Looking for a cool Downtown spot for sharing — and sipping — some holiday cheer?
Many Downtown bars have outdone themselves to light up your December with beautiful decor and inventive holiday cocktail menus. Here are our suggestions for some warm and welcoming establishments where you and your people can properly savor the spirit of the season.
MIRACLE AT THE ORDINARIE / 210 THE PROMENADE N
For the sixth year, Owner Christy Caldwell and staff have put forth a spectacular effort to transform The Ordinarie into one of the most dazzling winter wonderlands you could imagine; It’s hard to believe it’s the same place! People love it, and it’s becoming a neighborhood tradition.
Bring your friends, wear your best ugly sweater, and order from the special menu of 14 holiday cocktails. Have yourself a Christmapolitan, a Crooked Antler, or The Krampus — Reposado Tequila, Oloroso Sherry, Allspice, Ginger, Hibiscus, Lime, and Hellfire Bitters.
Miracle at the Ordinarie is open daily from 11:30 AM to 1 AM until New Year Eve. It will close at 6 PM on Christmas Eve and will be closed on Christmas. Click here to see the Christmas-inspired cocktail and food menus and to make your reservation. Walk-in tables are available — make sure to show up early!
FAIRMONT BREAKERS / 210 E OCEAN BLVD.
After a multi-year renovation, the Breakers Hotel is back! Now known as the Fairmont Breakers, this hotel has as much class and glamour as it did back in the days when Clark Gable, Rita Hayworth, and Cary Grant used to sip cocktails in the Sky Room restaurant on the top floor.
There are many drinking and dining options in the hotel, which is located near the stunningly decorated Terrace Theater Plaza. Take a holiday stroll through the Plaza, then head over to the Fairmont Breakers for a cocktail at Halo, the rooftop bar with jaw-dropping 360 degree views.
Alter Ego, an intimate bar just off the lobby, has a creative, elegant vibe. You can also drink in La Sala, a tranquil lounge with palm tree-inspired chandeliers.
The Fairmont Breakers has two restaurants; Nettuno, an airy, bright, and elegant spot inspired by Italian home cooking, and the iconic Sky Room, a Long Beach favorite since the ‘30s that serves world-class cuisine, cocktails, and wine – along with breathtaking views of the ocean, the city, and all the pretty holiday lights. For menu details, reservations, and information about all the amenities this virtually brand-new hotel has to offer, click here.
ALTAR SOCIETY BREWING & COFFEE CO. / 230 PINE AVE.
Retro interior signage, massive stainless steel brewing tanks, and its location inside a 1903 building give Altar Society that vibrant, slightly moody urban feeling. Add some well-placed Christmas trees and you have a perfect “Christmas Time in the City” scenario!
Altar Society has three seasonal cocktails for you and your guests to savor; the Apple Pie Old Fashioned, the Holiday Cape Cod, and the Cider Spiced Mule. Special seasonal food offerings include Holiday Pizza, a Cranberry Turkey Sandwich, Brussels Sprouts with a side of Bacon, and a cheese dip appetizer.
Include a visit to Altar Society in your Downtown holiday shopping, dining, or nightclub excursions! On the regular menu are lagers, IPAs and seltzers brewed onsite and served on tap; Sliders, sandwiches, wings, fries, and New York-style pizza near the front; and Altar Society brand coffees served at a cafe in the back.
Altar Society’s cafe is open from 7 AM to noon every day. The brewery/restaurant is open Monday through Wednesday from 11 AM to 10 PM; Thursday and Friday from 11 AM to midnight; Saturday from 9:30 AM to midnight; and Sunday from 9:30 AM to 10 PM. For menu details, upcoming events and to check out the gorgeous event spaces upstairs, click here.
WATERCRAFT MARKET + LOUNGE AT HYATT CENTRIC / 285 BAY ST
The nectar directors in this streamlined and very comfortable bar have been busy creating a Winter Cocktail list you’ll never forget.
Starting on Monday, Dec. 9 you can warm yourself up with one of the Lounge’s six Winter Cocktails, such as the S’mores Fashioned – Angel’s Envy Bourbon and Vanilla Syrup with Chocolate and Aromatic Bitters. Definitely try the Mistletoe Martini, created by bartender Mike Reyes, who will top it off with a hypnotic edible smoke bubble!
Enjoy the Lounge any day of the week from 4 to 11 PM except Sunday, when it’s open from 1:30 to 9:30 PM. FYI, the Market is a great place for breakfast and lunch. Check out their food menus and restaurant hours here.
SECRET ISLAND / 209 PINE AVE (under SHANNON’S)
Be on the lookout for tikis wearing Santa hats! Secret Island, Downtown’s state-of-the-art tiki bar, is sticking with its list of classic tropical cocktails and island-inspired edibles, which taste especially great when you’re seated by the Christmas tree grooving to some musical exotica.
Order a Sea Queen (Cucumber & Mint, Rum, Pineapple, and Peach) and some Kalua BBQ Pork Sliders while you rock out with bands like Olaguay, who rock the place with their rockin’ psycho surf tunes!
Secret Island, which is open Wednesday through Sunday evening, has SO much to offer! For menus, entertainment schedules, business hours, and to make reservations, click here.
BO-BEAU KITCHEN + ROOF TAP / 144 PINE AVE
BO-beau’s stately wood interior — reminiscent of a certain nearby ocean liner — has been accented perfectly with Christmas decor, which makes it that much more inviting for a holiday get-together.
There are three new cocktails on this year’s BO-beau Holiday Cheers menu; the North Pole Sour, the Mayan Cheer, or the Pumpkin Spiced Espresso Martini! There are also three holiday wines available in the bottle or by the glass.
Please call (562) 983.0056 for holiday hours! Visit BO-beau’s website and check out its wonderful, internationally-inspired food menu.
THE STAVE BAR / 170 THE PROMENADE N
A stave is a narrow length of wood used to make the sides of barrels. Countless staves were utilized to contain The Stave’s enormous selection of great booze. Add the Stave’s humorously funky Christmas decor (check out the stuffed wildcat in the elf hat!) and you have a perfect place to toast the holiday season.
Seasonal drinks include Holiday Punch, a Winter Old-Fashioned, and the Sour Santa (Gin, Egg Whites, Cherry, Simple Syrup, and Lemon Juice).
At the Stave Bar, you can pair your beverage with something simple from the Snack menu, or you can order food from Promenade neighbors Poke Pub.
The Stave is open Monday through Thursday from 2 PM to 2 AM, and Friday through Sunday from noon to 2 AM. To delve into the drink menus and to book an event, click here.
THE AULD DUBLINER / 71 S PINE AVE
The Auld Dubliner’s interior was built in Ireland and shipped to Long Beach in 2004. It really feels like the spirit of Dublin arrived along with it — especially when the folks at the next table are cosplaying with that spirit in mind!
It’s a warm, cozy, and classic atmosphere in which to enjoy a Merry Mistletoe Martini, a North Pole Nog, or The Auld Christmas Tree — Gunpowder Irish Gin, Rosemary Simple Syrup, Lime juice, and Cranberry juice.
The Auld Dubliner is open every day from noon until 2 AM. To check out the food menu, daily special activities and the excellent live music offerings, click here.
SHANNON’S ON PINE / 201 PINE AVE
A true neighborhood bar in the heart of Downtown, Shannon’s has been open every single day of the year since 2007 (with the exception of some COVID time, of course).
Shannon’s is where you can feast, indoors or outdoors, from the extensive and very delicious food menu, sip a pint of Irish beer, watch the passersby, and conjure up images of Downtown holiday seasons long ago!
It’s a perfect holiday stop and a convenient hub from which you can plan your Downtown holiday bar crawl. For entertainment details, hours, and upcoming events, click here.
BROKEN SPIRITS DISTILLERY / 300 THE PROMENADE N
With its great location just steps from the “Be the Light” storefront art illumination on The Promenade and close to all the holiday action on 3rd Street and Pine Avenue, Broken Spirits Distillery is a must-do holiday stop for crafted spirits and seriously amazing food. Also, it is decorated in a spooky-fun Nightmare Before Christmas theme until Christmas!
Of special note is the spirits menu. It’s a remarkably deep variety of draft beers, wines, signature cocktails, and top-shelf spirits that will give you many options for enhancing your holiday glow. Watch for their seasonal drink menu, which will roll out in about a week!
Broken Spirits Distillery is open Monday through Thursday from 11 AM to 10 PM, Friday and Saturday from 11 AM to Midnight, and Sunday from 11 AM to 10 PM. To do your deep dive into the food and drink menus, click here.
Originally Published on Dec. 7, 2023; Updated on Dec. 5, 2024