Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club – Bethesda, Maryland

Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club offers live music and monthly dance nights in an intimate and elegant setting. Housed in the 1938 Bethesda Theatre, the historic property includes a dining area adjacent to the stage that accommodates 300, a 1,380 square foot hardwood dance floor, and a 40' Art Deco bar and lounge area. For dinner, the Club serves up a blend of Continental and Creole/Cajun cuisine; dishes such as beignets, gumbo, crab cakes, gnocchi, and prime rib. Live entertainment is presented seven nights a week.

Tickets and Seating

The Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club offers two types of seats: seating in the dining area and in stadium-style theater seats. Doors open for dinner two hours before each show. Seating is not pre-assigned in the dining area and there is a $15 per person minimum charge for food and drink. Tickets for theater seats are pre-assigned, but are made available only when all the tickets for the dining area are sold out. To purchase tickets, visit www.bethesdabluesjazz.com.

Address

7719 Wisconsin Avenue
Bethesda, Maryland
Phone: (240) 330-4500

History of the Bethesda Theatre

The Bethesda Theatre initially opened its doors as a movie theater, the Boro Theatre, in 1938. It was Art Deco in style and offered seating for 1,000 and incorporated the latest in audio/visual technology that was available in the late 1930s. Ticket prices were $0.35 for regular admission and $0.20 for matinees. After the first year in operation, the Boro Theatre was renamed as the Bethesda Theatre. It was one of the early Bethesda buildings to have air conditioning, and was also used for community events and demonstrations. The theater prospered into the early 1980s.

In 1983, the Bethesda Theatre was converted to a restaurant/movie house and re-opened as the Bethesda Cinema & Drafthouse. Tiered concrete floors were built over top of the original sloped floor. The original fixed auditorium seats were removed to accommodate small dining tables. Second run movies were offered at low admission prices, and patrons could enjoy food and drinks while watching a movie. In 1990, it became the Bethesda Theatre Café.

The landmark building was restored in 2007 and opened as a venue for live Off-Broadway theater. The 700-seat modern theater, operated by Nederlander Worldwide Entertainment, LLC, presented Off-Broadway-style performances. The Bethesda Theatre was not successful and closed in June 2010. The National Historic Register Property was renovated again to open as the Bethesda Blues & Jazz Supper Club in March 2013.