Photo courtesy of Acura Grand Prix Long Beach
The electrifying Acura Grand Prix of Long Beach rolls into Downtown Long Beach for its 51st Anniversary edition Friday, April 17, through Sunday, April 19! All race fans, visitors, and locals are invited to make the most of Grand Prix weekend by discovering all the possibilities for fun and flavor that Downtown has to offer.
One can find fantastic entertainment, recreation, self-care, food, drink, and shopping offerings throughout our neighborhoods. We’ve picked a small handful of businesses and events to pique your interest, but just know there are many more options to check out through our Experience DTLB page here.
Explore Downtown, add even more fun to your race weekend, and make your Grand Prix experience complete!
THUNDER THURSDAY / THE PIKE OUTLETS
The excitement and sensory bombardment of this pre-Grand Prix event will definitely get you primed for the big race! On Thunder Thursday, April 16 from 6 to 10:30 PM, you can check out motorcycle freestyle demos, meet Grand Prix drivers and pit crews, rock out to local bands & DJs, and MUCH more. Plan to hang out in the Auld Dubliner beer garden and grab a bite in the food tents.
DTLB LIVE! / THE PROMENADE BETWEEN BROADWAY & 3RD ST.
The Grand Prix edition of this popular Downtown live music event runs from 4 to 8 PM on Saturday, April 18. Great eateries and drinkeries such as The Ordinarie, El Viejon, and ISM Brewing are very close by.
A live DJ will do some vibe-setting from 4 ‘til 6, when jazz band Bread & Butter takes the stage. Fronted by the talented and engaging singer Paul Munoz, the band will serenade you with jazzy selections as you build your mini-race car and watch it accelerate down the track!
Due to the security needs of the Grand Prix course, no alcohol will be served outside during April’s DTLB Live. This is a rare exception. Think of this particular DTLB Live! as a cool outdoor jazz club with mini-race cars.
ALTAR SOCIETY BREWING AND COFFEE CO. / 230 PINE AVE.
Photo courtesy of Altar Society
Located in the heart of Downtown and infused with an old-school spirit one might expect from a building that was built in 1903, Altar Society is a morning, noon, and night stop for food and drink throughout Grand Prix weekend!
You can grab your pre-race coffee, espresso, and tea in the Cafe starting at 7 AM every day. Breakfast burritos, pastries, sandwiches, and world-class brownies are on the menu. Check for availability of a breakfast pizza slice – or even an entire pie! Featured ingredients include mozzarella, chorizo, eggs, and breakfast potatoes.
The restaurant menu is extensive and very tasty. Meet your race fan buddies and share some appetizers, sandwiches, and the specialty of the house, New York-style pizza.
If you’re a beer drinker, Altar Society is a can’t-miss for craft beers brewed onsite (the giant brewing tanks are quite a photo op) and served on tap. Consider this spot as a perfect hub for your race weekend adventures!
& WAFFLES / 95 PINE AVE.
Photo courtesy of &Waffles
This family-owned spot has become known for its excellent breakfasts, lunches – and waffles, of course! You’ll be happy you made the quick walk from the race course.
Open daily from 6 AM to 3 PM, & Waffles offers a lengthy breakfast menu with traditional favorites like pancakes and eggs benedict, but the spotlight is on waffles! You can get bacon waffles, waffles & wings, a waffle cheeseburger, and a Texas-style chicken & waffles plate that will satisfy the hungriest race fan.
The lunch menu is equally enticing, with a fine selection of sandwiches, salads, and burgers. NOTE: A side of waffles can be ordered with any dish! Keep this Downtown spot in mind for your race weekend comfort meals and early coffee fuel-ups.
EGGBRED / 777 E OCEAN BLVD. UNIT A
Photo courtesy of EggBred
This Downtown breakfast place is super-close to the Grand Prix course. In fact, you can sit outside, enjoy the bustling corner of Ocean & Alamitos, and hear the roar of the race cars as you enjoy your meal!
EggBred will be open from 7 AM to 2 PM (4 PM on Saturday and Sunday) during race weekend. Take a peek at the craft breakfast sandwiches; They are SO good! Actually, everything on the menu looks amazing. Are you hungry yet?
Visit EggBred during race weekend, take in the busy city vibes, and discover why this cool spot is getting all those five-star reviews!
MADRES BRUNCH / 442 E 1ST ST.
Photo Courtesy of Madres Brunch
Madres is a charming, cozy breakfast and brunch spot in Downtown’s East Village, very close to the Grand Prix course, surrounded by cool boutiques for pre and post-race shopping (see blurb below).
The menu is packed with tasty and photogenic traditional breakfast and brunch items, along with eccentric hybrid dishes such as pancake tacos, pistachio waffles, and birria deviled eggs!
Madres will be open from 7:30 AM to 2:30 PM (4 PM on Saturday and Sunday) during Grand Prix weekend. Stop in for a fabulous meal, take a picture of it, and show your online amigos what a fine time you’re having in Downtown Long Beach!
EAST VILLAGE BOUTIQUES / 1ST ST. BETWEEN LINDEN AND ELM
Downtown’s East Village is just a stone’s throw from the Grand Prix action but offers a completely different atmosphere. Spend some time during race weekend enjoying its arty vibes and cool, eclectic boutiques.
Take a look at this directory of distinctive East Village shops! From the Long Beach-themed apparel store 1897 LB to the metaphysical and spiritual Elemental Shop and contemporary fashion boutiques such as Anneise, the East Village is full of unique shopping opportunities. Take a stroll through the East Village during race weekend and broaden your Downtown horizons!
THE AULD DUBLINER / 71 S PINE AVE.
The Auld Dubliner is literally a slice of Ireland in Downtown Long Beach; Its beautiful pub interior was made in Dublin and shipped to the USA! It’s extremely close to the race action. Pop in during race weekend for a truly international experience.
Open every day from noon to 2 AM, The Auld Dubliner is a fine nomination for party central during the Grand Prix. The pub has live music nightly, which pairs nicely with your pint of Guinness Ale or a selection from one of the biggest Irish Whiskey menus in California.
The food at the Auld Dubliner is terrific. Most of the menu is available from noon until 10 PM. Grab some corn beef tacos, shepherd’s pie, Irish beef stew, or perhaps a full Irish breakfast, which is served all day.
Visit the Auld Dubliner during Grand Prix weekend and let it add to that cool, festive, cosmopolitan feeling you get from hanging out at the track for hours!
MARATHON BURGER / 245 PINE AVE. #110
Try Marathon Burger once, and it might just become your go-to lunch or dinner choice during Grand Prix weekend! People are loving this new Pine Ave. spot’s signature Wagyu Smash Burgers paired with fries and lemonade. Marathon Burger is open seven days a week from 11 AM to 10 PM (9 PM on Sunday).
MARRIOTT LONG BEACH DOWNTOWN / 111 E OCEAN BLVD.
Photo courtesy of The Local Current
The Marriott Long Beach Downtown is so close to the Grand Prix course, you can feel the race energy when you’re hanging out there. This newly renovated hotel has its own vibrant big-city vibe! It’s a perfect meet-up point for you and your race fan friends.
Of special note is Local Current, the restaurant/lounge with floor-to-ceiling picture windows that combines an urban feel with the natural freedom and flow of the ocean. This same combo can be used to describe the uniqueness of the city of Long Beach!
Local Current is open daily from 6 AM to 11 PM. It serves an innovative menu of coastal cuisine created with locally-sourced ingredients. Click here for a preview of some of the amazing menu selections!
MIDNIGHT OIL / 255 LONG BEACH BLVD.
Photo courtesy of Midnight Oil
Midnight Oil is a cool bar collective that mixes international flavors with a strong spirit of localism – just like Long Beach itself! You’ll be there after a very short walk up Long Beach Blvd. from the race track.
Check out the amazing food and drink menus; What a fantastic combination of locally brewed beers, inventive mixed drinks, and food dishes such as Taiwanese popcorn chicken and BBQ char sui pork buns – perfect for sharing.
Midnight Oil opens at 4:30 PM. It’s open until “midnight-ish” on Friday and Saturday, 11 PM on Thursday and Sunday. Closed on Monday.