Food, Opinion 12

DTLB’s Newest Grub Hub Will Be a Gastropub-y Joint (Across the Street from Two Gastropubs) Without the Beer

By @BrianAddisonLB · On February 24, 2017

Construction continues on City Place, where it will welcome the new BurgerIM chain. Photo by Brian Addison.

Unsure if Downtown Long Beach’s visitors, workers, and residents aren’t already content with the quality of the plethora of high-quality gastropubs in the vacinity–Beachwood, Beer Belly Congregation, and Dog Haus are all within a block—the newest addition to the eating scene will be BurgerIM at the northwest corner of 3rd and Long Beach Blvd. in the still-in-renovation-mode City Place.

Okay, technically not a gastropub because it won’t be serving, well, beer—but if you’re gonna be slingin’ more heavy food at me, Long Beach, at least provide me the decency of a good buzz. And while it will sit literally across the street from Dog Haus and Beer Belly on 3rd, it will be rock throwing distance from Beachwood, Congregation, and Hamburger Mary’s as well.

The franchise chain, now up to 80 locations, specializes in sliders. Ten types to be precise: beef, dry-aged beef, waygu beef, spicy beef, turkey, lamb, chicken, salmon, chorizo, and good ol’ veggie patties are you base options while you can pile on anything from a sunny-side egg to pineapple. (To each their own.)

My critique of DTLB overdosing on the burger scene isn’t a slight to BurgerIM, DTLB, or City Place—but it is very much an alarm that the following places need to be nixed from the future agenda of DTLB eateries so we can expand our options: gastropubs, Thai joints, coffee joints, poke, and chains.

What would be a warm welcome to the culinary conglomeration: ramen (just one joint in Bixby Knolls isn’t enough), Ethiopian (there’s a woman who makes it out of her home in LB as a cottage business but that is it), Central American (El Salvadorian or Honduran, perhaps?), a distillery (please), barbecue (we’re eyin’ you, Robert Earl), anything remotely within the spectrum of Petit Trois to All Flavor No Grease… I could go on and on as could a ton of residents.

Reach out to ’em—they’re rich with ideas. Meanwhile, we’ll welcome BurgerIM with open arms (just know we’ll be stepping across the street if we want our sliders with beer).

Writer. Photographer. Thinker. Eater. Long Beacher. Bourbon-er. Don't be afraid to strike up dialogue, especially away from the comment threads and over a beer.

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12 Comments

  • Alwyn Loa says: February 24, 2017 at 4:08 pm

    Hey Brian,
    I agree about no more gastro-pubs or coffee joints!

    But, there is definitely good Ramen in DTLB at the Don Buri Cafe located in the Pine Square food court. It was on the secret menu but it blew up so now it’s on the menu. Best Ramen that I know of in Long Beach. (I tried to visit Tajima Ramen at Steel Craft but they were closed that day due to no staff?)

    Then I circled back to my go-to Japanese/Korean kitchen and voila; Ramen!

    Reply
    • Toliver says: February 25, 2017 at 5:35 am

      Brian, seems an incredibly strange association. BurgerIM is not a gastro pub in any sense at all. It is a contemporary fast casual that serves interesting sliders and salads. It is totally unique, and while a successful chain from Israel, is only the 2nd or 3rd location in the US. It will be an excellent compliment to the Downtown scene. The slant of your piece would be akin to “we already have King’s Fish House and Gladstone’s so don’t bring Pier 76”.

      Reply
      • SL says: February 25, 2017 at 9:50 am

        Toliver, I think Addison’s point is more akin to “we already have Kings & Pier, so don’t bring Red Lobster” lol Addison’s point stands.

        Reply
        • Toliver says: February 25, 2017 at 10:43 am

          May have been his point, but my correlation is much more accurate, so I think the point is way off the mark. Further, I think it is a shame that we secure a new amenity for DTLB, they agree to invest half a million dollars in our Downtown and the first thing they are met with is “we don’t want your kind”.

          Reply
          • SL says: February 25, 2017 at 4:54 pm

            Are you one of the owners or something? Cuz that’s not what was said. What was said is that there are a BUTTLOAD of places serving burgers and we need variety. Yea its cool that there’s another place giving downtown LBC some sweet potato fries but its also cool if you can think outside the box. Dayum if yall getting offended over this then GOOD LUCK.

          • Kitty Kay says: February 25, 2017 at 9:00 pm

            I have to agree with SL. Brian is making a point that everyone wants to say but doesn’t. DTLB is becoming a Pasadena. Stop that shit right meow.

  • Sam says: February 24, 2017 at 9:00 pm

    How about a ‘Howlin’ Rays Hot Chicken’ or a Roy Choi ‘Chego’ – type of place?

    Reply
  • Becky says: February 25, 2017 at 12:09 pm

    There are so many great places in LB and they come and go. It makes it fun and interesting. I’d like to know about the hole in the wall places (seriously can someone tell me more about this Ethiopian woman selling from her home!).

    Reply
    • Sherry says: March 23, 2017 at 5:59 pm

      the lady who sells the ethiopian food doesn’t anymore and hasn’t for almost a year…so when a mistake like that is made in a column, i take the writer’s opinion with a grain of salt at best. that said, now i want to go try these sliders and see if this writer is 0 for 2. Terrible writeup imho

      Reply
    • IRUNLBC says: May 25, 2017 at 12:12 am

      So you can have the city come shut her down?? Hell No!

      Reply
  • Dawna says: March 8, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Yes, lots of burger joints. But how about Under the Sun in the middle of all this burger madness— offering raw vegan food– set to open in the Spring? Right next to Rainbow Juices, there are other options besides burgers in dtlb.

    Reply
  • Sabrina says: March 15, 2017 at 9:43 pm

    The Ethiopian spot closed— biggest loss ever!

    Reply

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