Adjacent to the parking lot entrance at 22nd Street Landing is a whale-shaped sign with a toothy smile, beckoning you to “Whale Watch Here” while an arrow guides you into the lot... (continued)

22ND STREET LANDING 141 W 22ND ST | STE A | SAN PEDRO 90731 | 310.548.4400 | 22NDSTLANDINGRESTAURANT.COM | DINNER FOR TWO, $30-70 | FULL BAR

As bars with food go, the Tavern is a lot like Joe Jost’s: they don’t make it until you order it—and they make it right there... (continued)

49ER TAVERN 5600 PACIFIC COAST HWY | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.494.7670 | OPEN DAILY, 11AM-MIDNIGHT | BURGERS AND DRINKS FOR TWO, $20

Upon arrival at the restaurants, the first thing you’ll notice is that there are two doors—no dividing wall between the restaurants, just two doors... (continued)

AKI SUSHI / BAI PLU 1626-1628 E SEVENTH ST | LONG BEACH 90813 | 562.436.3123 OR 562.436.8180 | AKISUSHIANDTHAI.COM | DINNER FOR TWO, $20-50

Anyone from Downey or who works in Downey or who drives through Downey knows Arthur’s, which is why the teeny restaurant—with about a dozen tables and a handful of seats at the counter—is packed virtually every morning... (continued)

ARTHUR’S 8813 LAKEWOOD BLVD | DOWNEY 90240 | 562.869.9189 | CALL FOR HOURS | BREAKFAST FOR TWO, $12-25

There are plenty to choose from, but it’s with the halibut taco that Baja Fish truly makes its mark... (continued)

BAJA FISH 611 S GAFFEY ST | SAN PEDRO 90731 | 310.521.1931 | OPEN MON-SAT 7AM-9PM | SUN 10AM-8PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $15-25

Beachwood—"Where the Fork Meets the Pork"—serves fish (salmon and albacore), ribs, brisket, beef short ribs, pulled pork, smoked chicken ... (continued)

BEACHWOOD BBQ 131 1/2 MAIN ST | SEAL BEACH 90740 | 562.493.4500 | BEACHWOODBBQ.COM | OPEN TUES-SUNDAY 11:30AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-40

Probably the most recognizable dish on Benley’s menu is pho, an aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup... (continued)

BENLEY 8191 E WARDLOW RD | LONG BEACH 90808 | 562.596.8130 | OPEN MON 5-9PM, TUES 11AM-9PM, WED-SAT 11AM-10PM | DINNER FOR TWO, $20-30

More than just a French-inspired ploy, “bouchée” best translates to “mouthful”—a clever naming scheme that promotes Bouchees’ miniature side, as the restaurant offers scaled-down versions of nearly every dish on its menu, turning its sandwiches and burgers into bite-sized mouthfuls... (continued)

BOUCHEES BISTRO 515 LONG BEACH BLVD | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.951.8222 | BOUCHEES.COM | OPEN DAILY, 10AM-9PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-30 | BEER, WINE

Brite Spot’s food is the real deal: some of the most authentic in Long Beach, and it’s almost uniformly great... (continued)

BRITE SPOT 412 W PACIFIC COAST HIGHWAY | LONG BEACH 90806 | 562.591.9016 | 1614 E ANAHEIM ST | LONG BEACH 90813 | 562.591.8060 | 3721 E ANAHEIM ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.494.4903 | DINNER FOR TWO, $20-$40

Ambrosia has always had great choices for vegetarians (a falafel pita the size of a small nation, great garden burgers, an excellent veggie platter) and its meatless meals are still strong... (continued)

CAFÉ AMBROSIA 1923 E BROADWAY | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.432.1098 | CAFEAMBROSIA-LONGBEACH.COM | MON-THURS 10AM-10PM | FRI 10AM-11PM | SAT 8AM-11PM | SUN 8AM-10PM FOOD | FOR TWO, $30-50 | BEER, WINE

Cebiche del Rey focuses primarily on slow-cooked meats and (mostly) uncooked seafood... (continued)

CEBICHE DEL REY 7404 FLORENCE AVE | DOWNEY 90240 | 562.806.4033 | OPEN SUN-WED 10AM-9PM AND THURS-SAT 10AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $25-40 | BEER, WINE

Most folks know Chen’s—if not for its food, then for its kitschy neon exterior, which, depending on what you’re in to, either screams Stay Away or Must Visit... (continued)

CHEN’S CHINESE RESTAURANT 2131 E BROADWAY | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.439.0309 | OPEN MON-THURS AND SUN 11:30AM-9:30PM, FRI-SAT 11:30AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $12-20

Cho Dang specializes in only one dish of the Korean canon: tofu stew... (continued)

CHO DANG TOFU 12245 ARTESIA BLVD | CERRITOS 90703 | 562.924.6099 | OPEN DAILY, 10AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $15-30

Even with the oil islands, trash barges and breakwater, the view at Claire’s remains among the best in Southern California... (continued)

CLAIRE’S AT THE MUSEUM LONG BEACH MUSEUM OF ART | 2300 E OCEAN BLVD | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.439.2119 | LBMA.ORG | OPEN TUES-FRI 11AM-3PM | SAT-SUN 8AM-3PM | LUNCH FOR TWO, $20-$40 | BEER, WINE

Perhaps it’s the creamy hollandaise-looking sauce ladled on top, or maybe it’s the attention to detail, but Crema’s omelet is well above its competitors... (continued)

CREMA CAFE 322 MAIN ST # 7 | SEAL BEACH 90740 | 562.493.2501 | FOOD FOR TWO $15-20

The first half of Dean’s menu—the Italian side—is probably the biggest draw... (continued)

DEAN’S PIZZA AND THAI 929 REDONDO AVE | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.987.3297 | OPEN DAILY 11AM-11PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

The best way to get your fill at Delius is with the lamb shank, a huge hunk of meat about the size of a bulked-up bicep... (continued)

DELIUS 2951 CHERRY AVE | SIGNAL HILL 90755 | 562.426.0694 | DELIUSRESTAURANT.COM | FOOD FOR TWO, $40-70 | BEER, WINE

El Gallo Giro’s menu is a certain one for those who hound taquerías, but that’s no sign of sagging quality... (continued)

EL GALLO GIRO 1795 LONG BEACH BLVD | LONG BEACH 90813 | 562.591.3180 | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

There’s not much to take in while you settle on an order—a cafeteria-style setup with alternating walls of brick red and banana yellow—but Gaffey Street Diner doesn’t break any breakfast conventions, so it shouldn’t be too hard to decide... (continued)

GAFFEY STREET DINER 247 N GAFFEY ST | SAN PEDRO 90731 | 310.548.6964 | OPEN AT 5AM DAILY | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

Burma is the largest country in Southeast Asia, and Golden Triangle’s menu reflects that: a sprawling, multi-paged document offering well over 80 options... (continued)

GOLDEN TRIANGLE 7011 GREENLEAF AVE | WHITTIER 90602 | 562.945.6778 | MON-SAT 11AM-10PM, SUN 11AM-9PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-40 | BEER, WINE

John’s is a little burger place near Millikan that seems like it could’ve been recast from any number of big-name chains... (continued)

JOHN’S 6223 E SPRING ST | LONG BEACH 90808 | 562.421.3663 | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

K... (continued)

K.C. BRANAGHAN’S 5734 E SECOND ST | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.434.3600 |‎ KCBRANAGHANS.COM | OPEN DAILY 11AM-MIDNIGHT | FOOD FOR TWO $20-$40

There are many reasons to love the intersection of Fourth Street and Temple Avenue, and Kafe Neo is just another... (continued)

KAFE NEO 2800 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90814 | 562.987.1210 | KAFENEOLB.COM | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-30 | BEER AND WINE

Katella Deli’s pastrami is remarkably lean, with only the thinnest ribbons of fat running through each slice... (continued)

KATELLA DELI 4470 KATELLA AVE | LOS ALAMITOS 90720 | 562.594.8611 | FOOD FOR TWO $20-30 | BEER, WINE

There are, of course, segregated sections of Kotosh’s menu that list distinctly Japanese and Peruvian dishes, but the best and most interesting offerings come from when Kotosh lets the two cuisines collide... (continued)

KOTOSH 2408 LOMITA BLVD, STE C  LOMITA 90717  310.257.1363  OPEN MON-THURS 11AM-2:30PM AND 4:30-9PM, FRI 11AM-2:30PM AND 4:30-10PM AND SAT 11AM-10PM FOOD FOR TWO, $30-60

Even after expanding into what used to be Toto's Revenge, La Parolaccia maintains the simple look and feel of the little Italian place up the street... (continued)

LA PAROLACCIA 2945 E BROADWAY | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.438.1235 | LAPAROLACCIAUSA.COM | OPEN SUN-THURS 5:30-10PM | FRI-SAT 5:30-10:30PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $25-75 | BEER, WINE

Like its décor, Le Yen’s food sticks to what it has always done best: Cantonese-inspired dishes that, over the years, have taken as much from American cuisine as Chinese... (continued)

LE YEN 4140 ATLANTIC AVE | LONG BEACH 90807 | 562.424.2817 | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-30 | BEER, WINE

It’s very rare (and difficult) for a veggie burrito to escape sloppy bean-and-cheese territory... (continued)

MERCED’S 1064 E BROADWAY | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.951.5755 | CALL FOR HOURS | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

Ming’s comes from another era of suburban Chinese restaurants, when the cuisine was always Cantonese, when the kitschy décor was inevitably as thick, sweet and sour as the sauces, and when somebody at every table was obliged to joke that they’d all be hungry again in an hour... (continued)

MING’S CHINESE RESTAURANT 17812 S BELLFLOWER BLVD | BELLFLOWER 90706 | 562.867.2600 | OPEN TUES-SUN, 11:30AM-9PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $25

A self-proclaimed gourmet stand tucked behind Wilson High, Mosher’s spreads its focus wide: plenty of burgers and sandwiches, but also burritos and regional dishes like Louisiana sausages... (continued)

MOSHER’S 4712 E SEVENTH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.439.9600 | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

The most appropriate dish for an izakaya like Musha is one charred at a tableside grill... (continued)

MUSHA 1725 W CARSON ST STE B | TORRANCE 90501 | 310.787.7344 | FOOD FOR TWO $25-40 | BEER, WINE, SAKE

Stop by Nick’s on a Saturday or Sunday morning and you’ll find yourself surrounded by a mob of people either already inhaling burritos or standing in a line that, at times, goes out the door... (continued)

NICK’S DELI 223 MAIN ST | SEAL BEACH 90740 | 562.598.5072 | FOOD FOR TWO $10-14

Common sense dictates an Irish pub on a street known to embrace all ends of bar culture will do drinks okay, but not much else... (continued)

O’MALLEY’S ON MAIN 140 MAIN ST | SEAL BEACH 90740 | 562.430.0631 | FOOD FOR TWO $20-25 | FULL BAR

Oaxaca Mio’s mole negro, the most common mole, is a wonderfully semisweet, mildly spicy mixture of Oaxacan chocolate, nuts and dried chiles—great for mole first-timers and veterans alike... (continued)

OAXACA MIO 1169 E 10TH ST | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.599.7212 | FOOD FOR TWO $15-25 | BEER, WINE

For a restaurant that goes so far as to stake its name (“fresh pasta” in French) in its signature dishes, Pâtes Fraîches does well, boiling its doughs down from organic rice, rye, wheat, barley, buckwheat and chestnut flours... (continued)

PÂTES FRAÎCHES 400 E FIRST ST  LONG BEACH 90802  562.437.2222  PATESFRAICHESRESTAURANT.COM  OPEN TUES-SUN, CALL FOR HOURS  FOOD FOR TWO, $30-50

On the third floor of a Long Beach Airport hangar, Ristorante DaVinci is a sumptuous place, with its 20-foot-high curved glass wall beyond which private jets touch down on the runways... (continued)

RISTORANTE DAVINCI 2801 E SPRING ST | LONG BEACH 90806 | 562.685.8111 | DAVINCILB.COM | DINNER FOR TWO $50-250 | FULL BAR

Filipino food hits with heavy flavors, a cuisine as fond of the fryer as it is bottles of thick dipping sauces... (continued)

SALO SALO GRILL 18300 GRIDLEY RD | ARTESIA 90701 | 562.809.6277 | OPEN DAILY 11AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $15-30

Sam’s World Famous Steak Sandwiches comes from the 1950s, but not in any way that would excite the historical societies that saved the original McDonald’s and still pine to revive Johnie’s Broiler... (continued)

SAM’S STEAK SANDWICHES 15118 LAKEWOOD BLVD | BELLFLOWER 90706 | 562.866.6919 | OPEN MON-SAT 9AM-9:30PM, SUN 10AM-8:30PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $12-$14

Shenandoah at the Arbor has the same menu as the original Shenandoah, so let’s just get right to the food... (continued)

SHENANDOAH AT THE ARBOR 10631 LOS ALAMITOS BLVD | LOS ALAMITOS 90720 | 562.431.1990 | OPEN FOR LUNCH MON-SAT 11-3 | DINNER EVERY DAY 5-9 | DINNER FOR TWO, $50-70

With all its overwhelming options, you learn to rely on Siem Reap’s amiable wait staff, who are quick, efficient and almost always serve up their suggestions with a smile... (continued)

SIEM REAP 1810 E ANAHEIM ST | LONG BEACH 90813 | 562.591.7414 | MON-THURS 10AM-9PM; FRI-SUN 10AM-10PM | FOOD FOR TWO $20-30 | FULL BAR

Sophy’s Thai hot pot soups are righteous—the Sterno flaming and the stock bubbling as the waitress dishes up your straw mushrooms, shrimp and chunks of chicken from a coconut milk-based broth as spicy as you can stand... (continued)

SOPHY’S FINE THAI AND CAMBODIAN 3720 E ANAHEIM ST, STE 102 | LONG BEACH 90804 | 562.494.1763 |OPEN DAILY, 9AM-10PM | DINNER FOR TWO, $30-40 | BEER AND WINE

Springbok Bar & Grill, in Long Beach’s Shoreline Village, is named for the African antelope, and it isn’t supposed to be a melting pot—even though it seems that way to us... (continued)

SPRINGBOK BAR AND GRILL 423-A SHORELINE VILLAGE | LONG BEACH 90802 | THESPRINGBOK.COM | 562.437.3734 | KITCHEN IS OPEN MON-FRI 11AM-10PM, SAT-SUN 11AM-11PM; BAR IS OPEN 11AM-2AM DAILY | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-$40 | BEER, WINE

The entrees, whether you visit at breakfast (look for the tofu scramble, chicken apple sausage scramble, and broiled French toast stuffed with Mascarpone and créme fraiche); lunch (try the ruby red smoked wild salmon sandwich or hand-carved turkey sandwich served with mouth-coating herbed cream cheese and cranberry sauce); or dinner (the moist, fall-off-the-bone coq au vin is a must-have) are all thoughtfully constructed, filling and ... (continued)

STARLING DINER 4114 E THIRD ST | LONG BEACH 90814 | 562.433.2041 | STARLINGDINER.COM | OPEN TUES-WED AND SUN 8AM-3PM, THURS-SAT 8AM-3PM AND 5-9PM | DINNER FOR TWO, $30-40 | BEER, WINE

Surati Farsan points its menu primarily toward the seaside state of Gujarat, one of India’s many culinary epicenters... (continued)

SURATI FARSAN MART 11814 E 186TH ST | ARTESIA 90701 | 562.860.2310 | SURATIFARSAN.COM | TUES-SUN 11AM-8:30PM | FOOD FOR TWO $10-20

Getting your fill isn’t a problem at Tacos San Pedro—almost everything on the menu requires two hands... (continued)

TACOS SAN PEDRO 11962 CARSON ST | HAWAIIAN GARDENS 90716 | 562.496.2709 | OPEN DAILY, 10AM-MIDNIGHT | FOOD FOR TWO, $8-20

Central to any good bar food is a good burger—and the Pike has plenty... (continued)

THE PIKE RESTAURANT AND BAR 1836 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.437.4453 | CALL FOR HOURS | FOOD AND DRINKS FOR TWO, $20-30

You could go to Tiny Thai week in and week out, trying something new every time, and end up neither broke nor bored... (continued)

TINY THAI 4152 NORSE WAY | LONG BEACH 90808 | 562.421.2207 | OPEN DAILY, 11AM-3PM AND 5PM-9:30PM | DINNER FOR TWO, $20

At its core, Tracht’s is a steakhouse—and it shows... (continued)

TRACHT’S 111 E OCEAN BLVD | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.499.2533 | OPEN FOR LUNCH MON-SAT 11AM-2PM | OPEN FOR DINNER SUN-THURS 5-10PM, FRI-SAT 5-10:30PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $70-100.

It’s not exactly culinary subterfuge, but nothing at Vegi Wokery is quite what it seems... (continued)

VEGI WOKERY 11329 183RD ST | CERRITOS 90703 | 562.809.3928 | VEGIWOKERY.COM | OPEN MON-SAT 11:30AM-2:30PM, 4:30-9PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $20-35

Since M&M’s standbys are the standouts, the most obvious choice on the menu is the fried chicken... (continued)

VENNI MAC’S M&M SOUL FOOD 2450 E CARSON ST | LAKEWOOD 90712 | 562.496.2077 | OPEN DAILY, 8AM-9PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $15-35

Compared to the rest of Vint’s offerings, the restaurant’s sole burger seems adventurous, topped with a handful of greens, a fried egg and Harissa, a North African chili paste... (continued)

VINT’S 4722 E SECOND ST | LONG BEACH 90803 | 562.434.3460 | VINTSRESTAURANT.COM | FOOD FOR TWO $30-50 | BEER, WINE

Although Volcano Burger does just about everything right, the place is still renowned primarily for one dish: its chili cheese fries... (continued)

VOLCANO BURGER 3652 CERRITOS AVE | LOS ALAMITOS 90720 | 562.430.6004 | FOOD FOR TWO, $10-20

Dining at Zephyr is like hanging out in your cool aunt’s sponge-painted kitchen: the pea-soup green walls are often decorated with eclectic art from local visionaries and the staff seems to care little for time constraints... (continued)

ZEPHYR 340 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90802 | 562.435.7113 | OPEN TUES-SAT 11AM-4PM | FOOD FOR TWO, $15-20