Ashling Kitchen & Bar

What Ashling Kitchen & Bar does

Ashling Kitchen & Bar is a privately held, women-owned casual dining restaurant and hospitality company headquartered at 1286 Route 3 South in Crofton, Maryland. The company operates a single physical restaurant location offering a main menu, specialty cocktails, brunch, and rotating "Around the World" international themed specials, supported by dine-in service, carryout via Skytab, third-party delivery, and OpenTable reservations. Founder-owners Saeed and Elise, along with Marketing Director Hope, have built a multi-revenue-stream operation that extends well beyond the restaurant dining room.

The company's second and arguably more strategically significant line of business is full-service catering, segmented across three verticals: corporate and social event catering, wedding catering with planning and on-site management, and backstage hospitality for arena tours, festival crews, and touring artists. The backstage hospitality vertical reflects the team's roots in the music industry and serves as a distinct competitive differentiator, requiring precision execution in high-pressure live-event environments. The wedding business is anchored by an ecosystem of 11+ featured venue partnerships across Maryland, including historic mansions (Gramercy Mansion, Grey Rock Mansion), castles (The Cloisters), museums (Baltimore Museum of Industry, Annapolis Maritime Museum), and other distinctive event spaces.

Ashling's business model spans one-time transactional revenue (restaurant dining, gift cards, merchandise), professional services revenue (catering contracts with custom pricing based on guest count and logistics), and ticketed event revenue (in-house entertainment programming via Eventbrite including comedy, burlesque, murder mystery dinners, wine shows, and drag shows). The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with strong local community focus in Crofton and the surrounding Maryland corridor, supplemented by organic social channels (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn), Google Places, an email newsletter, and a LinkTree aggregation hub. The company has accumulated third-party validation through WeddingWire Couples' Choice Awards 2025, Best of Weddings 2025, and a Best Chef 2026 recognition. The firm has 51-100 employees, no disclosed institutional investment, and no parent company structure.

Name

Ashling Kitchen & Bar

Legal name

Ashling Kitchen & Bar

Website

https://ashlingco.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Ashling Kitchen & Bar is a women-owned casual dining restaurant and catering company in Crofton, Maryland, serving local diners, wedding and corporate clients, and touring entertainment acts with on-site dining, full-service catering, and backstage hospitality.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining & Catering Services

NAICS

Full-Service Restaurants (722511), Caterers (722320)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

All-Day Dining Restaurants (THAFACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Supper Clubs & Dinner-Theater Restaurants (THAFACAL), Wedding & Social Event Catering (THAHAKAE), Event Culinary Staffing & Back-of-House Services (Chefs, Servers, Bartenders) (THAHAKAN)

Keywords

• Casual dining restaurant
• Wedding catering services
• Corporate event catering
• Backstage hospitality services
• Branded apparel merchandise

Headquarters

HQ city

Crofton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Restaurant Dining: In-house dining revenue from main menu, specialty cocktails, brunch, and themed specials (Around the World specials). Operates as casual dining with table service.
2. Catering Services: Full-service catering for weddings, corporate events, social celebrations, and large-scale productions. Offers pickup, drop-off, and full-service catering with professional staff. Chef-driven customizable menus.
3. Backstage Hospitality: Catering and hospitality services for arena tours, festival crews, and live event venues. Brings event and entertainment culture to backstage environments.
4. Private Events & Weddings: Wedding catering, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, bridal parties, and event venue services including the Star Room private dining space.
5. Merchandise: Branded merchandise including apparel (oversized t-shirts, long sleeve shirts) sold through online store.
6. Gift Cards: Gift card sales with processing fees for mail delivery. Orders placed over weekends processed the following Tuesday.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Ashling Kitchen & Bar operates a casual dining restaurant in Crofton, Maryland offering a main menu, specialty cocktails, brunch, and rotating Around the World themed specials. Beyond dine-in, carryout, and delivery, the company runs four integrated service lines: full-service catering for corporate and social events, dedicated wedding catering with customizable menus and on-site management, backstage hospitality for arena tours and festival crews, and ticketed in-house entertainment events such as comedy, burlesque, murder mystery dinners, wine shows, and drag shows.

Product overview

Ashling Kitchen & Bar operates as a single-location casual dining restaurant in Crofton, Maryland with an integrated hospitality business. The core offering includes sit-down restaurant dining with a main menu, specialty cocktails, brunch, and rotating Around the World international specials. Complementing the restaurant are four interconnected service lines: Catering Services (providing pickup, drop-off, and full-service catering for corporate and social events), Wedding Catering (a dedicated service offering detailed planning, customizable menus, and on-site coordination for weddings), Backstage Hospitality (catering for touring musicians and entertainment crews at arenas and festivals), and In-House Events (hosting ticketed entertainment such as comedy shows, burlesque, and murder mystery dinners). Additional revenue streams include Gift Cards and Branded Apparel merchandise sold through their online store.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Dining Casual dining restaurant offering a main menu, specialty cocktails, brunch service, and rotating Around the World international cuisine themed specials. Serves local Crofton community and surrounding areas with dine-in, carryout, and delivery options.
• Catering Services Full-service catering for corporate events, social celebrations, and large-scale productions with chef-driven customizable menus and professional staff. Offers pickup, drop-off, and full-service catering options delivered to event venues across Maryland.
• Wedding Catering Comprehensive wedding catering including detailed planning, customizable menus, full service staff, rental assistance, and on-site event management for weddings, rehearsal dinners, engagement parties, bridal parties, and wedding brunches.
• Backstage Hospitality Backstage catering for arena tours, festival crews, and live events providing food service for touring artists and entertainment professionals. Brings event and entertainment culture to backstage environments.
• In-House Events Hosted in-house entertainment events at the Crofton restaurant including hypnotist shows, comedy, burlesque performances, murder mystery dinners, wine and drag shows, and live music. Tickets sold through Eventbrite.
• Gift Cards Digital and physical gift cards available for purchase in variable denominations for gifting. Subject to a processing fee for mail delivery with orders placed over weekends processed the following Tuesday.
• Branded Apparel Branded merchandise including oversized t-shirts and long sleeve shirts featuring the Ashling logo priced at $35 per item excluding sales tax.

Quantifiable outcome

• Testimonial: Guests still talk about wedding experience years later
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Gramercy MansioncoreOthersHistoric mansion venue in Stevenson, Maryland used for weddings and events. Built in 1902 by Alexander J. Cassatt. Featured venue for Ashling's wedding catering services.
• Historic London Town & GardenscoreOthersHistoric waterfront venue in Annapolis featuring ten acres of gardens and waterfront pavilion. Partner venue for weddings and events.
• The Cloisters CastlecoreOthersMedieval-inspired castle venue in Lutherville on 60 acres of secluded woods. Features carved wood, stained glass, and medieval artifacts. Featured event venue.
• 1840s PlazacoreOthersElegant Baltimore event venue with Ballroom, City Lites and Cabaret spaces in the historic Jonestown neighborhood near Inner Harbor.
• Citizens BallroomcoreOthersHistoric bank building turned wedding venue in Downtown Frederick, built in 1908 with original bronze doors and 30-foot coffered ceilings.
• Baltimore Museum of IndustryminorOthersWaterfront venue along Inner Harbor with industrial details and city skyline views. Unique setting for creative weddings.
• Howard County ConservancyminorOthersCountryside wedding venue in Woodstock, Maryland between Baltimore and Washington DC with preserved natural beauty.
• Annapolis Maritime MuseumminorOthersWaterfront venue in Annapolis with maritime history, coastal charm, and docks for boat arrivals.
• Main Street BallroomminorOthersCustomizable venue in Historic Ellicott City in a 1920s stone warehouse with modern amenities and rustic-industrial elegance.
• Camp Hidden ValleyminorOthersNature-filled wedding venue in Harford County, Maryland within Deer Creek Preserve, offering full weekend wedding experiences.
• Grey Rock MansionminorOthersHistoric mansion in Pikesville, Maryland with over 10,000 square feet, originally part of John Eager Howard's ancestral homestead.
• OpenTablecoreTechnology or IntegrationRestaurant reservation platform integration for table bookings. Direct link from website for easy reservation making.
• EventbritecoreTechnology or IntegrationEvent ticketing platform for in-house entertainment events including shows, comedy, burlesque, murder mystery dinners, wine shows, and drag shows.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Design Cuisine: DC-area high-end catering company serving weddings, corporate galas, and political/nonprofit events; comparable on full-service event catering but anchored to the DC market rather than Maryland suburbs.
• Occasions Caterers: DC-area full-service caterer for weddings, corporate, and social events with extensive venue relationships; comparable on premium event-catering positioning, though primarily DC-focused rather than Maryland.

Direct peers

• Heavy Seas Alehouse: Baltimore-area casual dining restaurant with a strong local following and event programming; comparable as a Maryland-based independent casual-dining concept with community-driven brand positioning.
• Putting on the Ritz Caterers: Long-established Maryland caterer specializing in weddings, corporate, and social events with full-service staffing and event planning; competes head-to-head for the same Maryland wedding and corporate catering contracts.
• Fenwick Catering: Baltimore-area full-service caterer for weddings, corporate, and social events with on-site event management; comparable on Maryland regional focus and customizable chef-driven menus.
• Zeffert & Gold Catering & Event Planning: Maryland-based full-service wedding and event caterer offering customized menus, staffing, and venue coordination across the Baltimore-DC corridor; directly comparable on core wedding-catering service line and regional footprint.
• Copper Kitchen & Catering: Maryland-based casual dining and catering operation offering chef-driven menus for private events and weddings; comparable on the dual restaurant-plus-catering model.
• Main Event Catering: DC-area full-service caterer for weddings, corporate events, and large-scale productions with professional staffing; comparable on event-catering service model and Mid-Atlantic geography.

Emerging players

• Eat Your Heart Out Catering: Specialty caterer serving music-industry clients including touring artists and production crews; directly comparable to Ashling's backstage hospitality niche.

Broad incumbents

• The Melting Pot: National full-service fondue restaurant chain with private dining and event programming; comparable as a broader incumbent offering experiential casual dining plus group/private event services.

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ashlingkitchen
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ashling-co
• Instagraminstagram.com/ashlingco
• Xx.com/ashling_co

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ashling Kitchen & Bar