Sombre Antisocial Opens in Silver Spring

SILVER SPRING, Md. — Just two days after Solaire Social food hall shuttered its doors, a new concept is already moving in — Sombre Antisocial had its soft launch tonight and is open for reservations next week.

“We had the concept backwards. People didn’t actually want community,” said developer Ed Kaczynski, founder of the new venture. “They just wanted somewhere to chew in peace, doomscroll in solitude, and leave before anyone makes eye contact or says 'hey'."

Sombre Antisocial promises everything Solaire Social wasn’t: 72 sound-proof, isolated dining pods, individually ventilated and sealed with biometric access. Guests order on a tablet and food is delivered through a window by “Parker” the robot waiter. Diners can stream their own background music or select from four house stations: 80s West Coast Punk, the Gregorian Chant Channel, Seattle Grunge, or Talibani Lullabies.

With Silver Spring parking free during the shutdown, the fleet of Parker robots moved to Sombre.

A Reversal of the Food Hall Trend

The original Solaire Social opened in 2024 to great fanfare, touting itself as a “vibrant community gathering space.” It closed last week, citing “market conditions” and “a fundamental human disinterest in other humans.”

“Communal dining has forced people into awkward small talk, shared tables, and nodding at strangers with an affable smile. Frankly, two years post-Covid people are sick of it,” said Kaczynski.

Sombre Antisocial investors say more antisocial dining experiences are likely next year. "Olney Ale House has maybe six, eight months at best, then it's the Olney Alone House," Kaczynski predicted.

Sombre Antisocial requires advance reservations via the Open Tables website or app. Walk-ins will be ignored.