistro - Pot de creme - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

A small little restaurant that is inside what used to be a house. Very nice, romantic atmosphere. The food was absolutely delicious. If I come back to this area, this would be a wonderful choice for dinner. read more

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So we searched for something special for my wife's birthday while vacationing in the central coast of California, we visit this region at least twice a year for the best wine in the world. We had two choices for dinner and I chose this Bistro because they had lamb chops on the menu and I needed a fix because I can't find good lamb chops in the LA area so far. I started with a cup of clam chowder and was blown away, this was the best clam chowder I ever had and I've tried many! The wine they said paired well with the lamb was Chronic cellars Cab and they were spot on! The lamb chops were cooked to perfection with a nice char on the outside and rare in the middle, they were served on a bed if potatoes with some broccoli and cauliflower, for desert we had the lemon cake and started out sharing 2 and right when we tasted it we ordered 2 more because nobody wanted to share! Everyone in our party loved their meal (salmon, Chicken Piccata and sea scallops). It's been well over a year since I've given a restaurant a 5 star rating so this shows there's still hope! I love this little place and can't wait to come back! read more

Black Cat Bistro - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

We were in Cambria for the weekend and were hopping to find a decent spot for dinner. Reviews on OpenTable were raving, so we thought we would give it a try. It was a disappointment. It wasn't bad, it just wasn't good. My wife had the Mahi Mahi special, I had the flat iron steak. The fish was over cooked and dry, not at all what we would have expected. The steak was undercooked and chewy, the use of poor quality beef was obvious. I asked them to cook a bit beyond raw, and it came back better, but still tasteless. It came with what they called rice croquettes, but was basically an odd tasting paddy of some kind. The fish was just at tasteless, with jasmine rice that had no flavor. At over $30 per plate, adding in drinks and appetizers, nearly a $100 meal, it was a real disappointment. Certainly not to be repeated. read more

For an $80 take out order for dinner, this place was lacking. We got the fried olives which supposedly had gorgonzola in it, but we couldn't taste anything but the fried dough around your basic salty olive. I got the strozzapreti pasta which is on the sweet side in terms of taste but otherwise kinda bland. I thought it's okay to eat when you're hungry. Then my husband got the 8 oz rib eye which was too overcooked to enjoy. We also ordered the toffee sticky pudding. It tasted and looked like a bland muffin. Nothing sticky-gooey about it. I remember having better at Claim Jumper (they had a toffee sticky pudding that was actually good). Overall we felt it was overpriced for an underwhelming meal. read more

We ended up eating here just by chance since there was no wait and was not packed out like the places on Moonstone Beach. Atmosphere was nice and relaxing. Waiter was nice enough.Hot rolls and butter were delicious. The flat-iron steak was not the medium I had ordered (undercooked) and the entire dish lacked flavor to me. Needed more spices and/or herbs. Maybe it is because it had a sweet mango sauce on it as opposed to a savory sauce? Someone else in our party ordered the clam chowder. It did not live up to what he thought it would taste like. Another in the party ordered the salmon and she did enjoy it a lot. Don't live in the area but most likely won't be eating there again even if I'm in the area. read more

We had breakfast there couple times. Small place with nice cozy feeling to interior design . But mainly the food was ok. Not on healthy side but delicious for sure . read more

The Black Cat Bistro is a Cambria icon and architectural gem on Main Street in downtown Cambria. This historic home offers cozy bench seating, a working fireplace and multiple private rooms for family dining. It has great parking off Main Street but you can't see it til you turn off the main road, Really comfortable setting and quiet ambiance, great service, delicious food and great wines. Make a reservation and let the staff know you support them! Or just drop to see if you're in luck. read more

My family of four spent Christmas dinner at the Black Cat. We were thankful that it was one of the few which were open on a holiday. The restaurant, like many others in the area, looked like a converted home with tables spread throughout the different "rooms". We had a reservation through Yelp and were shown to our table at a reasonable time. I will say that service took a bit longer than I would have expected, but if staff had to work on Christmas, then I am happy to grant them a little grace. Our food was excellent. Standouts included the rack of lamb, tender and cooked to a perfect medium rare. Another excellent dish was the crispy polenta, rich and creamy once you get into the middle. We did have to send back the gnocchi appetizer as it was burnt on the outside and too mushy in the middle. The server immediately offered to take the dish off our tab, which is what I expect any decent restaurant to do. Otherwise the meal was perfect. Staff were efficient and professional, and made us feel welcome. We didn't feel at all rushed. The ambiance was upscale yet comfortable. I would come again and explore more of their menu on my next visit to Cambria. read more

It pains me to write this review, but I'm morally bound to give truthful and honest reviews - Good or Bad. Let me preface by saying that this was the restaurant that we looked most forward to when we were planning our trip to Cambria. The photos of the food on their website looked deliciously beautiful. And the single item on the menu that won me over to choose this restaurant for one of our dinners was the Maple Leaf Duck Breast. We made reservations a week out and unlike the other restaurants, we received a call back the night before to confirm our reservation, which I thought was very nice and comforting. Our server, Tommy, was beyond wonderful and if I was to rate service alone, then I would give it 5 stars. For appetizers to share, we ordered: Crispy Brussels Sprouts, Paso Robles Pork Belly, Lightly Seared Romaine Salad. The Brussels sprouts were decent, but the salad was a let down. The Romaine had no sear marks but was cooked more than it should have been, making it soft. The lemon Caesar dressing was bland. There was also a slice of baguette on the lettuce with hastily spread bacon jam, which didn't fit in with the salad at all. The pork belly was just disappointing. The menu noted that it came with a mustard glaze, however the chunks of pork belle were sitting in a pool of some kinda of broth/sauce which lacked flavor. Furthermore, the gigandes beans that accompanied the dish were even more bland and mush. For the entrees, we ordered: Rack of Lamb, 2 Rib-Eyes, Maple Leaf Duck. The Rib-Eyes was ordered medium rare but came out medium well. Despite that, the steak was okay. The steak with slathered with the black bean sambal butter, so that was the only flavor you can taste. If we knew that much sauce would be put on the steak, we would have asked for it on the side so we can enjoy the flavors of a grilled steak with some sauce to enhance it. The rack of lamb was decent, but slightly over cooked (like the steak orders) as well. Now the highly anticipated duck... I have to say that I love duck and eat it regularly... this was the worst dish of our meal, the worst duck breast I've ever had, and one of the worst dishes I've had in a very long time anywhere. The plate had cut chunks of duck breast that looked and tasted like it was microwaved. I've never seen or had duck breast cooked this way as it should have been seared. The mushroom red wine barely risotto was extremely dry and tasteless. The one piece of baby Bok Choy I had was over cooked and too soft. There was some thick brown sauce spread on the duck, but I couldn't tell what it was. This dish was not just bland and cooked wrong, it was not a pretty sight to look at either. All of us at the table were shocked when the duck was brought out. I'm not sure if this was a case of the chef not knowing how to prepare this dish correctly, or if the standard of the restaurant is to have this cooked by microwave, or what. But the impression that this dish gave us was that the chef and/or restaurant owner just doesn't care. I would be embarrassed to let something come out of my kitchen like the duck. I don't want to end on a negative, so let me reiterate how wonderful the service was from Tommy. He made the dinner bearable and we made sure to tip him over over 20% because it was not his fault the food was disappointing. Dinners need to remember that the servers are not the cooks or the ones that set the food standard. This was unfortunate because the restaurant is quaint and designed to make you feel like you're dining in a cozy house. The outdoor and partially covered patios are a nice edition to the restaurant. The bar looked nice, however it was closed (due to Covid). I really wish I could say that I'd give the restaurant another try. read more

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Don't be fooled by the less than stellar ambiance of the Black Cat Bistro in Cambria. It's nothing to write home about. However, if you like delicious, well prepared food...this is your place! We've eaten here twice and have left totally satisfied. They have a very good offering of fantastic dishes. The service is also good as well! I promise if you can get past the physical nature of the building, you'll really enjoy the food! read more

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I wanted to love it. Such a charming place but the food was so bland. I had the clam chowder which was watery an under seasoned. Main was the flat iron steak w a mango sauce a salad... super snoozeworthy and the steak was over cooked and flavorless. I would not come back. read more

This place is like going to a friends house and having them make your favorite food! It's literally a historic house and it feels that cozy and sweet! There were 3 young men running what I could see and they did a great job! We had the quail as a starter and duck and chicken piccata which all were delicious! Come here, support these young men and this business! You won't regret it! read more

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This is a must-visit every time I'm in the area. It is the best restaurant in Cambria. The food is great, the service is wonderful, and they have an interesting local-minded wine list. The restaurant is in a vintage home and is cozy with the fireplace on a cold evening. read more

Food and service was fantastic. Atmosphere was also peaceful. Setting was like dining at home with a personal chef

We had dinner here one night while we were staying in Cambria for our anniversary. My husband got the ribeye and I had the scallops. Both were FANTASTIC! The sweet corn pudding with spicy tomatillo sauce on the scallops was to die for. We would definitely recommend Black Cat if you're in Cambria! read more

This was an exceptional restaurant. We celebrated a birthday here, and everything from the staff to the food was delicious. Can't wait to come back to Cambria and celebrate there again. read more

What a wonderful last evening of our much needed respite in beautiful Cambria. Everything about our experience at this wonderful jewel of Cambria was five star. The ambience was warm and inviting, the service impeccable (responsive, attentive, knowledgeable, engaging and friendly) and the food was fabulous! Everything we ordered was prepared to perfection. You can't go wrong with an evening at the Black Cat. read more

We have been coming here a couple of time a year. The food is good, and I think a fair value. The menu does not change, and that is not necessarily a bad thing. The service is hit or miss. Unfortunately, more often than it should, it misses. When we were seated , the waitperson informed us they were out of the pork belly appetizer and the short ribs. These two items are delicious, and two of our favorites, but it happens (we were there at 630pm on a Wednesday before Christmas, so possibly busier than other times). We ordered the scallops and corn pudding and the strozzapreti pasta (also with scallops). The corn pudding is always delicious and the scallops were prepared well. When the waitperson put down the strozzapreti however, it was instead fusilli pasta. They walked away before I could ask if it was the correct t dish. While it may sound petty, the type of pasta really matters. Strozzapreti is creamier, and the sauce is balanced with the pasta. The fusilli is much more substantial and all that you can taste is pasta, not sauce. To be honest, if he had told me when I ordered that they were out and could substitute, I would have said yes and tried it. It took between five and ten minutes for me to get his attention again and I asked him if I had the correct dish. I was told that it was indeed the strozzapreti. When I pointed out that it wasn't, he pushed back and said it was. Finally he said that it wasn't and that they were out of it. Either he didn't know what the dish should be, or thought that I didn't. Either way, it was weird to have him tell me that I was confused. In the end, it didn't taste nearly as good. The scallops were fine, but it tasted overwhelmingly of overcooked fusilli. If I had agreed to the substitution and not liked it, that would be on me. To drop off and run the wrong dish is just silly. I ate the scallops but the pasta was just not good. When the name of the dish *is the type of pasta* substituting should be informed. read more

Black Cat Bistro - This is what they delivered - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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What a cute little hidden gem!! Everyone working was so sweet and accommodating. Their patio and outdoor seating was very cozy. Our waiter was more than helpful with recommendations and explaining the menu. I started off with a rosé and my husband had a beer, both of which were excellent. I had the rib-eye steak with mashed potato's and veggies and it was absolutely delicious. If you're looking for a cute, cozy, rustic dinner I'd definitely recommend giving this place a try! read more

Black Cat Bistro - Seating - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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I was excited to try this place out as we saw it on YouTube in videos and we planned a road trip for our anniversary. Unfortunately it was a massive let down. The host threw us in an isolated corner table with zero ambiance and we asked if there was a better option and she immediately led us out to the patio. She knew it was our anniversary as we heard her talk to the server and discuss it.. we weren't expecting special treatment and they clearly weren't either. There were two other tables as we sat and the kitchen staff was leaning on the cook tops and the service staff was sitting doing side work. Bathroom was clean and walking to them is where you can glimpse the BOH. Ordered the "award winning" clam chowder and pork belly to start. Ordered a bottle of sparkling rose. Had to ask for a wine chiller. Clam chowder had zero texture, undercooked roux and completely devoid of coastal class. The pork belly was the worst. 6 chunks of well prepared belly in a sea of bath water garnished with a couple gigante beans and a sprig of parsley. It was as bad as it sounds. Wine was fine. It was not touched by the staff. The ribeye was ordered MR and over cooked but the flavors were there and well seasoned. Oddly accompanied by basic veggies of broccoli and carrots but I suppose that is what the public wants?! Scallops were what we came for and were the best dish of the night. Within all our nightmare Well cooked and the corn pudding etc was tasty. Had we only had this, a glass of wine and left... we would be leaving a solid 4 star review as the we would only knock the dust and spider webs. Had a good cup of coffee and a decent pot du crème. Strange plating with a pile of whip cream (chantilly) next to a cookie and the pot.... But... I dunno.. Staff seemed overwhelmed with a small cover count and the whole thing was simply avoidable. read more

Black Cat Bistro - New American Near Me - Cambria, California

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We had a reservation at 5:30 for my husband, myself, and our 7 year old. Unfortunately when we arrived there wasn't a kid menu. We also realized there were no cocktails. I remember years ago they had very delicious cocktails. My husband and I decided to leave but only after the waiter informed us they had two food options for a kid meal-buttered noodles and chicken strips. The service was good and the restaurant looked quaint, but just not a great option for us. read more

Great good, wonderful service, loved how understanding and dog friendly they were. They have a beautiful enclosed patio area, with twinkling lights, we really enjoyed our dinner there. read more