The Red Cat Kitchen

Red Cat Kitchen is where bold creativity meets thoughtful, soulful food. From the very first bite to the last moment of the meal, it’s clear this spot is about more than just dinner — it’s about experience. I started with the Island Fresca, a chilled soup that surprised and delighted me. Light, flavorful, and full of freshness. Definitely order it with the Boris Made the Focaccia — the name is fun, and the bread is perfectly herby and warm. My husband had the Blue Hill Maine Mussels, which were such a hit he ordered extra focaccia just to soak up the broth. I followed with the fish and corn risotto — creamy, rich, and full of late-summer flavor. It was all so well-balanced and thoughtful. One thing I loved: you can watch the chefs at work. The open kitchen adds an energetic, almost theatrical feel to the night — you’re watching art happen in real time. The atmosphere is definitely lively — expect a noisy dining room with close seating. It’s part of the charm, but something to be aware of if you’re looking for quiet conversation. Another important note: the menu changes often, and modifications aren’t allowed on cocktails or menu items. I actually respect that — they make everything in-house, from their cocktail syrups to the sauces, so there’s a strong sense of integrity in what they serve. But if you’re picky or have specific needs, it’s something to know ahead of time. And finally — the women’s bathroom. Yes, it deserves its own paragraph. The walls are adorned with Shel Silverstein’s “The Thinker of Tender Thoughts”, expressed in whimsical sketches that gradually transform a man’s head into a bouquet of flowers. The floral decals along the ceiling and the rustic wood vanity mirror give it a personal, poetic feel. I had to stop and take photos. It’s that thoughtful. If you’re in Oak Bluffs and want a meal that feeds both your appetite and your imagination, Red Cat Kitchen should be on your list. Just come ready for a full sensory experience — noise, flavor, artistry, and all.

Excellent, excellent meal, the best we've had in Martha's Vineyard! The risotto was delicious, the brussel sprouts were fantastic. We had the halibut, the salmon, the pasta, all were really great. Really tasty cocktails as well. The service was awesome, the chef is a really cool and the inside has a nice casual vibe. If you come for drinks, check out the nook with the couch seats by the bar!

Without a doubt ~ one of Martha's Vineyard's BEST experiences! Chef (and his glorious brigade of culinary masters) will WOW you with one-of-a-kind creations. Timothy's cocktails are equally crafted to perfection with the most delightful ingredients & a skillful, considerate composition every damn time. Timothy will provide you with the kind of consistency, courteousness, and divine drinks you dream about...he is indeed a hidden treasure of the island! Jacob and the serving staff each bring a special something, too, and I promise you will want to return to see this extraordinary team, the next new & exciting spectacular menu items, and the latest lovely libations ~ all guaranteed to rock your world!!! After years at the Red Cat, I continue to be blown away. If you are on the fence, take a chance...the quality and attention to every detail will keep you coming back for much, much more. Hopefully, if none of this is enough, a photograph of my filfthy martini with fried chicken + fried tomato combo will help get you in their door ASAP :)

The food was immaculate! Really great dishes and drinks. I it’s not the biggest dining space, but we were comfortable and there for the food. We will be making an annual visit here whenever we’re on the island.

Outstanding Vibes - A+ staff and hands down the most beautiful food and beverage on Circuit ave. Must have Brussels, and don’t sleep on the fried chicken. This brûléed Gold Bud Peach was sublime iykyk.

While in Martha’s Vineyard I ate here, this was my first time having mussels out of the shell in a tomato broth vs the usual garlic/butter wine combo. The food was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect.

A local recommended this spot and it did not disappoint. Did not have a reservation but got seats at the bar. Nice open layout to the restaurant. Spacious bar with a good selection of drinks and spirits. Kevin the bartender was very attentive in spite of being busy. Speciality old fashioned and Manhattan for cocktails. Both were very good. We ordered a couple of appetizers rather than meals. Highly recommend the Brussel Sprouts. Great flavor and enough to share. The Shrimp and Crab cocktail had a good flavor but not stellar. We were surprised how small the shrimp were especially at $28. I would not recommend the shrimp. Overall a great spot and would eat here again.

Be aware that the menu is always changing so what you see here isn’t what you will get in restaurant. We started with the heirloom tomato, which was $19 for three slices, and chowder. Both were fine, but nothing to get excited about. We then shared the fried chicken as our entree. The fried chicken was a bit overcooked, the batter had a slight burnt taste, and some parts of the chicken were very dry. However, the accompanying sweet potato was very overcooked, hard as a rock and completely inedible. We mentioned this to the waitress that cleared our table and all we received was a blank stare. We didn’t expect to be comped or have the kitchen remake, but we do expect acknowledgement and an apology. Nothing special about the atmosphere. The service gets two stars because our main waiter, Lewis, did a good job, but gets knocked down by the waitress’ lack of recognition. Overall, the experience did not meet our expectations based upon the star rating on resy, reviews in google and yelp.

Had a great time here for my friend's Bachelorette party! April was our waitress and she was amazing! I got the halibut with the corn risotto. I was impressed to hear they change their menu every day - it makes you feel like you're a getting an extra special experience. The desserts were amazing too and I loved the key lime pie. I would recommend to anyone staying in Oak Bluff.

Arrived for our annual dinner experience as we have for the last 9 years expecting another fantastic experience. Our party of 4 were greeted and seated in a timely fashion, despite being busy. Our waiter brought us cocktails and even offered dinner suggestions. He was great. Here's where it started going bad. The noise level was out of control. The table of 8 next to us were yelling to each other over the extremely loud music. A server came by this table to request the music be lowered as people were complaining. We could hear him yelling that "speakers 6 & 3 were aimed directly at the high tops". When the music adjusted several guests applauded. It seems that the man at the table next to us was controlling the sound. He wasn't happy with the applause so he raised the music louder. It was not music any of us was familiar with. Not appropriate for a dining experience. My friend ( who is in rock band) speaking over the music complained about the music to us when the man next to us got up from his seat and approached our table. When my friend voiced his opinion the man replied with "I don't need your money". And "try me". Words were exchanged. He was the owner and chef ( off this night to party with friends) Everyone in the restaurant observed the exchange and bullying. Staff was quite concerned but this was not the first time that something like this had happened. The man walked away and returned tried to "make friends " with us. He offered to pay for 1 dinner to make amends and "hug it out" He told us about his mother who would make him lower his music growing up and how he resented her. He lowered the music and changed the selections. This behavior is unacceptable and we will never return. Food was fair, not the quality of the last 9 years. They ran out of Brussel sprouts earlier. Beet salad was average. The halibut was fishy. The monk fish sauce had so much butter it made the gnocchi paste like. Highlights were the onion ring appetizer and cod cakes for dinner.

I would give this restaurant 4 stars for food and service, but unfortunately took away 1 star for noise. I don't think I have ever been in a noisier restaurant! It was packed, and is very popular, so I guess people overcome the noise for the food. We did enjoy our meals, but felt things were quite high priced. For those prices, I'd rather have a more elegant evening. A very imaginative cocktail list, and a wonderful selection of non-alcoholic cocktails. I had a sip of my friend's spicy "margarita" and it was delicious. Short ribs were delicious & filling, cheeks and chips were good but not enough (according to the teenaged boy who ordered it.) Both people who got the pasta with pork thought the taste was terrific, but found it odd to have to cut 2 slabs of pork in a bowl full of pasta (the pork was on the bottom.) The brussel sprouts were delicious! Very pleasant and friendly service. Didn't feel rushed or ignored.

If you're looking for traditional dining, Red Cat is not your place to dine. Since it moved, the vibe has definitely changed. No longer a quiet place for a date. Menu changes daily. Although my entree was tasty, I did not travel to Martha's Vineyard to have beef stroganoff. Drink was good - clarified Mai Tai. Service was great.

Great vibe and great food on Martha's Vineyard. It does get quite loud inside. The menu is unique and changes very frequently. I have to mention the short rib entree... extremely tender and delicious. Our waitress was very helpful with providing recommendations, answering questions, and taking care of our large party.

Excellent, excellent meal, the best we've had in Martha's Vineyard! The risotto was delicious, the brussel sprouts were fantastic. We had the halibut, the salmon, the pasta, all were really great. Really tasty cocktails as well. The service was awesome, the chef is a really cool and the inside has a nice casual vibe. If you come for drinks, check out the nook with the couch seats by the bar!

Got an app (brussel sprouts) and a drink. Music was cool, had different variations of Rolling Stones music. The place had a bit of an odd smell, which I thought was weird, mushrooms maybe? The bartenders were both very friendly and attentive. Bathrooms were clean.

The menu description stated salmon with red curry cream sauce, potatoes, mushrooms and sautéed vegetables. I asked for no potatoes + mushrooms with extra vegetables. I was told the chef cannot accommodate. The curry sauce was already mixed with the potatoes and mushrooms and vegetables. I ordered the plate as is. When it arrived I took out the salmon and put it on another plate. I asked where the other vegetables were and was told they were in the sauce. There was no other vegetables in the curry broth other than the pots & mushrooms. The menu had crispy shrimp & grits, which were fried so I asked if they could sauté the shrimp instead of fry? The waiter said No the chef doesn't like to modify any of the menu items. The flavor of the curry sauce was excellent but I have never been told No to modify a menu item. The prices of the entrees ranged from $41-$58. I will not return to this restaurant. The sign over the kitchen read "Do the right thing" They did not do the right thing in my opinion.

This place is a little too expensive for the dishes but it has a beautiful atmosphere. We sat at the bar which is first come first serve, compared to the rest of the restaurant which is usually packed with reservations. The location is prime and the workers were incredibly friendly and kind. We had two types of fish dishes and a lobster salad appetizer. The lobster salad was divine!! It was worth the price tag and honestly I expected all of the dishes to be on par but they weren't. The others were just good/fine. I HATE the way the menu is written. It is so confusing to understand what the actual dish is going to be. There are a lot of unhelpful puns and some of the descriptions are misleading. The lobster salad is promoted as a fried tomato. Then you get the plate and there is one tomato at the bottom of a heaping pile of lobster. A pleasant surprise but other dishes were not. My fish dish came with crab in the description and what I received was a light sprinkling of crab that was so sparse I thought it was cheese and it didn't taste like anything. I would go back to try the dessert and to get the one lobster dish but I wouldn't prioritize this restaurant over trying something new.

We've had. two dinners here this summer. In both cases the food was very very good. In one case the service was fantastic, and in the other it was spotty. You really need to be clear about your food allergies (shell fish and a meat allergy) because the noise level of other diners and the music IS SO LOUD THEY CAN'T HEAR YOU! Even for the VIneyard the prices are very high - and not always worth it. And about the noise level: We ordered one dessert to share and got four. That was solely because it's nearly impossible for anyone to be heard over the din and those tables for 8. Ask for a table in a corner.

There was ONE vegetarian option and the Tofu curry was not good, the clam chowder had to be sent back because the potatoes weren't cooked and la ked flavor, the bread with the bluefish dip was stale and chewy, we ordered focaccia and waited so long that it came after our mains. The service was slow but we do recognize it was a holiday. The price for value, service and quality is misaligned. The ambiance is that of a sticky dive bar.

Been coming here for years, but first time in the new location. It of course was perfect. Apps, drinks, dinner, service... could not be beat. Best food and vibe in Oak Bluffs! Short ribs, beet salad, and bluefish spread were amazing. Incredible hand crafted drinks as well.

Outstanding food and really nice service. To start, we had the bluefish dip which was a huge portion with a salad on the side, and the tuna tartar with watermelon and feta which was so ridiculously refreshing. For dinner we had the halibut special, the scallops (whoa so good) and the linguine with clam sauce. The food was terrific. The drinks were also really good! Would 100% return ! Food did come out super fast so I'd ask them to pace it if possible.

Really is the best restaurant around. Dinner starts at 5pm but bar apps and drinks from 4-5pm. Every restaurant on the Vineyard says they have the best lobster roll or chowder or martini or whatever. This place has it all. Great service, excellent food and drinks. The chef is top notch and sources local fresh ingredients. The bartenders are friendly and skilled. The ambience is casual and comfortable. Prices are fair for the quality you get. The blue fish was amazing. The chowder was the best I have ever had, full of clams. Espresso martini and other speciality cocktails were perfect.

Great cocktail experience, don't miss their clarified mai tai! Read the menu carefully and ask your server questions. They will clue you in on what the kitchen is trying to move before it goes bad and what to avoid. Chowder that was available when we visited was amazing, but I would pass on the crab cakes, although they seem like a crowd favorite. Don't dress formally, don't expect a quiet dinner (they did not update the space from the old night club and definitely did not add sound proofing) but do go with the intention of having fun and eating great food. No you cannot get French fries. No they do not serve any sides. This isn't a diner and don't expect to customize your food. Not kid friendly.

The food was absolutely delicious. The portion sizes were not too big like most restaurants these days. The restaurant was full, but they fit us in at this quaint bar top outside. It was fun to people watch.

Ambiance and energy was great. Staff is on point and very nice. The non-alcoholic specialty drinks (zero proof) were amazing - we ordered the Spice Spice Baby and the Peer Pressure - perfection! Perfectly balanced - I need to learn to make these for my house guests. Then we ordered the Fried Chicken with mashed potatoes and watermelon salad. Perfection! Chicken was moist, meaty, flavorful and the batter tasty and crispy. Perfect. We also ordered the Big Ass Sea Scallops - ufffff! They were so soft and huge. Melted in your mouth. Corn Risotto was tasty. We got the Creme de Brûlée - also nice soft and sweet. I really enjoyed this spot so much and I'd come here again for another meal for sure. Thank you for a memorable meal!

Red Cat was a delightful experience! I was with my daughter and her spouse - we were seated quickly. The restaurant decor was unique and nice. Service was excellent. Food was amazing! My favorite was the Créme Brûlée! I had a wonderful dinner and the atmosphere was wonderful too!

Such a chill atmosphere with great service and amazing food! The restaurant was cozy, but had plenty of seating on the inside (looks can be deceiving). My family of five sat near the entrance and we were able to catch Jaws on the tv. I think they play the movie on a loop which is cool. The drinks were fun and tasty. We ordered the Brussels spouts to start and they were so good! A great starter for two or more. Almost everyone at the table ordered a seafood dish and there were no complaints. The portions were HUGE!! I ordered the shrimp and grits...highly recommend. I will definitely be coming here again whenever I'm on MV and try other items on the menu especially since they rotate. Made a reservation in advance, but we still had to wait a bit for the table. Still worth it.

The food here is objectively tasty. They obviously put a lot of thought into the menu. The prices were extremely steep. Up to 68 dollars for an entree. The menu was a bit confusing at first since there's a lot of elements to each dish and not many typical things you would see like for example a burger or pasta. Their new location is bigger which is nice but doesn't have the same charm to it as the older one.

Food ok, but for some reason tuna tartare not served with chips. Too expensive for the quality. Service was strange. Server did not know the menu, was impatient, took off abruptly while we were ordering to assist someone with a napkin that flew away, and slow with everything except the check. It was a busy night during season but still weird.

The Red Cat did not disappoint during our holiday visit to the Vineyard. The entire team was lovely, Emma was so gracious to take care of us and our 8-month old baby with our table, and Skyler was a great server and very attentive. We loved the Rita 4 Tanita margarita cocktails w/ a kick and highly recommend the Brussels. Both are a MUST. My husband tried the short rib dish which was slightly dry and I tried the monkfish, which was outstanding. Overall, we had a great experience and would love to come back. Thanks Red Cat!

Very disappointing visit in that we were served appetizers and dinner and finished within 40 minutes. Rushing customers through dinner is annoying and disgraceful when paying $50+ for entrees - and premium prices for drinks. I understand that owners make money by turning over tables quickly but this was ridiculous. You need to tell the waitress you are not in a rush!! We also did not like the ambiance of the new place; we really enjoyed the charm of the prior locations. Having said my issues with rushed service, the food here is excellent! Brussel sprouts are off the charts!

Definitely one of the finer restaurant experiences on the island. Don't miss it. Food is exceptional, wait staff was abundant and attentive, centrally located and buzzing. Make your reservations. Not to be missed if you're a foodie.

Service was overwhelmed and took forever to get items. Food was recommended as a must try, but left us wondering what the hype was about.

Me and my girlfriend were able to walk in on a Tuesday night and sat on an outdoor deck where we overlooked the streets that bordered the restaurant. Even though we were outside the staff was attentive and both the presentation of taste of the food were good as well. We ordered the Brussel Sprouts, Swordfish and Big Ass Sea Scallops: The Brussel Sprouts were good but it needed more salt but the Parmesan made up for it. The Sea scallops were cooked really well and the risotto was flavorful. The risotto was really heavy though but that may be subjective. I haven't had swordfish before and after trying it I would say that it has the mouthfeel of chicken. The pasta also had a few mussels and the sauce were light. If I were to go back I would order the Brussel sprouts and the Sea scallops again but not the swordfish. If you go expect entrees to run you $40-$60 and for apps to be mostly around $20. We did not order any drinks but the drinks were around $15-$20.

Thoroughly unimpressed with the vibe and food. Feels more like a pub. I miss the old quaint spot. The linguine and clams were tasteless and served with onions? Not good! The braised beef was super tasty but ice cold. Not a good experience

The clarified cocktails are pretty cool. The food is good. The cod cakes are done with potatoes and no breading, which we appreciated. Not a bad pit stop after disembarking from the ferry.

Amazing culinary experience. Began the warm and rainy evening with cocktails and their delicious Brussels sprouts. Get them. My lady had the salmon and I had the beef short ribs as she suggested. Everything exceeded our expectations.

Disappointed We had been to the old place before they moved and were pleased with the food in the ambience. We are looking forward to trying the new place. We found that for starters the ambiance is gone. Was way too loud. Not only from conversations going on, but the music as well. Don't get me wrong we like loud music, but not during dinner and not with all the noise that we already have to deal with. The food was not nearly as good as it used to be and the prices were way higher than they should be for what we got in my opinion. Unfortunately unless we hear things have changed we won't go back there.

The new location is much more spacious and luxurious. It is now on circuit ave. The service is great and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. The kitchen doesn't like to modify the menu so you get what you get, which is always delicious. The seafood is always cooked to perfection. I love the scallops and the Brussels sprouts the best. The cream brule was delicious, as well. The menu changes daily based on the local catch and what Ben wants to make.

The service, ambiance and overall setting was just the right mood! Their drinks menu is very foodie and unique. They make drinks as is, no other modifications or requests allowed. Carpe died!

Went here for a birthday dinner in September, just after everyone went home. Fun, hip vibe. Great food. Interesting cocktails. Everything came out with perfect timing: not rushed and not "where's my food". Made for a pleasant evening.

Pedestrian at best! For the five star prices I expected much more. Loved this place last year with its tight quarters and edgy vibe. Nothing inspired here. A chick pea cassoulet seemed like a can of garbanzo beans warmed up and the uncooked onion & veggies added to it. All fresh, but not a cassoulet by any stretch. $34? $4 dollars of ingredients, zero passion. Other costlier dishes were similarly inspired. The ceasar salad was the one excellent dish. The music was so loud and we sat at a high top. One glass of wine amongst us and the bill with tip was $260. 3 entrees and one dessert and the aforementioned Caesar and 2 bottles of Saratoga water. We'd a done better at an Applebees. The service was very good so we couldn't stiff the wait staff despite our disappointment.

We came here on a date night last night and had an amazing experience! This might be my new favorite restaurant on the island. The creme brûlée is amazing! Definitely want to return. There were two things worth noting: - the Brussels sprouts were not salted. At all. To the point where I have to believe someone just forgot to salt them, instead of an intentional chef's choice. They were very well cooked and delicious once we got our hands on some table salt! - we got the "special" which from previous reviews appears to be available every night for years past. Choice of fish (we got halibut) over lobster risotto. There was very little lobster in the risotto, and overall the scallop dish was more flavorful.

Amazing food. Looking forward to the redone building that I think I read about... Beets, get them. Brussels, get them. Fresca soup, life changing. "Pizza in a bowl" according to my husband? With corn? Love. Duck with Demi glace, insane. Fried chicken with sweet potatoes, mental. Dessert with lemon deconstructed ice cream cake... I even liked it and I don't like lemon desserts. Yum. That's all. It's really good. Call and make a reservation.

Food was good, service was good, ambiance was really really bad. So loud that ownership needs to improve the acoustics in the building. I recommend eating somewhere else because the food was pricey.

Every year, my mom and I spend girls weekend on MV. For 6 years, the red cat has been or go to spot for a special treat meal. We attended the new location for the first time last year and enjoyed it. That being said, this year the service has declined significantly. We felt rushed throughout our meal (done in an hour) and the place lacks its charming ambiance and the kindness of the service that it used to have. While the food was good, the prices are too high ($50+ for an entree) for the rushed service and food that isn't as good as it used to be. On the bright side the brussels sprouts are delicious and a must have if you decide to give this place a go.

The Red Cat has moved location since I was last there. Unfortunately, it seems like a few things have gone down. The atmosphere is extremely loud and crowded. You can't help but hear the other table's conversation. The staff were attentive and kind. It was interesting how they had a host who was probably no older than 12 at the front. Must be a family thing. She was very professional so no complaints there. The food was not as great as I recalled. The brussels sprouts were smothered in Parmesan cheese. I detest Parmesan. But as I picked away at the pieces which had minimal amounts of it, one thing was clear: the sprouts had minimal flavor. They were roasted to a crisp and soaked in this balsamic sauce but it didn't seem to have gotten through. The Salmon was better. They undercook the vegetables so that they all still had some bite to them. The Salmon piece was a good size, had crispy skin and a delicate texture in the meat. The duck was a bit weird. They put this sweet custard like sauce on top which did not marry well with the breast meat. The portion was tiny for 48 dollars and was quickly finished. Finally, the open kitchen concept did not work well for them. The cooks looked unkempt and grabbing and tossing things with their bare hands. It was very unappetizing. Overall still a nice place to go despite it's shortcomings. The prices have gone up quite a bit but again, island prices. Just a bit disappointing compared to last time.

Food was good. Ambiance wasn't. The loudest restaurant I have ever been in. Might have lost my hearing. Invest in sound dampeners

Disappointing. My group of 6 people all agreed that this place was not very good, loud and expensive. Two of us go the swordfish special for 65$ and both of the filets of fish were unforgivably dry and left a chalky mouthfeel. I can cook better swordfish at home. The risotto was cold too. For 65 dollars for a piece of swordfish I expect it to at least be cooked well. Other members of our party thought the veggies in the curry were undercooked and one of our members ordered the curry thinking the tuna would be fully cooked but it was raw and she was pregnant. It was also nightclub level loud for the music and we couldn't hear one another talk across the table. Wouldn't return, disappointing first night at the vineyard

Because of good reviews here, we tried Red Cat, and were equally happy! Stellar brussels, scallops, short rib and focaccia. Waitress April made our visit all the better, and Jacob was awesome too! We'll be back next time. Bravo to the chefs and staff.

On a Saturday night coming into the season, this place was packed and lively. Service was friendly and quick - no complaints to be had. I had the scallops and risotto, which were delicious (though risotto was slightly undercooked). The chocolate lava cake with raspberry ice cream was also quite good. But the real star of the night were the Brussels sprouts! Do. Not. Skip. These. Not a hint of bitterness, perfectly lemony, and with a healthy sprinkling of Parmesan cheese over them, they tasted like popcorn. I only wish they were open on Sunday so I could have gotten two orders to go as a snack for the ferry home.

I was very disappointed because I was looking forward to eating here when I saw the menu. When we arrived, I noticed the entrees on the menu that I could eat (both the salmon and the codfish, since I cannot eat shelfish and prefer to avoid red meat) had notes indicating that it was the chef's choice. I asked the server about both of them, and she could not describe them for me at all, citing that it was simply whatever the chef wanted to do. That would have been fine--I don't need the recipe and I like a surprise--but I asked if either dish today had shellfish in it. The server said she could not tell me. I find this completely absurd. Her refusal to simply tell me if either dish contained shellfish meant that I had to order a different item that I didn't actually want, instead, since it was practically the only entree that I knew I could eat. It was not a particularly busy time, but our server was dismissive and seemed uninterested in providing good service. The menu prices were also 50% higher than what we saw for menu items online before we arrived. Not a good value for the food and service.

Enjoyed our meal there thoroughly. The service was excellent, helpful and very friendly. The food was great, especially the faroe salmon my wife had. The "Big Ass Scallops" were very good, but her dish was much better.

Read some good reviews about this place all of which turned out to be true. Enjoyed the ambience as well as the superb scallop risotto. The chef is very talented. Service was knowledgeable and pleasant. My number one choice in Oak Bluffs.

Great drinks, appetizers and mains. Attentive service. Not cheap but worth it for high-end comfort food.

The new Red Kat is the old Red Kat but even better!!! Food is tremendous as always (get the scallops, jeez), and the new digs are spacious but still have some nooks and crannies to hang out in. Last night we were looking for a well made cocktail on Circuit Ave (hard to find) and decided to try the Kat. Scored some really tasty drinks and the bar scene was buzzing.

TLDR: over-priced food served in a hot, loud and crowded setting. We came here last night after reading so many glowing reviews, but ended up walking away fairly disappointed. While I understand that this is MV and that prices are inflated, I feel like price really plays into our overall feeling about the evening so I will start by commenting on that aspect. Our meal for two - which consisted of one beer, one cocktail, and two entrees - was just slightly more than $200. We did not order an appetizer or wine or dessert. $200+ for two drinks and two entrees. Sure, you can go to French Laundry or Per Se and pay more than that, but in almost any other setting, this is a pretty high price. But you know what...if I'm having an enjoyable evening and feeling like the meal is really special then this doesn't seem outrageous for a nice meal in a resort location. Unfortunately, Red Cat Kitchen fell flat for us. First off, the atmosphere and ambiance - let's just say that it is NOT relaxing and does not feel special. The place is very loud (partially the acoustics and partially the loud music). It is also VERY warm - no, let's be blunt - it was hot as hell! They have two doors that are always open (at least while we were there) and the one mini AC unit we saw can't even begin to make a dent in the temperature. Add to this, the fact that tables are PACKED next to each other - you're about 18-inches from the table next to you. I was wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt and I was perspiring during the entire meal. I don't want to pay $200 to sweat over my dinner. And let's talk about the feeling of the meal...while I appreciate not having to wait forever for my food, I also don't want to feel like the singular goal of the restaurant is to get me in and out as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, our experience at RCK fell firmly in the latter camp. From the moment we were seated at our table, it was literally just 35 minutes before we were back out on Circuit Ave. In fact, our food came out so fast that when the server brought our plates I almost told him he was at the wrong table because there was no way it could have possibly been our food. I was wrong. It was our food. Again, returning to the price, if I'm paying that much for dinner, I want it to feel special and relaxing - and not like I'm at a diner where there's a line of people waiting for my table. As to the quality of the food...it was fine, let's even call it good. Was it anything special? Not even close. I had the striped bass which was cooked well and fairly moist, but didn't have much flavor. It was served atop corn risotto which had chunks of shrimp and lobster. There was a decent amount of shrimp and lobster in the risotto, but they were oddly cool compared with the temperature of the risotto in which they sat (my guess is that they add these in just before serving so that they don't become tough sitting all night in warm risotto), so while I was happy to not be eating rubbery shrimp, a more careful and attentive kitchen (like what you'd expect from an establishment with these prices) would ensure that mix-ins are properly warmed through before plating. For overall rating I guess I'll give it a three. The food was fine, our server was friendly, but everything else fell short and it's not somewhere that I would ever return.