After spending my childhood in Long Beach, I always knew I’d return one day as an adult. As the second-largest city in Los Angeles County, Long Beach boasts similar comforts to L.A. — often with fewer crowds and a lower price. It’s home to rich neighborhoods like Cambodia Town and serves as a welcoming safe space for the deeply rooted LGBTQ+ community, signified by the rainbow-painted crosswalk at Junipero and Broadway and Harvey Milk Promenade Park, the first in the country to be named after the activist. And in 2022, Long Beach elected its first Black mayor, Rex Richardson. Diversity isn’t just a buzzword here; it’s ingrained in the culture. That’s what led my husband and me back to Long Beach when the opportunity arose for us to purchase our home. Coming back to a place rooted in diversity and culture where our kids could thrive was a no-brainer.

From North Long Beach to Bixby Knolls down to Belmont Shore and clear to Alamitos Beach, there are time-tested neighborhood joints like the Falcon, which celebrated 25 years last year, as well as notable new hot spots like Baby Gee. As one server at the Bungalow, the open-air clubhouse at 2nd & PCH, says, “I love that this bar is a place in Long Beach where my people, [real] Long Beach folks, can relax and chill with a view and a vibe.” Those real Long Beach people she was referring to? The wind surfers, the Pilates mommies and everyone in between, including the generation that remembers when 2nd & PCH was the Seaport Marina hotel.

The ingredients for a great bar include cocktails where the flavors are complex and unique, snacks that stave off a hangover and a welcoming crowd. We went on a journey to discover where Long Beach locals are venturing to for cocktails and bites. Here is just some of what we found.