Modern design, modern art and a modern American bistro menu at the Hyatt Regency Irvine’s new Warehouse 72 make for a creative dining experience. Though owned and operated independently, the restaurant serves as the primary culinary destination for the hotel’s guests, as well as an upscale option for employees from the adjacent Jamboree Center office towers.
Abundant natural light in the main dining room enhances a palette of soft whites and rich textures. A 30-foot LED digital art installation presents rotating backdrops that are captivating yet serene. A raw stone bar runs the length of the venue. Lounge areas outdoors include a central fire pit, and the patio perimeter offers banquette seating.
Restaurateur Doug Pak’s family came from South Korea to Orange County when he was a teenager. A highly successful entrepreneur, Pak serves on two advisory boards at UCLA.
Pak launched his first Warehouse 72 in Houston in 2019. Every component is intended to promote “human connection and positive experiences to merge culinary excellence and artistic beauty with the elegance of angels,” he says. He considers 72 to be an angelic number.
Chef Jaime Salazar focuses on free-range poultry, grass-fed meats and sustainable seafood.
Dinner might bring black-truffle arancini, Arka salmon and frozen s’mores torched tableside. Brunch is as varied as ube pancakes, Jidori chicken curry naan wrap and ribeye steak and eggs. Bar bites include a kampachi crudo with crispy garlic.
