Hurrica Restaurant: What’s in a name?

Named after the Hurrica V from The Great Gatsby Movie

How a Redwood City waterfront restaurant was inspired by a century-old yacht to become one of the nation's most celebrated “Hidden Treasures in 2025” by TripAdvisor

In an era where restaurant accolades often go to establishments in major cities and metropolitan centers, there's something refreshing about discovering a True Hidden Gem, a place where exceptional food, unique ambiance, and stunning waterfront views come together in unexpected harmony. That place is Hurrica Restaurant & Bar at Westpoint Harbor in Redwood City, California.

A Story That Begins with a Yacht

Not many restaurants can trace their inspiration to a vessel that appeared in the famous movie with Leonardo DiCaprio  "The Great Gatsby," but Hurrica isn't like most restaurants. Named after the legendary Hurrica V sailboat, a magnificent 60-foot triple-headed ketch built in 1924, the restaurant embodies the same timeless elegance and adventurous spirit as its namesake.

The Hurrica V yacht, described by marine historians as "one of the finest vessels of her type anywhere" made a memorable appearance in the 2013 film adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire. This storied sailing yacht, which celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2024, served as the design inspiration for the restaurant, with teak wooden walls evoking the warmth and craftsmanship of classic maritime design.

Just as the Hurrica V was built for those who appreciate the finer things in life, the restaurant carries forward that legacy of excellence and distinction.

It began with the vision of the owner/builder of the Westpoint Harbor Marina, Mark Sanders. He had a vision for a world-class marina, with a restaurant that brought culinary temptation to the Bay Area Peninsula & Silicon Valley population that would rival the big city restaurants.

In 2018, Mark reached out to fellow Club Members, Parke Ulrich and MeeSun Boice, whom he had known through their love of boating and sailing and happened to operate their own destination restaurant on Treasure Island in San Francisco called Mersea, about opening a restaurant at Westpoint Harbor. Parke Ulrich is also an Executive Chef Partner of Land & Sea which owns the famous Waterbar and Epic Steak in San Francisco.

After Parke and MeeSun agreed to build the restaurant, Mark learned that the famous Hurrica V sailboat was for sale, in Australia.  He then purchased the Hurrica V sailboat and planned to dock the yacht in his marina. Now when not off to sea, you can see the Hurrica V docked in front of Hurrica.

A question asked many times by guests is, “How was the name Hurrica chosen for the restaurant?”

When owners MeeSun and Parke were exploring the name for the new restaurant, they were intrigued by Mark’s passion for the Hurrica V and loved the class, history and legend of the sailboat and fell in love with the yacht’s name “Hurrica”.

Of course, one must ask permission to use the name of a yacht, so Parke and MeeSun asked Mark and his wife Maureen to lunch and as they discussed the future of the new restaurant, they asked Mark and Maureen for their blessing to name their new restaurant “Hurrica”.  Both Mark and Maureen were enthusiastic to have the restaurant named after their beloved “Hurrica V” and gave their blessing.

After receiving their blessing, Maureen was presented with a special, custom-made diamond necklace with the “Hurrica” name as a gift of gratitude for the partnership!

Opened on Jan 24, 2024, and in less than 17 months of opening, Hurrica was awarded TripAdvisor's Travelers' Choice Award of the “Top Hidden Gems in USA” designation ranking #10 out of top the 25 “Hidden Gems” in the USA. Only 2 restaurants in CA made this list. This ranks Hurrica in the top 1% of restaurants worldwide. Hurrica has quickly become the Bay Area Peninsula's most exciting dining destination.

Hurrica Restaurant & Bar is located at 150 Northpoint Court, Redwood City, CA. For reservations and more information, visit www.hurrica.restaurant. Follow them on social media to stay updated on daily featured oysters and special events.