long beach restaurants-family friendly

[r&rfraz]

we will be in long beach on sat. may 29th for the night before our mex. riv. cruise. we are a 3 family group (6-adults/8 kids) we are staying at the hotel current (5325 e. pacific coast highway). we are looking for a family friendly restaurant to enjoy dinner at that night. something close to our hotle would be nice but we are willing to drive to get the right place. if there are some suggestions from people in the know that we would be great. something like a red robin,chili's, chipolta, applebee's, chevy's,ect would be fine. or if oyu know some local place we would be open to that also. thanks in advance for your help. 5 days and counting!! carnival splendor 7-day mex. riv cruise may 30th!!:)

[Putterdude]

We had a fun dinner at Famous Daves on S. Pine Dr. in LB about 2 weeks ago. Moderately priced, good food, lots of families. link

[PatriciaF]

Not too far from your hotel is my favorite Mexican restaurant, Pancho's. Been eating there since 1972! They only have booths, so you would to break up into two groups of 7. To get there from your hotel, turn right on Pacific Coast Highway (PCH), continue north, past Clark (second light), then past the large apartment, look for Pancho's on the right. Narrow driveway back to the parking lot. CASH ONLY. The sushi eaters in the family really like Sushi Studio right next door.

 

Other options, continue on PCH past Pancho's to Ximeno. Turn right. Past the next light (Atherton) in the shopping center on the right is a Chipotle's. In the shopping center on the left, almost to the next light (Los Coyotes Diagonal) is Polly's, great family style food and wonderful pies. www.pollyspies.com

 

For a family style Italian, from the hotel turn right on PCH. Turn Right on Clark. Turn Right on Atherton. Turn left on Bellflower. Ecco's will be on your left about 3/4 of a mile north. To get to the parking lot, turn left at first light (sorry don't remember name--but there is a gas station on the corner), then turn right into the parking lot. Ecco's back entrance is on the right. It has large family booths (yes, big enough for 14) and a TV room with sports on. http://www.eccospizzausa.com/ The new Thai restaurant is supposed to be good too--but haven't been there, but the kids have.

 

Famous Dave's mentioned above is downtown. My husband has been there and so has my DD. They both like it. Note if you go downtown Long Beach for dinner, parking is $12 and the validation parking program has recently been discontinued to the consternation of the restaurant owners.

[Bruin Steve]

we will be in long beach on sat. may 29th for the night before our mex. riv. cruise. we are a 3 family group (6-adults/8 kids) we are staying at the hotel current (5325 e. pacific coast highway). we are looking for a family friendly restaurant to enjoy dinner at that night. something close to our hotle would be nice but we are willing to drive to get the right place. if there are some suggestions from people in the know that we would be great. something like a red robin,chili's, chipolta, applebee's, chevy's,ect would be fine. or if oyu know some local place we would be open to that also. thanks in advance for your help. 5 days and counting!! carnival splendor 7-day mex. riv cruise may 30th!!:)

 

If only you were staying Downtown--in the area I strongly recommend people stay coming to Long Beach for a cruise--I could have given you several restaurants that fit your criteria within walking distance of the major Long Beach hotels...

 

But you've chosen to stay WAY on the other side of town (and Long Beach is a big town) far from the major attractions, shopping, restaurants and pier...

 

You are, basically, on a main thoroughfare that slices through a residential area...the major attraction of the area is Cal State Long Beach...so, there are loads of fast food eateries nearby, but not much in the way of actual sit down restaurants...Very little walking distance...though Pancho's is maybe 4-5 blocks and walkable (just keep the kids out of the street!)...that may be your best bet...With 14 people, I'd hesitate to try to organize everyone, get into cars and hope no one gets lost making it to the restaurant...

 

As long as you are willing to drive:

 

If you wanted to go for a drive and get away from your hotel area but not go into Downtown Long Beach, you might consider heading down to Belmont Shore...There's a BJs at 5258 East 2nd St. and Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ at 4828 East 2nd St. Of course, Lucille's is a chain...A local BBQ I really like is Naples Rib Company at 5800 2nd. Street:

 

http://www.ribcompany.com/

 

I hope you've caught on that there are a lot of eateries on 2nd Street on this side of Long Beach...

 

Also, in that direction, down by the Marina is Claim Jumper, always a favorite in my family:

6501 East Pacific Coast Highway

 

http://www.claimjumper.com/

 

...also, El Torito, Mimi's Cafe and lots of others in a big commercial area with lots of parking...

 

Good luck...

[PatriciaF]

I recommended the dining that my family and I enjoy within one mile or so of the Hotel Currrent. Bruin Steve's recommendations are good too--you might also want to consider Hof's Hut (www.hofshut.com), a Long Beach based chain that started as a beach burger place MANY years ago. There is a Hof's Hut a few stores to the north of Ecco's and at the corner of Second and PCH (NW corner). A local seafood restaurant, The Fish Tale, is across the street behind the IHOP.

 

If you want to check out the Naples and Belmont Shore section of Long Beach, turn left on PCH from the Hotel, continue to Second St. Right (west) on Second and keep on driving. Not too much family friendly dining in Naples (between first and second bridge) other than Naples Rib Company as Steve suggested (will be on your left just after Naples Plaza.

 

After crossing the second bridge, there will be Domenico's--excellent pizza and great salads, may be able to sit a party of 14 together. Lucille's will be further west on the left (just past the Chase and BofA). It is in the location of the old Hof's Hut (Hof's corporation owns the Lucille's) and has a great mural inside of what that portion of Second Street looked like in the 50s/60s. Almost at the end of Second Street is SuperMex, also a Long Beach originated chain.

 

There is a Brazilian BBQ restaurant, right next door to the hotel. http://www.greenfieldchurrascaria.com/

I don't know the price (think $39.95 a person) but it all you can eat and friends and family that have been there say it is excellent.

 

I think there are lots of restaurants on the east side of town (I have lived within one mile of the hotel my entire life)--not just fast food for the CalState Long Beach students. If you want some higher end recommendations--try Kelly's or Michael's in Naples, or Walt's Wharf, Seal Beach.

[Husky61]

Heck, just go near the traffic circle and eat at the In-n-Out, great burgers!:)

[Bruin Steve]

I think there are lots of restaurants on the east side of town (I have lived within one mile of the hotel my entire life)--not just fast food for the CalState Long Beach students.

 

Okay...I may be exaggerating a little...but not much...My wife did graduate work at CSULB for her School Psychology credential...and I used to meet her down there for dinner often...usually, it seemed, Denny's was as upscale as it got!

 

But, IMHO, it really is about the least touristy place in Long Beach to stay...When I, myself, am on vacation, I like to feel like I'm in a vacation destination--shops, restaurants, pedestrian friendly...This location, to me, is about as opposite to that as you can get...One of the reasons I suggested getting out and down to Belmont Shore/Naples/Marina...just a little bit more "fun", though it's still not exactly Venice Beach or the Sunset Strip...at least it feels like you've been somewhere other than a booth in a neighborhood eatery for a farily ordinary dinner and back to the motel...

 

I really think, for out of the area tourists, it is a much better all-around experience to stay in the Convention Center area...to have attractions like the Aquarium and Queen Mary nearby, even if you just pass by and don't have time to visit...and to have tourist-oriented shopping and entertainment and the wide array of restaurants in easy walking distance...not to mention the very short ride to the pier...

 

If anyone is picking this hotel, just because it's in Long Beach and the cruise leaves from Long Beach, they should probably consider that they might as well stay anywhere in the LA area...Long Beach is a big city of half a million residents and this hotel is on the far other side of town...it's really just a generic neighborhood a long way from the ship...You might as well stay in some other nearby community--but pick one with a beach maybe...and nearby restaurants...Redondo? Manhattan? You're no worse off than staying here...but at least it's more attractive...Or, stay in Torrance near the Del Amo Mall...about the same ride to the pier, but at least you have restaurants and shopping right there...

 

Yet, people on these boards keep finding this place...likely because it's in Long Beach...thinking it must all be close...

 

JMHO...

[PatriciaF]

Okay...I may be exaggerating a little...but not much...My wife did graduate work at CSULB for her School Psychology credential...and I used to meet her down there for dinner often...usually, it seemed, Denny's was as upscale as it got!

 

 

Sorry that you only ate at Denny's; the food in the student union was better (or at least during my years at CSULB (68 to 74). Hof's on Bellflower blvd has been there since the 50s--so there were other nearby and better choices.

 

Yep--they are staying in a neighborhood location--not downtown. I too would recommend staying downtown--but they are already committed to the hotel. There are lots of family places to eat that aren't chains nearby without having to pay for parking or struggling with parallel parking in the Shore or Naples.

[KCcruisin07]

I like the other suggestions like Lucille's and Mimi's. In addition when we are in that area, we like to eat at Acapulco overlooking the ? back bay. It is down PCH almost to Second Street on the right hand side in a shopping center. The food is dependable. There is limited outdoor dining and a view of small boats docked in the marina. With the size of your party I suggest reservations.

[BSQ]

I think the big question is will you have a car? If not, I 100% agree with Patricia's suggestion of Pancho's. (I'm not even a huge fan of Mexican food).

 

Aren't there a lot of little Mom n Pop places in this area?

 

If you have a car, this past weekend some friends and I met up at Belmont Brewing Company. I think it's one of my new favorite places. Fish tacos were awesome!

 

Lucille's for me is overpriced and not very good BBQ. (but I've spend a good bit of time in the Southeastern US where BBQ is cheap and off the hook good ... not much in CA compares).

 

I think many people end up in places on PCH, because they often think Pacific Coast Highway fronts the Coast. It's also a good golf course, so not a bad location for someone looking to get in a few rounds before vacation.