As we push toward celebrating Long Beach Last Call 2026—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 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 it deserves: our bar industry. For more information on Long Beach Last Call 2026, tap here.
We have a lot going for our Long Beach Last Call 2026 celebration, but it isn’t, of course, just about the events across its 10-day spread. It’s also about the incredible, for-this-event-only creations that some of our city’s most talented mixologists have concocted, which also deserve some spotlight.
Here are some personal favorites of mine that I hope you try throughout our 10-day celebration.
Viaje’s “Moda Chicali”
5224 E. 2nd St.
What kind of cocktail? A marvelously thoughtful cocktail where a chardonnay-like sake from Sinaloa blends with elderflower and guanábana to create a lychee-like concoction that does not contain an ounce of lychee. It is bar manager Ruben Martinez’s Mirate-like dedication to keeping as much of the bar reflective of Mexico’s product output as possible.
Moda Chicali: Ford’s gin | Destilado de pulque | Sake Sinaloense | Elderflower | Lemon | Guanábana | Rose
For Viaje’s full Last Call menu, click here.
The Wicked Wolf’s “True Love’s Kiss”
2332 Pacific Ave.
What kind of cocktail? Bar manager Isaak Lusic has opted to debut The Wicked Wolf’s entirely new cocktail menu for Long Beach Last Call 2026. And there is no question that he is one of our city’s most creative, challenging cocktail creators. This cocktail might be accessible—pomegranate and blueberry are wonderful fruits to work with for a drink—but the execution is wildly complex. Layered with florals and herbs, particularly with foam of parsley, cilantro, and more, this drink is not only gorgeous to photograph but wonderful to drink.
True Love’s Kiss: Van Gogh Acai-Blueberry Vodka | Parfait Amour Liqueur | Salers Gentian | Creme de Violette | Pomegranate-peaflower syrup | Herb garden foam
For Wicked Wolf’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Tokyo Noir’s “Carrot & Radish”
1731 E 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? Kevin Lee—the man behind Tokyo Noir, the Japanese speakeasy inside El Barrio—always has the esoteric side of things on mind when creating drinks, including a welcomed obsession with umami, savory, and earthy elements. This drink combines them all.
Carrot & Radish: Mujen gin | House-made carrot liqueur | Vermouth | Yuxu | Radish kimchi | Thai chili
For Tokyo Noir’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Marlena’s “Gran Palo”
5854 E. Naples Plaza
What kind of cocktail? Bar manager David Saenz wants to achieve one thing with Marlena’s bar program, long overdue for an update: Focus on California-centric cocktails. Use what’s at the farmers’ market. Create more in-house bitters, shrubs, and syrups. And this is a stellar example of the beginning of that endeavor.
Gran Palo: Blanco tequila | Gran Classico | Grapefruit shrub | Soda | Smoked salt
For Marlena’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Beachwood Distilling’s “French Martini”
3630 Atlantic Ave.
What kind of cocktail? The one made with the distillery’s newly minted raspberry liqueur. Thanks to head barwoman Sarah Foss, Beachwood’s cocktail program has never been better. To showcase the space’s wonderfully nerdy concept—trying to make in-house as much as they put into a cocktail as possible—Sarah wants to now showcase the world of martinis for Last Call with Beachwood products. Join her on a night of demos and Q&A and a fully-decked out martini menu for her Last Call event, “Proof in the Martini,” on Tuesday, Mar. 3.
French Martini: Beachwood Vodka | Beachwood raspberry liqueur | Pineapple
For Beachwood’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Selva’s “Electric Daisy Cocktail”
4137 E. Anaheim Ave.
What kind of cocktail? The numbing one. Literally: Selva’s head barman, Mike Borowski—one of the more underrated cocktail makers in the city—uses numbing Szechuan flowers for this wonderfully herbal and berry concoction dedicated to the famed Vegas festival, Electric Daisy Carnival.
Electric Daisy Cocktail: Gin | Aguardiente | Lulo | Gooseberry syrup | Sichuan peppercorn “buzz button”
For Selva’s full Last Call Menu, click here.
Panxa Cocina’s “Huracán de Michoacán”
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 10 different distilleries for $60. Or through a cocktail—like this masterful take on the NOLA Hurricane from cocktail maestro Bryce Kaesman.
Huracán en Michoacán: Uruapan Charranda Blanco | Fassionola | Lime | Grapefruit | Banana | All-spice Dram
For Panxa Cocina’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Chuntiki’s “Princesa de la Chinesca” at Midnight Oil
255 Long Beach Blvd.
What kind of cocktail? This cocktail comes with a fascinating history. And you can only get if you attend the Long Beach Last Call event that is “Mexicali New Year,” where cocktail master-gone-historian Jules Gutierrez of Chuntikis will explore Mexicali’s Chinatown with cocktails and bites.
Princesa de la Chinesca: Blanco Tequila | Piña cilantro cordial | Pineapple sage syrup | Pineapple & lime juices | Ginger bitters
The Stache Bar’s “Clarified Thai Tea”
941 E. 4th St.
What kind of cocktail? If there was an ode to Long Beach via a cocktail for Last Call, it would be Stache Bar manager Priscella In’s wonderfully witty, outright delicious, boozey-but-downable Clarified Thai Tea.
Clarified Thai Tea: Vodka | Thai tea | Condensed milk
For The Stache Bar’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Bar Becky’s “Schrute Farms”
3860 Worsham Ave.
What kind of cocktail? Chef Johnathan Benvenuti’s underrated East Long Beach restaurant also has a good bar program—and with this cocktail, it emphasizes Chef’s love of the farmers market and Californian sensibility.
Schrute Farms: Vodka | Golden beet syrup | Lime | Mint | Bubbles
For Bar Becky’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Wood & Salt’s “Banana Carajillo”
4262 Atlantic Ave.
What kind of cocktail? A wonderfully banana-centric take on the classic Latin American coffee cocktail, exemplifying bar manager Gabriel Ducharme’s talent.
Banana Carajillo: Reposado tequial | Banana | Spiced vanilla
For Wood & Salt’s full Last Call menu, click here.
The Attic on Broadway’s “Proper Absinthe”
3441 E. Broadway
What kind of cocktail? A proper pour of absinthe, thanks to general manager and hospitality maven Iano Dovi’s recent obsession with the storied spirit. The menu contains an array of American, French, and Swiss absinthes.
Absinthe: Your choice of expression | Water | Sugar
Olive & Rose’s “Depth Charge”
255 Atlantic Ave.
What kind of cocktail? The one that is wonderfully savory. Olive & Rose, is, let’s face it, a full-on vibe. With a wall that can open entirely up to the adjoining hotel’s pool plaza, this cocktail pairs perfectly for those seeking refreshment without the sugar. Wildly complex, this is for the savory, herbal lovers out there.
Depth Charge: Scotch | Mushroom | Leek | Fennel | Citrus
For Olive & Rose’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Buen Provecho’s “Tostone Old Fashioned”
301 The Promenade N.
What kind of cocktail? The vibey one, given Buen Provecho has one of the best patio bars in the city. Owner Stephen Ramos and newly minted bar manager Colby Sue are already working on upping the cocktail program—and this one is proof of that.
Tostone Old Fashioned: Tostone-infused bourbon | Nixta Mexican corn liqueur | Saline | Micro cilantro
For Buen Provecho’s full Last Call menu, click here.
The Ordinarie’s “Grasshopper”
210 The Promenade N.
What kind of cocktail? With owner Christy Caldwell fully back in his rightful, front-facing position as publican of The Ordinarie, he is doing an entire return back to the cocktails that have defined every aspect of contemporary cocktail creation. For Last Call, his NOLA-inspired menu features a proper grasshopper—one of the most underrated classics.
Grasshopper: Crème de menthe | Crème de cacao | Fresh cream
For The Ordinarie’s full Last Call menu, click here.
PBS Pub’s Michelada with Black Pork Empanada
464 W. Willow St.
What kind of cocktail? The one that comes with the city’s best fried empanada. PBS Pub owner Christine Cabrera—who took over one of the city’s oldest watering holes back in 2022—has partnered with West Long Beach gem Black Pork for their Last Call special. Upgrade any beer of your choice to a chamoy-rimmed, Sangre de Tigre-base Michelada and an empanada of your choice for $9. Yes and yes.
Port City Tavern’s “French Kiss”
4306 Anaheim St.
What kind of cocktail? Port City Tavern bar manager Kody Hill grasps everything Port is supposed to be. Definitively un-pretentious but certainly not divey enough for a lack of elevation.
French Kiss: Gin | Raspberry | Lychee | Gentian Amaro | Lemon | Sparkling wine
For Port City Tavern’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Broken Spirits Distillery’s “Broken Barista”
300 The Promenade N.
What kind of cocktail? The one that feels like an excuse to drink midday. This wonderful concoction from our city’s sole distillery takes two ingredients that pair perfectly with strawberry—gin and matcha—and combines them.
Broken Barista: Broken Spirits gin | Strawberry foam | Matcha
For Broken Spirit’s full Last Call menu, click here.
El Barrio Cantina’s “To My Last Love”
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.
To My Last Love: Maestro Dobel Añejo | Campari | Lemon | Jamaica | Orgeat
For El Barrio Cantina’s full Last Call menu, click here.
Wait–you mention Long Beach Last Call 2026. What is it?
Long Beach Last Call 2026 returns March 1 and runs through March 10, featuring a series of events each day that celebrate the city’s rich bar culture, community, and its workers. From industry-only and tastings events to cocktail competitions and proper Irish coffee lessons, Long Beach Last Call will continue to be the premier event celebrating Long Beach’s bar and cocktail culture.
After the success of my restaurant week 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 in 2024, celebrating our bar culture, its even more amazing workers, and the industry that often goes without recognition as one of our city’s largest economic and social drivers.
