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 The Attic in Belmont Heights)… 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.
There is no way to discuss The Attic without discussing evolution—and though owner Steve Massis might tire of me mentioning it, as well as Chef Cameron Slaugh, it is an evolution that continually deserves applause.
The story of The Attic’s dramatic transformation from Instagrammable-three-hour-wait-brunch haven to a quality space that exudes everything but the basic is always worthy of re-telling—and its transformation is primarily driven by the humility and charisma of Steve, who faced a serious, weighty situation for a business owner: Continue with the wild success of a business which saw no sign of letting up but also no sign of fulfilling the soul of Massis or try to shift toward something vastly different entirely. He opted for the latter and, nearly five years later, is the proud owner of one of the best restaurants in the city.
The Attic is evolving in a way that it hasn’t since Chef Cameron stepped in to take over the kitchen.
On top of that, Chef Cameron has continually elevated the space, from supper club rooms to the latest iteration of The Attic menu, which the chef plans on updating continually from here on out. This is also attached to the space’s cocktail program, which has long been one of the city’s best. And for General Manager and hospitality maestro Iano Dovi, that means expanding the presence of not only how many cocktails are on the menu but who gets to design them from behind the bar.
“People who love food absolutely get our new menu—and understand the idea that we’re going to be updating it continually, as in next week,” Iano said. “For those who become attached to certain items, it becomes a bit more difficult to tell them it likely won’t be available the next time they come in. But it’s truly about building a new sense of trust with them—which we have had to do before and succeeded.”
Iano’s love of hospitality has helped this learning curve with newness: From developing the space’s stellar wine offerings—on par with those at Michael’s on Naples and Marlena—to be the front-facing person of the operation, he has helped elevate what Long Beach hospitality and restaurant evolution can look like if we were less afraid of change.
The Attic’s patronage might have some set-in-stone favorites, but as Chef Cameron pushes his kitchen to new boundaries, so has bar lead Nathaniel Ochoa. He has not only enveloped his right-hand man Fernando Moncada into the fold—Fern has designed the entirety of the space’s Long Beach Last Call 2025 menu as well as being an essential cog of The Attic family for nearly a decade—but has big plans for the future of the bar.
And that evolution certainly includes The Attic’s cocktail menu.
Ten to 12 AM cocktails. Ten to 12 PM cocktails. This is what The Attic hopes to achieve with the future of its cocktail menu.
“This has always been the plan but now we’re confident we can execute it,” Iano said. “Your porch pounders will stay, well, on the porch. And they’ll be big, colorful, vibrant, fruity, and effervescent. And then as we move into the nighttime, we move toward more booze-forward sippers that explore the deeper flavors of mixing spirits.”
The change is an ambitious one—having twenty-plus rotating, seasonal cocktails is something that hasn’t been done in Long Beach—but reflects a newfound pride and inspiration in the Long Beach food community. And it is the perfect segue into Long Beach Last Call itself, which is intended to uplift those within the bar industry because, as The Attic reflects, they deserve it.
The cocktails being featured for Long Beach Last Call 2025 at The Attic.
Fernando Moncada, clearly in the footsteps of Nathaniel, has created an expansive, springtime-worthy menu of four cocktails. From minty and frothy to citrus bombs and spirit-forward concoctions, there are plenty of options for nearly all palates.
Frosty Fern: Mezcal | Branca Menta | Crème de menthe | Heavy cream | Absinthe
Hoppy Ending: Gin | Aperol | Lemon | Cara Cara-thyme syrup | IPA
Jungle No. 5: Gin | Orgeat | Lemon | Pineapple | Campari
Blue Velvet: Rum | Lemon | Coconut cream | Blue curaçao | Simple syrup
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.
Hence, Long Beach Last Call 2025. And The Attic is a part of that—so go order a drink.
The Attic on Broadway is located at 3221 E. Broadway.
