The window coverings have been removed at the new Mussel Bar & Grille, now located at 4903 Cordell Avenue in Bethesda. Permanent signage was installed outside the restaurant Friday. Operating hours and Mussel Bar logos were applied to the windows. Tables, already set for customers, were visible inside the space. Later in the day Friday, a "coming soon" sandwich board was placed on the sidewalk out front.
This sudden burst of activity, and the effort to put a finished presentation forward to passersby, are understandable. Today is the Taste of Bethesda, and thousands of hungry potential customers will be walking past this corner for several hours. It's an advertising opportunity to a captive audience seeking culinary adventures, and Mussel Bar was wise not to pass it up. Formerly located at Bethesda Row, Mussel Bar is seeking a return to Bethesda, this time in the Woodmont Triangle.
Hope it does better then every other place that has been there over the years.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads-up about Taste of Bethesda. I usually have brunch at Tastee Diner on Saturdays, but I'll avoid the traffic today.
ReplyDeleteLooks nice. Not sure why commenters on the previous thread are so obsessed with the space being on the smaller side. Cheesecake Factory already exists if you prefer large and loud for your dining.
ReplyDelete1:41 - No one is obsessed with the space being on the smaller side. It is on the smaller side. Restaurants need to make a lot of money just to afford the high rents as do all retail in the downtown area. This space makes it very tough to do that. Nothing more complicated than that.
DeleteClaiming that it's harder to afford the rent of a smaller space than a larger space does indeed sound quite complicated.
DeleteCan we talk more about how Mussel BAR does not have a bar?
ReplyDeleteSeriously. How is there no bar?
DeleteIt’s a little small. I guess there isn’t a bar.
DeleteLack of a proper bar is a big issue I think. There's a lot of nightlife around there, and they could fit the niche of a more upscale place for the slightly older crowd (like SaltLine does for the other part of Bethesda).
ReplyDeleteI think the newly-opened Ruta also has this possibility, but so far even the restaurant side of it doesn't seem that popular, so not sure how they will do long-term.
The usual suspects will fill this new incarnation to the gills 'till something happens and then it will be nil. Why as a diner of "fine" food, would you subject yourself to hearing in on everything being said at the table that's basically in top of you (not next to you) ? It'll be a goldmine for Veed-my-er initially tho'.
ReplyDeleteThe lack of a bar is sad for solo diners who don't want to take up a 2-top during busy hours.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't have known your restaurant speak terminology comment if I hadn't watched The Bear...
Delete6:18 - Huh?
ReplyDeleteSo when exactly is the opening?
ReplyDeleteOct. 16th
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