Long Beach’s Cielo and Historic Sky Room to Close for a Two-Year Remodel

Long Beach’s Cielo and historic Sky Room are closing at the end of the month for a two-year renovation beginning April 29. Both the rooftop bar and supper club are in the soon-to-be restored historic Breakers Hotel and plans to reopen in 2020.

Eater spoke with Jonathan Rosenson, a sommelier and also the CEO of Cielo and Sky Room’s parent company, after learning about the closures from LongBeachize. Pacific6 bought the building in December 2017, leaving Cielo and Sky Room to lease both spaces until the developer determined the closing date.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the Sky Room sat empty while Breakers was a retirement community. The Rosensons bought the building in 1997, and Rosenson’s father Bernie wanted to bring back the 1930s supper club. They received special permission from the State of California to renovate and reopen the Sky Room with separate entrances and an elevator to take patrons to the top floor. This move was to ensure the businesses would not potentially violate state law that prohibits restaurants from operating in retirement home buildings.

Sky Room

Often referred to as the Rainbow Room of the west coast, the elder Rosenson transformed the Sky Room to emphasize the 360-degree view that overlooks the the Pacific and the Queen Mary cruise ship. Bernie actually emigrated to the United States in 1956 on the Queen Mary from France. Cielo opened in 2007 as Cantina del Cielo, then operated as Cielo after a 2014 remodel.

Pacific6 spokesperson David Sommers shared future plans for Cielo and Sky Bar, “We always planned on remodeling and modernizing Cielo and the Sky Room. We plan to keep those historic and iconic locations in the Long Beach community.”

The last day of service is April 29, and the Sky Room will run a best-of menu from the last 21 years.

• Famed Long Beach Rooftop Restaurant Sky Room to Close Up Shop April 30 for 2-Year Renovation [LongBeachize]
• Long Beach’s historic Breakers building will reopen as independent hotel [CurbedLA]