After closing The Bungalow Long Beach earlier this year, owner Brent Bolthouse is set to bring back the beloved Bungalow Kitchen this fall. And for anyone who has followed his career, reinvention isn’t a reaction—it’s simply a part of the process.
From transforming nightlife into immersive hospitality experiences to continually evolving his concepts to match the moment, Brent has long understood that the most successful spaces refuse to remain static. They adapt, shift, and, when necessary, completely reimagine themselves. That philosophy is exactly what is driving the next chapter of The Bungalow Kitchen Long Beach, which will reopen this fall with an entirely new identity. Less celebrity-driven destination dance floor. More neighborhood bistro rooted in exceptional food, genuine hospitality, and a distinctly Long Beach sense of place.
With that comes one of Long Beach’s most respected culinary figures, Chef Eric Samaniego, whose appointment signals not just a change in leadership but an entirely different philosophy for the waterfront space. A place where outstanding food, thoughtful hospitality, and the recognition of familiar faces matter more than spectacle.
“The Bungalow Kitchen Long Beach isn’t just aiming to become the kind of restaurant people visit weekly,” Brent said. “Our goal is to be one of the best restaurants in Long Beach.”
A chef Long Beach already knows—and deeply respects.
For many Long Beach diners, Chef Eric needs little introduction.
As the longtime executive chef of the beloved Michael’s on Naples, Chef Eric became one of the city’s defining culinary voices, helping establish the Naples institution as one of Southern California’s premier Italian restaurants. Its sudden closure following an unexpected sale of ownership left both staff and diners stunned, ending an era with scarcely a month’s notice.
Now, Chef Eric finally has the opportunity to write a new chapter.
Brent said bringing Eric aboard was about more than hiring an accomplished chef; it was about “bringing in someone whose reputation was already intertwined with Long Beach itself.”
This time, however, Chef Eric won’t be confined by expectations. While diners can certainly expect handmade pastas—his deeply comforting Bolognese, beautifully roasted chicken, and the Italian influences that helped make his name are sure to appear on the menu in some capacity—he’ll also have the freedom to lean into techniques and flavors he rarely had the opportunity to showcase before.
Perhaps most importantly, the food is being built around accessibility. Rather than fine dining reserved for special occasions, the goal is a restaurant with constant return patrons—an intentional shift toward becoming a neighborhood favorite without sacrificing quality.
Chef Eric’s goal: Organic ingredients without compromise
The culinary philosophy begins long before the food reaches the kitchen. Chef Eric is committing The Bungalow Kitchen Long Beach to organic produce, regenerative sourcing, and a complete avoidance of seed oils. These are not just marketing buzzwords, but part of “a broader commitment to ingredient integrity,” in the words of Chef Eric.
Much of its land protein program will come through Cream Co., which partners with regenerative California ranches emphasizing sustainable agricultural practices. Yet Brent is careful to note that diners shouldn’t mistake this for “health food.”
The objective isn’t restriction. It’s creating deeply craveable food while using better ingredients. Rich sauces. Comforting pastas. Roasted meats. Classic bistro staples remain central to the menu. The difference lies in the sourcing rather than the sacrifice. It’s a philosophy increasingly embraced by modern diners who want to eat consciously without giving up indulgence.
Reimagining the restaurant itself: All the Bungalow vibes will remain.
The transformation extends well beyond the menu. The patio—already one of the most desirable waterfront settings in Long Beach—will become the restaurant’s primary dining room, embracing SoCal’s love of an outdoor moment.
Inside, the former dining room shifts into an elegant cocktail lounge where guests can still enjoy the full food menu, creating a more flexible experience whether stopping in for dinner or simply lingering over drinks. Meanwhile, the sunroom will become an intimate private dining room accommodating roughly 20 guests, complete with its own dedicated bar. And the Game Room, pool table and all, stays right where it is. It’s one of the most-loved corners of the space, and it isn’t going anywhere.
The operational rollout is similarly intentional.
Dinner service will debut first, allowing the team to refine operations before expanding into Saturday and Sunday brunch during the second month. Popular features like Sunset Sips—the restaurant’s happy hour program—will also return.
A return to hospitality as an art form
While Chef Eric’s arrival may be the headline, Brent is equally excited about what Director of Operations Jerome Astolfi brings to this next chapter, nearly two decades of hospitality leadership.
What is most intriguing is that Jerome’s vision isn’t centered on formality. Instead, it’s rooted in something increasingly rare: genuine, old-school hospitality.
We’re talking about remembering names. Recognizing anniversaries before guests mention them. Celebrating birthdays without prompting. Creating the feeling that regulars are returning to someone’s home rather than simply another restaurant.
His influence also extends to an ambitious wine program built almost entirely around biodynamic, organic, and locally produced wines—an approach designed to complement Chef Eric’s ingredient-driven cooking while offering guests bottles that reflect both craftsmanship and place.
In many ways, the restaurant’s renewed emphasis on wine mirrors its broader philosophy: thoughtful without being intimidating. And elevated without becoming inaccessible. Alongside the wine list, guests can expect a thoughtfully curated cocktail menu with offerings that match the kitchen’s ethos: fresh ingredients, clean spirits, and drinks that feel just as at home over dinner as they do at the bar.
Rounding out the leadership is General Manager Donald Swartz, most recently of Eataly and, before that, Venice’s OSPI. With more than a decade at some of LA’s most respected chef-driven kitchens, from Suzanne Goin’s Lucques Group to Tartine to Socalo, he brings the exact operational instincts a room like this needs: chef-forward, ingredient-conscious, and grounded in the belief that great restaurants are built one guest at a time.
Reinvention through evolution: The Bungalow Kitchen reopening
Perhaps that’s what makes this new chapter feel so fitting for Brent. Throughout his career, he has consistently resisted the temptation to simply repeat past successes. Instead, he has built a reputation on recognizing when hospitality shifts, when diners evolve, and when experiences need to adapt alongside them.
The return of The Bungalow Kitchen is about rebuilding something more personal. More approachable. And arguably more reflective of Long Beach itself: a restaurant led by one of the city’s most beloved chefs. One anchored by thoughtful hospitality. Committed to ingredient integrity. And designed to become the kind of place people return to not once a year, but once a week.
Look for the full profile on Chef Eric Samaniego’s plans for The Bungalow Kitchen Long Beach—located at 6400 Pacific Coast Hwy inside Suite 200—in the coming months.
