Not Your Average Joe's installs sign in Bethesda (Photo)

The permanent sign was up and lit yesterday afternoon at the new Not Your Average Joe's restaurant in Georgetown Square Shopping Center in Bethesda. It replaces venerable former tenant Hamburger Hamlet at the corner of Old Georgetown Road and Democracy Boulevard.

Bethesda real estate firm Streetsense has given the exterior and interior a complete overhaul. Furniture was in place in the dining room Monday, and there was activity inside the restaurant.

Not Your Average Joe's will open Monday, July 13.

Not Your Average Joe's opening July 5 in Bethesda

Not Your Average Joe's will open its Bethesda location on July 5, according to a representative of the restaurant. When I stopped by this weekend, little had changed on the exterior yet and there was still quite a bit to be done inside. Of course, much of the transformation is blocked by temporary walls.

NYAJ replaces the venerable Hamburger Hamlet, which closed in December 2013 (although it was technically Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet for its final year of operation).

I have a new takeout menu from their existing area locations, which shows the Top 10 menu items ordered by takeout customers recently. It could be interesting for those who work or live near the Georgetown Square shopping center:

First look at Hamburger Hamlet building transformation in Bethesda, new space next door (Photos)

When Not Your Average Joe's opens at the Georgetown Square shopping center in Bethesda this summer, it will have a completely different facade from its predecessor, Hamburger Hamlet. That design is courtesy of Bethesda real estate firm Streetsense, which produced the above rendering. Fans of Hamburger Hamlet will notice that the bumpout for Hamburger Hamlet's bar space remains on the front of the building in the redesign.

Along with partner Next Realty, Streetsense has also carved out a new retail/restaurant space that is now available for lease, between NYAJ's and Quartermaine Coffee Roasters. That new space is 1522 SF in size.

Here's how it looks right now

The new space is roughly
where the bakery
case was at Du-par's

Now available for lease

Known as Hamburger Hamlet since 1973, that venerable dining spot faded into history as a stand-alone brand in December 2012. The space then briefly became Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet, a rare East Coast outpost of another legendary California-based chain. A year later, Du-par's closed as well, due to bankruptcy.

Top rendering via Streetsense, All rights reserved

Photos: Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row

HAMBURGER HAMLET IS BEING REPLACED BY NOT YOUR AVERAGE JOE'S IN BETHESDA, HINODE TO CLOSE, AND LIVING IN THE 90s

Not Your Average Joe's is taking over the vacant Hamburger Hamlet space, in the Georgetown Square Shopping Center in Bethesda. I think it's a positive turn of events, compared to some of the rumored tenants we had heard about.

The chain was launched by founder Steve Silverstein in 1994, with the goal of bringing high-quality American cuisine to suburban areas. The Kentlands location's menu sounds good, particularly the Peanut Butter Thing on the dessert menu. Pizzas, burgers and sandwiches share billing with more upscale fare, like rosemary skewered scallops and saffron cod with pan-seared crab cake.

In sadder news, Hinode is closing July 19 on Hampden Lane in downtown Bethesda. Its Rockville and Frederick locations remain open. Hinode is definitely one of the restaurant names that comes to mind when I think of the 1990s dining scene in downtown Bethesda. Houston's, anyone? How about Cooker? Slade's (the short-lived downtown location, later Mongolian Grill and now Panera Bread)? Then there was that time that Mike Tyson showed up at Uno's...

HAMBURGER HAMLET CLOSED: THE END (PHOTOS)

I was a witness to a moment in Bethesda history Friday night. As many of you are now well aware, the legendary Hamburger Hamlet restaurant has now closed due to bankruptcy. The restaurant had been in the Georgetown Square shopping center since 1973.

It had been mentioned that Hamburger Hamlet would close sometime this past weekend, after the online auction of the restaurant's physical assets closed Friday. In the process of Christmas shopping, I happened to pass by Georgetown Square twice Friday evening. Around 9 PM, the restaurant appeared to be open, and the OPEN sign was lit. On my way back from Rockville to Bethesda, I passed by again, around 11:00 PM. For the first time in a year, the 24-7-365 OPEN sign was extinguished (the restaurant had been open 24 hours a day since HH partnered with Du-par's last December).

By Saturday, Hamburger Hamlet was officially closed forever, as you can see in these photos. Hopefully Georgetown Square can find an exciting new restaurant tenant for the space soon.

Signs in the front window read,
"CLOSED LOST LEASE"

The famous block letter
Hamburger Hamlet sign

The bar, with interior columns
still trimmed for Christmas

These retro doors have closed
for the last time

HAMBURGER HAMLET NAME FADES INTO BETHESDA HISTORY WITH BANKRUPTCY, LIQUIDATION AUCTION

EXCLUSIVE!

Bish Thompson's, O'Donnell's, Swenson's, Hot Shoppes, Little Tavern... all legendary names in Bethesda dining history. Today, all are just that: history.

Add one more venerable name to the list this Friday:

Hamburger Hamlet.

The burger brand name that has adorned the Georgetown Square Shopping Center since 1973 is taking a final curtain call.

Around this time last year, Hamburger Hamlet had teamed with California chain Du-par's as a joint, 24-hour restaurant venture. A few months later, the Hamburger Hamlet chain quietly filed for bankruptcy. The Bethesda Hamburger Hamlet business (not the restaurant space itself, for which the lease runs out in 2023) was sold to an unknown buyer on October 30 of this year, according to an online listing. Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet was still open as of Sunday morning, and there is no official word that it will close yet. But by this Friday, "everything must go!" Dining room tables, chairs, booths, banquettes, kitchen equipment, food storage, waiters' trays, restroom toilet paper and soap dispensers; you name it, it's up for auction. 

This leaves the future of Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet in doubt. An employee who answered the telephone Sunday confirmed the Hamburger Hamlet name will be dropped, and that the name will be changed to simply, Du-par's. He said new exterior signs would be installed.

How the renamed restaurant would operate with no tables and chairs, or basic kitchen and restroom equipment was unclear. It certainly raises skepticism, but it is certainly possible they could close briefly, and install all new furniture and equipment. It's interesting to note that the prominently-placed refrigerator case that holds the famous Du-par's pies and baked goods is not among the items up for bid. Was Du-par's the buyer of Hamburger Hamlet?

On the other hand, the Capitol Online auction website states that "Hamlet is shutting its [sic] doors."

So stay tuned, but what I can confirm this morning is that the Hamburger Hamlet name is officially history in Bethesda.

DU-PAR'S HAMBURGER HAMLET CHRISTMAS DINNER (VIDEO/PHOTOS)

My guide to restaurants open Christmas Day came in handy, as I ended up dining at one! Join me in this video, for Christmas dinner with all the trimmings at Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet in Bethesda.

Everything was good on the Turkey Platter, a deal at $19.95.  I did pay extra for a Du-par's Famous Brownie Sundae, because other people at the table were getting the house-made fruit pies.  And that meant getting to test more of the menu. (And, of course, as regular readers know, I'm pretty serious about Brownie Sundaes!).

The mashed potatoes were real mashed potatoes, like your Mom would make.  My mom still holds the title for World's Best Stuffing, though.  For turkey, you got white and dark meat, and the sweet potatoes with marshmallows were another standout.

Corn Bread was substituted for the advertised dinner rolls, but that was a positive for this fan of Southern cuisine.

They also had Barq's Root Beer.

I don't know if any staff changes occurred when Du-par's joined Hamburger Hamlet, but there was a real team effort as far as service last night. The bartender even came over into the restaurant section to ask if we needed anything.

Here are a few photos, but watch the video for the full story!

DU-PAR'S HAMBURGER HAMLET MENU - EXCLUSIVE PHOTOS!

Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet opened Saturday, and the great news is, just about everything I hoped would be on the menu was.
As you remember from last week, this is a joint venture by famous Du-par's of California (and a Las Vegas location), and Hamburger Hamlet.
I stopped by, and you're in for a 24-hour treat at Georgetown Square shopping center.
I made sure to take photos of the brand-new menu, and as you can see, the Country-Fried Steak, Old-fashioned malts and shakes, Du-par's year-round Thanksgiving dinner platter, and Famous Du-par's Brownie Sundae - just to name a few - are all on there!
Click to enlarge:

DU-PAR'S HAMBURGER HAMLET BETHESDA BURGER AND MENU PREVIEW

If you're a fan of classic American food, this Saturday's grand opening of the new, 24-hour Du-par's Hamburger Hamlet, in Bethesda's Georgetown Square shopping center, is wonderful news.

While chefs on two coasts continue to confer on the final menu, let's examine the Du-par's menu at its existing Los Angeles and Las Vegas locations (which just happen to be two of my favorite cities in the world!).

You have some standard starters like crab cakes and chicken tenders.  But you also have their signature Yellow Split Pea Soup, for something new and different.

24-hour breakfast may be the best part of Du-par's concept. Not a cheap diner-quality breakfast, but freshly made from high quality ingredients.  Du-par's takes pancakes as seriously as I do. So seriously, that their secret pancake recipe is kept under lock and key at 6333 W. 3rd Street in Los Angeles.

One California touch is Knott's Berry Farm jelly for your toast. I hope they keep that.

One example of a morning Blue Plate special that sounds great to me is the Country Fried Prime New York Steak with 2 large, fresh eggs.

How about those burgers? Out west, Du-par's burgers are made with fresh-ground Harris Ranch grain-fed, all-natural chuck. 

Du-par's will eventually compete directly with Bobby's Burger Palace up Democracy Boulevard at Westfield Montgomery Mall.  I can't wait to try the Du-par's burger.

In California and Vegas, Du-par's offers the basic hamburger and cheeseburger.  Beyond that, they have a Patty Melt, Bacon and Swiss Burger, Mushroom and Jack Burger, and Avocado and Bacon Burger.

One major part of the Du-par's concept that Bethesda is definitely getting is the on-site bakery.

Du-par's bakes pies fresh daily, and you can also order whole pies to go. These aren't just your standard apple and cherry varieties, either.  Out west, Du-par's has a massive list of pies, and the ones that get my attention are peach, chocolate meringue, banana cream, chocolate cream, rhubarb, gooseberry, Southern pecan, and blueberry cream cheese.

As a brownie sundae nut, I'm pleased to report they have one on the menu, as well as classic malts and milkshakes. How about a Banana Split Boat? Can you tell I'm hoping the dessert menu stays true to its West Coast origins?

Frankly, I don't know how we lucked out and managed to get a Du-par's here in Bethesda. But I'm ready to test out the menu, and find out if it lives up to its storied, 70-year history.

DU-PAR'S HAMBURGER HAMLET BETHESDA JOINT VENTURE WILL OPEN 24 HRS. DECEMBER 1!

EXCLUSIVE!

Incredible American food news out of the Georgetown Square shopping center in Bethesda!

Hamburger Hamlet is entering a joint venture with Los Angeles legend Du-Par's, a 70-year old name in coffee shops.

The new Du-Par's Hamburger Hamlet will be open 24 hours a day, and will serve not only burgers, but famous Du-Par's pancakes and pies, too.

This includes a Du-Par's bakery onsite.

The new concept launches December 1.

More details coming soon, but exciting news for fans of Los Angeles and classic American cuisine!