Bentztown is a Music City-inspired restaurant, event, and entertainment venue in the heart of downtown Frederick. We just celebrated our two-year anniversary, and we’ve been so proud to bring a little bit of Southern-inspired hospitality and eats to the community. In addition to serving up fresh takes on classic dishes, creative cocktails, and local craft beers, we host live music acts along with other exciting forms of entertainment like line dancing and bluegrass jam sessions every week. Our goal is to be a place where people can gather, enjoy good food and drinks, and connect over a shared love of music and community.
Bentztown is part of Monocacy Hospitality, the restaurant group who is also behind Brewer’s Alley and Monocacy Brewing Co. Our focus is simple: Take care of each other and do right by our guests and community with the goal of delivering unreasonable hospitality. I like to tell our Team each and every day, “Dare to be Great” (Teddy Roosevelt and Michael Jordan), which essentially means have the courage, tenacity, ambition, and work-ethic to go out and make it a great day. Never settle for mediocrity.
A conversation with Greg Brown, Owner
Bentztown just celebrated its 2 year anniversary. Take us back to day one – what was the dream behind opening Bentztown and how has that vision come to life?
From day one, our dream was to enhance and add to the cool, dynamic hospitality scene in downtown Frederick by giving a nod to “Music City”. We wanted to create an exciting, welcoming destination where all walks of life could come together to savor great cuisine, indulge in the finest local craft beers and handcrafted cocktails, and enjoy incredible live music and entertainment–and at a value point that made our restaurant accessible to everyone.
Over the last two years, that vision has truly come alive. We’ve built a vibrant gathering place for the community, hosting weekly programming and talented local and regional musicians on select nights and weekends. But at the end of the day, the most rewarding part of this journey is the human element. We are deeply focused on a company culture of excellence – both to each other and to our guests. It’s the people in the community and the incredible team who work with us here at Bentztown that make this job worth doing every single day.
What do you like most about being located in Frederick County?
What we love most about Frederick County is the incredible relationships we’ve built with the people here. Bentztown’s original aim was to capture the warm, energetic spirit of the South, but over the last two years, it has evolved into a beautiful blend of Music City meets “Spire City.”
Our local community directly influences our entire vibe. From high-energy line dancing and bluegrass jams to our dueling piano brunches and countless late-night celebrations with friends, the guests who walk through our doors every day have truly shaped who we are. We are so grateful for how Frederick has embraced us, and we love being a space where neighbors can genuinely connect and unwind.
How are your marking the 2nd anniversary milestone?
While we had a blast celebrating our official anniversary, we wanted to keep the party going all summer long! To thank the community for two amazing years and to ensure your summer fun goes even further, we’ve completely elevated and simplified our happy hour format to offer unrivaled value.
We just launched an all-new, expanded Half Priced Summer Happy Hour every Sunday through Friday from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. We are keeping it incredibly simple: you get 50% off all draft beers, wine pours, specialty house cocktails, house spirits, and select starters. Since it seems like prices are going up across the board, we decided to decrease them on almost everything. We felt like going against the grain in this instance might be appreciated by our guests and community. We want to make it easier than ever for our fellow business community and residents to get out, grab a bite and a cold one, and enjoy downtown’s best without breaking the bank.
What do you want Bentztown to be known for?
We want to be known as the most welcoming and upbeat community dining experience in Frederick–your go-to spot for incredible bites, exceptional booze, and lively entertainment with something everyone can enjoy. But beneath the fun programming, we want to be known for our heartfelt hospitality.
As part of the Monocacy Hospitality family, our focus is simple: to enrich the lives of each other and our guests through the delivery of thoughtful, inspired hospitality in spaces that bring people together. We challenge ourselves every day to make it a great day for everyone who steps inside. For us, it’s about always doing the right thing for our team, our guests, and our community. If we can remain consistent in that, everything else falls into place.
Share some of your community involvement efforts!
We run a monthly nonprofit partner program where a portion of our proceeds goes directly to a local organization making a difference in Frederick County.
This month, Bentztown is proud to partner with The Frederick Center! The Frederick Center does vital work supporting, advocating for, and celebrating the LGBTQ+ community, their families, and allies throughout Frederick County. Through peer support groups, educational programs, and community events, they create a welcoming space where everyone feels seen and connected. We invite the Chamber membership to join us every Tuesday in June, where you can help make a difference simply by dining with us.
In addition, I am a member of The Rotary Club of Carroll Creek, we donate food to those in need weekly and we’re always happy to be part of worthy and relevant causes.
Is there anything else exciting coming up?
While we love a great happy hour, we are also here to fuel your workday. Bentztown’s Lunchbox Menu is specifically designed for the busy, local professional. Served Monday through Friday from 11:00 AM to 2:00 PM, it features extremely affordable, high-quality options including mouthwatering sandwiches, soups, farm bowls, and quick snacks. It’s the perfect mix of healthy options and hearty handhelds – whether you need a quick, convenient takeaway to get back to the office, or a sit-down spot for a client lunch.
We also have a full-service event team and flexible event spaces that can accommodate 200+ people depending on your needs. Our event spaces are fully equipped with AV capabilities to assist with presentations, audio, and meetings, making Bentztown an excellent choice for your next business gathering, mixer, or private celebration.
When the workday ends, the fun keeps going! Between our new happy hour, specialty events like our upcoming Bourbon Pairing Dinner on June 18th (just in time for Father’s Day), weekly programming, and weekend brunch, there is always something fun happening inside our doors. Keep an eye on our calendar and come celebrate two years of Bentztown with us!
Frederick Chamber Insights is a news outlet of the Frederick County Chamber of Commerce. For more information about membership, programs and initiatives, please visit our website.