Parkers' Lighthouse — Restaurant in Long Beach

I wanted to take my wife out for a romantic Valentine’s dinner. We live nearby, but never dined at Parker’s. The online Valentine’s menu was Prix Fixe with gourmet offerings so I decided try. Back to when we dated, & years of experiences on Valentine’s, this can be hit or miss as its typically hectic on this holiday. To make the reservation (on 1/21) I was directed to Open Table which required to a credit card deposit for $196. This was OK with me as I felt it would assure a commitment between myself and the restaurant for this in demand evening. At 2:29 PM on 2/11, I received a voicemail from Parker’s stating ‘in order to guarantee your reservation, we do require a confirmation call by the end of the day. If not confirmed, we will be adding your reservation to the standby list, and you may lose your selected time.” When I listened to the message, I became very upset. Didn’t I already guarantee my reservation by giving a $196.00 credit card deposit 3 weeks in advance? How is it that I am not allowed to make a reservation unless I secure with a $196 deposit, now here we are 3 days before & I’m told my reservation is downgraded or lost if I don’t call back within 8 hours of the message? What’s the point requiring a $196 deposit in advance only to threaten me with losing the reservation 3 days before the event if I don’t call back within eight hours? I do understand Valentine’s Day dinner can be crazy & demanding, and Parker’s is trying to do their best to control the outcome by requiring an advance deposit followed by a confirmation call, but please don’t threaten me with losing the reservation 3 days before the event if I don’t call back within 8 hours after I committed to a $196.00 deposit. There’s got to be a more professional customer friendly way of confirming 3 days in advance that does not threaten me with losing the reservation. This really put a bad taste in my mouth (no pun intended). I did call back later that day, and confirmed the reservation. When we arrived at Parker’s a few minutes before our reservation time, the scene was organized and our first impression was positive. With ample staffing at the check in station, the team members were professional and communicating well using earpieces and radios, with a short wait to check in. Over the years at various restaurants we’ve showed up on Valentine’s Day with a reservation and had to wait 30 to 45 minutes for our table. This was a pleasant beginning to our in restaurant visit. We were offered indoor or outdoor seating, we selected outdoor, and chose a location with a Harbor View and the Queen Mary in the distance. It was a romantic setting. Our server Anabel welcomed us right away, took our craft cocktail orders, and presented the menus. There were 6 soup/salad/appetizers, of which we were able to select one each. Similarly, we each selected one of the 7 entrees. Food was excellent, very tasty with lovely presentations. We were not rushed, yet the courses arrived in just the right cadence, and Anabel checked on us often. After the meal we were allowed to select one dessert to share out of four offerings, and we each had a cup of decaf cappuccino. This ending to the dinner was a bit disappointing as I felt we were being nickel and dimed. With a $98.00 per person Prix Fixe menu, why do we have to share one dessert? The Prix Fixe included one appetizer each but we had to share one dessert between the two of us. And to add insult to injury we were charged $6.00 for each cappuccino. I don’t expect the alcoholic beverages to be included in the Prix Fixe menu but charging us for the coffee seemed paltry. The dessert was plated decoratively and tasted great. The cappuccino was served warm not hot. Overall the entire Valentine’s dinner experience at Parker’s Lighthouse was excellent. The team did a great job considering the stress and demands of this high demand...

What a beautiful restaurant, amazing views and staff very good. We called ahead to make reservations but still wait but that was for a table outside and yes it is worth it! We had a stunning view of the queen mary. We started with bottle root beer and Bloody Mary which was on point. Next the bread was warm and butter sweet and delicious. For starters or appetizers we got Cesar salad which was good and the fried calamari which was the best thing we ate. Young child got the pasta and Alfredo sauce with fruit cup which is $4 extra but definitely our best meal. Next was the sushi combination for $30 the rolls were much better than the individual sushi piece. Left about 5 piece after. Fish of the day was way over cooked and my wife only ate about 1/3 of it for this reason. I got the famous burger which the meat was very gamey and not fresh tasting and the bottom of the bun half was super wet and almost gummy. The fries were cold and horrible. We left so much food based on this disappointment. Sadly I cannot recommend this restaurant unless appetizers only.

Nestled in the heart of Shoreline Village, Parker’s Lighthouse is a standout seafood restaurant offering breathtaking views of the Long Beach Harbor and Queen Mary. This iconic, multi-level structure is instantly recognizable with its red-roofed tower and nautical charm, making it a popular dining destination for locals, tourists, and special occasions.

Parker’s Lighthouse is best known for its fresh seafood, prime steaks, and award-winning wine list. The menu features everything from sushi and lobster tails to grilled swordfish and clam chowder, all artfully prepared with a focus on quality and presentation. One of the restaurant’s signature features is its mesquite-grilled seafood, which imparts a distinctive smoky flavor to the fresh catches of the day. Guests can also enjoy expertly crafted cocktails or a glass of wine from the extensive cellar, all while soaking in views of passing boats and waterfront sunsets.

The ambiance is upscale yet relaxed, with floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap around the dining areas, offering panoramic harbor views. Whether you’re seated on the outdoor patio or indoors by the window, every table feels connected to the water. It’s a particularly romantic spot for dinner at dusk, when the harbor lights begin to shimmer.

Parker’s Lighthouse also includes the Queensview Steakhouse on its top level, offering an elevated fine-dining experience with a focus on premium cuts and an elegant, quiet atmosphere.

Just steps from the Aquarium of the Pacific and downtown Long Beach, Parker’s Lighthouse is more than a restaurant—it’s a destination. With its stunning views, high-quality cuisine, and prime location, it’s easy to see why it has become a beloved part of the Long Beach waterfront for over...

My wife and I stayed at the Hyatt in Long Beach last week. We asked the Concierge if there was a good restaurant close by that we could walk to. They recommended three, but we selected Parker’s Lighthouse because of the view. We decided to walk over that day to find out exactly where they were located and then come back the same evening. While there, we decided to make reservations for that Monday evening which happened to be our anniversary. The hostess was very friendly and said she would set aside a table next to the windows to garner the best view. She also took note that it was our anniversary to do something special. So, when we came back for dinner, we walked in and were like the second reservation in the restaurant. For one thing, our reservation was for 5:00, so plenty early. There were couple of different hostesses now who told us we were 10 minutes early but could go to the bar and they would electronically page us when we could be seated. As we sat there, 5:00 came and went with no notification. We also watched the restaurant begin to fill up. So, I walked over the hostess stand and said, “We are ready for our table now.” She dismissively told me that they could seat us once we closed out our bar tap. That was a first. So, I went back to the bar and closed out. When we returned, she acted as if she had seen me for the first time, then she said, “inside or out?” Perturbed that she didn’t know already, I told her that we had come in earlier in the day and designated inside with a window view and that it was our anniversary. I also reminded her we were the second people in the restaurant that evening. It was not a pleasant conversation. We followed a young man into the restaurant and as he started to seat us, I said, “We are supposed to have a seat by the windows, and there was only one table left. He acted surprised and made the comment that they can’t make any such guarantees, etc. He then proceeded to get on a walkie talkie for no less than 5 minutes trying to figure out what he should do. All the while we are standing there feeling like we had made a mistake with Parker’s. My wife told me she was ready to leave if I was. We stayed put and ended up with that last table by a window. At the end of the day, it’s not that big of deal, window no window. The problem was how the entire thing was handled, and the fact it was our anniversary, added insult to injury. I will say that our waiter was excellent, and the food was better than average. As we left and were walking back, we couldn’t help but notice other restaurants, less swanky of course, where the atmosphere was much more festive and alive. As for Parker’s Lighthouse, there’s an old saying that is apropos “Good service can save a bad meal, but there is no level of food that can save bad service.” We...