Rock Bottom closes in Bethesda (Photos)

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery has permanently closed at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, according to a sign posted in the window yesterday. Workers were unloading kitchen equipment out of the restaurant around lunchtime Sunday. The closure was not announced in advance, but it was also not a total shock, as their building's landlord has been marketing the Rock Bottom space as available for lease for six years now. Rock Bottom's exit likely means a new tenant has been found at last.

Operating for 29 years, Rock Bottom was a remnant of the last golden age of Bethesda in the 1990s, following 90s stalwarts like Pizzeria Uno, United Artists Bethesda, and Cooker into the ether. That golden age ended with the rise of the Montgomery County cartel, which seized a majority of seats on the Montgomery County Council in 2002. Since then, we have seen the total collapse of three major public gathering spots (Bethesda Metro Center, the Apex Building plaza, and the plaza outside of Barnes & Noble at Bethesda Row), the loss of the Regal Bethesda 10 movie theater (when the Council declined to require a replacement cineplex in the minor master plan amendment governing redevelopment of the Apex Building site), a drop in downtown customer traffic so steep that the County had to turn off the "spaces available" counters at the Bethesda Row garages out of sheer embarrassment, and the closure of about 25 nightspots following the Council's disastrous 2012 "Nighttime Economy" initiative. Over the last 23 years, the Council has discarded the 1980s-1990s agenda of growing a vibrant city of the future, in favor of developing a soulless Ballston downtown of ridiculously-overpriced, cookie-cutter "base-tower" luxury apartment buildings (which are sporting many, many vacant units as a result), while pocketing the generous donations of their developer sugar daddies. Rock Bottom is merely the latest casualty.

Rock Bottom workers unloading equipment
from the restaurant midday Sunday

Rock Bottom was also the only brewery in downtown Bethesda. The Council had boasted that its Nighttime Economy initiative would bring more breweries to downtown Bethesda, but it failed to attract even one. A small consolation for craft beer lovers is that BabyCat brewery of Kensington will be opening a taproom in Bethesda at 4800 Rugby Avenue, in the Gallery Bethesda II apartment tower, this summer.

The Rock Bottom chain had changed hands a couple of times in the last 15 years. It was most recently sold to Kelly Companies this past December. A number of Rock Bottom locations around the country had closed under previous owner SPB Hospitality since 2016.

Rock Bottom marketed for lease again in Bethesda

The suspense over the future of Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda took yet another turn yesterday. While the restaurant remains open for business as usual, its landlord, Papadopoulos Properties, put its large space back on the market for lease. The company did this before, in October of 2019, but there were apparently no takers at that time.

Given the collapse of nightlife in downtown Bethesda over the last decade, the move by Papadopoulos in 2019 cast doubt on the future of Rock Bottom at that time. Such concerns only increased when the restaurant closed altogether during the Montgomery County Council's pandemic indoor dining ban, rather than keep operating with takeout service as most restaurants did. However, Rock Bottom stunned many observers when it abruptly reopened in June 2020, when Montgomery County allowed indoor dining to resume at 50% capacity.

Since then, Rock Bottom has successfully kept going for over two years. It remains a popular destination in a town where 20 nightspots have shuttered since 2012, under the County Council's disastrous, anti-business policy decisions. Rock Bottom has novelty in being an active brewery in downtown Bethesda, where the Council's failed "nighttime economy" initiative hasn't generated any new ones, and preceded the cratering of said economy. The bar even hosts a weekly stand-up comedy show on Saturday nights, including this coming Saturday, August 20.

Papadopoulos also put the St. Arnold's Mussel Bar space at 7525 Old Georgetown Road back on the market yesterday, as well. A key difference is that space has been vacant for two years, and has been the site of multiple business failures (The Box, Dry Fried Wings, Tyber Bierhaus, St. Arnold's) since 2013. So that is more of a redoubling of efforts, as opposed to a new development. 

Will the addition of the Element 21 (already open) and Solaire at 7607 Old Georgetown Road (now under construction) apartment towers boost foot traffic that might help a future tenant in the St. Arnold's space? We shall find out. 

Rock Bottom's space and prime location would certainly make it one of the most viable places for an enterprising, aspiring nightlife mogul to attempt something big. There are two floors to work with, offering the kind of potential that it also there for the taking by the future La Catrina Lounge, opening soon at 4935 Cordell Avenue. Are you that aspiring mogul? Check out the listing for Rock Bottom.

Rock Bottom to reopen in Bethesda

After months of rumors about the future of Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery at 7900 Norfolk Avenue in Bethesda, now we know their immediate fate. Rock Bottom will reopen this Friday, June 19, 2020 at 12:00 PM.

Concerns over the future of the longtime fixture began last year. Rock Bottom's landlord began marketing the space for lease. During the coronavirus lockdown, Rock Bottom closed and did not offer curbside or takeout sales. One employee reported the staff had been let go during the lockdown. Eventually, the curtains were closed in the windows, and many people began writing Rock Bottom off.

Instead, Rock Bottom will return just as Montgomery County enters Phase 2 of its reopening from the lockdown this Friday at 5:00 PM. That means indoor dining is allowed at 50% of capacity, with staff and customers wearing masks and other precautions. Fortunately, Rock Bottom has a large space, meaning they can serve more at 50% capacity than many other restaurants. 

FATHER'S DAY SPECIAL AT ROCK BOTTOM BETHESDA (PHOTO)

This Sunday, June 16, Rock Bottom in Bethesda has a hot Father's Day special: a Smokin' Jalapeño Sirloin and a beer for $20.

Rock Bottom is located at the corner of Norfolk and St. Elmo Avenues in downtown Bethesda.

FREE BEER 7 PM TONIGHT IN BETHESDA!

Don't tell me you're going to pass up FREE BEER!

Get smart and head to Rock Bottom at the corner of Norfolk and St. Elmo Avenues right here in downtown Bethesda, at 7:00 tonight.

There you will enjoy a FREE sample of their house-brewed Right On Rye, an American-style pale ale.  With 33% rye malt, and Cascade hops, Right on Rye is a great summer beer with sweet bread and citrus flavors.

But don't take my word for it; Right On Rye won the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival!

Collect your friends and report to Rock Bottom at 7, because when it's gone, it's gone!

P.S.  Don't forget that the new Lot 8 on St. Elmo Avenue is a great place to park for Rock Bottom, if you can find a space.  It's on the second block of St. Elmo, on your left past The Corner Slice.

FREE BEER! FREE BEER!! FREE BEER!!! TONIGHT! IN BETHESDA!

What more do you need to know?

FREE BEER.  7 PM until it runs out.  At Rock Bottom Bethesda.  Tonight.

Plus, be one of the first to try Rock Bottom's new summer menu!

EXCLUSIVE SNEAK

PREVIEW:

BETHESDA'S NEWEST

PARKING LOT

St. Elmo Avenue Public Parking Lot 8

Aims to Ease Bethesda's Parking Nightmare

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

You can't park there.

But you can take in the majesty of downtown Bethesda's newest parking lot in these super-exclusive photos.

Montgomery County's St. Elmo Avenue Public Parking Lot 8 is nearly ready to receive its first (paying) customers. The last step is to add the lighting (Capital Properties could learn a thing or two from the county in that regard!).

Lot 8 is small and tucked away off St. Elmo Avenue behind The Corner Slice. It's just past the intersection at Norfolk Avenue on your left. While most attention is on the April 1 closing of two public lots on Bethesda Avenue, Lot 8 is more directly a replacement for a just-closed surface lot in the Del Ray/Auburn Avenue area of "Old Town" Bethesda.

Lot 8 offers traditional parking spaces on the left side, and parallel spaces on the right. Meters max out at 2 hours, and, of course, disabled parkers will find a space here, too.

This is a good lot to use to visit Rock Bottom, Union Jack's, Hanaro or BlackFinn - but please limit yourself alcohol-wise if you're getting back behind the wheel!

Speaking of alcohol, Lot 8 is also perfect for a quick stop at Capital Beer and Wine, or to pick up a hot pizza pie at the aforementioned Corner Slice.

Dining-in at Annie's Bistro Francais, Chef Tony's or the Red Tomato Cafe is made easier by Lot 8, too. A 2-hour time limit is more reasonable than those 1-hour jokers you often find among Bethesda parking meters.

Lot 8 is the Revenge of Surface Parking Lots. And that's great news for Bethesda drivers. If you can snag a space.

So check out that fresh asphalt and paint! Will you be the first to park in Lot 8?

FREE BEER TONIGHT

AT

ROCK BOTTOM

BETHESDA!

Fire Chief Ale to be Tapped for Charity

Tonight

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

I've got the magic two words for you: FREE BEER!

Not just any free beer, but FREE PREMIUM CRAFT BEER from the award-winning brewmaster at Rock Bottom Bethesda!

Fire Chief Ale will be dispensed free tonight at 7 PM, until 8 PM or they run out. So get there early! And get your free beer. Early. Free Beer. Now there's a hipster mantra for you.

Enjoy your beer guilt-free, because Rock Bottom will be Passing the Boot to collect (optional) donations for the Montgomery County Burn Foundation.

Furthermore, a portion of Fire Chief Ale sales through April 15 will also go to the foundation.

This is a 10-alarm giveaway, so stop by Rock Bottom at 7 tonight!

7900 Norfolk Avenue

Bethesda, MD 20814

BEER UNIVERSITY

IN SESSION TONIGHT

AT

ROCK BOTTOM BETHESDA

Another Robert Dyer @ Bethesda Row Exclusive!!!

Attention beer aficionados and homebrew novices: Brewmaster Geoff Lively will be holding a special event tonight at Rock Bottom Bethesda from 7-8 PM, "Secrets of Cask Conditioning."

Cask conditioning, in technical terms, refers to unfiltered, unpasteurized beer conditioned in - and served from - a cask.

This your chance to learn all the secrets of how it's done, and have your questions answered by an expert. And because it's Rock Bottom, I suspect you'll be drinking beer at some point in the evening.

The event is FREE! Rock Bottom is right on the corner at Norfolk and St. Elmo Avenues in downtown Bethesda.