The Tim Hollingsworth OCVibe restaurant will be a wood-fire, chef-driven American spot in the new district around Honda Center in Anaheim. It will also be the Los Angeles chef's first restaurant in Orange County. OCVIBE announced it in a PR Newswire release dated October 22, 2026, and that release says the district's standalone restaurants, "including Hollingsworth's," will begin "to open in late 2027."
What is confirmed, and what is not?
Confirmed: According to the OCVIBE release, the restaurant will serve chef-driven American food in a "casual-yet-celebratory" setting. It centers on a wood-fired kitchen where pizzas, meats and seasonal vegetables cook over an open flame, and it will have a visible raw bar and a pastry station. The interiors draw on Southern California's mid-century design. OCVIBE's homepage calls it a "live-fire American cooking concept."
Not yet announced: the restaurant's name, its address or building inside OCVIBE, the final menu, prices and hours. None of the release, the Orange County Business Journal, Orange Coast or SFGATE gives a specific location. Treat the late 2027 timing as OCVIBE's stated plan, not a fixed opening date. OCBJ's headline gives only the year 2027.
Who is Tim Hollingsworth?
Wikipedia says Hollingsworth was born in Houston and grew up in Grizzly Flats, near Placerville, California. His official site describes his "Texas roots and California upbringing."
He built his career at The French Laundry. His official site says he rose from commis to chef de cuisine under Thomas Keller and helped open Per Se in New York. Wikipedia dates it this way: he joined as an apprentice in 2001, became chef de cuisine in 2009 and left in 2012.
His honors include:
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Sixth place for the United States at the 2009 Bocuse d'Or in Lyon, per Wikipedia and his official site.
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The James Beard Foundation's Rising Star Chef of the Year award in 2010, per the release and OCBJ.
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The win on Netflix's The Final Table in 2018, according to Wikipedia.
What happened to Otium?
Wikipedia says Hollingsworth opened Otium in downtown Los Angeles in 2015. The restaurant sat beside The Broad museum. Time Out Los Angeles reported that it would close on September 8, 2024, "after nine and a half years." Time Out quoted his Instagram post: "The COVID-19 pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges making it increasingly difficult to sustain our operation." If you were hoping for Otium dishes in Anaheim, SFGATE reports that he hinted at new takes on favorites, but not Otium classics.
His official site lists his current projects. They include Hundredfold, an American brasserie with Patina Group that is expanding to The Battery Atlanta; The Oak Room and Bernadette's in Georgetown with Ten Five Hospitality; and Alphabet Bar & Grill at Palisades Village with h.wood Group and Caruso. The site also says he co-founded Chain with B.J. Novak and that his active involvement there ended in late 2024.
What will the menu look like?
The menu is still being worked out. SFGATE reported on October 23 that Hollingsworth "hasn't worked out his menu's details just yet," but that he confirmed a raw bar and wood-fired pizzas. In October 2026 coverage from Orange Coast, he said "Some Southern fusion will be featured on the menu," including his grandmother's banana pudding recipe.
He has also said the restaurant is meant for more than event crowds. He told Orange Coast, "We want to make sure that the restaurant will not only be specific to a game-day or event," and added, "Drawing in the local community is going to be a huge focus for us and being able to service people." In the release, he said his vision is "a restaurant that has the warmth and familiarity of your favorite neighborhood spot."
Where does it fit in OCVIBE's dining lineup?
OCBJ calls Hollingsworth the third restaurateur announced for OCVIBE's dine-in lineup, after Roy Choi and Damon Cho, with two more still to come. The release also lists Roy Choi's Best Friend, Osen Urban Table, a José Andrés restaurant at the SENA hotel, and Katella Commons, a 50,000-square-foot market hall with 21 chef-driven kitchens and six bar and lounge concepts. SFGATE names several Katella Commons vendors: Debbie Lee's Pado and a Mokja outpost, Amiga Amore, Evil Cooks and Noodle Man. OCVIBE's site says SENA, "Anaheim's first Autograph Collection Hotel," is "coming in 2029."
How big is OCVIBE, and when does it open?
The figures depend on the outlet. OCBJ calls it a $4 billion mixed-use hub backed by Henry and Susan Samueli. SFGATE calls it a $5 billion development. The release describes 100 acres of Anaheim, while SFGATE says the footprint the city approved in 2022 is 95 acres. OCVIBE's homepage lists 35+ restaurant offerings, 20 acres of parks and plazas, 500+ hotel rooms and 2,000+ residences.
The opening timeline is phased. OCBJ says the district is scheduled to open in March 2027, and SFGATE says phases begin in early 2027. According to the release, the first phase includes a concert hall, a public plaza, Katella Commons and office space at The Weave. The Hollingsworth restaurant falls in the later group of standalone restaurants that OCVIBE expects to start opening in late 2027.
What should Anaheim residents watch for?
The next announcements to watch for are the restaurant's name, its location in the district, the menu and a firm opening date. The OCVIBE official site is the place to check for updates from the operator. Until those details come out, any reservation pages or price lists you see are not from OCVIBE.
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