Marcus Samuelsson Dishes on His First DC Restaurant, in the MGM Casino

Celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson plans to “celebrate comfort food” at his new restaurant Marcus, debuting inside the MGM National Harbor this Thursday.

The Ethiopian-born and Swedish-raised chef and restaurateur operates several Harlem eateries. Shrimp and grits, fried chicken, and mac and cheese will be served up to resort guests in a laid-back homey setting designed by New York-based Parts and Labor Design.

The restaurant sits at the base of MGM’s central glass-enclosed atrium, which rises 85 feet and is bigger than the Bellagio in Las Vegas. In true casino fashion, Marcus’ huge exposed grill is meant to be a “theatrical” experience, he says, and African prints are present as an ode to his Ethiopian roots and D.C.’s large demographic of the same descent.

The family-friendly restaurant caters more to the adult crowd with its back bar called Sammy’s. The speakeasy will pay homage to D.C.’s go-go music scene, with DJs, Gospel brunches, flowing cocktails, and a Las Vegas Rat Pack vibe (the bar’s named after Sammy Davis Jr.). The setup is similar to his Red Rooster Harlem’s downstairs supper club, Ginny’s, he said. Another commonality is The Rooster Burger, which also appears on Marcus’ menu.

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Marcus will function more than just as a restaurant and swanky nightlife stop. The team will oversee in-room dining at the resort, with 24-hour food service flowing out of his kitchen and into some of the 308 rooms every night. Those menus feature local Maryland fare, with a Prince George’s County crab and shrimp, lobster boil as a main, as well as fried green tomatoes and oysters with local buttermilk and crispy crab cake for starters.

He wants to ensure all kinds of guests can come, so price points are all over the map. “You can can hang out for us with for $7 bucks for a beer and cornbread or have a steak and lobster dinner,” he said. And don’t expect Las Vegas strict dress codes, or any for that matter; Samuelsson himself is a big fan of sneakers and baseball caps.

Though this is the chef’s first restaurant in DC, he was involved in designing the menu for the revitalized Howard Theater here back in 2012 [UPDATED]. One perk of being on the project for more than three years is he’s watched the D.C. restaurant scene evolve simultaneously, with hits like Rose’s Luxury and Bad Saint. “Those type of next-generation restaurants have really blossomed up,” he said.