George’s at the Cove’s Ocean Terrace closes for two months for major update

George’s at the Cove’s ocean-view dining terrace is undergoing a major remodel that will force the popular La Jolla venue to shut down for more than two months.

The renovation, which is expected to cost nearly $1 million, started Monday, with the Ocean Terrace expected to reopen the third week in January.

While the winter months are typically a slower time for restaurants — especially so for a La Jolla landmark like George’s — the upper-level terrace still accounts for 50% of the revenue among George’s at the Cove’s three levels of dining venues on Prospect Street.

To help compensate for the closure, the lower-level fine dining restaurant, George’s at the Cove, will offer lunch and dinner service when it’s not closed for special events, and its Level2 dining room and bar will remain open during the construction work.

The Ocean Terrace last underwent a major update in 2016 when a large, elevated bar area was added. a project that also necessitated a long temporary closure.

“It’s looking pretty beat up, and the floor tiles are cracking,” said Operating Partner and Chef Trey Foshee. “The material sitting out in the hot sun next to the ocean tends to deteriorate over time, and it was pretty obvious that it needed to be done.”

Because the terrace is constantly exposed to the elements, gradual deterioration happens more quickly. On the positive side, it’s not like a traditional restaurant remodel, which can involve more construction work, said Foshee, who joined George’s at the Cove in 1998, seven years after the Ocean Terrace opened.

“When you think of a restaurant remodel, you think about a roof, four walls and a floor, but this only has one floor and one wall,” he said. “But that’s what makes the Ocean Terrace special — the open air, dining under the stars. This is still a big deal, though. It will be closed for almost three months.”

The current remodel calls for a new tiled floor, tabletops, replacement of the existing glass enclosure, new permanent heaters, and additional permanent umbrellas to shade much more of the sunny terrace.

One thing Foshee said he’s observed over the years is diners’ growing preference to sit in shaded locations as opposed to directly under the sun. As a result, the terrace’s four existing permanent umbrellas will be expanded to nine, which will provide shade for the entire venue, he said.

While the investment by George’s is born out of a need to upgrade the Ocean Terrace, it also sends a message that the restaurant enterprise is committed to continue operating in La Jolla, Foshee said. Just last week, he noted, George’s at the Cove signed a five-year extension on its lease that will give it a total of 10 more years. The lease includes an option to extend an additional 10 years beyond that, Foshee noted.

“It’s our commitment moving forward,” Foshee said. “We’re 41 years old, and part of this project included this signing of an extension on our lease, which is setting us up for the next 20 years of George’s.”