The Queen Bean Bistro — Restaurant in Ventnor City

If I could give this establishment zero stars, I would. As a Black woman, I have never experienced the level of blatant disrespect, hostility, and disregard that I encountered at Queen Bean Bistro in Ventnor City. What was supposed to be a simple breakfast turned into one of the most humiliating, alarming, and unsettling experiences I’ve ever had at a place of business.

From the moment I walked in, it was evident that I was not welcomed. The energy shifted instantly, and I felt like I had stepped into a time where my presence alone was a problem. I inquired about a vegan and gluten-free French toast option, and was immediately told by a staff member that it didn’t exist — only for me to turn the menu over and find it clearly listed. When I questioned this, she casually claimed it was “something new,” though it was obviously printed on the menu. If you are serving food — particularly to those with real dietary restrictions and health concerns — you should be well-versed in your own offerings. That lack of care was already unacceptable.

Despite the uncomfortable atmosphere, I attempted to give them a chance. The waitress brought my drink to the table by practically slamming it down without a word of courtesy and with an attitude that made it clear I was unwelcome. I decided in that moment that I would not tolerate this type of treatment, quietly gathered my belongings, and left.

What followed was nothing short of appalling. As I was walking down the boardwalk, the owner of the restaurant chased me down, yelling and cursing at me about the food I had ordered — not once asking why I left or if something had gone wrong. His behavior was aggressive, confrontational, and completely unprofessional. He used profanity and directed racially charged, hateful language toward me. I was alone, and as a Black woman, I felt unsafe, targeted, and completely disregarded not just as a customer, but as a human being.

This type of behavior is dangerous, unacceptable, and has no place in any community — let alone in a business that serves the public. I will be reporting this incident to every appropriate agency, as no person should ever be made to feel threatened, degraded, or devalued while patronizing a business. The owner’s actions were not only offensive but deeply disturbing and should be a concern to anyone considering supporting this establishment.

I urge anyone, especially those from marginalized communities, to avoid this place entirely. No meal is worth subjecting yourself to discrimination, mistreatment, and complete disregard for your dignity and safety.

Response to Restaurant:

It’s unfortunate, yet unsurprising, that rather than taking genuine accountability for how a guest felt in your business, you’ve chosen to rely solely on what you claim your video footage shows, rather than addressing the entire experience from the perspective of the person who lived it. The fact that you feel entitled to invalidate a Black woman’s lived experience based solely on your interpretation of security footage speaks volumes about the culture within your business.

Regardless of how you perceived the initial interaction or whether conversations in the room continued, the environment was unwelcoming, and your staff’s lack of familiarity with your menu — particularly regarding allergens — posed a legitimate safety concern. Dismissing that by saying it was the server’s “first day back” is not a defense; it’s negligence.

As for your owner’s conduct outside the restaurant: while you claim he remained “calm,” the reality is that I was aggressively approached in public over food — without a single inquiry into whether I was okay or why I felt compelled to leave. That’s unacceptable, especially from the owner of a business that claims to value inclusion.

I hope this experience reminds you that creating a genuinely inclusive environment takes more than a posted statement or internal belief. It’s about how people feel when they walk...

For the recent 1 star review. I usually don’t write reviews, but after reading the recent 1-star review accusing Queen Bean Bistro of racism and hostility, I felt the need to speak up as someone who has been coming here regularly and has had a completely different experience — every single time.

First off, I want to say: I understand that people can have different experiences, and no one can speak for someone else's personal feelings. But as a customer who’s eaten here many times (and seen this place at its busiest and quietest), the story being told in that review doesn't line up with anything I've witnessed or experienced.

The staff has never made me — or anyone I’ve seen — feel unwelcome. In fact, the vibe is the opposite: warm, casual, and community-focused. I’ve seen customers of all backgrounds eating here — families, solo diners, Black folks, white folks, older people, LGBTQ couples — and I’ve never once seen or felt any kind of discrimination or disrespect.

Now, about the French toast incident that reviewer mentioned: I was actually there that day. I watched the exchange happen. The server was polite, if a little confused — she did say something about the item being new when the customer asked, which was clearly an honest mistake, not some targeted lie. Menus change, especially in small places. It wasn’t some sinister act of exclusion. And yes, it was on the menu, but that doesn’t mean every single server has it memorized word-for-word. That’s not unusual.

What really struck me was how quickly things escalated. The customer seemed upset from the moment she walked in. I didn’t hear any racial slurs from the owner — what I saw was someone trying to run after a customer who had abruptly left to check if she wanted her food to go. The tone may have been stressed or loud (anyone working a weekend brunch rush knows that energy), but calling it a violent or racist confrontation is not what I witnessed.

The review also talks about the restaurant going "silent" when she walked in. I was sitting near the door. No one went silent. People were literally in mid-conversation, eating, laughing — just a normal day at a casual bistro. It feels like parts of that review were exaggerated or written with a personal agenda, which is really unfortunate because small businesses can be deeply hurt by reviews like that.

Again, I’m not here to discount anyone’s lived experience — racism is real, and businesses should be held accountable when it happens. But from what I’ve seen, Queen Bean Bistro is not that place. The people who work here show up early, hustle hard, and treat their customers with kindness and respect. They don’t deserve to be publicly slandered based on a single interaction that seems to have been misunderstood or misrepresented.

So I’m leaving this 5-star review because this place is worth supporting. The food is fresh, the vegan options are solid, the atmosphere is relaxed, and most importantly — the staff has always made me feel welcome. If you're unsure what to believe, do yourself a favor: go experience it for yourself. That’s the only truth...

I cannot believe the amazing breakfast we had this morning. All I did was google best breakfast near me, and since I also wanted some good coffee, the name struck my curiosity enough to head down the BHP to try it out. This is the kind of place where you're happy to spend your time & money because everything is prepared with such perfection.

We started with the Emotional Support Potatoes (ESP). This would have been enough so glad we shared it... but also not glad because I really could've eaten this whole platter myself. Wow! The horseradish sauce takes this thing to another level! Things that were supposed to be crispy were crispy yet the potatoes were perfectly soft in the middle. How do they do this? It's so good!

We both had the smokey westerner omelet. I had it the way it came with homemade pepper jack, hubby asked for cooper sharp (arguably the best cheese ever). We both enjoyed it with the grilled slice of sourdough rye. Yummy! Even the side of fruit we opted for because we already had the ESP was fantastic!

We also tried a pumpkin pancake and a banana pancake. I mean...c'mon! Definitely could have had a full stack of both.

Our waitress suggested a scone so we chose to spilt a coconut one. Heaven!!! We tried to walk away but had to try the blueberry too... also super delicious! After this we had to be cut off otherwise we would just stay for dinner!

Overall this was a PERFECT breakfast from start to finish. Chef Sal & his wife know what they are doing & for all of our sake I hope they continue to do it for a very long time