Tower 23 - Pacific Beach
Pacific Beach is known for its beautiful beach, stunning pier, and access to over 5 miles of uninterrupted coastline. Tower 23 Hotel and JRDN restaurant are arguably the finest hotel and dining experience duo in the Pacific Beach community; complete with luxury suites, ocean front views, and a chef crafted menu.
Written by Ashley Dunn
Hi Friends! Usually I write these in Chris’s (Mr. SDFoodies) POV, but we’re switching it up! Hope you enjoy and welcome to the SDFoodies blog!
The Room
GEORGOUS. Do I really need to say much more? The moment you walk into an ocean view room at Tower 23, you’re greeted with beautiful rays of sunshine reflecting off the ocean waves. We had the pleasure of staying in the Sanctuary Suite, which was huge and had a great patio. The bathroom was open to the rest of the room, with a large jacuzzi tub and walk in shower.
Tower 23 is located in the heart of Pacific Beach, which can make some folks hesitant. Despite PB having somewhat of a rep for crazy parties and a noticeable homeless population, you could never guess that was the case. Tower 23 does a marvelous job of maintaining the safety and comfort of each and every guest. As the sun went down, we enjoyed a lovely bottle of sparkling on the balcony and we heard not a single sound other than the water.
Before heading off to dinner, we decided to walk about 5 steps to reach the shores of Pacific Beach. Walking along the water, with the hotel only a short distance behind us. The beaches were rather busy when we first arrived, however the people started started to disappear as the sun went down.
After dinner, we continued our night on the patio (there’s a theme here). You would have thought we were the only guests on the property. At first, we assumed that was the case. However, after looking around, there were other guests on their balconies as well. They were just so quiet and respectful of the others around them, you would have had no idea they were there. It was so refreshing and a wonderful break from the craziness of every day life.
Ashley’s Bathroom Corner
Welcome back to Ashley’s Bathroom Corner (or if you’re a first time reader, welcome to your first bathroom review brought to you by the SDFoodies’ bathroom obsessed girlfriend - ME!).
The bathroom was a great size, with both a walk in shower and a jacuzzi tub! The jacuzzi tub was the true winner here — with the water literally pouring down from the ceiling (just take a look at the video, it was wild!).
The bathroom had an open concept, meaning there wasn’t a door to close it off to the rest of the room. We enjoyed it because it made the room feel much bigger. However, the tub did have curtains, if you enjoy your privacy from others!
Overall a really great addition to the room - the shower was a bit small, but perfect for a quick wash off after the beach!
Dinner at JRDN
Walk a few steps from your room, you arrive at the onsite restaurant at Tower 23: JRDN. David Warner, Corporate Executive Chef, and his team do a magnificent job with both the food and the atmosphere. In a town surrounded by college bars (which are always fun, as well), JRDN is a classy restaurant with a fantastic cocktail list and impressive culinary experience. A diamond in the rough, if you will. For this one, we did it a little differently and ordered a plethora of items to share!
What we Got:
Two Free Drinks for every Hotel guest - a nice welcome offering from the hotel
We shared: Oysters, Calamari, Octopus, and the Roulette Sushi Roll
Oysters & Calamari
Oysters are always a favorite of SDFoodies! We love getting them especially when we are near the beach. We shared a 1/2 dozen of some B.C and Washington oysters. We definitely love oysters from this area, they are smaller and more delicate compared to their Baja friends. These were paired with some classic sauces like cocktail sauce, and mignonette (Vinegar and Shallot Mixture), as well as a unique fish sauce mixture.
We LOVE Calamari! We order it almost every time we go out it seems . It was paired with summer squash, spicy broccoli relish, lemon, and a sweet chili aioli. The batter was very light and airy, definitely not overcooked at all. We loved the fried lemon slices too, it added a nice acidity to the dish!
Roulette Sushi Roll
The next bite we got was this awesome Roulette Sushi Roll with torched salmon, crab, avocado, fried shishito peppers, spicy mayo, and eel sauce. They named this roll the Roulette Roll due to the random spiciness that comes from the fried shishito peppers. They say 1/10 is spicy, so you never know what you are going to get!
This Roll was very nicely prepared and was a good addition to the night. Although some of us at the table are sushi experts, I am learning and appreciated how this wasn’t anything too crazy. It definitely hit the SPOT!
Octopus
Another dish we tend to get when we go out is Octopus. The Octopus is paired with chorizo, black hollandaise, marble potatoes, and salsa verde. We thought this octopus was very well prepared and was stunning to look at! The Black Hollandaise was dyed with Squid Ink which gave it a very beautiful contrast. The spicy chorizo was also a nice salty bite that paired well with the softer octopus.
Dessert!
Although JRDN has some great dessert options, we decided to head up the street for a classic. My grandparents have been coming here since they were first married back in the mid 90s - Mr. Frosties. I’ll be honest, I am not sure I’ve ever visited without my grandparents, but since we don’t often come down to PB, we just had to go.
Mr. SDFoodies himself ordered a classic - a soft serve vanilla cone. This one is a go to for many - my grandma orders it almost every time, but she spices it up by dipping it in chocolate. We love a good soft serve ice cream and we HIGHLY recommend stopping by if you’re in the area.
I enjoyed the same thing I’ve ordered since I was a kid - the Yellow Cake Batter milkshake. Pretty simple - I’m pretty sure they add cake mix to soft serve ice cream - and it tastes just like Yellow Cake Batter (which I’m sure we all love, just try to avoid due to the raw eggs).
They also have many other shakes and sundae options, my grandpa usually enjoys a classic hot fudge Sunday, for example. Just be ready to wait a little, they’re pretty small and locals tend to come around at the same time. It’s worth it though!
Summary
Overall Review: 9.1/10
Tower 23 reminds you of the beauty of San Diego. As you stare at the ocean, it reminds me how something so beautiful is so close to home. We highly recommend Tower 23.
Hotel Review: 9.8/10
Tower 23 is a beautiful spot, with a fantastic view and great service. The hotel room can be a bit pricey, especially if you’re hoping for a larger room. However, the spot is a perfect getaway or staycation if you’re interested in a small/short vacation.
Dining Review: 9.5/10
Tower 23’s on site restaurant JRDN is a fantastic spot for dinner, whether you’re staying at the hotel or not. With a great menu, classy atmosphere, and a beautiful view of the water, it’s a diamond in the rough at Pacific Beach.
X Factor 8/10
Pacific Beach can be a hit or miss sometimes. College parties and rowdy folks on the board walk, it’s not always peace and quiet. We were lucky, but some guests might end up waking up to a random group of partiers down below their balcony.