This classic neighborhood bar in Studio City is a culinary delight

For decades, San Fernando Valley habitués made their way to the venerable Oyster House Saloon — which was dark, moody and a perfect setting for a Raymond Chandler epic — and were served, along with its cocktails, the sort of seafood dishes that have faded into culinary obscurity found only in a handful of dives along the shore. You wanted chowdah, you went to the Oyster House for chowdah.

Just before Covid arose in the land, Oyster House Saloon became the Bar at Oyster House. And then, Covid forced the doors to close and it became just another one of those empty spaces, which locals hoped one day would return to life.

Indeed, now it has — with style and wonderment.

Thanks to a long-harbored dream of becoming a chef, affable presence Jeff Strauss — who made his Hollywood bones as a writer on “Friends” and “Dream On” — expanded his daytime Highland Park exotic sandwich shop called Jeff’s Table to an even more exotic nighttime, walk-in only, hang called Oy Bar — which sounds like a Jewish deli with cocktails, but turns out to be one of the most enjoyably eclectic eateries in not just the Valley, but SoCal as well.

Those who consider such things tell us that hen’s teeth are one of the animal kingdom’s true rarities. Just as rare is a restaurant that generates the knee-jerk response that I simply cannot wait to go back to and see what else is on the menu. I can’t wait to tell my friends about it. I can’t wait to organize a bunch of heavy forks for an expedition for plates of the world-class chicken wings — in sauces that are described as “Hot Hot Habanero Honey and Scallions” … and “Not Hot Black Lime Pepper.” I want to drown in platters of quintessentially crispy potatoes served with Neela’s Chutney and Cara-Cara Kosha Aioli.

I want to wash it all down with a hoppy Mayberry IPA from El Segundo Brewing Company, or a Beachwood Brewing Hefeweisen Leppard. I want to try the cocktail called Best Mistake — a gimlet made with Haku Japanese Vodka, mint, lemongrass, lime and apricot. Or a Talent Scout — an old fashioned crafted from Elijah Craig Bourbon, dry curacao and bitters. And should I feel the need for wine, the Dirty Baby Viognier from Mt. Veeder Winery in Napa will more than do. I love viognier beyond all reason and rationale. It’s the wine I want to drink in heaven.

On one level, Oy Bar is very much a bar of a retro persuasion that really does have the rarity of a hen house dentist. The barkeep will listen to your lamentations and yowls with infinite patience. But note that there’s no TV over the bar — which is largely fine since the Oy is closed on Sunday nights, so you’ve got to watch your end-of-the-weekend football somewhere else.

Bars, cocktail lounges, hangs … have not traditionally been great places to eat. Those of us who are fans of Joe Jost’s in Long Beach, dating back to 1924, go there for the hot dogs and pickled eggs. Roasted peanuts too.

But Jeff Strauss has turned that truism upside down and inside out. He begins his menu on a Japanese note, with a pair of onigiri — classic snacky rice balls — one flavored with smoked salmon, crème fraîche, red onion, dill, miso butter and “Everything Spice.” (Essentially bagels and lox on sushi steroids!) The other is flavored more simply with miso butter and the same mishmash spice mix.

From there, he moves in his wondrous pickle bento — a red lacquer bento box with an assortment of pickled things that change from week to week. Pickled watermelon? Sure, why not? Then come the miso garlic lettuce salad, the breathtaking crispy potatoes and sundry wings — crunch and more crunch, irresistible in the extreme.