The Downtowner Woodfire Grill, a longtime West Seventh dining staple and pregame stop for concert crowds and neighborhood regulars, will close for good next Sunday, May 17. Owner Mojtaba "Moe" Sharifkhani is stepping away after decades on the strip, trimming one of downtown St. Paul's reliable sit-down options just as the summer event season ramps up.
Closing Confirmed
According to MPR News, the Downtowner will serve its final meals on May 17, with Sharifkhani preparing to retire after nearly 40 years in the neighborhood. The brief May 11 update cast the closure as the capstone to a long run on West Seventh and was the first local word that the restaurant would not reopen after next weekend.
Owner And Local Footprint
Mojtaba Sharifkhani, who goes by Moe Sharif locally, also owns Burger Moe's and other West Seventh properties, and his role as a landlord and operator has periodically drawn public attention, as reported by the Star Tribune. Burger Moe's, located across the street at 242 7th Street West according to its official site, remains an active game-night and patio draw. Together, that cluster of businesses has made the Sharif name a familiar one on this block of West Seventh.
Where It Sits And What It Served
The Downtowner sits at 253 West 7th Street and bills itself as an oak-burning wood-fire grill with fireplaces and a broad menu, details that appear on the restaurant's website. Its about page notes a reopening after an extensive renovation in August 2001 and lays out hours, menus and private dining options. For years, it has been a dependable pre-show stop for fans headed to the Xcel Energy Center and the Ordway.
What This Means For West Seventh
The shutdown lands at a moment when downtown St. Paul has seen a rapid mix of openings and sudden closures that are reshaping where locals eat and where operators decide to invest, a pattern Hoodline has been documenting. Losing the Downtowner tightens the list of full-service dinner choices along West Seventh, especially on arena and concert nights when demand spikes. For restaurateurs and property owners, what fills this high-visibility space next will be closely watched.
The Downtowner will serve guests through next Sunday, May 17. After that, the building's future is uncertain. The Sharif family has not announced any replacement concept for the site, and neighbors, hospitality workers and regulars will be watching West Seventh to see who moves in next.
