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Black Cat Bistro

1602 Main St, Ste C, Cambria, CA 93428-3300
805-927-1600
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Ranked #2 of 40 restaurants in Cambria
Price range: $32 - $53
Cuisines: Californian
Good for: Romantic, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Dinner, Reservations, Dessert
Restaurant details
Good for: Romantic, Local cuisine, Special Occasion Dining, Entertaining clients
Dining options: Dinner, Reservations, Dessert
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274 reviews from our community

87% Recommend
    199
    40
    11
    14
    10
Rating summary
    Food
    Service
    Value
    Atmosphere
Date Rating
Los Angeles, California, United States
Contributor
14 reviews 14 reviews
10 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 10 cities Reviews in 10 cities
7 helpful votes 7 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 11 June 2013

Have been going to this restaurant since Deborah first opened it many years ago. When my husband and I were deciding were to have our 30th anniversary celebration meal, we agreeded to drive several hundred miles to dine at this charming, romantic and delicious favorite of ours. We reserved our special table in the main dining area to the right... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Ventura, California
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 3 cities Reviews in 3 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 9 June 2013

Well we came here our first night, so we though it would be silly to come back every night there after, but we should have. Nothing else in Cambria comes close to this place. We had the play on pork and beans to start, which was seriously sooooo good we almost ordered another one. Then I got the trout with... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Gualala
Senior Contributor
42 reviews 42 reviews
32 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 19 cities Reviews in 19 cities
17 helpful votes 17 helpful votes
3 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 June 2013

My husband and I chose the Black Cat this past week for a special dinner. We were seated in the front room with a fireplace and charming cozy banquette seating. This is an old cottage with charming decor. The tables are close together but they did a stellar job of staggering them so that for most of your meal there... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 2
See 2 more reviews by sunshinegirlGualala for Cambria
Chicago
Senior Contributor
29 reviews 29 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 24 cities Reviews in 24 cities
38 helpful votes 38 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 6 June 2013

Recently had dinner at Black Cat Bistro due to nice write ups on this site. We had a great meal. I had arugula salad with braesola, and the hangar steak. Both were excellent. They have a nice wine list and good wines by the glass- as well as suggested pairings. Our service was attentive and good. The restaurant is quite... More

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New York City, New York
Contributor
17 reviews 17 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 9 cities Reviews in 9 cities
10 helpful votes 10 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 1 June 2013

This was the best meal we had on our trip to the Central Coast. The quality of the meal was on par with some of the best restaurants in New York. We had the trout, the duck, and the lamb shank (I forget what I had for an appetizer, but I remember that it tasted good). The portions were satisfying... More

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Morro Bay, California, United States
Reviewer
3 reviews 3 reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
5 helpful votes 5 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 25 May 2013

We came here for our 5th wedding anniversary. I've been here several times before, and each time, I'm amazed at the fabulous food, generous portions & attentive service. The Black Cat Bistro is THE place to go in Cambria!

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Deborah13, Owner at Black Cat Bistro, responded to this review
29 May 2013

Thank you for the lovely review of Black Cat Bistro. We are so happy to hear you had a great anniversary dinner and we really appreciate you taking the time to write such a wonderful review. It means the world to us that our guests have a great experience. More

California
Top Contributor
56 reviews 56 reviews
36 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 26 cities Reviews in 26 cities
25 helpful votes 25 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 18 May 2013

We chose The Black Cat based on internet reviews and were not disappointed. The wine list is extensive although the wines by the glass seemed overpriced. The staff is pleasant and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is very professional but homey. The arugula salad was plentiful and tangy. A cured bacon addition was tasty but unnecessary. The warmed Caesar was interesting. The... More

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
See 2 more reviews by TravelBug94705 for Cambria
Deborah13, Owner at Black Cat Bistro, responded to this review
29 May 2013

Thank you so much for your wonderful review of our restaurant. Our menu is always evolving and changing as the seasons change and we are always looking for a new twist on an old classic, thus the grilled caesar was born! We serve it with a toast topped with bacon jam so it is unusual, but quite delicious. Very happy... More

Tel Aviv, Israel
Senior Contributor
21 reviews 21 reviews
5 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 13 cities Reviews in 13 cities
2 helpful votes 2 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 17 May 2013

What a great food! Very special restaurant. Good atmosphere, great service and realy great food. Very recomended if you are around the area.

Was this review helpful? Yes 1
Deborah13, Owner at Black Cat Bistro, responded to this review
29 May 2013

We thank you for the fabulous review of Black Cat Bistro. We are so pleased that you enjoyed yourself at our place. That is so nice to hear and we appreciate you taking the time to share it here! More

Carmichael, California
Senior Reviewer
6 reviews 6 reviews
3 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 2 cities Reviews in 2 cities
1 helpful vote 1 helpful vote
4 of 5 stars Reviewed 14 May 2013

Very friendly and enthusiastic servers with lots to share about the very diverse menu which offers a suggested wine with every course. We had the Fried Olives as an appetizer and they are delish. My friends' Ahi Tuna with Jasmine Rice and Japanese Slaw looked like the star attraction, though the Hangar Steak was formidable paired with a Zin. Unfortunately... More

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See 2 more reviews by Virginia R for Cambria
Deborah13, Owner at Black Cat Bistro, responded to this review
29 May 2013

Thank you for your review of our restaurant. The olives are a favorite of many of our regulars. We have a diverse wine list with many small wineries and boutique selections so the pairings were a natural way to highlight some of the beautiful wines that our guests might not know about. We bake bread fresh daily so that should... More

New York
Senior Contributor
36 reviews 36 reviews
25 restaurant reviews
Reviews in 11 cities Reviews in 11 cities
9 helpful votes 9 helpful votes
5 of 5 stars Reviewed 26 April 2013

We had enjoyed the Black Cat last year and certainly were looking forward to it. It was even better. Our waiter was personally delightful and quite responsive to our questions about the menu. The menu itself was a pleasure to ponder and each of our courses was simultaneously sophisticated, simple and deliciously prepared. Because we had memories from last year's... More

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See 10 more reviews by newyorkscreen for Cambria
Deborah13, Owner at Black Cat Bistro, responded to this review
29 May 2013

Thank you so much for the excellent review. There are so many amazing wines in this area, we really wanted to offer a list that explored some of the lesser known boutique vineyards and to offer pairings with our menu. And thank you for the compliments about the menu itself, we really strive to offer something a little bit different... More

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