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    Joy

    4.5 (2.1k reviews)
    Closed • 12:00 pm - 10:00 PM
    Updated 1 month ago

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    Recommended Reviews - Joy

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    Reviews With Photos

    Chiayi Chicken Rice 嘉義雞絲飯
    M G.

    I have had many dishes at Joy and chiayi chicken rice is one of my favorites. Perfect softness and flavor. It is well balanced. I love their wood ear mushroom's side dish too. Always packed, but worth waiting

    Sesame Scallion Bread with braised pork belly
    Maxine V.

    We stopped by Joy early evening on Friday since we were craving some Asian food. I really liked their interior decoration, it gave felt both modern Chinese and nostalgic at the same time. They also had really authentic and delicious looking cold appetizers like woodear mushrooms and lotus root salad. There was barely a line when we arrived and we were able to order and get a table without much wait. The food all came out at the same time and very quickly. We got their shrimp wontons, Chia Yi chicken rice, and sesame scallion bread stuffed with braised pork belly. I was ready to be transported back to Asia when I saw the dishes but tasting them left me wanting more. The shrimp wontons had very thin silky wrapper which was very tasty, but the shrimp itself was so bland and lacked texture. Most of the shrimp wontons I've loved had a nice bite to it from the baking soda soak but this was just soft dumpling skin on soft shrimp. The shrimp itself could've used more salt and white pepper too, but I suppose dousing it in chili oil helped. The scallion bread filled with pork belly is probably the tastiest dish. The pork belly was well cooked and paired well with the sweet sauce, crunchy peanuts and fresh herbs. The sesame scallion bread however tasted like it has been sitting out on the counter for hours waiting to be stuffed. The bread was cold and the exterior wasn't crispy, there were scallion pieces throughout but you couldn't really taste it. I would recommend trying other dishes before trying the chia yi chicken rice. The shredded chicken was dry and bland, mixed in with mostly soggy pieces of fried shallots. The rice was more flavourful because it was soaked in fragrant oils, but it also left it very mushy and almost congee like. The pickled radishes didn't add much to the dish either. I almost forgot but we also tried their honey lemon black tea and passion fruit black tea. Neither tea had a lot of tea flavor, it was mostly just sweet. The passion fruit syrup was pretty tasty but we both wished there was more black tea. I might be extra critical since I grew up with this type of food, but there are other restaurants in LA that delivers great quality Chinese food. TL;DR: Joy is a well decorated restaurant with good vibes that prioritizes speed of service over freshness and flavour of food.

    dandan noodles
    Lucy M.

    Came near closing time for a late night bite. Dandan Noodles $13: Tasty, cucumber had a nice crush, but the sauce felt a little diluted; or left something more to be desired. Competition for dandan noodles is tough so do give this place credit. It is still solid bc you cannot really mess dandan noodles. Five spice beef clamshell bun $6.5: Forgot to take a photo because i scarfed it down! Now this, I would come back and order again. Their beef is well seasoned, marinated and extra tender, not dry. Since they can make their beef this good, they should consider making Taiwanese beef noodle soup.

    Joseph Y.

    Taste: 5 Value: 5 Service: 5 One of the best Taiwanese meals I've had since coming back from Taipei at the start of the year. The hot and sour soup was thick and chunky, just how I like the soup. The scallion bread sandwich with 5-spice beef was distinct. The bread was perfectly baked and the beef was flavorful and juicy. There was both mustard greens and pickles that gave crunch and acidity to balance the meat and bread. The lotus root salad was refreshing while still having a kick from their in-house chili oil. Dan Dan noodles were also excellent. Fresh cucumbers, chewy noodles, flavorful sauce. Hearty portions with enough for a lunch the next day. Also appreciated the speed of service. Lines move quickly and food comes out quickly. Looking forward to my next visit!

    Pork belly bun
    Jenny C.

    I came around 5pm on a Tuesday, so there was ample street parking and no line. We ordered at the front counter and were free to sit thereafter, with plenty of seats available. I recall attempting to visit here once at 7pm on a weekday, but immediately walking away because of how busy it was. My expectations for Asian food are quite high since I grew up in the SGV, but I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of Joy! Dan Dan Noodles: Amazing noodle texture with very rich, flavorful peanut sauce. Is it not spicy and sweeter compared to traditional Sichuan versions of Dan Dan Noodles. I would pair this with the chili sauce for that extra kick. Braised Pork Rice: This particular dish did not stand out to me, but I have seen other great reviews about it so maybe it was just an off-day. The flavors were a little bland and it simply did not stand out to me. There are definitely better braised pork rices out in the SGV. Thousand Layer Pancake with Egg & Cheese: So packed with flavor while the outside was nicely flaky. It did not feel overly greasy whatsoever and I loved the inclusion of melted cheese. Hakka Mochi: The mochis did not have any filling inside of them, but they were overflowing (in a good way) with black sesame and peanut powder on top of it. They were so warm, chewy, and moist!

    Cold appetizers (lotus root salad and wood ear mushrooms)
    Cheryl L.

    It was a JOY to eat here, except I am lactose intolerant and didn't realize that something that I ate had lactose in it. Then it was 2-3 hours of hell. Normally staff ask if you have any allergies but they never asked? We ate the: - Minced pork- 5/5 probably the best dish there - Dan Dan noodles (which I think had milk in it after thinking about it)- 3/5 if you are ok with lactose it is tasty with chicken - 2 cold appetizers (lotus root and wood ear mushrooms)- 5/5 - Simple greens which was bok Choy- 2/5 it was super overcooked and limp and lifeless. Service was great and they have very friendly people working there. The 90's R&B was thumping and it is a place where it might be harder to have a conversation. I didn't mind because I loved hearing the music. Only two restrooms so you might need to wait. We went at 3 pm and the place was busy so I can't imagine the wait during meal times.

    Chiayi Chicken Rice 嘉義雞絲飯
    Christy S.

    Went for dinner on a Thursday evening and there were plenty of seats and very little line. Food came out pretty quick. It was nice that they gave us a separate table card for our dessert that we could display when we were ready for it. Thousand Layer Pancake with egg and cheese: Nice and flaky, good flavors, good size for sharing, my favorite dish that night. Scallion Bread Sandwich with five spice beef: Nice flavors and generous amount of filling, but the bread could've been made crisper, as it got soggy from the fillings and fell apart while eating. Chiayi Chicken Rice: This was fine but pretty mild and basic, nothing really stood out about this. Fruit Shaved lce: It looked really nice and had a lot of pineapple and strawberries. The pudding was pretty bland. The ice was the coarse, crunchy kind (not the fluffy, creamy kind). It was big enough to share with 3 or 4 people, though I don't think I'd get it again.

    Hot & Sour Soup
    Tina K.

    The dan dan noodles and braised pork rice were both excellent and tasted very authentic. The hot and sour soup had a really strong pepper flavor--I can't handle spicy food very well, so I could only manage a few sips! My stomach wasn't big enough today, so I'll have to come back and try more dishes next time. I arrived around 3 PM, and there were still seats available, but people kept coming in nonstop. Business was incredibly good! I can only imagine that during normal meal hours, finding a seat would be nearly impossible.

    Side Pork Belly
    Jessica G.

    Having been on my list for awhile and finally trying it! To my surprise it's full house as early as 530pm but line moved quick and it's easy to get seated. Even when we're still in line, the staff already let us know where to sit. I really appreciated the warm gesture and attentiveness of all the servers for sure!! It's a huge space that gave more industrial vibe to me than traditional Taiwanese theme, but it's totally a very convenient dining spot for both small and big group. We tried some from the menu and were pleased by all of them. They might look small but very filling actually since all the bowls were filled to top. The Dan Dan noodles have flavorful peanut sauce with it perfect noodles texture. Would recommend add extra sides for proteins, which we opted for pork belly and minced pork. The belly was extremely tender with thick juicy slices. The minced pork was equally palatable. They're generous in portion for being sides, we even packed some home. We obviously didn't skip their Hakka Mochi for dessert, which were still warm chewy yet moist when served and covered in overflowing black sesame and peanut powder. I wasn't usually a fan of black sesame but decided to give this one a try anyway and ending up no regrets at all! The powder was such spoiling mix of sweet and salty in one bite.

    Chicken rice
    Maria J.

    Food was tasty a priced well. It was just awkward to order in line at the cashier then be seated. It looked like a restaurant that would sit you, take your order then wait at your table. It got packed at lunch and people were crowding at the line to the cashier. The servers were very friendly. I would come back here but parking was hard to find.

    Menu 6-2026
    Truman W.

    Highland Park is a gentrified L.A. neighborhood, you can tell from its narrow streets and tiny cramped lots, not to mention horrendous parking, that attract young people of the tik-tock social media type like in Silverlake and Echo Park. I would never live in such places but only go there to eat. "Joy" is a great find in a sea of gentrified chaos. Given its location, the food at "Joy" is surprisingly good and authentic, even by the standards of the predominantly-Chinese SGV. The minced pork rice is as good as "Golden Leaf" in San Gabriel, and the traditoinal shaved ice is better, bigger and cheaper than "Meet Fresh", a SGV favorite. The Taiwanese-themed decor also adds to its exotic appeal. Chill, happy staff.

    Dan dan noodles
    Melchor D.

    Met up with my sister and her brother here for lunch. The wife found this place from a tiktok video and we decided to try it since we didn't get to try a lot of Taiwanese food on our trip to Taipei. When you come in, there is a sign that tells you to order before being seated. My sister and her bf had yet to arrive so I placed a sizeable order for the 4 of us. Luckily, they were there (waiting in the car) so I told them to walk over so we can be seated. I ordered 2 orders of chiayi chicken (1with white rice and 1 with brown rice), 2 orders of thousand layer pancake (1 with egg and 1 with egg and cheese), shrimp wonton, dance dan noodles, wonton noodle soup, hakka mochi and forbidden rice pudding. For drinks we had a few of the shaken iced green teas and 1 taro milk tea (my sister said it didnt taste like taro) Everything was great. I was surprised my sister's bf liked the food. The chiayi chicken was good with a bit of the chili sauce (sambal). The thousand layer pancake was good if you dip it in the black vinegar (mixed with chili oil and a little soy sauce). The shrimp wonton were surprisingly light and tasty. The dan dan noodles was balanced my medium thin sliced cucumber. Everything was portioned very small so you can try everything.we didnt get additional sides because were getting full. The desserts was what I was looking forward to and it did not disappoint. The hakka mochi reminded me of the soy pudding stalls in singapore that had mochi balls filled with a black sesame paste and peanut paste inside. This is what the hakka mochi was but in dry soft chewy form with black sesame and peanut grains to top it off. For my sister, it reminded her of the filipino dessert pichi pichi. The forbidden rice pudding reminded me of a soupy version of the filipino dessert biko. It had chunks of sweet potatoes and tapioca. Also very good but my bias is the hakka mochi. The ambiance was bright, bustling and inviting. Very small tables perfect for a quick bite. Highly recommend if you want a tapas style lunch that doesn't break the bank.

    Window seats
    Nelinda H.

    Joy has given us so much... JOY! This place is super cute to begin with. We had such a great experience, and being our first time, we ordered items that were highly recommended by their staff and enjoyed every single item. From the Dan Dan noodles to the pancake with eggs & cheese, pork belly bun and rice pudding for dessert, everything was delicious! Their food is also reasonably priced so you can pretty much try everything without breaking the bank. We will definitely be back for more! Quick tip: there's street parking and a public parking lot about a block away. Happy eating!

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    12 days ago

    The thousand layer pancake is just delish!! I wish they had more yummy veggie options but this place always satisfies!

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    Page 1 of 53

    Joy Reviews in Other Languages

    Ask the Community - Joy

    Where can park our car?

    Street parking is relatively easy. There are also a couple of city lots in the area.

    Is this place ESA/Dog friendly? I know outdoor seating is not available

    There are no animals allowed inside except for registered service animals.

    Is there outside seating?

    There is no outside table seating or service. A little bench/planter, but no real tables. if you want to sit outside, get your food to go - it's more comfortable walking a block to York Park (Avenue 50)

    Are kids allow here?

    Yes

    Is the rice pudding supposed to taste like bacon (smoky)?

    Is it open for dine in?

    yes.

    Is the dining room open or is it only take out?

    Dining room is open

    There was an item missing from our order and we tried to call and can't get a hold of anyone, how do I get this aside from going all the way back?

    So sorry to hear! Please email us at joymanagement@pineandcrane.com or call us at (323)999-7642.

    Do you use MSG? Have an allergy and feeling a little dizzy (have migraines + msg allergy) but the food was delicious so no complaints here, just wondering what, if anything, should be avoided next time while ordering. Thanks

    Most if not all Chinese restaurants use MSG

    Are there completely organic menu options?

    I don't believe so

    Do the shrimp wontons have pork in them?

    The wonton soup=yes, the spicy shimp wontons=no.

    Where could you park?

    You can probably park at the post office parking lot after they close for the day

    What are the Christmas and Christmas Eve hours?

    Closed Christmas Eve 12/24 and Christmas Day 12/25; and New Year's Eve.

    Are there vegan options?

    Yes! Loads of them

    Does Joy use MSG? (I read one Yelp Review mentioning that they noticed MSG, and I was wondering if anyone else could comment on whether it's used here.) Thanks!

    I don't know. I don't think so. MSG IS AWESOME

    Is this place dog friendly?

    I didn't see any dogs there and there is no outdoor eating area, so I'm gonna say no to dog friendly.

    How well would someone gluten free do here?

    My Mom is gluten free and she totally enjoyed all the many gluten free dishes. The menu is online check it out for yourself. Enjoy your meal if you end up going!!

    Good Morning! Any specials for someone's birthday?

    I don't think so. Since it's such an informal/casual dining experience I don't think they would do anything special. But, it doesn't hurt to ask; maybe they'll give you some of those amazing polvorones.

    Does Joy have brown rice as an option?

    Yes Joy gives you a choice of white or brown rice

    Are any of the vegetarian options not spicy?

    Braised bean curd & mushroom sandwich!

    View All 21 Questions

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    Hangari Kalguksu

    4.4(3.3k reviews)
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    Women-owned & operated
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    It's very possible that this is the world's best chicken noodle soup. Rich and pure chicken flavor,…read moreperfectly chewy knife-cut noodles that likely cook in the stock so the starch releases to give it a beautiful texture. Also got the oyster porridge. Very solid dish, but that kalguksu reigns supreme. Valet parking in the lot will run you $5-6, and the best time to go is within an hour of opening. The place fills quickly. The team works efficiently to turn tables without making you feel rushed. Highly recommended.

    A K-Town staple! I've been here a couple times and it never gets old. Just wish the lines weren't…read moreso long every time. I tried coming 15 minutes before opening on a Sunday during lunch time and that helped a lot! Would recommend coming during the day if you want to avoid waits. Some of our favorites: -Chicken Kalguksu: I get this every time! The broth is amazing, have never had such a rich, flavorful chicken broth before. You can taste all the herbs, seasonings, and time they took to prepare. The broth is a little on the thicker end, but super filling. -Seafood Kalguksu: the broth is so flavorful and it comes filled to the brim with all types of seafood! The spice actually pairs really well with the seafood too. If you want a spicy stew, this is it! Noodles are thick and chewy too. -Bossam: so yummy! I wish I could get it more often but it's a huge portion, so come with a group so you can try it and the noodles! Everything is quality- the bossam slices, the lettuce, the toppings on the wide. Chefs kiss! My only small gripe is the portions are so big that when I come with one other person, we only have the stomach capacity to eat two dishes! Always excited to come back and try more.

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    Afuri - Noodle pull

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    4.4(957 reviews)
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    I love yuzu shoyu ramen. It's hard to find a place that serves yuzu flavored ramen, so I was…read moreexcited to see that Afuri is known for it. I had it in Japan before and it was delicious! They offer Yuzu Shio (salt broth) and Yuzu Shoyu (soy sauce broth) Ramen. I went with Yuzu Shio ($19.50). The yuzu gives it a refreshing/bright taste that really cuts through the fatty broth and pork. Yuzu Limeade ($7) and although I liked the drink because it had a strong yuzu and lime taste, I wouldn't recommend getting it with a yuzu flavored ramen because it takes away the yuzu flavor in the ramen. Service was friendly and attentive. The space is open and bright. We paid for parking just to the side of the restaurant so that we didn't have to deal with street parking.

    We had a mixed experience during our visit. Although the restaurant offers easy, free parking and…read moreplenty of seating, the service fell short of expectations. We initially provided our order to an Asian server, but were later assisted by a different Hispanic/Latina waitress. A male staff member also checked in with a thumbs‑up/thumbs‑down gesture, which felt unclear and added to the overall inconsistency. I generally prefer when servers take orders with a notepad. While many can remember everything perfectly without one, in this case it would have helped -- we never received our water, and the waitress had to reconfirm our meat selection. Small details like that affected the flow of the meal. The food was decent. I would reorder the Yuzu Ratan ($19) and the Basque Cheesecake ($11), as those were the highlights. However, the Mango Margarita ($15) didn't taste like mango at all, and my boyfriend chose not to correct it. Overall, the dishes and drinks were just average. We've been trying to explore neighborhoods outside of our usual Koreatown and Silver Lake spots, so it was disappointing that this experience didn't stand out more. The restaurant does offer reservations, which is convenient, but the service and attention to detail could use improvement.

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    MDK Noodles - Dumpling soup for the soul

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    4.1(2k reviews)
    7.0 mi•Koreatown, Wilshire Center
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    Luckily, the wait was not too long for MDK noodles on a weekend afternoon. My friends and I were…read moreseated within 10 minutes. I tried their rice cake & dumpling soup, while we all shared their pork dumplings. The soup was warm and satisfying, with chewy rice cakes and dumplings in a light, savory broth. The soup had a simple, comforting flavor that was great for a rainy day. The pork dumplings were also delicious, with a tender wrapper and flavorful, juicy filling. Solid spot for some Korean comfort food!

    I was on a work trip and had to order dinner just for myself to eat. I delivered the Spicy Kalguksu…read moreand pork dumplings, both of which were still piping hot when it arrived 20 minutes later. While this may be a factor of it being delivered, the noodles were extremely mushy. Not even slightly softer than al dente, but very bloated. I could not even finish the bowl since the noodle texture made it not that great. The spiciness of the soup seemed to overwhelm the flavor of the broth itself, which was disappointing. However, the portion sizes of both the noodle soup and dumplings were great. I could tell the quality of the ingredients was high, especially with a mountain of vegetables and 3 dumplings already coming with the bowl. The dumplings were soft and honestly the star of the meal, I would've loved a specialty sauce to go with it. The kimchi was SPICY as well but tasty. I don't want to knock it down to 3 stars as I felt like it's unfair that I got takeout, but there's a chance if I'm in town again I would rather try the original kalguksu soup in person for a chance that the noodle soup is a better texture.

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    Daikokuya Little Tokyo - Daikoku Ramen

    Daikokuya Little Tokyo

    4.1(10k reviews)
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    I've heard that Daikokuya usually has a long wait, but we were lucky enough to get seated…read moreimmediately on a Wednesday around 2pm! The restaurant really felt like stepping into a ramen shop in Japan, especially with the booths and the bar seating right in front of the cooks making the ramen. It was fun being able to watch them prepare the food. My friend and I both ordered the Daikoku Ramen since it was listed as their top seller on the menu. The broth was so rich and creamy, and the noodles were really good and chewy. The marinated egg was also cooked perfectly. The whites were nicely set while the center was still gooey, with a little bit of sweetness from the marinade. Overall, we really enjoyed the ramen and had a great experience. I would definitely recommend the Daikoku Ramen if you're visiting for the first time!

    Daikokuya is a solid ramen franchise from the Bishamon group. I miss how close the Hacienda…read morelocation one back in the day, and now the closest one to me is the MPK location, but if any of my out of town, out of state, out of country friends are visiting and they have a hankering for ramen with a strong, but not super heavy kotteri flavor. The location isn't super big and it does get super busy with people putting their names on the wait list and people queueing busily outside (overflow of people waiting for many of the other restaurants along this part of the block too). Overall the ramen isn't bad, chashu is nice and fatty and tender. Ramen is rich and filling. It's nice that it already comes with an egg too and you don't have to add another one. Lots of other side dishes and combos too if someone in your party doesn't want ramen. However, with the increases in prices, the fact that there's many other options in LT, and the fact that there are other Daikokuya locations, it's an alright LT option.

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    •$$

    I can't believe that there is such a nice little Japanese style pasta place like this in little…read moreTokyo. Situated in Honda Plaza, just across the street from the typical village. This restaurant is definitely a treat for anyone who want to try the Japanese style pasta. I had Japanese style pasta back in Japan before. And this little restaurant tastes exactly the same (if not better!!) We tried the uni pasta, mentai cream pasta and a tomato based pasta. All delicious. You cannot choose your own pasta style and cooking tenderness though. Portion is big and they come with salad and bread too. Price is reasonable. And our servers was super nice and make us felt so welcome all the time!

    i'm a big fan of pasta and asian flavors, and this might be one of my favorite places in LA…read more i've been here twice now, and each time i've come right at 5pm. it's been the most seamless experience, but i've seen how the small space can get filled up quickly. i have to give props to the staff for being so attentive and efficient. the dimly lit and intimate ambience here makes you feel like you're at an italian restaurant. you even get a small salad and dinner roll with butter to start. i was impressed already -- the bread was warm and soft, and the salad dressing was surprisingly addicting. it had a tanginess that felt light and refreshing. then come the pastas, and the portions are bigger than you'd expect. three dishes are plenty for a family of four to share and experience each flavor. the mentai cream pasta is my favorite, and as someone who loves creamy and almost-sweet flavors, i'll pick it every time. the only complaint my family had was that all the pastas used the same spaghetti noodle, which does take away the opportunity for each dish to stand out on its own. the fuller you get, the more the pastas start to blend in taste -- but still to me a delicious, unable-to-stop-eating taste nonetheless.

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    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro - Inside

    Inside

    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro
    PASTA e PASTA by Allegro

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    Joy - taiwanese - Updated October 2026

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