Dave's Hot Chicken "coming soon" to Rockville (Photos)

Dave's Hot Chicken is "coming soon" to Rockville Pike, according to a banner posted on the restaurant building. It will be at 11564 Rockville Pike in Rockville. That was formerly an old-style McDonald's restaurant, until the golden arches moved a short distance north to the old Arby's site. Before expanding to Montgomery County, Dave's Hot Chicken was best known to Marylanders as the fast food company that promoted itself via influencer videos on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Other Maryland locations have already opened in White Oak and Waldorf.

California Fish Grill aiming for November opening in Rockville

California Fish Grill is now targeting a November 2025 opening at 12238 Rockville Pike at Towne Plaza in Rockville, according to Google. This is one of the first East Coast locations for the Newport Beach-based fast-casual seafood chain, which previously had been limited to the southwestern states of California, Arizona, and Nevada. It won't be the very first to open, however, as their Fairfax location opened a week ago at 11048 Main Street, while construction has taken longer here. 

Construction barriers at the Rockville location prevent getting a sense of how far along the interior fit-out is here. There is a recently-posted video giving a preview of what types of dishes you can expect to find on the menu at California Fish Grill. The restaurant is similar to the short-lived Slapfish in operation, in that you don't sit down and give your order to a waiter. Orders are placed on flatscreens.

Fork & Kitchen "coming soon" to Rockville

"Coming soon" signage for Fork & Kitchen has been posted in the windows of its future space at 150 Gibbs Street at The Square at Rockville. The restaurant's arrival was announced back in May, and it had a successful liquor license hearing in June, but only now does the interior fit-out seem to have finally begun. This space was previously home to Bar Louie and Eko House. The highly-secretive restaurant does not yet have any social media pages that I can find, and faces the challenge of a hidden location on currently-closed-to-cars Gibbs Street.

Sixty Vines Gaithersburg construction update (Photos)

Sixty Vines, "the winemaker's restaurant," is nearing completion at 212 Ellington Boulevard at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg. The interior is looking fairly posh, even compared to some of the other wine-centric restaurants in the area. Outside, signage has been installed, and is already lit up at night. Another sign indicates they are currently interviewing prospective employees. Sixty Vines is expected to open next month.

Construction begins on Bartaco in Rockville

Construction has begun on Bartaco at 11886 Grand Park Avenue at Pike & Rose. Walls have been erected on both sides of the storefront, suggesting that the exterior configuration of the facades may be altered for the new restaurant. Yes, Bartaco is yet another taco joint opening in Rockville, replacing another taco joint in this same space. But the chain's focus on smaller soft tacos and hybrid coastal decor of Southern California and South America have been a big hit so far in new developments like Reston Town Center, the Mosaic District in Fairfax County, and The Wharf in Washington, D.C.

Darband Restaurant nears opening in Rockville

Darband Restaurant looks pretty close to opening at 765-H Rockville Pike, at the Ritchie Center in Rockville. The window coverings have been removed. A Pepsi cooler and some shelving have been moved into the dining space. Artwork has been hung on the right wall, and new "Open," "Darband Kabob" and "Persian Restaurant" lighted signs have been installed in the front window. The flatscreens and "100% Fresh Ingredients" and "Halal" signs are holdovers from previous tenant Taste of Kabab. That restaurant's sign is also strangely still up over the storefront.

Ba Le sandwich shop nears opening in Rockville (Photos)

The interior fit-out of Ba Le, a bánh mì sandwich shop opening in Rockville, appears nearly complete. Kitchen and counter equipment, as well as refrigerated cases for beverages and neon window signs, are in place. It is located at 765-FG Rockville Pike, at the Ritchie Center. You can see the Eiffel Tower in the restaurant's logo, which emphasizes that the world-famous Vietnamese sandwiches start with a French baguette sliced lengthwise, before they are filled with the ingredients of your choice. Ba Le replaces another Vietnamese restaurant, Ốc & Crab Seafood Restaurant, in this spot at Ritchie Center.

Foot Locker construction begins at Montgomery Mall in Bethesda

The interior fit-out of Foot Locker's new space is underway at Westfield Montgomery Mall in Bethesda. Now the location of the new space is clear, as "coming soon" signage has been placed across the future storefront. The new store will open this fall, just in time for the big holiday shopping season, and will include a Kids Foot Locker. Foot Locker can currently be found two doors to the left, in its temporary location between AT&T and Macy's Home.

Ace Hardware "coming soon" to Rockville

Ace Hardware has posted "coming soon" signage at its future Rockville location at 835 Rockville Pike, at Wintergreen Plaza. Construction is well underway inside the space, which was formerly occupied by Gold's Gym. The store will only use the first floor level of the old gym, though. When it opens, this will be the first Ace Hardware store in Rockville. An excellent addition to Wintergreen Plaza that should boost traffic to the other businesses there, and a much-needed amenity for the City of Rockville.

Buffalo Wild Wings GO signage installed in Rockville

Permanent signage has been installed above the future storefront of Buffalo Wild Wings GO at 16256 Frederick Road at the Rock Grove shopping center, on the border of Rockville and Gaithersburg. The logo for the express version of Buffalo Wild Wings has been added to the roster on the shopping center's monument signage, as well. Things aren't quite as far along inside, however, as you can see in the photos below. Rockville and Gaithersburg each already have full-scale Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants, which are more like sports bars, competing with sit-down competitors like Hooters.

Ace Hardware store construction begins in Rockville

Construction is underway on the future Ace Hardware store at 835 Rockville Pike at Wintergreen Plaza. First they are demolishing the interior of the former Gold's Gym. According to plans filed with the City of Rockville, Ace Hardware is demolishing the staircase leading to the second floor of the former gym, and sealing the stair opening off in the ceiling. Bathrooms will be updated for current accessibility standards. When it opens, this will be the only Ace Hardware store in Rockville. Windows are currently papered over, but take a sneak peek below: