Burgers have been around longer than anyone reading (or writing) this article, and will, presumably long outlast us all. The beloved sandwich’s popularity has spanned years and geographic borders owing both to its adaptability and its simplicity. Of course the dish itself would not have endured without the efforts of committed chefs, dedicated to ensuring its legacy lasts. Enter Jon’s Joint, a smash burger and milkshake concept destined to prove that burgers are in good hands with the current generation of chefs. Amaan Jan is bringing the Arlington favorite to DC later this year.
Jon’s Joint will be taking over the space at 1107 19th Street, NW that last housed a Dunkin. Amaan Jan kindly made some time to tell What Now DC about opening the concept’s second location-and why a District storefront is such a welcome opportunity.
“DC is obviously DC- the nation’s capital.” he states. “We spent a lot of our time in DC when we were younger, so it’s kind of like a second home for us…and we’re in Virginia so it’s not too far. DC is where the culture is in the DMV-you get that melting pot of every different background. To share our food in that kind of environment…it would make me happy that it’s something that could unite people.”
Arlington truly paved the way for Jon’s new DC space; Jan explains that the Virginia restaurant’s positive feedback encouraged him and his team to pursue a second location. He states: “We’ve been having a lot of good reception within the last year. We saw this location, it was ready to go, this became available, so it was just the right moment, the right time.”
DC burger enthusiasts are certain to embrace Jon’s; Jan explains that the restaurant’s greatest commitment is to making incredibly fresh, high quality cuisine. “We are a new kind of fast-casual restaurant that focuses on quality first.” he says. “We use our fresh ground beef in house, we grind it daily. We do fresh cut chicken, fresh brined chicken. We’re really focusing on bringing back that quality that seems to have gone missing. We’re also Halal.”
Jan says that while initially the DC location will hew closely to its older Arlington sibling, he and his partners are open to evolving. “In terms of the process, we’re going to try to be quicker with two cooks. With everything else, we’re going to keep it the same for now, though we might add some things later. We’re always open to adding some stuff or doing something different.”
Jan is optimistic about a late October opening. He states that the equipment is ready and the team is finishing up interior work. He says: “We’re looking for an artist right now to maybe do some mural work. We’re almost there, we’ve just gotta keep pushing.”
Jon’s Joint is a statement of intent, in both its menu and its decor. Jan sums it up beautifully, saying: “It’s the new generation- a lot of references to pop culture and art…it’s kind of just a nod to our new generation taking over and showing that we have quality, showing that we care, that we can do it.”
