Following on the success of his Redondo Beach restaurant Ortega 120 and Cerritos’ Amor Y Tacos, chef Thomas Ortega decided he’d like to put something together in Long Beach. The result is Playa Amor, a love letter to approachable but compellingmodern Mexican cuisine.
The menu is a straightforward blend of tacos, larger format dishes, and cocktails based on Mexican ingredients, but Ortega views each through a modern, urban lens, which means there’s a refined sensibility and bit of playfulness with each dish. As for the space, expect a horseshoe bar and lots heavy, dark wooden tables, while colorful stars hang from the ceiling and an ocean-blue floor washes across the room. The full menu is below.
Playa Amor opens tomorrow near the Marina Pacifica complex in Long Beach. Hours run Monday through Thursday 2 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday and Saturdays from 2 p.m. until 1:30 a.m., and Sundays from noon until 9 p.m. Lunch and brunch service will commence in a few months.
Playa Amor
6527 E. Pacific Coast HwyLong Beach, CA