Update (5/5/2022): It's official!! A banner went up at the corner of Merriweather Drive and Dove Sail Lane in the NW corner of Juniper today revealing the future location of Banditos!
A new update to the site plan and leasing brochure for the Merriweather District was posted on the HR retail website today and hidden within the updates is a whopper: Banditos Tacos & Tequila is coming to Merriweather District in Downtown Columbia.
While the new site plan itself does not include Banditos Tacos & Tequila, the accompanying leasing brochure includes Banditos in the list of Who's In (image below). A look at the Bandito's website reveals that a new location for the restaurant is coming soon to 6000 Merriweather Drive (mistakenly labeled Maple Lawn). A Facebook page is also set up for Banditos Tacos & Tequila Merriweather. H/T to the blog reader who sleuthed out this information.
Here is the website description of Banditos TNT:
A REBELLIOUS PASSION FOR NEVER-ENDING FUN BANDITOS TACOS AND TEQUILA IS A TACO TEMPLE INSPIRED BY THE MOUTHWATERING FLAVORS OF MEXICAN STREET FOOD. OUR HANDCRAFTED COCKTAILS FEATURE ONLY THE FRESHEST INGREDIENTS HIGHLIGHTING OUR EXTENSIVE COLLECTION OF TEQUILAS AND MEZCALS. SO, COME EARLY AND STAY LATE. 'CAUSE HEY, A LITTLE PARTY NEVER HURT ANYONE!
Banditos currently has a location open in Federal Hill and White Marsh. Coming soon are locations in Pentagon City, Towson, Fairfax, and our forthcoming Columbia branch. Here is a link to the menu.
Let's dive into the new site plan itself.
Here's an image of the new April 28, 2022 version (<--- click this link for a high-resolution PDF).
Here's an image of the March 4, 2022 version (<--- click this link for a high-resolution PDF).
Five things to note.
Blackwall Barn & Lodge will be located in a 10,572 SF location in Juniper on Colorburst Park. See my February 12, 2022 article. Blackwall Barn & Lodge is the name of the Gambills, MD location of the Blackwall family of restaurants from Titan Hospitality Group. It was previously reported that this would be called Blackwall Hitch. Barn & Lodge is just like Blackwall Hitch, but larger and with more room for hosting private events.
Inspire Nail on Merriweather Drive is no longer included on the site plan. It had previously been labeled as "leased", but it appears this fell apart.
A 5,500 sqft retail location in 6000 Merriweather (the Tenable building) has changed from available to "LOI". Hmmm.
More leasing activity in Marlow. Two prime spots have been combined into a 6,502 sqft restaurant location that is now "at lease". Another previously available spot has changed to "LOI", bringing the total number of spaces that have advanced in the leasing process to 5.
While Banditos is not listed on the site plan yet, I suspect it will either be located in the NW or SW corner of Juniper. Both spots at labeled as leased.