Friendly service. No frills. Food came out in to-go boxes and were all SUPER hot, evident that it was fresh. The bao were tasty (both the pork and custard) and the steamed dumplings were popping hot and fresh tasting. They gave huge portions of the beef fried rice too. read more

Joy Luck House - Buns and dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Let me start off by saying that I love uplifting Asian owned businesses, but I am really disappointed by experience here. The place is a bit dirty, no one greeted me even after I sat down for almost 10 minutes, and at no point did anyone even offer me water. I asked if I could use the bathroom and the answer was no. I was so thirsty and needed to go to the bathroom so bad that I just got my order to go instead. You can imagine that the server wasn't particularly warm or welcoming. Ok, so customer isn't their strong point, but maybe the food is authentic and good right? Nope. The ma po tofu I ordered was really disappointing and not spicy. The soup dumplings tasted like the ones from Trader Joe's, and the custard buns I ordered were definitely not freshly made. The rice wrapped in leaves was also very underwhelming. I am really disappointed because these are the types of dishes I grew up eating/making with my family. While the prices are reasonable, the meal I had wasn't worth $60+. There are better restaurants in the area. Just to end on a positive note though, the food is well-packaged, the crispy beef was good, and the congee was exactly like I imagined it would be. The food looked much better than it tastes, but at least it looks nice. Conclusion: I feel like if the food is mediocre, the service should at least be better. You can't have bad service AND bad food. Gotta pick one. read more

Joy Luck House - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We saw Yelp reviews that this place was the only bakery in DC Chinatown. We wanted to see the pastries there, but we ended up actually having dinner here on 8/17/19. This is a small, tight restaurant that can not accommodate large groups of people. A table here can only fit up to 4 people. The physical environment of the restaurant is not modern, sleek, and clean. The white walls are dirty and tables are coated with grease. We ordered beef chow foon and sesame chicken, each for $10.95, which is a deal in DC. Our entrees were served in 10-15 minutes. The portions were large for 2 people and couldn't be finished. Service was spotty. We had to ask our waitress for water and serving spoons. No refills were offered. We sat at a table near the cashier area for carry out, but those customers had no place to wait and stared at us while we ate. Finally, we looked at the Chinese pastries on the shelves, but they didn't look fresh especially the burnt egg custards for $1.95 each. Prices were 50-75 cents higher when compared to Chinese bakeries in Maryland and Virginia. Overall, we recommend trying another Chinese restaurant in Chinatown if you have concerns with cleanliness and spaciousness. read more

Joy Luck House - Beef Chow Foon $10.95 - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Food was delicious, great portions for price. Service was quick and kind. The environment is inviting and friendly. I would recommend if you're looking for a quick, filling meal! read more

I had the lemon chicken and the wonton soup, both were very delicious. I mistakenly read the menu from the restaurant next-door, Joi look house does not have duck. FYI. Staff was very friendly and the food came out piping hot! Yeah, ambience is very simple but comfortable. This is the kind of Chinese restaurant you would expect to find in Chinatown. Yes, I would recommend this restaurant. read more

Ordered via DoorDash, the food is very delicious. I recommend the soup dumplings and pork bao!

Craving Dim so ordered from here to go! Scallion pancakes: 10/10 so delicious!! Steamed Roast Pork Bun: 10/10 Pan fried chicken dumplings: 0/10, absolutely no flavor, didn't even eat them Mini custard bun: 10/10 Red bean moon cake: 10/10 It was my first time trying many of these items and I was very pleased! Would have given 5 stars if not for the dumplings. I've had better from the frozen section of the grocery store!! read more

Joy Luck House - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We stopped in to grab sesame balls and egg tarts to go. Wish they had more grab and go items. read more

This was the only bubble tea place that I came across while walking around in Chinatown. There was a long line....so it seemed like it was an obvious choice to stop by. I definitely didn't regret it I ordered the Thai bubble tea and a mochi ball. It is a small space and can get crowded. There is very limited seating. The mirrors in the restaurant make it look bigger inside. The staff is very friendly read more

The schezuan shrimp tasted like it had been cooked melted plastic - weird fuel taste. The orange chicken was ok. Spring rolls ok. Tea is expensive and takes a long time. This is the first time I've had bad Chinese food. But I did get a good fortune in the cookie. read more

All I had was the moon cake but it was fabulous :) Fair prices and a great place to run in to for a sweet treat! read more

Joy Luck House - My friends and I enjoying our moon pies :) - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Fairly dull, run of the mill Chinese restaurant in DC Chinatown. It's small, so I think they do most of their business by take away. I was hankering for some Chinese food for lunch so walked to Chinatown. There were many places to choose from so I rolled the dice on Joy Luck. Not great luck. It was ok, just ok. I order the Szechuan chicken. The portion was decent but the food itself was so bland, I could hardly taste anything. Service was just ok. Dont think I'd try my luck here again, many other option nearby. read more

Joy Luck House - Szechuan chicken - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

I have ordered takeout here a couple of times because they are close by and have some Chinese comfort foods that I crave, like congee. Every time it has been very okay. They have things that seem pretty authentic on the menu but don't have that authentic touch when you actually try them. For example, the sichuan string brings were not wok-fried or blistered the way they should be--it was more like regular string beans with some soy sauce and chili flakes. Perhaps it's because I've only gotten takeout, but I don't feel particularly compelled to try them in person. read more

Best Asian I have had since my visit back to Seattle. Beef broccoli and noodle dish. Hubby loved the steamed dumplings. Fantastic!

Visited this yummy restaurant. We ordered chicken fried rice and moo goo gai pan (chicken with veggies & mushrooms)-$23-not including tip. Food was tasty and yummy! You order at the counter and they bring out the food in to-go containers inside bag. Inside bag, they provided plates so you can eat at the table. So essentially no server taking orders, but can eat at the restaurant's 6-7 tables. We made sure to clean up the table after finishing. read more

Joy Luck House - Moo Goo Gai Pan - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Each time I visit this place, my experience is different. The menu has evolved to include many more standard dishes. My takeout order of chicken/string beans was pretty good. I prefer bland, as a caution to others who don't. I especially liked the congee with freshly made breadstick. Neatly packaged and fast service. Closed Mondays. The place is small but looked inviting to sit down. My guess is the pandemic will solidify their identity and service. My previous visits were not as good. The breakfast pastries were emphasized and were not consistent in quality nor availability. read more

I visited Washington DC during the winter holiday. Stayed at a hotel near Chinatown and was able to try different restaurants for several days. They were all underwhelming (all below Hongkonger's taste standard ). This evening, however, I decided to try my luck at Joy Luck House and ordered some foods to go. I ordered Singapore Rice Noodles, shrimp Wonton Soup, lean pork congee with breadstick. To my surprise, I love their food!!! Especially the Singapore Rice Noodles. Taste just like the ones from Hong Kong!!!! read more

Super friendly staff. Food came out delicious and quick. Plenty of food for a good price. Perfect place to grab food before a hockey or basketball game. Very family friendly. read more

Admittedly, I only came in here for the Moon cakes! I was so excited to see the sign in the window. The last time I had one, I was in Singapore. I ordered pineapple, egg custard, and red bean moon cakes. Each one was delicious- with an order of four or more you get a decorative tin. The service was incredibly fast - especially seeing as they were packed - we were all seemingly heading to the Phil Collins concert down the street. The restaurant is small and in the heart of DC's Chinatown. I really liked this place. I'm looking forward to coming back and having a full on meal. I think if the moon cakes were any indication- the rest of the food will be phenomenal. It was a great place - a lot of fun. It seems it was the worst kept secret - it looked like a lot of people came there and were regulars or sought this place out. read more

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I had chicken congee and steamed soup dumplings. Both were great. I also tried their portuguese egg tart. Delicious! Service was kind and polite. Food was missing some element of pop. Couldn't put my finger on it. Maybe I should've asked for sauces to see if they had anything that could've helped. Overall, good experience. read more

Joy Luck House - Chicken congee. Soup dumplings. - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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The delivery was fast but unfortunately the quality wasn't up to par. The shrimp and broccoli was mushy and tasteless. read more

Joy Luck House - Shrimp and Shrimp with Broccoli - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Came in for a lunch special. I ordered orange chicken with steamed rice, My friend ordered the beef with broccoli and steamed rice. Everything tasted fresh and flavorful. Good portions, and the place was clean. read more

I have yet to try food off their lunch or dinner menu, but I love their breakfast and dim sum! (Even if their dim sum menu is on the smaller side). There's also a small bakery selection. Great place to eat your traditional Chinese breakfast! Their 豆浆(soy milk), 米粥 (congee), 油条 (fried bread stick), 葱油饼 (scallion pancake), 小笼包 (soup dumplings), 锅贴 (pan fried dumpling), and 蛋挞 (egg tart) are all top notch. I think what really made this place 5 stars is how nice the staff are. My Chinese American self struggled to order in Chinese and the waitress (she also seemed like she might have been the owner?) was very patient and let me practice ordering. This place definitely has a family friendly vibe. read more

10/10 please get the sesame chicken! life changing stuff. Also service was fantastic. Food came out very quick and the drink selection is exactly what you would expect. read more

After walking a couple of miles enjoying the cherry blossom and much of the D.C. sightseeing in the morning, we were tired and hungry. We stopped by the highly rated China Boy but quickly exited out of the door - that place is pretty much just a takeout place, tiny with only 2 tables. We needed to SIT. We desperately found the nearby Chinatown Express, however, it had long lines waiting through the door. So we had to settle for Joy Luck House, which is right next door. Food: We ordered 4 noodle dishes: Bean Sauce w/ Meat, Pork LoMein, Beef Chow Fun, and Beef Noodle Soup. All were $9.45 and that's about as high as one can price these standard takeout dishes. While they were all OK, they weren't good enough to stop us having second thoughts -- that we should have waited in line for the Chinatown Express next door. Service: You order and pay food at the counter and they bring to your table when ready. The same lady did both and she was friendly, did nothing beyond her duties, though. An older man would periodically come out of the kitchen and clear the tables where necessary. He's either the cook or the owner or maybe both. He's very grumpy. We could hear him grumbling as he went about doing his thing. Not good for the business! One surprise was that this little Mom & Pop operation accepted credit cards!! Bottom line: If you can afford to wait in line, go to Chinatown Express next door which is Zagat rated, cheaper for the same dishes; the long line has to be for a reason. I give it a reluctant 3 stars, though I suspect I might have given it a 2 if we weren't so hungry. read more

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I came to Chinatown a bit early hoping to find domain, but nothing opens before 10/10:30 which I'm surprised by because back in NYC where I'm from most dim sum restaurants open super early for breakfast. I walked around for a whole and ended up eating at this place. I got their lunch special (mon to Fri 10-3?), It comes with a tea or soda and a rice dish. I got a general tso's chicken and a soda. I also ordered shrimp dumplings ($4.50). Over all the service was straight forward no frills. They also have Chinese buns here as well. read more

Joy Luck House - $4.50 Shrimp Dumplings - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Let's just say I just found my NEW Worst Chinese food EVER. Technically we only tried their baked goods so based on that they're pretty bad. Service was OK and they have a nice selection of cheap baked goods but if you want something good in the area wait till the restaurant next door opens, at least yelp says its good, they were closed and we came here by default. Pastries and buns that I thought should be served warm were cold and hard like it was straight from the fridge. I came here early morning expecting the good fresh stuff. Didn't get that. It was cold and rainy outside could've really gotten something warm. We also ate some pastry that they said was their best seller, tasted spoiled. We tossed it when we left. Their teas were tasty. I'd ask if they have fresh warm baked goods, maybe they might have something in the back. Or have them warm it up for you cause how hard is it to do that. read more

Joy Luck House - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

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Wow! What a great tiny place in DC Chinatown. Everything cooked to order, one by one. I had scallion pancakes that were crisp, flavorful and not greasy, packed full of flavor. Then there was sliced pork and broccoli. Delicious! My brother had crispy beef that was just amazing, steamed pork buns fresh out of the steamer. And the shrimp egg rolls! Oh my! Again, crispy and not oily. We had such a great lunch and a great time. Loved it. read more

Food is okay... drinks I will pass! If you want chx/veg buns or sesame balls with red bean and taro, $1.99 for each is fine. It's best to get them in the morning otherwise they'll be sitting out all day. As for bubble tea/pearl tea/boba/etc, it was okay. If you have had good boba in your life, then this will sadly not pass the bill. FYI: They take card :) read more

Joy Luck House - Mango milk tea $4 - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Sad to see all the negative reviews. This place is awesome! I ordered pickup this afternoon and was delighted by the service, as well as the quality and quantity of the food provided to me. I happened to be walking around Chinatown, craving fresh noodles when I stumbled upon Joy Luck House. After reading some of the reviews, I was a bit hesitant to order from them, but decided to test my luck. After all, the pandemic has significantly disrupted the casual dining experience and a lot of businesses are hurting. I am glad I followed my gut. After a smooth ordering experience through Yelp, I showed up to the restaurant and found my order waiting for me on the counter, packaged with extra sauce and napkins, and bundled with care. Inside was shrimp rice noodles, vegetable spring rolls, and dumplings. The shrimp rice noodles did not disappoint. Piled throughout the dish were fresh, miniature shrimp and an abundance of vegetable. This place did not skimp on the shrimp. As for the dumplings, there was a good amount for an appetizer, and enough to share between me and my partner. We also ordered the vegetable rolls, which came in a pair of two and were coupled with a package of duck sauce. Overall, I would say that I was satisfied with my take-out experience, considering the simple fact that the staff was friendly, and the food was delicious. What more can you ask for? read more

Really wanted to like this restaurant. I really wanted to love the "fresh cut noodles". This was not good at all to me. The broth of the soup was so unflavored. I expected a Chinese soup that could contend with a Vietnamese pho broth. It doesn't. We also had the general Taos and sesame chicken. It doesn't compete to the run of the mill chinese fast food dives all over the country. I don't recommend high expectations if you order from here unless you have tried and trued the menu for something that's actually good. I gave a 2 bc it was well packaged. read more

For quick Chinese food, I gotta say this was pretty good! I saw the negative reviews and almost slipped away, but this was different. It actually was not a bad place for lunch. For almost $16, I got two steamed pork buns and an order of chicken chow fun. The pork buns were absolutely amazing, very doughy and meaty with lots of flavor. The chow fun was also done right! Lots of noodles, bean sprouts, and overall good flavor! They were a bit skimpy on the chicken, but for the portion I got, there's not much else to complain about. I do wish they offered wonton soup for lunch. When I called ahead and asked for it, it was a bummer to hear that they don't sell it. Who doesn't like a good wonton soup? Anyway, I'll take a flyer on ordering something else here. read more

Great fresh rice rolls. The dumplings were also bomb. We got takeout because they don't have dine in. Also cash only read more

Joy Luck House - a variety of food items on a table - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

We had dinner there on a Friday night. The place was empty. They weren't very nice. Kind of rude, really. The food was a bit disappointing. The hot and sour soup had an odd taste so no one would drink it. The sesame balls, usually one of my favorites, were not very fresh. The scallion pancakes, which I was looking forward to, weren't very good either. read more

Three because service was slow, and it took a long time to get our order in. Overall definitely a mom and pop shop. But once it was in we got our food pretty fast and everything came out super hot. The yu tiao was crispy but not greasy! Noodle dishes were loaded with noodles. Hopefully the next time we visit I can upgrade this review. read more

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The food was good, but their mooncakes were out of this world I've tried many many many mooncakes in China and theirs may just be the best (or at least some of the very best!!) I've ever had. read more

I got the double roasted pork belly, general tsos chicken, and steamed pork buns with lo mein. Double roasted pork belly was the best out of all of them - well roasted and flavorful. General Tsos chicken was right balance of sweetness and not too much bread on the outside. Steamed pork buns were underwhelming - not enough meat or flavor, more bun than meat. Lo mein was great too - would highly recommend. read more

I came here after eating a nice dinner across the street. Since I was in DC, I had to get some bubble tea. So I stumbled upon here and well inside it had potential as I saw the iconic bubble tea wrap machine in the corner. But after I ordered, the person went through the door and never came back out and used the machine! I think one of the satisfying things about bubble tea is poking the top to get to that yummy goodness. However, that didn't happen. What I got was just a lidded container with a straw hole on top. Not quite what I was looking for, but okay. When it came to the bubble tea, it was overly sweet. But it was better than what I could get from home, so I can't say that it's something that was undrinkable. Let's just say after I had this tea, I passed out. I've had better, however this place was better than where I am living currently. Still when I'm in DC in Chinatown, I would hope that their bubble tea would be something a little better. read more

Joy Luck House - Milk tea - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

Great and fast service. Pork fried rice was awesome and sweet and sour chicken. Will definitely come back. read more

Joy Luck House - Chinese Near Me - Washington, DC, District of Columbia

The Food was terrible. Will never order from them again. Meat was fatty and nasty plus it's expensive.