Schooner or Later

The overview

The Mess on the marina

Schooner or Later is a Long Beach breakfast institution on the marina, a bustling patio café overlooking the boats where locals line up for oversized morning plates. Its famous 'The Mess' — eggs, potatoes, cheese, and the works piled high — earned a spot on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.

Open early with a full bar and marina views, Schooner or Later has been the Long Beach waterfront's go-to weekend breakfast for decades.

The public record

What reviewers already knew.

A Centurion Award doesn’t replace the public record — it verifies it. Read it for yourself, on the platforms where it lives.

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Reviews, photos & directions Read reviews →

Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.

The verification

Why this business cleared the bar.

Selection is by the published criteria, evaluated on public evidence. Schooner or Later cleared every one.

✓Years in operation. A long-established Long Beach operator with a multi-year track record.
✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Long Beach.
✓Established customer track record. A deep, sustained public track record across years of operation.
✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Long Beach regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
✓Recognition in the local community. Named best waterfront breakfast in Long Beach for 2025 for decades of marina-side breakfasts and its famous scramble, The Mess.

The full verification report — the specific data behind this award — is held by the business. The exact thresholds stay internal so the bar can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.

Award record

2025

Best Waterfront Breakfast in Long Beach Long Beach, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluation

All awards for Schooner or Later →

Visit Schooner or Later

Websiteschoonerorlater.com ↗

Location241 N Marina Dr, Long Beach, CA 90803

Find them onFacebook · Instagram · Tripadvisor · Yelp

Facts at a glance

The sourceable record.

Clean, checkable facts about Schooner or Later — for readers, search engines, and answer tools alike.

Legal / trading name: Schooner or Later
Category: Restaurant
Location: Long Beach, CA
Centurion Award: Best Waterfront Breakfast in Long Beach — 2025
Record last verified: July 2026

A signal you can check.

This is a dated award record, published by The Centurion Awards after Schooner or Later cleared the 2025 evaluation for its market and category. It was not bought, voted on, or sponsored — the criteria are public, only winners are published, and an award that stops holding up is revoked, not quietly removed. Awards run one calendar year and renew only if the business clears the bar again. For everything else — hours, bookings, live reviews — go straight to the business itself.

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions.

What is Schooner or Later?

A longtime fixture on Alamitos Bay, Schooner or Later serves its famous Mess to a dockside crowd that has made it a weekend tradition for decades.

Is Schooner or Later award-winning?

Yes — Schooner or Later is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Waterfront Breakfast in Long Beach, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best waterfront breakfast in Long Beach for 2025 for decades of marina-side breakfasts and its famous scramble, The Mess.

Where is Schooner or Later?

Schooner or Later is in Long Beach, CA.