Signage for Kitchen Social’s first Maryland location has been approved as the restaurant continues moving forward at Downtown Crown in Gaithersburg.
According to the City of Gaithersburg, the Planning Commission reviewed and approved sign permit applications for the new restaurant at 203 Crown Park Avenue. The plans include one canopy sign above the storefront and two projecting signs beneath a proposed canopy.
The approvals were required because the proposed signage did not fully align with existing design guidelines for the Crown neighborhood. However, city staff determined that the signage is appropriate for the space, noting that the canopy sign’s size and 20-inch lettering are proportional to the building and its prominent corner location at Crown Park Avenue and Ellington Boulevard. The projecting signs were also deemed acceptable, with no concerns related to pedestrian clearance.
Kitchen Social is taking over the former Paladar Latin Kitchen & Rum Bar space, which closed in May 2024 after nearly a decade in the community. The signage approval marks another step forward for the project, which recently received a $2 million permit for interior construction work. That work includes building out the restaurant’s interior, making minor facade updates, and installing a new exterior canopy, along with demolition of the existing canopy and portions of the storefront.
Kitchen Social, an Ohio-based concept, is known for its modern American comfort food, open-kitchen design, and social dining atmosphere. The menu typically features items such as house-made pretzels, Brussels sprouts, short rib risotto, Korean BBQ salmon, and wood-grilled steaks, alongside craft cocktails, beer, and wine. With construction now underway and signage approved, the Downtown Crown location continues to move toward its planned 2026 opening.
