Woodmont Grill has served up all-American dishes such as burgers and steaks in downtown Bethesda since 1992.

No longer.

A message on its website reads: “Woodmont Grill is now closed. Thank you for choosing us as a dining destination and allowing us to be a part of your lives with many fond memories of good food and cheer.”

“As a company, we continually deliberate on where best to place our focus and resources,” said Hillstone Restaurant Group, which operates Woodmont among other restaurants nationwide, in a statement to The Banner. “This often evolves over a long period of time and involves many factors. For Woodmont Grill, some of the considerations have been a diminishment of parking over time and the challenge to keep the restaurant adequately staffed to ensure our service standards.”

Two signs on Woodmont’s doors on Wednesday afternoon had the same message as the website.

A woman, who declined to disclose her name or talk in depth, arrived at the entrance and peeked through the glass to see a couple of workers and some lights on in the kitchen. She said she was scheduled to work there today but no one had told her that the restaurant had closed.

The food magazine Bon Appétit declared in 2016 that Hillstone’s suite of establishments was “America’s favorite restaurant.” The Washington Post last reviewed Woodmont in 2019 and awarded it two stars, noting its friendly service and generous portions.

Woodmont was originally called Houston’s before assuming its name in 2008. A Houston’s outpost in Memphis closed in December 2024 after more than 40 years in business.

Diners in Bethesda and beyond were especially fond of Woodmont’s live jazz performances that accompanied its spread of classic cocktails and dishes, including the French dip and the Hawaiian, a rib-eye steak marinated in a sweet glaze.

“I was there this evening and nothing was different, bartenders made no mention of it,“ wrote a user on Reddit on Wednesday morning.

Another Reddit user put the abrupt closing more starkly: “Feels like someone I love died.”