American Tap Room in Rockville
The Rockville outpost of the American restaurant chainlet served its last beer in mid-December before closing in Rockville Town Square. Federal Realty Investment Trust, the owner of the space, said a new restaurant would be announced in the next month or two.
Mem Sahib in Rockville
The longtime Indian restaurant at the Randolph Hills Shopping Center closed Nov. 21 after a 17-year run in Rockville when the owners—Raj and Nelu Tuli—decided to retire. The restaurant had operated in Olney before relocating to Rockville in 1999.
Chili’s in North Bethesda
After 25 years in business, the Chili’s Grill & Bar at 11428 Rockville Pike announced in October the company had closed the restaurant due to pending development of the office building where it occupied a ground-floor space. The JBG Cos., which owns the building, has obtained approvals to build several new buildings at the site, including what could be Montgomery County’s tallest building—a 300-foot apartment tower.
Hooters in Rockville
The chain closed its Rockville restaurant in September after it struck an agreement with the county to surrender its liquor license following a deadly drunken driving collision in Dec. 2015 that killed Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta. The driver who struck Leotta on Rockville Pike, Luis Gustavo Reluzco, had been heavily drinking at the restaurant before he got in his vehicle and drove away. Reluzco was later sentenced to 10 years in prison.
Cosi on Bethesda Row
The Boston-based fast casual sandwich chain filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in October and closed dozens of stores across the country—including the Bethesda Row location at 7521 Woodmont Ave.
Matuba in Bethesda
The Japanese restaurant served sushi and other dishes for 37 years at its Woodmont Triangle location at 4918 Cordell Ave. before it closed in late July. The restaurant posted a note on its door that said “Arigato!!!”, which means “thanks a lot” in Japanese.
Kabob Bazaar in Bethesda
The Persian restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue closed in July, a victim of the coming redevelopment of the Connor Building, the future site of a Westin Hotel.
Max Brenner Chocolate Bar on Bethesda Row
The chocolate bar lasted about three years in its Bethesda Row location before closing up shop in late June. It was the original Max Brenner location before the business opened other restaurants in New York City, New Jersey and Boston. The restaurant space remains vacant.
Food Wine & Co. in Bethesda
Photo via Facebook
This well-known American restaurant closed abruptly in May with a Facebook message thanking the customers who stopped by during its 6-year run on Wisconsin Avenue. The Apex Building, where the restaurant was located, is slated for redevelopment and scheduled to be demolished in 2017.
Tony Lin’s Restaurant in Rockville
Photo via Google maps
The Chinese restaurant Tony Lin’s closed in May at the Montrose Crossing Shopping Center on Rockville Pike after the owners decided to retire. The restaurant was in business for 29 years.
Soup Up in Bethesda
It was a short run for Soup Up. The soup-focused restaurant, which also offered salads and bread, lasted about six months in the PeriPoint building at the corner ofOld Georgetown Road and Wilson Lane. The retail space on the ground floor of the unique building remains vacant.
Indigo House in Cabin John
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The Asian fusion concept from Damian and Stephanie Salvatore was open for 15 months before closing in April. About a month after the closing, the Salvatores opened Sal’s Italian Kitchen in the space.
Jackie’s in Silver Spring
via Jackie’s on Facebook
The American restaurant Jackie’s served as a harbinger for the changes coming to Silver Spring when it opened in 2004. Over the restaurant’s 12-year run near the intersection of Georgia and Sligo avenues, the city grew with taller buildings and more upscale restaurants such as Urban Butcher and 8407 Kitchen Bar. Owner Jackie Greenbaum closed the restaurant in March to focus on opening the Italian restaurant Little Coco’s in Washington, D.C., which debuted in September.
Austin Grill in Silver Spring
Via Austin Grill on Facebook
Virginia-based Thompson Hospitality closed the Downtown Silver Spring Tex-Mex restaurant in March so one of its subsidiary companies, Pheast Food Group, could open its new Southern food concept Hen Quarter at the location. Hen Quarter opened in December after a six-month renovation. Austin Grill had a 13-year run at the space.
City Burger in Bethesda
This short-lived burgers and fries restaurant on Wisconsin Avenue was the brainchild of restaurateur Francis Namin and former Food Wine & Co. chef Michael Harr. The restaurant lasted for less than two years before closing in February. Namin later converted the space into one of his other fast casual concepts, Fish Taco.
Union Jack’s in Bethesda
via Union Jack’s on Facebook
The British pub closed in February when co-owner Johnny “Nitro” Natoli decided to convert the restaurant into a beer-focused tavern. Six months later, Tapp’d opened at the St. Elmo Avenue space in Bethesda’s Woodmont Triangle.