Dragon Hero DC, the sandwich shop that named its subs after mythical dragon-slayers from across the globe, is closing its doors at 2016 9th Street NW on November 5. The shop, which opened across the street from the 9:30 Club in early 2025, is inviting Shaw visitors to stop in over the next week for a final sandwich and farewell before the lights go out for good.
News of the closure first surfaced in a report from PoPville, which said the shop thanked past and present staff for their work and expressed that it will miss Shaw. The sandwich shop also thanked the neighborhood and the people who visited, chatted, and supported it along the way, according to the same report. PoPville, authored by Prince Of Petworth, noted it plans to provide updates about what becomes of the space once a new tenant is known.
A Dragon-Slaying Concept Born From Virginia Kitchens
Dragon Hero DC was the creation of chef Adam Campbell, who partnered with his hometown friend William Brancati to open the shop, according to popville.com. The concept, inspired by legendary dragon-slaying heroes from cultures around the world, built its menu around five hero sandwiches each named for a heroic dragon-slayer, alongside classic and veggie subs, soups, salads and sides, Washingtonian reported when the shop opened in February 2025.
Campbell moved to Richmond at age 21 and cooked in kitchens across Virginia before landing in DC. He worked at Roanoke's Brambleton Deli and BBQ, became sous chef at the Berkeley Hotel and Balliceaux, and later worked his way up from line cook to executive chef over three years at Rappahannock Oyster Company, per the same Washingtonian account. At the time of the opening, Campbell told the magazine that DC diners seemed receptive to the concept, saying “everybody seems to be liking the sandwiches.”
Shaw's Shifting Restaurant Scene
Dragon Hero's exit adds to a string of recent closures rippling through the U Street corridor and downtown DC. Just down the street, the nearly 30-year-old U Street institution Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant is set to close on Saturday, November 7, according to Eater DC, a closure also reported by the Washington Business Journal. Eater DC also noted that Easy Company, the Wharf's first-ever wine bar, suddenly closed on Sunday, October 11, and that the last Northern Virginia location of seafood chain McCormick & Schmick's shut down permanently on Sunday, October 25.
Those losses follow a broader wave documented by WTOP, which reported that Métier and Kinship both closed near the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in December 2025, with Métier shutting down after 10 years of service. Restaurant owners who spoke with the station pointed to reduced downtown activity, workers not returning to offices, traffic, crime, parking troubles and rising labor costs as ongoing pressures on the industry. The National Restaurant Association, cited in that same report, found food costs running 34% higher than pre-pandemic levels.
Signs of Recovery Amid the Closures
Not every indicator points downward, however. The Downtown D.C. BID told WTOP that office attendance climbed to 48% from March through December 2025, a 4% increase over the same stretch the year before, and that overall downtown foot traffic rose 2.5% compared with the prior year's figures. The business improvement district also said the ratio of restaurant openings to closings has remained positive despite the string of high-profile shutdowns.
For now, Dragon Hero DC is making the most of its final week in Shaw. The shop had offered catering for game-day gatherings, office events and parties, according to its own site, and its hero sandwiches were pitched as heroic in both flavor and size. Neighbors with a taste for one last legendary sub have only days left to grab one before the dragon-slayers hang up their swords at 2016 9th Street NW.
