Queen’s Raw Bar comes from the same restaurant family as Found Oyster, Hermon’s, Barra Santos, and Rasarumah—a Coppola-level roster of LA power siblings. This Southern-leaning spot in Eagle Rock originally opened as Queen Street in 2023, and since then, has mostly been the quiet sibling of the family, functioning as a neighborhood hangout devoid of long waits and crosstown Reddit warriors. All of that is still true, but after tweaking its name, adding cocktails, and beefing up its menu—including the blockbuster raw bar—it’s an even more reliable and useful version of its old self.
Apologies to Kurt Cobain, but our definition of nirvana is sitting at Queen’s horseshoe-shaped bar after a long day. Chefs shuck Cape Cod oysters with the finesse of a close-up magic show, and $10 martinis arrive quicker than rolls at conveyor belt sushi (happy hour runs 5-6pm daily, and all night Mondays). Ask anyone on a nearby stool where they came in from, and they’ll likely tell you, “up the street.” And before you can decide between adding on an order of hush puppies or a pimento cheese sandwich, an ice-packed platter with anchovy skewers and mackerel tartare lands. If you’re wondering if this is the self-care your therapist keeps talking about, it is.
The “grill” parts of Queen’s name, a.k.a. the wood-fired entrees, are slightly less exciting than the raw bar items—skip the stodgy tuna frites, no matter what your server says—but a full dinner here is still the kind of low-lift night out we wholeheartedly endorse. On a recent visit, we snagged a primetime Friday table day-of, and sat next to a Highland Park family with little kids trying their first clams casino (they were later rewarded with a strawberry sundae, which the adults will want to finish, too). After they left, a young couple drifted in for mezcal oyster shooters and a quick burger. We didn’t ask them which part of town they’re from, but we could probably guess.
Food RundownOysters
Any restaurant sibling of Found Oyster knows how put a spolight on shellfish, so it’s no suprise Queen’s exceeds at oysters. Daily specials are written on a chalkboard above the bar—expect mostly East Coast varieties—and come with an option to put caviar on top for an extra $10. Fancy fun, but not necessary.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Mezcal Oyster Shooter
There’s also a beer version of this shooter, but we’ll always point your toward this more potent one—the brininess is the perfect flavor match for the mezcal.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Tuna Tostada
We love this tuna tostada for several reasons, but the main ones are that it arrives pre-split (no messy tostada fails here), and the grated ginger subtlky mixed into the fish, which gives every bite a nice little pop.
Mackerel Tartare
Dill enthusiasts, look alive. This chunky, mayo-y dip is our favorite cold seafood menu item and a must-order regardless of whether you’re here for a martini at happy hour or a full dinner. Tip: They’ll keep refilling your crackers if you ask nicely.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Hush Puppies
You don’t see a ton of hush puppies on menus in LA, let alone great ones. Order a round of these ulta-buttery, jalapeño-filled babies and celebrate finding greatness.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Fish Baked In Paper
We know we said that the cooked entrees can be uneven, but we weren’t talking about this one. Surrounded by peppers and kalamata olives, the flaky-firm halibut tastes like it took a garlic bath before hopping in the oven. It also comes with a sidecar of buttery risotto, which is a welcome, if not totally necessary, bonus.
photo credit: Jessie Clapp
Sundae
Whether it’s drizzled with strawberry jam, passion fruit caramel, or something else of the moment, this seasonal sundae is the kind of dessert worth getting the table to commit to before dinner is ordered. It channels the spirit of Fosselman’s, without the need for a side trip to Alhambra.
photo credit: Brant Cox