Joy Yee's Noodle Shop

07/07/2008 Posted by missmimimao

It's certainly a pleasant place to eat: the wait and bus staff are prompt and efficient; the lengthy menu allows you to satisfy an array of appetites, the well-lit interior and white colors give the eatery a sense of space and roominess. The presentation of the dishes is also usually quite nice. But I found the food to be alright, and would describe the dishes as based on southeast asian recipes and moderated according to local (Chicago/American) palates and ingredients. In so saying that the food was "alright," I do not mean that I expect the sorts of dishes that I grew up eating or return to enjoy when I am in Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, or Hong Kong. But I felt like they could have been more careful with the spices, that the cooking style was a bit heavy-handed (sort of like a cafeteria style eatery), that they skimped on many ingredients in favor of cheaper ingredients, that the meats in the bun are fatty, that the seafood in the noodle soups and curries were not fresh, and that they did not have the sort of range of spiciness that I hoped for in a place that bills itself as inspired by southeast Asian cuisine. Having said all that, I applaud the place for showing off the diversity of the southeast and east Asian kitchen. It would be awfully nice, though, if they did so with more care in selecting the types, quantities, and combinations of ingredients.

Pros: Quick service, introduction to diversity of Asian menu

Cons: mid to low quality ingredients, narrow range of flavors and spice combinations

10/21/2007 Posted by katherinedonald

been going here for years and yes the lines are long if you go at peak times--so Don't go at peak times unless you are willing to wait a long time. Best fruit blends with tapioca ANYWHERE in Chicago. The dishes are large and two dishes often will easily serve 4 people. The varied menu is exception--there are dozens of dishes. The waitstaff are alot of young fellas who think they are in a Johnnie To movie or Miyake movie, I swear. The food is very "Hong Kong" and some Vietnamese dishes too. Never had a bad meal here. I love going here on Chinese New Year right before the parade when it's chill time.

Pros: portions generous & fruit blends are amazing

Cons: long wait times at peak hours

12/06/2005 Posted by nice_jag

The drinks are good, but the food and service is bad. The place is small and cramped. Plus the price is fairly high for chinatown. Conclusion: Pretty much any of the places nearby will have better food than this place, but the drinks first rate.

Pros: Drinks

Cons: Price, Food, Space

06/12/2005 Posted by mchinn2828

Waiting for a table for 75 minutes on a Friday evening is not worth it. Drinks are fine, food is cold when it should be hot. Service staff is cranky and not helpful. Owner should consider moving to a larger space.

Pros: Drinks

Cons: Crowded, Service, Crowded

07/12/2004 Posted by interlingua

Joy Yee's is great for the fruit drinks and also fun if you want a lively, noisy, high-energy meal. The food is a bizarre, supposedly Pan-Asian mix, but it's really non-Asian. If you can forget when Thai, Chinese, Vietnamese or Korean food really tastes like in these countries, the items do have flavor but it's heavy on pre-prepared sauces that come from bottles. There's too much sugar and vinegar: sweet-and-sour seems to lurk in most dishes. Nonetheless, it's possible with Asians as well as non-Asians, the former, apparently, liking the fusion-food on the cheap available there. Skip the food, but come here after dining elsewhere for a fruiut drink.

Pros: Energy, Color, Fruit Drinks

Cons: , Noise, Cramped

05/04/2004 Posted by dodat

Joy Yee's is known in chinatown as the premiere place to get the freshest fruit drinks but I would not recommend sitting down and eating at this place. Their noodle soups have absolutely no flavor and seems that every soup has the same bland chicken broth. The menu's are strickly for non-asians since it's picture based. Also, it is extremely cramped and expect a waiter's bum to touch your table when they pass by. Just order the drinks and eat somewhere else.

Pros: Fruit Drink

Cons: , Food, Crowded

01/22/2004 Posted by princessducky

My friends and I have been going here for along time. Recently we kinda stopped as it gets so crowded! The food is great and big. The drinks are fresh and tasty. I recommend everyone give this place a try. It does get a bit cramped in there.

Pros: Food, Price

Cons: Space

12/12/2003 Posted by ekmelgarejo

Excellent excellent EXCELLENT food, and large portions. Be sure to come early, though, and be prepared to wait. I live near the place and every time I walk by (in the evening, at least) there is a line outside waiting for a table. The atmosphere is good, although the tables are crammed in pretty close, and, of course, it's always full. My one complaint -- I was once there with a party of 5, and they included the gratuity on the check, which they said they would do with a part of 6 ... not that we WOULDN'T have tipped 15%, but it was a little annoying. Cheap parking is available nearby at the Chinatown Parking lot. Get your stub validated.

Pros: great food, fun atmosphere, photo menu

Cons: always a line, crowded

08/17/2003 Posted by cheesemuffy

I don't know why everyone says this place is where to go for a variety of Asian cuisine. The menu has a huge selection of Japanese, Korean, Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese food but NOT all is edible or even close to being authentic. The Japanese udon resembled Tom Yum soup and the Korean tofu soup was also made with the same Tom Yum broth and contained bok choy, something I've never seen or tasted before. Both dishes had to be sent back to the kitchen. However, I did find the Thai dishes to be fantastic, the best I tasted in all of Chicago. The "boba" tea was made with fresh fruit but the actual tapioca pearls had a strong taste of Chinese herbal medicine which did not blend well with the fruit. The wait for a table was almost unimagined but the food arrived within the blink of an eye.

Pros: great thai food, cheap prices, good portions

Cons: crowded, unreliable menu, terrible wait

08/08/2003 Posted by nineccat

Chinese food easy) to IL, and after a brief research for Chinese Rest. I give Joy-Yee all my thumbs and toes up!! Why was it a brief search? b/c I fell in love w/Joy-Yee so my research is now on a long hold. The person who thought Joy-Yee was "so-so" probably ordered an ordinary dish, or was there when Joy-Yee not at its best. (No one is always perfect). Anyways, I recommend chicken wings, stir fried Vegi call Ong with garlic (the Malaysian style might be too strong for most ppl), and a rice dish that serves with pork chop, chicken and shrimp all 3 over rice. The Vietnamese soup noodle is also worth a try; the portion is so huge its good for 2. Their fry rice and Tapioca drinks are also superb!

Pros: PictureMenuGoodServic, ColorfulFruityAmbienc, Fresh Drink Not2Sweet

Cons: LongLines4Food&Drinks, Crowded tight seating