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Thursday, October 29, 2026Oct 29

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Southside Chattanooga’s Ernest Chinese is closing

Staff photo by Lyric Lewin / Menu items for a power lunch are on display at Ernest Chinese.
Staff photo by Lyric Lewin / Menu items for a power lunch are on display at Ernest Chinese. Staff photo by Lyric Lewin / Menu items for a power lunch are on display at Ernest Chinese.


Ernest Chinese announced via press release that the restaurant will be closing on July 13.

The restaurant was formerly The Flying Squirrel and changed over to a Chinese-American concept in 2023.

“It’s with a heady mix of emotions that we announce our intent to close the restaurant,” a statement sent by co-owner Max Poppel said.

Poppel said by phone he’s getting out of the restaurant business and that the owners will either sell the building or, ideally, find new tenants to operate a restaurant.