OyBar
Restaurant · Studio City ·
Creative cocktails & elevated bar food in a former saloon
Creative cocktails & elevated bar food in a former saloon
"Charming and fun-loving in Studio City, this hangout from Jeff Strauss is worth visiting for its cocktails alone, but it’s best enjoyed by ordering plates to share from a menu that’s described as pure fun. It has become an instant Valley classic thanks to dishes like Strauss’s pickle bento box, a wagyu pastrami quesadilla, and a lovely Peruvian scallop crudo; despite crudo being ubiquitous in Los Angeles, this version stands out for its refreshing Filipino calamansi citrus infusion and aji amarillo that brings ample flavor without overwhelming heat, making it the kind of dish where you might battle friends for the last scallop or just shamelessly grab it first." - Eater Staff
"A low-lit, neon-tinged Valley bar-bistro run by Jeff Strauss, this walk-ins-only spot took over the shuttered 50-year-old Oyster House Saloon in 2022 and now runs on rotating menus shaped by Strauss’s moods, inspiration, and farmers’ market finds, with seating at the bar or on the intimate rear patio (slowly reopening as the “Vey” to handle overflow). Inventive cocktails lead with the Ford’s Gin and French vermouth Freezer Martini—icy-cold and refreshing—and a dry Ford’s Gin Martini with a serrano pickled onion; it’s also impossible to get a subpar glass of wine, and the knowledgeable staff will steer you well. The food swings from a smoked trout tostada with chaat masala and chiles to a Jewish tribute to poutine dubbed the “Joutine” (crispy potatoes, wagyu brisket, gravy, cheese curd, sumac), plus a wagyu pastrami quesadilla with shredded Comte and Jack, sauerkraut, and a lacy-edged jalapeño Gruyère crust; a pickle bento box taps Strauss’s fermentation fixation. The thick, beefy Oy burger—toma cheese, hoisin ketchup, Persian cucumber, Dijon, cilantro—feels like the opposite of a smash burger in the best way, and other rotating hits include yakitori chicken liver with hot honey, egg yolk, and chives; matzoh ball ramen; fish chowder; bass en papillote with Szechuan oil; and a crowd-pleasing steak frites with a shiro dashi pan sauce. Expect groups of casually dressed friends in joyful conversation with music at an even level; it gets downright busy, but patience pays off with a table or bar seat eventually." - Mona Holmes
"One of our favorite spots in Studio City, Oy Bar, now has a back patio that's open every weekend. It’s cleverly called Vey In The Back (get it?), and there's a small menu of yakitori grilled over binchotan and other small bites, plus a monthly tasting menu experience with six courses of dishes like corn cheese agnolotti in gochujang butter. Right now, it’s reservations only for Fridays and Saturdays with just 16-24 seats. We haven’t been here yet, but want you to know this spot exists." - Cathy Park
"A back-patio supper club at this Studio City restaurant turned dinner into a summer-night tasting menu, with Jeff Strauss grilling six courses for $85 and pouring inventive cocktails. After a bright pickled course (smoked daikon, green beans, baby corn, turmeric watermelon rind) and heirloom tomatoes with his own labneh, the yakitori chicken liver stole the show: a generous skewer doused with egg yolk and hot honey to my preferred spice level, topped with chives, then set over a toasted baguette — savory, simple, and deeply satisfying in the San Fernando Valley." - Eater Staff
"There’s a lot to love about Oy Bar in Studio City. The dark, divey interior and pastrami quesadilla get us in the door, but it’s the burgers that are worthy of rush hour standstill on the 101. For one, you rarely see a heavy helping of cilantro on a burger, but this neighborhood spot from the Jeff’s Table people proves it's a brilliant accompaniment to a thick burger patty. Combined with gooey Toma cheese, hoisin ketchup, lettuce, onion, cucumber, and dijon, the herb-y Oy Burger is a tangy, fragrant masterpiece. Or get the equally excellent New OG with horseradish crème fraîche and arugula, then fight with your friends about which one is better." - brant cox, cathy park, sylvio martins, garrett snyder
