Downtown Bethesda: Where did it all go wrong?

[Anonymous]

I can tell you that in the 1990s there was hardly anything there. Austin Grill and La Posada Mexican restaurant and maybe a couple other places.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I live in a SFH in the downtown. I love Bethesda because it's walkable and I have my favorite Indian restaurant there (plus one homey Japanese restaurant and a French bakery I like), but I agree that rents are too high for the kind of stores you're pining for. It's a shame, because with a little incentivce and live music, Bethesda could go from meh to wonderful!

Please give your recommendation for the Indian, Japanese and French places.

[Anonymous]

"New" Bethesda (Bethesda Row) is run by large developers. They tend to sign major national chains as tenants because those chains are more likely to pay the rent. Same in all town centers around the country.

"Old" Bethesda (Woodmont Triangle) has a local landlord (usually Greenhill) and lower rents. Buildings are also older too. That's where you'll find more local restaurants and an actual nightlife (Caddie's, Gringos, Tommy Joes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a SFH in the downtown. I love Bethesda because it's walkable and I have my favorite Indian restaurant there (plus one homey Japanese restaurant and a French bakery I like), but I agree that rents are too high for the kind of stores you're pining for. It's a shame, because with a little incentivce and live music, Bethesda could go from meh to wonderful!

Please give your recommendation for the Indian, Japanese and French places.

Not PP, but we like Kadhai and Fresh Baguette.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live in a SFH in the downtown. I love Bethesda because it's walkable and I have my favorite Indian restaurant there (plus one homey Japanese restaurant and a French bakery I like), but I agree that rents are too high for the kind of stores you're pining for. It's a shame, because with a little incentivce and live music, Bethesda could go from meh to wonderful!

Please give your recommendation for the Indian, Japanese and French places.

Not PP, but we like Kadhai and Fresh Baguette.

Not that PP but I agree and would add Aji Nippon and Tako Grill for Japanese (if I were guessing Aji Nippon fits the description of a “homey Japanese” restaurant, although if you want teppanyaki then Satsuma is a good option).

The Afghan place on Cordell was great but it closed during the pandemic, but Cubanos opened and our takeout from there was very good. Casa Oaxaca is also pretty new but very good.

[Anonymous]

Agree that basically Federal Realty/the market is doing a terrible job around Bethesda ave (except for ChiKo) but Bethesda is not uniformly a lost cause.

[Anonymous]

I hear you, OP. I ask myself the same thing every time I'm in that area. The street design is part of the problem -- the sidewalks are too narrow, so it feels really crammed sitting down with a coffee or to eat. And the 'spontaneous seating areas' are too planned, built by a retail developer, not leaving much space for people to make their own experience. Also, Bethesdians are a big part of the problem, all tidy little capitalist soldiers, ready to rat each other out on Nextdoor at the smallest hint of self-determination.

[Anonymous]

It’s an outdoor shopping mall. Which is just what Federal Realty wanted and the council abetted it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Agree that basically Federal Realty/the market is doing a terrible job around Bethesda ave (except for ChiKo) but Bethesda is not uniformly a lost cause.

Woodmont Triangle is trending down in terms of vibe.

I would also ask one basic question: is there an actual good formal dining restaurant in Bethesda anymore? It used to be known as the restaurant capital of the area and now it’s all chains and fast casual.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that basically Federal Realty/the market is doing a terrible job around Bethesda ave (except for ChiKo) but Bethesda is not uniformly a lost cause.

Woodmont Triangle is trending down in terms of vibe.

I would also ask one basic question: is there an actual good formal dining restaurant in Bethesda anymore? It used to be known as the restaurant capital of the area and now it’s all chains and fast casual.

La Ferme though that's CCMD. Bistro Provence on Fairmont. Duck Duck Goose perhaps? Also Ruth's Chris and Daily Grill.

[Anonymous]

I’ll also give a shout out to Guardado’s as a really nice homey neighborhood spot with good Spanish food.

There are a bunch of non-chain stores and restaurants but unfortunately they are all spread around. Cornucopia, Pescetelli’s, places like Duck duck goose, guardados, the kappanese market, the Indian chaat house, several bakeries, the chocolatier, etc. . Q is supposed to be good but I’ve never been. There are also non chain stores like hardwood artisans, the rug place, that chotchki place, urban country, that antique store, strosniders, I think two quirky pet stores, and did that toy store close? I think it’s only the clothes stores that are overwhelmingly chain stuff.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The commercial rents are really high in Bethesda. It’s hard to make it as an independent store or business in that environment.

+1. Seems pretty easy to figure out. Real estate costs a lot. Well off families want walkability and proximity to dc. This causes tear downs to cost close to $1 million, flips close to $2 million. Commercial rent gets pushed up. Mom and pops leave. "Culture" leaves.

Frederick real estate does not cost anywhere close to Bethesda real estate. That's the difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’ll also give a shout out to Guardado’s as a really nice homey neighborhood spot with good Spanish food.

There are a bunch of non-chain stores and restaurants but unfortunately they are all spread around. Cornucopia, Pescetelli’s, places like Duck duck goose, guardados, the kappanese market, the Indian chaat house, several bakeries, the chocolatier, etc. . Q is supposed to be good but I’ve never been. There are also non chain stores like hardwood artisans, the rug place, that chotchki place, urban country, that antique store, strosniders, I think two quirky pet stores, and did that toy store close? I think it’s only the clothes stores that are overwhelmingly chain stuff.

[phone]

We looooooooooooooooooooooooooove Guardado's. Not sure why all the hate online on stupid review sites. They run imperfectly....omg so what? It's a small operation. Their paella has never disappointed us, even if it required an extra glass of wine because of a slow kitchen. So many snobs think they're the queen and king of England.

[Anonymous]

At vamoose bus today the Starbucks and a few stores on East West highway by Wisconsin are boarded up. A ghost town

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Agree that basically Federal Realty/the market is doing a terrible job around Bethesda ave (except for ChiKo) but Bethesda is not uniformly a lost cause.

Woodmont Triangle is trending down in terms of vibe.

I would also ask one basic question: is there an actual good formal dining restaurant in Bethesda anymore? It used to be known as the restaurant capital of the area and now it’s all chains and fast casual.

Woodmont grill, two steak restaurants