As we push toward celebrating Long Beach Last Call 2025—a 10-day, multi-event celebration of our city’s rich bar culture and the people who make it happen—we will offer a series of features that highlight everything from our most stellar cocktail programs at restaurants to to the very events occurring (like this feature on various drinks being served across the celebration)… All in order to lift a glass to a social and economic driver that rarely receives the love its deserves: our bar industry. For more information on Long Beach Last Call, tap here.
We have a lot going for our Long Beach Last Call 2025 celebration but it isn’t, of course, just about the events. It’s also about the incredible, for-this-event-only creations that some of our city’s most talented mixologists have concocted that also deserve some spotlight.
Here are some personal favorites of mine that I hope you try throughout our 10-day celebration.
Tokyo Noir’s “Nashi & Nice”
1731 E 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? The completely complex, undistressingly umami, beautifully balanced cocktail expected from Kevin Lee at Tokyo Noir, the Japanese speakeasy inside El Barrio.
Nashi & Nice: Fermented Asian pear | Douglas fir | Mezcal | Vermouth | Lemon
Marlena’s “Mexican Firing Squad”
5854 E. Naples Plaza
What kind of cocktail? This porch pounder—or what some lady lovers are inclined to inappropriately call a “panty dropper” of a drink—is heightened by bar manager David Castillo’s house-made grenadine that eschews cherry in favor of pomegranate and orange blossom.
Mexican Firing Squad: Celaya Blanco | Lime | House-made grenadine | Bitters | Orange zest | Cherry
Panxa Cocina’s “Ocho Rio”
3937 E. Broadway
What kind of cocktail? The largest-collection-of-agave-spirits one. Yes, that’s right, Panxa is home to well over 130 bottles of agave spirits and there are two ways to experience it: Go to our private tasting where you’ll have some food and get to taste over 20 iterations from eight different distilleries for $35. Or through a cocktail—like this masterful, tequila-centric take on the mai tai from cocktail master Bryce Kaesman.
Ocho Rio: Tequila Ocho Reposado | Gran Marnier | Dark Rum | Pineapple | Orange | Orgeat | Mint
Midnight Oil’s “Calvados Sour”
255 Long Beach Blvd.
What kind of cocktail? Something that strangely feels like fall but also welcomes spring? This lovely play on a sour from newly minted Midnight Oil bar director Peter Ross is only a hint of what he can do on a larger scale but is a warm welcome for Long Beach Last Call 2025.
Calvados Sour: Old Forester Rye | Calvados | Fino | Lemon | Cinnamon-methocel syrup
The Stache Bar’s “Spaghett Bottle Service”
941 E. 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? The awesomely fun one that is as surprisingly refreshing as it is just outright Long Beach in all the feels. Also, don’t forget: We’ll be kicking off Long Beach Last Call at The Stache—join us!
Spaghett Bottle Service: 32 oz. Miller High Life | Aperol | Lemon
Wood & Salt’s “Planet Hopping”
4262 Atlantic Ave.
What kind of cocktail? A carrot-centric concoction that uses gin and falernum as its base with the brightnesses of passionfruit and pineapple to slice through, exemplifying bar manager Gabriel Ducharme’s talent with balance.
Planet Hopping: Gin | Falernum | Carrot | Passionfruit | Pineapple | Lemon | Aquafaba | Cinnamon
El Barrio Cantina’s “4th Street Lover”
1731 E. 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? Fruity’n’happy, this all around simple sipper is a reminder of spring, the upcoming summer, and the fact that drinks are always pretty in pink.
4th Street Lover: Los California Gin | Pomegranate | Orgeat | Lemon | Bitters
The Attic on Broadway’s “Frosty Fern”
3441 E. Broadway
What kind of cocktail? The masterfully minty, dreamily creamy concoction that is as refreshing as it is surprising. And happily named after its creator, Fernando Moncada, a nearly decade-long staple at The Attic.
Frosty Fern: Mezcal | Branca Menta | Crème de menthe | Heavy cream | Absinthe
The Ordinarie’s “Ordinarie Fashion”
210 The Promenade N.
What kind of cocktail? The one that honors the old fashioned with a bit of Irish luck and candy twist: Cherry bark and crème de cacao give this cocktail a wonderful Cherry Tootsie Pop quality—and I say that with the biggest compliments.
Ordinarie Fashion: Irish whiskey | Cherry Bark Bitters | Cacao Liqueur | Creme Sherry
The Wicked Wolf’s “Mermaid Mischief”
4137 E. Anaheim St.
What kind of cocktail? Umami-meets-citrus-meets-floral concoction that is as sexily subtle as it is masterfully complex.
Mermaid Mischief: Seaweed gin | Creme de Violette | Kleos | Salers | Lavender-green tea syrup | Lemon super-juice
Michael’s on Naples’s “Fair Verona”
5620 E. 2nd St.
What kind of cocktail? A peachy, booze-forward cocktail worthy of Shakespeare’s words—and another reflection of bar manager Jocelyn Jolly’s talents. Also, don’t skip out on the amazing wine tasting planned for Michael’s on Naples.
Fair Verona: Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon | Meletti Amaro | Juliette peach liqueur | Absinthe
Lola’s Mexican Cuisine’s “Isla Bonita”
2030 E. 4th St. | 4140 Atlantic Ave.
What kind of cocktail? The classic margarita—with some kiwi and passionfruit.
Isla Bonita: Herradura blanco | Giffard passionfruit | Lime | Kiwi syrup | Naranja | Basil
Broken Spirits Distillery’s “Parrots in Paradise”
300 The Promenade N.
What kind of cocktail? Happily citrusy while dangerously sweet in the most balanced way possible, bar lead Stephen Ramos has developed some cocktails for Long Beach Last Call that represent some of the most balanced drinks the distillery has offered since opening.
Parrots In Paradise: Broken Spirits Rum | Aperol | Lime | Turbinado Sugar
The Social List’s “Magically Delicious”
2105 E. 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? Ah, we finally have a milk punch—and it is charmingly layered with Lucky Charms marshmallows and, considering the disaster that was the Month of January—or, as I say, “Year of Our Lord January”—we need all the luck we can get.
Magically Delicious: Slane Irish whiskey | Lemon | Vanilla syrup | Falernum | Licor 43 | Milk | Lucky Charms
The Bamboo Club’s “Final Boss”
1241 E. 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? The perfectly tiki kind where citrus and plum meld with spices.
Final Boss: Pineapple | Coconut | Orange | Lemon | Yebiga Bela | Nutmeg | Cinnamon
Roe’s “Voyager”
5374 E. 2nd St.
What kind of cocktail? Another milk punch—but one gone floral.
The Voyager: Gin | Italicus | Jasmine tea | Bergamot | Simple | Lemon | Clarified Milk | Orange
Wait–you mention Long Beach Last Call 2025. What is it?
Long Beach Food Scene: Last Call—or Long Beach Last Call 2025 if you wanna keep it simple—returns March 1 and run through March 10 with a series of events on each day that celebrates the city’s rich bar culture, community, and its workers. From industry-only and unlimited tastings events to cocktail contests and proper Irish coffee lessons, Long Beach Last Call will continue to be the premiere event celebrating Long Beach’s bar and cocktail culture.
After the success of my restaurant in 2023, Long Beach Food Scene Week, bar owners and tenders rightfully asked: “What about a week for us?” So I decided to oblige and present Long Beach Last Call last year, a ten-day long celebration of Long Beach’s amazing bar culture, it’s even more amazing workers, and the industry that often goes without recognition as one of our city’s largest economic and social drivers. And thousands of people proudly showed up. With the alcohol industry going through a roller-coaster of layoffs and rearrangements—from brands leaving distribution companies to brand representation shrinking nationwide—now is the time more than ever to support these incredible people.
