Rehearsal Dinner

May 14, 2007 11:59 AM

Help me find a good spot in Bethesda MD/Washington DC for a wedding rehearsal dinner.

I have to buy dinner for 40 to 50 folks the day before my wedding in late July. What's a good/interesting restaurant in or near Bethesda MD? Reasonable prices would be a plus, but I'm more interested in good food and a good atmosphere. Lot's of drinking involved!

posted by aspenbaloo to Food & Drink (10 answers total)

Best answer: In downtown Bethesda, Jaleo -- might not satisfy your reasonable prices (what's reasonable?), as it's tapas, but it's always a good time, and delicious food. Also, delicious, delicious sangria.

Have you seen this? I work in Bethesda, but still check it out on a weekly basis to find new places to go.
posted by atayah at 12:19 PM on May 14, 2007

How about Olazzo in Silver Spring? It should be opening very soon. Their location in Bethesda is amazing, but small. Their new location will have a large party room and the food and martinis are absolutely fantastic!
www.olazzo.com
posted by seinfeld at 12:19 PM on May 14, 2007

Like Chinese? The Far East is the best Chinese place within Montgomery County. They've got a massive upstairs area that's rentable (wedding receptions are there every weekend without fail). I couldn't locate a website, but the place looks gorgeous...coi pond, big statues, wall hangings, furniture, cute little teapots, etc. etc.

Full bar, tiki drinks, awesome waiters, ridiculously good food, and a pineapple caramel desert that's very yummy.

On preview:
Not to knock Jaleo (I've been twice), but the menu is a bit on the gourmet side. Picky eaters aren't going to be very happy. And it will cost a fortune.
posted by cowbellemoo at 12:32 PM on May 14, 2007

I love Jaleo too, but it might be slightly ecletic (I have very fond but sort of indulgent memories of an eggplant mousse) and majorly expensive (tapas for me + boyfriend = $75, and we didn't exactly feast).

Do you have a particular cuisine in mind? That might help narrow the field.
posted by bluenausea at 12:45 PM on May 14, 2007

Try Maggiano's in Friendship Heights. I went there for an event once and it seemed like a great place for a rehearsal dinner. It's not the most earth-shattering Italian food, but it's pretty good, and they have elegant dining rooms you can rent out upstairs. I don't think it's that expensive, either. Lots of parking in their parking lot, too. (The web site says they have valet, too.)
posted by redarmycomrade at 1:05 PM on May 14, 2007

Bebo Trattoria seems to have a private room and I think their food is fantastic.

The District Chophouse has a couple of rooms downstairs. They could do 50 easy.

Acadiana also has private rooms, again, more than large enough for 50.

That's in my personal descending order, though I would kill any one of you for a bowl of Acadiana's gumbo.
posted by phearlez at 1:22 PM on May 14, 2007

Best answer: Mrs. K's Tollhouse gets my vote. They have a large backroom that held our party of 50 comfortably (not a rehearsal dinner) and they have great food. It's in Silver Spring.
posted by i_am_a_Jedi at 2:11 PM on May 14, 2007

Seconding Maggiano's - they have private rooms and everyone seems to like the food, though it's not exactly interesting. The valet parking is $7 but they validate the garage (not sure how much, but less than $7) if people want to self-park. You can feed a ton of people and it won't completely break the bank.
posted by ml98tu at 6:51 PM on May 14, 2007

Response by poster: I'm thinking about Steamers - Crabs and Beer. Any comments? Thanks!
posted by aspenbaloo at 7:54 PM on May 14, 2007

Why go to a chain (Maggiano's) when there is so much wonderful, local food in the area? Bethesda and Silver Spring are bustling with restaurants and the thought of taking out-of-towners to a chain seems boring to me.
posted by seinfeld at 5:11 AM on May 15, 2007