Why a D.C. Chef Gave Up His Michelin Starred Restaurant to Start Fresh
Jon Sybert and Jill Tyler ran Tail Up Goat, one of Washington, D.C.’s most celebrated Michelin-starred restaurants, for a decade. In 2025, they walked away. The model wasn’t sustainable, so they rebuilt from scratch: Rye Bunny, a new D.C. restaurant engineered around fair wages, honest pricing, and a hyper-seasonal mid-Atlantic menu. On this episode of “Now Open,” we step inside to see how ramp-filled ravioli, fried chicken, and anchovy toast represent more than a menu pivot. It’s a new philosophy for how restaurants can work.
#food #new #restaurant
00:00 — Intro — What Is Rye Bunny?
01:08 — Construction and Building Out the Restaurant
01:32 — Butchering and Searing Off the Glazed Pork Chop
03:11 — Why Rye Bunny Is a Counter Service Model
03:45 — Prepping the Ramp-Filled Ravioli
06:59 — Designing the Space
07:59 — Prepping the Fried Chicken
08:15 — Making Milk Bread for the Anchovy Toast
10:55 — Service and Why Counter Service Is the Model of the Future
Credits:
Producer/Director: Gabby Lozano
Camera: Murilo Ferreira, Gregg De Domenico, Christina Helm
Production Sound Mixer: Benjamin Sands
Editor: Beatriz Calleja
Assistant Editor: Seyeon Bang
Executive Producer: Stephen Pelletteri
Head of Production: Stefania Orrù
Supervising Producer: Connor Reid
Post-Production Supervisor: Lucy Morales Carlisle
Director of Production: Michelle Fox
Senior Director of Photography: Murilo Ferreira
Supervising Producer, Social Video: Jordan Shalhoub
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41 Comments
Very cool concept. Could be innovative!
Tom Segura is looking real good, congrats!
I've always wanted to eat at or at least hear of a restaurant that has michelin star caliber ingredients and flavor but takes it easy on the presentation and super luxurious ambience and garnishes, so this is cool to see. Hope they succeed greatly and start a trend
1/2 bakery….
I don´t like the idea of ordering at the counter in this kind of restaurants. If I am going to pay a lot for four raviolis, at least put full table service, not ordering like you were in McDonalds to save one or two salaries; it gives an impression of pettyness and stingyness
Not gonna lie, that's a wild method for shaping that bread. End result looks good though!
And then they got another Michelin star and prices still go belly up like normal again
How much extra to get some of that beard hair in my food
I don't understand how placing your order at the beginning is some groundbreaking efficient thing to do for a restaurant? How much money does that actually save? You're cutting out one of the lowest paid people in your staffing.
Love this, wish I lived closer! Had a similar experience/service style at a place in Austin called Vic and Al’s, casual cajun place. My favorite lunch spot on work trips. Great energy, great food. Get the blackened catfish if it’s on.
Great video!
So what's better: providing more jobs at lower wages or providing less jobs at higher wages?
Tommy buns, is that you? 😂
Is this Tom Segura's chef secret life? They look so similar
@yourmomshouse Tom Segura has an alternate ego
$28 for 5 ravioli.
"Honest pricing" lol
The female owner definitely calls you in the middle of a busy day at work complaining that she had to put down the toilet seat
Lancaster PA getting a shoutout!
Thanks for the food I was starving
@1:35 bro turn stabilization a little bit down, literally got me dizzy.
Pastas always a cop out for me
Autumn Olive pork is the absolute best!!
No more Amsterdam Falafel or Julia's Empanadas.
probably one of the most annoying female voice ever
having a team that sticks by for 10 years says something about him as a person
Tail Up Goat was amazing! I remember it being one of the first restaurants I went to after moving to DC and discovering Eater
The fact their employees have trusted these people with 10 years of their lives says a lot about these owners.
As a German i would love to see raw pork on the menu! The milkbread looks awesome
Was such a huge fan of Tail Up Goat and so beyond pumped to see this new concept!!
wow.. five raviolli, practically no food at all; should put that pork chop on the same plate.
You guys should check out Southern Junction in buffalo, NY. It's a one of a kind southern Indian and Texas BBQ fusion. It's all the rage in Buffalo.
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That is my baby boy "Collin". So proud that he is apart of the rebirth.
Safe🦉🗺️
woonder why that model wasnt sustainable
when the tables aren't turning over faster than the line, does the next person in the line just have to stare at the cashier? or do they have to convince a table to leave with puppy dog eyes or bribes? I'd be anxious there'd be nowhere to sit with my $250 tray of stuff.
When did Tom Segura open a resturant?
Smart to stuff dandelion in ravioli. Going to try this water buffalo mozzarella
The color of that pork is craaaaazy! It almost looks like beef. Seems like super quality meat 👌
It's so hard to find restaurants like these to work for…you would think most restaurants are like this but they aren't…the ones that make it on these videos are special…obviously or they wouldn't be on here…but to even find a spot where everyone is passionate and the focus is 100% on the food…and it's hard to find a solid place like this AND get paid well…you have to really really love this industry man until you find that place keep looking I promise they're out there but you gotta really look
Cool, right over by the National Zoo!