Gaucho Beach

Although it's technically a restaurant, we mostly just go to Gaucho Beach for drinks. The view from their casual rooftop terrace overlooking Alamitos Beach could make a lifeguard jealous, and we’re big fans of the margarita flight, which comes with four full-sized cocktails you can share with a group before walking along the seaside bike path. If you want to eat here, the crispy calamari is decent, and the beef in the lomo saltado disintegrates in your mouth like a wax figure in a sauna. Other than that, Gaucho's Latin food tastes pretty bland, so stick to the drinks. This bi-level beach shack doesn’t accept reservations, but we’ve never had a problem snagging a table on a weekend afternoon. Keep it in mind for day drinking with friends or that one chronically stressed roommate who really needs to get out of the house.