For $3 every Friday, you can grab a beer and a complimentary pint glass from the new rooftop bar at the Gelson’s grocery store in Long Beach’s Marina neighborhood.

The second-story, open-air bar dubbed “Alehouse on the Mezzanine” is open from 3 p.m. to 8 pm. Friday through Sunday at the Gelson’s on Second Street near Pacific Coast Highway.

Its six beers on tap include a variety from Trademark Brewing in Long Beach along with rotating craft beers on draft and out of a can.

The now-open Gelson’s Market rooftop bar in Long Beach, Friday, July 19, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

From 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Friday this summer, customers can get a $3 logo pint glass filled with a beer of their choice. All beers after are $5.

The mezzanine opened at the end of May and is the 16th bar out of 27 grocery store locations throughout southern California, said Gelson’s Director of Hospitality Tyler Williams.

A variety of Gelson’s private label wines are also available ranging from $10 to $16 a glass and $35 to $49 per bottle. These wine offerings are also available at the wine bar downstairs daily from noon to 8 p.m.


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Customers at the downstairs bar can also use the store’s complimentary Sip ‘n’ Shop program in which a Gelson’s associate does the shopping from your shopping list without the customer needing to leave the wine bar area.

When the mezzanine is open on weekends, the kitchen offers sandwiches, burgers, salads and appetizers including lobster sliders, poke nachos and a gourmet cheese plate among other options.

Customers can rent the area for private parties during off hours and the space is available during store hours for customers to enjoy a meal bought from downstairs.

Tyler Williams, director of hospitality, and Brooke Mabe, wine bar host, stand behind the bar at the now-open Gelson’s Market rooftop bar in Long Beach, Friday, July 19, 2024. Photo by Thomas R. Cordova.

Nikki Ramirez and Dave Perfecto, both Gelson’s employees for eight years, said they stopped by the mezzanine Friday afternoon to enjoy a beer before heading to the beach.

The two used to work at the Long Beach location, but Ramirez now works at the Silver Lake store and Perfecto works at the store in Newport Beach.

Gelson’s opened its first store in Los Angeles in 1951. The Long Beach branch opened in November 2013.

The Gelson’s at 6255 Second Street is open daily from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.