A new whiskey lounge is coming to Belmont Shore
Angel's Share Whiskey Lounge and Beer Bar will take over the LB Tap House space and host a grand opening on June 6.
After five years of operation in the heart of Belmont Shore’s Second Street, LB Tap House announced Wednesday that they would not renew their lease. The tap house will be replaced by Angel’s Share Whiskey Lounge and Beer Bar set to open later this month.
Construction for a quick turnover has already begun and owner Jack Walls hopes to have the space ready for a soft opening by May 24, with a grand opening anticipated for June 6. Hours are expected to be 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
“It will be an elevated dining and cocktail experience in an intimate setting,” Walls said.
The lounge will have a dinner menu including both small and large plates for sharing curated by Chef Melissa Ramsay, Long Beach Grocery co-op President and owner of Fresh off the Yacht catering and pop-up.
Bar director and mixologist Richard Nuon, a Long Beach native, will head up the lounge’s whiskey and beer program.
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The lounge will keep LB Tap House’s 32 taps, but feature more unique brews, Walls said.
“For example, Modelo, which everyone in Long Beach loves, we’ll have that in a can, but we’ll have a draft from Tripping Animals that’s basically a Modelo, but it has a higher ABV and higher-quality taste,” Walls said. “We’ll sell it on draft what other places will sell Modelo for.”
It almost goes without saying, but Angel’s Share will, of course, have a large whiskey menu. It will include everything from Japanese whiskey to Irish whiskey to American bourbon, Walls said.
“[Nuon] has some of the best whiskey knowledge I’ve ever seen,” Walls said.
The lounge’s name is an ode to a common saying in distilleries. When whiskey evaporates during the aging process, it’s called the “angel’s share.”
“It’s something I feel like Long Beach doesn’t have,” Walls said. “There’s a ton of college bars, sports bars, but there’s nothing like this.”
The lounge plans to implement a membership program priced around $34.99 per month which includes a free gift each month, 10% discounts all the time, discounts on beer flights and whiskey flights, and more. Members will also get first dibs on trying new bottles being opened and a discount on future chef series dinners, Walls said.
“We’ll have such a variety of whiskey we wanted to offer people the chance to come back and try different whiskeys and learn more about whiskey,” Walls said.
For those that don’t know much about whiskey, Walls said the lounge will maintain a fun atmosphere and bartenders will be able to guide people to what they may like. And although the lounge will be whiskey-forward, it will offer something for everyone.
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“We’re going to have affordable drinks, we’ll have cocktails with gin, cocktails with all kinds of things that I feel people will enjoy,” Walls said.
He also hopes to collaborate with other local businesses and bring together different vendors and artists to foster a local space centered around community.
Walls co-owns the bar with his wife, Amy Wu. The couple have lived in Southern California for the past decade, moving from North Carolina because of Wu’s job.
“Second Street has always been fascinating to me,” Walls said. “I had looked at something on Pine Avenue a while ago because I’ve always wanted to do something in Long Beach. This just seemed like the perfect opportunity.”
The location will be open sporadically during construction with discounted drinks as Walls tries to clear the previous tap house’s inventory before bringing in a new stock of spirits.
“We are excited to share this incredible concept with the Long Beach community,” Walls said.
Angel’s Share Whiskey Lounge and Beer Bar is at 5110 E. Second Street. For updates follow their Instagram account.
Editor’s note: this story has been updated with the correct spelling of Jack Walls’ name.
