Red Star

This «lounge» counterpart to Fitger’s Brewery and Grille is always a great place to order a beer while you wait for a table at Fitger’s.
Whatever you do, don’t make the mistake of asking a 21-​year-​old bartender to make a drink with a name. I asked if she knew how to make a French 75. I know, my bad. But it was New Year’s Eve! She asked what was in it. I told her, and to her credit, she went for it. Unfortunately, the result bore no resemblance to the actual drink and was unpalatable. Maybe some actual bartending training would be helpful.

The security guards need to take a class on how to verbally diffuse a situation instead of getting physical. I understand the reason for the tough guy image but when being greeted at the door by someone who is rude it sets a tone for a situation to happen. Under any circumstance it is never okay to push a woman especially one that is not showing aggression.

The Bourbon Bootlegger has always been my favorite cocktail at the Red Star but the last time I was there it was not good. Too much club soda and the move from fresh mint to dried was a bad one. Too bad. I do like the atmosphere though. Weeknights are chill and intimate

Red Star is one of our favorite places to hang in all of Duluth. First, they serve Fitger’s beer… and as we happen to usually stay at Fitger’s, this makes for a most convenient watering hole within walking distance of our hotel room. Second, the vibe is a cross between cool and hip, dive bar and total local hangout. If you happen to be there on an evening when someone is playing live music, you may encounter a younger, more rowdy crowd. If you’re there at another time, it’ll be pretty laid back. You never know who you will run into or what will happen. There’s no food — you’d have to go across the hall for that to the restaurant/​pub. (Conveniently, you can wait for your table in Red Star, so there’s that…) But if you just want to hang out and grab a few beers, Red Star is a great place to go. It’s a bit more relaxed and can be less crowded than the restaurant across the street, at least in our experiences there.

4 stars are for the service. This place is for young kids but they do have good drinks and the service is good unlike the brew house.

Too damn old for this place.

Oh how I crave the Pomegranate and the XXX martinis. Every time I visit Duluth I always try to make a pit stop at Red Star.
I have a secret confession, besides the delicious drinks at Red Star, I think that I like the Red Star because I always feel really cool and hip whenever there. The loungy seating area around the dance floor, and the animal print seating in the bar area make me feel like I’m in some posh club, but I don’t always have to dress the part. They have a wonderful menu of delicious martinis, and even without a happy hour price, they are a good deal because you get the shaker to refill your drink. They also have delicious Fitger’s Brewhouse beer on tap (yummm).
There always a nice variety of people in Red Star, which is great for people watching; crazy hippies and their crazy dancing, drunk frat boys, European exchange students who love their techno, and even older people who know how to have a good time.
So if you love tasty martinis and delicious beer and people watching (the best things in life), then I recommend Red Star.

The dance floor is extremely small, as is the entire club and the music is not so loud that you need to shout to talk to the person next to you. That combination makes The Red Star a good place to meet people and avoid people who «just want to dance».
The drinks are a little expensive but that also keeps the riff-​raff away. I wouldn’t call this place «Las Vegas» but it’s pretty upscale for Duluth. If you go there, try to wear a collared shirt and leather shoes and leave the t-​shirt and Nikes at home.
Sometimes the waitstaff can be a little aloof as to how to behave when working at a bar. If you are not sure what I mean, feel free to read A. L’s review. He is not too far off in his critique of the employee’s.
The typical clientele is mid to late 20’s who are working professionals. You will tend to see some younger girls there who look like they just got done watching Sex and The City and wanted to go to The Red Star for the sole purpose of playing «dress up».
Overall I enjoy this place. Duluth needs more bars like The Red Star.

Black Water and Red Star are the two fancy drinking locations in Duluth. Black Water appeals to the older crowd (and some younger), while Red Star is the place college kids go to dress up and have a «sophisticated» drink (don’t fear people of all ages do come here). The nice thing about Red Star is you could have a quick drink before you heading to Fitgers to eat. (The dress code is more relaxed at Red Star) Red Star has a pretty sweet interior and it is not too busy on the weekdays. Weekends cause the capacity in Red Star to fill quick. Great drinks and a great location make this an awesome place to go.

Stopped in for a drink or two while we waited for a table at the Brewhouse. My wife and I sat at the bar, and despite the place being pretty empty, the staff failed to serve us. The two employees that were behind the bar were more interested in socializing with each other (I believe they were discussing the golf theme for the night). After about 10 minutes of sitting there, we left and walked around Fitger’s to pass the time.
Interestingly enough, we came back to the Brewhouse to see how much longer we were going to have to wait, and the two staff members mentioned above (a girl and a guy) were in the hallway flirting with each other and looking at a cell phone.
Having worked at a bunch of clubs/​bars in the Twin Cities, I can’t imagine any legitimate establishment allowing behavior like this to last. If it’s busy I can understand, people will have to wait, but the place was dead and the staff was more interested in themselves.

I can’t really say «Yay, I’m a Fan» and mean it. If it was about 5 – 8 years ago, I probably could.
Let me start with the positive–
The place is really, really cool looking. Sleek, dark– kind of reminds me of The Lounge in downtown Mpls, but cooler.
There is no cover charge.
The music is fantastic. They played mostly 80’s and 90’s.
Negative–
The crowd is REALLY young. I mean, like freshly turned 21 and running around squealing when they play a song from well before they were born. Which doesn’t make sense. Why doesn’t this place attract a more mature crowd with the music they play?
Drinks were a little spendy.
You have to leave, go down a hall and around a corner to use the bathroom.
It’s in the Fitger’s «mall»
The place is certainly cool looking, and it worth stopping by. If you are under 25, it’s worth sticking around.

oh my god!!! words cannot describe… this is my favorite bar and dance place in the world, now and forever, i give myself to the red star. there are too many great memories i have with this place. the drinks are great, the champagne in a can, aaww… classic. not to mention the music, the best!!! dancing is an all night event here, you should never stop unless another drink is needed, which another drink is always needed… minus the fact you’ll get wasted after your first one, since one martini is really three martinis!!! nola dj’s on fridays and is indeed a talent to move to. red star will change your life!

Mindless dancing. I could dance until I collapse and i probably have. Great martinis and so many to choose from. My favorite is the blueberry. The blueberries have been soaking in liquor for god knows how long. But let me warn you, I have destroyed numerous tops trying to drink and dance with these lovely little elixirs. It will stain!
I heart Derrick the bartender. So sweet and good.