Fun place. Funky food. Drinks come close to authentic tiki drinks but only a tiki-file would know that. Fun decor. Just don't go during busy hours or the staff might not give you the full experience. read more

I've been to Hot Joy a handful of times but this time was different. It happened to be Ramen Monday night and man was it good. Had the Tokyo Pork ramen with a Painkiller drink. Then we ordered the smoked cabbage. Looked very strange but tasted amazing! read more

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Great flavorful food, AMAZING cocktails, awesome service and the perfect ambiance for a girls night out! ‍ read more

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The ambiance was great, the food was crap. It is way over priced for what it is. I miss the old hot joy. The new menu is even smaller than the last. If you come here don't get the hot pot it is not worth the $65. Wait time is long and there is no longer a waiting area to sit in. Staff is more mundane seem to not care all that much. You also get charged a service fee which isn't explained. 0/10 would not recommend. read more

Maybe I'm biased because I am asian but this place is giving me orientalist vibes in the worst possible way. Korean signage on the bathrooms, japanese lanterns outside, chinese lanterns and menu-- but none of it is done right. Mapo tofu served on top of rice and not on the side? Whoever the head chef is needs to learn chinese cuisine better because I am for certain they're non-asian. The only thing I can compliment was the twice fried wings. The shelf of chinese items is honestly a crazy thing to do. You have chinese cough syrup, next to jarred herbs, decorations, and chinese anchovy's?? Did the designer just go to a market and pick whatever had a foreign label? Definitely a step up from the last location as there was a rat issue. It seems Hot joy wants the aesthetic of being asian without doing any of the work for it. Great potential but little seems to be done. read more

WHAT A SPOT! Cool decoration and the vibes!!! Great options of cocktails and mock-tails! read more

Loved the food and service. From getting seated to our food, it was fast & efficient. We got to try Sunday HH & the beer was nice & COLD. The wings were sooo crispy. I tried the spam fried rice but wasn't a fan- the sauce and pineapple didn't do it for me. The fire noodles were so good though. Can't wait to return for ramen. They take reservations but check menu to see what's served that day as it can change. read more

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Could be cleaner. But the food is delicious and service has always been to par. I love that the menu changes and it's thoughtful and inventive. read more

I was late on a Friday night in San Antonio and I was having an issue finding a good spot on Yelp to go eat. I stumbled across this place and decided to give it a shot. I was NOT disappointed at all! The food was great, the drinks were delicious and strong (I got two different cocktails: monkey business and sweet life. The spot was pretty packed we were quoted a 45 minute wait. However we got bar seating and didn't have to wait that long. The only thing with the food okay there are a few things: 1. I ordered noodles and my date ordered bao buns, and twice fried chicken. My order came out way before the wings. So we ended up sharing my entree and I'm glad we made that decision because it was legit at-least 30 minutes before the chicken came out. The bao buns did come after my noodles and before his chicken so we just turned all three orders into a small plate shareable thing. 2. There are menu items only available on certain days and or times. Which normally it's like breakfast and lunch right? Just be weary I saw pictures of some great looking ramen and that's why I went. Only to see ramen is only available mondays and only for dine in. (Not a deal breaker just a warning to check their menu dont just look at pictures! Oh also A lot of Yelp photo dishes are no longer available) 3. Next the place was busy but the food was slow, the drinks weren't slow but not fast. 4. We were never offered dessert which I was bummed we were there for a birthday celebration for me but whatever not a deal breaker for the restaurant The music choice was awesome I feel for a millennial or 80s kid. All in all I would rate this more if a 3.5 with all the potential of being a 4/5 if the staff would up their customer service a bit. read more

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This is an excellent place if you want Asian food or wings! Southtown is such a great location that you can stop here after a long day. They have a great reverse happy hour. The menu has changed and has more Asian tex Mex fusion food. The wings are the real star of the show. So much so that we ate them before I even got a picture The twice fried are DELICIOUS. They do have a seafood flavor since they're fried in crab fat. The migas fried rice was super tasty. Our waiter said it was spicy, but I didn't think it was at all lol The drinks are great and they have a solid happy hour. We got the ghost daiq and the dr. Funke. The Dr. Funke is definitely my favorite. read more

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This place is very unique! I loved the siam friend rice, it was my favorite. Portions are family style so i recommend sharing with everyone. Check out the happy hours/daily specials! Drinks were very strong ‍ read more

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The food was good but the service was very disorganized. Drinks for six came one at a time over 15 minutes. Appetizers also came out in groups. Entrees one at a time. This is poor coordination. Because of this I would have only given a fifteen percent tip. But I had to give 20% because it was 6 people. Restaurant doesn't take cash but also charges 3 and a 1/2 % fee for use of credit card. This doesn't seem fair. Better to just jack up the prices a little bit without having to charge the fee. Bottom line is that I would not go there again. read more

Food was a solid 3/10, but drinks and ambiance are 9/10. We came during happy hour on Saturday around 4pm. Very chill and bartender was nice. read more

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YES! Asian fusion is great. They have fun cocktails and big shareable ones too. Migas fried rice was one of the best things I've ever had. There can be a long wait time and parking is always a join near downtown...but it's worth the trip. Fun date night! Service is fair and the place is really cute. They have large booths which are really fun for girls night. read more

Drinks are the go to when you go here. Their drink selection is very unique and all drinks are amazing. The food is a hot or miss though. Their tofu buns are amazing! Even if you don't like tofu you will like these and their twice fried wings are delicious and will make you want to order multiple times. The rest of the food is a hit or miss. The mushroom rice was flavorful but way too salty it all just depends on your taste but overall they have a great variety. Their ramen on Monday's is also always great read more

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We had been hearing about how great this place is and decided to check it out when we were in town. It was pretty empty when we got there for lunch. We were told to sit wherever we wanted so we chose a place in the back. My wife headed for one of the tables then quickly chose another spot. I didn't think much of it until we were leaving and asked her why she had changed her mind. There were 3 dead flies on the cushion of one of the benches. The waitress wouldn't stop talking about her personal life. When I asked what the ingredients were in one of the items on the menu, she responded " I wanna say carrots I think, maybe cilantro?" Just say you don't know. We ordered some appetizers and they arrived in tiny bowls with no utensils or extra plates for us to share. I could have overlooked all these red flags but everything was SO SALTY it was inedible. When the waitress finally came around and was informed about the salt overdose on the food, she proceeded to tell us about how her boyfriend doesn't like a lot of salt either, blah blah blah. Super disappointing and will definitely NOT be back. The place sucks. Save your money and go anyplace else. read more

The hubby and I recently ate here. It wasn't what we expected. It's okay if you want to grab a drink but I wouldn't come here for the food. That is unless you're looking for bar drinking food. After a few drinks you wouldn't notice what you just consumed. We sat at the bar which perhaps was another bad idea. The entire time we were there, the bartender on our side never acknowledged us. Majority of the staff seemed like they were having a day. Was it just me, or did anyone else notice the front of the apocalyptic menu cover page with the upside crosses? You can find them in the "T" in Hot Joy and in the "0" of the 210. Safe to say we won't be back. read more

My spouse and I went to dine here for a date night the other day. The hostess told us it would be a bit of a wait but we didn't mind as the waiting room was comfortable and stylish. When it was time to sit us down, we had a nice table next to the bar and our server was great! He walked us through everything and the lighting was nice! We started to order the Stir Fried Beef Noodles, Dan Dan Noodles, and Shrimp Dumplings! Everything on the menu, besides the appetizers, is meant to be shared with 2-3 people as they are big portions. The shrimp dumplings were tiny but packed with flavor and spice! We also had a Strawberry Daiquiri and Zombie drink which were delicious to have with our meals! We then began to enjoy our entrees, and the meat was tender, juicy, and aromatic. Tastiest food we had and perfect for a date night! The Dan Dan noodles were succulent and the pork was cooked to perfection with an great peanut ratio. We hadn't eaten here since before the pandemic, but it's still just as tasty as ever. Our server was very attentive and the music choice is great. Hot Joy has a great ventilation, ambiance, service, and food! Highly recommend especially if you go on Mondays or Wednesdays for specials! read more

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While the vibe is amazing the food is okay. We got Monday ramen as it's the deal of the day and it was a different take on ramen. I got barbacoa ramen and it was okay needed more favor and my bf got mystery ramen of the week and it was good broth however every was just throw into the bowl for topping- Greek olives, can beans?, tofu,spam, lots of mushrooms, slice orange?. We also got orange chicken SO DRY where was my sauce for the chicken. Just fried chicken with bell peppers. However for the vibes. Music and drinks amazing. Food I would pass on /: read more

Hot Joy - Orange chicken and ramen - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Antonio, Texas

Updating my review from 5 to 1. As much as I love the food the first time I ate here, the last 2 times that we've tried to eat here, we've been turned away by a the same foul hostess both times. First time, understandable as our party was large. This time, we only had 3 and only one other couple in the area. The hostess paid us no mind when walking in and finally said "give me a second" after we stared at her for a bit. We were told (very aloofly) that the wait would be 1.5-2 hours. Really? With only one other couple in the waiting area? I understand there might be reservations, but that is a long time for a Wednesday night for 3 people? We wouldn't have felt so slighted if the hostess had acted any sort of hospitable way. More annoyed that we're there and grossly over quoting to get us to leave. She then said she could "go check" if we wanted her to. Why would you not know what your quote times are accurately as the hostess if you were on that long of a wait? Not to mention the AirPod in her ear. Unprofessional to say the least. Maybe I'm over reacting, but I've worked in a restaurant for the past 16 years and would never treat a customer this way. At least act like you want our money. Judging by the other reviews on this page, we by far aren't the only people to receive this service. Do better management. Hold your employees accountable. read more

It only serves fried food. Not good for people looking for healthy food. Way too much rice on the plate too. read more

Came here after two years of wanting to try this place and they did not disappoint the food was very tasty it has good flavor and the establishment itself was very nice the people were also very welcoming and genuine I will be coming back! read more

My friend and I met up Thursday night. Food is pricey but they have a ramen special on Monday and wing special on Tuesday. The parking in the area sucks. Bathrooms were dirty. The hostess was so so but the server was great. read more

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Let me just start out by saying THIS PLACE DOES NOT HAVE GOOD FOOD! They try so hard to be Asian Fusion and it doesn't taste authentic one bit. The first time we tried going, we got sat at a table next to the restrooms and it STUNK! We waited for over 10 minutes to not even be greeted, so we ate across the St at Bar Loretta. We couldn't think of a place to eat last night, so we decided to give this one another shot. Thats where I messed up.. We went last night and every single plate came out 10 minutes apart from each other. Me and my brother in law waited like 30 minutes for a Ramen that was super MIDS!!! The ambiance was alright, but the place seems to be attracting a very certain crowd ‍... There is no parking lot for this hole in the wall so good luck with that. The Miso Soup was SOOOO HOT and overcooked that the noodles were chewy. The chef came outside after we ate and this goofy ghetto Arbys manager lookin dude heard us criticing the food but didn't say anything I give this place a 5/10. read more

If you're looking for the vibe... this is it. This cozy restaurant has left the best impressions! Hospitable hosts, delicious dishes, beautiful presentation, wide wine list and wonderful dessert. I recommend to everyone! I would like to come back here again and again. read more

Don't waste your time. My friends and I showed up on a Friday night for drinks and dinner. We made a reservation and still waited for 2 hours (when they told us 35 minutes). The place is over-crowded and the bar seems to be to "craft" for their own good. I made this long trip, 25 minutes, to come down here and couldn't even get a drink at the bar. While waiting for our table, we stood at the bar for over 30 minutes. The drinks are over-priced so I thought they might have been something special but I didn't even get to find out. Four bartenders and they were slow with the drinks. Too much talking and not enough mixing. This was my second try at this place but never again. Same experience twice. So shame on me this time. I should have stayed at B&D Icehouse. read more

Wings are amazing! Best egg rolls! Love the banana ketchup! Funky vibe. Fried rice was so satisfying and serving was huge! Fun place for a date!! read more

I've heard a lot of great things about this place. Their drinks are amazing and the Asian fusion food is delicious! It's definitely a vibe! Love the atmosphere here!! I'm 100% coming back! read more

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Stopped by impromptu and it was happy hour. We had an appetizer, a dinner plate, 3 cocktails and a beer for super cheap. Food, drinks and ambiance were perfect. Will go back again! read more

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GREAT service, GREAT atmosphere, but the food is just "meh." I wasn't very impressed with it. We started off with a beer and a rum based Frozen Zombie ($9.99) - I only had a sip of it but it was good...good and strong. Next up were the twice fried wings ($12.99) as an appetizer (I think it's technically an entree here though). They were cooked perfectly and coated in some sort of "crab fat caramel" glaze. They were good, but I just wasn't blown away by them. They didn't seem to have any special flavor. The Tom Kah Noodles ($14.99) was very rich and creamy. Too sweet tasting actually, and had just a little bit of spice to it. It was ok but, to use an overused cliché, nothing to write home about. The Pad Se Ew (16.99) consists of noodles, pork belly, a fried egg and broccoli. Again, just not blown away. It was just "meh." They're open until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, so it's good for late'ish food. In summary, I really enjoyed the atmosphere and the service was good. But the most important thing (the food) just didn't deliver on any promises. Especially for the price. It will probably be a long time before I return. Sorry Hot Joy. read more

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Drinks were great and food was great. Wings were fire! Nice spot especially if you are there for happy hour.

Just went to go eat at hot joy the other day for a birthday celebration and let me tell you the service WAS BAD!!! I was so disappointed as a restaurant who says they've been in business for 10 years how do you have such bad service? Let me explain We get seated and everything seems fine we put in our first two appetizer order and two entrees that the server recommended. We get out drink and our first appetizer the cucumber salad, wasnt anything to rave about but it was as you expected. For our second appetizer there was some sort of confusion with what we ordered but it was okay we eventually got it I do recommend the pocket joy that one was good. Then here is where it all went down. As we finished our second appetizer most restaurants take this time to cook up your entrees, well I thought since it was a family style entree that at least one would come out before the other well no, that wasn't the case. Mind you we got sat at 9:00pm we had our appetizers which we ate pretty quickly and we gave them a grace period because we are nice people, well we waited about an hour and a half no sign of food, the server or the manager. Finally at about 10:20-30 the server came up to us and gave us a very underwhelming apology stating "sorry for the long wait but you know" and that there was only one person on wok duty, well it didn't seem like there was an issue since people who were seated an hour after us and before us even literally at that same moment that we got that sorry excuse get their fried rice and bulgogis, we weren't even offered any food or drinks to make up for the time, we where never asked if it was a special occasion or not (which isint a need but still) and or got the manager to show up and talk to us. We decided to cancel the fried rice because IT WASNT EVEN MADE YET!!! We had just seen a fried rice go out to someone LITERALLY SITTING NEXT TO US!!!! Again I'm not one to ask for a discount or get rowdy but this man rarely came to check up on us, gave me the check when I asked in a very weird mannner not even looking my way and no discount whatsoever. I paid full price and gave him the 20% tip and just left. I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND THIS PLACE even Olive Garden has a better guest service. read more

This little place is amazing your best friends best friend for Thai food. Every dish we tried was delicious fresh and hot. We definitely want to come back on the Ramen monday's even wing Wednesdays sound pretty good. Me and my husband tried this for the first time on a Friday evening. They don't open till four but they're open till midnight we got there when they open so there was not much of a wait food and drinks came out fast and the waitress was super attentive and we love the whole ambience as a restaurant will definitely be back. I recommend!! read more

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To start off, this review is ONLY for the food. We are visiting San Antonio from California and wanted some Asian food so we DoorDashed from hot joy with hopes of some interesting sounding dishes. We ordered the twice fried chicken wings, stir fried beef noodle, and the chengdu pork noodles. From worst to best: 1. Chengdu Pork Noodles: Bland spicy stodge. No flavor besides spicy, noodles very dry, pork belly overcooked and very fatty. It seems they were trying to go for a kind of curry peanut flavored noodle but it had 0 flavor. We decided to throw it away rather than try to finish it. 2. Stir fried beef noodle: Noodles also bland and clumpy (our hotel was less than 10 minutes driving from the restaurant) with strong essence of mushroom. Beef had some flavor but also overcooked. Wife was unable to eat it, I tried my best but probably ended up throwing more than half away. 3. Twice fried chicken wings: FINALLY some flavor! However, verging on over salty soy sauce flavor and the chicken was tough and overcooked. But at least it was edible and we finished it. Overall, these three dishes put us back over 70 dollars with tax (we have dashpass so no extra fees) and DoorDasher tip. Not great value at 20 bucks a dish given we threw away more than half for being essentially inedible. read more

Came in at 9:52 and our waiter was fabulous, we order a variety of items. We were not disappointed and we have kids 10-12 yrs old. Food was great and non -alcoholic teas were great as well. Great decor for us out of towners. They stayed open u til 2 am but we came for food. Green beans are a must try! read more

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I love the way this place is laid out. It's just fun to be here. The drinks are generally flamboyantly spectacular and unique. Hand crafted cocktails, yum. Ate dinner here for the first time. The wings were only $5 for 5 on Wed. What a crazy great deal and they were good wings (we did the Asian sauce, sweet not hot. Entrée I had the beef noodles. M'eh. The roast beef (unique or the cut) had nice chunks of soft fat on many of the chunks. Not my deal. Not gross fat but just not my deal. Service was ample but quite a few mistakes with our server/bar tender who was was very new. Poured regular water into our purchased sparkling water glasses. Whoops. I'd maybe come back. For a drink for sure. I have a feeling we could do better for cuisine. read more

Good service from the wait staff and the drinks were unique and delicious. However, the food was terrible. The rice in the fried rice was undercooked. Sometimes you could get away with undercooking your rice a little but the texture and taste of the rice was that it wasn't cooked at all. Almost like raw grains were used. The stir fried beef noodles had an overwhelming rosemary or five spice powder taste and the large beef chunks were over cooked. The sesame chicken was soggy and tasted a little too vinegary. The good things was the the green beans were very good and the pork belly was one of the best I've had. The atmosphere and vibe here is really unique, I'd come back for drinks but maybe eat beforehand. read more

We saw mixed reviews on this place, some liked the drinks, some liked the food. Both were right. I also want to say whatever issues there were about service in the past, we saw nothing but excellence. For those of you writing reviews right after Covid and you complained about service, seriously go back to those spots and give them a freshen-up. Also, try being nice, it goes a long ways. Love the location in the King William District, parking can be its own adventure, but enjoy the walk. Fantastic older building, and the inside is a vibe between a Beatles ashram and getting your palm read in New Orleans during the 70s. We ordered the chaat (distinctive unique flavor) and the twice fried wings as a starter, I made love to those wings and I'm not ashamed to admit it. We then shared the hot chicken. If you like gin, they have several different crafted cocktails, tasty. Everything was spot on. No room for dessert. read more

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I have *always* been soft on Hot Joy. For yearssss. Everyone's seen at least 1 Asian movie with these cool Tokyo-style booths and token plates/bowls in the background. I've seen Hot Joy through their inception with the staple Spam fried rice and crab fat wings to the family Asian-style fried chicken special ('TWAS BOMB) and most recently the meal incredibly reminiscent of a well-known Texas cafeteria staple. Wink ;) And who could forget their tremendous, Tikki-themed cocktails at the bar? I stumbled across their later happy hour one night recently (pics attached) where you can score amazing deals on beautifully crafted cocktails and some cheap nibbley-bits that are tasty af. Beware! Of that freakin' stir-fried kung pao tofu because it is delicious but SPICY! People complain of a certain "vibe" here but I've never felt anything but welcome. Hot Joy has been around for a good minute, and with good reason. Recommend. read more

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hostess was rude, bar staff was extremely nice, food was GREAT, it was a little warm inside but that is beyond staff control.