| Pike Bar and Fish Grill – Menu
1836 E 4th St, (562) 437-4453 Dinner until Midnight Sun-Thurs; 1am Fri-Sat Parking: Street, Private Lot Credit Cards: Yes |
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As you may know by now, here at LB Food Review we appreciate a good dive bar. If big cold draft beers or perfectly poured cocktails are served, we’ll be happy. But then there are places that have that base covered and manage to serve up delicious grub as well, like the Prospector or the Thirsty Isle. While these establishments are both great in their own ways, the Pike Bar and Fish Grill has a little something extra – the straw that stirs the drink, if you will – that sets it apart. And although it has to be experienced in person to be truly appreciated, I’ll do my best to give you a taste.
First off, the Pike is no ordinary dive bar, but is in fact an excellent restaurant that happens to offer up delicious food and alcoholic beverages at reasonable prices. Owned and operated by Chris Reece, the drummer for Social D, this 4th Street Retro Row hotspot fits the neighborhood perfectly, and each night it is transformed into a live music venue that never charges a cover (find out who’s playing here).
Unlike some bar/restaurants, there is no separation of the dining area and the bar at the Pike. Instead, it is one open room with a bar in the middle that is accessible on 3 sides. The walls are adorned with an assortment of old photos from distinct eras: punk rock shots from the 70’s and 80’s stand alongside pictures of the old Long Beach Pike amusement area including the late Cyclone Racer rollercoaster, which graced our shores from 1930 until 1968.
I had the pleasure of eating and drinking at the Pike last week with Cliv and JBro before heading to the studio for another edition of Swoop’s World Radio. While the Pike has a comfortable neighborhood bar feel, you still get great restaurant service at your table. We kicked things off with a basket o’ fries and a pitcher of PBR (once again this place manages to succeed at keeping one foot in each camp, offering the dive staple Pabst but also an extensive selection of microbrews and other classier beers) before digging into the menu.
Some Pike favorites that are big hits across town (and beyond) include their Fish ‘N Chips and also the Lobster Tacos, both of which have drawn countless rave reviews online and in print. Since my friends and I can’t ever just do something the easy way, we went a slightly different direction, ordering the Mahi Mahi tacos, a Filet O’ Fish sandwich, and a Philly Cheesesteak sandwich. Because we’ve lived together so many times, we pretty much eat family style whether the restaurant sanctions it or not, and this night was no different.
Let me just say that after sampling the Fish Sandwich and the Mahi Mahi tacos, I can understand why the Fish ‘N Chips and the Lobster tacos are so popular. The portions are generous without being overwhelming or wasteful. Fried fish is something that some people have bad memories of from childhood, but at the Pike you do not get something out of a cardboard box with a yellow-slickered fisherman on it. You get a large hunk of beer-battered sole on a fresh bun with some of the best tartar sauce around. The grilled Mahi Mahi in the tacos is moist and flakes apart as you bite into it. The Philly Cheesesteak is a guilty pleasure of mine that the Pike does very well, with top sirloin and swiss cheese hosting a halo of grilled onions and bell peppers.
The Pike Bar and Fish Grill has a lot more to experience, such as the burgers, fried calimari, and of course, the live music. It has an eclectic atmosphere and even better food, and it pulls a crowd that makes for some pretty pleasant people watching. Check it out sooner or later (and I mean later – the kitchen is open until midnight on weekdays and 1am on weekends). The Pike rocks!