Marlena was a gorgeous experience. It's not often I dine in Long Beach, but I'm so happy to have been recommended this restaurant for a dinner with friends. Location is great - tons of street parking because it's at the start of where all the bars/restaurants begin, so really prime location. Bring a jacket if you get cold! We're close to the water here so it got really chilly. We loved our prosciutto pizza the most! The dough was amazing and exactly what one would want in a dough of this style - crisp but chewy and just enough structure for the toppings. We would come back for this 100%. We also got the arugula salad and grilled octopus which were delicious - the salad had high quality ingredients that tasted amazing and the octopus had a great texture and flavor. We got the cacio e pepe and were really looking fwd to it due to the reviews, but we were not blown away. The pasta was homemade but kind of reminded me of ramen noodles, and the seasoning overall seemed on the low side. The truffle we added helped, but I was hoping for a home run with this dish. We also ordered the bone in ribeye after the Bisteca alla Fiorentina was sold out, and it also did not blow us away. The steak was pretty fatty and we weren't too impressed. The potatoes and arugula that came with it were excellent though! We ended our meal with the lemon olive oil cake - sooooo good! It was really moist and light - we added some ice cream too and it was a nice end to our meal. I'd definitely come back to this restaurant to try other dishes - the duck and lamb are calling to me, as well as the other pizzas. Even though we had some misses, we did have some home runs and are now looking forward to our next visit! read more

Marlena - Prosciutto, Burrata, pickled green garlic, Calabrian chili honey, arugula, lemon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Incredible dining experience. The restaurant is so cute rustic-modern. Service is excellent. But most importantly the food is so delicious. We had the: Pork Meatballs app 9/10 super yummy Baja Oysters 11/10 the chef has a unique spin on fresh oysters and they are a must try Mixed Olives 10/10 delicious and generous portion, there was only 2 of us and we didn't finish lol Blue oyster Mushroom pizza: 9/10 perfectly cooked with great crust/char. The olives made it a bit too salty for my taste but the flavors were excellent. Sweet english pea Anglotti 11/10 superb! And my favorite thing we ate. They are perfect. Sweet, fresh, buttery, light. A must try. I will definitely return to try more things, I believe they have a rotating seasonal menu which i love. Oh and their cocktails and wine selection is wonderful too! Just go here. read more

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My wife and I had a very nice dinner at Marlena. Everything we had was delicious. Really. The halibut was perfectly cooked, and the buttery artichoke puree went well with it. I really liked their bread. It makes me want to go back just to try their pizza. They have some sort of special, wood fired oven that'll the grilled items, bread, and pizza get cooked in. The bread is so fluffy and doughy. My cocktail was excellent, kind of a variation of a manhattan with chartreuse instead of vermouth. And, the kumquat olive oil cake was delicious. I'd definitely come back to Marlena. It would be perfect for a party of four where you could share several dishes and try a few things off the menu. read more

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Service was okay and food was not that bad but I probably wouldn't return. We tried the octopus and a salad for appetizer and then we had pizza and a pasta dish. We also tried a couple of their drinks and they were good. I mentioned my friend's birthday before she walked in and was told the dessert was on them but they ended up charging it, I was so tired I didn't complain but left a bad taste when they said something and did something else. Ambience was really nice though! read more

Marlena - Outside of restaurant - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

Marlena is so good! The pizzas are excellent, but everything we have tried has been good. It's definitely worth a visit!

Came for drinks one night in search for a night cap at the bar. It was a success. Great drinks, nice ambience on a Friday night. I returned for brunch a few weeks later. The food at a glance looked like small servings but it was definitely enough. The ambiance was different. If you're into swanky, posh hipster type setting, this is your place. Ordered steak and eggs and Rosti with smoked salmon. The bloody maria was fantastic and oh!! Dessert...just order the burnt basque cheesecake. You'll thank me later. Street parking is available. During brunch it was easy to find a spot, for a Friday night, you'll have to circle around a few times. Had reservations for a 1pm brunch but don't think it was needed, it was pretty empty then. Friday dinner was very busy so plan ahead. read more

Marlena - Rosti with Smoked Salmon - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

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What a cool location, walking distance to the ocean. Dave is a great guy and makes some great drinks! Food...uhm delicious!

Only cafe menu available for lunch. So basically a ghost town. However wanted to say the Italian sandwich was outstanding and the basque cheesecake even better! Enjoyed the food in an empty space. Service was meh read more

Our favorite Italian restaurant in the Long Beach area! Food and service are consistently excellent. Last night: grilled Spanish octopus, crispy cauliflower, Caesar salad, blue oyster mushroom pizza, and burnt Basque cheesecake. Everything was delicious! read more

Food is dinner only! I came during lunch and discovered this the hard way. Place is off the beat a bit from the heavier Long Beach areas which actually is nice. Makes parking easier and the place less crowded. I only came for the pizza and it's really quite good. I was really amazed. I also had the octopus app and it's really good also. Overall, really liked the place and want to come back but dinner only! read more

Marlena has been on my list of places to try for quite some time... in full disclosure I have not been so blessed to experience the full "soup to nuts" dining experience but I "settled" for a cappuccino and kouigan-amann to say I've been. The ambiance is perfection - nestled in a quiet location it has all the charm, greenery, and pizzazz a person needs to feel like they are in the European costal region (think Southern Spain with Santa Barbara charm, LA flare, and Long Beach attitude- chill and welcoming). Robert (the owner) such a great conversationalist and champion of GOOD. You also get that experience from your very first interaction with his people- Brenden. Brenden was charismatic and kind- thorough in sharing and highlighting all the wonderful Marlena has to offer. Add it to your list if you haven't been- a must try for the ambiance, people, energy, and commitment to good in all things! read more

Marlena - Kouigan-amann (served the French way- sticky side up) - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

This was a really cute restaurant and we got to meet the owner, who was so friendly! We tried the pea salad that had white chocolate in it and it was the star! We had the lamb chops but the coating was a little sweet for our taste. We also had the pizza which had a great crust. read more

First time eating at this hidden gem that opened up 5 months ago. Atmosphere was dark and relaxing. Papadelle pasta was with pork ragú. Great natural pasta. The ragu I felt lacked a bit flavor. Fried octupus was well charred and bedded with a crispy chickpea sauce. Great combination of flavors. Must order. Margarita pizza was delicious. Perfection was the name of the crest. Soft and not chewy at all. read more

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I came here with my friend on Saturday for dinner. We didn't have a reservation and were expecting to stand at the bar, but the staff made sure we got a table which was so very thoughtful and appreciated. The table was on the patio but it was covered with a plastic drape enclosure and heaters so it didn't even really feel like we were outside. The lighting and layout were perfect for a comfy and cozy experience. Our server Grace was absolutely lovely and funny too. She gave us feedback on the popular and tastiest dishes (but I'm now convinced we probably wouldn't have gone wrong ordering anything on the menu). For two people, we ordered the roasted cauliflower, pappardelle ragu, and the prosciutto pizza (see pics). It was the perfect amount of food to share. For me, the standout was the pizza. Wow, I haven't had a pizza that delicious in forever. It was savory and sweet, and the crust was absolutely delicious, and I'm not usually a crust fan unless it's done well. We also ordered the burnt Basque cheesecake and olive oil cake, and both were also excellent. Overall, it was a wonderful experience for us two gals to catch up and gab over a table of beautiful food and excellent service. Thank you Marlena for a wonderful meal. read more

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Wow! I finally made it here and am so happy that I did! I came to celebrate my birthday here and it was perfect ! The restaurant is so nice and all of their seating is outside (sort of) and it's perfect. It's like an open space only the bar is covered. The service was great from beginning to end. Our server Alec was very nice and explained to us how the menu works since it was our first time here. We started of with some drinks and an appetizer. Our appetizer was the grilled octopus served on top of a delicious tomato sauce. We also got some Rosso bread which is delicious! For our entree we split an oxtail ragu parpadelle and a spicy pepperoni pizza . Everything was amazing! The octopus appetizer I loved because the octopus was cooked to perfection and it just melted in your mouth. The pizza dough is also amazing. You can't go wrong with anything you order here. We will definitely be back to try some of their main dishes. Oh I almost forgot for dessert we had the basque cheesecake which is pretty popular here and it didn't disappoint. read more

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Service, ambiance, and our meal were good, but we didn't like the cheesecake we had for dessert at all. The hamachi crudo was my favorite dish, and the butternut squash pasta, sweet potatoes, and panzanella salad were all flavorful and good, though I do wish the croutons in the salad were crisper. Dessert tasted stale and they graciously took that off the check. Do yourself a favor and book a reservation here, but plan for dessert elsewhere. read more

Dined her for a fun birthday dinner. We had a wonderful waitress who was attentive and knowledgeable regarding the menu. I am gluten intolerant and she was very helpful in recommending items for me. The entire dining area is outdoors, but you are never cold due to the overhead heaters and different coverings. Really a beautifully designed space with an elegant-looking bar. The winner of the night in regards to food was the prime tamahawk for the table. It was perfectly cooked with a delicious chimichurry sauce on top. The octopus appetizer had wonderful consistency but lacked any powerful flavor. I would not other the scallops again as they were underwhelming for the price. It is a treat to have all pizza options be made gluten free. The wild mushroom pizza was too oily for my liking. I preferred the sausage and arugula pizza. We ordered several cocktails for the table, none of which were full to the glassware's rim. Overall a beautiful new addition to Long Beach, but missing flavor elements in a few dishes. read more

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I came to Marlena with some friends to get some dinner. The location is nice tucked away on a quiet street, visually it looks nice and kind of like a trendy LA-ish type of restaurant. There is plenty of seating with indoor an outdoor patio as well as a bar area. Service is great very friendly and constantly checking on you which is nice because I don't feel like it was over done. The food was just ok, nothing really came out as wow or as something I would order again. We ordered the Rosso bread, Garden of heirloom carrots, pappardelle pork sausage ragu, wild mushroom pizza and cheese cake for dessert. The bread and carrots were good starters, nothing spectacular about the bread, carrots were nice and tender and seasoned nicely. The pappardelle pork sausage ragu was ok, cooked well flavor was good. The wild mushroom pizza was ok, our table also ordered the spicy salami pizza and it was ok. I wouldn't come here for pizza. If you want pizza there are tons of pizza places in the area. If you come here try something on the Josper wood grill. Would I come back here, probably not but it was good to see what it was all about. I think the visuals hit harder than the taste but that's just my opinion. read more

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The location was outstanding I went during lunch hour and the staff was friendly it is in the heart of Naples. You have an outdoor atmosphere that is calming and not too noisy from traffic or other restaurants. The food was so delicious and amazing. I am definitely coming back for more of the pizza but to try other items on the menus as well. read more

Marlena - Pizza with arugula prosciutto and nectarines - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

Truly a 10/10 experience. We went for my husband's birthday for brunch. The waitress was the best I've had in a very long time. Super knowledgeable of the entire menu, great recommendations, highly attentive. We stayed with The cauliflower and the breakfast pizza - YUM. For entrees i enjoyed the chicken sandwich, my husband the burger, and my sister loved her salmon toast - she couldn't stop raving about it. Mocktails and cocktails great too. Patio was shaded and a lovely vibe. read more

Food and service were amazing!! Trust me when I say the Brussel sprouts are to die for. Yes BRUSSELS SPROUTS!

Environment and overall aesthetic is very modern, cool and moody vibes. I enjoyed sitting outside with overall good ambiance and lighting. Service was great, our waitress was very friendly and gave honest recommendations on what to get and she never missed Food was amazing and so were their drinks. We mainly got appetizers and the best one was DEFINITELY the Spanish grilled octopus. read more

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Been here a handful of times over the last couple years and I LOVE this restaurant. The last time I was here was last month where we were celebrating an engagement -- and we ordered almost everything off of their menu for everyone! I'm so sad I didn't take more photos of the food, but you really can't go wrong with ordering anything off their menu. Some highlights I remember in the blur of all the dishes coming to the table were the octopus and cauliflower appetizers. I loved every single pizza we ordered (and we ordered all of them), but I will say the calzone is probably the weakest dish on their menu -- probably wouldn't order that again. But other than that, we loved all the pastas, pizzas, salads, and small plates! My favorite pasta was the honey nut squash agnolotti. And the branzino was *chef's kiss* The dessert cakes were all really good, too! But I still think about their affogato -- their gelato was mascarpone flavored! So freaking good. Their outdoor seating is beautifully lit at night, with heat lamps, and the servers are all so warm and friendly. Definitely come here for a special occasion, or if you just want really freaking good food. read more

Marlena - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

Super yummy. Everything was served family style which I love. We showed up without a reservation and they did not have an attitude about seating us. We had the cauliflower which was perfectly seasoned. I ordered the.branzino which was so flavorful. I really appreciated that it wasn't over. seasoned or overcomplicated with a melon salsa or something pretentious. The fish was just tasty and perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. My friend ordered a pizza that had corn on it and it was extremely good. I ended with the Basque cheesecake which I had always wanted to try and it was everything I like about cheesecake, heavy and dry and rich. I did ask for a cup of decaf with it, and the coffee was a little bit bitter, but at that point who cares everything else was so good. Our server was a very pleasant young woman who worked her way through our many questions, took care of everything efficiently and didn't excessively hover. Really a win all around at this place. read more

Amazing food and cocktails. Had the limonana with vodka and it was very refreshing and smooth. The pizza was spectacular and the sauce was fresh. Crust was soft and crunchy. Top 10 pizza for me. Service and ambiance was phenomenal and attentive read more

Marlena - Pizza - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

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Love this neighborhood restaurant nestled among the homes in Naples. It's an indoor/outdoor concept with most of the tables outdoors. They created a welcoming vibe with strung lights, olive trees, and a natural wood dining area. It's Spanish/Italian/Mediterranean cuisine with a menu that seems to be more tapas style. We ordered multiple dishes and I highly Recommend the octopus. It was the tenderest octopus I've ever had and the flavors were delicious. We also tried the prawns which had a nice kick from the Calabrian chili in the sauce. The pizza is from the jasper oven and the crust was thin and airy. Flavors were delicious. Tip: make a reservation because it fills up fast and the bar seating is limited. read more

One of the best restaurants in Long Beach. Excellent location, delicious food (drinks and wine selection) and great service. read more

Marlena - We had the octopus, cauliflower, olives, bread, pizza, branzino, cacio e pepe, and short rib pasta. All of it, delicious! - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Long Beach, California

Marlena is a welcome fine dining addition to the Naples area. They describe themselves as a Mediterranean kitchen with wood-fired flavors. Be sure to make a reservation as it does get packed. We enjoyed sitting on the patio and were well attended to. Everything we ordered was phenomenal but our favorite dish were the Red Prawns. The Spicy Salami pizza was another favorite. With stellar service and top notch food, I will definitely be back. read more

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First....i don't think I've ever given a 1 star review. Secondly apart from the ambiance which is really quite lovely I truly don't understand the amazing reviews of this place. It's really expensive which is fine but give me amazing food to justify it. Nope. Not at all. There was a group of six of us which clearly means that we will get crappy service because there's already a 21% tip included in the bill. Our drinks took forever to come, it's an Italian place, Prosecco is Italian, we ordered a few glasses and it was served in a wine glass, which if you know you know ‍ We ordered a bunch of appetizers and four pizzas to split and all the waitress said is "boy you guys must not be very hungry tonight" like who even says that? And btw we ended up taking food home so there's that. Our server NEVER ever ever came to check on us. The pizzas came out of the wooden fire oven with pretty burnt crusts and very little flavor. We were next asked for refills on cocktails or any drinks. I asked to speak to a manager... She came over and I felt like I was talking to a wall. Even worse, the manager decided it was appropriate to talk to our server about our complaints while we were still there. I will never understand why she thought that was appropriate. We walked out of there $342 later and automatic $52 tip for our server who literally did nothing but write down the order for our food and drinks. My mind is blown about how crappy this place is and how good it could be. read more

What a legendary place to enjoy a great dinner with the woman I love. It was perfect. From the service - thanks Grace - to the wonderful food!!! Thanks!! read more

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Yum! We had both bread options, a salad, the cod, crispy cauliflower, and chocolate cake. They also have an orange wine on the menu which I was excited about. Super tasty and fresh. Also appreciate the vibe which is indoor/outdoor and feels somewhat upscale but can also be laid back Long Beach vibe. Will come again. Service was great. read more

Love their oven pizzas! Each one I have tried is exceptionally good! Also their normal menu is unique and tasty. Great for date night or hanging with friends. Service was good even for a Friday night. Recommend reservations read more

Great pizza, great cocktails and great vibes. I will definitely be back! Great date night restaurant and a good restaurant for family dinners read more

I have been to Marlena four times now! I have yet to experience anything less than FIVE STARS. First, if everything looks good and a pizza feels like too much -- get the BIANCO or go 50/50 with the Rosso bread. It is so, so, so delicious, but what the heck, do a pizza too. On my last trip on December 23, the yams were the table favorite. We had the octopus and tartare, too! The Parmigiano tuile was a nice touch as the tartare's carrier. The chopped salad is unique but balanced, and you keep going back for more. The superstar dish is the agnolotti. The corn over the summer and the honeynut squash live in my dreams. It is delicate, rich, and so worth it. A few people at our table weren't interested in the honeynut squash agnolotti and ended up loving it! It is a MUST. All the pizzas are simple and yummy. We had the bistecca, and it was cooked perfectly. The accompaniments enhanced the dish, yet it was simple. I love Marlena!! read more

November 2024 ~ Loved everything about this restaurant. The ambiance was beautiful. Our dinner was delicious. I'm a fan of attention to portions. Leaving a place and not feeling overly stuffed is the best. We also had a glass of wine & a lovely gin cosmopolitan. Closed out sharing a piece of cheesecake & two espressos. The service was 10/10! Everyone at the restaurant was so nice. Thank you for a wonderful Friday night dinner :) read more

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Amazing olive oil cake . Service was incredibly helpful and kind will definitely be coming back . read more

First time at Marlena with @soulsayler and wow that was a meal! It was served as tapas style and we were hungry so we ordered a bunch. -Olives - people raved about them but we thought they were just ok. -Hiramasa crudo - very fresh and delicious. - Spanish octopus - wow was my favorite. The sauce is also amazing. - pork meatballs & fresh grilled bread - also a highlight. -burrata and bread salad - it was new on menu and would highly recommend -papardelle pasta - we were getting full by now but was excellent and came out hot. -for desert we got the Bundt cake and now we were stuffed. Place was dead at 5p but hopping by 6p and packed by 7p. On a Thursday. Resos definitely recommended. The host Ariane and our server Alec were also charming and attentive. We will definitely be back! read more

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This place has a great outdoor vibe. I was impressed that the Pergola opened and closed depending if it sensed moisture in the air. The music was on point, the service was great and the food was exceptional. To start we had the pork Pachamama meatballs in a delicious red sauce. It paired nicely with the Lemon Drop I ordered. We ordered the Bianca bread and dipped it in the remaining sauce from the meatballs. Then we ordered the spicy salami pizza. It was perfect. Light and flavorful with a little bit of spice. For dessert I ordered the affogato which was ice cream with coffee poured over that was a perfect end to a truly delicious meal! Seriously my new favorite go to. This is a must try. A pleasant surprise...the owner was there introduced himself and I must say Robert is a very nice and friendly guy. read more

The food was all incredible, the service was spot on (Grace was awesome, knew the menu, took care of my wife's allergies), the drinks (Matt is amazingly creative), and the owner (Robert) introduced himself before we left. Can't wait to come back! read more

Took the lady's in our family out for Mothers Day and the experience was so satisfying we were greeted by staff as soon. As we exited our vehicle. We started with lemon ricotta pancakes with a blueberry compote, along with a morning prosecco and a few IPA's Dishes you does to talk about like the lime, and dreamy world of bufalo ricotta slathered onto top of a thick slice of toast before being douses in a cara cara orange marmalade and even my little guy loved the burnt Basque cheesecake ! Left a heft tip a fat tummy and happy women and children. I've shared this experience with everyone that drops by on the shore to visit their old friend and I'm happy to say it's been the best shortstop getaway to anyone desire to please their own palate!!! Thanks Marlena for such a wonderfully delicious Mother's Day gift to the women who have raised us along with our children ! read more