May 17, 2026 · Updated May 17, 2026
The boardwalk is getting its biggest new tenant in years as Tulum Tacos & Tequila prepares to open a 5,800-square-foot location — and the city just made it easier to pour drinks along the water.
Long Beach is getting a significant addition to its boardwalk dining lineup this summer. The 2.2-mile boardwalk has drawn crowds for generations, but its restaurant scene has trailed its reputation as a beach destination. That is starting to change, and 2026 marks what may be the strongest wave of new openings the City by the Sea has seen in years.
The most anticipated opening of the summer is Tulum Tacos & Tequila, which is taking a 5,800 square foot space at B2K Development's mixed-use project on the Long Beach Boardwalk. According to RIPCO Real Estate, which brokered the deal, this will be the brand's second Long Island location and its largest to date — significantly bigger than its Mineola original.
Tulum Tacos & Tequila describes itself as a bohemian-chic Mexican restaurant with an emphasis on fresh, locally sourced, seasonal ingredients and a menu of modern Mexican cuisine with a New York edge. The Long Beach outpost will include a takeout counter alongside a full dining room and a Mexican-style steakhouse component. With 5,800 square feet on the boardwalk — and a name built around a bar program — this is designed to be a destination, not just a place to grab food between swims.
The restaurant applied for a State Liquor Authority license for the location in 2025, and its arrival is one of the factors that prompted the Long Beach City Council to take up the question of boardwalk alcohol access earlier this spring.
In April 2026, the Long Beach City Council voted to expand where alcohol can be sold on the boardwalk, according to reporting by the Herald Community Newspapers and Hoodline. The previous rules restricted outdoor alcohol sales in ways that limited the type of hospitality tenants the boardwalk could attract. The ordinance change was driven in part by the pipeline of new tenants and their liquor license applications. It signals a deliberate policy shift: Long Beach is trying to build out its food and beverage offering along the boardwalk in a way that keeps visitors there longer and supports year-round commercial activity.
Not directly in Long Beach, but worth knowing for South Shore regulars: SALT on the Water — the Merrick waterfront restaurant known for its boat-friendly setup, seafood-focused menu, and waterside atmosphere — is opening a second Long Island location in East Moriches this summer. Greater Long Island reported the new spot is targeting a late June opening ahead of the Fourth of July. For Long Beach-area residents who make day trips east along the South Shore, it adds another waterfront destination in a stretch that does not have many.
Beyond new openings, Long Beach's existing seasonal operations are returning for 2026. City beachfront concessions, which run from the bathhouses at the eastern end of the boardwalk through the main stretch near National Boulevard, are opening for Memorial Day weekend. Seasonal beach rental operators and food kiosks will be back in their usual spots.
The Long Beach boardwalk has been in a slow but steady rebuild since Hurricane Sandy in 2012. The Superblock development where Tulum Tacos & Tequila is opening represents one of the more significant new construction projects in the city in years. B2K's mixed-use building adds commercial square footage that the boardwalk corridor has needed, and if the summer traffic holds, 2026 could be the year Long Beach finally feels like it has fully arrived as a dining destination — not just a beach town.
For Nassau County day-trippers and South Shore regulars, Long Beach is accessible by car via the Loop Parkway from the Southern State Parkway. With the LIRR on strike this weekend, driving is the practical option — but for summer weekday trips, the Long Beach LIRR station puts you within a short walk of the boardwalk.
For the latest on what is opening, Greater Long Island's restaurant tracker at greaterlongisland.com is the most consistently updated source for Long Island restaurant news.
