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New Name, New Look For The Old Bath House

Those saddened by the 2005 closure of The Old Bath House have reason to celebrate this year, as 50-year Monterey Bay restaurant veteran James Gilbert aims for a mid-summer opening at the historic eatery overlooking Lovers Point.

Weekly food writer Mark Anderson first got whiff of Gilbert's new project at the end of last year, when the plans were still in the works and remodeling hadn't yet begun. But construction is in full swing now, with the radiant heated floors and new ocean-facing facade coming together at a quickening pace.

Managing partner Kevin Phillips says the restaurant—which has been renamed The Beach House Restaurant at Lovers Point—will open its long-locked doors to the public during the first week in July.

"From the excavation to asbestos removal, things have gone very smoothly," Phillips says. "The city of P.G. has been terrific, very supportive."

It's a good thing, too.

With a 90-day construction window closing fast, the ambitious remodel looks to double the space of the previous restaurant and requires an integrated steel infrastructure to accommodate the large glass windows that will afford diners an exquisite view of Monterey Bay.

Phillips and Gilbert are striking out on a different path than The Old Bath House did, and hope to cater to a more local crowd. The restaurant will be open daily from 4pm-midnight and focus on reasonably-priced, American-style cuisine.

Patrons can expect to get even better deals from the 4-5:30pm early menu (think Abalonetti's). There's no doubt the full bar will be a welcome addition for many in the mostly dry confines of P.G., and the Monterey-centric wine list plays well with the new management's locally-geared approach.

After seven years of Lovers Point serving as a night-time haunt for stray cats, raccoons and literally nothing else, The Beach House Restaurant at Lovers Point is hoping to bring the party to the point.