Coronado's Ken Irvine Behind Coming Sea 180 Restaurant in IB

Story reported and written by local editor Khari Johnson.


The ground floor restaurant at Pier South, a new hotel in Imperial Beach expected to open in the coming months, has been named Sea 180, the restaurant's managing partner and Coronado resident Ken Irvine has announced.

“We want it to be a fun place, you know, so it's a play on the sea and its a 180-degrees view from the restaurant north and south,” he said.

Irvine works with the Cohn Restaurant Group, and signed a deal with Pacifica Companies to create the restaurant in March.

Sea 180 will be one of more than a dozen Cohn family restaurants around San Diego.

Sea 180 will play a big role in the life of the new hotel since it will provide food for a rooftop patio, room service and conference room guests.

The restaurant's menu will be made up of “Baja Med” cuisine, with options for shared plates, fresh fish, produce from Suzie's Organic Farm off Hollister Street in San Diego and locally raised meat, said Irvine, who is creating the menu.

Wine from the nearby Guadalupe Valley in Baja and San Diego craft beers will be served at the bar.

Both the hotel and restaurant are expected to hire 50-60 people.