Jim and I got there at around 5 and stayed for about an hour, checking out the very cool decor, trying the free appetizers (I loved the pulled pork - and normally this is a dish I don't even like!) and chatting with some friends we bumped into there. The mood was really wonderfully upbeat - it was like a reunion!
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Below - older updates on this ongoing story.
According to the Merc, The Cats is slated to open December 10, 2011. Check out the article, but do it soon - the SJ Mercury News tends to take its articles offline within about 2 weeks: http://www.mercurynews.com/los-gatos/ci_19335922
Many thanks to J.B. Hanselman, who commented on this post to alert us to the imminent reopening of the beloved Cats Restaurant! There's a new website, which says they are reopening the summer of 2011. You can check it out and read up on it there:
The Cats Restaurant in Los Gatos appears to have work going on, and there are high hopes that it will open again in spring, according to an article in the Los Gatos Weekly Times and San Jose Mercury News.
About four years ago, The historic Cats Restaurant in Los Gatos quickly and quietly closed without much warning (see article in the Los Gatos Observer). One of the area's older buildings, it was constructed as a stage coach stop in the late 1800s, possibly around 1896.
In 2008 I was near the tavern, photographing Leo and Leona at the entrance to Poet's Canyon just steps away, and popped by old building to see what was going on with it.
To my surprise, it appeared that The Cats was being made ready to reopen. There were several trucks and workers in view and the parking lot sported new blacktop and parking stripes.
I could not find any news about a reopening, and apparently there were issues with permits.
The Cats has served many functions over the years and is an area landmark. It would be great to see it open again.
The Cats Restaurant is located at 17533 Santa Cruz Highway, just past the downtown entrance to the freeway from South Santa Cruz Avenue.
Leo and Leona can be seen from this freeway exit too. For more on the two concrete cats, please visit this earlier post: How did Los Gatos get its cat logo?
I sure don't know. I saw all kinds of activity there in November, but I'm not sure what's happening now. The old number no longer works - I did try to call and see. This week I'll see if I can't drive past it and update you and everyone else.
My guess is that they're doing work and ran into more things to do....
Apparently not. I didn't know it was closed until you said so, but I just phoned over there and the restaurant number is closed so I called the main line.
The nice gal who answered the phone, Sharon, told me that when La Hacienda was sold a couple of years ago, the new owner just closed the restaurant down. She did not know why.
Apparently that facility is now rented out to a catering service called Restaurant O and they've been there since January of 2008.
I am really sorry that the restaurant at La Hacienda is gone. My husband, Jim, and I did our rehearsal dinner wedding there the night before we married in 1985. We used to dine there occassionally, and it was a place my father and mother both loved for dinner or Sunday brunch.
This weekend, I heard another rumor Cats Tavern was to reopen, theme is BBQ. Have you heard about this?
I am familiar with Restaurant O service, they used to run out of a space on Winchester near Campbell. They make great cuisine. Do they open dining to the public at Hacienda? That might be worth a visit.
Any word on Cats in recent months? The post about new owners and work being done on the place really got me excited for a blast from the past! Hope you can reply to this!
I met a guy named Mark a couple of months ago, who is the new owner. He DOES plan to reopen the Cats. Soon. I'm looking forward to it. I was there a few years ago when they had a chimney fire, right before it closed down. Firemen came and chased us out of the bar. I think that had something to do with it closing. I'll try to get ahold of Mark and have him post an update. Do you have a source for the history of the place?
Their web page, http://catssmokehouse.com/ states that they, under the name of "Cats Smokehouse" are scheduled to open in summer 2009. Their web page should be announcing the grand opening date when ever that might be.
Can’t wait and I hope the food is the same or better?
A blog about Los Gatos real estate, homes, houses, condos, townhomes, housing market, neightborhoods, history, events, businesses, parks, schools, photos, issues, and lifestyle by Mary Pope-Handy, town resident, enthusiast and Realtor.
Mary Pope-Handy
Realtor, CRS, ABR, E-Pro
Sereno Group Real Estate
214 Los Gatos-Saratoga Road Los Gatos, CA 95030
DRE # 01153805
408 204-7673
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