Palace Station’s Cult-Favorite Oyster Bar Is Las Vegas’s Most Popular Restaurant | Eater Vegas
"A 24-hour, 18-seat counter opened in October 1995 that sits right on a casino floor and operates without reservations or a dress code, this seafood spot has developed a decades‑long cult following despite — or because of — long waits. Its signature pan roast, a bisque-like, tomato-and-cream seafood stew spiked with a Cajun sofrito and a brandy-like undertone, is the raison d’être (the kitchen goes through roughly 33,000 gallons of it a year); customers typically eat it with white rice so the creamy base can cling and form a rich, porridge-like crust. Other staples include fat Gulf oysters, shrimp cocktail, herbaceous gumbo and etouffée, and diners choose spice on a 1–10 scale (there’s also an off‑menu “lava” sauce for masochists). Service is theatrical: cooks prepare orders in view using jacketed steam kettles (a setup that looks steampunk but delivers consistent, even cooking), turning the counter into a performance that pairs well with the smoky, slot-machine din of the casino. It’s not fine dining — staffers joke about the simplicity of the fare — but the precise, unchanging flavor profile and the immersive sensory experience keep locals and tourists returning year after year; expect waits that can stretch hours (shorter early in the morning) and remember the bar policy: no patrons under 21." - Lucas Kwan Peterson
