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About O’Donnell’s
The O’Donnell’s story began over three quarter centuries ago when Tom O’Donnell opened his first restaurant, the "Sea Grill," in downtown Washington, D.C. at 1207 E Street, N.W. in 1922.
Undaunted by the Great Depression that gripped Washington in the 1930’s, Tom O’Donnell’s business was booming. He leased the Victor Wholesalers building at 1221 E Street and after a complete renovation; it opened in 1941 as his second location. Daughter Janice O’Donnell Edelblut joined the business in 1945.
Whether it was the luck of the Irish or keen perception of the future, the O’Donnell’s purchased the Edgemoor Motor Building on Wisconsin Avenue in Bethesda, Maryland as the site of their new suburban location. After extensive renovation, the restaurant opened its doors to great success in 1956. Four years later, the original downtown location at 1207 E Street was closed.
As the popularity of the Bethesda location continued to grow, the building was renovated, refurbished and expanded several times over the years yet remained in the family with grandson Bill Edelblut at the helm. O’Donnell’s second downtown location at 1221 E Street was then closed in 1980.
In the summer of 1997, O’Donnell’s opened its Kentland’s restaurant to rave reviews. With the great success of this new location, the family decided to say goodbye to its Bethesda location in the fall of 2001.
Today, O’Donnell’s Restaurant is proud to be Montgomery County’s premier choice for seafood. Still owned by the O’Donnell family, O’Donnell’s continues to offer the freshest seafood, the original Norfolk style of cooking, its famous Rum Buns and the service and hospitality our patrons have enjoyed for over eighty years.
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