Two Long Beach restaurants with great local history dating back to the 1950s will be opening in the week ahead.
The Reef Restaurant, originally opened by David Tallichet in 1958, will be reopening Thursday, June 18. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, the historic restaurant had operated only as a banquet facility.
When it first opened in the late 1950s, the Polynesian-themed restaurant was the first venture for Specialty Restaurants Corporation — which later expanded to more than 100 locations nationwide, including local favorites The Proud Bird and Orange Hill. Tallichet is generally credited with being one of the industry’s true theme-restaurant pioneers.
And today, June 18, under the leadership of his son, John Tallichet, The Reef Restaurant located near the bow of the Queen Mary and the newly opened F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach, will reopen for regular dining.
The reopening plan includes all-day dining, weekend brunch, happy hour, cocktails, with a menu featuring the island cuisine that the eatery is known for.
Some offerings at The Reef Restaurant in Long Beach, which is reopening on Thursday, June 18, after years of reduced operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of The Reef).
Some offerings at The Reef Restaurant in Long Beach, which is reopening on Thursday, June 18, after years of reduced operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of The Reef).
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Some offerings at The Reef Restaurant in Long Beach, which is reopening on Thursday, June 18, after years of reduced operations due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy of The Reef).
Just two months after The Reef originally opened, Tallichet planned an expansion, which included a large area for luaus and a memory from my childhood, the Safari Room, with live cockateels. Tallichet also purchased an old side wheeler, named her Princess, docked her in front of the restaurant, and hosted dinner cruises on board.
Today, the property still reflects the “exotic design” and “tropical paradise” that have been true to its theme for more than 60 years.
The Reef will be open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., offering lunch, dinner, weekend brunch, and happy hour from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Menu highlights include the lump crab and shrimp cake with grilled sweet corn, peppers, and chipotle aioli; pineapple shrimp fried rice served in a half pineapple with bacon, jasmine rice, tamari, edamame, snap peas, and egg; and teriyaki glazed wagyu top sirloin with cilantro lime rice, charred broccolini, grilled pineapple salsa, and teriyaki butter sauce.
Weekend brunch will be à la carte (not a buffet as in previous years), with menu items including eggs Benedict, teriyaki wagyu top sirloin, snow crab legs, blackened shrimp, Belgian waffles, applewood smoked bacon, and breakfast spuds. They will also be serving their popular bottomless mimosas or unlimited rosé for $25 per person,
The bar program will include signature cocktails like “Beach Please,” made with tequila, coconut, citrus liqueur, lime juice, and toasted coconut flakes, and “Paid Vacation,” made with vodka-infused with passion fruit and tarragon and finished with a buzz button flower.
Frozen cocktails, including piña coladas and “Miami Vices” are on the menu alongside non-alcoholic offerings such as “Belmont Breezin’,” which is made with Crodino, a non-alcoholic aperitivo, grapefruit, lime juice, and soda.
Parking at The Reef will be complimentary on non-amphitheater show dates.
On amphitheater event nights, The Reef is currently developing dinner and parking experiences designed to serve guests attending shows nearby. Reservations and additional information will be available at reefrestaurant.com.
South of Nick’s history
South of Nick’s is the Mexican concept from the Nick’s Restaurant Group, will officially open on Monday, June 22.
But the the Nickoloff family’s Long Beach restaurant roots date back to November 1957, when Nick Nickoloff opened Nik’s at 3400 Cherry Ave. A Long Beach Press-Telegram story from that week pictured three generations of Nickoloff restaurateurs, Nick, Carl and Craig, in one photo.
That P-T story, and the many restaurant reviews penned by the paper’s Tedd Thomey, reflect upon a family business with clear values: providing customers with good value for their dining dollar. The family also has a tradition of hiring stellar management and training and empowering their employees.
I recall wearing a tiki drink print dress to Nick’s on Second a few years back. An employee comped my Mai Tai in recognition of my dress. Since that day, the eatery has held a key spot in our dining rotation, proving that customer loyalty is based on human connection — something Nick’s brand clearly understands.
Carl and his son Craig Nickoloff later went on to found Claim Jumper in Los Alamitos in 1977, helping launch one of Southern California’s most successful restaurant groups.
Today, the Nickoloff family operates 11 restaurants across Southern California under the Nick’s and South of Nick’s brands.
The Belmont Shore location, opening officially on June 22, will become the company’s 12th restaurant.