Late Night Fun in Long Beach
The quest to find fun, sometimes delicious places – that are not bars – to hang out at well into the evening can be challenging. Luckily, Long Beach offers plenty of late night locations where you can eat, play and watch cult classics. Here’s a sampling of some of those places, open till midnight and beyond, that gratefully do not require you to speak into an intercom while answering the age-old question, “You want fries with that?”
RAD COFFEE
A relatively new addition to Long Beach’s already vibrant coffee scene, Rad Coffee (3502 Atlantic Ave.) – open until midnight, daily – stands out not only for the quality and inventiveness of its coffee drinks, but its unique and colorful blended drinks. For instance, take "Dracula," which comes with red velvet, white chocolate chips and is topped by black whipped cream. Just as unique and fun is the interior that features horror, punk and skater vibes, especially its “horrorcade,” a collection of horror-themed pinball machines.
ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW
Nearly as legendary as the 1975 cult classic is the Art Theatre’s (2025 E. Fourth St.) monthly presentation of the film, with a shadowcast by Midnight Insanity, a troupe that has been performing at the theater since 1992. A shadowcast is a live performance of the movie, done in front of the screen, that is not only highly entertaining but often interactive. Yes, it’s a blast! It all happens every third Saturday of the month, with the fun commencing at 11pm and continuing into the early morning hours.
DAVE & BUSTERS
If Dave & Buster’s (7515 Carson Blvd.) didn’t invent the barcade, it certainly has come to define it. This location at the Long Beach Towne Center has great food, drinks and, of course, games. More than 180 games of all types – from athletic skills to virtual reality attractions such as Top Gun and Transformers. Open until midnight Sunday-Thursday, and until 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday, there’s ultra HD LED televisions for you to relax and watch while refreshing.
RAMEN HUB
Located in Bixby Knolls – the accepted ramen capital of Long Beach – Ramen Hub (3900 Atlantic Ave.) caters to aficionados seeking authentic Hakata-style ramen that employs a creamy, white broth cooked from pork bones. Open until midnight, Sunday-Wednesday, and until 1 a.m. Thursday-Saturday, Ramen Hub offers a 12-inch “slurpin” noodle and a signature 10-inch noodle, both handmade. Ultra-clean, this is another “fast-casual” restaurant that gives you the option of eating there or taking it home. No matter where you have it, it will be delicious.
SPICY SUGAR THAI
Situated around some of Broadway’s most popular late night haunts, this local favorite is popular for being a great place to put a delicious cap on an evening. Open until 11 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday and midnight Friday-Sunday, Spicy Sugar Thai’s (1538 E. Broadway) ambiance is relaxed, its food fresh and can be customized as spicy, or not, as you desire. Either way, the flavors pack a punch, especially in such traditional Thai dishes as Gapao, Somtam and Gai Fried Chicken. They also offer vegan and gluten-free options.