Families, dates, solo diners and beer nerds are lining up nearly every day to experience Mooney’s Pizza Tavern, a new Long Beach restaurant that’s big on nostalgia and Midwest comfort.
The pizzas come large and piping hot, there are vintage arcade games to play in the waiting area, and for dessert, there’s house-made frozen custard.
“I grew up going to dine-in pizza places and loved it,” said owner Hal Mooney. “All of my family memories growing up are going out to eat. I’m not trying to be anything other than what I ate growing up and still love to this day. … [Mooney’s] is warm, and nostalgic to no specific era.”
The Central Illinois native wanted to incorporate a number of tavern stalwarts, including squeakers — or fried cheese curds — imported from Wisconsin. He’s also offering buttermilk-brined chicken wings, four-meat meatballs, a classic cheeseburger, salads (which can be ordered “family size”), a range of house-made dips and dressings, and frozen custard in two constantly rotating flavors…