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Taste of Joy - CLOSED
Categories: Restaurants Barbeque Restaurants Southern Barbeque, Southern [Edit]
3909 Grand Ave(between Boulevard Way & Sunnyslope Ave)
Oakland, CA 94610
Neighborhoods: Grand Lake, Lower Hills
(415) 710-3431
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
94 reviews for Taste of Joy
Review Highlights
"The mac and cheese and brisket oh how I love thee."
(in 48 reviews)
"The red beans and rice and potato salad so yummy."
(in 14 reviews)
"The potato salad was absolutely amazing."
(in 24 reviews)
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94 reviews in English
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Review from Gina H.
Martinez, CA
3/26/2010
YUM!
After Southern Cafe closed on Fruitvale and Macarthur I got tired of going to Nellie's Soulfood and wished there was a place closer to home for some decent soul food! I always wished for a soul food restarant to deliver as well!
Welp this is what we got! Taste of Joy is a great great place to eat!
I called on a random night when they opened to ask for delivery and was warmly greeted by who I think was the owner. He took our order and everyything over the phone and made some kind small talk.
Then we waited for our food to show up! Oh boy!
We ordered the ribs and link combo with mac n cheese, red beans and rice and potato salad and a small greens.
Ohhh, why didnt someone warn us that this food was this great! When the food go there, it was nice and hot and in huge containers for the sides! We didnt get your KFC mini sides, oh no, we got huge sides so big that we had seconds the next day!!!
The ribs were huge! I was expecting those small ribs you see at the chain restaurants but oh no, we were met with the biggest ribs I ever had from takeout or a restaurant. I felt like I had taken home food from a family cookout!
The place is a bit pricey but whats to expect for good soul food.
I highly recommend this place to anyone who wants a good meal. I have yet to sit inside and order but I know I will have the chance soon! -
Review from Julia D.
Oakland, CA
8/16/2010
I was going to rate Taste of Joy with 4 stars, but what's with this "restaurant closed, catering and private dining only" business?!?!
I have been here multiple times and I absolutely loved the food, service, and overall restaurant experience, but now I guess I'll have to wait to have a party where at minimum people will pay $27 each? This sucks!
I hope this doesn't have to do with losing customers . . . if that's the case, I will personally go out and advertise for Taste of Joy myself just to open it back up for restaurant dining!Listed in: Meal Time
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Review from Wendall M.
Oakland, CA
9/5/2010
I love this place, which serves up comfort food that has an interesting twist. The meat portions are generously sized, as are the side dishes, all of which are exquisitely seasoned.
There is quite a bit of activity in this establishment. There is a bar area, where I usually am forced to eat because the restaurant is too busy to accommodate me when I drop in without a reservation. There is also a club where you can dine while listening to live music, which seems always to be rocking. The only drawback to this restaurant is that the dining room and bar area are not sound insulated from the club so it is difficult to talk to table mates while eating dinner. This is no big deal if you know this going in since you are probably selecting this restaurant because you want to grove to music while you dine.
I consider this to be one of the best of Oakland's new crop of restaurants.Listed in: Succulent BBQ/Soul Food
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Review from Kara R.
4/10/2010
We got takeout from Taste of Joy for my cousin's birthday party. I'm usually at a loss for a restaurant with great meat AND sides, but Taste of Joy got it right.
Of the things we sampled (well, no, I gorged myself, others sampled), the cornbread was my absolute favorite. Even though it wasn't drenched in butter and honey like my former favorite at T-Rex, I couldn't stop eating those cute little muffins. They went straight to the muffin top on me but were well worth it.
I wouldn't say that Taste of Joy is by far the best BBQ/Soulfood place I've been to, but generally speaking, across the board they are the most consistently good in comparison to Brick Pig's House and EJ's. I find that Brick Pig's ribs tend to be a bit chewy, but their brisket is out of this world, while EJ's ribs are out of this world and the brisket is just so-so. Taste of Joy is very good for both but not quite as amazing as EJ's sauce/ribs or Brick Pig's brisket.
I did love, though, their mac and cheese, greens, and yams. The yams tasted like they had been grown in butter, the greens were spicy and flavorful, and the mac and cheese was addictively delicious. They use real cheese, and the noodles are nicely cooked.
BBQ is one of those food genres where everyone's favorite part of the meal is different. Taste of Joy is a great place to go that will please everyone. The meat lovers will be ecstatic, sides fanatics will be in heaven, and the vegetarians? Well, who really cares. -
Review from Charlene C.
San Diego, CA
3/16/2009 2 photos
In our hunt for streamers for the party, my friend and I traipsed around the Grand Lake area to no avail. While we were disappointed about not finding our decorations, we did find something even better: Taste of Joy.
The smell of barbecue in the air is an undeniable invitation, like the smell of popcorn or Cinnabon. We passed by their doorway and the air was redolent of barbecue; too bad we had already eaten, so we made plans to visit on Sunday.
The menu is loaded with soul food favorites like gumbo, pork chops, mustard greens and, of course, barbecue. I lamented to the guy at the counter that I couldn't choose between the gumbo and the pork ribs and he said that he could make it so I had a side of gumbo with the small order of ribs. Score! Add mustard greens, a cornbread muffin from Arizmendi, and sweet tea to the mix and I was set.
The ribs were fall off the bone tender, the sauce was just a tad sweet and not overly vinegary, and you could tell that the ribs were smoked by the pink smoke ring. It doesn't seem like they have a smoker on site though, because the kitchen seemed small but nonetheless they were tasty. The gumbo was a bit light but it was thick with bits of crab, shrimp and sausage and served over rice. The mustard greens had a touch of nutmeg and were good but I added hot sauce to amp the flavor. I tried my friend's potato salad which was great, reminding me of my favorite Japanese potato salad. My friend's mac and cheese was nice and creamy and I liked their cheese sauce but it wasn't the best I've had. The sweet tea sealed the deal on the fourth star, its hard to find sweet tea outside of the South and this brought back memories.
The restaurant is small but well-outfitted with black and white photos of Muhammad Ali and BB King lining the walls, lengths of sheer purple fabric draped from the ceiling, and interesting touches like Moroccan lanterns and tea glasses to hold the silverware on the table. By far its the nicest looking soul food joint I've been to, even better than Magnolias in SD. It is cash only but ATMs aren't far and the prices were reasonable, just $9 for my meal. The service was excellent too, the guy at the counter was helpful and really sweet, giving me a recommendation, hooking me up with the side of gumbo, and chatting with my friend about the Laker game. It didn't hurt that he had the prettiest light brown eyes, eye candy's never bad in my book.
He had mentioned that they'd only been open a week but I'm betting that by the next time I come to visit my friend they'll have cultivated a devoted following. I'll definitely be coming back for sweet tea, potato salad and ribs. I'm getting hungry just thinking about it - how much is a flight to SFO?? -
Review from Simone F.
Oakland, CA
2/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
Excited about this place and really wanna love it since I love creole/southern food. What a disappointment! We only had gumbo and cornbread for dinner. I so do not like the consistency of the gumbo. The seafood and chicken in it was fine but the roux didn't seem right to me. I've made roux before as well as gumbo and I've had authentic gumbo in NOLA. This is not worth what they are charging for. (and I am not cheap!) Having good ingredients is one thing, execution is although a totally different thing!
Service was really slow but I need to throw a shut-out to the door dude - you are hella cool and my 2 stars here are for you, my man! -
Review from Alex P.
Dublin, CA
12/15/2009 2 photos
I really wanted to give this place a lower rating because of the service we got but the food was just too good to rate it any lower than a 3...
The story...
As we sat down (around 7pm... not too late into dinner) the waitress came up to us to inform us that they ran out of gumbo and brisket. I was a bit disappointed but figured... hey, those are the more popular dishes... it happens...
About 5-10 minutes later, I overheard a lady next to our table order gumbo. It came in a huge bowl. It looked great... I figured maybe that was the LAST bowl of the gumbo, they literally must have scraped the bottom of the pot for that last bowl.
For our order we ordered the fried chicken wings and a half order of baby back ribs.
The BBQ sauce was amazing and the ribs were tender, not quite "fall off the bone" but just about. The fried chicken wings had the perfect crust and the meat was juicy. I loved how flakey the crust was and it tasted like something your mom would make if she was from the South (I have no way of knowing how fried chicken tastes from the South but I can imagine it would be something like this.)
I was a bit underwhelmed by the sides - Most of them seemed a bit under seasoned. But the better ones were the Mac and Cheese and the Potato Salad.
So after the meal we were waiting for the bill and I overheard a couple a few tables from us order the Brisket. Now we left before they got the order so who knows if they really got it in the end but I'm assuming if the chef told one waiter/waitresses about an order running out then all the waiter/waitresses would know about it. How in the world were we the only ones in the entire restaurant told that there was no more Brisket and Gumbo? And how was it that after they were "out" of these items people kept ordering them?? (Another question you may ask is: Why do you keep listening in on other people's conversation?! but thats a whole different topic...)
Frankly I was a bit peeved when we left...
Food: 4 stars - I was very satisfied with the meal.
Service: 2.5 stars. -
Review from Ada T.
4/11/2010
Went to Taste of Joy last night for a friend's birthday celebration with a group of 9. We were led upstairs to a large room, where a long table was laid out. It felt essentially like a private dining room, and it was great to be able to hear each other so easily. The menu we received was quite abbreviated, though our very friendly waiter explained that it was due to a big event they had hosted a few days ago, not because we were a larger party. I thought that was too bad, as there were items that were missing that I might have been interested in (the brisket, catfish, etc.) Entrees are in the $15-20 range and most come with two sides. The vast majority of our table ordered the baby back ribs.
After our waiter took our orders, he brought up baskets of cornbread. They didn't come with any butter to slather on, but it wasn't necessary. The individual muffins of cornbread were plenty moist and honeyed on their own. He also brought up two complimentary jugs of Kool Aid and sweet tea because we had waited quite awhile for him to come upstairs and take our orders. The sweet tea was really good; it actually tasted strongly of tea and wasn't sugar water.
The entrees were all enormous, difficult to finish on one's own. My baby back ribs plate came with five (maybe six?) big ribs, individual bowls of my two sides (mac n cheese, potato salad), and an additional piece of cornbread. The ribs were drenched in good bbq sauce, and the meat came off easily. I still like Angeline's ribs a bit more (my favorite), but these were a close contender. I loved that the macaroni in the mac n cheese was cooked quite al dente, with a nice bite. The potato salad was fine. We were all far too full to contemplate having dessert.
Taste of Joy isn't very upscale, but I think it has nice enough atmosphere for a casually nice birthday dinner or group meal, especially because of the nice private upstairs area. We all loved our waiter, who was funny and enthusiastic. The rest of the restaurant looked a little empty as we were leaving, so I hope they get more business! -
Review from Jared H.
Oakland, CA
5/5/2009
Taste of Joy is both a blessing and a curse.
I have been searching for the elusive soul satisfying Southern BBQ in this here parts for some time. For a while Doug's BBQ in Emeryville was the closest I could find, but they closed a while back and nothing has stepped up to the plate since. Imagine my delight while strolling down Lakeshore to be met with the wafting aroma of sweet sweet barbeque a mere 3 blocks from my house! Could it be? Oh yes, it is. After trying their three way of brisket, ribs and links I can proclaim Taste of Joy the best BBQ in the Bay Area. The meat was tender, beautifully sauced, and so satisfying. The mac-n-cheese was creamy and delightful, the yams both sweet and savory, and the greens, oh my the greens. Not to mention that they have actual sweet tea!
Taste of Joy is in a spot that has seen a rotating series of restaurants pass through. We owe it to ourselves to frequent this gem and help it thrive. And in there lies the curse. Too much bbq can dull the senses to the other joys in life. Will you help me in spreading the word about Taste of Joy so that I can enjoy the other finer things in life without worrying about them surviving? Spread the word: Great barbeque has arrived and it is in Oakland. -
Review from jessica w.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2009
Their new location is open!!!! Now, onto the good stuff:
Have you ever wanted to stand up and *clap* after taking your first bite at a restaurant, with nary a thought to social norms and protocol? Have you ever had food that was so good that it really touched your soul? (I had no idea what 'soul food' meant until last night.) Have you ever wanted to high five the chef and owner who is so dedicated and committed to his passion and who actually takes the time to come out and personally say hello and share his vision and his dreams that made his restaurant into reality? Have you ever just looked at the presentation and sighed that eating the food would disturb the carefully thought out and well placed presentation?
If so, then by all means, GO HERE!
The Cajun meatloaf was phenomenal and deserved the clapping mentioned above. The ribs were perfectly seasoned, cooked, and presented. And don't get me started on the sides - mustard greens, sweet potato fries, and let's not forget the mac and cheese to die for.
Just when I was thinking the food couldn't be any better, the chocolate cake arrived. I have no idea what they put in it, but it was one of those stop-you-in-your-tracks savor every morsel types of experiences.
The prices were right, the servings were generous (leftovers for days - hurray!), and the food... oh, now how I understand how food can truly get to your soul.
The ambiance and decor were also spot on. Great bar/lounge, nice dining area, and an outdoor patio to boot.
A round of applause to Brian, chef and owner, for his vision, food, and bringing the neighborhood a sublime new restaurant.
We'll definitely be back! -
Review from Laura B.
3/5/2010
I tasted joy, and it tastes like thinly sliced brisket smoked for 10 hours ("and you can taste every one of them") smothered in sweet BBQ sauce served up with creamy but not too creamy mac and cheese, candied yams drenched in syrupy awesomness, excellent red beans and rice, dense buttery cornbread, cajun meatloaf, and super salty mustard greens. Oh - and a carafe of kool-aid ("in the best flavor on earth, RED" ).
The dishes above are listed in descending order of excellency in my opinion, save for the kool-aid - that's obviously higher than last. I went here with a friend last night and we decided to cover the menu and split everything so we got to try a lot of food. Sharing is caring, after all.
The service here was great, too. The doorman, in a snazzy dark suit and stylish hat, was quick to open the door when I walked up the stairs and greeted me with a, "Good evening, young lady. Watch your step." Damn, this place oozed class from the beginning! Our server was cracking jokes with us the whole night, from the presentation of our kool-aid carafe ("this is our best vintage") to the secrets of the BBQ sauce ("Well, it starts with brown sugar and I can't tell you the rest." "Because you'd have to kill us?" Yeah, thanks for finishing that for me. I can't talk about killing people at work - it's so 90's.")
We ate slowly because we didn't want to finish the delicious food in front of us and were reluctant to leave. But leaving meant that we would have another interaction with the snazzy doorman, so I looked forward to it a little bit. :) -
Review from Brandon B.
Oakland, CA
1/28/2010
LOVED IT!!!
Man, o man.....where to start!! This place was really good!!!
So my partner and I decided to eat here a few nights ago, we had been debating going for the last few weeks but finally decided to make a move on it. To be honest I was really skeptical about this place because most places that claim to do southern/soul food are usually a disappointment in the bay or lukewarm. But I was not ready for Taste of Joy..
I ordered the pork Spair Ribs, my partner ordered the Cajun Meatloaf , while we waited I had a glass of sangria which was delicious. When our food arrived, mine specifically I was blown away!! I was originally expecting to get 2 or maybe 3 skinny bitch ribs but I got four full meaty and juicy ribs!!!!
I really didn't know what to do for the first few minutes, I hadn't eaten real ribs in quit a while, but after a moment I dug in and was greeted by tender, succulent, perfectly cooked spare rib. In addition the Mac&Cheese as well as the greens were really good and complimented the meal perfectly.
My partners dish was the Meatloaf, I had a piece and I was blown away!!, I don't like meatloaf but this my friends was really good!!
So my wrap up is Taste of Joy is a definite winner in my book. I just hope they can maintain the good food!!!
LOVED IT!!! -
Review from Joolia K.
Oakland, CA
5/13/2009
Yes!
Had the BBQ chicken with mac and cheese and red beans and rice. My sister had the gumbo, and my veggie boyfriend had a salad.
The sides were all amazing, even red beans and rice, which normally you'd think don't ever qualify to be on a list of amazing things.
The salad, I was told was incredible, the dressing was some kind of BBQ sauce delicious thing.
My sister didn't rave about the gumbo, but that could have been because she didn't stop eating it long enough to speak.
Also, they offer Kool-Aid, which I thought was so awesome I decided to have some. It tasted like a melted popsicle and I couldn't finish it because it was way too sweet, but I'm pretty much sure that's what Kool-Aid is supposed to be like.
I will be back.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants
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Review from Matt F.
4/9/2009
If you are wondering why this place has so many five star reviews, its pretty simple: they have great food and service at a good price.
Six of us came here for lunch today. We had ribs, chicken, brisket, links and gumbo. All were outstanding, and it was the best brisket I've had in Oakland. It's worth coming back for that alone. For side dishes we had mustard greens, black-eyed peas, red beans and rice, and potato salad. These were a cut above the usual Oakland BBQ side dishes, particularly the potato salad and greens.
Taste of Joy is run by a very friendly family, whose son was our waiter. You order at the counter then they bring your food and check to your table. IT IS CASH ONLY! so keep that in mind. Big lunch for six was $19 per person with tip.
Our waiter kept us filled up on water and tea. If you have any room at all left, or, better yet, if you only ate half your food and got the rest to go, then order the peach cobbler. It was great! -
Review from Cassie B.
Oakland, CA
6/23/2010
I was in the mood for some fried chicken tonight, so my boyfriend took me here. Overall, I'm giving this place four stars. Seeing as how I grew up eating soul food and cook it myself, I have to be careful that I don't judge soul food restaurants too critically. That said, the food was good in it's own right. Here's what we had...
Beef Brisket sliders: Absolutely succulent. Would order again and again.
Fried Chicken wings: Nice and crisp, but the meat was dry.
Mac and Cheese: The green onions give it a unique twist.
Candied Yams: A little too much nutmeg for my taste.
Chocolate Cake: I think the waitress misspoke, because what I received was yellow cake with chocolate icing. Had i known this is what they were serving I would have opted for the pecan pie. That said, it was okay.
The ambience was nice as were the staff. Our waitress was nice and attentive. Next time I go, I'll stay away from the fried chicken and try more bbq. -
Review from Serena L.
Alameda, CA
12/29/2009 3 photos
If I could have a plate of cornbread, I'd be the happiest girl in the world.
my friends and I had our christmas party here, it was very awesome how they gave us the entire top floor, private room and everything, they even added some decorations for us. the service was very good and attentive. the food was delicious! we ordered the seafood gumbo, the pork ribs, sweet potatoe fries, mac n cheese, and of couse a lot of cornbread. great food, very cute little restaurant with great outdoor seating, I love how they decorated the outside area. cant wait to eat here again! -
Review from Tamika C.
Oakland, CA
4/2/2010
Went here to celebrate a birthday. We thought it may be a little too upscale when we got there but, it was a pleasant surprise once we got our food. The portions weren't too small and we were all super full by the end of the meal.
I had the spicy meatloaf with potato salad and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was NOT great, but the potato salad and meatloaf made up for it though. I had my left overs last night and it was even better. The catfish is phenomenal. And the complimentary peach cobbler (for the birthday guy) was hella too sweet (excused, cause we all know southern style is sweet) but good.
It was nice to go in the middle of the week. Not a lot of people but enough to know people have heard about the place and you feel good about that. I would like to go on the weekend when they have live music though.
The service was good but I didn't really understand why it took so long for our food to come once she took our order. All in all the food was so good that we want to go back. I guess thats all that counts. -
Review from Joyce T.
Danville, CA
11/25/2009 1 photo
The restaurant is cute. Don't be intimidated if it doesn't look like there's anyone in the restaurant. It's kind of a long and narrow set up, so rest assured there are people inside!
The photos on the yelp site are pretty awesome, BUT they're made for pictures. Meaning some of the food doesn't quite look like this, but is definitely delicious!
Ribs were awesome. Order more than 1 macaroni and cheese especially if you're going to have to share. I also enjoyed the gumbo as well. It could have been hotter and the shrimp could have been fresher. Be prepared to bust out the crab cracker to get into this soup! I'm also a fan of the corn bread. Perfect amount of corn meal and sweetness to make it delish.
Also - props to chef Brian for making the rounds to each one of the tables. It's always nice to meet the chef! -
Review from Stu S.
Oakland, CA
11/5/2009
I just had a wonderful dinner at the new Taste of Joy. The half-slab of baby back ribs were thick and tender. The ribs came already separated with a green onion garnish. They were perfectly-smoked, and the sauce was slightly sweet, as I like it. The mustard greens were fresh and not laden with pork. The potato salad was flavorful and pleasantly-mushy with chunks of potato. Everything was adequately seasoned - not too much salt and not needing any.
I was greeted by a doorman! He was courteous and welcoming. The decor is elegant with paintings of the jazz greats. The bar area is comfortable, and Brian, the owner, even has his prized chess collections on display there.
I'm excited because Taste of Joy is just a block from my office. Yum! -
Review from Fred E.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 2/27/2010 1 Check-in Here
It's back and it's good! Ate so much last night we're still full.
The new location is way better than the first one. Way more space and an expanded menu! The Brisket Sliders are awesome. Must go back and try everything else on the menu.Listed in: Top Restaurants
3 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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8/2/2009
So sad that it's gone. We loved the Brisket and Gumbo.
Now it is Ibota Lounge.
:( Read more »
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Review from jen d.
4/26/2009
This morning I was craving BBQ so I went over and ordered the Beef Brisket sandwich which comes with a side of potato salad. I also got an extra side of mac and cheese.
The brisket was DELICIOUS!!!! Completely tender with great sauce and nice amount of vegetables on the sandwich. The potato salad was also good and the mac and cheese was good but I would suggest some hot sauce on top to make it even better.
The people that work there are really nice and the food is great so I would encourage people in the neighborhood to come in and support. Really really good stuff!! -
Review from Sarah S.
Oakland, CA
Updated - 1/22/2011
Looks like it's closed...bummer!
Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/4/2010
I'm a bit late in my review of Taste of Joy, due to our sorta odd experience.
I'll start with the… Read more »
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Review from Victor H.
Union City, CA
3/22/2010
Was excited about trying this place out, specifically their smoked brisket but found out when we got there that they'd run out. How do you run out of your most popular menu item at 7:00pm?? All good, went for the spareribs instead and it didn't disappoint. Really meaty and just the right tenderness that I like on a sparerib, tender but not falling off the bone tender. I like my spareribs with a bit of give so it actually tastes like... meat, with a nice smokiness to it as well. My only complaint would be I could have done without so much sauce. Their sides also hit the spot! Collard greens were cooked just right without becoming mushy and same for their candied yams. I prefer my mac n cheese a bit more cheesier but it was still really good.
I have mixed feelings about this place. It's one of those places that tries to look like a "fine dining" spot, with the white table cloths and folded napkins but it doesn't really match the food that's being served. Also, it's hard to enjoy your food when you feel like your chair is going to break any moment. I almost with they would have done without the table cloths and such and just went barebones. If you're going to go "nice" then go all the way. Don't do it half heartedly because it gives off mixed messages.
All in all, a good place for a meal. I definitely want to come back for the brisket. -
Review from Jocelyn A.
Albany, CA
5/5/2009
I got the small brisket entrée with garlic mashed potatoes and mustard greens. My husband got sides of mac and cheese, potato salad, and canied yams. TASTY! All of it was delicious and the lemonade we got to wash it down was just the right amount of sweet/tart. The service was very freindly and welcoming. We definitely will be going back here when the southern comfort food craving strikes again.
Brisket: melts in your mouth, sauce a nice combo of spiced and spicey - Huge serving
Mac and Cheese: perfect IMHO - creamy amd smooth, not over poweringly cheese-y
Potato Salad - couldn't get enough! a wonderfuil mix of flavors with a nice texture
Garlic Mashed Potatoes - ok, not the star but tasty
Mustard greens - just right, not to salty with a just a little bit of crunch in the stalky parts
Candied yams - excellent, not too sweet and sticky, a wonderful blend of spices to accent the yams -
Review from Laura B.
Oakland, CA
6/1/2009
I was very pleasantly surprised! I had the small brisket plate with candied yams and greens:
- Big serving for a great value (I'm a small lady, but I left FULL for under $10)
- The sides were fresh, homemade, and perfectly seasoned
- AWESOME bbq
The chef even delivered a complementary peach cobbler. All food was delicious and service was great.
Newly opened--help keep it alive! -
Review from Nene R.
Berkeley, CA
4/19/2010
Went here to celebrate my birthday. YUMMY. Went on a Friday....after 8:30 p.m. so was sorry to hear that they were out of several items....will have to return! When we got our food the portions were appropriate to the price and very filling.
I had the ribs with red beans and rice and mac and cheese. The mac and cheese was artery clogging goodness~
Door man was a lovely addition, willing to walk the ladies to their cars late at night. I think the main deal is for him to keep you from falling down the awkward exit way....He was personable, which made the experience more pleasant while waiting for the group.
The service was so-so. First, although we noted it was a birthday celebration...no h b-day, no nothing. The waitress was a bit...well, off her stride (to be nice). Placed orders, she came back to say: Out of this, out of that....OK, she should have known that before (due to the late hour...). Hopes dashed ... taste buds disappointed and no, she did not offer to add on an extra side to take away the sting..
We got stuck by a family with four kids...can you say noisy AND messy!?!? Please. I do not like to shout over others to be heard....although, once they left, I could enjoy the quietness and look into the garden area which would be nice on a sunny afternoon. As we passed several empty tables..not quite sure why we were placed there.
I will be back...maybe for take out as the dine -in experience was a bit off. The bar area looked nice and serene....not sure if they have happy hour though. -
Review from Erica S.
Oakland, CA
3/30/2010
Yummy goodness!
Went there a few weeks ago with a large (15) group and we had really good service, considering. The main dishes are the best part. I had the fried chicken, which was the best I ever tasted from a restaurant. My husband had the brisket, which was good. The sides are ok, just needed a little more seasoning. All in all goodness.
BTW, try the Kool Aid Karaffe...good stuff... -
Review from Niraj P.
Oakland, CA
4/19/2009
I ordered the beef brisket entreé, mac and cheese and potato salad. The entreé came with a delicious cornbread, both of which melted in my mouth. The potato salad was absolutely amazing. The mac and cheese could have been a little cheesier, but with brisket like this, who cares! Om nom nom nom!
My girlfriend and I love family businesses because they always seem the friendliest and this one is no different. Everyone was very friendly and attentive. They even refilled my lemonade while I was stuffing my face. Kudos.
The only other thing I'd like to mention here is that they have great potential to be one of the best restaurants on Lakeshore Ave. and should really spruce up their window / exterior look / decor because right now, it's easy to walk past and not feel its presence. -
Review from Jennifer C.
San Francisco, CA
12/28/2010
Even though I looked this place up online, from the name of the restaurant to the red everywhere, I was convinced this was a Chinese restaurant up until we got our food. Our company had our holiday party here, so I'm not sure how representative our spread was to the regular menu, but I wish I just got a plate of their candied yams, because they were goood. The chicken breasts were monstrously huge and...a little on the dry side, and the salad, beans, and macaroni and cheese were pretty standard. The peach cobbler was kind of soggy, but props to them for not killing me by grinding up tree nuts into the crumble/crust. It is an interesting venue that kind of has it all in one little spot: a bar with an interesting mural and display case of chess sets to look at, a quiet indoor dining room, and a covered outdoor area.
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Review from Mamma B.
Oakland, CA
3/4/2010
I finally tried this new spot out for my birthday last night. It's a mixed review but think a second visit may garner them another star. First impression was-service needs work. There are many people (i.e. doorman, hostess, owner) yet at least 10+ minutes passed after we were seated before we were greeted properly by our server and provided water. I think he was a bit overwhelmed with the four tables (us being the fourth) and all their requests. The server was nice enough, just not confident or experienced. Once we ordered the food came very quickly. I was a bit upset that my first choice was unavailable (since it was my birthday) but the baby back ribs were fantastic. Between us, we ordered:
baby back ribs-fantastic A+
mustard greens-plain, nothing special (where's the smoked turkey meat?) C
yams-perfectly sweetened and spiced A
fried chicken wings-perfectly prepared, if a tad bit salty A-
french fries-nothing special, hot & crisp though B
macaroni & cheese-dissapointing, grainy and not so flavorful C
corn muffins-moist & tasty, but crumbly and squished, no butter B
I will definitely come back bacause I loved the ribs, but if dissappointed again by more menu items or "unavailable" items, can't promise a third visit.
Also, just want to say that I wish that "bbq/southern food" places would stop trying to serve the food in an upscale manner. This restaurant (structurally) is not upscale-it seems a bit forced. Why not be more of a casual dining family/sports bar restaurant? I think you'd get way more folks in your restaurant! Also, unavailable menu items =disappointed customer! This menu is not large-no reason why EVERYTHING shouldn't be available. You don't ever want a customer to leave disappointed...they may not come back. -
Review from Amy J.
6/20/2010
I was really bummed they didn't make it to Yelp Prom and it just so happened I was in Oakland one random night. We decided to stop in and try their BBQ and ended up pleasantly surprised. Taste of Joy is quite delightful - the staff are friendly and helpful, the ambiance is pleasant and the food is tasty. We even got a complimentary glass of house wine for their grand reopening with our meal! I had so much food, I ended up bringing most of it home. The ribs had an amazing BBQ sauce on it. My Southern fried chicken was also quite tasty. I would definitely recommend stopping in here again.
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Review from Fatimah A.
Oakland, CA
1/2/2010
I ordered take-out so I can't speak about dining in service.
*i'm a southern girl who moved to Oakland about 2 yrs ago, and always on the lookout for a taste of home. A taste of joy did it for me! - somewhat
GREAT:
Yams / Yam sauce.
Cornbread ( even better with the yam sauce )
GOOD:
Greens
Crab Cakes
EH:
Drunken Spicy Shrimp ( need a bit more spice for creole)
"A TASTE OF UNHAPPINESS"
Mac N' Cheese ( no season, extremely bland, the cheese wasn't fresh, hard to eat - literally HARD!)
The BBQ chicken is too pricey for what it's worth
When I go here, i'll pretend like i'm a vegetarian, because the sides were the only good things. -
Review from LonBonn J.
Berkeley, CA
5/2/2009
The SERVICE was great!!!
The food wasnt as great as I expected it to be. My BBQ was good, the sauce was great. wasnt very hot, sorta luke warm. I didnt want to complain so I just ate it. I got the candies yams, they very honestly nasty. They we not sweet, they also lacked the cinnamon and nutmeg flavor. What I loved ws that you can choose two sides to go with you mean. overall 4/5 -
Review from Roxy D.
Berkeley, CA
6/18/2009
I had my birthday party in the park today and I wanted some good bbq to keep my friends entertained. My boyfriend and I foudn Taste of Joy on yelp and decided to give it a try.
It was hard to find at first but then we smelled bbq in the air and knew we were in the right place.
Service is fantastic. Ribs are hearty, meaty and not fatty. Brisket is juicy, the brisket sandwich is good and my boyfriend finished the greens in 5 seconds. Yams, red beans and mac and cheese are satisfying and perfect for a bbq park party. I have never had sweet tea before, and it is REALLY sweet, which is probably how it is supposed to be. But he gave us free drinks so I am not complaining.
Overall I feel like the food is fairly priced and definitely satisfying. I will come back for more (: -
Review from Asiatic B.
Oakland, CA
5/7/2010
This place is awesome. Nice selection to choose from on the menu. I tried their southern fried chicken wings lol typically huh? Anyway they were delish! Not to mention their candied yams. The bar area is nicely setup with flatscreen for games and such. Friendly staff as well. On certain nights we were told that they actually have poetry sessions too, The bar tender told us the poetry sessions are on fridays and the bands play on saturdays, cool huh? So if your on a date if you wanna meet with the fam bam or meet with friends and get a little tipsy? why not check this spot out? You guys will enjoy it.
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Review from Kathy V.
5/14/2010 3 photos
If you are in the east bay & like soul food, please make a trip to Taste of Joy's. Cozy and warm hearted restaurant. Very attentive and food served fast. There is even a small bar with a fire place to hang out in a seperate room. Cost of food is average. I'm a fan of their BBQ spare ribs, enough said! Check out my photos!
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Review from E B.
Oakland, CA
2/9/2010
Five stars for the food, minus one for pretty darn slow service. It was early evening & I think they just didn't have a full staff for that hour, it seemed like other people who came in later got service shortly.
The meats (we had the baby back ribs & hot links) were *delicious*, and the sides were good also. Strangely their french fries were both of our favorite side, though we also had the cornbread, mac & cheese, potato salad & collards. I wouldn't get the collards again, they were pretty flavorless, but I'd like to try the coleslaw.
Yummy BBQ in Oakland -- yeah! -
Review from Juan R.
Oakland, CA
10/28/2010
closed
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Review from Brittany D.
San Francisco, CA
1/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
I remember when this place was originally on lakeshore. It look kind of odd and no one was ever really in there but it intrigued me. Honestly BBQ intrigues me in any situation:-D
We gave this new swanky location a try and was pleasantly surprised!
There were three of us and it was in our best interests to share, b/c we are gluttons and would order the entire menu if there was a reasonably priced option.
We began with the Crab Cakes, which were nothing short of a heavenly explosion of flavor in my mouth. This is where we first encountered the BBQ sauce, there were no complaints. We also split a full slab of ribs and Brisket, with mustard greens, sweet potato fries, mac & cheese, potato salad and red beans & rice for sides.
Allow me to work backwards.
*Red Bean & Rice: unfortunately they were scorched. It was pretty clear to me that the cook didn't taste his own work and that upset me quite a bit. I was really excited to enjoy these but was unable to.
*Potato Salad: Yum. Not too sweet not too relishy. A great compliment to the BBQ sauce. Solid.
*Mac & Cheese: I'm always over critical of mac & cheese, so u have been warned. I realize that they made the decision to stick with a creamy formula, thats cool. But there wasn't much taste the the dish and honestly was a few steps above kraft as far as texture. I over heard the waitress say that they recently changed the recipe and that she preferred the previous version. I would like to taste that one.
*Sweet Potato Fries: The only way to to ruin this dish is to serve them cold or to burn them. Thankfully they did neither.
*Mustard Greens: Although they were served a bit cold, they were hella good. Perfectly cooked without the over powering taste of pork involved in the preparation.
*Brisket: Man it was pretty damn good! Very tasty and a decent portion for the three of us to share. I will always pass up beef for pork so I didn't dabble too much in the brisket!
*Ribs: These ribs were so tender! I was pleasantly surprised in not only the taste of the BBQ sauce but also the quality of the meat. Truly a master piece!
Did forget to mention that the waitress brought over some hot towels to wipe our hand with? Awesome.
A word of warning. The decor of this place is interesting. Its a great space but the artwork on the wall is flat out disturbing. On the other hand, when u have a rib in your mouth you simply don't give a damn!Listed in: The Itis
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Review from Hilda Gee G.
Alameda, CA
11/28/2009
Had a wonderful dinner with friends here. Granted the company was great, but so was the food! It was my first time here and brought 2 friends to try out it. The restaurant was beautiful and loved the fact that they have a doorman. All the wait staff were friendly and warm saying hello and good bye as if we were long time friends/family. The barbeque was perfectly smoked and the sauce had the right amount of sweetness. My friend KB had the fried fish which came on skewers and my other friend JJ had the crabcakes. We were all please with our entrees and sides. The plates were good sized. I love the hot towels and lemons they provided after the meal. Nice touch! I'll be back and bring the hubby.
