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The Monkey Cat

3.7 (472 reviews)
Open 11:30 am - 9:00 pm

The Monkey Cat Photos

THE MONKEY CAT ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Outdoor seating
Dogs allowed

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Recommended Reviews - The Monkey Cat

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Salmon with gnocchi . . .  wow!
Elizabeth H.

We walked from the Holiday Inn Auburn to The Monkey Cat, 805 Lincoln Way. I suggest making reservations because it gets busy. Right away you can tell this is a popular place with the local creative. Its got a great funky chic vibe. The staff is attentive and friendly. I have to sing the praise of my salmon dish. The salmon was some of the best that I have had. It was cooked perfectly, moist and flavorful. Yet there was a delicious crust that added flavor without overpowering the salmon. The gnocchi was delightful pairing. My lemon dessert was the perfect end to the meal. What a great place. Not overly pricey considering how delicious it was.

Fish Special: pan roasted halibut with a citrus soy glaze and wasabi drizzle
Brenna N.

*FOOD POISONING ALERT* This breaks my heart to write this review, but my husband and I recently dined at Monkey Cat to celebrate my birthday and on the way home he ended up getting violently ill in the parking lot of the Roseville Galleria. It was a couple of hours after eating at the Monkey Cat and was sick off and on through the night, but was fine once he got everything out. He did the right thing by trying to notify the restaurant. He called and spoke to someone who took his info and said they would have someone call him back. That never happened so he called again and left a voicemail. Almost a week later he got a call back from a Manager named Peter, who took all the details and said he would look into it and get back to him. He said he was slammed, that is why it took 2 calls and a week to pass before responding. We never got a call back. He narrowed it down to either the filet or the asparagus, but is thinking it was the asparagus because he said it was barely al dente. Almost raw tasting. This has been our go to spot for every anniversary (my MIL would purchase a gift card because she knew how much we loved this restaurant), my family would go every year to celebrate my birthday, and most date nights we would choose to drive from Folsom to Auburn so we could go to Monkey Cat and get massages afterwards at the place next door. We totally get that these things can happen, but it is how it was handled that was so disappointing.

M. C. Mac N' Cheese
Dan C.

My wife and I visited this restaurant after seeing it on Yelp. We ordered the following dishes: - Mac & Cheese Note: It lacked flavor and, considering the price, did not offer good value. - Braised Short Ribs Note: It was excellent; the meat was exceptionally tender. - Seafood Risotto Note: It was satisfactory but could have been better in terms of taste and overall quality. Based on our experience, the flavors of the dishes could benefit from improvement. The staff was very friendly, but the service time was noticeably slow.

The Whispering
Steffani K.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Early Valentines Dinner at Monkey Cat in Auburn. Great food, beautiful atmosphere and everything we love about a small boutique restaurant. Reminded us of what we had in the Bay Area, walking down Laurel St in San Carlos. Skip the big name Steak House and support small businesses. Check it out. We split the Beet Napoleon Salad. The flavor profile was beautifully blended and incredibly fresh on the pallet. I had the Maple Glaze Salmon (flakey, sweet and perfectly cooked) and the hubby had the 8 oz Filet. Perfect rare cook, lightly whipped potatoes and not drowned in sauce. Enjoyed a Creeping Fig Bourbon Cocktail and The Whispering bourbon Cocktail and ended with a Creme Brûlée. Delicious! Bougie without being too bougie. We will definitely go back - I need to try to tomato blue cheese soup!

Beef stroganoff
Katie C.

Went for Mother's Day dinner after walking/driving by all the time, it looks like such a cute place. Made reservations on open table as it states reservation needed we were running late and staff was nice enough to call to see if we were still on the way. We ordered a variety off the menu. Husband went with the burger, daughter did mashed potatoes and I went with the beef stroganoff. I enjoyed their take of the meal. I was a little sad to not have been offered the bread and oil at the beginning of our meal but think it was just a busy night.

Mac n Cheese
Cam A.

Really 3.5 stars, and the Yelp community has it right. This place showed promise but at each point we were underwhelmed. I ordered the blackened shrimp tacos and some mac n cheese. First the tacos weren't bad but with the number of ingredients I expected a mouth full of flavor. It lacked enough acid and consistency in flavor. The Mac n cheese was disappointing. It was creamy and again lacked flavor. The portion was large but it was average at best. The shining star is the French fries. Really good! Service was what you expect. The restaurant is nice - and had a nice vibe!

Salmon
Claire S.

Met up with friends for dinner at Monkey Cat last night. Haven't been there in a long time and we're so glad we went back. First of all our server, Cheyanne, was absolutely wonderful - friendly and efficient. The food was fantastic! Beet salad, off the charts delicious. A couple of us had the short ribs others had the salmon, one had the chicken Cordon Bleu and one had the seafood risotto. Every single dish was absolutely delicious. Well prepared and beautifully presented. Let's don't forget the cocktails. Vodka martini , old-fashioned . We also shared a bottle of wine. They had a very nice selection of wine as well. We all agreed that we will be back again very soon.

Jill S.

Perfect restaurant for nice meal,ambience and service! Dishes ordered: Brie appetizer with jam & honey,rosemary chicken special,braised short ribs,cheesecake & tiramisu for dessert. We enjoyed our meal so much and appreciated the outstanding service from our sweet waitress! (Forgot her name!) We will be back!

Mac and cheese
William D.

The curb appeal of The Monkey Cat & reviews prompted us to give it a try & both of us were underwhelmed. Very slow (single server)on a Saturday at about 2 pm(day before holiday). Ordered the chicken parm sandwich on special & mac and cheese. The chicken parm on the dinner menu has received good reports, kinda similar execution on the sando on toasted sour dough except for the uneven brie cheese distribution, don't remember Ham?,ok flavor..meh. Side was some Luke warm French fries. Mac & Cheese, lightly cheesed,bacon, ok.. not memorable. Split both items with Mrs D Cute shaded patio area outside looks promising for summer beverages. Anyway, I want to come back for dinner,maybe we caught them on an off day .

Tiramisu

We stopped by for Saturday night dinner. The food was absolutely delicious and the wait staff went "above and beyond." I enjoyed the Beef Stroganoff and my wife had the Chopped Salad w/Chicken. We finished the evening with a tiramisu. It was an excellent evening.

Alissa K.

We met friends at The Monkey Cat for my husbands birthday in early December, and all I can say is it is absolutely fantastic. The waitress was amazing, I can't remember her name unfortunately! She was so attentive and had great suggestions for mocktails for myself which was fun! I got the cutest little pear mocktail in a teddy bear glass and it was so amazing! The food is where I was so thrilled! My husband got the burger and I got the chicken cordon bleu, OMIGOSH my meal was the best meal I think I've ever had in a local restaurant. I mean, it was amazing! My husband said the burger was so good and fresh! The desert menu was top tier and they were so nice to bring out an adorable array for my husbands birthday dessert! I can't say enough good things about this place. We are father up the mountain and travel to see our friends so it was fun to try a new spot and keep it in mind next time we are down the hill for shopping or friends!

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Great drinks and food and service, chill atmosphere. We will definitely return the next time we're in town.

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7 months ago

Great food and service. I even got a Birthday card from the staff. We will be back, and will tell our friends.

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The Club Car

The Club Car

(440 reviews)

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Everyone in the reviews for this place is saying it, and it is absolutely true. The food is very…read moregood. It's easy to overlook those words: "very good", But do not gloss over them. Everything that my friends and I ordered was VERY GOOD. We all ordered a different type of fry on the side and they were all VERY GOOD. This is the kind of place where every thing on the menu is VERY GOOD. It is definitely not the healthiest place you could eat at because their focus is on the food being VERY GOOD. Nevertheless, even the healthy options like the mushroom ciabatta sandwich and the zucchini fries were VERY GOOD. Toasted to a perfect crisp, buttery, freaking delicious. The restaurant itself has a local charm. The ambiance is dictated by what the locals need, not the city people coming in to rent a lake house for the weekend (myself, my boyfriend, and his tech friends). It's refreshing to be somewhere that feels more like a genuine small town tavern than a flashy restaurant that covers itself in flowers and sculptures to be a photoshoot op for you and your girlfriends. (I have done this, no shame, so fun, see son and garden review). I wish I could go here over and over and try every menu. seriously, SO GOOD.

Lunch yesterday after golf was good. I had the Bacon,…read moreavocado burger with a green salad & per usual blue cheese dressing. About noon when we arrived & the hostess had a couple tables reserved but sat us in front section closest to the sidewalk. Service was quick and I had a frosty Knee Deep Breaking Bud draft delivered stat! Extensive food and drink menu. Burgers were cooked med as requested quality meat,so tall with all the fixings a fork was required & probably half a ripe avo made this a full meal. Salad was a good starter with arugula & a mixture of course cut veggies with extra blue cheese dressing brought pronto. Fourth visit & only suggestion would be to upgrade the heavy worm, somewhat greasy floor (especially in the entrance). Popular place with live music & some really good house made potato chips , french dip, mushroom & regular cheese burges consumed by my fellow golfer's at the table. Will be back.

Ikeda's California Country Market - Mushroom tasty burger

Ikeda's California Country Market

(1.8k reviews)

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I first discovered this place back in high school and always pass by it whenever I head to…read moreSacramento or San Francisco, or back home to Reno. The parking lot is pretty big, but usually pretty busy. They also have outdoor seating and seating inside their diner. I usually get their Dutch Apple Pie or their Chicken Pot Pie for my boyfriend. The pie is so yummy and filled with apples! I love how you can choose from the frozen ones or the fresh ones. I usually get a fresh one, eat a bit, and then freeze the rest. There are also some samples of their dips and granola from the last time I went. All of them tasted pretty good! This place is always a great stop while you're on the road.

After being recommended here by two of my coworkers my partner and I knew we had to make our way…read moredown to Ikeda's market. The store itself has so many unique and delicious items. I love that there is an area to try samples of some of the dips before purchasing! We ended up taking home some dried strawberries, coconut cream pie slice, Dutch apple pie slice, and some seasoned corn nuts. All of the items we purchased were perfect. After we finished at the store we walked down to the attached restaurant! The line went fast and despite the amount of people there was plenty of indoor and outdoor seating. We got our food and it was amazing. The wagyu burger was perfectly cooked, the fries perfectly crisped, and the strawberry shake was a great thickness. Now my partner and I are sending people to ikeda's market too! We've decided to make this a staple next time we visit the town over! Do yourself a favor and stop by!

Awful Annie's Restaurant - Grilled cheese eggs Benedict

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I celebrated my clients birthday yesterday!!…read more Happy Birthday, Dianne!!!! She picked Awful Annie's so she could enjoy an Awful Annie's Famous Body Mary! It had a touch of spice and was garnished with celery, a green olive, a spicy green bean, pepperchini, a lime, and a pearl onion. For lunch, we decided to order of the weekend specials menu! I ordered the Carnitas & chorizo Huevos Stack and she ordered the Chicken Fried Steak Dip... service was good. While we waited for our food, my client had to use the restroom twice. From where we were sat, it was quite a long walk, but it was an accessible ramp she was able to use since she has a cane. The steps would've been too much for her. When our meals arrived... both were stunning. My huevos Stack was not all it was cracked up to be. Although they had great crispy tortillas underneath, it had a lot of other soft foods on it that didn't give it much texture. Refried beans, over medium eggs, pico de gallo, red enchilada sauce, and not much meat on it to go around the plate to even it out. Dianne's Country Fried Steak Dip looked and tasted like it was created by someone that knows their breakfasts! Between 2 slices of parmesan toasted bread, there was a thin country fried steak, with over medium eggs, cheese, and BACON!!! And a side of gravy to dip into. That was a million times better than the huevos Stack! So I politely asked our server if I could switch to that special. She got the order in right away and it was out fast. Every bite had the perfect amount of flavor and their sausage gravy tasted insanely good! Both my client and I went home worth half of our meal. She was so happy and it melted my heart that I helped her have an amazing birthday. With the help of Awful Annie's, they helped her birthday become a home run!!! Delicious bloody Mary's, double delicious on our Country Fried Steak Dips, and fine service from the best in town! Thank you Awful Annie's!!

Came here on the way home from a road trip, and had to try something I spied on the menu a day or…read moreso previously - I like to plan my attack! I ordered the parmesan crusted grilled cheese benedict - a mouthful just to say, let alone try to eat . . . If it were JUST the Parmesan-crusted grilled cheese, I would have been happy as a clam. But add the Benedict (2 poached eggs and hollandaise sauce), and I escalate to a happy abalone. Well, you get the idea! I ordered with fruit on the side. And extra Hollandaise. It came quickly, and it was nicely presented - an artwork of home cooking cuisine. It was an amazing taste experience, and I think I have a new favorite here. Although I say that each time, and I have yet to have the same favorite twice here, always something new catches my eye. Just . . . . sooooooo goood. Pearl P. offered great, attentive service, and overall, this was again a great meal. Can't wait to be in the area again and find me a new favorite dish.

Flames Restaurant & Tap House - Menu

Flames Restaurant & Tap House

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My wife and I love The Flames restaurant and it is one of our favorites in Auburn. The garlic…read morefries are excellent and the menu has a wide variety of burgers, steaks, and pizzas. Mai is the owner and she provides very professional service as a bartender and waitress as well. The food always tastes very good and comes out hot and fast. You never have to wait long to be served. The restaurant has many TVs for watching sports and it's never noisy like traditional sports bars. It is in a convenient location on Lincoln Way just off of the Auburn-Ravine / Foresthill Road exit in the Raleys shopping center with lots of parking available. I recommend this place to everyone.

After a road trip, this place hits the spot. Came during happy hour and had to get one of the happy…read morehour deals. The bone-in wings were a great deal and huge, however, I felt like the wing was mostly batter rather than chicken. That was pretty much the only downside. The burgers are 1/2 lb each and are hefty, filling, and come with a nice portion of crispy, salty fries. They were an excellent choice! We also got the sampler platter which had a nice variety. Nothing was overly greasy and the tenders had a good chicken to batter ratio. Inside is spacious with lots of seating. It gives the vibes of an after work hangout spot. The staff is friendly and the service is fast. Whether you're stopping during a roadtrip or have a wedding to attend in Auburn, this place will keep your belly full!

The Monkey Cat - newamerican - Updated May 2026

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