After a year of remodeling, Mon Ami Gabi, the popular French bistro in Bethesda will reopen March 17.
“We’re thrilled for Mon Ami Gabi to reopen on Bethesda Row. We’re looking forward to welcoming our loyal guests back to find some new favorites on our revamped menu while taking in our totally reimagined dining spaces. We retained the warm and cozy atmosphere that Mon Ami Gabi has always had, but can now accommodate about 50 more guests across the dining room, larger bar area and expanded indoor-outdoor patio,” Mon Ami Gabi Partner Mark Sotelino told MCM.
Mon Ami Gabi can now accommodate up to 260 guests, including the Woodmont Avenue sidewalk café and main bar, which each boast seating for 30, the all-seasons patio accommodating 67, and private event rooms for up to 80 guests according to Lettuce Entertain You, which owns and operates the restaurant.
“Over the last 23 years, Mon Ami Gabi has grown with the community, so it was time for refreshed and larger space. We have always been a destination for parties and events and now, with three new, expanded private dining spaces, we’ll be able to accommodate parties up to 80 people,” Sotelino said.
According to a press release, Mon Ami Gabi is “debuting a reimagined main dining room, a bar that’s doubled in size, two redesigned patios, three renovated private event rooms and revamped menus that evoke the timeless cafe culture of Paris and New York.”
The restaurant’s main entrance is now prominently situated on the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda Avenues, welcoming guests to rediscover Mon Ami Gabi’s French signatures and find new favorites, such as a chilled martini program, new brunch dishes and happy hour.
The interior draws inspiration from the restaurant’s flagship location in Chicago, featuring additional booth seating with leather and mohair upholstery, and rich green and bronze hues throughout. Lettuce Entertain You’s design team, in collaboration with local architectural firm Streetsense, spearheaded the renovation, employing warm, ambient lighting to preserve the intimate feel of the neighborhood bistro, while adding dramatic features such as two grand, 90-inch-wide antique chandeliers above the main bar. Now doubled in size, the zinc-topped bar features 30 seats and opens to the newly expanded and enclosed side patio outfitted with retractable windows, heaters and fans, ensuring comfort for guests year-round. Mon Ami Gabi also now features three convertible private dining rooms, perfect for social gatherings and business meetings for 10 to 80 guests, complete with a bar dedicated to serving private events.
Led by Executive Chefs Jason Mayle and Andrew Fleischauer, Mon Ami Gabi – Bethesda’s menu of French classics returns, including favorites like steak frites, onion soup au gratin and escargots. A curated selection of new salads and sandwiches will join the lunch menu, along with several new brunch dishes, such as truffled scrambled eggs and a classic french omelet. Mon Ami Gabi will continue to offer its signature, classic cocktails, as well as a new chilled martini program featuring a Dirty Martini, Vesper Crudité, and Classic Gin Martini. Additionally, an all-new Happy Hour, available Monday through Friday from 4:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. at the bar, includes select bar snacks and handcrafted cocktails.
Mon Ami Gabi, located at 7239 Woodmont Avenue, opened in 2002 and has been a mainstay in the Bethesda Row neighborhood since.
Reservations will be available beginning Tuesday, March 11 via OpenTable. The restaurant will be open Monday-Thursday from 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m., Friday from 11:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Saturday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. and Sunday from 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.. Visit monamigabi.com/bethesda/ and follow the restaurant on Instagram @monamigabibethesda and Facebook @MonAmiGabiMD.
Related story:
Mon Ami Gabi Set to Reopen in ‘Early 2025’
Photo courtesy Lettuce Entertain You
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