Following an extensive remodeling effort over the past three months, George’s at the Cove’s rooftop Ocean Terrace in La Jolla will reopen on Friday.
The 120-seat outdoor dining room and bar has a new foundation and flooring, as well as a new 4-foot-tall perimeter glass wall and an umbrella layout with LED lighting. Also new are the host stand, permanent heaters, wall sconces and dining tables, according to chef/partner Trey Foshee.
George’s also completed a remodel of its Level2 dining area and bar last April. The covered, but open-air space, has a new roof with five retractable awnings, new high-top counter with eight seats facing the water, new dining tables, new or reupholstered furnishings and new light fixtures.
“Our improvements are meant to be mostly seamless to blend in with what we already had,” Foshee said in a statement. “While the price tag of our remodel eclipsed the seven-figure mark, guests may not even notice everything. And that’s OK, especially with that million-dollar view of the water they enjoy that has never changed.”
On Friday, Ocean Terrace will be open for walk-in dining only, but reservations for the space will reopen Saturday. In honor of the reopening, George’s is offering 50% off select bottles of Hill Family Estate wines for in-person dining over the next month.
George Hauer founded George’s at 1250 Prospect St. on Aug. 9, 1984. Originally occupying the first and second levels of the building, the rooftop Ocean Terrace was added in June 1991 to create a three-level ocean view dining destination. Hauer ran the restaurant for the first 16 years until Foshee was brought on as executive chef and partner. Foshee received Food & Wine magazine’s Best New Chef honors for 1998.
The kitchen team is led by Foshee, executive chef Masa Kojima and pastry chef Zach Schneider, alongside general manager Mike Grave.
“It’s been an incredible ride for more than 41 years, and we hope our investment ensures that the restaurant will remain a go-to spot for the next several decades,” Hauer said. “We always want to provide a special place for both locals and visitors to our great city.”