The Grove restaurant in Potomac has closed its doors temporarily to retool its concept from an upscale Mediterranean eatery into a family-oriented bar and grill, according to owner Common Plate Hospitality.
The restaurant at 7747 Tuckerman Lane in Cabin John Village closed Sunday at 8 p.m. and plans to reopen as The Grove Bar and Grill on May 6, according to Common Plate Hospitality Managing Partner Chad Sparrow.
The Grove announced the closure Sunday on its Facebook page.
The restaurant group, based in Alexandria, Virginia, opened The Grove in Cabin John Village in November and also opened The Heights, a 10,000-square-foot food hall in Chevy Chase, in December.
Sparrow told MoCo360 on Monday that The Grove is transitioning to a “more casual” concept to appeal to diners who are looking for a neighborhood-style restaurant as opposed to a special-occasion fine dining establishment.
.After listening to The Grove’s clientele, the new concept “makes the most sense” for the area, Sparrow said.


Prices will be lower and menu offerings will include entrées served at Common Plate Hospitality’s other eateries, such as crab cakes, steak and frites and jambalaya pasta, Sparrow said. Other items are the Ferris Wheel French Fries served with ketchup, spicy basil sauce and black garlic aioli and the Blossom Burger with smoked bacon, white cheddar, pickles and crispy onions.
The cheerful décor at the 4,000-square-foot restaurant will remain mostly the same but TVs will be installed in the bar area. The restaurant seats 195 diners inside and 55 outside.
Sparrow, who serves as corporate chef and creates all of the restaurant group’s menus, said he will take over for The Groves’ chef, Jose Lopez-Picazo, an award-winning chef who has cooked in Las Vegas and Madrid, Spain. Lopez-Picazo has been awarded the Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine and Best Tapas from Desert Companion and Vegas Seven, according to The Grove website.