If you're trying to decide whether The 4th Horseman in Downtown Long Beach is worth visiting, my short answer is yes—especially if you like places with an actual personality.

It's dark. Skeletons are hanging around the room. Giant industrial pipes cut across the ceiling. Red lights glow from chandeliers overhead. The refrigerators are covered in stickers and packed with drinks. Metal and rock feel completely natural here. There are arcade games and a pool table in the back, horror imagery everywhere, and usually something on television that makes me stop mid-conversation and wonder what exactly I'm watching.

Then there is the pizza.

And the drinks.

And somehow, during my latest visit with my brother, live blues and jazz.

I've been to The 4th Horseman multiple times now. I've come here just to hang out, I've watched a comedy show here, and on August 30, 2026, my brother and I ended up sitting beneath red lights and skeletons while musicians performed a blues-and-jazz set in front of a room where a good chunk of the crowd was dressed in black.

That is such a strangely specific Downtown Long Beach experience.

And I love it.

My Quick Take on The 4th Horseman

The 4th Horseman is located at 121 W. 4th Street in Downtown Long Beach and is always 21+. Its official website currently lists hours of noon to 11 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and noon to midnight Friday and Saturday. The kitchen closes one hour before the bar, while slices remain available through last call.

I Don't Want to Review Long Beach Like a Tourist Checklist

One thing I've realized since moving here is that I don't really want to experience Long Beach by collecting destinations.

I want places to become part of my life.

I've written before about how businesses eventually stop feeling like pins on Google Maps and start becoming memories. You return somewhere. You recognize the street. A random conversation turns into a friendship. Eventually you're not just visiting a city anymore—you are actually living in it.

That's the philosophy behind my guide to things to do in Downtown Long Beach, and it's the reason I approach The 4th Horseman differently from a generic travel writer who walked in once, photographed a skeleton and left.

I've actually returned.

That matters to me.

The same thing happened with restaurants like Sura Korean BBQ & Tofu House. Eventually a restaurant isn't content anymore. It's the place where you already know what you're ordering before you leave home.

The 4th Horseman is starting to occupy that kind of space for me, except instead of Extra Spicy tofu soup, this memory involves pizza, beer refrigerators, arcade machines and demonic artwork.

So, Is The 4th Horseman Long Beach Worth Visiting?

Yes. I think The 4th Horseman is worth visiting if you want pizza and drinks somewhere that feels genuinely different from the standard Downtown Long Beach bar or restaurant.

I wouldn't recommend it because it checks a trendy “goth bar” box.

I'd recommend it because the entire experience feels coherent.

The food makes sense with the beer. The beer makes sense with the metal. The metal makes sense with the horror art. The horror art makes sense with the movies. The movies make sense with the crowd.

Nothing feels randomly attached.

That's what makes it memorable.

The Vibe Is Goth, Grunge, Punk, Emo and Very Long Beach

I understand why people search for goth bars in Long Beach and end up looking at The 4th Horseman.

The connection is obvious.

But I don't think “goth bar” completely describes it.

There is goth energy, but also metal, punk, horror, grunge, old-school dive-bar weirdness and a little bit of emo darkness. There's enough humor running through everything that the room never becomes overly serious about itself.

The interior has had that identity from the beginning. When the business opened in late 2018 inside Downtown Long Beach's historic Walker Building, Eater reported that the space already featured its giant red chandelier, dim lighting, obscure horror imagery, vintage finds, arcade games and a beer selection that could run roughly 60 to 70 deep.

Years later, it doesn't feel like someone forgot to take the Halloween decorations down.

It feels layered.

That's different.

Black Is Basically the Unofficial Color Palette

There isn't a dress code.

But based on my visits, a good chunk of the crowd tends to wear black.

Black tees, band shirts, dark denim, boots, tattoos, punk-inspired outfits, goth looks, alternative fashion. Sometimes I look around and realize the crowd almost blends into the decor.

I mean that affectionately.

What I also appreciate is that the environment doesn't feel exclusive.

You do not need to pass some underground subculture test before somebody lets you order a slice of pizza.

Come dressed normally and nobody cares.

Come dressed like you're about to headline a metal band and you'll probably look extremely on-theme.

That openness reminds me of something I've written about elsewhere in Long Beach: people here seem unusually comfortable expressing themselves. I felt it intensely during my first Long Beach Pride experience, where the fashion, music and people all reinforced how naturally creativity and individuality seem to exist throughout this city.

The 4th Horseman feels like another version of that.

Darker, obviously.

Much darker.

What Does The 4th Horseman Actually Feel Like in Person?

Photos show the skeletons and red lighting, but what they don't completely communicate is how much is happening around you at once.

People are talking over pizza. Music is playing. Someone is ordering at the bar. Arcade screens are glowing farther back. Something bizarre is happening on television. You look above you and there are giant industrial pipes. You look behind you and discover another painting or skeleton you somehow missed twenty minutes earlier.

As someone who creates visual content, I notice environments like this immediately.

A lot of restaurants have one wall designed for Instagram.

The 4th Horseman has an entire room worth looking at.

It has texture.

My best description is curated chaos.

There is too much happening for it to feel minimalist, but enough consistency for it to feel intentional.

The Branding Works Because It Doesn't Feel Like Branding

This might be the most interesting part of The 4th Horseman to me from a media and marketing perspective.

Modern businesses understand the commercial value of having an aesthetic. That has created an entire generation of restaurants that look amazing in one photograph but feel strangely empty once you're physically inside them.

You know the formula.

Concrete. A plant. A neon quote. Neutral furniture. One dramatic bathroom mirror. A playlist assembled to communicate exactly the correct amount of cool.

The 4th Horseman doesn't feel like somebody started with the question:

What aesthetic will perform well on social media?

It feels like the people behind it genuinely like horror movies, metal, weird art, pizza and arcade games—and then built a business around those interests.

That's a much stronger form of branding because the identity feels lived rather than applied.

Eater's deeper profile of the restaurant documented how horror cinema, taxidermy, sci-fi imagery, local art, indie beer culture and the owners' creative interests all became interconnected parts of the space.

That's why the room avoids feeling corny to me.

It's not cosplay.

The Dark Art Emporium Connection Explains a Lot

There's also an actual art history behind the aesthetic.

For years, Dark Art Emporium occupied an adjoining space connected to The 4th Horseman, creating a relationship between the restaurant and Long Beach's macabre and outsider-art scene.

In 2024, Dark Art Emporium moved into a new East Village Arts District location, allowing The 4th Horseman to expand into its former space.

That expansion was substantial.

The restaurant doubled its occupancy and added new murals, more seating, a pool table and additional arcade games, including House of the Dead and Cruis'n USA.

Knowing that history makes the interior more interesting.

The art isn't simply decoration.

It's part of the lineage of the place.

The 4th Horseman Also Fits Fourth Street Really Well

I've written about Fourth Street before in my Fatima's Grill Long Beach review, and one of the things I like about this part of the city is that it already has a strong personality.

Independent businesses, food, vintage shops, art and people who don't all look or act exactly the same coexist without everything needing to fit into one neat category.

The 4th Horseman makes sense here.

Actually, I'm not sure it would feel as right somewhere overly polished.

Fourth Street can handle a skeleton pizza bar.

The Pizza Is Actually Really Good

This is important because a restaurant this visually interesting could theoretically survive for a while on novelty alone.

People would visit once.

Take photos.

Post the chandelier.

Tag the skeleton.

Leave.

But I genuinely like the pizza.

And The 4th Horseman's reputation as a pizzeria extends well beyond the theme. Eater has included it among Long Beach pizza recommendations and has highlighted its experimental California-style pies alongside the more familiar options.

The current menu is exactly as chaotic as you would expect.

There's Slasher, the straightforward pepperoni pie. Death to Piggy piles on pepperoni, house-made Italian sausage and bacon. Rosemary's Baby combines Italian sausage with balsamic mushrooms. Then there's Hellfire, made with habanero, jalapeño and Apocalyptic Sauce arranged into a pentagram and very clearly labeled XXX HOT.

Of course it is.

I wouldn't expect restraint from a pizza named Hellfire.

The Vegan Options Are Better Than an Afterthought

Another thing that makes the menu work well for groups is the number of dedicated vegan pizzas.

The current menu includes options such as Vegan Slasher, Vegan Piggy, Vegan Pale Horse, Vegan Rosie, Vegan Red Horse, Frailty and The Vampire Slayer, using ingredients including vegan mozzarella, house-made vegan sausage and vegan pepperoni.

I appreciate that.

If you're going out with a mixed group of friends, the vegan person doesn't have to receive the culinary punishment of watching everyone else eat interesting food while they stare at vegetables with no cheese.

The vegan pizzas still feel like The 4th Horseman pizzas.

Pizza and Drinks With Friends Is How I Would Do It

I think this is the best way to experience the place.

Come with friends, order pizza for the table, get drinks and stay for a while.

There are restaurants where I want an extremely technical food experience. I want to think about ingredients, technique and whether somebody fermented something for 72 hours.

The 4th Horseman isn't that kind of night for me.

I want pizza.

I want a drink.

I want music.

I want my friends there.

Then I want to go play an arcade game afterward.

That's the experience.

And that's also consistent with how I've started experiencing Long Beach in general. In my writing about why moving to Downtown Long Beach changed my life, I talked about how much more I started saying yes—to events, walks, conversations, going out and letting the city surprise me.

A random afternoon at The 4th Horseman becoming a live music show is exactly what I mean.

The Drink Selection Has Always Been Part of the Experience

The refrigerators are honestly one of my favorite visual details.

Rows of colorful cans sit behind sticker-covered glass doors, and even choosing a drink feels connected to the visual chaos of the room.

Beer has been central to The 4th Horseman since it opened. Eater reported that the original bar could stock roughly 60 to 70 beers at a time, with particular attention to local craft breweries.

But the drink program is much broader now.

The 4th Horseman Became a Full Bar in 2026

One of the biggest recent changes happened in 2026 when The 4th Horseman expanded into a full liquor bar.

What I like is that they didn't use the liquor license as an excuse to suddenly become precious.

Longbeachize reported that the owners deliberately wanted to maintain the dive-bar identity. At the launch of the program, cocktails stayed at $12 or under, and the bar was intentionally avoiding elaborate cocktail theater.

And because this is The 4th Horseman, there was naturally a Pizza Shot involving vodka, ranch, pizza sauce and pepperoni.

I don't know who looked at pizza sauce and vodka and decided humanity needed them together.

But I respect the confidence.

More importantly, having beer, wine and cocktails makes this much easier for groups where everyone wants something different.

The Arcade Changes the Entire Rhythm of the Night

This might sound like a small thing, but having games gives the restaurant a completely different social rhythm.

At a normal restaurant, everyone finishes eating and eventually somebody asks where you're going next.

Here, you can just stay.

Get another drink. Play House of the Dead. Race somebody in Cruis'n USA. Play pool. Wander around. Go stare at whatever weird object you haven't inspected yet.

The 2024 expansion specifically added more arcade games and the pool table, making the entertainment side of the venue more substantial than it had been before.

That's why I think The 4th Horseman is especially good for groups.

You don't have to manufacture the night.

The room already gives you things to do.

Whatever Is Playing on the TV Is Always Interesting

This is such a Jeremy-specific restaurant criterion, but I notice televisions.

I noticed the K-pop videos at Sura because music changes the energy of dinner.

And I always notice the TV here.

The 4th Horseman rarely seems interested in giving you a generic bar screen playing something forgettable. Horror and cult cinema have been part of the restaurant's identity for years, and that film obsession is documented throughout its history.

It makes the television feel like another piece of decor.

I'll look up, see some bizarre scene unfolding and think:

Yeah. That tracks.

The Music Is Metal, Rock and Punk—Until Suddenly We're Listening to Jazz

Most of the music I've associated with The 4th Horseman makes complete sense with the visuals.

Metal, rock, punk and darker alternative music.

Even when Longbeachize reported on the 2026 bar expansion, one thing remained clear: becoming a full bar did not mean turning the metal down.

I like that consistency because music completely changes how I experience a room.

Dance has been part of my life for years, and I wrote more about that relationship between movement, energy and self-expression in How Dance & Fashion Shaped My Life, My Energy, and Who I Am Today.

So when the soundtrack of a restaurant actually fits the people, lighting and visual environment, I notice.

Which makes my latest visit even funnier.

My Brother and I Somehow Ended Up at a Blues-and-Jazz Show

On August 30, 2026, my brother and I were at The 4th Horseman while Lightnin' Luke and Yes Ma'am performed, with local support from Jay The Owl.

I initially kept calling it a jazz show because that was the energy I noticed first, but the actual bill was more interesting. Downtown Long Beach described Yes Ma'am through its Depression-era blues and jazz sound and Lightnin' Luke through his blues vocals. The free 21+ show ran from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The visual contrast was perfect.

There I was sitting with my brother beneath a glowing red chandelier. Skeletons around us. Industrial piping overhead. People in black clothing. Horror imagery covering the room.

And live blues and jazz.

I don't think I could have planned a more specifically Long Beach afternoon if I tried.

That's what I like about this city.

Sometimes dinner becomes drinks.

Drinks become live music.

A random walk becomes an event you didn't even know was happening.

The best part of the night is often the part you didn't schedule.

I've Seen Comedy Here Too

I've also watched comedy at The 4th Horseman before.

And it was genuinely funny.

There is something about watching somebody do stand-up while surrounded by skulls and creepy artwork that makes the entire situation more entertaining.

It also wasn't some random one-off show I happened to catch. Dead Funny: Live Comedy Nite is listed by the Downtown Long Beach Alliance as a recurring third-Thursday event through the end of 2026.

The venue also runs recurring Horror Trivia, currently listed for the first Tuesday of each month through December 2026.

That's why I'd check the current event calendar before visiting.

You might go for pizza and discover you accidentally chose the most interesting night of the month.

What The 4th Horseman Does Better Than Most Themed Restaurants

The more I think about it, the greatest compliment I can give this place is:

It doesn't feel like a themed restaurant.

At least not in the artificial sense.

The theme isn't something sitting on top of the business.

It feels like the business.

Horror cinema, alternative music, dark art, pizza, craft beer, arcade games and the people who gravitate toward those things have all developed together over time.

The environment feels inhabited rather than staged.

That's rare.

And as someone who works around branding, content and digital culture, I think that's the difference between having an aesthetic and having an identity.

Aesthetic can be copied.

Identity is harder.

Who Might Not Like The 4th Horseman?

This would be a pretty useless review if I told everyone to go.

If you prefer bright restaurants, quiet conversation or upscale dining, I probably wouldn't choose The 4th Horseman.

The lighting is intentionally dark. The visuals are macabre. The music can be loud. It's always 21+. And if a horror-heavy environment genuinely makes you uncomfortable, there are obviously easier places to eat pizza.

I don't consider those weaknesses.

They're filters.

One thing I've tried to avoid in my Long Beach writing is pretending that every business is automatically some life-changing “hidden gem.” In my existing Downtown guide, I wrote that I want to document the actual version of Long Beach: places I really go, food I really eat and nights I actually remember.

That's how I feel here too.

You don't need to love The 4th Horseman.

You just need to know whether it sounds like your kind of place.

Is The 4th Horseman Good for a Date?

I think it could be a great casual date, especially if you're both into horror, alternative music, arcade games or places with enough personality to give you something to talk about.

There is built-in conversation everywhere.

You can talk about the artwork. Play arcade games. Split a pizza. Compare drinks. Laugh at whatever is happening on the television.

I probably wouldn't choose it for a formal anniversary dinner.

But for a date where you actually want to have fun?

Absolutely.

Is The 4th Horseman Good for a Group of Friends?

This is probably my favorite way to experience it.

Pizza already works well for groups. The full bar gives everyone options. The arcade and pool table keep the night moving. Events can completely change the energy depending on when you go.

You don't need some twelve-step nightlife itinerary.

Get pizza. Grab drinks. Stay longer than you intended.

That's enough.

Why The 4th Horseman Feels So Long Beach to Me

The longer I live here, the more I appreciate businesses that couldn't easily be copy-and-pasted into another city.

The 4th Horseman feels connected to Long Beach because it's artistic, a little chaotic, alternative and comfortable being specific.

It isn't trying to make everybody happy.

And I think cities need places like that.

Long Beach has repeatedly reminded me that community isn't created only by major attractions. It happens inside restaurants, bars, music venues, neighborhood businesses and all the ordinary places where people keep showing up.

That's the bigger story behind why moving to Downtown Long Beach changed my life.

A city becomes home through repetition.

You walk the same streets.

You find your food spots.

You find your nightlife spots.

You bring your brother somewhere.

You return.

You make memories.

And eventually a skeleton-covered pizza bar becomes one of the places you casually know how to explain to somebody visiting your neighborhood.

My Final Review of The 4th Horseman Long Beach

After multiple visits, I don't think I'd describe The 4th Horseman by simply saying:

It's a horror bar.

That's accurate, but it misses what I actually like about it.

I like that everything feels connected.

The pizza makes sense with the drinks. The drinks make sense with the metal. The metal makes sense with the artwork. The artwork makes sense with the horror movies. The arcade makes sense with the friends hanging out. And somehow, when a blues-and-jazz band starts performing underneath the red chandelier, that makes sense too.

I've eaten here.

I've watched comedy here.

I've sat here with my brother listening to live music.

I've looked around and realized almost everyone near me was wearing black.

I've stared at the television wondering what on earth they were showing.

And every time I come back, I notice something I didn't notice before.

That is what makes The 4th Horseman worth visiting.

If you're exploring Downtown Long Beach and want somewhere that feels genuinely different from the usual restaurant or bar, I would put it on your list.

Come hungry.

Bring friends.

Wear black if you feel like matching the room.

And don't assume you're only going out for pizza.

The weird part of the night might end up being the best part.

— Jeremy Melodious

The 4th Horseman Long Beach FAQ

Is The 4th Horseman Long Beach worth visiting?

Yes. I think it's especially worth visiting if you like good pizza, horror, alternative nightlife, metal or punk music, arcade games and bars with a strong visual identity. The atmosphere is what makes the experience difficult to confuse with a normal pizza restaurant.

Is The 4th Horseman a goth bar?

I wouldn't describe it exclusively as a goth bar. It's a horror-inspired pizzeria and bar with strong goth-adjacent, metal, punk and alternative influences. Based on my own visits, the crowd also tends to lean toward black and alternative clothing.

Is the pizza at The 4th Horseman good?

In my experience, yes. I would return for the pizza even without the decor. Eater has also included The 4th Horseman among its Long Beach pizza recommendations.

Does The 4th Horseman have cocktails?

Yes. The venue expanded into a full liquor bar in 2026 while maintaining its established craft-beer and dive-bar identity.

Does The 4th Horseman have arcade games?

Yes. Arcade games have been part of the concept since its early days, and the 2024 expansion added additional machines and a pool table.

Does The 4th Horseman have live music and events?

Yes. The venue hosts live performances and recurring programming. Current 2026 listings include Dead Funny comedy, Horror Trivia and other special events.

Is The 4th Horseman 21+?

Yes. The official website states that The 4th Horseman is always 21 and over.

Where is The 4th Horseman in Long Beach?

The 4th Horseman is located at 121 W. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA 90802, in Downtown Long Beach. The restaurant currently says two nearby 4th Street parking lots offer the first two hours free.

More Long Beach Stories From Jeremy Melodious

If you're exploring Long Beach with me, these are the most relevant stories to read next:

• Things to Do in Downtown Long Beach: 3 Places I Actually Love for Food, Drinks & Nightlife — My broader guide to the Downtown places that have actually become part of my life, rather than a giant list of places I've barely visited.
• Why Moving to Downtown Long Beach Changed My Life — The bigger story behind why exploring restaurants, nightlife, music and community in Long Beach means more to me now.
• Sura Korean BBQ Long Beach Review — My very committed relationship with Extra Spicy Beef Tofu Soup, banchan, K-pop and one of my Downtown comfort spots.
• Fatima's Grill Long Beach Review — My brother and I try halal Mexican-Mediterranean fusion on Fourth Street, with portions significantly larger than my appetite anticipated.
• Long Beach Pride 2026: My First Pride Experience in Long Beach — A more personal look at Long Beach's creativity, nightlife, self-expression and the community energy that has made this city feel increasingly like home.