By It’s 3 a.m. You’re furiously scrambling to finish a 10-page paper due in five hours, or you’re doing an ungodly amount of cramming for midterms. Or perhaps you’ve had a few too many shots of Jagermeister. Either way, you’ve got the dreaded “munchies.”
Unfortunately, no places seem to be open, and you can’t stand the thought of eating Del Taco again.
Luckily for you, there are a number of places in Long Beach where you can get your late-night grub on. These are the serious late-night eateries, the kind that have evening hours the likes of In-N-Out Burger won’t even touch.
If you’re thinking about late-night food in Long Beach, you have to start with Roscoe’s House of Chicken’n Waffles, located at 730 E. Broadway near downtown.
What is Roscoe’s specialty? The name says it all: fried chicken and waffles. It may seem like a strange combination, at least to non-soul food enthusiasts, but the saltiness of the chicken and the sweetness from the waffles balance each other out to create a great taste.
With about 25 dishes under $10, this place won’t break the bank. However, this is good old soul food, so if you’re looking for a low-carb or low-fat option, you won’t find it here.
Also connected to Roscoe’s is the Cotton Club West, which showcases a variety of live music and includes a full bar. Here, you can cap off your good old soul food feast by grooving to some great live jazz music.
Roscoe’s is open from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Sunday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday
Another great option for late-night grubbing is the Shore House Café, located at the corner of Second Street and La Verne Avenue in Belmont Shore. The Shore House is open 24 hours and offers typical diner-style food for reasonable prices.
For us, breakfast is good at any time of the day, and we found the French toast to be light and fluffy. We dined at 8 p.m. and the service was a little slow, but that is usual for most late-night diners. The portions are massive, so you get more than your money’s worth.
Whether you and your friends all want to try something different, or simply want to eat something to sober up, this is a great place to go. From egg dishes to Italian food to burgers, the Shore House’s menu is huge.
In case you have a craving for doughnuts or other treats after eating at the Shore House, you’re in luck because Le Donut & Croissant is located directly across the street. Although it appears to be a typical doughnuts shop at first glance, it is actually a 24-
hour pastry-filled paradise located in the heart of Belmont Shore.
Le Donut also offers its tasty doughnuts and muffins at reasonable prices, which helps whether you’re a starving student or you just rang up a huge tab at one of the nearby bars on Second Street (or perhaps both).
If your late-night hankering is for hamburgers, your best bet is Archibald’s, located a few blocks away at 4600 E. Second St. Archibald’s is a Fatburger-type place complete with burgers stacked high with everything you can think of.
Its menu includes sandwiches, salads and tacos and burritos. It also serves breakfast all day, so whether you’re craving a chili burger or a cheddar cheese omelette, you’re set.
Although Archibald’s is slightly more expensive than most fast food fare, it is higher in quality than anything you will ever find at Jack in the Box. Students also get a 10 percent discount on all menu items.
Archibald’s is open Sunday through Wednesday from 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. and Thursday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m.
As you can see, there are a number of places in Long Beach to get your late night food fix so that you can conquer those post-midnight “munchies” once and for all.
