Red Dragon, beloved Uptown Minneapolis restaurant, closing after nearly half a century

MINNEAPOLIS — The menu offers plenty of options, but fans of the Red Dragon say they’ll miss how the restaurant really nourished their souls.

“It feels like family,” patron Kathleen Spitzer told WCCO. “Everybody — the servers and bartenders — are so nice. It feels like a home away from home.”

Red Dragon’s current owner, Phil Wong, said the restaurant and bar will shut down on Sunday after nearly 50 years in business; it first opened on Dec. 29, 1976.

“People love this place. They like to come here and drink and hang out,” Wong lamented. “I love them all. They show a lot of love to us and they enjoy our establishment.”

According to Wong, 73, finances and his longevity were contributing factors. The former engineer took over the business from his brother in 2007.

“It costs a little bit more — the food, the meat, the vegetables,” he added. “Minneapolis, too, the minimum wage went up.”

Still, Wong said he leaves with no regrets. 

“I feel good about it. I think it’s time to move on,” he said. “We’re ending on a good note.”

Red Dragon is the latest of several Twin Cities eateries to shutter in 2024, including the St. Paul staple Tavern on Grand. Even newer restaurants, like Kim’s from award-winning chef Ann Kim, also in Uptown, could not survive.