A Bethesda restaurant is partnering with chef Robert Wiedmaier to bring a new concept heavy on live music to Wisconsin Avenue.
A rebuild is underway to transform Markham’s Bar and Grill (7141 Wisconsin Avenue) into Villain & Saint, the latest new Bethesda restaurant from the RW Restaurant Group.
Wiedmaier is partnering with Markham’s owner Steve Markham on the project. The restaurant closed today for the rebuild and plans to open back up on April 16.
“It’s about the musicians,” Wiedmaier said Monday. “We just happen to have good food.”
Chef Tom Meyer, who worked at Wiedmaier’s Brasserie Beck location in Gaithersburg, will helm the kitchen. He’s been on board at Markham’s for about three months, so Markham said not to expect much to change with the menu. The new restaurant will feature an expanded alcohol selection.
The major changes will come in the front of the restaurant, where on Monday a stage was being installed. Markham said the restaurant plans three or four live original acts a week.
“Robert, his other passion is music,” Markham said. “We felt this would be a great spot for that.”
Most of the other changes will be cosmetic, with new wallpaper and art and a collection of guitars signed by various famous musicians.
Markham said all the acts will be filmed for an archive on the restaurant’s yet-to-be-launched website. The bar and outdoor patio area will remain. The booths will be replaced with high-top tables.
Wiedmaier, who lives in Kensington, is also nearing an opening at Urban Heights, at the space that used to house Roof. The RW Restaurant Group also operates Mussel Bar and Grille (7262 Woodmont Avenue) and Wildwood Kitchen (10223 Old Georgetown Road).
