George's at the Cove

On our lists of the best special-occasion restaurants and restaurants with a view in San Diego.

Three dining levels stack above La Jolla Cove at this restaurant George Hauer opened in 1984, each with its own kitchen and its own version of the same ocean view. Reservations are limited online, though walk-ins are seated at the bar levels. Chef Trey Foshee, a Food & Wine Best New Chef award winner before joining in 1998, built the menu around Chino Farms produce and Catalina Offshore seafood, work that earned the restaurant a Michelin Plate in 2019. The rooftop Ocean Terrace draws the sunset crowd, while the ground-floor California Modern room runs a more involved tasting menu.