Retro Row has always served the eyes more than anything else, but Fourth Street can now look beyond wallets and into some stomachs, thanks to Lola’s and Number Nine. Together, the two restaurants mark a new moment for the vintage drag, and one that expands the local palate beyond Portfolio and the Pike. Lola’s looks like the kind of sit-down Mexican restaurant you’d imagine on Fourth Street; there’s calaveras and crucifixes pinned to the wall and a minimal menu to match. But then Lola’s does well in rising above the typical taquería offerings, serving more substantial plates like its mole verde, which is dominated by a hunk of chicken that stands out on the young menu. Number Nine follows a similar path, opting for sharp design and a sparse menu as it takes on only a few Vietnamese favorites: pho, bánh mì and bún. Number Nine’s five-spice chicken (that appears in both noodle and sandwich form) is the best choice, a protein beyond the realm of Little Saigon. But if there’s one sore spot for both restaurants, it’s cost—Lola’s entrées regularly run in double-digits while Number Nine’s sandwiches are about quadruple the price of the better and (obviously) cheaper bánh mì down the 22 Freeway. Still, both places succeed in offering what Fourth Street has long lacked: choices.

LOLA’S 2030 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90814 AND NUMBER NINE 2118 E FOURTH ST | LONG BEACH 90814

Tags: Fourth Street, lola's, Long Beach, number nine, Restaurants, retro row