Irvine of Orange County is considered to be a safer place to live than many other alternatives. It is Southern California’s economic center, and it also features some of the best shopping, restaurants and outdoor recreation in the country. Irvine is also home to a number of corporations, particularly in the technology and semiconductor sectors that locate their national or international headquarters in Irvine.

Below are nine of the best restaurant architects in Irvine, California. They were selected for their experience, expertise, and the awards they have received over the years.


MG2

3333 Michelson Drive, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92612

MG2 is a multinational architecture, design, strategy, and branding company. The firm creates innovative Community Environments, Consumer Experiences, and Client Programs by combining strategy with technical expertise. With offices in Seattle, Irvine, Minneapolis, New York, Washington, D.C., and Shanghai, MG2 is among the largest architecture firms in the country and one of the top retail design studios globally. Most recently, Periodic: A Popup Shop, an MG2 project, was honored as one of Fast Company’s most innovative retail designs of 2021.

The firm is known for creating meaningful transformation through architectural services, planning, interior design, and brand strategy with an emphasis on sustainability and social responsibility.

Award-winning architect Justin A. Hill AIA, LEED AP heads MG2’s Irvine office and leads the Consumer Experience market. With more than 30 years in the profession, Justin is known for elevating food and beverage brands as well as luxury, specialty, and large-format retail clients around the country.

Learn more about MG2 at www.mg2.com.


SCGWest Development

18001 Sky Park Circle, Suite LM, Irvine, CA 92614

SCGWest is a real estate service and design-build firm that specializes in the turnkey delivery of restaurants, retail, and medical office projects. Its hardworking and dedicated team brings passion, creativeness, and knowledge to every project. The quality of its individual team members and the ability to organize a team that perfectly suits any project has always been the key strength of the company. 

The firm has won recognition and awards from a number of groups: the Best of 2019 award for Rancho Cucamonga, Construction Company, the 2019 Top Tenant Improvement from the Orange County Business Journal, the 2020 Largest Tenant Improvement Contractors from the Orange County Business Journal, and the Excellence in Entrepreneurship Award from the Orange County Business Journal. The company has been accredited by the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA), and the Association of Commercial Real Estate (ACRE).


RDCollaborative

245 East Third Street, Long Beach, CA 90802

RDC is a multi-awarded leader in the retail architecture and retail design industry. Its history of elegant architecture, client relationships, and successful design prove that the company is the leader in designing retail, hospitality, and entertainment venues. The firm creatively meets the different needs of an array of projects. It is a full-service architectural company with a wide experience in conceptual design, site planning, entitlement, and all stages of construction administration and documentation.

The company’s long list of achievements has proven that it is one of the best in the industry. It has won the 2018 AIA Long Beach South Bay Design Award for the Equinox Culver City, the 2018 ICSC Design and Development Gold Award Winner for the Del Amo Fashion Center, and the 2016 Gold Key Award for Best Restaurant Casual Dining.


Lee & Sakahara Architects, Inc.

16842 Von Karman Avenue, Suite 125, Irvine, CA 92606

Established in 1979, Lee & Sakahara Architects provides intensive services in architecture and planning. Since the firm’s inception, it has become one of the most admired companies in the profession. It has been fortunate to provide excellent design and service to prominent clients throughout the United States and abroad as well. Based in Irvine, the company is presently registered to practice architecture in 20 states. 

Lee & Sakahara won the 2012 Architectural Firm of the Year and the 2007 Honor Award from the National Association of Industrial and Office Properties (NAIOP) for G & K Laundry Services.


Robinson Hill Architecture, Inc.

3195 B Airport Loop Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Robinson Hill Architecture is a collection of various individuals with a shared love for design. The firm offers a complete range of design and technical services for commercial, retail, restaurant, and hospitality industries. It creates practical solutions that reflect the incorporation of its clients’ ideas.

Robinson Hill Architecture. was founded by Michael David Robinson in 1998. He serves as its design principal where he has assisted the firm’s creative excellence since 1995. He earned his degree in architecture at the Illinois Institute of Technology. He has over 36 years in the field of architecture and vast experience on local, regional, and international projects. He has been recognized for his contribution to outstanding design.

Robinson Hill Architecture has been accredited by the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB), the American Institute of Architects (AIA), the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Accredited Professionals (LEED AP), the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), the Urban Land Institute (ULI), the United States Green Building Council (USGBC), and the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP).


SMS Architects

18004 Sky Park Circle, Suite 200 Irvine, CA 92614

SMS Architects is a full-service commercial architecture firm that specializes in hospitality, retail, restaurants, and entertainment. The firm provides innovative designs and technical expertise that consistently results in exceptional work. Its top priority is giving excellent service each step of the way. SMS Architects is highly qualified to accept complex projects and has the ability to execute each and every component of the project. The success of the company rests upon the active participation of the Principal on all projects. It focuses on its clients individually and is dedicated to delivering excellent service.

Over the years, SMS Architects has received recognitions from a number of different groups, including the 2018 Gold Merit Nugget Award of Merit for Best Rehabilitation Project, the 2020 Gold Nugget Grand Award for Best Commercial Project under 20,000, and the 2020 Best Rehabilitation Project award.


GreenbergFarrow

30 Executive Park, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92614

Established in 1974, GreenbergFarrow is a fully integrated architecture, planning, engineering, and land development company. With twelve offices nationwide and over 40 years of experience, the company has worked in nearly every state. The firm, in other words, has an unparalleled degree of knowledge and expertise. Its list of distinguished clients includes some of the nation’s most esteemed developers as well as residential and retail clients.

GreenbergFarrows’ President and Chief Executive Officer, Keith Johnston is leading the company’s global expansion, focusing on giving total development solutions to well-known national and international clients. Mr. Johnston  completed his degree in Business Administration from Monmouth University and his architectural degree from Mercer County Community College. He has over 30 years of experience in the industry; 24 of those years are with the firm. The company has been named one of the Top 140 Multifamily Sector Architecture Firms in  2019 and one of 2019’s Top 300 Architectural Firms.


David R Olson Architects

470 Wald, Irvine, CA 92618

David R. Olson Architects is a full-service professional architecture company that specializes in high custom residential, commercial, retail, and restaurant design. Its goal is to provide classic design that complements the client’s lifestyle. The firm focuses on quality design and provides different tools for a designer, providing color, texture, scale, and interest. The company’s continuing goal is to combine these elements whether a project has a revival origin or a contemporary inclination.

David R. Olson Architects is headed by its namesake, the owner and principal. David earned a degree in architecture at the California State Polytechnic University in Pomona. David established the company in 1991 with the goal of providing the best level of service while complying with the highest standards of conduct for the profession. 

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, David R. Olson Architects has proven itself to be one of the best in the industry. The firm has been accredited by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the  National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB).


Carlile Coatsworth Architects

18600 MacArthur Boulevard, Suite 300, Irvine, CA 92612

Founded in 1989, Carlile Coatsworth Architects, is an Irvine-based architectural design and consulting firm that provides architectural services, construction administration, and retail tenant improvements. The firm has grown into a mid-sized architecture company of twenty employees that includes six licensed architects and numerous projects. The firm focuses on the specific needs of its clients and has successfully partnered with them to determine their design and architecture conditions. The firm’s clients are offered excellent service and a superior experience that consistently results in exceptional products. 

The history of Carlile Coatsworth Architects  dates back to the late ’70s when Jeff Carlile and Cal Coatsworth met in their architecture class at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. A decade later, they started their own architectural firm.

Since its inception, Carlile Coatsworth Architects’s efforts have been met with a number of honors, including the 2015 NAIOP Merit Award. The firm is certified by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Association for Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) as well.