Red @ 28th quietly slipped back onto the scene in North Charlotte on Thursday, reopening at 3509 David Cox Road after an abrupt shutdown of its Dilworth location earlier this year. The multicultural restaurant, hookah bar and literary lounge is now posted up in the Prosperity Church Road corridor and will serve food and hookah in its dining room beginning at 3 p.m. daily. A full bar experience is expected to follow at a later date.
Owners announced the return on Instagram, promising “elevated food, premium hookah, and the energy you’ve been missing” and writing, “To everyone who held us down through every delay, every pivot, every ‘almost’ — this one is for you.” According to the Charlotte Observer, hookahs at the new space start at $25. The outlet also notes the kitchen and dining room open at 3 p.m. daily and that alcohol service will not be available on opening day but is expected later.
Backstory: Why They Left Dilworth
The bar and lounge abruptly closed its Dilworth outpost in January, with management writing at the time, “Our doors have always been open and welcoming to all with zero discrimination to race, sexual orientation, religion or beliefs.” That shutdown, which owners said stemmed from a lack of support from some in the neighborhood, sparked strong local reaction and a promise to find a new home, as coverage at the time showed. An earlier Charlotte Observer report captured the owners’ explanation and community responses.
What To Expect At The New Spot
The menu sticks to bar-friendly plates such as loaded fries, fish tacos, burgers and wing baskets, and the team plans to run events and themed evenings around hookah service, according to the venue’s online listings. The brand has previously operated in University City and NoDa and first opened in Dilworth in 2021, as Axios Charlotte reported, while the restaurant’s official site lists menus and contact details. See the Red @ 28th site for event listings and hours.
Patrons can follow the team on Instagram for day-of announcements or check the website for menus and events; the owners used their Instagram account to share the opening message. Follow @redat28th on Instagram for photos and updates. The new address is 3509 David Cox Road in North Charlotte, and walk-ins should expect hookah service and food beginning in the afternoon.
