Liv’s remains Long Beach’s stalwart for American seafood—but where are the crowds?

Liv’s is the sole American, seafood-centric spot in Long Beach that hits all the marks: quality, consistency, and a continually evolving menu.

For a city bordered by the Pacific, Long Beach has surprisingly few restaurants dedicated solely to doing seafood exceptionally well. Yes, there are spaces with incredible fish tacos. Sure, there are oyster specials. Yup, we have one of the best mariscos spaces in the region. And yes, there are legacy institutions with some seafood on the menu. But an unabashedly American seafood house—one that takes East Coast oyster bar culture, folds in Californian sensibility, layers in European technique, and adds just enough Asian and Latino influences to keep everything bright and modern—is still a rarity.

Liv’s in Belmont Shore continues to be an underrated gem.

That is precisely why Liv’s lack of popularity—whether it is in my group or via social media or traditional media…—continues to puzzle me. While Chef Rob White’s other concept, the brunch-centric, overlooking-the-ocean Hartland’s, has become a wild success with particularly packed weekends, Liv’s still hasn’t clicked with audiences.

Whether it is a wonderfully battered Nashville hot filet of rockfish atop fries and chilled prik nam pla-laced mussels for the summer… Or Tuscan clams in a bath of white wine broth and roasted fish with brown-buttered mushrooms for the winter…

Maybe—to share, of course—a savory play on zeppole, the Italian bite-sized donut, where an herb-and-cheese dough is fried and left to dip in salted creme fraiche and caviar. There is a fine-tuned something for everyone.

Founded by chef-owner Rob White with a philosophy centered around locally sourced seafood and regional farmers, Liv’s has a menu that evolves with the seasons. And the restaurant was never intended to be just another oyster bar.

Yes, Liv’s in Long Beach has a raw bar. No, it is not just that.

And yet that misunderstanding may be exactly what has kept so many diners from walking through its doors.

“I often feel like some pass us by because they think we’re just an oyster and wine bar,” Chef Rob previously told me. “They don’t realize how expansive our menu is. Or how accessible our social hour is.”

That observation still rings true. Oysters surely remain a centerpiece. Beautifully shucked East Coast varieties—lovely Barnstable oysters from Cape Cod and Norumbegas from Maine graced the menu last time I was there—are served traditionally or dressed “Liv’s Way” with caviar, crème fraîche and chives. But the menu quickly reveals itself as something much broader.

All the while, Chef Rob—with assistance from Kitchen Manager Zoe Moore—looks toward accessibility. Think freshness, acidity, and texture rather than heavy-handed richness. Think stellar shrimp tacos—amongst the best in the city—sliders, and wedge salads slathered in a house-ranch with bits of pancetta.

Liv’s gives Long Beach what it deserves: A distinctly Californian seafood palace that honors American coastal cooking in all its glory.

The result is a seafood restaurant that feels distinctly Californian while nodding to classic American coastal cooking.

The chilled section alone ranges from salmon crudo layered with crème fraîche, rye breadcrumbs and dill… To blue crab salad, shrimp cocktail, and chilled mussels. Elsewhere, guests can dive into spicy garlic shrimp served with grilled sourdough, chargrilled oysters kissed with fire-roasted salsa verde and bacon fat, or a surprisingly comforting seafood chowder served inside a locally made bread bowl.

Those looking for heartier fare aren’t left wanting either. The fish and chips and lobster roll remain among the city’s strongest interpretations of the classics, while the prime steak frites offers an unexpected land-based alternative complete with bone marrow aioli. Even Liv’s burger—a double-patty affair with Oh La Vache cheese, horseradish aioli, caramelized onions and hand-cut fries—serves as a reminder that this kitchen wants to offer something for everyone.

Perhaps most impressive is that this level of cooking comes without the intimidation factor often associated with seafood-focused restaurants.

Liv’s is also home to one of Long Beach’s best happy hours…

That accessibility is perhaps best demonstrated through Liv’s outstanding Social Hour, offered Wednesday through Friday from 4PM to 6PM. Rather than limiting guests to a handful of discounted drinks and one fried appetizer, Liv’s has built an abbreviated menu that feels like a destination in itself.

For as little as $6, guests can warm up with a cup of chowder. A $7 mini wedge features gem lettuce, chorizo pancetta crumbs, pickled onion, cilantro, sourdough crisps and house ranch. Seafood lovers can sample chowder fries ($8). Fried calamari ($9). Insanely good crispy shrimp tacos ($10). One of my personal faves, their salmon crudo ($12) and tom kha mussels ($14). A fried oyster Caesar ($12). Good ol’ fish and chips ($12). Or hot fish sliders ($15).

The oyster offerings become particularly enticing during social hour, with oyster shooters available for $3. Three oysters paired with a Montucky lager for $13. And a half dozen raw oysters for just $19. Meanwhile, beverages receive meaningful discounts: $3 off wines by the glass, $10 off bottles of wine, and $2 off every beer.
In a city where many happy hours have become increasingly modest, Liv’s continues to offer one that feels genuinely generous.

A restaurant deserving of far more attention

In the end, I know Long Beach diners often lament the lack of destination seafood restaurants. The irony is that one has been quietly sitting in Belmont Shore for years.

Liv’s succeeds because it doesn’t chase trends. It isn’t trying to be flashy. It isn’t trying to reinvent oysters or overcomplicate seafood.

Instead, it focuses on sourcing well, cooking with restraint and creating a menu that invites both casual neighborhood dinners and celebrations alike.

Perhaps that’s why it has quietly developed such a loyal following among those in the know. The hope, however, is that more Long Beach residents discover what has been hiding in plain sight all along. For anyone looking for thoughtfully prepared American seafood, an exceptional oyster program, and one of the city’s best happy hours, there really isn’t another restaurant quite like Liv’s.

Liv’s is located at 5327 E. 2nd St.