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Mc Palapa - Monkey Cat, Auburn, CA

Monkey Cat

4.5
4.5
1390 Reviews
$30 and under
American
Top Tags:
Located in historic downtown Auburn, The Monkey Cat is a popular destination for both locals and visitors who are looking for a unique dining experience. Monkey Cat offers a wide selection of dishes, with something for everyone. The lunch menu has hearty sandwiches, delicious tacos, variety of salads and wonderful entree options. For dinner there is a variety of steaks, seafood and poultry dishes that will leave your mouth watering. Vegetarian and Vegan options are available on the menu, and most diets & allergies can be accommodated. Placer County is home to fantastic wineries and breweries, and Monkey Cat is a proud supporter of that. Try a local drink on your next visit. Looking to take care of a larger group? Ask about private dining. Everything from Happy Hour, to Wine Down Wednesday, to Holiday Specials, Monkey Cat has you covered.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Additional information

  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Asian, Steak
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Phone number
    (530) 888-8492
  • Website
    http://monkeycat.com/
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Private party facilities
    Private dining room available with a bar and Internet connection. Seats up to 24 for dinner or up to 50 for cocktails. Customized menu. Please contact Jennifer @530-888-8492 or jennifer@monkeycat.com to reserve the banquet room.
  • Private party contact
    Jim: (530) 888-8492
  • Location
    805 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603
  • Neighborhood
    Auburn
  • Cross street
    Cherry
  • Parking details
    Street side parking, parking lot located on Cherry Ave as well as Lincoln Way
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Featured in

What 1,390 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.5
4.5 based on recent ratings
  • 4.5Food
  • 4.7Service
  • 4.3Ambience
  • 4.2Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

  • Sacramento / Sacramento Valley

    Neighborhood gem

1,390 Reviews

  1. Betty

    Tahoe

    20 reviews

    4.0

    20 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very busy night, lively; great service. Food was very good.

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  2. GlenK

    Sacramento

    49 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    49 reviews

    Dined 6 days ago

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    The calamari appetizer was cooked to perfection, as was the chicken cordon bleu. An excellent meal. Restaurant was busy but we never felt rushed. Cheyenne did a fabulous job serving us. Highly recommended.

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  3. SusanGrace

    San Francisco

    10 reviews

    5.0

    10 reviews

    Dined on December 1, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A perfect place for lunch with a friend. The food was perfect and that staff was kind and helpful.

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  4. BillD

    Denver

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Had a fantastic meal with an awesome waitress. Will be back!

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  5. JohnC

    Greater Boston

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on November 26, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Very good service, filet mignon was a bit overcooked but not bad. Vegetables were uninspired. Beer selection was poor but drinks were good. Our overall impression was that it's a decent restaurant but vastly overpriced. If we'd had different meals maybe it would have been better. And the (without warning) "CC FEE" added to the bill left a bad enough taste that we won't return.

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  6. Donald

    Sacramento

    531 reviews

    vip
    4.0

    531 reviews

    Dined on November 22, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 1
    Very good food and service. A terrible smell emanated from the bathrooms into the dining area - like a harsh musty odor.

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  7. OpenTable Diner

    Sacramento

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We had a very nice meal on a Saturday night and then enjoyed the festive holiday lights. I had the chicken cordon bleu with mashed potatoes, great comfort food. The service was spot on.

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  8. Starrman

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    4.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on November 19, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Outstanding service. Never seen corn in Parmesan Risotto and the rice seemed overcooked. The beef bourguignon was delicious.

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  9. EmilyG

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 16, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food and service!! Highly recommend to anyone!! We definitely be back!!

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  10. OpenTable Diner

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our experience was awesome as usual. Our waitress was attentive. We had the veggie stir fry with scallops and the special of the night which was fried chicken with celery gravy and rice. For starters we had a wedge salad and a cup of the blue cheese tomato soup. We shared a vanilla Sunday for dessert. Everything was delicious. I would recommend Monkey Cat to any of our friends & family.

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  11. OpenTable Diner

    Tahoe

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on November 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We stumbled across Monkey Cat during our anniversary trip to the Nevada City/Grass Valley/Auburn area. After 2 days of winery and brewery hopping, we were hungry for a good meal. We found Monkey Cat on OpenTable and decided to go for it. The service was great, the food was amazing, and we found a new favorite place to eat during our travels to the Auburn area.

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  12. RobertK

    Sacramento

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on November 11, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Monkey Cat continues to be a special restaurant for us as we first dated there, and it is where I proposed to TLOML.

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  13. ErikT

    Sacramento

    4 reviews

    5.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on October 29, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Dinner was amazing, service was great, the desert could use an improvement.

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  14. Mark

    San Francisco

    12 reviews

    5.0

    12 reviews

    Dined on October 15, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Our first visit to Monkey Cat was fantastic! Great service, great food, nice ambiance. We will be back!

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  15. NYMick7

    Tahoe

    68 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    68 reviews

    Dined on October 14, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Stopped here on way back to Reno from Bay. Food and drinks wer good. a tad slow for only having a couple of tables but they did have a sign on bathroom door warning low staff.

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  16. LauraL

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on October 1, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    I have Celiac. This restaurant is the best. I love their choices!

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  17. Kjohn

    San Francisco

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 30, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 3
    Waitress was awesome and fun. Food was good but place is very loud

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  18. LaurieW

    Sacramento

    59 reviews

    vip
    1.0

    59 reviews

    Dined on September 10, 2023

    1. Overall 1
    2. Food 1
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    The theme is cute. Some of the drinks were very good. The gummy bear drink is adorable. Not very tasty though. Just a lot of sweet syrup in a cute glass The food has so much potential, but falls short of expectations. Especially for the price. The scallop risotto was served cold. I mean just yuk. Burger was ok. Fries very cold. Steak frites was good, but again cold. Chicken cordon bleu was hot. The chicken was great. The broccoli was ok. The mashed potatoes were not hot. Overcooked and tasteless. I don’t think we would return. Nothing worse than cold food. The Butter salads were good, but no candied walnuts just plain walnuts tossed in. So much potential, but a total miss for $300.00. The chocolate cake dessert had Hershey syrup all over the plate. Yuk. Service was exceptional. Loved what the menu described as options, but we couldn’t justify returning.

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  19. CandiceN

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on September 9, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Loved this place, the service was very friendly and even though the place was extremely busy they made sure to take great care of us, food was fantastic! Couldn't recommend more.

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  20. STEPHANIEG

    Palm Springs

    20 reviews

    5.0

    20 reviews

    Dined on August 31, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    We are regulars here. Consistently good food and good service. We Love Erica!! She is the best server!!!

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  21. StephanieR

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 30, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Amazing food, will absolutely go here again. The drinks were good too, a little pricey on the drinks though.

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  22. RandyH

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Excellent food with generous portions. Good alcohol selection with local beers and wine and specialty cocktails. All the employees were great and made our anniversary dinner very special.

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  23. Hawaiibound

    Hawaii

    3 reviews

    5.0

    3 reviews

    Dined on August 13, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Was very surprised how nice it was. Great food, wine, and service!

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  24. BrianC

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on August 4, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great Fresh food. Nice Staff, we sat inside but patio area is nice as well Brick Chicken is perfect and Steak was prepared yummy Medium rare as requested

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  25. MikeB

    Greater Boston

    18 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    18 reviews

    Dined on August 3, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Food quality is very good. Ambience is understated and worth returning to enjoy again. Service was very attentive and authentic. When in Auburn, CA, this is a “must experience” restaurant.

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  26. CarolR

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on July 12, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Waitress was super quick and attentive. Really enjoyed the dinner. Great food.

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  27. AngieB

    Sacramento

    46 reviews

    vip
    5.0

    46 reviews

    Dined on July 8, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great little gem in downtown Auburn....Great cocktail and nice salad!

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  28. Jeff

    Sacramento

    44 reviews

    vip
    2.0

    44 reviews

    Dined on July 8, 2023

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 2
    This used to be one of our favorite restaurants, but it was sold a couple years ago and remodeled to remove all signs of its former eccentricity and quirkiness, leaving a barren cheap cafe ambiance and promoting the ricchochet of noise off the stark walls. But beyond that, the dining experience was ruined by our server , a shrill humorless woman sleep walking thru her shift. The service could not have been less personal or more off putting. The food was good though. We both ordered steak frites with chimichuri sauce and it was expertly prepared a nd satisfying. However, we will not be returning to this restaurant.

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  29. Julie

    Tahoe

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 6, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    Flies outside a bit unbearable Menu not too exciting - had the tacos and they were fine. I'd try eating inside before actually reviewing.

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  30. David

    Portland

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on July 1, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Always great food and great service at the Monkey Cat!

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  31. Timshooman

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 30, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 2
    Fine if there’s nothing else open or other restaurants are too busy. Food was fine, nothing I would come back for. Our server disappeared off the floor for about 10 minutes at one point, while we were looking for our check. Could’ve been on a break and didn’t have coverage? Place was pretty dead, music on but very low so we could easily listen to the very loud cell phone conversation held by another patron. We were the youngest people in the place by at least 20 years—maybe more popular with the 60-plus crowd. We don’t like loud restaurants, but this was too quiet even for us.

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  32. KathyB

    1 review

    3.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 30, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 3
    It was great, except... dogs? There were two in the restaurant while we were there. I'm a dog person, but....

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  33. BrianS

    Tahoe

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 28, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    This was my 2nd time at this restaurant. We sat outside. Weather was very nice. It was “Taco Tuesday “ and that was the house special. Very good, variety of 3 types of tacos.

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  34. Jono

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Loved the music on the patio and your staff was awesome. Thank you for the date night menu. It was perfect.

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  35. JesseK

    Sacramento

    2 reviews

    5.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on June 23, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    A small birthday celebration, a superior Beef Bourguignon, good wine selection and great service.

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  36. MountainMomma

    1 review

    4.0

    1 review

    Dined on June 17, 2023

    1. Overall 4
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 4
    4. Ambience 4
    Very delicious food. Service was very good. My only negative (which it's really not) is that I always need a jacket when I go there.

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  37. OpenTable Diner

    San Francisco

    7 reviews

    5.0

    7 reviews

    Dined on June 17, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 4
    Location is great. Parking is always available. Staff gets it done. Service with a smile and food I continue to come back for regularly. Support your local!!

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  38. Rachel

    Sacramento

    4 reviews

    2.0

    4 reviews

    Dined on June 11, 2023

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 1
    4. Ambience 1
    For the price of a plate without bread service or salad/soup, our experience was a 2/10. The music was pop/techno sounding which servers and patrons had to talk over, including talking over the general noise of the restaurant. The Monkey Cat is such a neat concept with prime location… the food was decent but we aren’t sure we would come back as the overall experience was less than satisfactory.

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  39. OpenTable Diner

    Sacramento

    2 reviews

    3.0

    2 reviews

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    1. Overall 3
    2. Food 4
    3. Service 2
    4. Ambience 5
    The staff were very friendly but super slow. It took 30 mins just to get our first drink after order.

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  40. DarleneB

    San Francisco

    1 review

    5.0

    1 review

    Dined on May 28, 2023

    1. Overall 5
    2. Food 5
    3. Service 5
    4. Ambience 5
    Great food & service. Fun atmosphere with an interesting art collection.

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Safety precautions

  • Cleaning & sanitizing

    • Surfaces sanitized between seatings
    • Sanitizer or wipes provided for customers

FAQs

Monkey Cat offers takeout which you can order by calling the restaurant at (530) 888-8492.

Monkey Cat is rated 4.5 stars by 1390 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people
7:00 PM
Booked 13 times today

Order delivery or takeout

Google Map for Monkey Cat

805 Lincoln Way, Auburn, CA 95603

Additional information

  • Cross street
    Cherry
  • Neighborhood
    Auburn
  • Hours of operation
    Lunch Mon–Fri 11:30 am–3:00 pm Dinner Mon–Thu 5:00 pm–8:00 pm Fri, Sat 5:00 pm–9:00 pm
  • Price
    $30 and under
  • Cuisines
    American, Asian, Steak
  • Dining style
    Casual Dining
  • Dress code
    Casual Dress
  • Parking details
    Street side parking, parking lot located on Cherry Ave as well as Lincoln Way
  • Payment options
    AMEX, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
  • Additional
    Banquet, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Cocktails, Corkage Fee, Full Bar, Gender Neutral Restroom, Gluten-free Options, Happy Hour, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Takeout, Wheelchair Access, Wine
  • Website
    http://monkeycat.com/
  • Phone number
    (530) 888-8492
  • Private party facilities
    Private dining room available with a bar and Internet connection. Seats up to 24 for dinner or up to 50 for cocktails. Customized menu. Please contact Jennifer @530-888-8492 or jennifer@monkeycat.com to reserve the banquet room.
  • Private party contact
    Jim: (530) 888-8492

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