Looking for a good date location in Bethesda, MD

September 29, 2010 7:59 AM

What's a good date restaurant in Bethesda, MD for a Friday night? Specific details inside.

Price: I'd like to do about 15-25 dollars per plate
Cuisine: I'm thinking Japanese, but almost anything tasty would work.
Location: I'm in the College Park area, and would like to get out of the CP/Hyattsville circle. Bethesda would be nice, but I'm also open to Rockville. I'd prefer not to metro to DC.

This is our second date, and I want to take her somewhere nice, but I'm also a grad student and I don't want to spend a whole lot of money.

posted by codacorolla to Food & Drink (15 answers total)

Best answer: Hanaro on Norfolk is an excellent sushi place. They do also offer a normal meal menu and very tasty cocktails. One of my favorite places in town and I'm not just saying that because I know the owner.

Black's is just up the street and is your typical mildly upscale American place. Nice atmosphere and you can sit outside if weather permits.

Down on Bethesda Row is Mon Ami Gabi, a French restaurant which has some great food, excellent cocktails and a nice atmosphere. Again, you can sit outside if the weather permits it.
posted by Loto at 8:12 AM on September 29, 2010

Just here to point out that you're missing out on some really, really great Asian restaurants that are everywhere in Wheaton. It's been a couple years since I've been out there, so I don't have any specific recommendations, but from what I remember, you really can't go wrong.
posted by General Malaise at 8:14 AM on September 29, 2010

This would be a good question to ask on Chowhound's Washington DC and Baltimore Area boards.

I'm more familiar with Rockville than Bethesda, but maybe Ren's Ramen? Or Passage to India, if you like Indian food.
posted by amarynth at 8:15 AM on September 29, 2010

Is the Bethesda Cinema & Drafthouse still open? I used to love to go there . . .
posted by MeiraV at 8:24 AM on September 29, 2010

Check out Mussel Bar in Bethesda, the food and service is excellent but you can expect to wait a while for a table on a Friday or Saturday night.

And I assume since you're from CP you've tried Franklin's in Hyattsville but if not that should be on the top of your list.
posted by mhaw at 9:19 AM on September 29, 2010

Shangri-La has nice Indian and Nepalese dishes, and is very affordable.
posted by koselig at 10:04 AM on September 29, 2010

Raku is on Bethesda Row, is Asian cuisine, and is very delicious. I would recommend it over Black's. It's nice but not uncomfortably so. I am mildly obsessed with their vegetarian bento boxes. You can sit outside as well. I would also recommend Jaleo (very good tapas), also on Bethesda Row.
posted by quadrilaterals at 12:18 PM on September 29, 2010

More!

Passage to India is great, I went there for the first time recently and it was some of the best Indian I've had.

Divino is an Argentinian place right on 355. Excellent food and a nice setup. Paella for two!

Mio's is right across from Passage to India. It's a pizza place but the quality is somewhat close to Two Amy's. Get there later since the place is full of families early in the evening.
posted by Loto at 12:57 PM on September 29, 2010

I love Penang in downtown Bethesda. They have parking.
posted by tantivy at 2:03 PM on September 29, 2010

Matuba has been a popular Japanese spot there for a long time. 4918 Cordell Ave
Wider menu, not just sushi at Tako Grill. 7756 Wisconsin Avenue

But Matuba has kaitenzushi now (the conveyor belt thing) and that can be really fun for a date.
posted by Rash at 2:53 PM on September 29, 2010

If you're driving (which it sounds like is an option), Temari Japanese Cafe in Rockville is very good and very authentically Japanese (or so I'm told).
posted by genehack at 4:13 PM on September 29, 2010

Response by poster: I'm torn between Hanaro and Matuba... we'll probably be getting there late, would that factor into deciding on either one (I'd like lively, but not packed)
posted by codacorolla at 8:17 PM on September 29, 2010

A few other places may be cuter-the whole Bethesda Row expansion and all (I don't think we can say Bethesda was 'gentrified', but it definitely has been redone), but the best Japanese food in Bethesda, and sushi specifically, is Tako Grill, which is on Wisconsin, has a great bar, the freshest fish around, and very metro convenient, should that be your thing, too.
I've been on dates there. And should someone take me there again on a date, I'd be thrilled. Of course, I am not your date. I think.
posted by atomicstone at 12:27 AM on September 30, 2010

Best answer: Tako Grill is good, but I'd argue that better sushi is available at Hanaro (Hinata wins out over everyone, but that isn't really a good date spot...). However, if you want sake check out Tako Grill. Larger selection than any other spot in Bethesda.

Hanaro has a bar which gets reasonably full for the evening but I've never had to wait for a seat to grab dinner. I haven't been to Matuba yet so I can't comment on there.
posted by Loto at 5:38 AM on September 30, 2010

Response by poster: I didn't realize how many perfectly elligible Japanese places there were in Bethesda! I think I'm going with Hanaro, but I appreciate the input from everyone involved.

You aren't my date, atomicstone, but you seem like a very nice girl all the same.
posted by codacorolla at 12:33 PM on September 30, 2010