Photo by Chef Wes Lieberher.
Koreatown’s favorite savory food and craft beer standby Beer Belly is officially kicking off its Long Beach operations with a grand opening on Friday, November 11, its creators announced today.
Its location—nestled next to local faves Rainbow Juices and Beachwood Blendery at 3rd and Long Beach Boulevard—will continue to draw on-trend foodies looking for a good, fattening fix of comfort food and quality brews, as well as Long Beachers prepared to order a draft beer or sophisticated cocktail at their hidden back bar.
That’s right: the restaurant seeks to take food, beer and locally-sourced, liquor-infused cocktails seriously with a full-out beverage program, courtesy of a push by owners Jimmy and Yume Han.
But the Hans are also aware of Long Beach’s unique vibe. The LB location will present an entirely different menu for patrons seeking to wet their palates with a twisted take on All-American classics, according to a Downtown Long Beach Alliance (DLBA) release.
“The menu at Beer Belly Long Beach promises to deliver on a completely different flavor experience from Koreatown,” said Beer Belly Marketing Director Paul Choi in a statement.
Wes Lieberher, man behind the K-town Beer Belly menu and the now-defunct Philly Cheesesteak shop Whiz, has designed a new array of flavorful offerings with a distinct vision for Long Beach clientele. Such new classics include the BLVD Burger, consisting of a beef patty, candied bacon slaw, sharp cheddar, arugula, hot smoke mayo and an optional sunny side egg.
But why the tailored attention to the LBC?
“I think the easiest way to put it is that Chef Wes really wanted to build a unique experience for the City of Long Beach,” Choi told the Post today. “Our team’s biggest indicator of success is whether or not we’re able to contribute and help cultivate community wherever we go, and so just replicating what we’ve done in another part of town doesn’t really represent that desire. [The] chef’s menu is about recognizing that Long Beach is its own community. We’re hoping that by creating unique experiences we can encourage our community from K-town to also come check out what we’re cultivating in Long Beach, and vice-versa.”
The ambiance of the 2,800-square foot space will feature skeletal booths and wood masonry designed by MAKE ARCHITECTURE, emphasizing the natural beauty of Douglas fir trees, according to Choi.
“MAKE ARCHITECTURE drew inspiration from the existing exposed Douglas fir wood truss ceiling to create an architectural feature,” said Choi in a statement. “The wood framing’s repetitive nature was the basis for the continuous skeletal forms emanating from the ceiling. Adjacent to the bar, full-height skeletal walls march through one end of the space and provide the spatial definition of the booths. Opposite the bar, added Douglas fir members chamfer down from the ceiling and become floating table tops at bar area.”
Impatient for the opening? Behold, you can get a foot in the door early by signing up on their email list (receive a $1 draft beer upon its official unveil to the public). And let’s be real: sometimes nothing tastes as good as beer costing just one George Washington.
We hope you can stomach the wait.
Beer Belly is located at 255 Long Beach Boulevard.
This article was updated at 1:00PM with the correct day of the week of the grand opening. The report previously stated the restaurant would open on a Tuesday.
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