Schooner or Later, Long Beach
November 7, 2010
Saturday I took a day trip down to Long Beach to visit a good friend. Marla took us to one of her favorite restaurants, Schooner or Later, which is right on the harbor with a beautiful view. The place was packed and we waited for about an hour for a table. It was, however, well worth the wait. Schooner or Later was opened in 1985 under the name Little Ships Galley by Earl and Helen Schultz. The name was changed when brother and sister, Denny and Denise Lund, the current owners, purchased the restaurant. Their most famous dish is a local tradition known as “Schultzie’s Mess,” a tribute to the original owners. The mess is a blend of chopped ham, onion, bell pepper, hash browns, eggs, and cheddar cheese, and served with sourdough toast. No custom orders are allowed when it comes to “Schultzie’s Mess.”
None of us ordered “Schultzie’s Mess,” but we did spy it on a table next to us and it did look pretty darn good. Guy Fieri also confirmed that it tastes as good as it looked. That’s right; you may have seen Schooner or Later on Guy Fieri’s show, Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. You can check out the clip from the show here. I’m a sucker for Chiliquiles and when I saw it on the menu, I could not resist. You get your choice of green or red sauce, pinto or refried beans, flour or corn tortillas, and 2 eggs cooked however you like. The green sauce was delicious and my eggs were cooked well. Except for the tortillas which I didn’t touch, I devoured everything on the plate.
My husband ordered their Crab Melt; crab, avocado, tomato, swiss, and cheddar cheese served on sourdough bread. It was also great. The onion rings were not that great though. The batter was dense and they lacked seasoning and flavor.
I was able to sneak a taste of my friend’s Fish and Chips. The fish was fresh and tasted great. It was, however, slightly dry from being overcooked. I like how the batter was not heavy and thick, and didn’t over take the fish.
Also pictured is the petit Caesar salad, sourdough toast (looks amazing and was told it tastes as good as it looks), and chicken pozole soup ( reported to be a little over-salted).
Also notable is the patio bar. I watched a group of people enjoying mimosas and generous bloody marys while waiting for their table. We really enjoyed Schooner or Later and I hope to enjoy it again one day!
