Has anyone stayed at the Hyatt Regency in Bethesda & how did they like it? Also how was the Plaza Cafe in the hotel? I will
be there for a week while my wife is at the NIH in the evenings for tests. Any comedy clubs, good restaurants or entertainment close by the hotel?

Don't know about the Hyatt, but I can recommend the Marriott on Pooks Hill Rd. which is fairly close to the NIH. Good luck to your wife.

We have always liked the Marriot Pooks Hill--in part because we usually drive to Bethesda. Along with all the other fine aspects of the hotel, they are easy to reach from the beltway and they have plenty of free outdoor parking. However, the location is not within convenient walking distance to much of anything.
I believe they do have a shuttle to NIH and the metro station there.

Sorry, have never stayed at the Hyatt.
There is a very interesting Japanese restaurant about a block north of the Bethesda metro station (on Wisconsin?). If I remember correctly, their specialty is grilled fish and grilled vegetables. And the house-made sorbet is amazing! Don't recall the name; I found it in Washingtonian magazine...a cheap eats listing, probably.

Best of luck to your wife!

I worked in that area for years, so here's my spiel. I hope all goes well at the NIH. It's a 6-7 block walk to the NIH from that Marriott, but you HAVE to drive from Pooks Hill - it's just off a very busy highway.

The advantages of the Hyatt Regency is that the metro is an elevator ride away and you're in walking distance to dozens of great restaurants in Bethesda (with the exception of the Plaza Cafe which you MUST avoid - yuck). Plus their employees are nice. The Pooks Hill location is way out of the action and requires a drive to Bethesda where you'll pay for parking EVERYWHERE until 10pm.

I've never been to a comedy club in Bethesda, but there should be a few places with live bands. And there's a movie theater one block from the Regency.

My favorite Bethesda restaurants: Tako is the Japanese restaurant kmarie referred to. It's excellent with a new sake bar next door (actually attached, but the restaurant still has the free-standing feeling). There's a little strip called Bethesda Row with some great places - Raku (also Japanese), Jaleo - Spanish Tapas, Tara Thai, Austin Grill, Cafe Deluxe. All of these are v. good.

Anadalusia is a delicious authentic Spanish restaurant that makes you feel transported. The owner/greeter is a ham!

BD's Mongolian Grill is a fun place where you fill a bowl of raw meats & veggies and watch as teenage boys cook it on a big round grill!

For lunch, go to the Hampden Deli on Hampden street. There's usually a line because the sandwiches are so good - esp the tuna.

For real entertainment, you may have to jump on the metro and go into DC. Check washingtonpost.com for a good events listing.

The awesome japanese restaurant is the Tako Grill, up aobut 2 blocks from the Hyatt, which if you are staying in Bethesda is the best and handiest. Bestesda is the restaurant hub of suburban DC with over 100 good to excellent places in walking distrance from the hotel -- I am not kidding! Because you are literally over the metro stop, you can get anywhere. There is a food court one one side of the hotel (not in it) with handy fast food, too. Definately the best place for NIH visitors & friends.

The comedy club is in the Holiday Inn in Bethesda. My husband and I have been there a couple of times and have really enjoyed it. I also vote for the Hyatt for it's location. Good luck to you and your wife.

Someone else was asking a similar question recently, and Hyatt is superior to that Marriott for location. You don't have to walk to NIH, they have a shuttle bus service at local hotels, including the Hyatt, but not that Marriott in Pooks Hill. There is nothing there, you can't walk to anywhere, I wouldn't stay there.

Bethesda is known for its restaurants, there are zillions of them. You hotel will probably provide you a listing of local restaurants, I think the Hyatt does that (I've been there for business). I like Bacchus or Levante(Lebanese/Middle East), Haandi (Indian), Tara Thai, Athenian Plaka (Greek), Bethesda Crab House, Rio Grande Cafe. There are a couple good French and other Mexican restaurants also I'm forgetting. I like ethnic food, but there are some good regular places.

As for entertainment, I wasn't aware of any comedy club in the Holiday Inn, but for there is good comedy in DC. Just down the road a couple metro stops on the red line is the Omni Shoreham where Mark Russell is sometimes, for example, at the Marquee Lounge, and the Improv is probably the best in DC (there's another on K St I'm forgetting which is good also, Comedy Cafew?). YOu can find all that stuff in the Outlook section of the Post on Fridays. Within walking distance of the Hyatt are two good places with live music (the only ones I know of right in Bethesda, although there is stuff at the Hyatt outside in the summer, but there could be something else I've never heard of as I don't like there but nearby)--acoustic/Irish music at Flanagan's pub on Old Georgetown and a really good spot, Lewie's for rock, R&B, etc. That has a URL: www.lewies.com

ttt

Bethesda definitely has tons of restaurants to choose from. Great for lunch are Cafe Gelato on Saint Elmo Ave (panini sandwiches), California Tortilla on Cordell Ave (a variety of fresh burritos), Matuba (Japanese), and Oodles Noodles (combination of Asian food). Other great restaurants are Haandi (Indian), Heritage India (a little more expensive than Haandi, but highly recommended), Jaleo (Tapas), Austin Grill (South Mex), also Red Tomato (very delicious pizza - much better than California Pizza Kitchen).

For other entertainment, you will be staying very close to DC, and you can take the metro easily from Hyatt. Have fun!