4th Horseman Verified listing

Sitting at the westernmost edge of the historic Walker building in Downtown Long Beach, the 4th Horseman, a pizzeria that has captured the hearts of both carb connoisseurs and lovers of the grotesque, looks pretty unassuming from the outside — particularly during the day. Its windows remain foggy at all hours, hiding a small handful of '90s arcade consoles and horror paraphernalia from passersby. The cue to come in is an "Eat Beer Drink Pizza" sign that beckons Long Beach diners to explore what co-owner Jeremy Schott calls "one big unit of weird."

Some form of the macabre is plastered on nearly every inch of the place: Tables are adorned with cut-outs of old horror and sci-fi comics like Eerie and Famous Monsters. Two bathrooms are bathed in a sinister red light; taxidermied animals are above the bar and along the hallway to the bathroom (and elsewhere). An ode to Poe's raven manifests in a mini mural that showcases the black bird with a slimy piece of pizza hanging from its mouth. Old-school horror flick posters adorn the walls, from '80s classics like Nightmare on Elm Street to cult faves like Killer Clowns from Outer Space.

This all comes with what has been locally deemed some of the best pizza in the city—and rightfully so.

While 4th Horseman's classic pies have always been a steady, dependable choice — with $4 cheese or pepperoni slices and pints on Mondays — it's their signature pizzas that set it apart: Not quite New York(though happily foldable) or Neapolitan (there is no wood-fired oven), but certainly Californian (where toppings include everything from carnitas and house-made vegan sausage to blueberry chipotle sauce), the pizza at 4th Horseman has come to define a part of Long Beach's rich pizza scene.

Chef Mike Royal is the mastermind behind the pies that come out of the space's tiny but mighty kitchen. And yes, the now have a full bar.

Written and photos by Brian Addison.

For Brian Addison's latest feature on The 4th Horseman, click here.