Jônt Hustles to Hit Its Stride, Setting the Pace as a Frontrunner in D.C.’s Dining Scene
Jônt - Washington, D.C.
6/4/2026
Washington, D.C. — After being greeted by a host, guests are escorted to a cozy nondescript parlor that sits just adjacent to a dining room on the ground floor. After waiting for a short moment, another host arrives to take you up a flight of not-so-secret stairs, through the bar, and straight into the kitchen of Jônt, which is discretely situated above its more accessible sister restaurant, Bresca. Inside the kitchen, guests are seated at a counter that wraps around two sides of the room, which accommodates about a dozen people. Here, guests are not only treated to a delicious meal, but also a front-row view as Jônt’s elite team of chefs each man their stations, carefully preparing each dish of the night’s extensive tasting menu, all to the bumping beat of old school East Coast hip hop.
Jônt was opened in 2020 by chef Ryan Ratino, and almost immediately earned two Michelin stars in 2021, which it has maintained to this day. Since its opening, Jônt, along with chef Ratino, have received numerous accolades and recognition, including Wine Spectator’s Best of Award of Excellence, Michelin’s Young Chef Award, as well as a feature on the World’s 50 Best Discovery list. The restaurant also just recently joined the Relais & Châteaux family, further solidifying its status among the world’s top-tier destinations, not to mention, one of the top restaurants in D.C.
The menu at Jônt takes much of its inspiration from Japanese cuisine, including some of the dishes, presentations, and cooking techniques. However, chef Ratino does not focus exclusively on Japan, and will feature flavors and ingredients inspired elsewhere, including right at home. One thing Jônt prides itself on is sourcing some of the best ingredients from around the world, including high quality local ingredients as well, such as Amish Yellow Chicken, which has been featured on the menu in the past.
Before the meal gets into full swing, several options are offered, presented on a tablet, which showcases various upgrades or additions that can be added to the meal, such as wagyu, king crab, and Japanese crown melon, which is a variety of muskmelon painstakingly cultivated as one single fruit per tree. Among other menus on the tablet are a selection of cocktails, spirits, and wines by the glass and bottle. This list itself is quite robust, and is reflective of the restaurant’s Best of Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator. Also available are 3 tiers of wine pairings, with the top tier being affectionately named, the “F*** it” pairing, which as the name implies, involves some of the most elite wines from their collection (as well as a price to match).
Once selections have been made, the meal carries on through a series of introductory bites and flavors, providing a glimpse of what’s to come, as well as a sampling of the multifaceted preparations brought to life by the deft talent just across the counter.
Easing into the main courses, the meal starts off light, featuring sea-centric dishes, ranging from raw Shima Aji (Striped Jack), to Amadai (Tilefish) prepared in such a way that the skin puffs up when it is cooked and takes on a texture almost like that of breaded fried chicken. From there, even more Japanese inspiration is put on display as dishes incorporate ingredients such as Koshiibuki short-grain rice, maitake mushrooms, tofu, and katsuobushi.
Getting into the more hearty courses, the meal departs the seafood-forward dishes, turning to quail, sourced from the legendary Wolfe Ranch in northern California, as well as Opal wagyu, coming from Australia. This hearty pair rounds out the main courses and takes the meal to an interlude before dessert begins. Throughout the meal, seasonal ingredients are also given the opportunity to impart their own fresh elements into many of the dishes. Although the east coast is not especially known for their fresh produce, the majority of the vegetable ingredients used throughout the meal seem to have been sourced relatively locally, which is indeed a commendable endeavor, which I’m sure is appreciated by each of the farmers and growers who put so much effort into what they do.
Finally, moving to dessert, the dining experience physically moves into the bar area, located in the adjoining room. With black surfaces and subdued lighting, this area provides quite a dramatic contrast to the brightly-lit, stainless steel on white kitchen, which had been the setting for the evening, up to this point. As the experience shifts into a lower gear at a more mellow pace, the first sweets are presented.
Leading into the sweet flavors, a simple presentation of delicately sliced premium Korean strawberries (K-berries) is served on a small bed of crushed ice. Accompanying this straightforward dish are also a variety of other sweet pastries and confections. The dessert parade marches on with more sweets, each meticulously crafted with a different technique. Finally to end the culinary journey, a treasure chest of tiny confections is presented, along with more freshly baked tiny madeleines.
Throughout the meal, the pace just flows. Although the cooks are dialed in and focused, the service staff is attentive and engaged. With so many people moving through the kitchen on the other side of the counter, it almost seems like a tightly choreographed dance at times, but the team each knows their part and is prepared to execute it perfectly.
Admission to Jônt is definitely no cheap ticket, however, if you do have the means, the experience will be well worth it and you will not be disappointed. Despite still being a relatively new place, Jônt has quickly become one of the best restaurants in the nation’s capital, and among the best in the nation itself. With disciplined, young talent, this restaurant is poised to continue riding its wave of success and recognition to new heights for years to come.
