Joy's Noodles on Broadway

Just noticed the resturant closed when I was on the Broadway bus headed northbound. Did I read the sign on the door correctly that the location was expanding?

Any insight?

Can anybody offer any insight??

Joy's is closed for remodeling, no realy they are remodeling and expanding.

A friend of mine picked this spot for an upcoming dinner. Anybody been here?
Joy's Noodles & Rice
3257 N. Broadway
Chicago, IL 60657
(773) 327-8330
http://www.joysnoodlesandrice.com/

It's one of our regular delivery places because it's decent, it's cheap and they're quick. Food is nothing special, but nothing terrible... typical American Thai food like curries, pad thai, pad sie ewe, but nothing too exotic. Better eating in than delivery, although it's been probably 5-6 years since I last ate there. I like their Panang curry w/ crispy noodles.

Thanks for the update. Any other decent options nearby? We're going to an event at St. Peter's Church on Belmont.

I agree that Joy's is pretty mediocre. My favorite restaurant in the area is Socca; a blend of French and Italian cuisine. A bit more pricey than Joy's but not terrible expensive and much better food, service and ambiance. Other restaurants I like in the area would be Hearty and HB (Home Bistro). If you were specifically wanting Asian cuisine, Chens and Ping Pong are significantly better than Joys.

Also in the 'hood--old stalwarts Le Creperie and Duke of Perth, The Counter (burger place--doesn't get a lot of press but I've enjoyed it the couple of times I've been), The Peasantry (I haven't been but it's gotten some strong reviews both here and elsewhere), and a bit further south, Ponzu (good creative sushi).

Also del Seoul, Crisp, Vapiano (decent, fast casual Italian), and Flub-a-Dubs for burgers (I like them more than The Counter, as long as you're ok with zero atmosphere).

jesteinf wrote:Also del Seoul

Another vote for del Seoul--I really like that place!

I've been a huge fan of Joy's ever since it opened, it's my go-to delivery thai place.

If you do end up there, my recommendations are the thai rolls and the chicken coconut curry, extra spicy.

Thanks for the tips.

blipsman wrote:It's one of our regular delivery places because it's decent, it's cheap and they're quick. Food is nothing special, but nothing terrible... typical American Thai food like curries, pad thai, pad sie ewe, but nothing too exotic. Better eating in than delivery, although it's been probably 5-6 years since I last ate there. I like their Panang curry w/ crispy noodles.

I ate there (on the outdoor patio in the rear) about a month ago. I'd agree with the above quote. I thought the food was competent, not amazing but decent, not terrible. They were seriously understaffed (waitstaff) but that may have been because the weather was nice so they were doing a big business with the patio filled.

I think a lot of Joy's menu items lean towards the sweet side of the Thai food flavor spectrum but they do a pretty consistent job with things. Their beef Phuket noodles are pretty stellar and are my go to dish there. The soups are great too and you don't have to fish for lemongrass chunks like most other that places. The flavor is still in the broths but they must strain them.

My husband and I went to joy's during the pride parade this summer and for spur of the moment, we needed to eat, they were a good option. Though still not as tasty as my go to Thai place in the area, Cozy Noodles.

Joy's is a very generic place. It's cheap and filling, and mediocre. Fine for when I lived around the corner. Then again, I am not a fan of the Cozy in Wrigleyville either. The area is home to TAC Quick and now Andy's Thai Kitchen, so if you are looking for good Thai, you have great options. Closer to Joy's? Frog n Snail, Dale Lavitski's place, is a few blocks away. There is Melanthio's (sp?), a greek place that focuses on meat. It's not bad. There are a lot of other cozy little places on Broadway, nothing too outstanding, but some are solid -- such as Casbah, the Moroccan place. Oh, and, if you want to go a bit further, The Peasantry on Diversey is another solid upscale spot.

Edit: Someone mentioned Crisp, which is nearby as well. Crisp is amazing. I used to be one of their top customers. But it's (amazing Korean) chicken wings and fries, so I didn't think of it as a dinner place. But, it is delicious. (Get the Seoul Sassy and Korean BBQ -- a great combo of sweet and spicy.)

Just as a follow up note - our timing worked out to be a bit more flexible. We ended up at Spoon Thai last night. Thanks again for the tips.

Generally agree that Joy is just OK - but I think Joy has the best Nam Tok in the city.

ews wrote:Generally agree that Joy is just OK - but I think Joy has the best Nam Tok in the city.

Have you had the versions at Sticky Rice, Spoon, TAC Quick? I think Joy's version pales in comparison. I had it at Joy's about a year ago, and I recall it missing critical ingredients, including ground, toasted rice, and just lacking the funky/spicy/savory balance. I wouldn't call it bad (I wouldn't call anything at Joy's bad for that matter) - I just found it a bit of a shortcut dish, meant to be prepared and served quickly.