Liv's extends its lease in Belmont Shore—and remains much more than just an oyster bar

Much to the news of food lovers, Liv’s—which was facing the end of its lease earlier this year as it looked for a different location—has had its lease extended at its Belmont Shore location. Assuredly one of the most underrated restaurants in Long Beach, Chef Kristine Schneider—under the oversight of owner and chef Rob White, who often appears at the counter shucking oysters—creates a continually revolving menu that goes far beyond being, well, an oyster bar.

“I often feel like some pass us by because they think we’re just an oyster and wine bar,” Chef Rob said. “And especially as the cooler months come, they don’t realize how expansive our menu is and how warming some of the plates can be.”

Perhaps a slight signage change could help, but given our collective attention span in this digital, AI-centric era, most passersby skip over the “seafood” part after reading “oyster bar.” Even more, they have one of the most solid happy hours. Chef Kristine’s cooking blends classic European seafood preparations with tons of Asian and Latin American influences: clean, aromatic, and acid-driven. Every element of Liv’s emphasizes freshness, texture, and contrast. Bright acids. Rich fats. Herbal depth. And seasonally driven produce.

Chef Rob is right: Liv’s has a beautiful breadth when it comes to its seafood-centric menu.

Chef Kristine’s Tuscan clams dish is about as warming as they come. A massive bowl of The Manila clams—clean, meaty—with a classic salsa verde inspired by a trip to Italy and a sauce her mom would often cook when she worked at The Stinking Rose. (RIP to the permanent shuttering of its L.A. location.) Plenty of parsley. Copious garlic and olive oil. Chunks of sun-dried tomatoes.

Or her roasted rockfish. Seared beautifully with little more than butter, it sits atop a mound of creamed spinach—done so with brown butter, shallots, and crème fraîche—paired with succulent, almost-too-cute-to-eat bunapi mushrooms sautéed with a little bit of wine.

Want light but outright chilly? Her apples and figs feature two varieties of apples from Chef Kristine’s family ranch. Granny Smith and Golden Delicious, a nice balance of tart and sweet. Accompanying them? Fresh figs. Buttered brown sugar pepitas, giving the dish a nutty, caramelized, autumnal tone. A chile de arbol oil for a slight drizzle of heat. Savory. Sweet. Spicy. Perfect with a glass of wine at the bar.

Or their wildly good chilled Hollander mussels from Maine. Unlike the smaller, more common blue mussel farmed in Prince Edward Island, Canada, these mollusks are bigger, meatier, and cleaner. Steamed and then chilled, Nam Prik-style Thai sauce is built from fish sauce, lime, and a touch of mint.

Exploring the menu at Liv’s…

Fresh. Texturized—both literally and culinarily. Understated in gorgeous ways.

APPLES + FIGS: Ha’s Apple Farm Granny Smith and Golden Delicious apples | black mission figs | manchego | brown sugar pepitas | chile de arbol oil