California Pizza Kitchen At Long Beach Marketplace — Restaurant in Long Beach

Another amazing meal at this restaurant chain. It is crazy how our favorite dishes in Tennessee taste exactly the same here in California. Our waitress was outstanding and split up the check into 4 family checks. We started with drinks and for food we got kids Mac and cheese which is always outstanding then dynamite shrimp which was crispy and spicy, Avocado egg rolls with yummy dipping sauces and lastly chicken with pasta. All delicious and we always get this. Kids brownie sundae finished the night up.

California Pizza Kitchen in Long Beach offers a bright, casually upscale spot where creativity meets comfort in a family-friendly, California‑inspired dining experience. Nestled at The Pike and other local sites, the décor features warm wood tones, mood lighting, and spacious open seating—consistent with the classic CPK vibe .

On the menu, expect signature hand‑tossed and hearth‑baked pizzas (including the iconic BBQ chicken, thin crust versions, and inventive flavors like Thai linguine and wild‑mushroom) alongside imaginative pastas, salads, soups, sandwiches, and sharable small plates . Popular offerings at the Long Beach locations include Avocado Egg Rolls, Carne Asada Pizza, Kung Pao Spaghetti, Chicken Tequila Fettuccine, Thai Crunch Salad, and Spaghetti Bolognese .

Reviewers are enthusiastic about dishes like the wedge salad, chicken fettuccine, thin‑crust pizzas, and Thai Crunch salad, praising the friendly staff and welcoming atmosphere . Some note occasional service inconsistencies—like bathroom cleanliness or staff turnover—but most agree the food and vibe make it a reliable pick for casual group dining ().

As part of a nationwide chain established in Beverly Hills in 1985 by Rick Rosenfield and Larry Flax, CPK popularized gourmet California‑style pizzas (notably BBQ chicken) and continues to bring that creative edge to its Long Beach locations . With a well‑balanced drink menu featuring hand‑shaken cocktails, craft beers, and premium wines, it strikes a satisfying equilibrium between an everyday eatery and a slightly elevated dining room .

In summary, California Pizza Kitchen in Long Beach offers consistently satisfying, creative comfort food in a relaxed, stylish setting—perfect for family dinners, friendly meetups, or casual work lunches. The menu’s breadth, nostalgic appeal, and dependable flavor keep guests coming back...

This was my first experience at California Pizza Kitchen, and I was quite surprised. I visited this venue on a Sunday evening with my fiancé, and two of our close friends. We ordered two pizzas, and two pastas. I ordered the Pesto Pasta, and substituted my penne pasta for angel hair pasta. I also asked for a little bit of garlic added to my dish. The server said he could not add regular garlic. I then asked for a garlic sauce to add to my dish, as well as another side of the same sauce for my friend to dip her pizza in. After my pesto pasta arrived, I wondered where the pesto was, because I sure didn't taste it. Then I realized that all the flavors of my pasta must have been playing hide-and-seek, because my garlic sauce was like soup, and didn't taste like garlic, but more like a cup of cream heated up in a sauce pan. Or maybe, the flavor was hidden in the pasta that was stuck together like a child had spilled Elmers Glue on then. On the other hand, our pellegrino sparkling water came promptly, although, our glasses did not. It took an extra ten minutes for our glasses to arrive, so if you're parched, make sure they have glasses available.

Towards the end of our evening, we asked for the check and it was brought promptly. Our server was happy to box the rest of our meals for us and ensure we had everything we needed. He held a pleasant attitude through out the evening, and he kept a smile on his face.

In conclusion, I would be willing to come back and they a different dish another time, I just wouldn't reccomend the pasta to any consumers or food connoisseur that visit California Pizza Kitchen.

Next time, it...

Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. We gave CPK two chances, and both times were incredibly disappointing.

First visit: It was clear from the start that the restaurant was understaffed and run entirely by new or untrained team members. A waitress spilled hot coffee on the guests seated right next to us, and it took over 30 minutes before anyone even acknowledged our table. There were no check-ins, no apologies, and worst of all, two people at our table never even received their food.

Second visit: Hoping the first experience was just a fluke, we came back—but it was even worse. The staff again seemed completely overwhelmed and inexperienced. We only ordered two kids’ cheese pizzas and two salads, yet it took over 30 minutes to get our food. Meanwhile, several other tables around us who arrived after us received their hot meals well before we did. No one checked in with us, and the quality was disappointing again—no strawberry in the strawberry mango cooler, and the salads were made with still-frozen lettuce.

Between the poor service, long wait times, untrained staff, and lack of quality control, this CPK location is a hard pass for us...