Osen Hospitality Group will bring two Japanese dining concepts to OCVIBE, the 100-acre district taking shape around Anaheim’s Honda Center. Chef Damon Cho’s team plans to open a handroll bar in Katella Commons and a full-service restaurant in Urban Park, giving visitors options for both quick pre-event meals and longer visits.
Key takeaways
The two openings extend Osen’s approach to Japanese dining into distinct formats tailored to the district’s mix of visitors and occasions.
- Osen Handroll is planned for Katella Commons, a two-story, 50,000-square-foot market hall.
- Osen Urban Table will be a standalone restaurant in OCVIBE’s Urban Park.
- The concepts are part of a growing dining lineup at the development, which is scheduled to begin welcoming guests in 2027.
Two concepts for different occasions
Osen Handroll is designed around a fast, social visit, with handrolls suited to a quick bite before a Honda Center game or performance. Osen Urban Table will offer a more leisurely, full-service experience, adapting the spirit of the group’s flagship Izakaya Osen into a casual restaurant intended to work from lunch through dinner.
The dual approach makes Osen the first culinary partner announced for both a Katella Commons stall and a standalone OCVIBE restaurant. Rather than stretching one restaurant format across every setting, the group is building two experiences around different ways people may spend time in the district.
Chef Damon Cho’s growing Southern California presence
Cho founded Osen Hospitality Group and brings more than 18 years of restaurant experience. A graduate of Le Cordon Bleu California, he developed his background at hospitality destinations including Nobu, Four Seasons and Tao before opening Izakaya Osen in Silver Lake in 2017. The group added an Irvine location in 2022 and has further Southern California plans.
The new concepts carry forward the group’s emphasis on carefully prepared food and welcoming places to gather, while giving Cho an opportunity to serve both market-hall traffic and guests seeking a sit-down meal.
OCVIBE’s dining lineup and opening plans
Osen joins a broadening roster at Katella Commons that includes Amiga Amore, Burritos La Palma, Evil Cooks, Manaao Thai Comfort Food, MFK | Modern Filipino Kitchen, Gelato Paradiso and other food and beverage concepts. Chef Zach Scherer is also bringing OC Pizza Cult and Wanderfowl to the market hall. Elsewhere in the district, Chef Roy Choi is slated to open a Best Friend restaurant.
OCVIBE is backed by a $5 billion commitment from the Samueli Family. The district plans to begin welcoming guests in March 2027 with a 5,000-capacity concert hall, followed by Katella Commons, office space, parks and public art. Restaurants are expected to arrive toward the end of the year. When fully developed, OCVIBE is planned to include 20 acres of open space, more than 2,000 residences and over 35 dining experiences.
- ORANGE COUNTY’S OSEN HOSPITALITY GROUP WILL BRING TWO NEW DINING CONCEPTS TO OCVIBE, PR Newswire.
- Osen Hospitality Adds 2 Concepts to OCVIBE — Food & Beverage Magazine, Food & Beverage Magazine.
