If you're in Chicago's Chinatown, Joy Yee is definitely worth a stop. The food was packed with flavor. The fried rice was rich and satisfying, and the chicken was tender, juicy, and cooked just right. They also have an impressive selection of boba drinks, with plenty of flavors to choose from whether you're in the mood for something fruity, creamy, or classic. The restaurant has plenty of seating, although the tables are fairly close together, so it can feel a bit tight when it's busy. The atmosphere is lively and energetic, which adds to the experience, but it can get pretty noisy during peak hours. The only downside was the service, which moved a little slower than expected, but the quality of the food easily made up for the wait. I'd happily come back the next time I'm in the area. read more

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Kari's Rating 8.4/10 Came for the Chinatown, summer fair, and it was extremely busy, but they were prepared. They had three separate lines, 2 with self-serve kiosks, and the third one with an actual person. It took about less than five minutes for our Boba's to come out. And I always get the avocado as it is late, a little bit earthy, but still very sweet with tapioca. read more

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Very disappointed in our most recent visit. The only thing that went smoothly is that we were seated immediately. After that, it was all downhill. We stopped by with friends the other day and I'd been hyping this place up, my last time here was fantastic. Well, this time, not so much. So first, our friend lets our server know they have an allergy. We are informed they cannot accommodate it with anything on the menu. I do not recommend trying to eat here if you have allergies, skip it and go else where. The server said they make everything in the same pot, so if you order a chicken dish, but the person before you ordered fish, guess there's maybe some fish in your dish now too. Our friend insisted we still order, so we get something and then a dish for the kids and some boba teas. The drinks came out quickly at least. Then our main course...then the appetizer...then finally the meal the kids ordered. It took forever for the various dishes to come out, especially the appetizer and the noodles we ordered for our girls, we were getting ready to ask for the bill and ask for the missing dish to be removed just as it came out. I'd guess we waited almost an hour for that last dish to come out. I will say the food was tasty at least, but this was so unorganized and just not the level of service I expected based on my previous trip here not to mention for the price per dish. We were not made aware of the service charge until the bill came. No one checked on us during our meal either. Just a very lackluster and disappointing experience. read more

Man oh man, when I have a craving for Chinese Food this restaurant is what I'm talking about. We ordered Kung Pao Chicken, Chicken Noodles, Beef Fried Rice, Orange Chicken, and Watermelon Slushies. The main entree meats all came with a side of white rice, my favorite and very clutch. They potentially have one of the largest physically sized menus I have ever seen (ha). Everything we had was all top tier haha As you can tell from the pictures, all delicious food and worth trying. I wish I lived nearby so I could try this place more often! If I'm in the area and I need something I can trust, Joy Yee is definitely a must. Appreciate the food and first time experience Joy Yee, I'll be seeing you soon! Personal Review: 8.8/10 read more

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Joy Yee -- a must-stop in Chicago's Chinatown! If you're heading to Chinatown, do yourself a favor and stop at Joy Yee. Great place, great location, and the service is fast and friendly. We came in with the family and left full and happy. The smoothies are the real star here -- they specialize in them and it shows. Every single one we tried was the best, fresh fruit blended perfectly. If you think it's just a drive-through smoothie spot, walk on around -- they've got plenty of seating inside plus a great outdoor patio, perfect for a family meal. And the food? Top tier. The fried rice, the fried vegetables, and the orange chicken (spicy or not spicy, your call) were all delicious. The fried dumplings with that sweet chili sauce were a hit too. Easily one of the best places to eat in the neighborhood. Bring the family, grab a smoothie, and enjoy. We'll definitely be back read more

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I recently went back to Joy Yee Noodles in Chinatown after previously only trying their smoothies/boba drinks. This time, I sat down for a full meal, and overall I enjoyed the experience and would definitely return. This place gets packed, especially for the smoothies. The restaurant itself is a decent size, but the tables are very close together, so seating can feel a little tight. The ambiance is pretty simple and nothing overly memorable. They have a faux greenery wall with the restaurant's name on it and the smoothie counter area when you first walk through the doors. One thing I will say is the menu is HUGE. They have an overwhelming amount of options, which can honestly make it hard to choose, but at the same time I do appreciate that there's something for everybody, especially for picky eaters or people craving different kinds of dishes. I ordered the Thai curry shrimp, and it was honestly delicious. The shrimp were large, flavorful, and they gave a good amount. I didn't expect the green beans in the curry, but it actually worked well with the dish. My only complaint was that they should give more white rice with it because I ran out of rice quickly and still had a lot of curry left over. My boyfriend ordered the orange chicken. I personally thought it tasted really good, but he felt it was just okay..nothing to rave about. His brother got a Pad Thai dish and cleaned the entire bowl, so I'm assuming he really enjoyed it. After dinner, we ordered smoothies, and they were pretty good as well. One thing I found interesting was the service style. You order directly with your server, and there are staff members standing around if you need anything..you can literally raise your hand and someone comes over quickly, which I appreciated. However, the food delivery itself was a little impersonal. Workers push carts around with multiple tables dishes on them and stop from table to table dropping food off. I'm assuming this is common in Chinatown restaurants because I've seen it before, and while it's efficient, I'm not sure how I feel about it service wise. It felt less personal, and I did notice food sitting open on the cart while stopping at different tables before finally arriving at ours. Overall though, the food was good, the portions were solid, and I'd definitely come back again. read more

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Coming to Joy Yee was my first trip to Chinatown in Chicago. Was a pleasant experience! The restaurant had a relaxed and colorful vibe, and the service was swift. We w bites the food family style and were impressed with the flavor of both dishes. The eel in the rice was the best eel I've ever had. I look forward to my next visit! read more

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We went to sit inside. We got seated immediately we went during lunchtime it wasn't that crowded. We ordered the beef short rib soup and kimchi fried rice. As you can see in my picture there's no sign of a soup it's just noodles but in their menu it's called a soup. The noodles were garlic soy sauce noodle noodles. It was good! I had no complaints. The kimchi fried rice was very good as well too. The beef short rib is sweet and slightly lemongrass flavored. This whole meal is for the sweet and slightly savory palette. The garlic noodles honestly had way too much garlic on them. But once I ate it later in the day it was good. When you sit inside the price that you see on the menu will not be what you're charge you will be charged $23 instead of $16. Definitely clarify if that is the sizing price, we assumed we got dinner portions. You do get more than enough to take home. I will say about this place is if you do try something new you will have an interesting experience! read more

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Biggest menu I've seen in my life! Tried the chicken pad Thai. It was more Chinese style than Thai style, so if you want Thai pad Thai, find an actual Thai restaurant. Egg roll was great. They don't serve Coca Cola products here so had to resort to Diet Pepsi. read more

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The food was good NGL but the problem is ? They charged us for a wrong bill , plus we ask them is the tip was include and they said it wasn't and yess it was we ask them for the bill and they never brought it, they just take our card , plus as you can see on the bill they added 22 Dlls for tips , btw none of us 4 ordered any of those things are in the bill read more

Joy Yee Noodle - on the bottom it says 22dlls for service , none of us 4 didn order any of those things - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

fast service, good food, and large portions. For the amount of food that we got and the price point it was perfect for two people with option for to go. We also got the bubble tea drink, which were extremely large and yummy. There was plenty of seating with no wait. The chicken was fragrant, and the curb ran guns were delicious perfectly fried. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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We were seated upstairs, upstairs offers overflow seating and is very spacious. The ambiance was nice and lively downstairs, upstairs it was more chill and not as decorative. The food was on point. I went with the spicy tom yum chicken fried rice and it was delicious. We tried a a few various fruit teas and everyone seemed satisfied with what they ordered. I'd come back if and when in the area. Their menus is massive and has a lot to offer. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Joy Yee has tons of seating and is a huge place in Chinatown! Their dishes are pretty good but I love getting their milk teas as a little sweet treat while walking around Chinatown. Service is quick if you just order a drink and the lychee rose milk tea is delicious. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

So much nostalgic Asian American noms all seasoned perfectly! Some of my highlights were the: 1. beef cube - comes with yellow rice, delicious but wish there was more meat 2. chicken and veggie cheung fun - chewy rice noodles and the flavor will surprise you! 3. pho - savory broth with good noodles Definitely recommend coming with a group to do family style meal to get a little bit of everything. Also look at that extensive drink menu with photos! We got the mango smoothie and it was nice thick and creamy smoothie and tasted like there were actual real mangoes used! 100% would come back, large restaurant with a lot of seating but can get filled up fast. Staff was fast and provided extra bowls and utensils for family style meals! We had a party of 6 so there was a 18% service charge already included read more

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My 5 Takeaways (in under 60 seconds) Location: Conveniently located and easy to spot in the newer part of Chinatown. A short distance from nearby street parking and parking lots. Vibe: Upbeat and modern, with plenty of seating and nice décor. Service: Attentive, fast, and pleasant. Our waiter did an excellent job and made our visit enjoyable. Food: HUGE menu with an abundance of food, drinks, and options. I'd be surprised if anyone couldn't find something they want. Our meals were delicious - big portions, well prepared, nicely presented, and everything tasted great. Quick Tip: The spring rolls are made with fresh ingredients and packed with flavor. Also, they serve soda in cans (with a glass of ice on the side) instead of from a fountain. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Spring Rolls & Edamame - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I came to this place in Chinatown to give my out-of-town guests a lot of choices. The Japanese tofu I ordered was underwhelming and they were nice enough to give us a discount on it even though we only took a couple bites as a policy is to remake or order something else but we were ready to go read more

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Very disappointed especially after seeing all the tik toks. First our bowl of rice had hair in it. Then our Beef lo mein had a fly crawling around in. Was so disgusted n disappointed didnt even bother to even take a picture. read more

This is our favorite spot to come when we visit Chinatown. Love the variety of the menu and how it includes both picture and description. It's a big menu too so super helpful. Everything we tried was great, super tasty and the wait staff was so great! We didn't care for the mushroom dish because the sauce was not what we expected, we were told we were probably looking for an oyster sauce base. They were so nice tho and took it off at discount to us. Love the clean and modern feel of this place and the big windows for people watching!! read more

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Kiwi & lychee this time around The kiwi wasn't what I expected tbh but the drink was still refreshing That's what I get for switching up my norm haha read more

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Joy Yee has been one of our family favorites for a while now. Their delicious Boba Teas; Taro is delicious. We love their Shrimp Pineapple rice they serve in a half cut pineapple. Their peppered beef cubes are also delicious. So are their short ribs. So many wonderful selections. Here. Very busy place. Get in before 9pm, as they close up early . Across from US Bank in the Center. When you get to the center of after going through the West Gate, Located across from Walgreens and in front of Lao Szechuan's. Amazing places. Many shops open until 9-10pm. Busy busy area for Souvenirs, Boba Teas, and more read more

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Order their beef brisket pho. It was pretty bland. There was tons of broth so maybe that's why it was watered down. There was also a lot of fat on the beef that I had to rip off. Vietnamese dumplings were good, though. 2 stars because none of the servers checked on us to see if we needed anything. read more

Joy Yee comes highly recommended as a restaurant to try while in Chinatown. When we first arrived to the area we started with the strawberry iced matcha. There were a lot of people ahead of us but the orders came out rather quickly. It was so refreshing, sweet and filling. A nice treat to enjoy while we walked around. At 50% sweetness they were perfect, I couldn't imagine 100%! We then headed back 30 mins later to get a table for food. There was about a 20 min wait to get seated for a table of 2 but we were prepared to wait because the food looked really yummy. Once sat our apps came out in about 20 mins and the entrees took another food 25 mins after that. They were super busy but they run a tight ship and the staff works in sync to clear and clean tables, bring water, plates and take orders. You pretty much are serviced by multiple people rather than one waiter. We started with the crab rangoon and fried dumplings to start. Both a tad bit too crispy for my liking but they got the job done. For entrees, I got the salt and pepper tofu which was crispy on the outside and super silky on the inside. The way tofu should be! My bf got the bbq short rib with garlic noodles and ooo baby, it was super decadent and flavorful. Everything was really good & the portions were good enough to share between 2 people with more than enough leftovers to go. read more

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A friend recommended I try the beef cubes with tomato sauce rice at Joy Yee Noodle in Chicago, and wow--I'm so glad I listened. Even though I ordered it to-go, the food came out incredibly fast and piping hot, which was impressive. The beef was perfectly tender and flavorful, and the tomato sauce was rich, savory, and comforting without being too heavy. Everything came together in a way that felt both nostalgic and totally satisfying. It's honestly one of the best meals I've had in Chicago--simple, delicious, and memorable. Can't wait to come back and try more of their menu! read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Beef cubes with tomato sauce rice - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Had to stop at this place in china town! Glad we did! Lots of seating, but it does get very packed We came in a party of 5 people and were sat down fairly quickly. The servers were attentive and kind I will say the japche noodles were missing a little bit more flavor We were not a big fan of the fried shrimp & crab, however, overall the other dishes we tried were still delicious Overall I would recommend this place if you're visiting china town for a quick stop & explore all their variety of different dishes! read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Japche - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Noodle place with pho and hot meal plates - they also have a "Plus" section with bubble tea that can be ordered. Great service and cool decorations on the walls like an anime mural. Recommended! read more

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Starting off, I got a guava mango drink and it was delicious, Waiting time was about 15minutes. Once we got our food, it started off good, Chow mein was good and rice was chefs kiss. We were eating and seen a mouse go into a hole in the wall. the orange chicken inside was a bit gray, the egg rolls did not look appealing and didn't taste very good. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - This is the egg roll. - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Just a heads-up -- parking here is a pain, so plan accordingly. If you can get past that, I highly suggest showing up before the dinner rush. We walked in early and were seated almost right away, which was nice. I really liked the vibe of the place. The decor was something many can related to, with anime characters covering the walls kind of goes well with the name. We started with spring rolls, but they were a disappointment. They came out hard, like they'd been sitting out too long before being served. That was a bad deal right off the bat. For drinks, my wife and niece went with boba while I ordered a strawberry kiwi smoothie -- but asked for no pearls because I'm not a fan of the texture. As far as food, I kept it simple since it was my first time. I ordered the jumbo shrimp fried rice and asked to add chicken. Apparently, that was too much to ask -- because the chicken never showed up. When I asked about it, the server told me they don't allow both. That threw me off because my wife and I go to a lot of Asian restaurants, and we've never been told we couldn't mix proteins before. That kind of set the tone for the rest of the meal. The food was just okay. My wife had the shrimp udon noodles and said it was good, but nothing special. Overall, I liked the atmosphere, but I don't know if we'll be back to Joy Yee any time soon. read more

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When we go to Chinatown, we usually enjoy dim sum for lunch. However, since my husband and I had an afternoon appointment downtown, we were looking for a simpler meal that would allow us to better manage our time. We decided to try Joy Yee. It was our first time there. On this cold day, the usual long line of customers waiting for boba drinks was noticeably absent. We were greeted and seated promptly toward the back of the restaurant, which offered a welcome sense of calm with the wall behind us. However, the tables were packed quite closely together. At one point, a drink was accidentally knocked over at the table next to us, it was a bit alarming due to how close it was to our own table. Joy Yee offers an extensive menu, but we kept it simple and ordered one of our go-to comfort dishes. Both my husband and I chose the Wonton and Beef Brisket Noodle Soup ($17.95 each). Our server, who might have been the owner, kindly let us know that they used Vietnamese pho for that dish and asked if we'd prefer egg noodles instead. I appreciated the suggestion, as egg noodles were more in line with what we were expecting. I also ordered a Taro Milk Tea with Tapioca ($7.00). The server reminded me that it's a cold drink.  I appreciated the advice since it was a chilly day.  I didn't mind and went ahead to order it anyway.  It was enjoyable, though a little watered down for my taste. My husband, who always likes hot tea, ordered a hot milk tea. To our surprise, the woman explained that they couldn't make hot drinks because they didn't have any cups suitable for hot liquids, they only had plastic cups meant for cold beverages! She offered to make the drink room temperature instead (milk tea, no ice, $6.25). That was definitely a first for us--an established eatery with such a large menu but no proper cups for hot drinks. As for the food, it was just okay, not bad, but nothing particularly memorable either. The total for our lunch came to $64.74 for two people, which felt pricey for a modest, casual meal. The prices seemed more fitting for a tourist-oriented spot than a neighborhood café. Based on this visit, I'd give Joy Yee three stars. read more

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Ordered pickup for the worst $22 pho I've ever seen in my entire life. Broth too oily and noodles got mushy after a few minutes. Nastiest tendon that was tangled with the beef AND there was barely any beef brisket. Terrible service at cashier pick up and pho took forever to get. Would give 0 stars go to literally any other restaurant in Chinatown. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

LOVEDDDDD this place. Prices are great, service is so fast, and the food is delicious. Tons of options as well. Wanna go back asap! read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

This place seems to be my go to boba tea spot every time I am in Chicago. There are so many flavors. I went on a Monday evening so there was no line. The drink came out pretty fast. They also have food options. I liked their noodles. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Was taken here by a local and it did not disappoint for a huge drink menu. I got so excited that I didn't even take a picture of my drink but it was flavorful and not too sweet! Would recommend for a group or alone because there are lots of choices! Service was prompt and helpful with questions!! read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Huge drink menu - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

loved everything we had here! The service was quick and the portions were quite large! We ordered the Joy Yee appetizer plate, Over Rice plate (chicken/pork), and 3 drinks. I didn't think I was going to finish based on the size but the taste was so good! I will say the tables are a bit tightly packed in there so I can imagine if there's a lot of people, it can feel pretty crowded, but I do think they get people in and out fairly quickly. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Drinks - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Joy Yee has consistently provided me with good bubble tea for over a decade. A reliable spot that I know I can go to for drinks or food and not be disappointed. It's carried me from my college days to full blown adulthood. Service is quick and easy to order on a kiosk. There is ample seating too. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Bubble tea - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Really a nice refreshing drink this was. I had the Strwberry Watermelon Fresh squeeze Slushie. With fresh fruit and cold ice this made for a great cool done under that Chicago sun. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Strawberry Watermelon Fresh Fruit Slushy - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

First time. Food was excellent. Group of four. Service was bad. Dishes came out separately. Three were delivered. Kept asking about the remaining dish. Was told it was coming three times. Waiter never ordered it. Not sure if we would go back. read more

We heard great things about Joyyee and had to give it a try since we were in Chinatown. We got the lychee watermelon with boba and the lychee honeydew with boba. I was very impressed with the portions of this. The boba was a good texture, and both drinks were flavorful and refreshing. I don't think they had places to sit inside. The line moved pretty fast even though there were lots of people waiting. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Lychee watermelon and lychee honeydew - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

Fast, great choices, a thousand food items and in the heart of new Chinatown. Parking is $3 if you dine in and you get validation. If you only order outside for takeout you have to spend $35 or more for parking validation that still costs $3 at the big lot. read more

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I brought a group of eight girls and two moms to have boba and food for my daughter's 11th birthday party. The food and service were outstanding! We got seated almost right away, and no, the place does not take reservations, which could be a turn off for some, but it helped us out. The girls were all elated by their boba and had a variety of dishes from tofu medallions to sesame chicken. Both were excellent, and the portion sizes were large. Overall, we had a wonderful experience. I highly recommend the place for large gatherings! read more

Really decent spot if you are looking for Boba, smoothies, and fruit juices. We have tried some of the dishes here and we're not very impressed with the food however, the fresh smoothies and Boba always tasty with a variety of flavors. It can get pretty busy, but the staff always has it under control. Definitely a recommendation for good Boba. read more

Joy Yee Noodle - Chinese Near Me - Chicago, Illinois