Cafe Gazelle

Let me start by saying I'm Italian. I know good authentic Italian food... and this place is it! We…read morehappened to stumble across this on the RESY app. Parking on fourth street is an issue, yes! But don't let that stop you. It's totally worth checking this place out. I was impressed by the Parklet seating in addition to the inside front. We were walked to the back and seated in the outside garden area. Tables are on small rocks, plants are pretty to look at -- it was a delightful ambience. There was one waiter serving ALL the tables, and to my surprise, he did a great job with such attention to detail. Overall, he was a delightful, professional waiter. The additional servers were so efficient, polite and on top of their game. We started with the flat bread: Wonderful crust, incredible roasted garlic paste with a habanero cheese that was not overpowering. Such a nice balance of flavor. The two of us devoured it. Enjoyed my peach Prosecco which appeared to be a Prosecco with peach nectar, perhaps? Not sure exactly, but it was very refreshing and not too sweet. The cioppino was out of this world! It's so hard to find a good cioppino in Long Beach. It had so much depth of flavor with a little hint of spice and the seafood was fresh! My partner wiped his bowl clean. My dish was the parpadelle in a lobster sauce. The pasta tasted homemade, the bits of lobster (about 6oz) were carried throughout the dish where I experienced a wonderful creamy lobster flavor in every bite. I usually take home what I don't finish, but I couldn't stop eating it. Lastly, Chocolate Spumoni ice cream bomb is a must to try. Priced well at $10. Great quality in this dessert all around. The Parmesan cheese wheel dish looked incredible as it was prepared table side next to us. That's going to be my go to when I return. This restaurant is a treasure for Italian food in Long Beach.

I had been wanting to visit Tarantella for quite some time and the opportunity presented itself a…read morecouple of Saturdays ago when I found myself all dressed up with no where to go after attending a networking event. I decided to check the Resy app to try somewhere new besides the 3 restaurants across the street from me, and surprisingly found an opening at 7:45pm on a Saturday night! I walked there from my house so thankfully did not have to worry about parking. I felt completely comfortable from the moment I sat down. The atmosphere is warm and casual, there was live music and a lively group of people on the covered outdoor backyard. My server was lovely as well, attentive, but never felt rushed. Everything I ordered was delicious and perfectly paced. I started with the fried artichokes which I had never had before, but I love artichokes thanks to my Italian grandmother. So light and crispy. Then I had the caprese, what a stunning salad this is! The avocado was a bit random to me as I have never seen one with a caprese before and it was hard as a rock, but still ate the whole thing. I ordered the pasta alla routa Cacio E Pepe which I did not realize was $65 upon the time of ordering, but that's on me for not looking that closely. They told me ahead of time when it was coming out so I could video it being made inside the cheese wheel if I wanted since they couldn't come to me being that the backyard is covered in rocks. Thought this was nice since I paid so much for it, may as well be able to share the experience with others. I enjoyed two glasses of sangria with my dinner and finished with some pistachio gelato. All in all a great experience, I just wish the pasta was like $20 cheaper but lesson learned. I don't know that I would come here often since I spent $190 on dinner for myself, but I would come back for date night, or an anniversary, or a special occasion, and have already recommended since going.

Inside hallway

Tiramisu

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Live music!

La Parolaccia Osteria

4.4(2.1k reviews)

1.4 mi

10 out of 5 stars! Our family has been coming here for years- pretty much since they opened about…read more20 years ago. My parents came here at least once a week- they live in Long Beach, I don't- so it is a treat for my wife and I to join my parents when we come. They always treated my parents with kindness and generosity. We recently lost my Mom, so it was the perfect place to have her celebration of life. Wow!- Stefano and Austin created an incredible meal for those who joined us in celebrating my mother. The usual superb quality of the meals, and perfect setting for our event combined with great service in a comfortable environment. I highly recommend to everyone to experience this wonderful restaurant- Thank you Stefano, Austin and the rest of the staff!

The SERVICE was top shelf. The DECOR and ambiance is CLASSY, retrospective, appropriate, and 100%…read moreon-point. Lastly, the FOOD is beyond superb! I HIGHLY recommend the Lasagna and/or Paccheri Crema di Scampi. I also recommend the Cesare (with chicken) because it was truly delicious. I shall return!

Back room

Bruschetta

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Presco and pistachio martini

Ellie's

4.3(1.4k reviews)

2.5 mi

Amazing bday dinner Just not good parking so take an uber…read moreSo many different things than regular restaurants Love the pasta and appetizers and even dessert Service was amazing Great spot for a bday dinner Ambience was quiet inside during the summer as everyone else was dining outdoors

Came here with 2 other friends for a (late) Saturday lunch and we were seated immediately! We opted…read moreto sit outside in the patio area as the server said indoor seating was warmer, which was nicely shaded with umbrellas and a cool breeze. The only thing was that flies kept bothering us (my goodness were they hungry), but the waiter graciously gave us a spinning fly deterrent fan (which somewhat worked)... I suppose that's to be expected when you sit outside. We ordered 6 oysters to share ($5.50 each with 6 minimum oyster order) and the tagliatelle for each of us. The oysters were delicious and paired well with the provided seasonings. The tagliatelle was creamy and savory with the shrimp and scallops, but I was expecting the pork ragu and bone marrow butter to shine more in the dish- couldn't really taste them. Service was standard, parking is on the street but was not difficult to find. Overall this was a cute corner brunch/lunch spot

Interior

Hangar Steak Hash

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Mafaldine with spicy sausage

L'Antica Pizzeria Da Michele

4.3(687 reviews)

0.3 mi

What an amazing experience I had last night. We have…read morevisited this establishment many times in the past, but yesterday was great and a bit bad. My wife and I ordered a pizza to start. Well asked for it to be welcome and perfectly it came out. Our main was Pappardelle with short rib and the lemon chicken. Unfortunately the mains were pretty cold. Small blame on the kitchen. Here is how my experience became a WOW. My server NASTASSIA was the reason my night was perfect. She was so understanding and empathetic about the cold food. She immediately asked what she could do to make it better. She requested a new dish to be fired up. New pappardelle came out perfect with another side of mashed potatoes. She once again asked blue the food was and if we're were happy. She also informed the manager of our experience. She came over and also apologized and offered my wife and I dessert. My wife picked the bread pudding. Overall I am a BIG believer that employees are the reason for the success of a business. More employees in the world need to be more like Natassia. THANK YOU

2nd time here First time was great end of night not many…read morepeople so service was great I would give that 5 stars But tonight ... Tonight I had reservation at 830 got here 840ish We got sat down at almost 9. We still had to wait , female working reception was not very kind/ welcoming As soon as I sat down at my table I sat in a puddle of water on my seat The floor was dirty and wet and getting muddy as my shoes were being placed in the wet floor It took taking awhile to get service or offered water or anyone to approach us I had to sit on a napkin to help dry myself off. Yes pants down to my boxers were wet. This is a fine dining establishment We ordered pizza Pasta salad and mixto mix A mocktail for daughter Wine glass and a cocktail Salad was amazing mixto was great Total was $200 with tip This is not a cheap restaurant but it felt cheap with the service and cleaningness and experience Total contrast from when I went almost a year ago And reason it takes a some time in between is because distance to get to restaurant and price Not sure if short staffed but on a Saturday night And reservations done usually the service and wait time can be way better and reservation was done with notes requesting patio outside because w have our pet. A table should be prepped and cleaned The table near us was dirty too and there was food scraps left on floor from prior party I do recommend this place for anyone to go it's amazing place and food is amazing and authentic but they really dropped the ball this evening I hate doing this review but I looked and service complaints were brought up previously by other guest and paying for a. Meal this level . Service needs to be immaculate Yes the table and chair issue was brought up to employee but I don't need to name anyone here personally

Dining area

Double margherita

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HEAT OF PASSION Jalapeño infused Acua del Sol Mezcal, Chinola Passionfruit, Lime, Pineapple, Agave

Domenico's Belmont Shore

4.2(1.4k reviews)

0.1 mi

The oldest restaurant in long beach! They have been open since 1954,…read more The food was fantastic , and the server Giselly was so kind and friendly! She even gave us the Tiramisu on the house ..! The interior was cute and cozy Anytime I am in socal I'll be sure to drop by!

I so wanted to like this place, but it simply wasn't up to snuff. I got a chicken Parmesan and it…read morewas fine, like cafeteria food. The Margaretta pizza was unusual. It was closer to a cheese pizza with some tomato. No real flavor. The tiramisu was strange, heavy on texture and lacking coffee flavor. The mozzarella sticks were logs and way too big. French onion soup was extremely salty. Really not palatable. We got 8 dishes and the best one was "meh" Maybe it's because it was takeout? Service was wonderful in our brief interactions. They theee in two free tiramisu, but they weren't really worth eating.

Interior

Ground pizza

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Mozzarella logs and Fried Zucchini

L'Opera

4.2(906 reviews)

3.4 mi

The location is beautiful and intimately lit, perfect for a date night. Few restaurants in Long…read moreBeach or even LA can boast of such a beautiful venue. I had the filet mignon and my fiancee had the Lombardi, both were so, so good. I am typically very critical of steaks while out, but this one was beyond reproach. Perfectly cooked and delicious. The servers and the host were all incredibly polite and helpful. Lastly the wine selection and deserts were delicious. We will definitely be returning in the future

I'll start this off with. The exterior is beautiful. It's a…read morereally nice looking place. Upon walking in we were greeted immediately. Confirmed our reservations. It was a party of 4 adults and 1 child. We orders the salmon, ravioli, steak, meatballs and fettuccini Alfredo do with chicken. Salmon. This was basically the star of the show. Display was good. Cooked correctly and not overdone. However... I can't say the same for the rest. Let's move on. Ravioli. Far too rich in flavor. Because... it's hiding something. Restaurants get by thinking they can get away with shortcuts. Until they meet yelpers, food critics and chefs like myself. This ravioli IS made in house yes. However once made it's obvious it's frozen and re heated. Such a shame. Because I can guarantee you if it was fresh? Probably some of the best ravioli you'd ever have. Steak. Asked for medium rare. It came out like beef jerky. Burned and overcooked beyond edible. We told our server and they made another. The next one brought was spot on, medium rare. However lacking seasoning. This was the food our child had. And he's use to good steak. Nobu, Flemings etc. he was not happy with the lack of seasoning. Meatballs. Well you can't screw that up right? Wrong. Again previously froze. Now I'm sure they make the meat mixture in house. I'll give them that. But why are you guys freezing and re hearing? Fettuccini Alfredo with chicken. An American Italian staple. Pasta was actually cooked perfectly. I'll give them That. Pasta itself tastes it was made in house. However the chicken, overcooked, under seasoned again. Alfredo sauce WAY too rich again. The manager actually came over eventually. Asked how it was. I told her about the overcooked steak and the frozen ravioli/meatballs. She didn't even deny anything and said ok. Took the steak off the bill. It upsets me that this beautiful exterior and interior restaurant is like this. And the staff was pretty solid in the front of the house. However the food is severely lacking. I have this place a 3 star based upon the cleanliness, staff and exterior/interior. I wouldn't return for the food. Only for the ambience.

Dining room

Their bread (complimentary)

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Tomahawk

Marlena

4.3(433 reviews)

0.8 mi

My first time dining at Marlena to celebrate a friend's birthday. We had a party of seven and had…read morereservations for a weekday evening. It was a Tuesday and the restaurant was quite busy. We sat on the patio where the ambiance was idea since they have a motorized patio louver system that they can control the dining atmosphere. We started off with a bottle of chardonnay and ordered appetizers of crispy fried cauliflower, spicy salami pizza made in their wood fired oven and bufala ricotta toast. We followed with salad with anchovies and three different in pasta entrees, a 32 oz dry aged tomahawk and a 14 oz prime ribeye. The tomahawk included an arugula salad and fingering potatoes. We dined family style and everything was delicious. We ended with desserts of chocolate olive cake, burnt Basque cheesecake and vanilla soft serve gelato. Service was exceptional from the entire staff. I definitely recommend Marlena for your special event or for a wonderful dining experience.

I wish I'd had a better experience here. The restaurant itself is very lovely. We went for dinner…read moreon a Friday at 5:30. The restaurant was about half full. We were seated quickly and ordered a bottle of wine. I wish it were possible to taste the wine before buying, there were a couple I had not had before and they looked amazing, but I'm not gambling 100 bucks on a wine I haven't tried. The wine we ordered was fine, not incredible but not horrible. We also ordered the bread, meatballs, and ribeye. The bread was the dish that stood out the most. It was great. The other dishes were fine. Not worth the money to me. The entire experience lacked soul. From service to food, just kind of fine. Our dishes came out on top of each other, we should have asked them to course them. So this experience was definitely not worth it, which is a shame. I was left feeling like this is a place that does not have exceptional food but does have very high prices and maybe that's to vet clientele ;)

Orange fennel olive oil cake

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Side walk patio

Michael's On Naples

4.0(914 reviews)

0.5 mi

Very late late review now that's it's closed unfortunately but I was just talking to someone that…read morethis place was named one of the best pizzas in the entire country yes the country so I had to check it out and man it was banging Was it thee best? I mean it was really good and I enjoyed it and it had it all Service was good and the day I went it was rainy but still busy and happening I wish it was still open as I am now craving a pizza and a beer

I don't think I've ever really been wined and dined before, but my fiancé wanted to take me…read moreout--and she chose Michael's on Naples. It's classy, the kind of place you'd see in a late-90s/early-00s romcom date scene. The staff was attentive and kind, though we asked for coffee at the end and it never came--we had a show to get to, so unfortunately had to leave without it. We started with the melanzane pizza. It was tasty, but I just realized later it was missing the nduja sausage listed on the menu. For my entrée, I had the paccheri pasta with braised short rib. The beef itself was rich, tender, and full of flavor--reminded me of an Italian birria, which I loved. But the rigatoni tasted undercooked, which was disappointing. My fiancé ordered the tagliata, and wow--she definitely picked the better dish. The steak was perfectly seasoned, cooked to a beautiful medium rare, and paired with a silky potato purée that was absolutely delicious. Overall, it's a romantic spot with some standout flavors, but the small misses kept it from being a perfect experience.

Dining Room

Bar Area

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Michael's On Naples, Guinea Hen

Nettuno

4.3(102 reviews)

3.3 mi

We're splitting the baby and landing at 3 stars. My breakfast was not good, but my friend really…read moreenjoyed his meal. Let's start with the win: the burger was "the best he's had in a long time"--which says a lot. Kudos on the burger! The banana smoothie also got a thumbs-up. Everything else? Meh. The pancake was okay. The scrambled eggs were... weird. Tiny little egg bits that had me wondering, are these real eggs? I asked for crispy bacon; it wasn't, so I couldn't eat it. The breakfast potatoes tasted reheated--no crisp, not much flavor, no joy. And the London Fog? Don't expect Starbucks loveliness. The plain black coffee was better. I also had the grapefruit juice, it was bitter, but tasted fresh squeezed, which I appreciate. Service was good. My server saw that I didn't eat my food and tried to make it better. The venue is nice, but if you're coming for great food--burger aside--we didn't find it here. The velvet chairs are comfortable and beautiful, but the stains and spills were evident. I was worried when I sat down about what was on the chairs getting on my dress. Overall, it's a place we'd only return to if we were craving that burger, everything else was a fail. I left hungry. Last morning here at the Fairmont. Tried breakfast at Nettuno again... disappointed and leaving hungry again. This time we had oatmeal (needed to add water, so dry we stuck the spoon in it and it stood straight up and didn't fall over), fruit (good), boiled eggs (took 20 minutes), and the avocado toast with a fried egg. It was not good. The menu says it comes with kale, but I received mixed greens with it, not kale and the flavor was bad. It's hard to make bad avocado toast, but they did. Disappointing. Plus, service was very slow today. Our order came out incomplete and out of order. The atmosphere is beautiful, but this restaurant has a lot to work on to be worthy of its prices and the Fairmont brand. Second fail.

Disappointed that the upper restaurant was closed on a Monday which led me to nettuno…read more Service was impeccable. Wine recommendation was outstanding. The food was fine. Salmon w broccolini was delicious and was devoured. The calamari appetizer was disappointing as it was flavorless without the spicy tomato sauce and the zucchini were soggy and limp. From a 4 star meal down to 3.5. Servers, bussers, etc. were all prompt but didn't make me feel rushed. Hostess was friendly. Hospitality piece of the experience was flawless. Ambiance is cozy, upscale and classy. Dimly lit with plenty of space between tables for privacy. Saw a couple celebrating their anniversary here along with business travelers dining during their stay. Would dinner again but the upper restaurant will remain my first choice.

Nettuno Dinning room

Tiramisu

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Alter ego lemon drop and old fashioned

Italian Homemade Company

4.3(549 reviews)

1.3 mi

My wife has an appointment at Lather this afternoon so we decided to have lunch at Italian homemade…read morecompany near Lather. We had a great time to find some new hand care products @Lather and went to discover an authentic italian restaurant which lots of Yelpers mentioned. My wife said, we have to order at the front, then they bring the foods to the table but the owner took our orders, and brought the foods so fast just like other Italian restaurant. We love meat lasagna, pasta w bolonese sauce, and some flat breads like appetizer pizza. We ordered 3, lasagna, tagliatelle bolonese, flat bread sandwich called Cassone w sausage, bell pepper, onions. I had some italian red wine per glass ($14). First, I loved so much my lasagna and kept eating until finish my entire portion. I give 10 stars. My wife's pasta, she said pasta is too thick, might be on purpose? She likes soft, thin texture handmade tagliatelle. For the first time, we ordered flat bread sandwich. The sandwich flavor was good, but not the dough for flat bread. Well, we tried here for the 1st time after shopping. Today was almost 81 this afternoon. Hot and humid.....unluckily AC was broken so he opened the entrance door. One big fly bothered a lot annoying us eating the foods. And so hot inside restaurant. Overall, I liked my lasagna a lot, not really tagliatelle bolonese, nor the flat bread sandwich. If AC was working during lunch time. We felt much comfortable to enjoy our foods. One thing, I loved the red wine but the portion was not enough for $14. Even my wife said, not much for this price. I got 2 glasses of italian red wine, not enough. The view was great ocean side from the patio. This is a strong point eating here for the view. My wife saw the live pasta cooking show, a chef made the pasta, stretching the pasta dough in the kitchen....great show! Fun! Hopefully AC runs well especially hot summer season, the portions of pastas and wines might be more generous for the future.

A very pleasant lunch! Was at 2nd and PCH attending a YEE and found Italian Homemade afterwards…read more Service is top notch. The staff are welcoming and kind. The owner or manager? chatted w/us. He mentioned that many customers come in for a quick bite and the portions of the lunch special seem adequate for that. Hubby got chose the meat lasagna that comes with a side salad. I wanted something plant based that day so vegetable lasagna and side salad was for me. Buonissimo which is very delicious in Italian! From my photos, you can see that they have various items for sale such as wine, oils, ground coffee, pasta and more. They also offer pasta classes Delightful Italian food for sure. You can find them by the marina side on the main level. Grazie, Italian Homemade!

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Tables and wine and other drinks

FETTUCCINE pesto

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Cassone Funghi - @rayz

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24 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Stacy B.

15 years ago

I always walked by this place thinking it was just a cafe that sold Donuts & Coffee. One day I walked down 2nd street and saw a Chalk Board on the Corner of La Verne & 2nd that said 'Now Open for Lunch' with an arrow to Caffe Gazelle. I walked by it and looked inside. and was surprised to see dinner Tables and a Wine Bar. When I got home, I googled this place. They do not have a website, but they did have a Yelp Page which was very helpful, most of the reviews were really good. I went to go eat there that night which was a Friday Night. We were greeted by a sweet gentle man who we assumed was the owner. He sat us and Waited on us. It is a Very Tiny place, only seats about 19 people. It has a Bar with a couple bar Stools with Bottles of Wine on Display. You can see the Kitchen which is very small as well - but very entertaining to watch them cook. We ordered the Cabernet which was really great Wine. My husband ordered the Spicy Seafood Angel Hair Pasta which was extremely good, my husband Loved it and wants to come back. I ordered the Pasta Russa with was Penne Pasta with a Vodka Sauce, which was very good! It was very filling and I could not eat it all, so the owner took my plate and boxed it up for me. The owner was very attentive, prompt and helpful. The Place was packed, every seat was taken, you can tell it is a local favorite. The owner asked if we wanted desert, we said no, we were stuffed, but we did get to see the desert display platter and it looked great, maybe next time. Yes, there will be a Next time. I really love going to and supporting Local 'Mom & Pop' businesses. Caffe Gazelle is a Wonderful Secret Little Local Treasure!! read more

Aurora R.

12 days ago

I genuinely cannot recommend this place enough--this is hands-down the BEST Italian restaurant I've ever been to! Everything I've tried has been a 10/10, and you can taste the love, tradition, and passion in every single dish. These are clearly treasured family recipes made by people who truly care about the food they serve. The service was just as impressive--absolutely impeccable. They paid such close attention to every detail without ever making us feel rushed. They waited until we were ready before bringing out each course, didn't drop off the check while we were still eating, and made sure our glasses were never empty. That level of attentiveness is so rare and made the entire experience feel incredibly thoughtful. Please don't overlook this little, unassuming spot. Go eat here and prepare to leave already thinking about what you'll order next. They deserve every single penny! read more

Darya B.

6 years ago

Fantastic , wonderful, home made, made to order... Too many good things to say about Gazelle. Im glad they are there, small mom n pop type restaurant, will cook to order if you want to add or substitute something, good bread and provide a salad with the meal, not for extra charge ( like papalucci's now charges extra for salad and bread too when take out ). Love Cafe Gazelle's !! read more

Mary H.

6 years ago

this owner is super rude doesnt even deserve a dam star to begin with he rushed me and family when they were just opening cause they were " busy " like huh ? yall were just opening terrible customer service , told us to sit down wen we were taking pictures spoons were dirty on table for us to use , never ever would recommend his terrible attitude read more

Brooke G.

10 years ago

This place is great. This quaint little restaurant is welcoming, cozy with great service. Not enough tables? They do take out! The food is very good, always fresh and the owner genuinely cares about their guests. read more

Jennifer H.

6 years ago

Love love love them! They are serving to go/pick up. Everything tasted great- it was warm and up to standards. I know they have the outdoor seating for service. I will keep going. read more

Jamie U.

5 years ago

I like this cafe, my friend and I had a great time. Wonderful service and the food are delicious. Thumbs up guys.

Diana S.

107

12 years ago

Great food, great service!!! Went with 2 small kids and they were very accommodating; Gave small portions.

Gisselle R.

6 years ago

Everything was excellent! We were thoroughly satisfied. I would highly recommend this place.

Manfred E.

20 years ago

Fantastic Food - Great Service - What a great neighborhood italian place should be!

JESUS C.

1168

16 years ago

cafe gazelle is incredible. i really don't want everyone to know about it ! !

Mark R.

14 years ago

Really great food, nice people, good prices. Love this place.

b w.

16 years ago

A must for Italian food. Simple yet you will lick the plate

Mika M.

12 years ago

good food, love the food there, i recommend the restaurant.

Jared H.

15 years ago

Fantastic Italian food & wonderful quaint atmosphere.

Pam S.

9 years ago

Excellent food and service. A great dining experience!

Marcela B.

11 years ago

Amazing italian food!! And also very good attention.

Avocado D.

13 years ago

Great neighborhood pasta cafe. Crowded seating.

V C.

12 years ago

Too much oil. Won't be going back anytime soon.

Evelina T.

10 years ago

small cute place with delicious food!

Cafe Gazelle - italian - Updated September 2026

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Massimo's

4.9

(62 reviews)

Thoroughly enjoyed the last day of Long Beach Food Scene Week at Massimo's! The place is so…read moreintimate, it feels as though Massimo and his wife are entertaining guests in their home with their warm hospitality. The same pizzaiolo, Julio, from Michael's is also there to carry on the legendary pizzas, homemade pastas and authentic Italian fare. The LBFSW menu was robust and well worth the price point of $65 per person for an antipasto/appetizer, secondi/main, and per finire/dessert. The wine pairing for an extra $40 was also reasonable as they generously poured full glasses of thoughtfully complementing wines with each dish! Eunhae and I tried everything on the LBFSW menu except the watermelon salad and loved everything! *See descriptions in the photo captions. I got full before dessert and had leftovers to look forward to! I'll have to come back for the lasagna. Looked like a popular dish on a few different tables while I was dining! So happy Massimo reopened this restaurant in his old market space!

What a gem Massimo's is! Through the great vines of my Yelp Elite Black All-Star friend, Lynn O.,…read morewe were able to try out this place during the Long Beach Food Scene Week. Street parking can be quite challenging, but it's totally worth the hunt for a spot! Before going to Massimo's, I did a little research and learned that the restaurant was opened by Massimo Aronne, the former general manager and sommelier at Michael's on Naples. The space itself is quaint and intimate, with fairly limited seating, so I would definitely recommend making a reservation ahead of time. I arrived a little early for my reservation, and the hostess--who I later learned is Massimo's partner--was incredibly gracious and welcoming. While I waited for our table to be set up, she even offered me a complimentary glass of wine. Such a thoughtful touch and a wonderful first impression before we had even sat down! For our meal, we went with the LB Food Scene Week menu--and, of course, we had to add the wine pairing. When the restaurant is owned by a sommelier, how could you not?! The prix fixe menu included an Antipasto (appetizer), Secondi (main course), and Per Finire (dessert) per person. Since there were two of us, we tried both appetizers. We started with the Polpette di Pesce Spada--swordfish meatballs with raisins, pine nuts, and tomato agrodolce--paired with a Primitivo Rosato. For our second appetizer, we of course had to order the Pizzetta con Porchetta, especially knowing the space was previously known for its pizza. It was an artisan crust topped with roasted pork belly, caciocavallo, and salsa verde, and was paired with a Pecorino. Both appetizers were really good and such a great start to the meal! For the main course, we couldn't decide and wanted to try everything on the menu, so for an additional charge, we ordered all three! The Gamba d'Anatra was a Hudson Valley duck leg confit served with a corn and peppadew pepper farrotto, paired with a Rosso di Montepulciano. The Ippoglosso al Cartoccio was a Catalina sea bass cooked in parchment paper with summer squash and Sungold tomatoes, paired with a Pinot Bianco. And finally, the Gnocchi came with roasted eggplant, cherry tomato sauce, burrata, and basil, paired with a Donnafugata Bell'Assai. Every dish was exceptional, but the sea bass was definitely my favorite! The fish was incredibly moist and perfectly cooked in the parchment paper, and I loved how light and delicate the entire dish tasted. For dessert, of course, we tried both--the panna cotta and the cannolo. They had run out of the original panna cotta featured on the menu, so we received a different rendition instead, which I actually really enjoyed! Beyond the food, what made the evening especially memorable was how warm and friendly everyone was. Even the patrons seated next to us struck up a conversation, and we learned that they were longtime friends of Massimo who had come out to support him and the restaurant. There was such a welcoming, neighborhood feel to the whole place. I'll definitely be coming back!

Nettuno

4.3

(102 reviews)

Louie’s on 2nd

(223 reviews)

Excellent dinner! Amazing appetizer, Bruschetta, maybe the…read morebest I ever had. Excellent filet with potatoes and veggies! Crème brûlée was also the best I have had! One note: they use a lot of seasoning! Service was excellent! Very nice young man. Small but nicely set up Would highly recommend!!

Just like all the other negative reviews say, this place is simply overpriced for what you get…read more Service is good, no issue there, but the base of this place doesn't have it together. They've lost long time customers and it's the same with me. Belmont shores is a small town with word of mouth. Sometimes restaurants don't know what they are loosing by treating one customer with lack of effort in making a $35 dish. Ripple effect is real.

Sushi Nikkei - Belmont Shore

(190 reviews)

Wendy and Christian were very attentive and gave a warm and welcoming experience the food was so…read moreamazing a journey of well thought out flavors of japanese and Peruvian influences the balance was flawless quality was spot on great spot must try

The food was spectacular plus outstanding service and great atmosphere- everyone very happy! We…read morewill definitely come again-

La Parolaccia Osteria

(2.1k reviews)

Anna’s Pizza Joint

4.3

(96 reviews)

Love this new spot on second street! Pizza by the slice is something that needs to be done more at…read morepizza spots. Perfect after a long day at the beach and perfect for a quick cheap bite!! Cute and spacious interior with plenty of seating and outdoor seating as well. They have a variety of drinks (alcoholic and non alcoholic). Staff were friendly and helpful with answering our questions regarding flavors and recommendations. Hope this pizza joint sticks around for a long time!

I try not to post negative reviews. But I'm just so disappointed. Anna's used to have incredible…read moregluten free pizza; Detroit style rectangular thick crust, full of flavor, a great vehicle for toppings, and, most importantly for those of us who aren't eating gluten free as a choice, safe. They no longer make this pizza. They now have a round, thin crust pizza like everyone else. They said, "people like round ones." Do they?? Honestly, I don't care about the shape of the pizza, as long as it's fully cooked and doesn't fall apart immediately, and also doesn't give me hives. But this was somehow over and undercooked at the same time. I got no extra toppings (just cheese and sauce), and it fell apart, so I can only assume it won't hold up to anything more than that. We were told that they're still baked on gluten free specific pans, but a) there's way more room for error when they're all the same size and shape, and b) they all get baked in the same oven, so using a pan with high sides cuts down on cross contamination, while a shorter sided pan allows for more. I had never reacted to their pizzas before today. And to be perfectly frank, it just tastes worse. It's a lower quality product all around. The best thing I can say about this crust is at least it's not cauliflower. I'm sure they're trying to cut down on cost. But I'm just so, so tired of having to settle for an inferior product because I have a food allergy. Especially when they already had one that was so much better than everyone else's. I got excited about getting pizza. Like for the first time in a looooong, long time. The disappointment when that gets taken away is rough.

Zarape Cocina & Cantina

4.1

(115 reviews)

I have one word for y'all..pozole. This was the best thing I've eaten on a hot summer day in a…read morewhile. It was nourishing, filled with many levels of flavor and you can tell made with lots of love. I can't wait to come back and eat everything else.

Excellent service excellent food excellent happy hour they make you feel at home excellent tacosread more

Andrade’s Cafe By The Bay

4.8

(132 reviews)

It's inconvenient to get here and parking is troublesome, especially during busy weekends, but I'd…read morestill come back. The owners are still working in the restaurant and, sometimes, that level of caring about the customer experience is what makes a big difference. To end my meal, I had Cafe de Olla, which took me back to childhood with authentic cinnamon flavor, not fake flavored syrup or ground cinnamon that never integrates into the coffee. Paired that with flan. The flan is more cheesecake-like than traditional flan, but delicious nonetheless. I started the breakfast with a cortado, which lets you taste a little more of the quality of the coffee since there is less milk and it was good. I also had chilaquiles with carne al pastor and the bandera sauce option and sunny side up eggs. So many places struggle to make eggs truly sunny side up, but they nailed it. All tasty.

The food was amazing. Real authentic Mexican cuisine. The service was excellent, both husband and…read morewife offered their advice on what to order. The ambiance was relaxing and fun. They do allow dogs in the patio areas with water bowls up front and in back. This cafe is great for both having a pan Dulce with cafe de olla to go or sitting down for breakfast or lunch. Just an amazing place to check out while out for a stroll at the beach.

Rim Talay

(126 reviews)