Opened on May 19, 1938 as the Boro Theatre, the movie house changed its name just a year later to the Bethesda Theatre. It kept this name and operated continuously until the early-1980’s, when it closed.
In 1983, the historic theater was purchased, renovated, and reopened as the Bethesda Cinema ‘N Drafthouse. In addition to watching a movie, moviegoers could feast on a steady diet of pizza, sandwiches, and beer. In the early-1990’s, the Bethesda Theatre changed its name again to the Bethesda Theatre Cafe, to bring more families and adults to its seats.
The Bethesda Theatre closed when construction of a new hi-rise began above the cinema, but in 2007 it re-opened for live shows. Closed in 2010, it reopened in February 2013 as The Bethesda Blues and Jazz Supper Club.