Marlena - Review - Long Beach - Los Angeles - The Infatuation

"Marlena is a rare hybrid for Long Beach—a great all-day cafe and a big night-out dinner spot in one. This Mediterranean restaurant in Naples has an open-air dining room where you can order a morning cappuccino, but after 5pm flips into a wine-fueled clubhouse for locals. It’s usually packed with birthday groups, well-dressed people who likely pay dues at the local yacht club, and others who can’t control the volume of their voice. The well-rounded menu has a solid mix of tapas, pastas, and steaks, but it’s the wood-fired pizzas that stand out. The chef used to bake at Bestia and Gjusta, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the pies at Marlena arrive nicely blistered and crispy." - Nikko Duren