Downtown Bethesda: Where did it all go wrong?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I live close to downtown Bethesda. Our favorite place is Gringos & Mariachis. It feels like one of the restaurants that could easily be a good neighborhood haunt in DC on U St or 14th. We like Alatri Bros as well but feel that there are way too many pizza places in downtown Bethesda. Jaleo was okay but the service and quality really sucked at that the end. We agree that Passage to India is worth the trip. Barrel & Crow is just fine but nothing special. We enjoy making weekly trips to Pesca Deli and the Butchers' Alley on Bethesda Ave but that's for cooking at home rather than eating out. I wish there were better options --I'm surprised Bethesda doesn't have a better BBQ option (like Black Hog BBQ in Frederick) or a good craft brewery/outpost (Rock Bottom is terrible).

Craft brews can't afford Bethesda. That's why there are three in DTSS and none in Bethesda.

Really? They can't just up their prices by 20-30% to make it work? Even in one of those run down places along Wisconsin near Don Pollo or Moby Dick or along St Elmo, Cordell or Del Ray? I'd gladly pay it to support it.

[Anonymous]

We walk all the time from the woodmont area to the bethesda row area. Not far at all. We love Bethesda!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

Huh? That whole block on both sides is being redeveloped with tall buildings - office and residential with retail. Starbucks is still open and another one is opening as well. There are two new restaurants coming next to the new Starbucks. You're passing through on a Vamoose bus and didn't see any of the construction???!

DP, but which block are you referring to? The Starbucks on East West Highway just before Wisconsin Avenue is indeed closed (I went to B-CC and loved that Starbucks, so when I saw it boarded up I actually checked the website to see if it was gone - it is). The one on Wisconsin Avenue is still open though. Where is the new Starbucks?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to sound too much like a jerk, but also look at the people in Frederick, compared to the people in Bethesda.

I'm not judging one group as better or worse than other, but there's def a difference in personality type of people who live or socialize there.

The people in Bethesda just feel more comfortable in a chain (like other people have said, it only appeals to tweens and senior citizens).

The folks in Frederick wouldn't patronize those places.

For example, for all the great restaurants in Frederick, can you imagine 3 tattoo shops all thriving in downtown Bethesda?

This thread is started on the absurd notion that downtown Frederick is more desirable than Bethesda. I don’t care if they’re local or national chains, I would take Medium Rare, Anthony’s, Fish Taco, Phillz, Spanish Diner, Fresh Baguette, and even Guapos over almost every comparable restaurant in Frederick. Frederick is interesting for about two hours until you wake up and realize how depressing and provincial it is. OP is acting like it’s Flatbush or Ridgewood and is full of incomparable, unique boutiques and restaurants that everyone’s clamoring to visit. They’re not. It’s just Frederick.

Bethesda is more upscale. Frederick is charming but after a couple of hours, you're kind of over it. The downtown is small and there are only a couple of restaurants and few stores worth checking out. The rest to me are just tattoo shops. And yes, look at the people wandering around there and you'll see the difference that I'm talking about.

Yes, I agree that its a VERY different group of customers. Popped collars vs. tattoos For sure.

But you're wrong about the restaurants. Thatcher & Rye. the tasting Room. White Rabbit. Born & Raised.

Those are all better than anything Bethesda has to offer. Combine that with the fact that the shops are all locally owned and not chains, and its a far better experience for a simple night out

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to sound too much like a jerk, but also look at the people in Frederick, compared to the people in Bethesda.

I'm not judging one group as better or worse than other, but there's def a difference in personality type of people who live or socialize there.

The people in Bethesda just feel more comfortable in a chain (like other people have said, it only appeals to tweens and senior citizens).

The folks in Frederick wouldn't patronize those places.

For example, for all the great restaurants in Frederick, can you imagine 3 tattoo shops all thriving in downtown Bethesda?

This thread is started on the absurd notion that downtown Frederick is more desirable than Bethesda. I don’t care if they’re local or national chains, I would take Medium Rare, Anthony’s, Fish Taco, Phillz, Spanish Diner, Fresh Baguette, and even Guapos over almost every comparable restaurant in Frederick. Frederick is interesting for about two hours until you wake up and realize how depressing and provincial it is. OP is acting like it’s Flatbush or Ridgewood and is full of incomparable, unique boutiques and restaurants that everyone’s clamoring to visit. They’re not. It’s just Frederick.

Bethesda is more upscale. Frederick is charming but after a couple of hours, you're kind of over it. The downtown is small and there are only a couple of restaurants and few stores worth checking out. The rest to me are just tattoo shops. And yes, look at the people wandering around there and you'll see the difference that I'm talking about.

Yes, I agree that its a VERY different group of customers. Popped collars vs. tattoos For sure.

But you're wrong about the restaurants. Thatcher & Rye. the tasting Room. White Rabbit. Born & Raised.

Those are all better than anything Bethesda has to offer. Combine that with the fact that the shops are all locally owned and not chains, and its a far better experience for a simple night out

I don't get it. Georgetown has plenty of popped collars and it was able to offer plenty of fine dining and other options -- those rents certainly aren't cheap. Is this because of the University and proximity to Arlington and other areas of DC?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
That's kind of silly - plenty of people with kids prioritize live music and innovative restaurants. Just because you don't doesn't mean other parents wouldn't. And as a parent, I would love to have live music options in the late afternoon that kids could enjoy too - imagine how great it would be to walk to an acoustic set with your family at 5pm on a nice day??

They used to have live music at the plaza outside the metro center. Inside (where streetsense is now) used to be a food court so you could get food from there and eat it outside. People would even dance.

Now there is some music at Veteran's Plaza and it's very popular (no place to sit) but partly that's because it's so small. What Bethesda lacks is a large public space. My proposal was to take the sites of Bethesda library and Freeland Park next to it, and build a new library on the far edge (by the elementary school) then use the rest for a big public space + library parking, but I dont' think it'll happen.

Another realistic proposal is take the parking lot behidn teh Farm Women's market and rejigger that to add a park there (there is one, but it's small and on the end). However I heard the people of Chevy Chase have already lined up against it -- they like the parking lots as a buffer from commoners.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

I CALL BS!!!!!

Shakey's Pizza was the best ever.

And.. Rio Grande (now Uncle Julio's), Chesapeake Bay Seafood House, O'Donnells, Little Tavern, Lousiana Kitchen, Mongolian Grill...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live in a Bethesda neighborhood, just near the DC line. We love the neighborhood, community pool, schools, etc.

But downtown Bethesda really is a disaster. Very few good restaurants, most of the independent shops have closed, and there is generally not much going on. It feels like a cultural vacuum.

We were in Frederick, MD last week and it is the total opposite. It is vibrant, with independent stores, excellent bars and restaurants, diversity. We loved it.

So my question is how did Bethesda end up like it is now? Was it ever anything lie Frederick? Did it have rowhouses that were demolished?

Where and when did it all go wrong?

Rent prices are absurd. Squeezes out Mom & Pop and unique for national/chain.
That said, there are many good restaurants on the Woodmont side.
By not much going on, I’m assuming you don’t mean literally, because it’s been pretty active - especially since things have re-opened and the Streeterys are still in place.

Agree -- we've lived here for 30 years and the evolution has been sad to see. Compared to suburban NJ and CT, areas where we grew up and have family, which have thriving and interesting commercial areas, Bethesda is uninviting.

[Anonymous]

If only they would build more condos...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not to sound too much like a jerk, but also look at the people in Frederick, compared to the people in Bethesda.

I'm not judging one group as better or worse than other, but there's def a difference in personality type of people who live or socialize there.

The people in Bethesda just feel more comfortable in a chain (like other people have said, it only appeals to tweens and senior citizens).

The folks in Frederick wouldn't patronize those places.

For example, for all the great restaurants in Frederick, can you imagine 3 tattoo shops all thriving in downtown Bethesda?

This thread is started on the absurd notion that downtown Frederick is more desirable than Bethesda. I don’t care if they’re local or national chains, I would take Medium Rare, Anthony’s, Fish Taco, Phillz, Spanish Diner, Fresh Baguette, and even Guapos over almost every comparable restaurant in Frederick. Frederick is interesting for about two hours until you wake up and realize how depressing and provincial it is. OP is acting like it’s Flatbush or Ridgewood and is full of incomparable, unique boutiques and restaurants that everyone’s clamoring to visit. They’re not. It’s just Frederick.

Actually frederick has, in addition to some top restaurants, an assortment of high end as well as funky home and design stores. Many house genuinely interesting finds and those stores in particular attract people with a pretty sophisticated eye, including people from dc. I live in frederick and worked in dc for several years as a professional with my own business and your assessment of frederick sounds about twenty years old. There is money here and there are a significant number of highly educated people here. You are the one who sounds provincial.

[Anonymous]

There are indeed many unique and cool small stores in Fredrick. They are the kinds of places that are best explored slowly and they are always evolving.

[Anonymous]

Frederick is unique and rare... the historical downtown is thriving and has been recognized as such by a variety of sources for several years now.

[Anonymous]

Bethesda is a place I want to avoid ever having to meet anybody. I'd rather meet in Tysons, Rockville, DC. Anywhere but Bethesda. It's far from highway, too complicated to park. Not much going on. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If only they would build more condos...

LOL. You can buy condos in downtown Bethesda right now for under $200k.

[Anonymous]

I think all these bethesda haters haven’t been downtown in a while. While I do miss the Barnes and Nobles a lot, between Bethesda row and woodmont triangle there are a ton of restaurants. And chocolate shops, and random little things. Yes there are less cutesy retail stores but that’s because of Amazon.

My favorites:

Passage of India
Raku
Gringos and Mariachis
Silver
Hanaro
Bachus of Lebanon
CherCher is excellent
Q by Peter Chang is excellent
Even that grungy Korean fried chicken place is good and it has live music


Less fancy but also yum
Bethesda Bagel
Moby Dick
The Big Greek Cafe (so good, everyone please go here so it stays open)