Cheko El Rey Del Sarandeado

If you’re looking for seafood in Long Beach, your first, second, and 100th stop should be Cheko El Rey, a small Mexican restaurant on Market St. It’s run by a former Coni’Seafood cook, and you can tell—the food is innovative, spicy, and fantastic. The first dish to hit our table is always the Tostaditas Locas, corn chips topped with marlin pate, shrimp ceviche, and a slice of octopus. The three types of seafood balance each other out perfectly, and the spicy chile de arbol sauce makes the whole dish. Next, get the langostinos, doused in a creamy, super-strong chili sauce. And don’t leave without getting the snook, which is flayed open and slow-grilled until it’s crispy on the outside, and juicy and delicious on the inside. Come with a group, because the portions are huge, and you’ll want to order a lot.