One Burger at Community closes in Bethesda (Photos)

After holding on another two months with a slimmer menu and focus on high-quality hamburgers, One Burger at Community has closed. The Mark Bucher establishment began life as Community, an all-day, upscale diner concept in the new 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment tower. It seemed to draw crowds well enough, but dropped hours and many menu items at the start of November last year.

Bucher's other popular venture in the same building, Medium Rare, was open and packing them in Friday. Meanwhile, One Burger at Community was dark to begin the day. A sign blamed weather-related water problems. By early evening, however, Community had announced "we have closed" on their Facebook page.

While the specific cause of the closure has not been announced publicly, I must note Community is the 13th restaurant/bar with a late-night focus to close in downtown Bethesda since Montgomery County Council Hans Riemer's failed "nighttime economy" initiative.

Community closes in Bethesda, to be replaced with new concept

Community has closed in the ground floor of the 7770 Norfolk apartment tower in downtown Bethesda. A sign in the restaurant's window announced the closure yesterday. Owner Mark Bucher said he will reopen shortly with a new concept centered around burgers. Taking into account feedback from patrons of the upscale diner, the new restaurant will retain what people liked about Community while changing what they didn't. Bucher knows a thing or two about burgers, having been one of the founders of BGR.

Community to launch breakfast Tuesday in Bethesda

Community, the upscale diner in the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment tower, has been building up to its full schedule since opening on November 29. They started with dinner, then expanded with lunch hours. Tomorrow morning at 7:00 AM, the restaurant will begin serving breakfast.

7776 Norfolk Avenue

301-272-9050

Community opens in Bethesda (Photo)

The eagerly-anticipated upscale diner Community officially opened last night in Bethesda. Founded by successful local restaurateur Mark Bucher (BGR, Medium Rare), the restaurant will take on the venerable Tastee Diner that it faces across Veterans Park, as well as newcomer Silver off Bethesda Row.

Community will initially serve dinner, starting at 5:00 PM tonight, according to the website. They will then add breakfast, lunch and late night hours. Service should be good, because the staff has benefited from one of the longest soft-opening periods I can recall in Bethesda.

7770 Norfolk Avenue

301-272-9050

Community sign update (Photos)

There's more text on the lit sign at Community, opening soon in the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment tower on Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda. The upscale diner is from BGR and Medium Rare founder Mark Bucher.

Signs installed at Community in Bethesda (Photos)

The permanent signs are up at Community, the upscale diner concept opening soon in the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment tower in downtown Bethesda.

Founding members at new Bethesda diner get free coffee for life (Photos)

Dining is about to become #BethesdaCool, according to the soon-to-open Community upscale diner in the ground floor of the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment building at Norfolk and Fairmont Avenues. Those who sign up to be founding members of their Founders Club will get account dining, their own phone number to call for reservation, their own personal brand of bourbon kept on hand in the restaurant, priority access to private and special events, and - more importantly - FREE COFFEE FOR LIFE, and a free dozen of donuts every month.

Community will be the latest culinary venture from Bethesda resident Mark Bucher, the man behind BGR and Medium Rare. Email foundersclub [at] communitybethesda [dot] com for a Founders Club application.

Community restaurant posts Coming Soon signage in Bethesda (Photos)

Future upscale diner Community has posted some Coming Soon signage in the windows of its space in the 7770 Norfolk luxury apartment building. The building has just switched back to rental apartments from condos, as I reported on Saturday morning.

Bethesda construction update: Community restaurant applies for liquor license (Photos)

Community, an upscale diner-inspired restaurant opening in the ground floor of the 7770 Norfolk luxury condo tower, has applied for its liquor license. Its hearing will be on January 7.

Bethesda construction update: Community restaurant (Photos)

Who will win the diner face-off across Veteran's Park in Bethesda's Woodmont Triangle? Well, first they have to build Community before it can challenge the venerable Tastee Diner. And that's exactly what they're doing right now, in the ground floor of the future 7770 Norfolk luxury condo tower on Norfolk Avenue.

REPORT: 7770 NORFOLK SIGNS FIRST TENANT; COMMUNITY RESTAURANT TO OPEN THIS FALL IN BETHESDA

Exclusive

The JBG Companies may have addressed some downtown Bethesda residents' wishes that the ground floor of its future 7770 Norfolk apartment tower not be a dead zone at night. DC dining expert Don Rockwell tells me the 17-story mixed-use project has signed a restaurant tenant called Community.

Currently expected to open this fall, Community's menu will be centered around American comfort food, including all-day breakfast and specialty burgers. It will also be open late, and feature themed dinner nights.

7770 Norfolk is currently under construction by Clark Construction, which recently celebrated the topping-out of the mixed-use project at the corner of Norfolk and Fairmont Avenues. The building is expected to be fully-completed by late 2015.

It sounds like this project could help replace the after-business-hours activity of Foong Lin and other tenants that previously resided on the corner 7770 now occupies. Bold Bite has been the only after-hours draw on Fairmont since BlackFinn closed last year. Let's hope the Bainbridge across Fairmont can come up with a similar tenant, to help reactivate that block of Fairmont.