Redwood Bistro, a Chinese American restaurant in Redwood City, closed June 21 after a difficult year that included a change in ownership, a three-month shutdown and a steep drop in returning customers.
Yang Yang, who took ownership in March 2025, said he does not currently have plans to reopen the restaurant but is thankful for the learning experience it has been.
Soon after Yang took over, Redwood Bistro was forced to close for three months after a neighboring restaurant alerted him to an underground pipe leak.
“The business went through a very difficult situation,” Yang said. “For a small restaurant, three months is a very long time, and we still had rent, bills, insurance, payroll and … we could not operate normally after that. The cash flow was broken.”
After reopening in September 2025, Yang said that much of the loyal customer base had been lost, and it was nearly impossible to recover financially from being shut down. Redwood Bistro, located at 711 El Camino Real, has been around for close to 7 years, according to Yang.
“I feel very sad, and I put a lot of money and time and effort into the Redwood Bistro. I really wanted it to be (successful),” Yang said. “It was not just a business for me. It was also my hope to build something for my family, and then my future, and then to close the restaurant was very painful for me, but I also learned a lot from this experience. That’s the good thing.”
According to a sign posted on the restaurant’s front door, Mr. Pan Bistro is set to open in the same location, but it is unclear when. The new owners offered to work with Yang, he said, but because he lives in San Jose, the commute proved too difficult to maintain.
“Redwood Bistro has been a longtime American-Chinese staple in Redwood City, and we are sad to see it close,” said Amanda Anthony, economic development manager for the city.
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