Enjoy Special Menus & Events During Long Beach Last Call

From March 1 to 10, Long Beach will celebrate its bar culture with Last Call, a 10-day event formatted like a restaurant week for bars and bartenders, with lots of cool extras and events. Organized by local food expert and Long Beach Food Scene founder Brian Addison and sponsored by Visit Long Beach, Last Call features special menus, events, and industry mixers. Explore the scene, try new cocktails, and meet the talented bartenders behind Long Beach’s historic and evolving bar culture.

LONG BEACH BARS

You wouldn’t know it from its thriving bar scene today, but in its earliest iteration, Long Beach was once dry—alcohol and saloons were prohibited within city limits. Over the ensuing century, many factors influenced the city’s drinking culture, from U.S. Navy sailors to the rise of foodies and democratization of fine dining. Today, the city’s food and beverage scene is dynamic and award-winning, with a Michelin star arriving in 2023 for Heritage, and Baby Gee Bar earning top honors at the Spirited Awards three years running. Long Beach Last Call celebrates this history and raises a toast to the bartenders, mixologists, chefs, and bar patrons behind it all.

LAST CALL MENUS

Bars and restaurants in Long Beach have created special menus for Last Call, giving diners the chance to try specialty cocktails and enjoy discounts. For example, Beachwood Brewing & Distilling will serve a menu of six specialty martinis, and Spanish influence reigns at Marlena in Belmont Shore, where the Last Call menu includes the “Maid in Spain” and “Gran Toro” cocktails. Other participating locations include The Attic, Auld Dubliner, Bar Becky, BO-Beau Kitchen + Rooftap, Broken Spirits Distillery, Chez Bacchus, El Barrio Cantina, ISM Brewing, Legends, Lola’s Mexican Cuisine, Olive & Rose, The Ordinarie, Port City Tavern, and The Social List. Explore the menus and a map of participating restaurants at lbfoodsceneweek.com.

SPECIAL EVENTS

Last Call kicks off with a party at Broken Spirits Distillery on March 1, from 12 noon to 4 PM. The restaurant and distillery will be serving free tastings of its spirits for those who RSVP on Eventbrite. Following the kick-off comes a cocktail competition on March 2 featuring all women competitors and judges in honor of Women’s History Month, a tasting of rare whiskeys at Angel’s Share on March 4, a meet up for members of the Long Beach Food Scene Facebook group at Halo (RSVP required), and a tasting event at Baby Gee on March 7. To read more about all the Last Call events and get links to tickets, see organizer Brian Addison’s article on Longbeachize.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW

Last Call also offers opportunities to delve deeper into what makes a great cocktail and how culture and history are filtered through the food and drinks we love. On March 3, Midnight Oil will host an event highlighting the history of Mexicali’s Chinatown through spirits, cocktails, and food. On March 5, bar manager Mike Borowski and Chef Carlos Jurado of Selva will present a class on creating a cocktail’s balance of flavors. On March 8 at the Auld Dubliner, learn how to prepare a proper Irish coffee, and on March 9, Panxa Cocina will host an event celebrating Mexico’s agave spirits with tastings of tequila and mezcal. For details and tickets, visit Longbeachize.

INDUSTRY ONLY

Last Call’s events will also bring together the folks who make up the local alcohol and bartending industry, allowing them to network, socialize, and celebrate. A gathering at Beachwood Brewing & Distilling on March 3 will feature martini demos and a Q&A with Beachwood’s distiller, while an industry talent show at Que Sera on March 4 will showcase talents “beyond the pour.” Last Call wraps up with an invitation-only industry party at Baby Gee on March 10.

About the Author
Claire Atkinson
Claire Atkinson is a Southern California native who has lived in Long Beach for over 20 years. She spends her free time visiting local parks, farmers markets, and museums, and loves learning about Long Beach history and culture.
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