Wonderful dining experience . This is our 2nd visit to black cat . All the people in my party enjoyed there meals. Good wine selections at resionable prices. The creme burlee was very yummy . We Will be back read more

I had the Mapel duke breast and it was superp in test and it was serfs .I am visiting from Utah and having a wunderful time in Cambria and serounding . read more

Had a very nice lunch at Black Cat yesterday. Service was attentive and the food was very good. Both inside and outside seating.

We spent thanksgiving week in Cambria. We ate at some great places and this was one of them. We were advised that the Black Cat would be open for thanksgiving, since we had no plans we popped in and made a reservation. It was a good experience from making the reservation to enjoying our meal. A little pricey, but they offered 3 different entrees. I had prime rib, my husband had the traditional turkey dinner. Everything was exceptionally prepared, the wait staff was extremely attentive. We sat on the patio, it was beautiful outside. Overall a great experience, we will return. read more

Very expensive. Very small portions. Sat in the back room. Very confining space! They charged us $16 for one glass of wine. Need I say more.

Had an amazing dinner of a shared Caesar salad and grilled salmon for each of us, together with a delicious bottle of wine. Beautiful environment, attentive staff and tables within range of getting to know other guests if you wish. We ended our evening sharing stories with other guests over some wine and had an amazing time. Would recommend this restaurant to anyone who wants a memorable evening. read more

Long time Cambria business. Always good food with good wine choices. Casual, small so cozy for nice quite lunch or dinner. Usually slower at lunch, reservations recommended. Very good food and friendly helpful staff. A must for a real Cambria feel read more

Well let me start by saying that this is my first review on yelp but I have been using Yelp for years to find places to eat but have yet to find one place that is so OVER rated. Where to start we called and made a reservation and was informed that we could have a table later or eariler than we wanted so we toodk an 8:00 table what a mistake we should have taken the 5:45 table, I will get to this later. We showed up right ontime for our table and we had to wait for one of the servers to come greet us at the door, where is the host?? We were then brought to our table in the front room which is a room that should have 4 or 5 tables not 7. After sitting for a few minutes our waiter came over and explained the soup for the evening and asked if we wanted anything to drink besides the water that was still not on the table. We looked over the wine list and ordered a cupple of glasses of wine. So far at this point I can barily hear my wife across the table I hear out of the kitchen the Chef saying how F***ed she was to her staff which almost made me leave but I thought that she would calm down after a few minutes, she didn't we heard her yelling and cussing the rest of the night. We finally got to order and placed our order, first up is the Abalone to split then salads and then I got the lamb and my wife got the Ahi. Our abalone came 30 minutes later and I know that it did not sit in the window long because I saw it come up and then get taken to our table, we were not offered plates to share but had to ask then the piece of abalone was about the size of a silver dollar and looked like it was cut in half, also the sause looked like it had just been taken out of the fridge as it was cold and to top it off it looked like it had lots of black pepper on it yet it was not pepper it was burnt breading, not worth the $13 that we paid for it, I would have said soemthign to the server but he bairly had time to talk to us as the place is way under staffed. Next was our salads I had the ceaser and the wife had the other one I forget the name but it was a cup of green and a few other things on it for $7 and she said it was just OK. My ceasar was good but the dressing was over oiled and there were brown spots in the avacado. Next we get our main dishes, the lamb was cooked to prefection and what made my night, however the Ahi was well lets say disapointing, it was cooked well but was frozen before and wa s not a qualty Ahi which was confirmed when I went to the restroom I saw frozen packs of ahi being thoughed in the sink along with the scallops through the kitchen window, it tasted that way and would never order that again. Next we wanted to order a cheese plate for dessert and was told that it would not be an option most likely a good thing sence it seemed that they were too busy. We skipped dessert and asked for a bill, we were thanked by our server and then never saw him again as the buss boy took our CC and brought it back, again under staffed I would NEVER eat here again unless I knew that there were only a few poeple in the place and that the Chef was not there cussing in the kitchen, I have eaten at rundown diners to up scale placeses and never hered what I heard come out of that kitchen, I hope poeple will read this and take my warnings. Also if your going to charge what you do for the food at least GET FRESH FISH I have to say that the waiter was doing his best but could use a few more people to help him out and for the price you cant afford a host??? read more

Adorable setting, delicious food, great service! We had the scallops, the duck breast, the hanger steak w/mole, and the lamb shank. Everyone loved their dish. We will return whenever in the central coast area. read more

The Black Cat has been sold, and former owner/ chef Deborah is no longer involved. Best of luck to the new owners and we will see how the future of the Black Cat unflods! read more

Good food, attentive service, reasonable wine mark-up but watch your credit card. Overcharged me $1000 on the bill. Luckily Amex notified me & I reversed charge. Shame on you Black Cat! read more

My daughter and I stumbled upon the Black Cat Bistro, the only place in Cambria that was still serving dinner after nine o'clock at night. It was such a delightful surprise - both the staff and the atmosphere warm and cozy; the food amazing! We didn't try the wine, but it looked like a great collection. I ended up leaving my credit card there and the owner was so nice as to return to the restaurant the next day before they opened, as we were on our way out of town. Highly recommend!! read more

Great service. We had the scallop dish and the sage - stuffed pork chop. Both were superb. Excellent bread. Very interesting wine and beer lists. A ridiculously good sea salt dark chocolate pot de creme with whipped cream and a chocolate - dipped bacon - infused shortbread cookie on the side. The only reason this isn't a five-star review is that we had to send back the scallops because they arrived at the table lukewarm. Other than that I would mot definitelt recommend this restaurant if you're in the area. read more

What a divine find! Cambria is one of our favorite places and we've enjoyed dining at many of the fine restaurants in town. On this our 4th visit to Cambria, we found Black Cat on Yelp and were impressed by its almost 5 star rating. So last May on a 3-night stay in Cambria, we decided to have our first dinner at Black Cat. Wow! !!The food blew us away. Hubby got the Pan Roasted Maple Leaf Duck Breast with mushroom risotto and I got the Seared Sea Scallops with corn pudding. Both were perfection! We each enjoyed our selected dish and gleefully tasted from each other's plate. And we couldn't help but notice that the diners around us were likewise in ecstacy over their dishes. For dessert, we got the salted caramel tart and it was the perfect ending to our dinner. Without exaggeration, this dinner had to be one of the best we've ever had. The only downer was that since we went here on our very first night, the restaurants we went to on the next two nights paled in comparison. Oh, well! Don't miss Black Cat if you're ever in Cambria. read more

The food here was ok...the salmon and pasta were overcooked, but the flavor of the pasta was pretty good. The service, however, was definitely lacking. The hostess and our server seemed inattentive and uninterested in their jobs, and despite long intervals of not being checked up on, there was no apology for any wait. I think there was 10 minutes between the clearing of our dinner plates and even asking if we wanted dessert, and they walked by several times without even stopping. When hey finally did come over, she looked rather bored. Several of the other customers looked rather aggravated by the lack of service, too, and several had to actively go find someone for something at the table because they took so long in between. The place wasn't even half full. The atmosphere and decorations were cute, but for the price of the food, you didn't really get a lot...especially for the quality. The food was slightly redeemed by dessert, but between the subpar service and the mediocre dinner, not enough to really wow me. read more

I must write a mediocre review. My husband and I have been coming to Cambria area for over 15 years--and have accepted the lack of upscale dining (with a few fleeting exceptions as chefs come and go). Over the years, we feel that The Black Cat has slipped. Once a remarkable venue, now not so much. At New Years of 09 we had our first mediocre meal with very bad service. We dined there again this weekend and were again disappointed. Service was very good. Salads were very good. Also over the years, the by the glass wine choices have shrunk and are good but uninspired for a "wine bar" in an area with excellent vineyards. My duck breast was flavorful and tender--but not outstanding. My husband's pork chop was not only over cooked (and he is a well cooked kind of guy)...it was such a bad piece of meat he had to struggle to cut it. Our mistake was not to send it back during his struggle. It is still above other restaurants in Cambria area, but it is showing a downward trend. read more

This place has very tasty food. I had to return again when I visit the coast. Im not out this way often. We enjoyed our meal. I gave it a 4 instead of a 5, for a couple of reasons, one minor. First, I felt the crab "lollipops " were very overpriced for what you get. It was barely a bite. Tasted good. Second, I had the rack of lamb, it was grilled and served with lentils. It was tasty but my lamb was very unevenly cooked. I asked for medium. One piece was more rare, I didnt mind so much although not my favorite, next was rare, basicly raw. I then cut into my third piece and it was perfect! I let my server know and all I got was "ok". Hmm, really? I thought that to be a strange response. Our overall experience was just fine. I will consider this to be a one off. It won't stop me from coming back. And let me say the Sticky Toffee pudding was Fantastic!! I will go back just for that. And I don't want to forget the stuffed pork chop, Delish! This place is worth the stop when on the coast. read more

the abalone appetizer was absolute shit the sauce was too citrusy and the best part was the mashed potatoes . I don't know if the abalone was bad that day or what but it tasted absolutely awful and it wasn't worth $70 i would've rather eaten at a McDonalds than had eaten that crap read more

We were visitors to area and based on the reviews and searches of restaurants, we made made a reservation at The Black Cat and enthusiastically looked forward to our dinner. Unfortunately, the restaurant did NOT live up to expectations. It was in a renovated house and based on the reviews we expected it to be cramped--- and it was close quarters, but there were not many diners so it wasn't an issue. We ordered the much raved about duck along with shrimp scampi. The scampi was good, but if you're going to charge $28 for a scampi dinner that includes only 4 non-jumbo shrimp--they had better be some of the best shrimp you've ever tasted. These were not, the side dishes consisting of a scoop of rice and some admittedly nicely cooked green beans did not make up for it. The duck was over-cooked and what was supposed to have been crispy skin was plated skin down in sauce so by the time it made it to the table, the skin was limp. It also appeared that the duck had been reheated (seemingly in a microwave as our view of the kitchen led us to the surprising realization that the microwave was an often used appliance in this supposedly high-end kitchen). The "risotto" served with the duck appeared to be more of an Israeli couscous mixed with mushrooms and wine which gave it an off-putting purplish color that combined with a gluey texture was not a pleasant experience. While we were seated we watched three parties with reservations come in, review the menu and get up and leave---we realized as we paid a bill for what we considered extremely over-priced dinners based on quality--that they had made the smarter decision. The menu describes high-end cuisine and unfortunately, the product we received was decidedly not---perhaps it was a bad night, but we couldn't have been more disappointed. In the end it was a lackluster overpriced meal and we left wishing we had gone somewhere else. read more

Ate there last weekend (Saturday night). Charming place, cozy looking little bar area, variety of small rooms. Our server was new (been there less than a month) and a bit scattered, but very friendly and welcoming. Appetizers were tasty but small (the fried olives - all 5 of them - were yummy), in contrast to the main courses which were tasty (actually, delicious) and huge. Ahi was outstanding, as was the rib eye. Salads were great too. Spectacular deserts too (ice cream sandwich made of ginger cookies and lemon icecream, and a chocolate-caramel tart). Great wine list too. Would have been 5 stars if the appetizers were more in keeping with the generous size of the entrees, and if the service had been more polished. But our party of 4 had an outstanding meal and a great time. Highly recommended. (Another good sign - our hotel hosted a wine tasting by a local winery, and we met the husband and wife owners - they picked the Black Cat for their anniversary dinnner.) read more

What a wonderful meal we had here. Great combinations of flavors. We're a bit spoiled, so having a great meal from beginning to end is such a treat. Kudos to the wait staff who were engaging and friendly and consummate professionals. We were helped primarily by Joseph who was helpful and cheery. We arrived early and were brought wine by Jason while we waited. Both these guys were great. Later in the evening, I saw Jason diffuse a woman who, completely inappropriately, loudly took him to task at the end of her meal (and from the sounds of it, after at least a couple glasses of wine) for having been told the restaurant was full when clearly, they had not been all night. He delicately showed her the booking schedule and explained that that "full" does not mean having a party at every table but rather knowing how fast the kitchen can keep up with the numbers of people eating at any one time. She said she understood, but never apologized. Nevertheless, he was as gracious as one can be when being attacked for something not only completely out of your control but also when the attacker is completely wrong! I feel a bit sorry for the restaurant down the street where we ate the next night since these were big culinary shoes to fill and they failed on every count. The Black Cat Bistro set the bar very high. We can't wait to go back again. read more

What a darling little gem! I made reservations for dinner for my Sweetie's birthday since we were visiting Hearst Castle and staying in Cambria. Checked the Yelp site and found this. My first reservation request only showed a 5:00 pm time available. While that was too early, I went ahead and made it and asked that it be changed to 6:30 if there was a cancellation. I also mentioned it was for a brithday. A couple days before we arrived, I checked again and found lots of times open for reservations so I made another one for 6:30 and requested the 5:00 time be changed to this one. I never heard back and was a little concerend but never foudn the time to call and confirm. We arrived about 6:25 and they had our reservation available for the new time and even that it was for a birthday. Our server, Joseph, was wonderful. Offered wine suggestions and when we were trying to decide on an appetizer, suggested the signature gnocci instead of the soup of the day (though it sounded fabulous, too). He was very attentive without being overbearing, friendly and helpful. And when we couldn't decide on whether to have dessert or not, he prepared it for us 'to go.' I would highly recommend this restaurant if you are near Cambria and we will definitely return again. The "less 1 star" is only due to the reservation system, which, though online, could be a little better given my experience. But other than that, this place is lovely and highly recommended! read more

It may have been a Sunday night, chef's night off. We dine here almost every time we visit Cambria, but this was the most disappointing meal. Everything that came out of the kitchen was lukewarm, not hot. The abalone starter course was the most disappointing as it was tasteless and overcooked. The potatoes added nothing and the sauce didn't add any flavor either, all for $18. A Caesar salad used a limp baby head of lettuce that was brown at the cut end and was not Romaine. Another disappointment. When we decided to share a pork chop, knowing that we would have to split it at the table, the server did not bring serving utensils without being asked--needed to serve up the purée and sauce. It was not hot. We finished with the chocolate pot de creme, not served in your usual manner but with a hard chocolate layer and a side of canned whipped cream in a discolored metal lid of a jar. Needless to say, we are not coming back after all these years. read more

my friend brought me here for my last dinner in California and I loved it!! the food, the service; everything was great!