George's at the Cove

AndrewL
AndrewL
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4 out of 5
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Editor Pick

George's at the Cove

  • February 16, 2007
  • Rated 5 of 5 by thestickman23 from Saddle Brook, New Jersey
George's at the Cove

George’s at the Cove, on the main drag in La Jolla, is THE most popular restaurant in all of San Diego. Sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean to take your breath away are the norm at this divine restaurant that serves Californian cuisine. George’s uses seasonal ingredients from local producers, so only the finest and best product is used. The restaurant is separated into three dining venues: George’s at the Cove is the fine dining venue; Pacific View Bar has a more casual atmosphere; and finally, the Ocean Terrace Bistro has less expensive fare, but the quality of food does not diminish.

Food: The menu at George’s is Californian with an emphasis on seafood. Executive Chef Trey Foshee was selected by Food & Wine Magazine as one of America’s top ten chefs. I started my night off by having a watermelon and crabmeat carpaccio with local sweet corn. The sweetness in the watermelon really brought out the flavors in this dish. I highly recommend this appetizer if you are lucky enough to see this item on the menu. For my entrée I enjoyed one of Chef Foshee’s signature dishes, a Molasses Cured Niman Ranch Pork Chop. This dish is served with roasted garnet yams, bacon wilted swiss chard, pomegranate, and pork jus. The pork chop was ultra tender, but the sauce is what made this dish.

Décor: My wife and I ate in the main dining room and did not visit the upstairs bistro, but I heard the views from up there are just as beautiful. Ask for a window table so you can get a better scene of La Jolla cove. The furnishings were tasteful and modern, but to be honest I don’t remember it much. We were too busy looking out of the floor to ceiling windows at the ocean.

Service: As soon as we walked through the front door at George’s we felt like regulars. The hostess was friendly and accommodating, and our waiter was extremely knowledgeable. He knew the menu upside-down and inside-out. George’s has a sommelier on hand and he helped us choose the right wine for our entrées. One of the more pleasurable dining experiences on our trip was had at this establishment.

If you decide to go to George’s, be prepared to open your wallet because meals, service, and views like this don’t come cheap in La Jolla. Be prepared to spend around $125 minimum. That price would include appetizers, entrées, and desserts for two. Then tack on wine and a couple of martinis and you might need to take out a loan, but if you are looking for that one top-notch restaurant to go to on your vacation, George’s at the Cove would be my first choice.

From journal La Jolla (the Jewel)

George's at the Cove

  • April 10, 2006
  • Rated 4 of 5 by crystalpsmith from Dallas, Texas
This was our anniversary dinner. Instead of eating in the restaurant (which is a bit stuffy), my husband made reservations for the rooftop called the Ocean Terrace Bistro. It was a little more casual but still had great food.

We ate steak and chicken—both were great. We each had drinks that were wonderful. The service was amazing. The best part of the place—the view.

You should make reservations—and you can do it online at their web site as well as review their entire menu.

From journal Week in La Jolla, California

George's

  • June 2, 2005
  • Rated 5 of 5 by emilyw from Minneapolis, Minnesota
George's is the place to eat if you want great food and atmosphere. Try to sit on the terrace that overlooks the ocean. I was so enthralled with the view that I could hardly look at my friend while we chatted through lunch. If you like the sun, it's a good spot to get some tan lines. If you burn easily, they have umbrellas for shade.

The menu has something for everyone, like meat entrées, sandwiches, and salads. If you're visiting the area, try the fish tacos!! They are an area specialty, and George's does them famously, very light and flavorful with fruit salsa on the side. They also make a fantastic strawberry lemonade with homemade strawberry-infused vodka. I swore I'd get the recipe but walked out without remembering.

From journal Break from the Ordinary in San Diego

Editor Pick

George's at the Cove

  • March 3, 2001
  • Rated 2 of 5 by mfs from Sea Girt, New Jersey
George's is a bit of an institution in La Jolla, and is highly touristed as a result. However, the high quality of the food hasn't suffered in spite of its popularity. We most recently visited the Terrace at George's (the restaurant consists of the main George's at the Cove, and the more informal and less pricey George's Cafe and Terrace). The outdoor dining terrace is perched high above the rocks and ocean and affords terrific views of the sunset. The only drawback to this idyllic setting is that when the sun began to set, our prime-spot table was suddenly besieged by tourists from tables with lesser views, who crowded us as we tried to share a romantic dinner. You can't make this stuff up - it was unbelievable. People were standing their kids on the empty chair at our table - it really cast a pall on what could have been a most perfect night out. At least 10 people (and their children) were breathing down our necks throughout the entire sunset - pleas for a little elbow room went unheeded.

Rude clientele aside, the food was excellent. We shared thick steaks and seafood that night and were extremely pleased with our meal, once we were finally left to enjoy it in peace. We had an incredible dessert, a cookie-crusted ice cream pie, that was worth every calorie. The staff was efficient when it came to describing and serving the food, and sympathetic but unhelpful when it came to giving us room to actually eat the food.

As great as the sunset from George's Terrace is, if you would like to have a nice romantic dinner wait until the sun has already set to enjoy the great food.

From journal California Paradise

Editor Pick

Georges at the Cove

  • February 24, 2001
  • Rated 4 of 5 by AndrewL from Santa Monica, California
Georges actully consists of three different dining rooms that are all worhtwhile. The best thing about George's is the fantastic view of La Jolla Cove.

The three dining rooms are the Ocean view room, the terrace, and the bar. All are worthwhile to try depending on the occasion and all three have equally fantastic views.

The ocean view room is the most formal and most expensive. It is the ideal spot for a romantic evening. The menu is heavy on seafood but also offers other choices. Everything I've ever tried there has been excellent.

The terrace is more casual. It features outdoor seating with ocean views. I actually think the view in the terrace are better than the ocean view room, since it is up higher and outdoors. The menu at the terrace is a little less pricey than the ocean view room. It is the ideal spot to stop by for lunch if you are in La Jolla.

The bar is a great place to people watch and they also serve food there. The bar also has an incredible view. If possible try to plan you meal at George's to view the sunset, you won't be disapointed.

From journal San Diego, CA

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