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Lead Staff

Andrew & Peter Loucas
Owners

Daniel Heaney, C.I.A.
Executive Chef

historic diner

serving long beach since

1932
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The Laurel Diner, once neighbor to the old Laurel Theater, has been serving the public for nearly 90 years (since 1932 to be exact). It is a place that many Long Beach locals frequent on a weekly, daily or even hourly basis, making it the unofficial (but acknowledged) institution of Long Beach.

Some remember the Laurel as The Laurel Luncheonette - the place they bought their candy and soda from before their movie. For others, it was a place they took their date to share a banana split and a wing-ding. And for others still, it was their shelter from the weather when awaiting the bus. But mostly, the Laurel was the spot where generations of families ritually had their weekend breakfast. It is a place where families came for a home cooked meal served by a friendly staff, at reasonable prices.

Although the Laurel may be a place of old memories, it continues to be a place that makes new ones. With a more diversified menu, talented personnel, top-grade ingredients such as choice meats from Pat LaFrieda Meat Purveyors (ranked best in the country), antibiotic free Bell & Evans whole chickens, locally baked bread, farm fresh eggs from Sauder Farms of Pennsylvania and the freshest produce directly from Hunts Point Market, the Laurel is the go to spot for great fare. But if you don’t want to take our word for it, check out some of our awards and reviews down below. Better yet, if you’re in town, drop in and see first hand why locals and “snow-birds” love the Laurel.

HISTORY

The Laurel Diner: A Long Beach Legacy

Chapter 1: The Birth of a Landmark (1932)

In the early days of 1932, a new centerpiece rose on Laurelton Boulevard and West Park Avenue: the Laurel Theater. Conceived by developers Rugoff and Becker, the theater was an ambitious project for Long Beach, built at a cost of $425,000 and designed to seat 2,000 patrons. Measuring 180 by 100 feet and equipped with a $75,000 cooling system—on par with those found in New York City’s Paramount and Roxy theaters—it brought big-city luxury to the seaside town.

Tucked into the theater’s southwest corner was the Laurel Luncheonette. A small counter-service shop offering candy, ice cream, and soda, it quickly became a go-to stop for patrons before or after a show. Though little is known about its original owners, it became part of the neighborhood’s fabric. This modest space would later become one of Long Beach’s most enduring establishments: the Laurel Luncheonette.

Chapter 2: From Counter to Community Cornerstone (1952–1978)

In 1952, Herman and Rickey Pine took ownership of the Laurel Luncheonette. Under their care, it evolved from a movie concession into a trusted local eatery. For 26 years, they served generations of Long Beach families with warmth, reliability, and a sense of community. The luncheonette became a place where neighbors gathered—not just to eat, but to connect.

In 1978, Bonnie and Phil Silberman took over, continuing the tradition and maintaining the diner’s role as a community fixture. For more than a decade, they upheld its charm and consistency.

Chapter 3: The Theater Falls, the Luncheonette Stands (1989–2006)

In 1989, new owners Gus Panayiotakis, his wife, and business partner John Sakellis stepped in to preserve the luncheonette’s legacy. For 17 years, they sustained its classic feel while adapting to a changing town.

Yet during their tenure, the once-grand Laurel Theater—already showing signs of age—reached its final act. After decades of neglect, the building was deemed unsalvageable. It was eventually demolished and replaced by a CVS. The community mourned the loss deeply. For many, the theater wasn’t just a building; it was a vault of memories—of school graduations, first dates, and family outings.

Billy Crystal, who grew up in Long Beach, captured that spirit in his Broadway show 700 Sundays, reminiscing about his first kiss in the Laurel Theater balcony. Years later, he returned to the diner, signed a photo, and noted his old favorite: a vanilla shake and a burger.

Chapter 4: A Family Embraces the Past (2006–2014)

In 2006, the Laurel Luncheonette entered a new chapter when the Loucas family—Andrew, Peter, and their father Chris—took over. Their mission wasn’t just to run a diner. It was to preserve its history. Customers constantly shared memories of the old theater and its adjoining luncheonette, reinforcing just how intertwined they had once been.

By 2014, after years of enduring multiple floods, a fire, and general aging, the Loucas family decided it was time for a complete renovation. The project was an enormous undertaking—nearly $1 million—but the goal wasn’t to modernize. It was to honor the past.

They hired Morris Nathanson Design, a Rhode Island firm known for its work on historic and themed hospitality projects, including Disneyland Resorts and BB King’s Jazz Club. The Loucas family’s directive was simple: keep the soul of the place intact.

Chapter 5: The Name Change—and What It Meant

As part of the renovation, the family also made a significant branding decision. The name Laurel Luncheonette, while nostalgic, had begun to limit customer perceptions. Too many assumed the business only served breakfast and lunch.

To better reflect their expanded menu while still maintaining a vintage tone, the Loucas family rebranded it as Laurel Diner. The word “diner” captured the classic Americana feel they wanted to preserve—something far more timeless than “café” or “restaurant.” It was a respectful nod to the mid-century diners that defined neighborhood culture across the country.

Chapter 6: Rebuilding the Laurel (2014)

The renovation brought new life to the space, but it also reconnected the diner to its roots. The exterior design paid homage to the theater’s Art Deco origins, incorporating geometric shapes, bold colors, and sleek lines. A 12-foot vertical blade sign, modeled after the one that once stood above the Laurel Theater, now rises above the diner. The original yellow brick facade remains partially exposed, tying the structure to its origins.

Inside, capacity expanded from 72 to 83 seats. The front door was relocated, interior walls were opened up, and the kitchen and bathrooms were moved for better efficiency. Mint green accents, dark wood panels, mosaic tile flooring, and LED lighting in ceiling contours gave the space a warm, nostalgic glow.

Photographs of the original diner and theater—along with Billy Crystal’s signed image—now line the walls, keeping the past ever-present.

Throughout the process, the Loucas family worked closely with customers to ensure the diner remained what it had always been: cozy, familiar, and personal. “Don’t lose the feeling,” they were told. And they didn’t.

Chapter 7: Making New History (2014–2025)

Today, the Laurel Diner remains one of Long Beach’s most beloved gathering places. Brothers Peter and Andrew Loucas, now 19 years into ownership, continue to serve up the same comfort food and community spirit that have defined the diner for generations. From burgers and vanilla shakes to neighborhood conversations over coffee, the Laurel stays grounded in tradition—even as it embraces new chapters.

In recent years, the diner has become a familiar backdrop on screen. It has appeared in local and national news broadcasts, often featured during major weather events and human-interest stories. Its authentic charm has drawn in filmmakers as well, serving as the setting for multiple independent films.

In 2025, the Laurel reached its largest audience yet—featured in two episodes of Season 5 of Netflix’s You, which debuted that spring. Fans of the show saw Joe Goldberg standing where generations of locals have gathered. For the Loucas family and the community, it was a moment of pride—and something of a full-circle twist. After all, the Laurel began its life as part of a movie theater.

Epilogue: A Place That Remembers

From a refreshment stand inside a grand theater to a landmark diner with a screen presence of its own, the Laurel has never lost its identity.

Perhaps it’s kismet that it found its way back into the spotlight. Born of a movie house, it now lives on in film, television, and the memories of everyone who walks through its doors.

The Laurel Diner is more than a business. It’s a living archive of Long Beach history—where the past isn’t just remembered, it’s still being written.