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The Reef on the Water Reviews

The Reef on the Water

The Reef on the Water

Long Beach, CA
4.3 out of 5 rating, 48 Reviews
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Reviews

4.3 out of 5 rating
48 Reviews
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89% Recommended by couples

Awards

48
  • Nka
    Nka Sent on 11/26/2023
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    Excellent venue!

    If you want to have your event with a nice view of the water, this is the place!. We looked for a venue that had outdoor/indoor areas and The Reef was the perfect venue with a great price and amazing service. Maria made our planning go smoothly. Would totally recommend.
  • Eunice
    Eunice H. Sent on 03/12/2023
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    Highly recommend!

    Highly recommend The Reef for your wedding (or any event). The food was amazing – LOVED the grilled salmon and the coconut shrimp! Maria the event coordinator was always available to answer questions. The venue was very affordable with great quality and service!
  • Margot
    Margot E. Sent on 10/28/2023
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    Best Day Ever! 11/11/23

    The venue was beautiful! The staff was amazing! The wedding coordinator Michael was awesome. He was great with my wedding party and so attentive to me the bride! Food was good and the servers were also great. 10 out of 10 for me.
  • illustration stars

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  • Lucero
    Lucero P. Sent on 10/15/2019
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    Great views

    Very helpful and kind, explain everything with details.
  • Gisela
    Gisela Sent on 05/26/2019
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    Beautiful venue with top notch service

    I’ve gotten so many compliments about my wedding reception. I used the Pacific Ball room which comes with an attached patio (indoor out door reception, awesome !) they turned the fire pits on for us and we had the bar and photo booth outside , it was awesome . You get views of the ocean ,light house , and shoreline village . The food was amazing . We had plates service , servers were awesome . Everything went senselessly. I have fond memories of that reception and how beautiful everything looked . I love the reef.
  • E
    Erin Sent on 12/01/2015
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    The Reef totally helped me out and really saved me! I had originally booked our reception at another place near Seal Beach that had an amazing view. Well, with 4 months to go that place called me and cancelled on me. I was so bummed because not only was the view amazing, but the price was also just as amazing. We all have budgets to stick by so I was extremely disappointed and didn't think I'd find anything comparable. I called Jamie at The Reef and explained my situation and then went to see her that same day. She gave me a few options of what they could do for me. Being that my wedding is on a Monday made things a lot easier. She was able to put together a package for us that was only a tiny bit more than the first placed I booked. I just about cried! And even though it's a tad bit higher, everything is much better! The appetizers and main dish options are incredible. The view...breathtaking. The reception room is large and has an attached patio area with 3 fireplaces. I am beyond excited to have my reception there this coming Feb 2016. I am so so happy that my first choice backed out on me, as it turned out to be an awesome bummer. Thank you Jamie and The Reef for really helping us out.
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    Leana Sent on 09/21/2014
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    We had an amazing reception and it was perfection when it came time to everyone at the reef doing exactly what we wanted. The bartender at the open bar could have had a better attitude from what I hear but overall....The staff was very attentive!
  • J
    Joe Sent on 08/05/2013
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    Our wedding at The Reef was fantastic. We worked with Jamie and Jennifer, both of whom were pretty much the pinnacle of wedding planning pros. At every turn they were there to fix any issues we encountered. During our first walkthrough we had discovered that the curtains needed some cleaning, and that the ceremony location was somewhat lacking of plant life for some color. They wound up steam cleaning everything and planting some flowers in the flower pots.
    The waitstaff was incredible and the food was phenomenal. Many times you go to weddings and hear that the food was great at the tasting, but bland at the wedding. This is absolutely NOT the case. In fact, I felt the food was better at the wedding than the tasting!
    Those shopping for a lower-priced wedding will be happy to know that included with the ceremony/reception fee is also the ceiling decorations ("swag") and chair covers/table cloths. On top of that, they work with a couple of GREAT bakeries to provide you the cake (also included), to help you cut costs.
    The view is amazing. Right on the water in the Long Beach harbor, right next to the Queen Mary, it's already scenic enough. When the sun goes down and the lights come on, however, it goes from great to mind-blowing. At one point we had a good 40% of our party hanging out on the patio, taking in the view. This also made for some beautiful photos for us.
    For your guests, valet parking is included, and the lot is sufficient for all but the largest of weddings.
    I'd highly recommend this site to anyone looking for a great wedding with an amazing view and a nice breeze off the water. As an added perk, the Queen Mary blows its horn at 12:00 and 6:00, so if you're lucky you may be able to time it just right.
  • User1268422 Sent on 08/01/2013
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    The Reef in Long Beach was very good to us! They helped make our Wedding extra special by working with us on deadlines and by being very accommodating.
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    Stephanie Sent on 09/09/2014
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    The Reef was great! Jaime was always responsive and worked with us in everything we needed.
    Our sit down dinner was great, the servers were very attentive and made sure our guest no matter where they were received the attention they deserved.
    Highly recommend them! Also the view is amazing!!!!!
  • L
    Kari Sent on 11/24/2011
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    I fell in love with this venue since the day we went to take a look at it and once we were given the tour.....wow loved loved loved the views that were captured even if you were inside. The staff there was amazing they were very kind and paid attention to all the details that I requested they took care of us and our guests to the fullest and went above and beyond to make sure we were happy on our special day! The food is so good there I received very good feedback from out guests about the menu choices we picked for cocktail hour and the main course....Thank you Reef for making our day so special and memorable.
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    Jennifer Sent on 09/05/2011
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    the food was wonderful, great service, beautiful setting
  • Y
    Irene Sent on 03/14/2012
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    Wow, where do I even start?! I selected The Reef Restaurant to host my wedding ceremony and reception in April 2011 and it was absolutely beautiful. We had a morning ceremony at the Garden Site then moved over to the gorgeous Harborview Ballroom to accommodate our 300 guests. Here are my thoughts about my big day :)

    Ceremony: Garden Site (10am-11am)
    1. Cute and intimate. Didn't really fit all our guests though. It was a full house, people were even peaking in out the door!
    2. They provided the gazebo (not the flowers though), chairs, aisle runner, and sand ceremony table
    3. They also provided light refreshments. Good job Reef!
    4. Took group photos here, but it's pretty tight for big groups

    Cocktail Hour: Garden Room and Harborview lobby (11am-12pm)
    1. Spacious and classy. Though I'm just not a fan of the lighting. It's way too yellow in there, makes for orange-faced people in pictures.
    2. Appetizers: I ordered.... pot-stickers, chicken satay with peanut sauce, salami brie rolls, and deep fried mushrooms stuffed with crab. I liked them :)
    3. The Reef set up all my tables, chairs, and skirted all my table clothes on time. Nothing to complain about :)
    4. Open Bar: can't complain there :P

    Reception Site: Harborview Ballroom (12pm-4pm)
    1. Absolutely stunning. Magical in the least :)
    2. I used 30 rectangle tables seating 10 at each table (one spare) to maximize the room occupancy while also leaving the dance floor open.
    3. I put the bridal party on risers at the back of the room facing the window. You get better lighting in pictures and you get to see all the boats :)
    4. Food: food was fair. i ordered prime rib, salmon, and vegetarian for my guests. on the wedding day, my prime rib was cooked well, which isn't how i like my meat, but given how many people they had to serve it was fine. presentation and service was solid though!
    5. Cake and Champagne are included in the package: I went with Rossmoor Bakery (see my review).

    Photospots
    1. In front of the main entrance, there's a small waterfall and lots of flowers. Some of my favorite bridal party shots were done there.
    2. Right in front of the Harborview Ballroom it's shaddy enough to take some classic shots.
    3. the queen mary would be ideal, but it's way to bright during the day

    Constructive Criticism
    1. For such an elegant venue, the bathrooms were very underwhelming. I would have thought that such an establishment that caters to large group functions to have not only larger facilities but also a more modern feel.
    2. The parking lot leads to the Garden Ceremony site is unattractive and degrading. It's basically a hole in the wall. (although everything on the otherside is awesome/.) There's also a mildewish smell, so investing in reconstructing this unit would be a big plus!

    Other things you should know
    1. 20% gratuity!
    2. 9.75 sales tax, yes it's LA County and STEEP!
    3. Final deposit is due the week of your event. They do NOT take personal checks (during that last week), so you can either swipe with your credit card or pay cash.
    4. No balloons or birdseed, it's against the wildlife environment code or something.
    5. This restaurant is VERY hard to find. Read my previous review for driving instructions.
  • Darryl
    Darryl Sent on 01/18/2011
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    The venue was so beautiful even before we decorated it. The staff was very helpful and the accomodations were more then i can ask for. All of our guest couldnt get over how beautiful the place was. Im so glad we decided to have it there. The weather was beautiful enough for us to continue our outside ceremony, which overlook the water and the queen mary in the background.

    I was original skeptical of how close it was to the freeway (which is hardly busy and more of a on and off ramp) and how much that would interefere with our ceremony, but when youre in the moment and everything is going on...it was non-existent.

    The food was delicious.

    This is a great place to have a wedding whether you have a day wedding or evening. The view is amaaaaazing either way.

    We had Ashley as our consultant and anytime we had a question or concern or request, she was always helpful and quick to respond. Since we live out here in vegas, she made special arrangements for us. For instance, traditionally they have a special brunch for a tasting of their menu, she was able to set us up to do one on our own when we were able to be in town for the day. totally awesome!

    If i were to do it all over again...i'd do it right back here.
  • D
    Danielle Sent on 09/28/2010
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    Ashley was great in all areas; she really made our wedding a huge success. Things just flowed so well. The banquet room looked amazing!!!!
  • brittanysornborger
    Brittany Sent on 08/18/2012
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    What a beautiful view on top of the roof! I could not have been happier with the location, service, food, etc. What an amazing location! I was recommended to this location by co-workers and have since recommended friends there.
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    Veronica Sent on 11/05/2008
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    The Reef, specifically Claudia in catering, were professional and courteous throughout the entire process. They accomodated all of my requests and the wedding ran smoothly. I couldn't have asked for more. The view is beautiful too!
  • Bonnie
    Bonnie Sent on 08/07/2008
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    WOW... I was so happy with The Reef as my ceremony and reception venue they were just great! My day was so romantic and everything went as planned... The view is to die for! I wish I could do it everyday!
  • User2646398 Sent on 06/14/2016
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    This is a beautiful venue. They were efficient all the staff was friendly. The food was plentiful everyone had more than enough to eat.
  • User2615951 Sent on 05/21/2016
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    They do not provide speakers or music for the ceremony. Otherwise the venue has an amazing view. The captain for reception was amazing. He attended to all our needs and concerns. We had our own private patio that overlooked the ocean which everyone loved. The wedding coordinators were so helpful and accomendating. We had John and we're so sad he's longer with the company. I'm glad we went with the reef.
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    Gabriela Sent on 09/03/2008
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    The food was delicious and I was very impresed on how attentive the staff was the day of our event. The view was amazing.
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    Brenda Sent on 04/15/2016
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    We loved The Reef! Maria responded to our questions whenever we had. They were super flexible with the time we needed for our rehearsal dinner. The day-of crew was amazing and had all of my guests raving about the service. I would definitely recommend it to future couples.
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    Tori Sent on 11/01/2011
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    The Reef was a great choice for our reception. They worked with us on the costs, menu and other options for our party. The view in the Harbor Room of the LB Harbor was the perfect back-drop and as the sun set, our guests were stunned at how beautiful the setting was. They had a bit of turn-over from the staff (we had three contacts during our 14-month engagement), but each of them were responsive, flexible and patient. Not only were they the perfect choice for the reception, but we even booked our morning-after brunch there because of some issues with another spot. I would recommend the
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    Marie Sent on 03/12/2009
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    This is a great location the view will take your breath away! All of the staff is wonderful, ready and willing to help out with everything. The food was so tasty. We did not want are night to end.
  • User2077816 Sent on 03/26/2015
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    Had my wedding here on March 7 2015 it was a beautiful wedding ceremony and reception was awesome i was satisfied that night with food the help always made sure my husband and i needed anything and our children i loved that night the only thing was that i had to be on top of the coordinator which i thought she would call for reminders for The Reef like food tasting or any last minute things they needed from me but i guess i was wrong.
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