LB Food Review

The Reno Room and CocoReño’s – Online Menu
3400 E Broadway
Long Beach, CA 90803
(562) 438-4590

One of the many joys of Long Beach is the richness of its bar scene, although the term “richness” could be misleading. What I mean by this is that Long Beach has the dive bar scene down pat. One of my favorite dives is on the Broadway strip, at the corner of Broadway and Redondo. I’m talking about the self-proclaimed World Famous Reno Room, and its partner in crime, CocoReño’s.

The Reno Room by itself would be an excellent example of a great dive bar. It serves stiff, relatively inexpensive drinks in a loud setting with an occasionally sticky floor. The patrons can entertain themselves with two full-sized pool tables, the now ubiquitous internet jukebox, and a plethora of television screens. But what truly sets the Reno Room apart is the literal hole in the wall leading next door to CocoReño’s, a fast and delicious Mexican kitchen.

The waitresses in the Reno Room will take orders and bring food from CocoReño’s straight to your table if you like, but if you want to really experience the food (or if there are just no seats in the bar area), grab a seat at CocoReño’s counter and watch the cook’s creations take shape. You sit about 4 feet away from the stove as the magic happens, taking in the aroma of simmering meats, melting cheese, and warm tortillas until you can’t stand to wait a minute longer. Luckily, the cook only has to turn around to hand you your plate.

I’m a sucker for deep-fried concoctions, and CocoReño’s does wonders with boiling oil. They do not cook anything in lard, which is probably going to piss off half of you and thrill the other half to death. Let me say that the flavor does not suffer. They serve up some ridiculous flautas, their chimichangas almost leap off your plate, and from start to finish you are treated to chips and a salsa that has way more bang than your standard comped salsa. Being located in a very conscientious neighborhood, CocoReño’s also offers extensive vegetarian options for those so inclined (and I thank them for leaving more meat for me). Perhaps the best part is that just as you can order food while seated at the bar, you can order beverages while eating in the restaurant. This two way street ensures that you receive the full benefits of both the swanky dive bar and the greasy Mexican food palace, no matter which side you settle into.

The Reno Room and CocoReño’s are a fantastic one-two punch to satisfy many a late night craving in one place. The food service runs until midnight, so if you find that you’ve missed the kitchen at the other Broadway haunts, post up wherever there’s a seat and dive into a cold drink and a hot flauta.

Mon-Sun 6am – 2am