great kabobs, delicious flavor and fresh herbs, the tahdig was delicious, sauces were good. and the toum is my favorite around, very addicting. ordered takeout and it was ready quickly, will try to eat in at some point read more

The food was amazing, we had the unlimited small plates. Was bombarded with loads of food and couldn't finish it. The service was great as the server explained each dish and the best way to eat. Attempted to have him join us as there was too much food. read more

We had planned to go to a French restaurant for my birthday. But while out with friends a few nights beforehand, they mentioned having eaten at Joon and that the food was great. I love Persian cuisine and immediately was interested. So McDreamy surprised me with a reservation. I'm not sure where to start. The atmosphere was simultaneously elegant and relaxed. Many families were seated but so were many couples, like us. The waitstaff were exceptionally welcoming and attentive but also gave us plenty of time to just enjoy the experience and one another's company. The noise level was held to an ambient hum of voices. The food was off the charts delicious. Again, I love Persian cuisine so I went in ready to like it. But Joon took it to another level. We enjoyed the standard dips and such to start. But then tried the makaroni, which can only be described as somewhat like an upscale, homemade beefaroni. It was unique and yummy. We shared a kabob platter with tomatoes and crispy rice and made sure to take home what we could not enjoy at the table. Then for dessert, we shared a piece of love cake that was slightly sweet and a perfect way to end the meal. If you are interested in trying Persian food, I highly recommend Joon. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience. Happy birthday to me! read more

The food: I ordered the unlimited brunch and everything was very good, but not really much better than many of the other outstanding Lebanese restaurants in the area. My favorite dish was the fried shrimp. For something on the sweet side, the french toast was very good, although it did come out a little undercooked. Atmosphere: The bar area is very pretty. The main dining are is nice, but nothing spectacular. Service: Service was excellent! Price: Way overpriced! I feel kind of like I was tricked. The font they use on their online and print menus makes it very hard to read the price of the unlimited brunch. I was certain it was $30 per person, but it turns out that the "3" is really a "5" and it's $50 per person. And if that wasn't bad enough, they charge $6 for an iced tea and they don't offer free refills. read more

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I went here on Tuesday for lunch. It was amazing. The bar and restaurant provide a nice sense of ambiance. We ordered the lamb hummus, the chengeh kabob, and the sour cherry rice with tahdig. Chef Chris Morgan came to our table. He recommended the cauliflower and squash, a cucumber tzatziki sauce, an eggplant dish, and a garlic sauce, so we added those in. Everything was just...wow. The cauliflower and the kabob were my favorite, but every dish was "out of this world delicious". I ordered the rose/pistachio ice cream for dessert. I loved it. I just watched Chris Morgan on "America's Culinary Cup". He is currently one of four chefs left competing for $1 million. I am so impressed with him. Thank you Chris for personally coming to our table and recommending dishes for us. The food was amazing, and I hope you win your TV show! read more

Came here with my wife for a birthday brunch. The restaurant was pretty empty but we were sat in the bar table in the farthest corner near the kitchen and bathrooms. I immediately was upset by it and wanted to leave but my wife wanted to stay. The server we had made up for the terrible seating, he was very friendly and did a good job going between our lone table and his other tables in the general seating area. The food was tasty but after looking at other reviews I realize that there were a quite a few complaints of the same seating issue (reservation or not). So i'd be mindful of that. Apart from the bad seating and being charged for refills on drinks, the food was really tasty and worth a visit. read more

3.5 stars for an inconsistent experience. I am feeling bad for not giving Joon 4 stars because they really tried, but 4 stars to me means that pretty much everything was solid to great in an experience but not across the board outstanding enough to warrant five stars. There is a lot to enjoy about Joon, so I want to say at the outset that I would *still recommend it* if you're looking for fairly upscale Middle Eastern food in a very well-designed space that certainly helps to curate the experience. You just may need to embrace a bit of chaos or confusion in the process, which will likely include more hummus than you'll ever know what to do with. We had a 7:30pm reservation at Joon for a party of four on a Tuesday night. The space itself is quite large and when we walked in it initially seemed like we were the only people there. As it turns out, there are a few different rooms, so all of the diners were somewhat hidden in the back. It still wasn't all that busy, perhaps because of the weather and the time of week. I tend to feel trepidatious when a restaurant is relatively empty at primetime, but I had to remind myself that I am coming from the NYC dining scene which is a different beast altogether. It did mean that the service was extremely speedy, which is not always needed but always appreciated! Drink-wise, I started with the Tehrooni Negroni (Gin, Blanc Vermouth, Bergamot Orange Liqueur, Genepy, Saffron Ice, Mint & Basil), because there are few drinks I love more in the summer than a white negroni. This one was not your typical white negroni, mainly because of the fruity and fragrant ice sphere it features. The drink overall was good, though I do think the bright flavors of the ice took away a bit from the softer, more floral/aromatic notes of the liqueurs featured in the drink. But still, it was a very beautiful cocktail and even if a bit overcomplicated, the flavors were solid. Food-wise, I would urge you to under-order if you get any of the mains that come with rice. I would also urge you not to order a special hummus unless you are absolutely sure you want the veggies or the lamb or whatever is featured, because you will also likely be gifted some hummus from the kitchen, and there is quite a lot of it. I will also say that they give you this sort of pita-injera under a pile of napkins that you need to rip in a way that gets a little unwieldy, and they also may drop a series of spreads on the table prior to bringing what you've ordered, yet neglect to tell you what they are. As I'm writing all of this it occurs to me that I am finding fault with the logistics behind the complimentary items and I should not complain about anything that's free, but it got confusing and ultimately wasteful, because there was no way we were finishing everything. In any case, I should say that the food here is pretty solid, most of it very well seasoned albeit fairly oily in some cases. The menu has great diversity and tons of options for the conservative and adventurous alike. Eats, below: Seasonal Vegetable Hummus (grilled seasonal vegetables, black garlic, feta, herb oil, Persian basil): B+ As I mentioned, we did not really need this because they brought two massive dishes of hummus out in addition. That said, I did prefer this one, though we all hoped that there would have been more veggies than just a few on top. Persian Cucumber Salad w/ pomegranate seeds, pistachios, feta, goat cheese, spring onion, golpar, mint, lime: A- A little too oily but the flavors were there. I love cucumber salad and eat some variation of it several times a week, and this one gave me some good inspo. The combo of ingredients was delicious and intuitive, and nice to have something fresh and relatively light. Grilled Rockfish w/ sour orange and parsley beurre blanc, smoked trout roe, hakurei turnips, pickled pearl onions, fava bean and dill rice with tahdig: A- The fish itself was delicious. The flavors were there and it was presented beautifully, but again it was perhaps a bit heavy-handed on the sauce/oil. Still would absolutely recommend this as your main if you're a seafood person, because there's a lot to enjoy here. Just know that the portion of dill rice is hefty, so if you prefer saffron rice (which is prepared the same way but fairly plain), you should request a substitution. We also ordered the Kubideh Kabob (ground beef tenderloin, sumac onions, grilled tomato, chelow (saffron steamed rice) with tahdig), mainly because my partner wanted to supplement what we had with meat. I didn't try it because I don't typically like red meat and this didn't look particularly appetizing, confirmed by my partner. He ate it but felt it was meh. The onions were yummy though. The saffron rice on its own was a bit bland, but luckily you will likely have plenty of excess sauce/oil to provide some flavor. The rice also travels well relative to the hummus, so if you find yourself overwhelmed by the quantity, get some takeaway containers. read more

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Joon was recently included in the NYTimes Top 50 Favorite Restaurants in the US, and it is well deserved. We had the opportunity to visit on a Tuesday when they have 3-course pre-fixe dinners, and it was perfect for our group of 4. Pretty reasonable for $50 especially given how much food you get. The portions are generous. The restaurant is gorgeous. Cocktails are divine. The service was next level. Would highly recommend for a date night or a night out with friends! read more

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A lovely space to catch up or celebrate with friends or family. The Joon iced coffee was strong and good. The chicken kabob dish was reasonably portioned. My guest ordered the lamb hash, which was flavorful and I'd order it next time. I don't typically like sour cherry in desserts, but the sour cherry brought out a nice refreshing contrast to the vanilla (?) ice cream. Persian love cake was beautifully presented, though a bit dense for my preference, so I'd likely try something else next time. Our server Tristan provided excellent service, and checked in at the perfect times. read more

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Very great date spot. Went recently and sat by bar for dinner. We missed their happy hour which is daily but the food was excellent! We shared the lamb meatballs and the giant huge fish with pistachios and some berries and herbs served with crispy rice! They deboned the fish for us and it one of the most flavorful things I've had in a long time! The restaurant was great with swapping the rice out for the dill one we wanted to try. The bread they serve at the beginning is also so good and thin! We appreciate that it's not super thick like some places. Only wish is they had the delicious green zoug sauce to eat with everything. It's our favorite Persian sauce. Def will be back to try some other things again soon! read more

It's been a while since I've written a Yelp review, but Joon is the place where I want to end this break. To begin it first got on my radar when I watched the episode about Chef Chris Morgan on the Eater YouTube channel. I was immediately intrigued, particularly about the rice based sides that are all individually cooked. I constantly badgered my wife for us to come try it which was hard because we were dealing with her being in the hospital and then a newborn baby. It also didn't help that we needed to be on more of a budget and it is a $$$-sign type of place When we were finally able to get someone to watch our baby we went out to try to make the lunch menu time since the prix-fix meal is affordable. We made the lunch menu time and was able to order right at 3:30 pm EST. Initial thoughts, not a lot of people at the time but great ambiance/decor. I ended up getting the kubideh and she got the chicken one. I also sprung for the $8 extra for the sour cherry rice which was absolutely worth it. My wife was jealous she went with the standard rice that came with it. We also ended up getting an eggplant based appetizer that was really good on the sort of happy hour menu. Additionally I ended up getting a Tequila happy hour drink. The service was excellent. When the food came once we saw it my wife was like I see why you wanted to try Joon ;) read more

My husband and I came for date night and everything was so good! The place itself is beautiful and got pretty packed while we were there. The service was great, everything was explained to us and everyone was so friendly. My husband and I split the pistachio soup, I was so amazing and creamy. I've never had anything like it. I had the Barg Kabob, the meat was so tender. The portions were bigger than I thought but we also had to get a dessert. We got the apple tarte tartin and it was divine. Highly recommend coming! We will be back for sure. read more

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Ordered the prawns and wow! They were large, succulent, and had a complex tomato-based sauce made with onions, some spice, and butter I think. I had a yummy finger-licking experience eating the prawns and mopped up the remaining sauce with grilled focaccia that it came with. Delicious and satisfying! read more

Amazing food and service. We tried several appetizers, drinks, and shared the kabob platter. Omar recommended the tea with dessert (kataifi!) and it was perfect. read more

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(4) ~ very good overall food & service DRINKS: ** Water (tap) = (4) very good, must be filtered;) ** Coffee = (4) very fresh FOOD: ** Bread Complimentary Course = (4.35) Very Tasty! The Olive tapenade & Herb butter were my favs;) ** Lamb Pistachio Meatballs (see photo) = (4.25) Very good ** Blood Orange Granita = (4.25) Fav dessert b/c of the Marshmallow;) ** Barg Kabob (see photo) = (4) very good * Chocolate & Kataifi Pie = (3.5) good, but they need to get rid of the Almond flavor b/c it's supposed to be pistachio... * Persian Cucumber Salad = (3.25) kinda bland tasting.... read more

Joon - Barg Kabob - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Service: the hostess was so sweet by offering a coat check as I was taking off my coat in order to sit down. Paul was our waiter and he was professional and checked in several times. Food: I came last spring for restaurant week and didn't have the greatest food experience. But after seeing they had continued great reviews, I've decided to give it another try. My friend and I got the breakfast platter and it was great! Ambience: decor especially the tiles are incredible! read more

Joon - Breakfast platter with lamb shalk, potatoes, 2 eggs, tuom, grilled onion and tomato. - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Briefly updating my review to share an excellent dinner experience. The food and service at Joon remains superb even during peak weekend dinner hours. While pricey, the experience merits the cost. Some dinner exclusive highlights include the following: -Cucumber Borani - refreshing slices of cucumber coated with thick, creamy yogurt and an ample helping of dill. This dish tasted refreshing and paired excellently with the fresh bread. -Cauliflower and Shishitos - the well fried florets of cauliflower tasted pleasantly nutty and contested well with surprisingly spicy shishito peppers and a zesty green tahini -Lamb Chops - likely the best lamb chops my wife and I have had at a restaurant. The chops possessed a perfect medium cook per our request without a hint of gristle, and were coated with a very flavorful pistachio chermoula -Lamb shoulder - the tender meat was perfectly seasoned with warm spices and the ideal amount of tangy-sweet pomegranate molasses. This is what we expected of the lamb shoulder at the more famous Maydan. My wife and I are already planning a return trip for more lamb chops. If you are a fan of Middle Eastern flavors in elegant surrounds, Joon is the ideal option in the area. read more

If you like rice, this is your place! All the entrees come with a ginormous bowl of scorched rice dish (tahdig) The mazzeh (appetizers) were our favorite! - tuna tartare (the zatar lavash/crispy thin pita) - hummus with black garlic - lamb meatballs Parking is a little tricky. There isn't much available retail parking but Joon provides free valet parking. read more

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Joon made the New York Times 50 favorite list. It's a fancy Persian restaurant next door to Tiffany's at Tysons. Being next to Tiffany's has plus and minuses: plus is you can shop at Tiffany's before dinner; minus is it may be an expensive outing. All kidding aside, Joon is reasonably priced for the quality of food. We ordered the following dishes: Beet Borani: a wonderful sweet dip Maygu-c Sokhari: fried pawns over slightly spicy sauce. Appeared to have come with calamari even though not mentioned. Recommend if you like little spicy Joon Kabob Platter: platter of chicken kabob, filet mignon kabob and ground beef kabob served with rice and pickled vegetables. We added sour cherries for slight charge. Chicken was great and the beef kabob were tender though not sure how it was cooked as did not see any grill marks. Sauce Tray: four sauces as we like spicy food. Also ordered one of their desserts with their tea served on platter. Overall, enjoyed the food and will definitely be back to try other items on menu. read more

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Delicious ! The Power lunch is the best value in Tyson's from a quality + quantity perspective. The food is made to order, the flavors are fresh and on the mark. read more

Our first brunch, having been for dinner numerous times. RahHel was a delight, she really took care of us and was super patient. Truly one of the best brunches in the DMV. Not just the variety and quantity- but the QUALITY was incredibly impressive. The one note (and possibly because it was a holiday - they were understaffed?? ) was the pacing was somewhat disrupted. We had an almost 20/25 minute wait between the dips / eggs/ potatoes & lamb, before the chicken kabob / sandwich's / flatbread was delivered. And the wait was so long that 10 minutes after they were brought, we had to have the French toast brought as the kitchen was closing. Other than the pacing issue- the food and service are top notch. Cocktails on POINT as usual, and beautiful interior with bright lights and comfy seating! They NEVER rushed us out even as service was turning over for dinner. We'll be back ! read more

Came in to try the brunch option. I was wowed by the beautiful design, colors and warm feeling. One of my favorite restaurant atmospheres I've been to in a very long time. All the side dishes were great, had good blend of flavors. The french toast was surprisingly really good and not too sweet. All the components worked great together. The meal took a nose a dive when the kabobs arrived. The presentation and plating was top notch. Visually I was very impressed. Both the chicken and kubideh had no flavor, bland as can be. Didn't even get a hint of onion flavor. The 2nd round the kubideh was under cooked, medium rare, inedible. I was stunned at how lack luster the kabob was, as this was the star of the show. I've been eating Persian food for many years from friends home cooking, to making own, and trying almost every Persian eatery in the area. The rice was ok, had too much butter and lots of dried up rice grains that were inedible. Tahdig is not easy to make, so I never expect it to be amazing. Our server took the experience down a notch. He kept trying to do what he wanted. Telling us he was going to send us out one of everything, when we didn't want everything. Didn't come check in after food came out. Keep trying to push us to eat things we already said we didn't want. Telling us we ordered too much food. Had to flag him down numerous times. Didn't tell us there was a up charge for sparking water. Asked if they had green sauce for the kabob. They didn't but brought out some hot sauce that we didn't ask for nor used, n charged us $3. If the kabobs were good I would have loved to come back. Plenty of other superior Persian kabob in the area. Don't take my word for it, check them out for yourself. read more

Joon was an enjoyable experience. I came early to have a drink at Maybar, which I thought sounded like their speakeasy, but it is really just a bar/lounge before the restaurant. It's quite pretty though. The bar service was good and I enjoyed my Negroni. I'd definitely have cocktails here again. We did the tasting menu. I got the falafel, chicken kabob with sour cherry rice with tahdig, and saffron and rose water ice cream. My friend ordered the meatballs, kubideh, and pavlova. And we shared the lavash and accompaniments. I love my meal and I had leftovers, which I appreciated. The falafel was crisp and flavorful. The chicken was addictive. The meal comes with Shirazi salad, which I thought need seasoning, as the vegetables were not that flavorful. I loved both the saffron and rose water ice cream and the pavloa. Both were delicious but the ice cream was so rich and flavorful, plus I'm an ice cream girlie. I forget our server's name, but he was great. However, the reservation system needs to be more specific. I inquired with the host where we sitting and they said the lounge. There was no option to choose between lounge and dining room while reserving. My preference is typically the dining room. I'm lucky they were able to rectify that, but to automatically seat us in the lounge is unacceptable. The entire staff was so friendly and kind though, and I'd probably return on that basis alone. read more

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Run, don't walk to eat here as soon as you can. We had a truly transcendent meal here -- everything was delicious, from the duck fesenjoon to the braised lamb shoulder to the seasonal vegetable hummus (seriously, get it, I wish I took a pic before we devoured it!) to the kashk-e bademjan eggplant dip to the Persian love cake, saffron rose water ice cream and beyond. Every moment was amazing -- the host Alex was super kind and our server Nadine helped us navigate menu with her expert recommendations and tips, plus she was so dang attentive and thoughtful -- always making sure my dad had hot water, tea, etc. -- I'm in awe. It's truly a hidden gem -- kinda hard to see from main street -- but worth finding tucked away, it's the most gorgeously appointed restaurant too. Can't wait to go back when I'm in town -- just wish it were closer to CA :) read more

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Amazing experience at Joon! Had Hummus, cucumber salad and braised lamb. All dishes super flavorful, and I'd be happy just eating their delicious Hummus with bread. Our server, Paul, was on point with his recommendations. The restaurant is elegant but not pretentious. Will definitely come back! read more

Joon - Braised lamb with safran rice - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Came to much-hyped Joon for dinner before a show. I don't love the location, buried in the Tysons mall-scape, and parking was a little tricky (lots of spots labeled only for this or that). Once inside, we were seated in the front window. The restaurant is larger than it seems, and the spaces are loosely designed around a house - a living room room, dining room room, etc. I liked that! Menu is Persian Mediterranean, lots of cool stuff. We ordered almost all the vegetarian small plates. There were standouts like the crispy rice (Tahdig) and eggplant dishes. A little confusing language on happy hour pricing for cocktails led to a tricky interaction with our server - they've gotta fix the menu! Anyway, it was a nice meal and we'd be willing to return. read more

We wanted to do the AYCE brunch option but one person in our group is vegan and is unable to eat the options they have available. We asked if she could do the A la carte while the rest of the table do the unlimited option. The manager came out and talked to us and was able to make the accommodation for her. Service 5stars. The ambiance is very cute and cozy. I don't remember the name of our waitress but she was great. She knew the menu and cuisine well where she made recommendations of what we should get and in which order. As for the mimosas, my favorite one was their peach which is quite different from other mimosa flavors. 100% recommend Joon. read more

Joon - Joon French toast - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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Food and service were great. Nice decor. Valet was convenient. Table of 4- some of us had been there before, some had not. They sat us in the back corner by where the table clearers are in and out. The seat was so bad, when I looked to my right, the view was down a kitchen hallway where stacked plastic crates of glasses were getting dried by a woman in an apron. Not the ambiance im looking for, esp at those prices. Clearers bustling by that table was very distracting. Fig old fashioned was tasty but seemed weak. 4 apps, 4 drinks, one entree platter meant to feed 2 was enough for all 4 of us. Not sure if I'll be back based on them putting us in that spot when there were a few other tables available. read more

Beautifully decorated restaurant, and great service. I enjoyed a nice Friday lunch here. We tried the egg plant appetizer, and the chicken and lamb kabob lunch special. It was delicious. read more

Joon - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

Very accommodating with service and free valet! Their brunch menu & specials are amazing. If you are new to middle eastern food, this is the place to endlessly dive into their culture! Amazing decor and ambience as well. read more

I came here for an early dinner (just before it got busy) and had a wonderful time with my partner. We shared the pistachio lamb meatballs mazzeh which was packed with so much flavor. Lamb flavor was present but not gamey. The mast-o-musir was so incredibly good and made the dish light and refreshing. Highly recommend starting with this. For two we did the kabob platter and the portion was more than enough. Kabobs were phenomenal. Best I've had in the area hands down. The saffron rice was so perfectly made with an amazing golden crust. Will definitely be adding this spot to our rotation read more

Joon - Joon Kabob Platter - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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I love the aesthetic of the place. The food is great too. Nothing like a Persian grandma's cooking but still pretty great. The server recognized we were out for lunch during work so they helped get us in and out in an hour. Loved It read more

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*chefs kiss* Joon has been on my "to eat" list for a while now. They did not disappoint! The restaurant is cute and chic with friendly staff. Our food was great! I'll definitely be back. read more

Joon - Braised Lamb Shank - Persian/Iranian Near Me - Vienna, Virginia

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I suspect this restaurant will earn a Michelin soon, it's sooooo good! I've been here twice now and am thinking of when I will be able to come back. First, I highly recommend the fig old fashioned. It's perfectly balanced and consistent every time I order one - and yes, I have at least two each time! For starters, the cucumber salad is both refreshing and delicious, but if you just order one appetizer, you've got to get the hummus with braised lamb! It is literally the thing I think about and rave about when I talk about Joon! My favorite main is the Sabzi Polow ba Mahi with Tahdig. The complexity of the seasonings was outstanding. Second favorite is the Ghormeh Sabzi. The meat was so tender and I loved eating it with some pita. The Joon kabob platter was good too (you can't go wrong with platters!),. Now, remember to save room for desert. The persian love cake and rose tea are phenominal. I'm not even a tea drinker, but love this tea, especially with the cake. The ambiance is inviting and restaurant is beautifully decorated. Service was attentive, but not overbearing. The servers were knowledgeable and very helpful with recommendations. The hosts are super nice and well organized. I love everything about this restaurant, from the food, ambiance, service and even cleanliness of the bathrooms - Joon is incredible! read more

The decor was beautiful. Service was good. The food was good. I got the Barg Kabob with Sabzi polow, my son got the Duck. Both dishes were good. We had a lot left over so we took it to go. When I was home, I added chimichurri to my dish and it gave it much more flavor. We also ordered the Persian love cake. That was good and unique. read more

More of a 4.5... Great shareable plates and excellent for groups. We came on a Saturday night as a group of six. We were seated right away but service slows down from there. Plan according, order your cocktails and get your food orders in right away so you can just sit back and enjoy your dining experience. Try not to fill up on the Zeytun Parvardeh Goat Cheese Feta Sabzi Butter It's all so good!!! For The Table: *Falafel-tasty and has a kick. *Lamb & Pistachio meatballs-loved it! Love the pomegranate glaze. *Persian cucumber salad- generous portion, flavorful and loved the lime and pistachio dressing. *Fava Bean & Dill Rice Tagdig- I was a fan but the table was 50/50 on it. They preferred the saffron steamed rice with tahdig that came with the Joon Kabob platter. *Kashke Bademjan (eggplant) delicious! One of the table favorites. *Joon Platter kabob- the steak was tender, the chicken kabobs were flavorful and the tahdig rice was good. *Rotisserie Chicken (whole)- I was pleasantly surprised. I don't usually order rotisserie chicken while dining out but we had kids at the table so we thought it would be a good choice. And just wow! So tasty and well prepared. Honestly, I never thought rotisserie chicken could ever be that good. Service was initially slow, but I think there just wasn't enough of them at the start of our meal. But towards end of our meal it seemed like there was more staff working. Our server did take the time to help us with ordering and had great recommendations. We would definitely return again. Valet parking is free too! read more

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The food is very good during the brunch service, however, the restaurant owners / manager need to take action with respect to their service staff. Our server was a huge problem and extremely rude. At one point, he flipped out and said he was going to bring us everything on the brunch -- even though we didn't order everything. He also tried to charge us for ala cart items when we clearly ordered off the single priced brunch menu. The place is a disaster and management needs to introduce a formal training program-- because what they are currently doing is driving away repeat customers. read more

KenScale: 7.75/10 Visit: November 2024 As we were greeted by the host at the restaurant Joon, my wife Jun and I were puzzled that we were led to a small table in a very awkward configuration (sandwiched diagonally between two other tables next to the window) near the entrance where the chilly wind was blowing. On my way to the restroom, I saw that there were plenty of empty tables in a more spacious dining space on the inside of the restaurant. Eventually, we were allowed to move to one of the two tables next the window, but we both wondered who was making these weird decisions. With that out of the way, it is time to talk about the food at Joon (its pronunciation is identical to my beloved wife's name). Led by Najmieh Batmanglij, an acclaimed cookbook author, and Chris Morgan (ex-Maydan), Joon was recently listed on New York Times' coveted 50 Best Restaurants of America list representing Virginia. While Jun and I had some good dishes (with one clear winner), our dining experience was somewhat mixed. While Middle Eastern cuisine has become more widespread in America's dining scene, it's not always easy to find a place that focuses more or less exclusively on the culinary tradition of Iran like Joon does. Whenever we check out Middle Eastern restaurants, we get at least one spread dish to dip a bread with; we have often found that these spreads give a fairly reliable idea of how good the restaurant is with the rest of the menu. We tried beet borani with yogurt and roasted beets alongside hummus with braised lamb shoulder and harissa. Both were solid spreads, with a slight nod to hummus (which never goes wrong with lamb shoulder), but nothing out of the ordinary based on our prior dining experiences elsewhere. Between the two large dishes we ordered, one dish that didn't quite live up to our expectations was duck fesenjoon. Fesenjoon is a type of Iranian stew with sweet and sour flavor, based on pomegranate and various spices. The duck leg itself was mostly fine (and the texture of crunchy rice of tahdig was rather addictive), but we weren't quite won over by the flavor of the stew which felt sweeter than we had anticipated. Is it because of our lack of familiarity with the flavor of Persian cuisine? It was hard to tell. On the other hand, my clear winner of the night was the braised lamb shoulder with butternut squash and carrots; I found myself going after the lamb shoulder more often than the duck, savoring the flavor and texture of the former that would be a worthy model for how to properly cook a lamb dish. For dessert, we split the brûléed vanilla cardamom custard tart; whether you like this dish or not would likely depend on how you feel about the uniquely savory flavor of cardamom. Getting a reservation at Joon is not overly challenging, especially with the spacious dining space (it did get busier over time during our meal). There is full bar with some creative cocktails using ingredients from the Middle East region and a large number of relatively affordable wine bottles to complement your meal. Aside from the snafu on our table seating, the service was mostly fine although there were some longer-than-expected gaps in between dishes. Joon is a solid addition to Northern Virginia's dining scene and you can have a successful meal here if you order the right dishes. Perhaps we will be back, especially with a larger group that would give us opportunities to try as many dishes as possible. read more

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Food and service were great! I had lamb chops and rice which were delicious! Our waiter was very helpful in explaining the different dishes. Would definitely go back next time we are in the area. read more

We had such a fantastic dining experience at Joon. First of all, even though we were running late for our reservation, the staff was so kind and accommodating--huge bonus points for that level of hospitality. From the moment we sat down, everything was top tier. Our server was knowledgeable, warm, and gave us great recommendations. We started with the seasonal vegetable hummus--let me just say, wow. It was vibrant, fresh, and unlike any hummus I've had before. The cucumber and feta salad was equally refreshing, a perfect balance of tangy and crisp. For mains, we shared the fava bean rice, regular chelow rice, lamb chops, and beef kabob. Every bite was deeply flavorful, cooked perfectly, and beautifully presented. The portion sizes were generous, which meant I got to relive the experience the next day with delicious leftovers (and yes, they held up just as well the second time around!). Our drinks were phenomenal--seriously top shelf. Crafty, balanced, and the perfect complement to the meal. We wrapped things up with the apple tart and toffee ice cream along with Persian tea, which was the most comforting, satisfying way to end the night. Did I mention the food was amazing? Because it truly was that good. Can't wait to come back and try more from their menu. read more