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I don't particularly like Thai food very much, so I've only been here once (plus another time when my friend ordered takeouts) but Joy's does a pretty good job, I think.
My friend and I got some soup and a plate each of some kind of noodles (I don't remember the names of them). I warned her that since we were at an Asian restaurant that spicy does indeed mean spicy, but of course she didn't listen and she added more Sriracha sauce on top of her spicy rice noodles. Moments later, she was in tears and she asked if there was milk. Because most Asians I know are lactose-intolerant (like myself), I was actually really surprised that they had milk!
Good food, good times. I'd consider coming back here again (as much as I don't particular like Thai cuisine).
Very typical Thai food and affordable. The service is good. But it's entirely composed of tables and bright, not at all ideal for a romantic meal because there's not enough ambiance.
I don't like tables very much in general, I feel too exposed or vulnerable. The "date" I went with is of the "forks on the left, knives in the back" character, so I could have used the added security provided by the seclusion of dimmer lighting and being tucked in a booth.
But that's me. Maybe decent for a meal with a chum.
This place is sooooooooooooo delish! I had the beef pad see ew for entree and some chicken something with a spicy peanut sauce... sorry for not getting the names right, but both were very delish! Although pad see ew is a simple dish the noodles themselves were great. A hot plate of this in the winter will surely warm the tummy up!
It is a BYOB place and unfortunately we didn't know or even bother to find out til after the fact.
Can't to go back!
Mmmmmm...could it be? Could Joy's be my new favorite Thai deliver place!? I think it is! Hooray! The Panang curry, are you flippin' kidding me!? Strange and amazing and oh so tasty, those crispy fattening noodles, hell to the yeaaaaah. Their Pad Thai is superfantastic! My only two minor complaints, the Pad Sie Eiw was a bit too salty, but still very very good and the soup dumplings had a weird texture and it was overall flavorless.
I'm in love...
I've only been to Joy's for dinner once, mostly we come for lunch.
I'm relatively boring and get the pad thai or pad see ewe (both are perfectly fine). The real draw though, is the lunch special...entree plus an appetizer for super cheap.
I'm always up for spring rolls that come with a special!
I don't know what I was expecting, but I don't think this was it. First off, Chicago is blessed to have many outstanding Thai restaurants. I don't know why this is, but I am happy about it. Because of this, competition is high and there is no room for average cuisine. Maybe it was an off day, but my food was decidedly average.
I ordered of the (very economical) lunch menu: appetizer and entree for $6.50. I ordered the spring rolls and green curry with chicken. The spring rolls were...damp. They didn't taste very fresh and eating them was slightly laborious. I wasn't a fan. My curry smelled fantastic but tasted sort of bland. I don't know how that worked. For something that was so aromatic, I can't understand why smell didn't translate to taste. Satisfactory. Finally, I sipped on Plum bubble tea. I order my bubble tea without bubbles (I know...but those bubbles look like...don't make me write it), so I can't speak on them. It didn't taste very 'plumy.' In fact, it didn't taste like much. But, it was cold and refreshing. Satisfactory. But, again, in a city of outstanding Thai options, 'satisfactory' doesn't quite get it.
I liked the layout of the restaurant. It's very airy without being aloof. This would be a great spot for a large lunch...if the food tasted better.
I feel as though I got hustled by Joy's Noodles somehow.
All this time, this place was just around the corner from me. I went. I enjoyed. I didn't write home about it. (To be fair, I don't actually write home about any restaurants I go to. In fact, I can't think of the last time I "wrote home" at all.) It just seemed average. Never blew me out of the water. Never tempted to spit something out. Just a nice happy, reliable medium.
Then I move a few miles north, end up back there by chance one day and find out their Panang Noodles are quite possibly on my Top 5 list of Things I Could Eat For the Rest of My Life. On top of that, while their Green Tea bubble tea smoothies have also always been adequate in my eyes, it pure perfection on this trip. Somehow they managed to avoid the usual plague of bubble tea smoothies, which involves the tapioca balls kind of freezing and getting a slushy texture the longer they sit in the smoothie. I'm not even sure how they pulled this one off. I vote magic.
Could this one visit have been pure luck, where all the stars and planets ruling Thai food came together in harmony above Joy's? It's possible. But I could actually see myself returning more now that I don't live so nearby. The Panang curry calls my name...
I love Thai food. I love bubble tea. So I was filled with "joy" when my favorite Friday lunch gals (hi Colleen & Jelena!) suggested Joys.
Once scoring a parking spot (not an easy task in this neighborhood) my stomach was growling. I followed Colleen C's lead (she usually knows best) and ordered a mango bubble tea. And then feeling slightly guilty about all the calories that are in that bubble tea (those bubbles may taste like air, but I've been told they are quite calorific) I opted for a spring roll appetizer followed by steam veggies. I know...boring!
The bubble tea turned out to be a bit of a disappointment- the bubbles didn't quite explode in my mouth as expected....and instead were all clumped together in my straw. No fun! And the steamed veggies were a bit bland, but that's my fault for ordering them! Joys accidently put chicken in my veggies, but I was actually happy to see a bit of protein. I threw a bunch of hot sauce on it and had myself an A-OK meal.
Next time I"ll skip their mediocre bubble tea and spend the calories on an order of their pad thai instead.
The boyfriend, our friend, and I came here after walking around the Lincoln Park Conservatory. We were pretty hungry and tired from our walk, so it was a nice break for us. While it was in the midst of lunch time and was already pretty full, we were taken into the back section of the restaurant were there were still a few tables open. Good sign to see it pretty full on a Saturday afternoon...also great that they have a lot of space to seat everyone.
I ordered my standard, pad see ew with tofu. The boyfriend got the pad kee mow with tofu and our friend got the green curry with tofu (we were on a weird tofu kick or something). The food came out surprisingly fast. I really enjoyed my pad see ew and thought the flavors were great. There was a lot of food on my plate too, and I couldn't finish everything either. The boyfriend's pad kee mow was also really tasty filled with green beans, carrots, baby corn, and lots of basil. YUM! Our friend finished her green curry, so I can only imagine how delicious that was too!
Overall, this is a really great place to stop by and grab a meal at an affordable price. I was bummed that they didn't have their lunch specials on the weekends though...it would have been nice to possibly get less food and pay less, since I don't eat any more or less on weekdays/weekends.
Joy's Noodles and Rice is great for Thai, Al Fresco dining, and it's BYOB! My dining partner and I are both currently seeking work, so their huge lunch specials menu was sweet recession relief!
My coconut curry was $7 and came with a side, and the cucumber salad was fresh without being drowned in vinegar or some other dressing. The curry is billed as Hot, but it was only medium, which was perfect for me. We didn't order a dessert but a little bird told me Joy's has great bubble tea! Aww, I missed out!
Loved the setting, loved the food, loved Joy's!
This place serves some of the best Thai at VERY reasonable prices.
The pad see ew is phenomenal...and I love their panang curry dishes. Careful on ordering the HOT version of the dishes...they mean HOT!
The food is ok but just down the street there is another thai noodle place for cheaper and its much better.
Joy's will try and scam you. Just try and use Joy's coupons. They arent useable. The stipulations on them make it so that they are useless. The are only useable certain days and certain lunch hours. It has to be over 20 dollars... which requires you to spend much more because lunch is cheaper, then you can only do it with 2 people.
Dont even bother.
Don't even both with Joy's
Do not go to Joy's walk one block north and you will find a much better restaurant that doesn't try to trick you.
I will never eat here again.
We went here for lunch after checking out the Lakeview Art Walk. The food was okay but the service...not so much.
For my meal I had the Crab Rangoon and the Chicken Panang Curry. The Crab Rangoon was delicious. The Chicken Panang Curry was okay but nothing special. And for the price, I was hoping for a larger portion.
I had also ordered a taro bubble tea but was told by the waitress that I had to wait. I was okay with it seeing that they were busy. But after seeing four other bubble tea orders come through I wanted mine. When we finally flagged down our waitress, they had run of tapioca balls. Major boo. Also, water wasn't always filled and I was pretty thirsty.
If probably won't be back if I'm in the neighborhood. Thai Classic is not too far of a walk west but the food and service will probably be better.
Everywhere I've lived I've always had that one go to place for takeout.... this is it for me since I moved to lakeview. For starters the delivary is fast fast fast. Every time I've ordered from there (at least 50 times) they have come in less than 30 minutes which is always awesome. Thai food is all over the place and this is my favorite in the city. Everything I've eaten has been great and for the price its well worth it. Please do yourself a favor and order the panag curry.... trust me you will soso happy with it. Other must trys are spicy wide noodles, pad thai, potstickers, dumpling and tom ka soup. I've only eaten in the restaurant once so can't really speak to the service but I get food from joys more than any other place in chicago. A must try for your next delivary.... remember yelpers PANANG CURRY
This is our go-to Thai place in Lakeview. In fact, we're so happy with Joy's that it has kept us from trying other Thai places in the city for the past few years.
Let me tell you a story.
Back in the early years of the millennium, I was a newcomer to Chicago, Lakeview, and the general world of living as an adult (working all day and spending what little dough I made at night). I embarked on a pad thai tasting project because I was broke, poor, and bored in my evenings. I was tipped off to Joy's by a coworker and haven't turned back. They have the best pad thai in the area (lots of peanutty noodles, a really tasty fried tofu- not too heavy, crispy outside, springy inside, and lots of freshness on top by way of sprouts, chopped green onion, and a lime wedge).
The funny thing is, I rarely order their pad thai these days. Usually I get one of their several noodle or rice veggie dishes, all good. The BF is partial to their spicy basil dish or curries and we always get the veggie spring rolls and sometimes the crab rangoon. It's clean, friendly, and always a short wait to dine in-house and they have the fastest delivery I've ever seen. True, we live about 2 blocks away, but in past homestead locations, they delivered in under a 1/2 hour- sometimes in 10 minutes, I'm not kidding.
Also BYOB and very reasonably priced. All that for an actual healthy meal- lots of fresh veggies included- lots of places skimp on the health factor- makes this our go-to every time. I've used their online option to order before but sometimes it doesn't work. But, still fast delivery either way.
Walking down the street and not being able to go any further east because Joy's stands in my way is like dying and entering the pearly soy sauce filled gates of heaven.
My go to meal is the pad thai (get it with the beef) and pot stickers that come with THE most amazing sauce.
Even the simple noodle soup is bursting with flavors - definitely add extra rice noodles for a filling meal.
Carry-out is super quick; I've never had to wait more than ten minutes for my food. Word of advice if you live in the area: order online and save 15% on your order, and then go pick up that bad boy yourself. Food always tastes better when you save a little dough.
I am always happy at Joy's!
Ate lunch there today! Had the 7 dollar lunch special... Phucket Noodles with chicken and Crab Rangoon.. It was all delicious, and what is more important is it always is, and for 7 bucks I was sitting out on broadway with a friend having very quick service with hot wonderful food! what more could I ask for?
Ill keep it short and sweet you will not be disappointed!
If you are looking for reasonable price range for Thai cuisine and Asian Fusion, this is your place. Joy never disappointed me. Everytime I order it was just perfect. I brought my friend from Houston and she just loved the dish she ordered.
I was thinking four stars and then remembered the great lunch specials I am in love with. Cucumber salad or crab rangoon with Pad Thai, and good sized portions too, for only 6.00.
This is a great Thai place right on broadway in lakeview. If you like to people watch they have sidewalk seating in the summer months and also have huge windows that open to the street so if you want to stop the melanoma from spreading you can sit in the shade and still have a great view of the street scene.
The interior is a nice combination of slate and ceramic tiles and is very well done. Joy's and Ping Pong make this block of Broadway a great 'asian alleyway'.
Joy's - I like it!
Went here for the first time on Wednesday night for a friend's birthday. Enjoyed our bottle of wine that we got down the street with no corkage fee. I was really in the mood for something light and fresh and was a bit disappointed by the lack of salads but it's got rice and noodles in the name so who am I to complain! I had the cashew chicken (snow peas, pineapple, tomatoes, peppers, onions, and cashews!) I don't even like cashews or onions and I ate every last bite! It was filling but the sauce was light enough I didn't feel like I needed a shower afterwards. My friend had the green curry and it was really creamy and had a great coconut flavor to it.
The outdoor area was just big enough to not feel too cramped and had great flowers all around it. The best part of all, 17 bucks for the two of us to eat and drink our BYOB wine. Not too shabby. Definitely plan on going back!
Recipe for a perfect Sunday: Taking Dog to Montrose dog beach, then sitting outside at Joys afterward with a tired dog laying at my feet, splitting a sixer of 312 with the boy, and ordering up some noodley goodness.
The boyfriend ordered #21, only because it said it was their most popular Curry. It was very interesting, creamy red curry sauce and the wide noodles were fried. The chicken was very tender, and I was sort of jealous of his (alright, I was really jealous of his.) I ordered the Baymee Noodles, which were ramen noodles with Crab (although I think it was Krab) Pork and a shirmp gyoza. Mine was just OK - I wouldn't order it again, and I wouldn't suggest it. It definitely wasn't BAD, but everyone elses food that was being delivered looked much more tasty.
The staff was really nice, and they all really liked my dog (a big plus for dog owners!), but I mean how could you not... a snoozy black lab puppy? Give me a break. Dog's a heartbreaker.
Once upon a time this was the usual joint for a group of friends and mine. But this one particular night we decided to do a reunion dinner. The evening was beautiful so we decided to enjoy the outdoor patio out back. You're facing the backside of many apartments, but it's pleasant and the lighting isn't distracting. If outdoors isn't your thing, just enjoy the indoors. They redid it a few years ago and it's very comfortable.
Service was a mixed bag tonight, but the food and speed of delivery was excellent. We enjoyed appetizers which came out 5 minutes after we ordered and the entrees came about 10 minutes later. And, as usual, they were cooked perfectly.
The BYO is an excellent treat and you can always follow up dinner with a nice walk around Lake View.
Bland, average, but cheap. If you're looking for american asian, you got it.
If you're looking for quick, affordable, and consistently delicious Thai in Lake View, Joy's is hands-down the best option. Certainly there are other great Thai places in Lake View, but Joy's is the only one that I and all my friends are always pleased with.
The staff is really friendly, the atmosphere is comfortable, and the outdoor seating is great. Joy's was my standby place when I lived in Lake View and it's totally worth a trip from almost anywhere in the city.
LOVED IT!
Everything I saw on the menu was $8.50 or less.
Portion size was awesome, well over what I was expecting.
AND THEY DON'T OVER COOK THEIR TOFU!!!!!!!!! We got the tofu appitizer and it was perfect. Nice crispy seared outside, yummy warm creamy inside.
Walked past the kitchen on the way to the bathroom, and both were impeccably clean which always makes my a happy panda.
The chili condiments on the table were super flavorful but not all fire which is also a big one in my books. All the sauces we tried were great actually. Not overpowering, not all processed and artificial tasting. Lovely and fresh.
Servers were on our drinks like white on rice ( ennnh....get it?) and very helpful with describing some of the dishes for my uber picky eater of a wife (love you baby, but its true and you know it).
We sat outside but the inside was very open, clean and not turbo loud (decor and music) like most of my oriental dinning experiences.
Go, go now, trust me.
To me, this place is the Butterfly (in Wicker Park) of Boystown. Cheap, delicious and BYOB. No corking fee for wine. No pretentious waiters. And big portions of delicious Thai food.
I ordered the Pad See Eiw with Tofu and it was just as good, if not better, than any other thai food I've had in the city!
I do have to mention this. Our waiter looked like he should be in an Asian boy band. Did that influence my review at all? Maybe...but I would have loved the food either way.
The food here is really good. I've only gotten noodles dishes and I've loved every one I tried. The portions are huge, I end up with leftovers that last me for 2 more meals. Prices are good, especially for the amount of food you get. I am not as impressed with the service here though. It's strange because there will be like 5 different people (literally) providing service. Which gets a little annoying, b/c someone will ask to take my order when I've already ordered with someone else. Also, a lot of the waitstaff seem kinda cold and are borderline rude. I'd still go there for the food though!
BYOB, cheap and good food. Huge portions. Winning combination.
Recommend sitting on the back patio if the weather is nice, there's shade trees and string lights, perfect on a summer night. The #12, Crazy Noodles, is by far my favorite. Also recommend their Spring Rolls, the sauce is really yummy.
The Tom Yum Soup was not very fresh at all (freshness is key for me). The pad see ew was very spicy (per my request) but fell a bit short of the expectations I had reading reviews prior. The prices were reasonable, and the wait staff was attentive however the ambiance was nothing special and lacked any whole in the wall charm that might have been its saving grace. I would be willing to eat here again if a group was set on it, but it is not a first choice in my book.
Walked in positively STARVING! Which brings up the very best thing about Joy's and the not so best. While I was glad that our server came over to get our appetizer order, it was irritating that he appeared to be in a rush to get us out. If the place was packed I wouldn't have a problem with this, but the place is pretty big and maybe filled 1/3 of the way. We asked about dessert, and he literally told us that we shouldn't. We were ordering dessert to be polite as he stared at us finishing our 1/2 glasses of wine. Really uncomfortable.
On to the food - EXCELLENT! Everything was flavorful, the portions generous. I had a noodle dish (Pad Khee Mao) and my honey had the Panang Curry, with a Super Combo Appetizer to start. All good! Love the variety of sauces served with all the nibbles, totally up my alley. And while I wouldn't rush to eat here, they do deliver!
Joy's is the greatest Thai place in the Lakeview area... hands down. Everything is so affordable, BYOB, no corkage fee, and they have tons of seating (plus a great little outdoor area for the summer)... which means little to no wait time.
I almost always get the Pad See Ewe or the Pad Thai, and both are so good! My favorite thing on the menu however is the vegetable roll appetizer... HOLY cow. these things are delicious.
I live less than 2 blocks away, if you order online you save 15%, and by the time I click "submit", walk out the door and get to Joy's, my order is ready for pick-up. This is a quality I appreciate.
Great lunch specials! BYOB
Chicken Pad Thai is great with a hearty/robust flavor. Consistent portion/flavor on all 3 visits.
Boyfriend was pleased with his spicy dish the first visit... but it did not taste the same on other visits. I do not remember the name of his dish.
Staff was very friendly the first 2 visits. Our 3rd visit we sat inside and it may have been our servers first day working. There was a definite language barrier and she appeared very nervous to the point of dropping food on the floor. Hopefully she is doing better;-)
Overall I like Joy's and we will return.
I had high hopes for this place...
I ordered baby egg rolls, cashew chicken and green curry with chicken and noodles through the website. They were offering 15% off, which apparently means leaving out the most important part of a rice dish! Other than not having the other half of my meal, the food was very good and cheap. I might give them another shot.
Kitties, sunshine, hearts and rainbows, I love Joy's. Another fab find in my neighborhood. The food is inexpensive and yummy. Good selection of things. I almost always get the golden noodles, but the other things I've tried haven't disappointed. BYOB with no corkage fee, which is a plus. They even let us BYO fifth of vodka (We're classy, whatever. At least we're fun.). I've been many times and will undoubtedly be back many more. Go, Joy's, go!
The service is fairly quick. I always seem to have the same server who I cannot hear for the life of me. Oh well. It's a restaurant, I know what to do.
I've been a fan of Joy's since my first visit! Great! Fast! and inexpensive Thai! Order online and save 15% ;)
Very Taste Noodle Delievered or In store some of the tastest Thia food there is I love it and want some right now:D
First thing's first! If you live on the north side and need delivery, Jelena Z's list is TOPS: http://www.yelp.com/li...
Seriously, it's basically what I look at if I ever need food to come to my house. Lucky me, she lives in relatively the same 'hood!
Ok, so Joy's. Wow. Yes. This is what delivery of Thai food SHOULD be. After many disappointing attempts with other establishments (except SIam in Uptown), Joy's has skyrocketed to the top of the list! Top!
1. Online ordering, PRAISE the gods of Thai food. No jumbled miscommunication, super easy. Like, too easy. It almost makes me worried, but then I stuff some fresh crunchy spring rolls in my mouth, and I forget.
2. FAST. They quoted 60 minutes, it arrived in about 25-30. HOT. Steaming mofo hot, to my door. No making me come all the way into the lobby...the lady came right to me without begging or pleading, and therefore I didn't have to show my crazy hairstyle to my neighbors. Just to the delivery girl. Oh well, I'm sure they've seen worse.
3. They DELIVER bubble tea. OMG. Yes. I had the mango, but I think next time I'd opt for plum. Lots of bouncy balls. Love.
4. The food was simply lovely, the rama chicken all peanutty and flavorful with steamed brocolli, aforementioned spring rolls and 2 Diet Cokes.
I don't do takeout because it annoys me, but Joy's nailed the formula...INDEED!
Drunken Noodles.
Slightly sweet but not in a fruity way. A touch of spice. Great veggies. Your choice of protein. And best of all... an amazing sauce not salted down with soy or cheap teriyaki, but one you can tell was made from scratch.
I know they have many wonderful and flavorful dishes... but get the drunken noodles. So far they are the best in the city and are so amazing that I get a craving for them at least once a month.
BYOB is great (especially without a corkage fee). The only downfall is they are very slowly raising their prices. You used to be able to go here and get an entree for $6... now its more like $8... but it's still worth it.
We needed to find a Vegetarian friendly place and a friend recommended this place since it's BYOB. We arrived there at 8 on a Friday night and it was fairly busy although we got a table right away. The waiter was prompt and friendly.
We first tried the spring rolls which were quite yummy and the sauce was sweeter than other places. They definitely aren't my favorite spring rolls, but a quick start. We quickly devoured them as we pondered our menu choices.
I ordered the Pad Thai (with chicken) as its my signature dish out. It was the most popular dish at the table and someone tried the Curry with Tofu and Spinach noodles. The food came quickly and everyone dug in. The Pad Thai was ok - I have had much better. The sauce on the noodles was on the bland side and it was pretty much noodles and chicken without the other yummy goodness really mixed in. The good thing was dinner was $14 with tip.
However, everyone else at the table was impressed with the meal - the spinach noodles and tofu were a hit (that's why they'd get 3 and not 2 stars).
The perks are that it is cheap, quick, and BYOB (w/o all the fees). The downside is the food is okay, and for it being a BYOB place I felt like the waiter "rushed" us. I would go other if others picked the spot, but I wouldn't choose to go there on my own.
By far, the best Thai food in Chicago...
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Lincoln Park
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Thai
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Thai
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