Burgers, A Beer And Then A Band At This Eatery & Bar Owned By The Social Distortion Drummer
Well, you can get a soft drink instead of the beer, but beer and cheeseburgers go together like bun and the meat.
The special goes from Noon-10 p.m. Starting at 8, WC Edgar will take to the stage to perform his playlist of original American outlaw tunes. There is no cover charge.
“Our cheeseburgers are legendary,” said owner Chris Reece, former drummer for Social Distortion who in 2002 turned a 1950s diner into a sought-after restaurant and live music venue. “Our Blue Cheeseburger is one of our best-selling menu items, but our Beyond Burger is gaining momentum as more people continue to adopt a vegan lifestyle.
“I expect we’ll be pretty busy on National Cheeseburger Day once the word gets out that our cheeseburgers will be just $10 and includes a soft drink or Pabst Blue Ribbon.”
Go for the Blue Cheeseburger with bacon and blue cheese crumbles on a French roll, the Jalapeño Cheeseburger with roasted jalapenos and Swiss cheese or the Beyond Burger with vegan pepper jack cheese, grilled onions, avocado and a brioche bun.
All burgers include lettuce, tomato, pickles and onions with a helping of fries on the side.
While Reece is best known for the decade he spent as Social Distortion’s drummer during the band’s most commercially successful years, he made the transition from rocker to restaurateur in 2002 when he purchased Chipper’s Corner – an old-school diner – and transformed it into The Pike Restaurant & Bar.
The menu is a road map of some of the best meals Reece enjoyed while on the road. The fish tacos are a result of trips enjoyed in Baja, California, while the fish and chips recall time spent in London. Other favorites include salads, sandwiches, burgers and seafood.
The Pike also has a reputation for its line-up of classic cocktails infused with contemporary twists, such as an Old Fashioned made with lavender bitters or a Paloma with hints of rosemary and jalapeno. Nothin’ But a Gin Thang pays homage to Long Beach’s most famous rapper and is made with Snoop Dogg’s Indoggo Gin.
There are also a handful of beers on taps and by the bottle, which are served in pint glasses adorned with the unmistakable Social D logo – a hat-wearing skeleton with cigarette in one hand and a martini in the other.
By day, The Pike is the go-to place for lunch and dinner as well as weekend brunch but come evening it’s all about live music and entertainment. In addition to local acts that include high-energy DJs and indie bands, The Pike also attracts solo artists and touring bands. Reece himself takes to the stage Sunday afternoons to jam with JP McDermott, a rockabilly band, as well as jazz and blues combo Smith & Malone.
The restaurant’s name pays homage to Long Beach’s heyday as a coastal playground where sailors and pin-up girls gathered along the Coney Island-style boardwalk, which was raised in the late 1970s at the start of the city’s downtown redevelopment.
The Pike’s walls are graced with relics from those halcyon days of the 1920s through ‘50s with vintage photos and collectibles as well as Reece’s years spent touring first with The Lewd, an early ‘80s punk band, then Social Distortion.
The Pike’s long bar is lined with vintage vinyl stools, communal tables and an elevated banquette running along the back wall and designed so guests can watch the performers from any vantage point. A back parking lot has been recently replaced with a new outdoor patio and custom tiki bar.
Website: Pike Restaurant and Bar in Long Beach, California
The Pike Restaurant & Bar, located at 1836 E. 4th Street along Long Beach’s Restaurant Row,
Leave a Reply