Joy's Grill & Burger House became a Friday Night Date Night destination during my birthmonth after…read moreI spotted them on social media. I've driven by Joy's a million times and somehow never noticed it before. It's tucked into a busy strip mall and easy to miss if you're not specifically looking for it. Spoiler alert: you should be looking for it.
My quest for the evening included both a burger and a chili dog, because they both looked amazing and I wanted the full Joy's experience.
My adventure buddy and I arrived around 5pm and I was honestly surprised to see only one other person inside when we walked in. We grabbed a booth by the front door and looked over the menu again to finalize our plan. Since it was our first visit, we decided to order a few things and split them so we could try more.
We ordered the loaded chili dog topped with chili, cheese, onions, and mustard ($5.25) and one of the Big Block Burgers -- specifically the Joy's Burger -- which came with grilled onions and mushrooms, lettuce, tomato, LA sauce, Swiss cheese, and fresh cut fries ($12.99). Naturally we added bacon for an extra $0.99 because that felt like the right decision. We also each grabbed a Diet Pepsi (to maintain some illusion of balance) for $2.50 each. Our total came to $25.69 before tip, which felt like a pretty solid deal for a two-person Friday night dinner adventure.
The setup at Joy's has a classic old-school diner feel. The grill sits right behind the seating counter so you can watch your food being made, and they mix milkshakes right out front as well. The place is simple and no-frills -- and in my experience, those "keep it simple and do it well" places are often the real heavy hitters.
The chili dog came out first, and the first thing I noticed was that this thing was HEAVY. This wasn't your typical skinny hot dog -- it was a full ¼-pound dog absolutely loaded with chili. The flavor reminded me of a Cincinnati-style chili dog and it was really good. The chili was flavorful instead of just decorative, the mustard and onions were balanced perfectly, and the bun did its job without getting in the way. As someone who takes chili dogs very seriously, I have to give Joy's credit for delivering a straightforward, perfectly executed chili dog.
Next came the burger and fresh cut fries, and when I say this burger was big, I mean BIG. Two patties tall with all the toppings stacked high. We sliced it in half and immediately dug in. The bacon was perfectly crisp, the mushrooms and Swiss were generous, and the whole thing just tasted like a real, proper burger. Not a chain burger that started life frozen and tastes like it could have been reheated in my microwave at home. This was the kind of burger you picture when you say you're craving a burger.
The fries were exactly what you want from fresh-cut fries -- the smaller ones nice and crispy, and the bigger ones crispy on the outside with that soft, fluffy inside.
Splitting the chili dog and burger turned out to be the right call. It would have been easy to eat everything solo, but my stomach probably would not have forgiven me later.
Our server was super friendly and attentive throughout the visit. While we were there, a few more people came in to eat, but overall it felt relaxed and easy for a Friday evening.
Parking is free since Joy's sits in a strip mall, but it can be a little tight because there are several other popular businesses nearby. We were able to find a spot without trouble, but I could see it getting tricky during busier times.
If you're looking for solid burgers, legit chili dogs, and an old-school diner vibe, Joy's Grill & Burger House is absolutely worth seeking out -- especially if you're like me and always on the lookout for your next great burger or chili dog adventure.
