Reef Restaurant Reopens on Long Beach Waterfront

The Reef, one of Long Beach’s long-running waterfront restaurants, has reopened its dining room after being closed to regular restaurant service since the start of the pandemic.

The restaurant, located at 880 S. Harbor Scenic Drive between the Queen Mary and Hotel Maya, reopened June 18 and is again offering lunch, dinner, happy hour and weekend brunch service. Its public reservation page lists hours from Thursday through Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m., with indoor dining, bar and lounge seating, and a waterfront patio.

The reopening brings back a restaurant with deep Long Beach roots. The Reef opened in 1958, before the Queen Mary arrived in Long Beach, and was founded by David Tallichet, whose family later built a broader restaurant business that included well-known Southern California destinations such as The Proud Bird and Castaway.

“We’re very proud of this restaurant,” says owner John Tallichet, David’s son. “Being born in Long Beach, this is where it all began.” And highlights how The Reef’s return is not only about bringing back waterfront dining, but also about restoring a venue to life tied to the city’s family celebrations.

Tallichet says that his father’s decision to build in the city came from a genuine attachment to Long Beach. “He just kind of fell in love with Long Beach and figured, ‘This is where I want to stay,’” he said.

The Reef’s return comes as the Queen Mary waterfront sees new activity. Nearby, the new F&M Bank Amphitheater of Long Beach opened on June 6 with Snoop Dogg headlining its first concert. The 11,000-seat waterfront venue is part of the city’s broader push to expand entertainment and tourism near the Queen Mary.

The amphitheater’s opening helped create the timing for The Reef’s comeback, according to Tallichet, who saw the new venue next door as the right opportunity to bring the restaurant back to regular dining service.

The restaurant also announced its return directly to customers on social media, writing, “The wait is over, reservations are now open!” in a post promoting the June 18 reopening. Its website now greets visitors with the message, “We are officially open!”

For Long Beach diners, The Reef’s reopening restores a familiar waterfront option known for views of downtown, Queensway Bay and the Queen Mary. The restaurant’s current listing describes it as a family-owned Long Beach restaurant and bar dating back to 1958, with seafood, cocktails, happy hour and special-event space.

The Reef has also long served as an event venue, hosting weddings, corporate events and celebrations. Its reopening expands its role beyond private events and brings back dining at a time when the surrounding waterfront is drawing renewed attention.

With the Queen Mary, Hotel Maya and the new amphitheater nearby, The Reef is returning to a more active shoreline than the one it left when the pandemic began. For Tallichet and the restaurant’s longtime customers, the reopening is not just a business comeback; it is the return of a Long Beach landmark.