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I won’t lie to you. Initially, I had every intention of serving up an itinerary so high-energy, so indulgent, a mite bit tipsy and a tad bit festive today—but things have changed. 

Last week, I sat down with Essie Evans, who just opened up our area’s first (and aptly named) mocktail-only bar, Shirley’s Temple. And that story was so popular among our readers, I thought I’d go ahead and cash in on that apparent thirst for the adult beverages that sometimes come with a zing but never a buzz.

Yes, today we’re gonna talk about the rapid rise of the mocktail, mocktinis, buzzless spirits and the like. 

Essie herself admits that she does imbibe from time to time, but we all could take a page out of her book when it comes to moderation. 

“You can go out for a weekend and have a great time and not have alcohol involved,” she said (and I responded with a slow, empowered nod).

Similarly, Thea Mercouffer previously told me, before she opened the Wicked Wolf, that she rarely partakes in drinking, which is why the Wolf boasts one of the largest mocktail menus in the city (if not the largest behind Essie’s). 

Earlier this year, I noticed that more mocktail options started appearing on menus far and wide. It was when yours truly participated in a Dry January that began with intense social anxiety and left me with a smaller waist size and a sunnier disposition. Personally, I became fond of the spicy ones, those with caffeine and others with zero-proof spirits. 

Whether you practice a sober lifestyle or you just need a weekend off, mocktails—in their latest evolution from an awkward cup of mixed juice—are at most, a delicious alternative, if not a convincing (and hangoverless) party prop. 

So, let’s check out some of the places you can get a (good) mocktail in Long Beach. 

(If sober outings just aren’t on the books for you this week, we did make our way through yet another round of happy hour spots last week. Check that out here).

Shirley’s Temple – 2420 E. 28th St., Signal Hill

I wasn’t exaggerating when I told you that the newly opened Shirley’s Temple in Signal Hill is a watering hole devoid of that mistakes n’ headaches elixir we tend to romanticize so much. 

Essie, a bartender by trade, offers everything from caffeinated mocktinis to spicy blood orange margaritas to non-alcoholic prosecco and beyond. I’d recommend the Vintage Violet—an ethereal concoction fit for a fairy: Lemonade, violet, house-made coconut and butterfly pea foam, and a purple orchid garnish. 

She’s also gearing up for ~spooky szn~ with Ghouls & Glamour, which will be offered throughout all of October. It’s blackberry sage syrup, activated charcoal, lemon and Ghia, a non-alcoholic aperitif. Check out the rest of Essie’s menu here. 

The Wicked Wolf –  2332 Pacific Ave. 

Speaking of fairies, this woodsy hideout nestled in The Wrigley offers a mocktail menu just as thoughtful and extensive as its regular cocktail list. And they get bonus points for making their high-quality and complex mocktails much cheaper than their spiked counterparts. 

Momotaro has green tea syrup, fresh lime, peach syrup and zero proof aperitivo. Angelica mixes fresh lemon, basil, simple syrup, grenadine, soda water and Grüvi non-alcoholic rosé. Sleeping Beauty rests on fresh lemon, pineapple, coconut syrup, prickly pear syrup and soda water. All are $10. See the rest of that menu here. 

Thea tells me the Wolf will also have a special spooky mocktail—Kiss of the Vampire—which will come available beginning this Friday.

The Bungalow – 2ND & PCH

Continuing our boozeless bar crawl, we have to make a pit stop at The Bungalow, another newish joint in town. Owner Brent Bolthouse once described this place to me as an “airy rock ‘n’ roll oasis.” I sort of cocked an eyebrow at this, but after I paid a visit, I agreed, that’s indeed what it is—the homage to Patti Smith is appreciated. 

Unique to the places we’ve talked about so far, this bar offers mocktails with a shot or two of wellness. I’ll let you decide if that’s a good thing or not. 

Kin Euphorics has “actual sunshine,” adaptogens, vitamins C & D, zinc and turmeric. Do it with Passion is a mock sangria with passion fruit, boisson white wine and soda. Oui-Oui is French Bloom sparkling, Wilifried Bitter orange-rosemary. Check more out here. 

The Bamboo Club – 3522 E. Anaheim St. 

And we’re getting deeper into the immersive experiences. I’m not sure exactly why the places that tend to have great mocktail menus are bars with themes and gimmicks, but I won’t complain. This place in particular is low-lit with great DJs every night if you’re really looking to feel like you’re out. 

The best tiki bar in town (IMO), offers a Virgin Painkiller: pineapple, orange and coconut; the Virgin Lava Flow: pineapple, coconut and lemon with a strawberry float and a Virgin Pina Colada. 

These are the sort of decadent drinks that become dangerous with booze in them because well, you can’t really taste the alcohol. So, cheers to enjoying these without the sneaky after-slur—and have as many as you want. See their full drink and food menu here. 

Saint & Second – 4828 E. Second St. 

Come closer, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. This saintly establishment in Belmont Shore happens to have one of the best virgin Bloody Mary‘s I’ve ever had, but it’s not on the menu. For $6, I enjoyed their house-made bloody mix with blue cheese olives and celery. If you wanna get really crazy, I’m sure they’ll let you add bacon. 

They also have a pretty strong spirit-free cocktail menu. 

Take It Easy has Martini & Rossi Non-Alcoholic Floreale, house-made ginger syrup, fresh lime juice, Fever-Tree Sparkling Lime & Yuzu. They also have a Dr. Lo Alcohol-Removed Sparkling Riesling, the Erdinger Non-Alcoholic Lager and more. 

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I know, I know, there are a ton more places we didn’t cover here, but you and I both have places to be. Stay tuned for another boozeless bar crawl in the future and email me with your favorite places to grab a mocktail in the meantime. Cheers!