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Great Falls Lodge Bar & Grill is preparing to open in Great Falls Center, bringing a mountain-inspired setting and a wide-ranging menu to an area with relatively few bar options.
Owner and chef Neel Kamal said the 4,689-square-foot restaurant at 9835 Georgetown Pike is on track for a soft launch during the first week of July, with a possible opening as early as Monday, June 29.
The restaurant will initially serve dinner from 3 to 10 p.m. Plans call for adding lunch and happy hours later, along with possible live music on weekends.
Designed as a family-friendly neighborhood restaurant, Great Falls Lodge will feature rustic décor, including taxidermy, intended to evoke a mountain retreat. The beverage selection will emphasize wine, whiskey and craft beer.
The restaurant is taking over the former El Tio Tex-Mex Grill space. It will be the third Lodge location, joining restaurants in Ijamsville and Clarksburg, Maryland.
Kamal said the success of the Maryland locations encouraged his team to expand into Virginia. He described Great Falls as a close-knit, historic community with limited dining choices.
Most of the area’s retail is clustered near Georgetown Pike and Walker Road. Great Falls Center already includes Village Grill, Izumi Sushi Japanese Cuisine, Toastique and Bollywood Bistro, but Kamal believes the Lodge will fill a gap by offering a bar-oriented concept.
The menu will blend familiar American fare with Southern and Indian dishes. Planned offerings include chicken wings, fish and chips, hickory burgers, jambalaya, butter chicken and chili paneer flatbread, along with seafood and pasta.
Desserts are also expected to be a major part of the lineup. The Maryland restaurants serve selections such as brownie sundaes, New York cheesecake, chocolate lava cake and bread pudding.
A second Virginia location, Vienna Lodge, is expected to follow in August at 2750F Gallows Road in Merrifield. It will occupy the former Blackfinn Ameripub storefront.
At 8,654 square feet, the Merrifield restaurant will be considerably larger than its Great Falls counterpart. Kamal plans to give it a stronger sports-bar atmosphere, potentially including a pool table and other amenities. It will also offer a brunch buffet while retaining the Lodge’s core menu and appearance.
Kamal has worked in hospitality for more than 30 years. In addition to the Lodge restaurants, he operates Brews & Barrels in Gaithersburg and Maharani Palace, an Indian restaurant in Herndon.