Marcus, the Southern and Ethiopian-tinged restaurant from celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, closed at MGM National Harbor Tuesday. The restaurant will be replaced by another concept from MGM called Conservatory Cafe.
Representatives for MGM and Samuelsson confirmed the switch, with a spokesman for MGM saying the decision was a “mutually agreed upon transition.”
Samuelsson, in a statement, said: “We respect the changes in creative direction and strategy they wish to make at MGM National Harbor and mutually decided it made sense to go our separate ways.”
Malik Husser, the MGM spokesman, said the change gives the resort the chance to fine-tune its offerings after learning what guests wanted.
“These types of adjustments are not unusual in new resorts,” Husser said. “We are grateful for the role Chef Samuelsson played in establishing MGM National Harbor as a must-experience dining destination and a significant player in the D.C. restaurant scene.”