This page is part of an ongoing, never-ending research project into closed-down restaurants in Minneapolis — the places people still talk about long after the lights went out and the doors were locked. What you see here is only the beginning. As we dig through old articles, menus, photos, and memories, we’ll keep adding more spots, more dates, and more stories. If your favorite closed Minneapolis restaurant isn’t listed yet, it just means our research hasn’t caught up to it… yet.
Figlio – Calhoun Square, Uptown Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3001 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Opened: 1985 | Closed: 2009 (about a 25-year run in Calhoun Square)
Notes: Parasole’s trend-setting Italian spot with big pastas, open-kitchen energy, and famous “foil swan” leftovers; many locals mark its closing as the start of “old Uptown” fading away.
Chino Latino – Uptown Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2916 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Opened: ~2000 | Closed: October 26, 2020 (after 20 years)
Notes: Loud, glitzy, “street food from the hot zones” concept that became an Uptown nightlife anchor with shareable plates and theatrical cocktails before closing during the pandemic.
Muddy Waters – Lyn-Lake, Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2933 Lyndale Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Opened: 1987 (original coffee shop; relaunched as bar/eatery in 2012) | Closed: May 3, 2020
Notes: Started as a beloved coffeehouse and evolved into a full bar and kitchen; its 2020 closure during COVID was widely seen as the end of an era for the Lyn-Lake corridor.
Taco Cat – Midtown Global Market, Minneapolis, MN
Address: Midtown Global Market, 920 E Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Opened: Spring 2014 | Closed: Late September 2020
Notes: Palindrome-loving taco shop known for creative fillings (including great vegan options) and a strong following; closed permanently after about six years in business.
Curran’s Family Restaurant – South Minneapolis, MN
Address: 4201 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55409
Opened: c. 1948 (on that corner for about 71–72 years) | Closed: 2020
Notes: Classic neighborhood diner famous for affordable breakfasts, pies, and long-time regulars; closed in 2020 after more than seven decades as a south-side institution.
Burch Steak & Pizza Bar – Lowry Hill, Minneapolis, MN
Address: 1933 Colfax Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55403 (Hennepin & Franklin)
Opened: February 2013 | Closed: 2021 (never reopened after the March 2020 shutdown)
Notes: Isaac Becker’s acclaimed steakhouse with a downstairs pizzeria, regularly cited among the city’s best restaurants before the Lowry Hill location closed for good.
Liquor Lyle’s – Lowry Hill, Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2021 Hennepin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55405
Opened: 1967 | Closed: Closed at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic (effectively 2020; building sold in 2021)
Notes: Legendary dive bar remembered for its cheap 3-for-1 or 3-4-1 drink specials, free wings at happy hour, and an only-in-Minneapolis vibe; the space is now home to a pinball bar.
Chiang Mai Thai – Calhoun Square, Uptown Minneapolis, MN
Address: 3001 Hennepin Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Opened: ~1998 | Closed: December 23, 2015 (after 17 years in Calhoun Square)
Notes: Long-running Thai spot in Calhoun Square, fondly remembered for curry, happy hour, and being part of the Lake & Hennepin “only place to be” era.
Sen Yai Sen Lek – Northeast Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2422 Central Ave NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418
Opened: 2008 | Closed: April 23, 2022
Notes: Beloved neighborhood Thai restaurant known for rice and noodle dishes, thoughtful sourcing, and a warm, family-run feel; closed after 13 years, along with sibling shop Dipped & Debris.
Evergreen Chinese Restaurant – Eat Street (Nicollet), Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2424 Nicollet Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Opened: Operating by at least the late 1980s (exact opening year not well documented) | Closed: Confirmed closed by 2017
Notes: Basement Chinese restaurant famous for its extensive vegetarian and vegan menu, separate veggie wok, and mock-meat dishes; a go-to spot on Nicollet for plant-based diners.
True Thai – Seward / E. Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN
Address: 2627 E Franklin Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55406
Opened: 2002 | Closed: October 2013 (bankruptcy and permanent closure finalized by early 2014)
Notes: Once one of the city’s best-known Thai restaurants, praised for bold curries and a big lunch buffet; financial troubles led to its closure, and the space later became Soberfish.
The Bachelor Farmer – North Loop, Minneapolis, MN
Address: 50 N 2nd Ave, Minneapolis, MN 55401
Opened: 2011 | Closed: April 30, 2020
Notes: Eric and Andrew Dayton’s influential North Loop restaurant that helped redefine “Minnesotan/Nordic” cooking; closed permanently during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic along with Marvel Bar and the café.
Fuji Ya – Lyn-Lake & Earlier Riverfront Locations, Minneapolis, MN
Address (final Minneapolis location): 600 W Lake St, Minneapolis, MN 55408
Opened: Original Fuji-Ya opened downtown in 1959; riverfront location opened 1968; final Lyn-Lake sushi house operated in later decades
Closed: 2020 (Lake Street location and brand effectively closed after unrest and pandemic)
Notes: Minnesota’s first Japanese restaurant and an early local pioneer of sushi and teppanyaki; after more than 60 years and several moves, the iconic name finally disappeared in 2020.