Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant

    3.8 (447 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant Photos

    NIGEL'S WATERFRONT RESTAURANT ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Happy hour specials
    Good for groups

    You might also consider

    More like Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant

    Recommended Reviews - Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Dining room looks out to the water.
    Michael N.

    Nigel's has the rare advantage of feeling like an occasion before the first plate arrives. Set along the Long Beach waterfront, it offers that polished coastal escape people hope for when they book a marina-side lunch: open air without too much wind, views without fuss, and a room that feels relaxed but still special. We came for a Wednesday birthday lunch at 12:30 p.m., and the setting was easily the strongest part of the experience. The indoor-outdoor layout works beautifully, especially with the clear patio barriers softening the breeze while preserving the waterfront feel. The food was good overall, with one dish clearly rising above the rest. The mushroom risotto was excellent: rich, deeply flavorful, and easily the most composed plate we ordered. The chicken sandwich was enjoyable, though more solid than memorable, with good fries alongside it. The ahi bowl had fresh, clean ingredients, but leaned too heavily on rice, which muted what could have been a brighter, more balanced dish. Dessert was simple but charming: ice cream with fire-roasted marshmallows. It was sweet, fun, and exactly the kind of finish that works for a birthday lunch. Service was pleasant but uneven. Our server was nice, though very soft-spoken and not as attentive as expected. The supporting staff were helpful, but the pacing dragged, and lunch stretched to about two and a half hours. For a birthday, that slower rhythm was not fatal, but sharper service would have elevated the whole afternoon. The boat ride afterward was a memorable touch. Seeing jellyfish in the water was genuinely cool, and the driver was friendly. Still, the ride felt too short, closer to a quick loop than a true harbor experience. Nigel's should consider offering a 30-minute upgrade option for guests who want to make more of it. Overall, Nigel's is a beautiful waterfront restaurant with a standout risotto, a lovely special-occasion atmosphere, and a few service and pacing details that keep it from being exceptional. I would come back for the setting, the risotto, and the chance to enjoy Long Beach from the water a little longer.

    Cute
    Marshay D.

    First time at Nigel's and it was just okay. The lovely aesthetics of the restaurant is very beautiful! I love the pink. We came here just to try the drinks since we had ate already. I had tried the pink lemon drop and just a glass of prosecco! The pink lemon drop was not sweet because I told them to not make it sweet. My friend and I ordered the fries and they were fresh and hot. The drinks and fries 4/5 for me. The service was 3/5 it took forever to get drinks over 30 minutes and I felt they should have accommodated us for the long wait times for the drinks. It's very chic inside and nice ambiance!! The Duffy boats rentals are cute and during the week you can get complimentary Duffy ride for 20 mins. It's a fun place may come back to get a drink. However, I feel the service can be better. -Marshay D.

    Gifty B.

    First, I'm always very happy when parking is easy. Yay, for parking. We got there early so my son and I had an opportunity to check the docking area and the boats out. The boat rental and Nigel's share a check-in area. It seems like you can rent a boat for free if you have a reservation but I could be wrong as the person describing the rules for the boats was talking fast and I had no intentions of renting a boat so I probably didn't listen well. We had a Mother's Day brunch scheduled at 2:30 and we were let in right away, which was good. The place is lovely for you to take a lot of pictures so even if you had to wait, you can spend the time taking lovely photos. I love when you go to a buffet because you don't have to wait to order and wait to get your food so we immediately went to get some goodies. I especially enjoyed the Nigel's chopped salad, the prime rib, the Thai chicken lollipop that was with the coconut lime rice, and the avocado toast. Everything was pretty good, but those were my favorites. For a drink, I had the non-alcoholic lily's spritz which was very yummy. The guava in it made you feel extra special. Our waitress was really good. My son loved her. All in all, a great place to hang out for Mother's Day.

    Edith P.

    This restaurant is everything that it looks ! Beautiful place picture ready from every angle .... Staff is really friendly and attentive. Now let's get into the food .... DELICIOUS. I was so impressed with how good the food was ... my steak was so tender and yummy. The drinks were strong and good. Prices are even better ... not expensive in my opinion. Specially for the location and ambiance. We also rested a boat on the dock and it was just an amazing overall experience. I would return and recommend!!!! Can't get enough

    Crab cakes
    S. J.

    The food was delish! The drinks were amazing! 5 The whole place was a vibe! The customer service was 9/20. The boat ride was really dope! Had reservations, sat right down, everything was really nice.

    Sharell T.

    I recently visited Nigel Restaurant to celebrate my friend's birthday, and unfortunately the experience was very disappointing from beginning to end. When we first arrived, my friend ordered a drink from the server, but it never came out. We noticed other drinks being served before hers, and then the server disappeared for quite a while. I understand places can get busy, but we didn't even get our food orders taken until we had to ask someone for assistance. Even after that, it took over 10 minutes for the server to finally come back to our table. While ordering, almost everything we asked for from the menu was "sold out" or unavailable, which was frustrating considering this was supposed to be a birthday celebration. Later in the evening, around closing time, we asked a gentleman cleaning a nearby table if they would still be able to sing Happy Birthday since it was mentioned during the reservation process. He kindly said it shouldn't be a problem. However, when we asked our server, she responded that she thought the birthday sign was locked away in a shed and said she would "see." At that point, we noticed a man who identified himself as the bar owner following another group of young women around and offering them shots. He personally walked the shots out to them on the patio. We attempted to get his attention to ask about the birthday sign, but he completely ignored us. Another gentleman, who appeared to be a manager, was also rude and dismissive when we asked for help. Neither of them made us feel valued as paying customers. Eventually, the server came back and said she found the birthday sign. But when it came time to sing Happy Birthday, it was only her singing alone, and she didn't even light up the sign. After all the waiting, confusion, and poor customer service throughout the night, the moment felt very last-minute and disappointing. Overall, the service was unprofessional, inattentive, and unwelcoming. What was supposed to be a special birthday celebration turned into a frustrating experience. I also have pictures from the evening to support my experience.

    Who gives 1/4 a strawberry?
    Alice H.

    Nigel continues to disappoint. This time, a friend spilled her drink on my partner's pants by accident. The server saw, immediately said I'll bring you napkins!.... and never came with said napkins. I had to ask for that twice. Table was never cleared immediately or properly- we were eating dessert on a cluttered table littered with dirty tableware at the end of 3 hrs. Not very fine dining. Also, no one came to take our bday girl's husband's order for 30 minutes. We had to go inside to locate a server to place his food order. Overall, while we were satisfied with our food, it was certainly not exceptional. Just edible and fine. But i did expect this - this is an IG spot, not some bastion of gastronomy, so whatever. So far - food 3/5 (if you ask my friends it's 1/5) and service was 2/5. I wanna clarify: I did like our server. He was extremely nice and friendly and sassy in a fun way. But... the problem isnt with him, its with management and the business. They are absolutely understaffed. I saw this poor man out of breath and stressed out almost the whole night. Why did we have to ask for every little thing 10 times? Maybe because he is overworked!!! I don't blame him. I blame the greedy ownership. Hire more people!!! So your poor waiter isn't dying in front of us, ans delivering us a subpar bday service experience that we absolutely don't blame him for!! Smh. I hate when restaurants are understaffed yet extremely popular. Do. Better. Pay your staff well and hire more people!! At the end, friend 1 decided to pay the bill and that she had enough of this lacking service. Large groups are supposed to pay 20% gratuity but the truth is we really didn't get a 20% level service. So friend 1 went inside to talk to the manager for a reduced service fee. The manager immediately had a bad attitude. She said that if we had all these problems we should bring it up to her immediately and earlier. F1 said: first of all, I let the servers know every time. I didn't know I had to run inside the restaurant every time to speak to YOU about problems. Also, considering the nonstop issues we had - if I had done that, I'd have never been able to sit down and even eat! Manager: fine we'll remove the mandatory 20%. F1: proceeds to write 10% M: immediately says no, you can't do that, we are back to mandatory 20. (Im sorry you cant flip flop on your words like that?) She proceeded to add that they had larger parties than us of 20 and 30+ people that night and they are all doing 20%. F1: okay good for them? I'm not sure why you having larger groups excuses our less than 10% level of gratuity service experience? M: I let you bring your dogs in! F1: ok? But you market yourself as dog friendly and your cabanas are outdoors so how is this supposed to be some sort of gift we have received? And not to mention.... one of the two dogs is a service dog anyways? M: continues to gaslight and blame my friend instead of just admitting we had a piss poor experience overall, they could do better, theyre sorry and will hire more people. Nope. She just develops an antagonistic, not customer service like attitude, and gaslight us for not coming to her directly for every single problem. How is that to be expected? You're supposed to tell just your server and they should handle it! You only bring in a manager if something severe happens! In the end my friend gave up; the manager wasn't trying to even own up for all their mistakes starting from 4 weeks ago to an absolutely poor bday dinner. The manager reduced 50% on one single risotto (even though we ordered like 7 risottos and 6 of them were undercooked). My friend paid 15% tip instead and we left. Only to find out, the restaurant had mischarged us anyways! They actually charged us $58 for "milagro blanco" - which is a drink we never had! Crazy. So we ended up overpaying either way. We called back since to get this $58 refunded since it's not something we even ordered - and again - not a single live person to be reached. So disappointed. I wanted to like this place. It does have very pink and cute decor. But is the decor worth the drama? No. There's a million other pink places to visit. Go there instead.

    Claudia M.

    Food was good Service was not... despite not being busy we waited 30 mins to be seated even though we had reservations at 7:30 and our waitress was amazing. Took 20 mins to get our food order but she was kind and quick once we got attended. It's beautiful inside that's what attracts people Lack of acknowledgment and waiters are the manager are not communicating with one another. Seems very scattered. I think the manager, he's tall and slim, not very friendly. I don't know how he's the manager. He got frustrated with my friend for not giving him the used plate right away. That hand gesture was not ok.

    Deviled eggs, charcuterie, fries
    Mariness D.

    What a perfect place for a girls outing, with their floral and pink decor. The details go beyond the glass chandeliers and velvet tufted chairs, onto the seahorse napkin holders, pink themed drinks, and pink ceramic plates. It's right at the water so almost every booth table has a water view. Plus you can also take the Duffy boat out. Ambiance is a 9/10. The only reason why it's not a 10 is because some of the decor is now faded from the sun. Our server was amazing! I think her name is Fallon. Her friendly and welcoming energy was infectious. I was ready to tell her to join our table and have lunch with us instead. We had appetizers that were great, like the deviled eggs that were of course pink, and they were as good as it looked. The charcuterie board was mid and a bit underwhelming. The fries, were good, but it was a very small portion, especially for the price. I had the lobster grilled cheese and tomato bisque - a perfect pairing. I also appreciated that it came with a lot of lobster in the sandwich. The food, though mostly good, was just not that memorable. Another plus is there's plenty of parking, at the plaza or underground which is only steps away from the host stand. Overall, the place definitely has the bunch babe vibes, and a great spot to hang out with the girlies.

    Gary D.

    What an amazing experience. Such a vibe here. Enjoyed a Sunday brunch here for my wife's birthday. Was greeted by the manager who sat us and was very accommodating and friendly. Our server ,Phalon was very attentive and nice. Food was good. Had the Chilequiles, Breakfast Sando, Monte Christo, Breakfast bowl, and the Avocado tower. Everything was well seasoned , fresh, and tasted great. Restaurant was clean, staff was great and we were served quickly. Highly recommend.

    Bday girl!
    Jay A.

    Such a lil gem of a place. I had my reservations but definitely came away delighted. Good food and amazing service are the culprits, and I could not be happier. We went here yesterday for my Mom's Birthday, and she loved every minute of it. From the pink decor to the Easter greeters, everything was wonderful. We also met the super talented violinist. I know she just started but I'm glad we were able to experience her talent. She's such a fantastic addition. We ended up ordering a few brunch dishes. Prices were decent. Think the only one we were surprised by was the the 59 dollar breakfast steak and eggs. While good I don't think it was anything spectacular to write home about. Chicken and pink waffles were tasty as well as the lobster benedict. If anything, the star for us were the drinks. All in all, a great experience. We would love to come back for dinner. The menu looked a bit more robust. Hope it was just as beautiful as our brunch experience. Prost!

    Chandra H.

    Customer service was excellent. I love the decor. Everything is in pink and white. It's a cool concept by the water. We had such a good time. The drinks were really good. Especially the mojitos which were very refreshing and the lemon drops that were so tasty. The food was disappointing. The food looked appetizing but lacked seasoning. Everyone asked for salt, pepper and anything else they had to improve the flavor. I ordered the avocado toast on sourdough with bean sprouts and bacon. The sourdough toast was so hard it was extremely difficult to cut. I had to ask for a sharper knife and it was still hard to cut. It was a fun experience but the food was lacking.

    Shamara B.

    Very cute ambiance! The restaurant is so cute. Good customer service. Good drinks. Good food. The food and drinks can be a little pricy. Excellent photo ops. Overall good experience.

    Champagne bar at one entrance.

    See all

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 50
    Thanks 20
    Love this 43
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Dawn D.
    108
    60
    8

    9 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Lisa K.
    183
    56
    82

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Mj S.
    64
    82
    478

    3 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 5
    Oh no 1

    9 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 4
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 2

    9 months ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    2 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sean P.
    348
    21
    2

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 1
    Photo of Emily M.
    49
    45
    51

    4 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Chris G.
    1571
    2182
    4858

    5 months ago

    Helpful 15
    Thanks 7
    Love this 13
    Oh no 1

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jeff H.
    149
    159
    48

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ashley A.
    18
    105
    19

    19 days ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 9
    Thanks 3
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 month ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    6 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    Page 3 of 12

    Ask the Community - Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant

    Is the outdoor seating dog friendly?

    Yes, our patio is dog-friendly! We welcome well-behaved dogs, but we do ask that they remain on the floor (not on furniture) and are kept under control so they don’t disturb other guests.

    Does the cabana seating option have access to a full lunch menu or just appetizers?

    You’re welcome to order from the full food and drink menu served at the cabanas.

    Is this place kid-friendly or is it 21 over?

    Hi we are celebrating my daughters birthday there on Saturday, can I take a small birthday cake?

    Yes you can take a cake , they will keep it for you until your ready for it .

    I've been trying to see if it's possible to make a reservation for 6 without booking a cabana. Wondering if would it be easier to just do a walk in and how long is the wait?

    Hello! Sure you’re always welcome to walk in. Wait times would really vary based on the day and time of arrival. We have many tables that seat 6 in our main dining area that wouldn’t require a cabana. Cabanas are typically comfortable for a group of… Read more

    Hi do I need to make reservations on a Friday early afternoon for 2? And can could we get a complimentary boat ride after?

    We do accept walkins. And yes this month in January, our complimentary boat rides are for Wednesday thru Friday.

    I just saw a tiktok that said you get a free boat ride during the week for lunch. Is this true?

    Yes we offer a complimentary boat ride on Wed-Fri during lunch . After your meal, let your server know you’d like to take the complimentary boat ride and they’ll direct you where to go.

    Does this restaurant have a bottomless mimosa brunch?

    We do not have bottomless mimosas. Drinks are ordered by the glass or bottle

    Can a wheelchair bound person still access the Duffy boats?

    The Duffy boats are rented through Anchors Away Boat Rental. A wheelchair can be wheeled down the dock ramp next to the boat. A Duffy boat does not have a flat surface to wheel a chair onto. Please reach out to Anchors Away to see how they might be… Read more

    Mom uses a walker, will you accommodate her? Handicap parking? Is it far to walk to?

    Hi Sarah, to answer the parking question. There is underground parking which has direct access at Nigel's and I think they offer a valet that will let you out right on the carpet. I believe there are a couple handicap parking spots.… Read more

    Will you take walk-in reservations?

    Yes of course!

    How is parking there?

    Parking is super easy. You can easily park in the parking lot by Nordstrom's or Ralph's and walk down the stairs to Nigel's, OR better yet if there is available parking, you can go underground and I believe they will have valet parking. Also there… Read more

    View All 15 Questions

    You might also consider

    Ubuntu Café - Tostada bites, one vegetarian, the other with tuna tartare

    Ubuntu Café

    4.4(1.1k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$

    I rarely find a good brunch spot but this place was different. They're so accommodating with…read morerecommendations and they put blankets out since it was a pretty windy day. I really enjoyed the thoughtfulness and atmosphere of the place. It is super cute and cozy in a little neighborhood next to the park. The food here was delicious as well! We got the short rib chilaquiles and the salmon bowl as our entree and we loved the short rib. The salmon bowl was decent, it tasted like a healthy salmon bowl if that's what you're looking for, but I would want to get their ahi next time. I also really enjoyed their french toast latte and the tomato bisque was delicious to warm us up since it was so windy. They also gave complimentary free cheese bread since it was our first time. I would definitely come back!!

    My friend found this place. We came here for the first time today, and we loved it!…read more Food: She had the salmon eggs Benedict. It has a whipped hollandaise sauce that my friend said was delicious and paired well with the salmon. I had the breakfast sandwich and liked that the bacon had the perfect amount of crispy. The Brazilian cheese bread app/side was incredible! I took a couple of pastries to go for my husband and son. They loved them! My iced americano tasted crisp and refreshing. Service: The staff was so lovely with helpful recommendations about the menu. Ambiance: There is a little bit of indoor seating, but it's mostly outdoor, covered/shaded seating. There is a large parking lot, which was empty when I arrived at 8am, but it was full by the time we finished around 10am. It looked like there was neighborhood parking though. I felt the meal was good enough to walk a bit if there hadn't been parking. I'll definitely be back with my family.

    Photos
    Ubuntu Café - Table centerpiece

    Table centerpiece

    Ubuntu Café - The fantastic marinated spicy short ribs

    The fantastic marinated spicy short ribs

    Ubuntu Café - Photo of the café sign

    See all

    Photo of the café sign

    Caffe Luxxe

    Caffe Luxxe

    4.0(298 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$
    Family-owned & operated
    15 years in business

    True to its name, Caffe Luxxe is a luxury. Tasty but expensive!…read more This LA based cafe sits on the backside of 2nd & PCH. Luckily this means that parking is always a breeze with their large marina-side parking lot. I ordered the Honey Latte and an almond croissant. This is one of the best croissants that I've had from a local coffee shop. It was both flakey and chewy, and stuffed with the most delicious almond paste. While the drink was great, I felt that it was on the smaller side for the price tag. Especially with the cold foam topper. Sadly, due to its size and my lack of self restraint, this beverage was gone in seconds.

    I attempted to order a double espresso this afternoon and the barista who was helping me was kind…read moreand professional throughout this interchange. My review is not about her, but about the "store policy." I was told the shots would be ristretto, which is not my preference, so I responded with "I'd like about 3 ounces" and was told that it wasn't going to be that. I've learned when having these conversations, it's important to skip the labels of ristretto, espresso, and lungo and just say the outcome you want. I was then told, "It's not going to be that much," and then I asked if they could simply draw it long. The response I got told me all I needed to know: "We're not supposed to. It can dilute the flavor." I told them that I didn't want it and ordered a blueberry muffin to eat with my friends while they had their coffee. If you are an espresso drinker and you don't like it ristretto, this is not the cafe for you. I think this is a really weird hill to die on for a place that claims to serve high end coffee.

    Photos
    Caffe Luxxe
    Caffe Luxxe
    Caffe Luxxe

    See all

    Nigel's Waterfront Restaurant - bars - Updated May 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...