Queenies — Restaurant in Tulsa

I have once or twice felt compelled to write a review, but until today, I have never done so. If I have something nice to say, I usually say it right then or express my pleasure with a tip. If I have a complaint, I usually chalk it up to a bad day and move on. I have visited this establishment numerous times over the last twenty years. Service can be brusque, but I normally go at lunch and can see they are busy and I overlook service that is less than desirable. We called in a to-go order to Queenie’s today. The order was fairly simple. Two egg salad sandwiches, two slices of cake. We wanted the ticket split. One ticket for one sandwich and one ticket for one sandwich and two slices of case. The girl that took the order on the phone said that would not be a problem, they would split it at the store. We arrived, the bakery wasn’t packed yet - all the outdoor tables were available and indoors there were still a few tables left, which is unusual at lunch and why I was taken aback that the help at the counter seemed so stressed. The gentleman (and I use that term VERY loosely) that was going to ring us up seemed to be close to a meltdown before we even told him what we were there for. We both decided we wanted to add a bakery item to our orders. Apparently that was just enough to tip him over the edge and the meltdown began. He dropped the cookies into the to-go bag and I remarked that the cookies would probably be broken. We discovered as he was trying to accomplish the apparently complex division of the ticket, that the order was wrong. That was when he was noticeably in meltdown not only to us, but noticeable to surrounding customers. Oddly enough, his displeasure was directed to us, rather than the employee responsible for messing up the order (the ticket was correct). I still hadn’t reached my “never going back to Queenie’s again” mode, but what happened next caused me to reach that threshold. The older woman at the counter decided to inform us that it’s very busy at lunch and they don’t normally split tickets then because it’s so busy. Seriously??? In all the years I’ve been coming here I have never heard that from her or anyone else. We informed her that the person who took the order over the phone said it wouldn’t be a problem, to which she nastily replied that, “Ma’am, I’m just trying to explain that we don’t normally split tickets at lunch.” No apologies from either one, just the admonishment that Queenie’s doesn’t split tickets when it’s busy. She had the opportunity to turn what was an unpleasant employee encounter around, but instead chose to find an excuse for the “gentleman’s” lack of professionalism. I work for a business that is always eager to learn if employees are performing the same task in a different manner so that we can provide a uniform level of customer service. We appreciate when a customer takes the time to inform us. Queenie’s does not appear to share that sentiment. We both made the statement that we wouldn’t be back to which the “gentleman” replied, “that’s just fine with us.” Sadly, I won’t be returning for lunch, dinner or the numerous cakes I buy there throughout the year. It was a crappy experience and if people are in a job they don’t enjoy, they should move on because if you keep allowing employees to treat customers in this manner, eventually the customers will move on no matter how good...

some of the staff have behaved carelessly and brainlessly.

one of the managers is aggressively hostile (an older female with long curly hair with some grey in the front).

the owner and another staff member here have also touched me inappropriately.

I would not waste my money here and I suggest you also take money elsewhere as the above happened because the staff would not explain to me how one "mistakenly" puts in a tip of $40+ on a ~$4 coffee, when I had already tipped over 25% (as I may have similarly done in the two prior occasions of eating there).

it seems possible to me that some of the people at this place consider generosity to be grounds for taking advantage.

please be careful around this place as your trust could be easily misplaced.

update: 2 months later as I’ve just seen a reply

I suspect that the replier failed to attempt to understand the context of all the actions and how abysmally inappropriate the contents of the reply are, as I suspect that the underlying intention is to pose as being well-actioned to minimize potential damage to their reputation.

most importantly, nothing in the reply explains how the incorrect amount was mistakenly entered.

moreover, Queenies did not only issue me a refund a gift card. a decent manager did so because I demanded it after requesting the original receipt as to confirm I had not mistakenly caused or contributed to the issue. I softly demanded those exact actions which was me generously doing their work as I was too agitated to risk wasting additional time. the decent manager did add they wanted the owner to see the evidence, which was helpful.

in response to the replier’s denial of inappropriate touching—I came back as to speak to the owner and that was one of the two times I was touched inappropriately (not traumatically). both touches seemed to be done because I looked agitated and the people wanted to calm me down. there is absolutely nothing appropriate about anyone unnecessarily touching a stranger without expressed consent. a bit later, the owner, before looking at the receipts, expressed an immediate assumption that it was an innocent mistake, which further infuriated me, so I angrily left to file a police report instead. the owner shouted at me as I left.

I later wanted to follow up directly with the waiter because I wanted to see if it was the person I thought it was as I believe the waited that actually waited on me was different than the person that ran the receipt. I was able to distinctly remember feeling uncomfortable because another waiter was by the receipt machine and seemed to be in an intense mood and I thought perhaps I saw them staring at me nefariously.

I later requested to another person, to see Keely so I could ask what happened as to guess whether it was an innocent or malicious mistake. I was denied in a hostile manner, devoid of decent consideration, so I posted the reviews.

all in all, my updated opinion is the replier is delusional about what happened. I hope any readers of the reply are amused by the business’s response of “I’m sorry you feel…” to a low review about possible actual criminal theft and go anywhere...

I'm not sure how I heard about Queenies, whether the newspaper, local TV or word of mouth, but I'm sad it took me so long to stop by. My first was Monday, January 20th 2025 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day) around 12:30pm. I dined with a friend and there were many qualities to be impressed with.

The outside presents like an upscaled diner. Though are patio seats and tables but the weather wasn't welcoming enough for anyone to sit outside. The entrance places you in between two bars, one a workstation and the other for dining. Half of the diner faces the street which gives plenty of natural light, providing a bright and welcoming sensation to the interior. The inside, from tables to decorations, takes a simplistic approach - nothing that yanks your attention and also nothing to be overstimulated by. For the space to be so tight, there's a good mix of seating styles: booths, tables, and high-top/bars.

It was a busy lunch-hour. The host podium was outside and unattended. We entered to 5 or 6 people ahead of us waiting for the register, either to be seated or to pick up orders. There's a sign alongside the workstation that reads "Please wait outside" but no one was following this direction (typical of that part of town). The line didn't seem to move as more people came in than left. A worker announced to the group "If you placed an order or are waiting for a table, if you wouldn't mind waiting outside." My friend and I moved and waited outside, but no one else did (once again, typical of that part of town). Less than 15mins after that, we were called inside by an older black lady.

The server brought waters and menus, which offers a mix of brunch, pastries, soups and sandwiches. It also doubles as a coffee shop so there's a good mix of offerings for every occasion. After a quick browse, the server returned and attempted to make an order on our behalf, suggesting the Santa Fe Grilled Cheese and Grilled Ham & Swiss. Instead, I ordered the Pastrami Reuben with a lemonade and swap side for soup of the day (chicken noodle soup). No longer than 15mins later, the food arrived steaming! The Reuben was beyond delightful: crispy rye bread, tender pastrami and the cheese was pressed and perfectly stretchy. It almost dissolves while chewing. The soup had a few carrots and peas, it was chunky (more chicken than noodle or soup) while the broth was blander than I'd expect but still good. Oh! The lemonade, made in-house, made a great addition! Lastly, after the meal, Mr. ETHAN HAWKE casually walked in with his family for a carry-out meal so, yeah, I was happy I came!

Despite being in one of the most boujee neighborhoods in Tulsa, the value was excellent. Given the location, value and visual appeal, I can see why there's a consistent demand for this restaurant. I'd be happy to visit again at a less-demanding hour to have their coffee, try their pastries or explore the rest...