This has become my home bar. It's a great spot for locals to hang and make friends, but also I've…read moremet lots of people who drove from LA to have a Long Beach day, which is fun. Definitely worth it! The vibes are unmatched. It's a unique blend of "top notch cocktail crafting" and "beer and a hot pretzel after work." You can dress up, you can dress down, it's very 'just be yourself' which I love. I've literally had caviar AND hot dogs there in the same night at an event. They know how to blend high/low. Incredible knowledge and ingredients but not snooty patootie. Super inclusive and fun, with cool popups and events happening all the time. It's a full bar so you can get any cocktail you would normally order if you're keeping it simple, or beer, wine, boilermakers, etc. There's a span of offerings and price points, so something for everyone. (Also really good N/A cocktails!) The menu is super inventive and creative! And the cocktail menu changes out every so often so there are new things to try. This area is vintage vibes and Baby Gee speaks it fluently. Really cool decor, curated by the owners who design everything from the playlist to the cocktails to the invention of never-before-seen flavors and shapes of jello shots. Try the Baby Gee appletini while you're there. Mezcal, tequila, sake appletini you ask?? Yes. Trust. And get a hot dog. Do it.

I really wanted to love this place. The vibe was fantastic...great music, a stylish ambiance, and…read morean impressive selection of specialty craft cocktails. It's clear the owners put a lot of thought and creativity into making their cocktails the centerpiece of the experience. That said, the execution didn't live up to the concept. The menu appears to rotate regularly, and while the drinks were certainly unique, most of the cocktails we tried were hit or miss. At roughly $22 per drink, I expected more balance and refinement. One cocktail started with flavors reminiscent of an Old Fashioned, but after the initial sip, the combination of bitters and fruit syrups created an unpleasant cough syrup like finish. We tried a mocktail as well, and it was mostly ice and soda water, with what seemed like a collection of syrups doing most of the heavy lifting. The drinks were creative, but many of the flavor profiles felt disjointed rather than intentional. The biggest issue, however, was the bar service and sanitation practices. I watched a bartender place a cucumber garnish into a glass using his bare hands, touching the entire garnish in the process. He then continued to take credit cards, cash, and other items before stuffing ice into additional drinks with his bare hands. Whether or not this technically violates health code standards, it certainly wasn't appetizing to watch and left a poor impression. Parking is another challenge. There is no dedicated parking, and unless you get lucky, expect to park several blocks away and walk. Overall, the atmosphere is a lot of fun and the cocktail menu is ambitious, but the drinks didn't justify the price point, and the sanitation concerns were hard to overlook. I wouldn't rush back, especially given the cost and parking difficulties.

ALTER EGO wasn't even on my radar until tonight, and now I'm wondering how on earth did I miss this…read morelittle slice of date‑night gold? HELLOW! This hidden gem lives inside the newly renovated Fairmont Breakers in Long Beach, and for all my Fairmont regulars: relax, you're in good hands, their world-renowned elegance remains intact. PARKING Valet is only $10, which in Southern California basically qualifies as a love language. (Note to Fairmont Breakers Management: Listen up, my friends! Please keep it that way, gas is $5.97/gallon and my wallet is already in therapy.) I handed the valet a $5 tip before I even stepped out of my car, just so I could glide into the lobby feeling like a full‑blown princess making her grand entrance. Before you leave, you simply pay the valet in cash or card and they'll have your car right there before you can even blink. AMBIANCE Walk in and boom! A towering, beautifully decorated Christmas tree greets you like it's auditioning for a holiday movie. Check out my photos; the whole lobby whispers one word: sophisticated. Oooh, I love that tree! Hang a right, stroll to the end of the hall, and you'll find ALTER EGO, a dark, cozy lounge that feels like the perfect hideaway for a date where you actually want to hear each other talk. Live music starts at 7 PM, the bar closes at 10, and honestly... that's ideal for those of us over 50 who consider 10 PM the witching hour for pajamas. Rob Fontana was performing tonight, and his music was so good I found myself time‑traveling back to the good old days. Every song hit, Rob. Good job! SERVICE Our server, Nia, was a star. Attentive, sharp memory, and smooth service all the way through. Zero notes. FOOD The menu is small, so if you show up ravenous, pace yourself or plan to Uber home after a cocktail‑heavy evening. I'm allergic to cheese, so I had to double‑check ingredients, but the Mushroom Flatbread was outstanding, flavor was superb and the best part was they did not skimp on the mushrooms! A+ for that. I also tried the Prosciutto di Parma with melon, which is a strange combo for a California girl... but hey, I never said I wasn't a weirdo. Drinks are not my thing since I enjoy company without alcohol's help, so I can't help you with that. DATE‑WORTHY OR NOT? Absolutely. Alter Ego gets a double thumbs‑up from me and a strong recommendation for your next Silver Singles date. It's easy to find, the seating is comfortable (even for those of us with backs that like to complain), and they even offer tube pillows for extra support. Tell me that's not romance.

Went there for girlfriend time! Nice ambiance…read more I ordered the mushroom flatbread and thy used the nice mushrooms,not the white button mushrooms. Service was good, we had a great server. The only thing I wish is they have a little bigger menu.

Went for a DJ night and had a great time! It got a little busy but the bartenders were cool and…read moregave me a great recommendation on some drinks. Highly recommend stopping by if you're looking for a place to get some good drinks and a cool vibe.

Favorite bar in lb forsure. The cocktails are great, prices good, ambiance is chill, decor is cool…read more Service is always quick and easy!! It gets busy so you will have to wait in line at times, just a heads up in case it's your first time ever going out to a bar.

The atmosphere is what you are here for and the service and atmosphere was great! We were able to…read moregrab a drink outside at the tiki pop up first and it was altogether just a fun night! Everyone was friendly and cocktails had booze More

False Advertising and Total Failure of a "Speakeasy"…read more This place should not call itself a speakeasy. According to their website, they are strict about dress code, reservations, and no large parties. None of that was enforced. People arrived wearing sports clothes, tennis shoes, and flip-flops, and a group of more than 10 people was allowed in. That group was loud, drunk, and screaming, completely destroying any speakeasy ambiance. We had a reservation booked one week in advance for 2 tables of six, yet by 8:30 pm, we were told no food was available, despite the bar being almost empty. The water was already on the table when we arrived and tasted strongly of chlorine, with no ice. The waitress was clearly new, untrained, and unprepared. She did not know the menu, didn't know how to take an order properly, and provided no guidance whatsoever. There was one bartender Ricardo, who took over an hour to prepare cocktails and showed no sense of urgency or care. The dramatic cocktail descriptions sounded impressive, but the drinks did not match the descriptions at all. Because of the delays, we were never even able to properly toast or celebrate our friend. The charcuterie board took forever and arrived with an absurd amount of cheese and only six pieces of bread. To make things worse, part of the food we ordered never arrived at all. The live jazz band advertised and promised never showed up. When asked, the staff responded with: "I don't know, they were supposed to be here. I don't have their phone number." That level of disorganization is unacceptable. At the end of the night, we were shocked to receive a check close to $600 for two tables, despite each person only having one cocktail and shared food. The bartender, Ricardo, approached us and said: "Well, sorry, we really tried tonight! It wasn't the best, but we tried." Honestly, that comment made the experience even more frustrating. I can't imagine how bad it would have been if they hadn't "tried."That statement perfectly summarizes the problem -- trying is not enough when everything fails. I would not recommend this place for a speakeasy experience. This is not a speakeasy. It's a poorly run bar hiding behind a concept it does not deliver. Do not recommend.

First visit was a huge surprise and success. Drinks were exceptional- real treats with unique…read moreflavors. The venue is beautiful and on point with theme. We tried the dumplings and shishito peppers which were tasty and presented equally as well as the drinks. We will be back with friends and out of town guests when we want to impress with a great time.

Pricey but tasty drinks with a cool, intimate (both quiet and small) vibe…read more Went for after dinner drinks - was sat and served right away. Apparently you typically need reservations, but we showed up on a weekday so guess it worked out. Had a few drinks - old fashioned type drinks to things with baiju (no bueno in a bueno way). Would consider coming back for a drink or two - but not a place to pound drinks considering the price. Might be a good date-y vibe place considering its uniqueness.

Small speakeasy hidden in an alley. The food was actually very good and memorable…read more The Oysters were one of my fav Kumamotos, fresh and flavorful but they could've been rinsed a bit better. Pork Buns were a good tasty bite, and the sushi was surprisingly really really good. Cool place to check out for some small bites and cocktails!

I initially made a reservation for four at tokyo noir. At the last minute, two of my friends…read morecancelled. I tried to modify my reservation online and change the number of guest from 4 to 2 and keep the same date and time. The option was not available. The day before reservation day, I sent a message via open table to let tokyo noir know that only two guest will show up. When i arrived, they were not aware of the change and seemed annoyed that i didnt let them know. Had they checked their messages, they would have seen the request. The other thing i don't like is the vibe. Im used to going to bars where the bar tenders and wait staff will chat with the guest. That was not the case here. They were focused on serving drinks and food and less focused on the vibe. The drinks are great but i wouldn't return due to the lack of energy.

Saturday night dj was the best! Such good vibes, friendly bartenders! Can't wait to come backread more

One of my favorite bars ! They have awesome music in a jukebox and 50 cent pool tables (2) The…read moreprices are amazing and their happy hours are always worth the walk! All the bartenders are really nice and love to see you again! Food is allowed inside which is my favorite thing about this place since they dont have a kitchen Last night they had a burger pop up, they were so good I didnt even stop to take a pic!!! Definitely check it out they have a parking lot and lots of seating available!

Finally made it out and they are about to close. :(…read more It was very busy when we arrived and we had to wait about 20 minutes, but after being seated, everything was smooth. Trying several items on the menu provided us a nice sampling of what they have to offer. We enjoyed everything we ordered. My favorite was probably the Brussel sprouts as they were cooked to perfection and not sweet like most restaurants serve them. A close 2nd was the chicken parmesan served over zucchini noodles. The final item ordered was a mushroom pasta with shrimp. The shrimp were fantastic with a light char and perfect flavoring. The pasta was good. It was a bit to spicy for me with the chili oil so I only had a small portion. The inside is simple yet inviting with an open layout. They seemed a bit short staffed, but every one was hustling and honestly we were well taken care of. Sad I won't have another opportunity to try more of the menu, but grateful to squeeze in this visit before they close in about a week.

It's been a while since the last time I've visited for dinner and drinks. This time, we stopped by…read moreSaturday evening with no reservations. It did look quite busy on the patio when we checked in with the hostess. We were informed that it would prob be about 20 minutes or so for a table and if we wanted to wait at the bar. Exactly what we did. Bar area had maybe 5/6 hi top chairs that look onto the bar. Gabriel and Francisco who were working was knocking the drinks out one by one. Sitting there and just watching them create magic for everyone, it was quite amusing. Seeing how it's made and presented with precise detail, it was an art. While waiting for the table we started off with the raspberry lychee martini and the spicy margaritas. Both were great. The right amount of kick with each sip. Gabriel was knocking them out one by one and man was he busy. Fransisco took are of us while we were eating which we ended up just having our dinner at the bar instead. The last time I remembered the chicken Parmesan which was excellent. So we started off with the grilled prawns as a starters. Five prawns in a skewers and grilled with a delicious sauce accompanied. It was tasty and quite delicious. Decent size and meaty for each bite. Entrees was a little mishap as our meal was mistakenly given to the party next to us which they enjoyed. Honesty mistake but we laughed it off. Kitchen was informed and a rushed was put on our order. We weren't in a rush so it was fine with us. They apologized and graciously offered us a dessert after dinner. Something simple but very graceful for the honest mistake. Entrees, the wild mushrooms pasta which was quite tasty and pretty decent in size. The cream sauce which wasn't too over powering the meal was great. Each bite was very tasty. Then there was the chicken Parmesan which why we were here and expecting. The last visit it was excellent with grilled broccolini, slices of tomatoes on top and mozzarella cheese and onto spaghetti pasta. It was great. Thinking it would be the same this time which it wasn't. This visit, it was just served with squash pasta and buffalo mozzarella on top. Honestly it wasn't what I expected, somewhat of a little disappointed. Chicken was good don't get me wrong. But the hot meat with sauce and then you have literally COLD squash pasta paired with it. It was a little underwhelming. Overall, we still had a nice experience. The place was pretty full and of course the lakers were on so it was fun seeing everyone cheering them on. Bar seating for a meal was great as we had fun conversations with both Gabriel and Francisco. Plus they were cranking them drinks out one by one. Excellent in what they do. The drinks were great, grilled prawns and wild mushrooms pastas were excellent. Chicken parm, this time was a miss. Overall, we enjoyed our meal and cocktails. Also the dessert, highly recommend the Cinnabon with vanilla ice cream. Wow, it went down very well. Hoping next time will outdo this.