Drive up Pine Avenue from Ocean Blvd and look at all the vintaage buildings, particularly after you cross First Street. Pine is rife with great restaurants and it’s spreading across to the East Village. What you might not notice is this demure building set back from the street a bit– quite large actually. It was once a bank that close and then morphed into a high-end eatery called Madison. Madison soon died due to very pricey (but yummy) food but the space was quite large. It was huge, gorgeously art deo/vintage in feel and yet cold.
Fast forward several years and voila- a new spot within the former bank called thoughtfully THE FEDERAL BAR — a sister store to the one in NoHo. (North Hollywood for visitors). This is one fine building. The huge space that dwarfed Madison and it’s diners has been morphed into several spaces without losing the best part of the visual — the ceilings, the space and what they did to carve up the space created group areas, lounges and they are even taking over the vault to turn it into something special.
Open for lunch and dinner M-f and also brunch on the weekends, this is part gastro-pub; part lounge, part soon-to-be entertainment space. Trust me there’s PLENTY of room in this building. The acoustics are amazing and the way the restaurant has preserved as much of the heritage space while providing for comfortable seating and dining is fabulous.
An Instagram collage of the ambiance.
This is a view from the back of the room to the front door with all the great lighting.
In the back of the room is a lounge which has partial walls (not to the ceiling) so that people can sit around and chat as well as have appetizers and drink. The use of space here was well planned out.
The food AMAZING!! My new favorite place. I have been there 3 times– twice made Yelp, the third time was just so great that I haven’t had time to write it up. The cocktails are carefully curated and created. Great array of brews. The service was excellent all the times I have been there. Went to brunch on a weekend with a friend from out of town who was very impressed at the food, service and what they had done with the space.
This was not on the brunch menu when I went there: red velvet waffles with bacon and eggs and all kinds of good things.
This was on the brunch and dinner menus– which is red velvet waffles with fried chicken– and spicy syrup. HEAVEN in a dish…… honest!!
The first night we were there, we had an appetizer, I had the waffles and chicken , my partner had a fabulous burger (I mean the best one EVER!)
plus drinks ( try the dessert that we split. It was an unusual Salted Caramel cheesecake and it was TO DIE FOR!! This was unlike any other cheesecake I have ever had. (and cheesecake isn’t my thing!)
I want to go there every week. I can’t handle that though– I would eat my way through the menu.
Great service, superb food and amazing ambiance– in a gentrified section of town near the convention center and the Pike. What’s not to love?
OPEN:
Monday – Saturday 11:30am to Close
Sunday 10:00am to Close
For reservations please call 562-435-2000
https://twitter.com/thefederalbarlb
https://www.facebook.com/thefederalbarlongbeach
Stevie Wilson,
LA-Story.com
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This is very lovely. I can see why you go back..the architecture is splendid..Do you live near Long Beach??That would explain what you said about water and swimming..
I did.., and I am there quite frequently.. often enough to see the pier, Queen Mary and all that stuff. It’s a bigger city than any that surround it for almost a 20 mile radius..