Long Beach, prepare yourself: starting today, Oct. 3, The Ordinarie officially plunges into the deep, dark waters of Black Lagoon, the globe-trotting Halloween pop-up that has bewitched cities from Toronto to Paris.
Running through Nov. 1, the downtown tavern sheds its colonial charm for something far moodier. Think tons of vibey lighting. Over-the-top décor that matches the spirit of its Christmas-y sibling, Miracle. And, as always, cocktails and food that match the need to be gruesomely grandeur this Halloween season.
“Again, this is just another way for The Ordinarie to express itself through celebration,” said owner Christy Caldwell. “And it is something I truly hope Long Beach appreciates. The staff is excited, I am excited, and I know the founders of Black Lagoon are as well. We’re trying to up our game—and we think this can reflect that.”
Indeed. The space is genuinely, gloriously garish while coldly hugging the cobweb-covered corners of our most celebrated holiday of the dark. First, let’s dive into the look before we dig up the cocktails and food.
Here are the basics for Black Lagoon at The Ordinarie
- Dates: Oct. 3 – Nov. 1
- Special Event: Halloween night blowout on Oct. 31 with live music from Big Willy and the Halloweiners, costume prizes, and a $20 cover.
- Hours: Daily from 11:30AM to 1:00AM
- Reservations & Seating: Reservations available 11:30AM to 3:30PM only; evenings are walk-in only. Expect lines—especially on weekends—but nothing too crazy.
- Family Policy: Kids welcome until 9PM with a dedicated children’s menu (though some theming may be too intense for little ones).
- Parking: Two free hours in Lot C on 3rd Street near The Promenade.
The cocktails featured at The Ordinarie’s Black Lagoon pop-up.
Nocturna Colada: Kraken black & gold rums | Passionfruit | Coconut | Pineapple | Mr. Black coffee liqueur | Bitter Queens coffee cardamom bitters
Corpse Flower
Lalo tequila blanco | Ube | Giffard banane | Lustau amontillado sherry | Lime | Purple salt
Griselda’s Revenge
Fords gin | Giffard mangue | Lustau vermut blanc | Lemon | Tarragon | Seltzer | Bitter Queens Thai spice
Black Ride
400 Conejos mezcal | Grapefruit | Lime | Spiced pomegranate | Absinthe | Bitter Queens Caribbean bitters
Midnight Forever
Pau Maui vodka | Black sesame | Miso falernum | Lustau fino sherry | Lemon
Creature’s Curse
Rice-washed Four Roses bourbon | Kraken gold rum | Roasted sweet potato | Bitter Queens naughty figgy bitters
And a look into the special food offerings…
Don’t stress: the pot pie bites are still there. But here are some specials you might find wickedly wonderful.
Pumpkin Soup: Cup | Bowl
Deviled Eggs: Purple eggs | Black sesame | Chives
Hatch Chile Mac & Cheese: Cavatappi pasta | White cheddar | Hatch chile | Crispy onions | Add bacon | Add short rib
Sweet Potato Fries: Parmesan | Black garlic aioli
Fried Corn Cob Ribs: Avocado mousse | Cotija
Short Rib: Chipotle | Honey | White cheddar corn grits | Carrots
Butternut Squash Ravioli: Brown butter | Sage | Crispy kale
Wait—so what, exactly, is the Black Lagoon pop-up?
The Black Lagoon experience was dreamed up by industry veterans Erin Hayes and Kelsey Ramage. What started as a one-off horror experiment in the notorious New Orleans dive that is The Dungeon during the city’s annual Tales of the Cocktail event has quickly evolved into a continent-spanning ritual, drawing cocktail lovers, goth kids, and spooky-season devotees into its dark embrace.
That same year, the pair debuted the first official Black Lagoon pop-up in Toronto. With décor leaning more “House of 1,000 Corpses” than pumpkin patch, it wasn’t your typical fall pop-up. Coffins, skulls, dim candlelight, and doom-laden playlists created a fully immersive world, while the cocktails leaned into dark hues, smoky spirits, and spine-tingling names.
By 2022, Black Lagoon had expanded into nine cities, from Chicago and Portland to Los Angeles and Montreal. Each host bar was given a “lookbook” of décor and design ideas, but encouraged to blend its own personality with the Lagoon’s eerie atmosphere. The result was never cookie-cutter: every location felt distinct but united by the pop-up’s gothic DNA. Come 2023, the pop-up wasn’t just a North American curiosity—it had gone international, with stints in Paris and Guadalajara. Seattle’s Rob Roy turned into a haunted speakeasy, while Brooklyn bars packed in goth-leaning crowds for limited-edition nights.
The Ordinarie is located at 210 The Promenade N.
