The good: - Most of the food: Thai lettuce wraps and Ramen were perfect. - The service: Our waitress was super attentive, helpful and nice. - Atmosphere: I enjoyed the decor and music soundtrack. The bad: - Ran out of food: They ran out of 4 of their key items (all of which we wanted to order) which was kind of a bummer since I came here for my gf's birthday. - Drinks: No bueno here. Probably some of the worst we had while staying in Newburyport. Both drinks tasted like medicine and we stuck to having just one as a result. All-in-all, it was a decent visit but I'd probably head somewhere else the next time I'm in town. read more

The Joy Nest - Ramen was quite good - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

Udon noodle is uncomfortably spicy however the flavor is fantastic. I will defeintiely be back! Service is great, the place is super cute, and the food is phenomenal. Even the mocktails! It's clear they put thought and car into them, and they are worth the sips. It is on the pricier side, however the quality meets this price, for sure. Highlights include the green curry and mushroom rolls. We were both left stuffed! read more

The Joy Nest - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

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What a wonderful dinner at the Joy Nest. I'm glad we finally made it. We had dinner on a Sunday evening and the restaurant was much busier than I would have expected, and so I recommend reservations. We had great service from our waitress, and even met the very pleasant owner/hostess who told us a bit more about the restaurant, menu and live music options. We did not get a chance to see the upstairs dining room, but the main floor was very nice, warm and cozy. The menu leans Thai, but I would say the is really Pan Asian. Food was served promptly, hot and delicious. I really enjoyed the Thai lettuce wraps, fresh, clean and delicious. The plate was served with just the right amount of chicken to lettuce ratio. It seems some restaurants struggle getting the ratio right, forcing you to ask for more lettuce, crackers, etc... Not here. We also enjoyed the Golden Bags small plate, which were crispy and delicious. Red Curry main entree was quite good. Heavy on vegetables with a thick red coconut curry. We saved room for dessert, and chose the Chocolate Roti. Perhaps a little bit of a misnomer, as it was two tasty roti filled with Nutella, and served with vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and whipped cream. Sort of like an ice cream sundae. While the menu is quite clear about it, I envisioned something more chocolatey. All good! Cocktails were also creative and delicious. We will definitely return and work our way deeper into the menu. read more

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Consistently delicious. Love their ramen and bao buns. The ambiance is the best on the north shore! Craft cocktails are balanced and unique. This place is a gem! read more

We had a wonderful dining experience at the Joy Nest. This is elevated Thai cuisine, some familiar dishes, and some interesting renditions of different types of dishes, with a Thai flare. We started out with appetizers of gyozas and Thai lettuce wraps. Both were very flavorful and, in the case of the lettuce wraps, quite spicy (in a good way). Our remaining courses were red curry chicken, which was delicious and also quite spicy, and a duck-based noodle dish which was terrific. The portions were excellent in both cases. The service was really nice and the ambience was upscale, but without feeling pretentious. They also have live jazz on the second floor, which was really nice. read more

This place is trendy meets good food. Spacious, trendy decor with a feminine edge, and a creative menu. We ordered the chicken thai tacos and loved the option to add more for a small price. These were crisp with ample filling that was packed with flavor. We also ordered the mushroom spring rolls which were thin and crispy while not being greasy. Our last item we ordered were the pork and chicken gyozas. While these tasted like typical gyozas, the ingredients did feel fresh which we appreciated. The service was friendly and while at times it felt like there might be some confusion on who was waiting out table, the food came out quickly and tasted great. Id come back here with a group and try the cocktails next time. read more

It's so cute here! The drinks are sooo good but definitely strong. The food is also really good if you're looking for a good Asian infusion. Great spot to go with the girls. read more

The Joy Nest - Drinks - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

We had a small bridal shower at The Joy Nest and we had a lovely time. The staff was WONDERFUL - they took extra good care of us and everyone was so nice and accommodating. I was a bit nervous that the bridal shower would be too intrusive to other guests, but everything went wonderfully, thanks to the wonderful staff. Of course the food and drinks were delicious. read more

The Joy Nest - Bridal shower at The Joy Nest - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

This is my favorite restaurant. Period. This is where I take people that are visiting from out of town -- especially my mom, sister, and friends. The ambiance is luxurious and feminine; cushy couches, fuzzy chairs, eclectic tableware. It doesn't matter if you sit upstairs or downstairs, it's a vibe. It's an ideal place for sharing or getting your own meal. Must haves: thai tacos, kimchi fried rice, fresh rolls. Any cocktail. They have live music some nights and the upstairs is a perfect place for a shower or private party. I love this place so much I can't say enough about it. read more

The Joy Nest - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

Maybe it was an off day, but service was terrible, food was even worse and atmosphere felt dirty. Not what I expected for a Sunday afternoon casual lunch with a reservation. Food had zero seasoning, noodles were mushy and overcooked, and seasonal veggies were frozen corn and some expired scallions. Unfortunately, I would never recommend this place to a friend. Bathrooms were dirty, complete with a broken door handle and a post-it note, letting you know to use the ($1) mini latch to lock up and hope for the best. I'm sorry, I wish I had one good thing to say here, I was excited to try this place. I have no tolerance for uncleanliness, table was not wiped down, and everything had a visible dinginess. I worked in the restaurant industry for many years, I know a 3 day old lime wedge when I see one-could've got more juice out of a rock. Gordan Ramsey needs to save these people, I get upset when a space has potential, but absolutely no love or understanding of good food. Completely missed the mark on everything, sorry I could go on but I'll refrain from the bashing. read more

Let me just say, I was so excited to attend the New Year's Eve event last night for "a buffet" and a Blues band. The music was good, but the food was TERRIBLE. The buffet was plain chicken wings, tiny fried egg rolls, and some kind of fried wanton. And that's it!!! I was dumbfounded. For $300, the four of us left hungry and kind of mad. This restaurant has such good food, and that's what we end up with?? Wow! Just wow. Such a disappointment. Too bad that was our New Year's Eve "party". read more

Very hit or miss with service. Last time was a total miss. I mean, totally ignored sitting at the bar. Too bad, can be good.

Yummy food! Nice staff. Reasonable prices for the region and portions. Solid choice, would return here again.

Enjoyed a delicious weeknight dinner here with my girlfriend. We were both impressed by the ambiance and quality of the food. I would go as far as saying this may be the best Thai food I have ever had. A must try in the Newburyport read more

The Joy Nest - Krapow rice - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

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The place is best characterized as Asian fusion with a classy but casual atmosphere. The food and ambience are both very good, as is the service. But the real standout for us is the music. If you like jazz, check out the Wednesday night trio led by Danny Harrington on sax. He brings in all top quality performers, a different mix each Wednesday. On weekends they have jazz upstairs with different and varying groups, in a bar-lounge atmosphere. You can also order food upstairs. We especially like the gyoza appetizers (aka pot stickers or Chinese dumplings) and all of the soup-based noodle dishes. The bartender is top notch, so you won't be disappointed in the drinks either. read more

I loved this cozy little place. The food and drinks were delicious. I loved the decor that was eclectic. read more

The Joy Nest - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

The Joy Nest is incredible and we would give it more than 5 stars if that was an option. We got married at The Joy Nest and the food was absolutely amazing, the staff were not only fantastic - but they were a really fun time and for sure added to the day, their staff was incredible to work with leading up to the day, and the end of the night was so thoughtful. To give more specifics: the day of it was down pouring and the park we planned to use did not allow for tents (as a side note - it's a great spot for pictures, down towards plum island and there are many beautiful spots for photos so close to this venue!). Caroline, day of, shifted the restaurants operations to host our wedding upstairs and dinner downstairs. They set up the upstairs in such an intimate way and it was just perfect for us. We've attached some photos to give a feel for what it looked like and some photo examples. Then, the food was amazing. AMAZING. At the end of the night they we've helped us box the leftovers AND stored it in their walk-ins for us to get the next day. I've been at so many weddings where you're rushed out or need to get every last thing that night and this was not that at all. The service and care of the team at The Joy Nest is top notch. It's also really fun to just be able to go to dinner there as a special outing too, like to visit and reminisce! Also for pricing - I can't quite recall what we paid per person now that some time has passed but I remember feeling that it was very fair when we were price comparing, and after then having our wedding there, feel more than that for the quality and service. The Joy Nest is fantastic and highly recommended! 15/5 stars!! read more

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Went to dinner last night with a party of 5. We started at the top floor where the jazz band was but it was very loud so got moved downstairs. We also asked to be moved because the seating on one side of the table was a sofa which did not seem ideal for eating. Their original cocktails were mediocre at best, my friend's tasted like rubbing alcohol. We shared several apps which were pretty forgettable except for the Thai tacos. The decor is lovely but overall the food is not worth the price. read more

The Joy Nest - Bird of Paradise - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

Love love love this place!! It's almost got it all. The decor, ambience, live music, service, location--all amazing! The menu was great too. I wanted to try everything!! I will go back. Just wish the food was a notch better--I don't remember exactly what it was but there was something, maybe just the quality of the ingredients. I'll have to go back and try some more. read more

The atmosphere is amazing, well designed and cute in the center of town. But it fell short on the food. It was mediocre at best. Served ramen with no chopstick. The server disregarded us. Ignored us all night. Had to find a different person to ask for service. Would not go back. Disappointed on vacation in Newburyport. read more

Food is hit or miss. Some apps are delicious some are just average. Drink menu is quite interesting. I've had 3 entrees and all were just ok. The chicken basil was no different than any other average Thai place. The Kimchi fried rice was salty. The chicken is cooked separately from and tastes "chickeny". Salt level is high but flavors are dull. Very expensive for average food read more

I've been itching to come here for awhile, based on reviews and photos I've seen posted. Sometimes you build something up in your mind and it's a huge let down when you really get to do it. Glad to say that wasn't the case today. We came in and I immediately adored to cozy atmosphere of velvet, wood, feathers and brass. We sat at the bar and started with craft cocktails. The nest for me and the ginger night jar for my date. Both well crafted and delicious. The service was good, but the bar server was also working the dining room little slow because of that. For dinner, we started with lobster rangoons and fried bok choy. I think I could eat that bok choy every day, it was light and delicious and not greasy. The rangoons were good but not alot of lobster involved for the price. Meals were the rice bowl for him and the Gaeng-Kua Kai for me. He enjoyed his meal - but I LOVED mine! Sweet light coconut broth up front with a nice spicy finish, loaded with veggies and chicken- it was probably one of my favorite meals ever! I desperately wanted dessert but were just too full. Guess I'll have to return... I highly recommend this place for date night or any time. It checks all the boxes. read more

The Joy Nest - Rice bowl and red curry - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

Sat at the bar for dinner and was ignored for 15 minutes. Food was mediocre and the service at the bar was pathetic. Had to ask for utensils when food arrived. At the end, the bartender disappeared and had to go ask the host for the bill. You won't see me back there! read more

Food was great per usual always a wonderful experience at the Joy Nest. But this particular day I dined the bar tender, I heard an employee call her Tasha, was not very accommodating and seemed to be snappy at others at the bar. She was also quite snappy to other employes. Not sure if it was an off day but she made my experience and possibly others at the bar leas enjoyable. read more

I absolutely loved the ambiance of this restaurant. It was very chic. The decorating was noteworthy as the chairs, silverware (gold color), and plates were all tastefully selected. The crowd seemed classy and well dressed. I liked the unique menu selection. The food was good! And, the server helped steer my husband and I in the right direction. We played it safe with the edamame. I personally loved my stir fry beef and vegetables. read more

I had a great time at the New Year's Eve 8pm-midnight event at The Joy Nest with the one of the best blues legend, Toni Lynn Washington. The ambiance is just so unique with the high ceilings, wooden beams and eclectic decor. The fusion Thai cuisine and cocktails at this event were delicious. The banquette had a variety of yummy apps and the 'choose any one cocktail' that came with the price of admission was so good as I had the Quetzal's Fete (Tito's vodka, basil, cucumber, lemon, elderflower and yuzu) which was amazing!! Service was perfect for an event like this. Plus, a glass of champagne before midnight. It was a special night of great music, food and drink--an evening I will never forget! read more

Great atmosphere. Friendly wait staff. Phenomenal Ramen, broth too die for. Both traditional and spicy were excellent . Pork dumplings were delicious and they come with a flavorful medium spice dipping sauce. The Chinese pork taste just like boneless spare ribs(sweet), nice balance to the salty broth. read more

The Joy Nest - Traditional ramen with Chinese pork. 5 stars! - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

Great atmosphere and food and drinks. Highly recommend. Service was good as well. Jazz music some nights.

Awesome food and cocktails! Cool little place. We love to sit at the bar and watch them mix creative cocktails. Everything is great but love the Thai tacos. read more

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Wow. What an experience we had at The Joy Nest. I was beyond excited to try this restaurant after looking up the menu. I genuinely think I would enjoy every single thing on the menu; guess that means I'll have to visit NBPT again and come back! The vibe is very cozy; half of our table sat on a couch with pillows! The cocktail menu was very interesting and the two we got were delicious. Our waitress perfectly described the cocktail menu to us as there were some I had never even heard off. We started with spicy edamame and crying tiger beef which were both excellent. Spicy edamame was a TAD too sweet for me but that's just a personal preference. I had the spicy lemongrass soup which could honestly be the best soup I've ever had in my life. I could have literally drank the broth from a mug. I had the crispy basil duck which was perfectly crispy and tasty. Three people at the table got different preparation of noodles and all three enjoyed their food. I would give The Joy Nest as many stars are possible if I could. I wish I lived closer! read more

The Joy Nest - Crispy basil duck (after a few bites) - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

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Super cute,drinks are tasty,staff is super friendly especially our bartender. We went to the upstairs bar. Which we loved and The lobster Rangoon delish! read more

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We visited The Joy Nest for a Wednesday night dinner, having made a reservation in advance (highly recommend reserving because it was packed) for our party of 3. We didn't know it was jazz night, so the live jazz band was a pleasant surprise! The decor here was also beautiful and so creative - think Anthropologie meets mid-century modern. We were seated at a table near the jazz musicians (so it was a little hard to have a conversation) with a couch on one side and blue velvet chairs on the other. The restaurant was veryyy understaffed and I only saw one server working the entire downstairs area. No one approached our table for about 20 minutes, until we went back up to the hostess and asked if we can order. Our server was sweet but visibly stressed. For drinks, I got the Beachrose and my friend got the Petal For Your Problems - both were good but I was surprised that the presentation was exactly the same, other than the color. We also got the Papaya Salad (absolutely massive!) and Lobster Rangoon (delicious, would recommend) as appetizers. For my main, I got the Minced Chicken Hot Basil, which was tasty - lots of vegetables, good level of spice. But my favorite part of this dish was actually the runny egg and sticky rice. My friends got the Crazy Udon and Suea Rong Hai (highly recommend this dish, very soft beef). The portion sizes were generous so all three of us had leftovers to take home. Would return, but I do hope they hire more servers! read more

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Our server, Kylie B , was amazing. She helped me decide which dish to try. We had the Pork Gyoza, Hot Basil Minced Chicken and white rice. DELICIOUS!! Our drinks were top notch!! Bird of Paradise and Return of the Osprey. The decor upstairs is eclectic I would highly recommend The Joy Nest. read more

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Always a great spot! Decor, plates, service, menu names, flavors, live music - all well pulled together and nicely done. This last time we had the mango spring rolls with a delicious sauce, green curry noodles, and papaya salad (which could have used some spice/kick). Also love their sister restaurant Brown Sugar across the street! read more

This restaurant is in my neighborhood and has always looked appealing. My husband, adult daughter and I made a reservation for 6pm Saturday night. The decor is gorgeous and I loved the atmosphere. Overall the drink and food service was slow but that was fine because we were not in a rush and enjoyed the "wait" However, after we paid the bill, it could not have been more than three minutes before the hostess told us she needed the table for another party. It felt like, " okay you paid, now get out... " we won't be back. Mary read more

The food and service were both great. Has a wonderful ambiance. We got the curry muscles and ramen, doesn't disappoint.

I would really love to give this place a higher rating because my ramen was very flavorful and so were our appetizers. They also had a lovely band playing which made for a great atmosphere. The service was so incredibly slow, that I have no other choice but to leave this review. When we first got seated we waited 20 minutes for our server to come and take our order. After we placed our order of 2 appetizers and meals for a group of 5, we waited another 40+ minutes before we decided to ask up front why our food was taking so long. The employee up front told us our ticket had been sent to the kitchen 20 minutes ago, which did not make sense to us since we had ordered 40 minutes ago from that point. We were then brought to our waiter who told us he waited 20 minutes after we ordered to put in our ticket because the kitchen was "backed up". However: 1) the restaurant was not very busy and 2) the logic behind this decision just does not make any sense. Just because the kitchen is busy does not mean that our ticket should have waited 20 minutes before being sent in. It would be fine if the kitchen took a while to complete the ticket due to being busy, but they should receive our ticket when we order it. Because our waiter deliberately waited to put in our ticket, we got our food well after customers who came in after us who were seated near us. While, I did leave full, I also left very annoyed and not wanting to go back read more

I am incredibly impressed! The attention to detail is outstanding! The lighting, the shearling seat covers, the light jazz music and even the wall paper, made this a place to visit! It's not only a sexy date spot but also a perfect place to get together with friends. The service and the food were both outstanding! The server, Bank, was fantastic! His recommendations and enthusiasm were great! I did not have the opportunity to try everything I wanted to order since not everything was available but from what I did try, I loved it! I tried two different pork appetizers and both dishes tasted completely different. The seasoning was epic! If you enjoy pork, I recommend the Moo Ping and the Bao Buns with Moo Dang! The cocktail, wine and beer selections were good but I was there for the food. The next time I'm there, I intend to sample a lot more! I rarely give 5 stars to a new place but I am gobsmacked! Can't wait to return! Bravo! There is no other place in Nbpt quite like this! read more

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We loved it at the joy nest. We ordered plenty of apps and they were light and fresh. Everything was delicious and the drinks were funky read more

The Joy Nest - Noodles Near Me - Newburyport, Massachusetts

I'll start off by saying the service was good. Getting the food out was a real team effort. Drinks were pretty darn good and very interesting. I think my food expectations were a little high going in. The food tasted ok but not remarkable. I stuck with small plates for my meal and was disappointed. The beef Thai tacos were nothing interesting and not served with any sauce. The lobster Rangoon was tasty enough but.....one I bit into was cold and a little frozen inside. That was the biggest let down. Realizing that the lobster Rangoon was probably a frozen product. Looking at them they were too uniform to be hand made. If I'm wrong I'm sorry but that was my impression. Which then made me wonder about other small plates on the table. My thing is I can eat frozen products at home. I will probably go back and try something else but I'll be asking questions. read more