Savannah’s American Grill is closed.
Employees clearing the inside of the Kensington restaurant Friday morning said they were notified by owner Steven Harris about the closure Thursday night.
Andrea Herman, who started as the restaurant’s general manager in March, said Harris made the decision to close it and that the restaurant was struggling to bring in customers.
“I think it needed to be closed,” Herman said.
Employees inside the restaurant said they did not know if Harris planned to renovate the restaurant or sell the property.
In March, the Montgomery County Sentinel reported Harris, who owns the property, took over the restaurant from its previous owners with the intention of improving its operations. He told the paper he planned to rename it the Kensington Tavern and serve fresher food to try to attract families.
A voice message left with Harris Friday morning by Bethesda Beat was not immediately returned. Harris is the owner of Mr. Wash, a chain of six car washes in Virginia and Maryland. A Mr. Wash is next to the Savannah’s location.
The restaurant had gained a reputation in online reviews as a dive bar that struggled with poor service and mediocre food. It operated at 10700 Connecticut Ave. since 2001, according to The Washington Post.