At Last Cafe

Specialties

Delicious food prepared by an experienced and talented professional.
Chef John McLaughlin and his wife, Ria, started At Last Cafe over four years ago, named At Last Cafe by Chef John's mother, Lorraine, because they were finally doing it, finally opening a restaurant!
Chef John's restaurant experience started as a teenager, busing tables, then graduating to line cook for the Reubens Restaurant chain. After getting married, he continued to work in restaurants while attending Long Beach State. At the same time, he was on the waiting list for the Culinary Institute of America in upstate New York. He and Ria left for a cross country trip to New York from California, where he attended the Culinary Institute of America (CIA)

History

Established in 2008.
At Last Cafe opened in April 2008. We were featured on Diners, Drive-ins and Dives in 2010.
The patio was added in 2014.

Owner

John M.
Business Owner
John is a career chef and has always wanted to have his own restaurant.

Business info

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  Takes Reservations

  Yes
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  Offers Takeout

  Yes
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  Delivery

  No
• credit_card
  Accepts Credit Cards

  Yes
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  Accepts Android Pay

  No
• tap_and_play
  Accepts Apple Pay

  No
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  Outdoor Seating

  Yes
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  Casual

  Yes
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  Moderate Noise

  Yes
• fastfood
  Offers Catering

  Yes
• accessibility
  Good For Kids

  Yes
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  Good for Lunch, Dinner

  Yes
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  Street Parking

  Yes
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  Beer & Wine Only

  Yes
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  Gender-neutral restrooms

  Yes
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  Not Good For Groups

  No
• wifi
  Wi-Fi

  No
• tv
  TV

  No
• directions_bike
  Bike Parking

  Yes

Last Reviews

• Author: MA A

  7 February 2026

  Sandwich selection was decent. Patio service was a little spotty. Near the rainbow community of Long Beach. Food was not amazing but it was good. All of my group of 6 guys were content. Beer selection could be a little broader. Portions were ok.

• Author: Gil T Rodello

  3 February 2026

  The food is simply amazing. When we walked in we might have been a little skeptical...it's not a place that puts on airs. But once we had one bite of our appetizer (avocado fries-I know, sounds weird, but trust me!) we knew we were in for a culinary treat and we were not disappointed at all. There were four of us, and we all had fun trying each other's entrees, which were all delicious!!! The service was outstanding and very friendly so we went back the next night and had the same experience (with a different server).

• Author: stephen jones

  18 January 2026

  Fabulous experience; delicious food; great service! We had the Avocado Toast and enjoyed every bit of it. The fresh orange juice was exquisite. The tomato burrata salad was very very good. We took some croissant's home for breakfast. We highly enjoyed our nice server Luis!!.