Tail Up Goat
Fine dining restaurant · Adams Morgan ·
Creative Mediterranean fare & Caribbean-inspired drinks
Creative Mediterranean fare & Caribbean-inspired drinks
"After nearly a decade, this Michelin-starred Adams Morgan favorite is closing on Saturday, December 20, with owners chef Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler choosing not to cut PTO, health insurance, or core values just to stay profitable after deciding the restaurant wasn’t financially sustainable under their model. Debuted in 2016 and awarded a star when the D.C. Michelin Guide launched in 2017, it has maintained that status, and the team took a final bow at last month’s Northeast Michelin Guide ceremony in Philly. Longtime regulars have been returning for one last dinner, and swan-song seats are available for a $135-per-person prix fixe or a la carte menu; a la carte returned a year ago to test the waters for what’s next, and the group is proud of the food they’ve put out this past year." - Tierney Plumb
"Adams Morgan’s Tail Up Goat will automatically exit the Michelin-starred list after closing in December this year." - Emily Venezky
"When three forward-thinking restaurateurs combine their talents, the result is bound to be an easygoing haven, where the food, drinks, and hospitality mesh effortlessly. Fittingly, the mood here is buzzy, but don’t be fooled by the casual vibe, as this kitchen team is serious. Start with an assortment of snacks, including a crudité of radishes and wax beans with white miso dip, or a crisp tart shell filled with creamy eggplant and serrano pepper apricot relish. Mains offer a refined take on Americana classics, like steak and potatoes with a seared strip steak and a crunchy potato pavé with a dusting of green onion powder. To finish, consider the rather un-French version of baba au rhum, featuring apricot honey, toasted marshmallow, and vanilla gelato." - The MICHELIN Guide
"A long-running, Michelin-recognized neighborhood restaurant is staging a celebratory dinner series through its remaining months before an announced year-end closure, hosting rotating local and national chefs in multi-course collaborations and offering tickets and rolling reservation links via its booking partner to spotlight the community it built over nearly a decade." - Emily Venezky
"Opened in February 2016 on a hidden stretch of Adams Morgan (1827 Adams Mill Road), the restaurant was launched by chef Jon Sybert, his wife Jill Tyler, and their friend Bill Jensen—alums of Komi and sibling Thai restaurant Little Serow—with an intention of cooking food Sybert likes to eat, particularly breads and pastas. With the lease ending in December the partners will close at the end of the year; as Sybert told Axios, “Had the last few years not happened [with the pandemic], maybe we’d be having a different conversation.” Tyler called the venture her proudest accomplishment and added, “We are so fortunate to have been joined along the way by the best team in the game. We feel incredibly lucky that we get to choose to close this chapter on our terms, while there is still so much joy in this place.” The team also opened nearby pasta-and-wine spot Reveler’s Hour in 2019, which is not closing. The restaurant earned a Michelin star in 2017 (the first year of the D.C. Michelin Guide) and has maintained it since; Tyler won the 2024 D.C. Michelin Guide Service Award and Jensen won the city’s Michelin Sommelier Award in 2021. It’s been recognized for service and its cozy space and for specific dishes such as a crudité of radishes and wax beans with white miso dip; a seared strip steak and a crunchy potato pavé with a dusting of green onion powder; and “a rather un-French version” of baba au rhum, with apricot honey, toasted marshmallow, and vanilla gelato. Asked about the biggest rewards a year after opening, Sybert said it was “how responsible I feel for all of the people here,” while Jensen said it’s “being able to play a meaningful part in people’s day-to-day life as a more casual restaurant.” Looking toward the remaining months, Tyler said “There is a lot to look forward to,” including a dinner series with other operators they admire, and vowed, “We’ll push to be the very best version of ourselves until our last service in December.”" - Melissa McCart