Monkey Cat | Restaurant & Bar

My wife and I along with a visiting couple had a wonderful dinner on 10/22. The seafood risotto was unbelievable! Also the Chicken Cordon bleu was some of the best I’ve had. Our server was friendly and very attentive! We highly recommend this great Auburn restaurant. We will be back

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Scallop Risotto, Chicken Cordon Bleu, The Gummy Bear

My future daughter in law asked me if I could help put together a rehearsal lunch or dinner for their wedding...I was so honored and wanted to make sure that I found the perfect place. After visiting various restaurants, The Monkey Cat was it!! The owners, Jennifer and Jared, made sure we were well taken care of and their party coordinator, Erica, made planning and coordinating a dream! We had a group of 29 - the "party room" could handle 25 people maximum but Erica set up an area on their patio for the overflow and it worked out perfect! Our group included vegans, vegetarians, gluten free, dairy free, and a combination of "all of the above" individuals - which can be a challenge for many restaurants. Erica navigated these waters with ease and we had a menu that addressed all of our requests.
Since the wedding rehearsal was at 10:30am in Forest Hill, we decided to have a rehearsal lunch at The Monkey Cat immediately following our rehearsal. Erica opened the doors up early so that a friend of mine could enter the party room and decorate prior to our arrival. The place settings were perfect and the food was absolutely delicious! We enjoyed scrumptious appetizers at every table, a choice of 2 salads along with 3 entree options. Everything was delicious and everyone enjoyed their meals! The service was fantastic! All of the staff were so gracious, friendly and fun - high energy and they genuinely care. I felt truly Blessed to have found this restaurant and look forward to having more dinners, lunches and parties there in the future! If you want to have a memorable event - I highly recommend the Monkey Cat!!!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

We recently had the pleasure of dining at Monkey Cat for the first time, and it was an experience to remember. We sat outside in the beautiful garden with great music and vibes. The beef stroganoff special, featuring tender filet tips, was absolutely phenomenal—rich and hearty with just the right amount of creaminess. The coconut-flavored chicken vegetable stir fry was equally impressive, bursting with vibrant flavors of sweet and saavory with chili oil and fresh seasonal vegetables. The local beer selection was exceptional offering Crooked Lane and Knee Deep on tap.

But the true star of the meal was the fresh-baked "bread service" appetizer accompanied by homemade honey cinnamon butter. It was warm, soft, and utterly addictive, elevating the entire dining experience.

Our server, Erika "Urka", added a special touch to the evening. Having previously worked for Disney, she radiated happiness and enthusiasm, making us feel welcome and well taken care of. Her attentiveness and genuine joy were refreshing and made our visit even more enjoyable.

Overall, Monkey Cat exceeded our expectations with its delicious food and exceptional service. It is a hidden gem in Auburn and we can't wait to return soon for their live music Thursdays in the garden.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Delicious dinner and a beautiful restaurant. We found ourselves in auburn, CA, for equine training and stumbled upon Monkey Cat. The steak was perfect, the chicken was exceptional, and the service was top-notch. If you're looking for fine dining in the area look no further. Can also recommend the atmosphere... beautiful indoor and outdoor seating.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Great food thank God because the service sucks now idk where the previous waitress went but I wish she would have been there still. I don't think we will go back because they have great food horrible service and extremely high prices

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 1

Recommended dishes: Cordon Bleu, Chicken Cordon Bleu, The Gummy Bear

Food was pretty good, service was great.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 4

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Calamari

Honestly, they served me the worst filet mignon I have ever had in my life. I asked for medium rare and was first served a well done steak that was grey on the inside. The waitress dropped the food and then disappeared for 10 minutes. Never once stopped by to check to see if the food was good. We had to go track her down to tell her the steak was not cooked to order. On the second attempt they decided to crank up the heat to get it out as fast as possible. The steak ended up overcooked on the outside and purple on the inside. The waitress offered to cook it a third time, but by this point it had been 20 minutes since the rest of my party received their food and I already knew their third attempt wasn’t going to be any better. To top it off the steak was bland with no seasoning on it. We paid $45 for a terribly cooked steak.

Someone in our party also ordered the short ribs, but it isn’t even a short rib. It was a pot roast and not what we paid for.

The calamari, bread and garlic mashed potatoes were good at least. I wouldn’t recommend eating here u less your plan is to eat bread, appetizers, and mashed potatoes only.

The atmosphere on the patio was really nice, but doesn’t make up for the terrible over priced food we received.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 2

Service: 2

Booked a reservation same day for an early bday celebration. Not going to lie this is now my favorite restaurant that I've been to in years. Service was incredible, menu and drinks were amazing, the food was INSANE. Will be making the drive from Sac because it's worth it. Also, they put cat shaped ice cubes in your drinks , come on ?!

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Scallop Risotto, Seared Albacore Tuna

Sure will go back

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Seared Albacore Tuna

We were there for our son's 25th birthday. First birthday he was not spending with his identical twin brother, so we hoped it would be a good time. It was the best! Can't thank you enough. Food, drinks, service all terrific!

We had a great dinner at Monkey Cat two nights ago. The short rib was outstanding-melt in your mouth delicious. The chopped salad with salmon got a thumbs up from my husband. It was a busy night and our server was right there to get our drink orders, put our meal order in quickly and then followup to make sure everything was perfect. She was attentive and personable. We both left saying what a great meal me had with outstanding service.

Everything was wonderful. For some reason I had low expectations. We showed up with a group of 12 and everyone thoroughly enjoyed their dinner and dessert.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Nice patio seating and food was good (penne pasta dish and short ribs dish). Service was friendly and attentive to our large group. Would definitely eat here again.

Atmosphere: 4

Food: 4

Service: 4

Recommended dishes: Scallop Risotto, Fried Calamari

Very cute idyllic restauraunt in downtown Auburn! Food was visually fetching with a distinctive flavorful appeal. Our server was kind and patient with our group. The interior is relaxed and calm.

Atmosphere: 5

Food: 5

Service: 5

Recommended dishes: Salad, Cordon Bleu

Except for the crazy a** flies outside, everything else was great. If we come back, please dont sit us outside - because then we wont be back! Our waitress, Natalie was great and the food was AMAZING!