"The Royal Room hosts a gamut of local jazz combos, hip-hop artists, folk singers, singer-songwriters, contemporary funk bands, and more in a laid-back nightclub space that’s larger than it looks from the outside. The dinner spans styles, too — Southern soul food, modern PNW, Mexican, along with some bar food standards — but the Southern-inflected dishes are where the Royal Room is at its absolute best. For instance, the Artist’s Special is a hearty plate of dirty rice with black beans and collards, topped with sliced avocado and pickled cabbage. The blackened catfish is an enticingly well-seasoned larger plate, while the shatteringly crisp house-made yam chips served with a bright remoulade is one of the best bar snacks in the city." - Mark DeJoy, Harry Cheadle, Harry Cheadle
