Seven Long Beach restaurants have managed to nab a spot on Yelp’s list of the highest-ranked restaurants across Los Angeles County. Starting off with Ammatoli, which stood at #16 on the list, let’s celebrate these culinary wonders.

Ammatoli (#16)

285 E. 3rd St.

Under the steady, brilliant hand of Chef Dima Habibeh, Ammatoli is a Levantine haven in Downtown Long Beach. And with that, has become one of the region’s most rightfully celebrated dining rooms. A place where the expansive flavors of the Levant are treated with both reverence and modern finesse, Ammatoli is the quintessential expression of the cuisine region-wide.

Palestinian mousakhan that permeates with the scent of sumac and caramelized onions. Silky hummus edged with spice and olive oil. Perfectly stuffed shish barak. Pillowy house-baked pita. Vibrant salads punched with citrus and herbs… Her dishes feel transportive without ever losing their sense of place. Ammatoli’s magic lies in Chef Dima’s ability to turn tradition into something alive and immediate; to make us feel less like we’re going out and more like we’re stepping into someone’s home. It gives Long Beach not just its best restaurant but, given the countless array of visitors from nearly every part of the globe, a cultural landmark.

Pickle Banh Mi (#22)

1171 Anaheim St.

I absolutely love our city’s growth in traditional Vietnamese cuisine. And Pickle Banh Mi Co.’s first location beyond the Orange Curtain is a prime example of that, giving us the city’s undisputed best bánh mì. (And some of the best baguettes, made in-house for a buck a piece if you just want some good bread.) Even more, the story behind the small operation is one that is about the empowerment and resilience of Vietnamese women and their families. And it is directly reflected through their food, including their offering of the city’s best bánh mì.

From the traditional—like bánh mì đặc biệt, the cold cut bánh mì that has defined the sandwich since its origins, or the bánh mì bò nướng sả, a lemongrass beef that has subtleties of sweetness amid its savory and herbal qualities—to the witty and fun—like a play with Peruvian lomo saltado for one or the use of chả cá thăng long, the famed turmeric-dill fish dish, for another—there is no bad bánh mì order at Pickle Banh Mi. 

And I mean that: No bad or even middling bánh mì at Pickle Banh Mi.

Zuzu’s Petals

801 3rd St.

Zuzu’s Petals—Long Beach’s (rightfully and) wildly popular brunch space in DTLB—is surely surrounded by beauty. Plates of wonderfully cooked omelettes—no browning, no rubberiness; just a soft pillow—stuffed with lobster and Boursin, are an homage to Chef Ludo Lefebvre’s locally famous version at Petit Trois. Plates of seasonal pancakes—like their sweet potato one featured in the fall—that are as Instagrammable as they are requested out of season. Outright sexy steak’n’eggs, with a ribeye cut and layered atop a hollandaise spread.

To add to that beauty, owners Evan Papadakis and Jessie Franco are persistently present with a deep sense of what it means to be hospitable. It is not uncommon for them to know a vast number of patrons’ names. They will walk down the line—easily wrapping around onto Lime above 3rd Street on weekends—to touch people, ask them how they’re doing, and assure them they’ll be seated and eating soon.

Shlap Muan (#32)

2150 E. South St. #105

Husband-and-wife team Hawk and Sophia Tea’s heritage—a mixture of Cambodian, Chinese, and American cultures swirled into one beautiful familial pot—lead the way for what I would call, no questions asked, the best wings in the city. Surely, Shlap Muan (which means “chicken wing” in Khmer) offers some stellar takes on Cambodian classics. Kuyteav. Lok lak. Garlic noodles upon garlic noodles. But it is their dedication to the humble but mighty chicken wing that is cause for celebration.

Using a secret pre-game trick on the poultry before taking them to the frier stadium, Hawk’s ability to fry fowl—a method he learned from his father, Chhay—is one that brings out his equal mastery in seasoning and saucing them. With witty odes to both his American and Cambodian heritage—think a lemongrass take on lemon pepper called “Cambodian Dirt” or an outright mockery of MSG conspiracy theorists with his “Jalapeño MSG” seasoning—Shlap is more than just a wing spot. It is a reflection of Long Beach’s deep ties to the Cambodian community and how Cambodian food can evolve in a city that has been home to refugees for fifty years.

Chiang Rai (#47)

3832 E. Anaheim St.

Chiang Rai is one of those Long Beach restaurants that has quietly built a loyal following. And it has done so by doing everything right—and doing it with heart. Tucked along Anaheim Street, it delivers Northern Thai cooking that’s bold, aromatic, and deeply comforting. It’s the kind of food that hits with both precision and home-style soul.

Their khao soi is a rightful local legend. A golden, fragrant curry broth wrapped around tender noodles and crowned with crispy ones, rich without being heavy. The larb is punchy and herb-driven. The curries layered rather than sweet. And the spice levels hit that perfect point where flavor leads and heat follows.

The Attic (#65)

3441 E. Broadway

Chef Cameron Slaugh’s first dive into the Long Beach food scene was and remains a mighty one. And with that, he brings some of Long Beach’s most exciting food in a world where comfort-seeking and familiarity rule the day. From venison carpaccio and fried quail to contemporary takes on classics like almondine and duck pâté, Chef Cameron flexes his ability to seamlessly bounce between styles. 

Perhaps just as importantly, between balancing his talents at Nonna Mercato and The Attic, he proves he is unquestionably one of the region’s best chefs. But even more, it demonstrates that a restaurant can eschew something that’s simply popular because it is Instagrammable in favor of something culinarily artistic. And, even beyond this, the very restaurant that tossed the social media vote aside can continue to challenge and introduce Long Beach palates to something far more deserving than constant plates of mac’n’cheetos.

The 555 (#67)

555 E. Ocean Blvd.

Ah, the 555. Once the let’s-talk-business headquarters of the city and, now, simply a citywide loved icon, the 555 has managed to keep it 1950s cool charm while never diving too far into modernity.

For decades, it has been the city’s benchmark for classic American steakhouse dining: dim lights, leather booths, polished service, and beef treated with the seriousness it deserves. Their cuts—hand-selected, dry-aged, and seared to a deep, irresistible crust—arrive with the kind of confidence only a veteran kitchen can deliver. Add in the oysters, chilled seafood towers, buttery potatoes, creamed spinach, and a martini that hits exactly the way a steakhouse martini should, and you understand why 555 East has remained a celebratory go-to for generations.