Central to any good bar food is a good burger—and the Pike has plenty. Best of all is the guacamole burger, a simple thing turned great by a spoonful of mashed avocado and a handful of crispy fries. To truly appreciate the potatoes, though, go for the fish and chips. The Pike’s excellent version of that ubiquitous dish focuses on three or four long fillets of sole, a flatfish so perfectly suited to a deep fry that its evolution seems to be little more than preparation for a dip in boiling oil. The result is, of course, a good one, with the fish encased in light beer-batter shells that puff up to such a deep brown they could almost pass as corn dogs.

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

Tags: american, bar, burgers, Long Beach