We went during the lunar new year and we had the place to ourselves. My fiance had many questions about the new year, and although our waiter was limited on English, he did a fantastic job of explaining. The owner educated us more. Thank you, Connie. Ok, now for the food. This place had possibly be best taking items in China town. The dumplims were A+ , their spicy items had the right amount of spicy, and their house sake was also good. The prices were also very affordable. Possibly pound for pound the best (value vs price)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum, Sauce, Peking Duck
Jae Wook Jeong
Food was good for the price. The atmosphere was really loud. However, it is a hnique experience you can have for a dimsum spot.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Ana Williams
The staff calling out numbers at the entrance have a really bad attitude! They literally yell at customers! Regardless of whether the food is good or not, customers come to support the business, yet they are treated so rudely. It’s really unbearable to watch. If you don’t want to be treated poorly, think twice before going.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Ruby Hernández
Steamed rice rolls w. Shrimp 😍 my favorite!! But everything was delicious, 100% recommended!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Alicia Winchester
Good atmosphere. We came as soon as they opened. One of the best dim sum in New York, just that it would be very expensive. Love the egg tart and polo bun!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Kelly Xiao
DON’T EVEN BOTHER COMING IF YOUR PARTY HAS FEWER THAN FOUR PEOPLE. THEY WILL FORCE YOU TO SIT WITH ANOTHER SMALL PARTY WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING YOU BEFORE YOU WAIT IN LINE.
We went there as a party of two, and suddenly, three unknown people sat down with us. We asked to wait for another table since we wanted privacy, but the host said, 'WE NEVER SEAT ONLY A TABLE OF TWO.' Oh well, I guess the table with only two people sitting there must have been occupied by ghosts, lol. WE LEFT. THERE’S NO WAY WE WOULD ACCEPT BEING TREATED UNEQUALLY.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Red Ebron
Food is okay. Service is bad and unfriendly. Never going back again.
Service could've been better, the pastry stuff were cold
Jon Tremellen
Took a bus tour from the SHERMANS Creek Inn in SHERMANS Dale, Pa. Just for Dim- Sum. The best this side of the Mississippi. Pops approved.
Kelly Cambridgeport
I visited House of Joy in Chinatown NYC on a Sunday afternoon, and as expected, it was super busy. The restaurant came highly recommended, so I was looking forward to the experience.
The Wait & Seating • The wait was around 30 minutes, which is understandable for a popular dim sum spot on a weekend. • We were a party of four, and due to the crowd, we shared a large table with a party of three. It wasn’t ideal, but it’s a common setup at dim sum restaurants, so we didn’t mind too much. • One thing I would highly recommend is adding seating areas for people waiting by the door. There is currently no seating for those waiting, which can be especially difficult for people with disabilities or those who have trouble standing for long periods.
Food – Just OK
Given the strong recommendations, I was surprised that the food wasn’t better. Everything was decent but not outstanding: • Pork Spareribs – Tender but lacking bold flavor. • Ha Cheng (Shrimp Rice Rolls) – The skin was thick, which is not ideal for this dish. A thinner, silkier rice roll would have been much better. • Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) – Fresh • Siu Mai – A classic dim sum item, decent, but not particularly memorable. • Cucumber with Soy Sauce – Surprisingly one of my favorite dishes! The simple yet flavorful seasoning made it stand out.
Service – Excellent! • Despite the crowd, the service was very good. • The staff was on top of refilling our water glasses and kept everything running smoothly. • The tea was very nice, adding to the authentic dim sum experience.
Location & Accessibility • House of Joy is located on Pell Street in Chinatown, New York. • The restaurant is not the easiest to get to because Pell Street is closed off to cars. • If you’re taking a taxi or rideshare, the driver will drop you off at the entrance to Pell Street, and you’ll have to walk about a block to reach the restaurant. This is something to keep in mind if you have heavy bags, a stroller, or mobility concerns.
While House of Joy had a great atmosphere and attentive service, I found the food to be just okay—not bad, but not quite living up to the hype. The 30-minute wait and shared table were expected for a busy Sunday, but I was hoping for more flavorful, standout dishes. The shrimp rice rolls being too thick was particularly disappointing, as that dish is usually a dim sum favorite.
Additionally, I strongly recommend that the restaurant add seating areas for those waiting at the entrance, especially for individuals with disabilities or mobility issues. The location is also something to consider, as getting there requires a short walk due to the street closure.
Good service and decent dim sum, but the food didn’t quite meet my expectations. Would I return? Maybe, but I’d be open to trying other dim sum spots in Chinatown first.
This place is SO mid. Soup was cold, fried rice didn’t have seasoning, lights are pretty much fluorescent. Would never come back or recommend. Service was average. The Peking duck was good, I asked them not to make the bao’s for us and they literally gave us the duck piled up on a small side plate 😂
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Peking Duck
Rina Lee
The crispy fried chicken in garlic sauce was the saltiest dish I’ve ever tasted. It wasn’t just an excessive sprinkling of salt; it felt as if the chicken had been soaked in chunks of salt, and the excess wasn’t properly removed, resulting in an intensely salty flavor. It was like chewing on pure salt. I spoke with both the staff and the manager, but they insisted that Cantonese chicken is like that and said I should simply eat it. They didn’t even consult the kitchen staff regarding this issue. Both of us have lived in Hong Kong and have frequently dined on Hong Kong cuisine in the U.S. While dishes in the U.S. can sometimes be quite salty, this chicken was shockingly so. I have no desire to return.
Justin Wong
The waiter was friendly and professional l. The food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Young Suk Jo
Everything's so good especially pepper shrimp. Wait time is not ideal but that makes food good
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
James ying
The food seems good. I wouldn’t know cause I NEVER GOT IN. I waited outside for 50min and the reception guy was too “busy” to call our number.
We went during the lunar new year and we had the place to ourselves. My fiance had many questions about the new year, and although our waiter was limited on English, he did a fantastic job of explaining. The owner educated us more. Thank you, Connie. Ok, now for the food. This place had possibly be best taking items in China town. The dumplims were A+ , their spicy items had the right amount of spicy, and their house sake was also good. The prices were also very affordable. Possibly pound for pound the best (value vs price)
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum, Sauce, Peking Duck
Food was good for the price. The atmosphere was really loud. However, it is a hnique experience you can have for a dimsum spot.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 4
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
The staff calling out numbers at the entrance have a really bad attitude! They literally yell at customers! Regardless of whether the food is good or not, customers come to support the business, yet they are treated so rudely. It’s really unbearable to watch. If you don’t want to be treated poorly, think twice before going.
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 1
Service: 1
Steamed rice rolls w. Shrimp 😍 my favorite!! But everything was delicious, 100% recommended!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Good atmosphere. We came as soon as they opened. One of the best dim sum in New York, just that it would be very expensive. Love the egg tart and polo bun!
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 4
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
DON’T EVEN BOTHER COMING IF YOUR PARTY HAS FEWER THAN FOUR PEOPLE. THEY WILL FORCE YOU TO SIT WITH ANOTHER SMALL PARTY WITHOUT EVEN INFORMING YOU BEFORE YOU WAIT IN LINE.
We went there as a party of two, and suddenly, three unknown people sat down with us. We asked to wait for another table since we wanted privacy, but the host said, 'WE NEVER SEAT ONLY A TABLE OF TWO.' Oh well, I guess the table with only two people sitting there must have been occupied by ghosts, lol. WE LEFT. THERE’S NO WAY WE WOULD ACCEPT BEING TREATED UNEQUALLY.
Atmosphere: 1
Service: 1
Food is okay. Service is bad and unfriendly. Never going back again.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 3
Service: 2
Recommended dishes: Dumpling, Fried, Crispy Fried Chicken, Dim Sum, Sauce, Fried Rice Chicken, Peking Duck, Shrimp Dumpling
Service could've been better, the pastry stuff were cold
Took a bus tour from the SHERMANS Creek Inn in SHERMANS Dale, Pa. Just for Dim- Sum. The best this side of the Mississippi. Pops approved.
I visited House of Joy in Chinatown NYC on a Sunday afternoon, and as expected, it was super busy. The restaurant came highly recommended, so I was looking forward to the experience.
The Wait & Seating
• The wait was around 30 minutes, which is understandable for a popular dim sum spot on a weekend.
• We were a party of four, and due to the crowd, we shared a large table with a party of three. It wasn’t ideal, but it’s a common setup at dim sum restaurants, so we didn’t mind too much.
• One thing I would highly recommend is adding seating areas for people waiting by the door. There is currently no seating for those waiting, which can be especially difficult for people with disabilities or those who have trouble standing for long periods.
Food – Just OK
Given the strong recommendations, I was surprised that the food wasn’t better. Everything was decent but not outstanding:
• Pork Spareribs – Tender but lacking bold flavor.
• Ha Cheng (Shrimp Rice Rolls) – The skin was thick, which is not ideal for this dish. A thinner, silkier rice roll would have been much better.
• Har Gow (Shrimp Dumplings) – Fresh
• Siu Mai – A classic dim sum item, decent, but not particularly memorable.
• Cucumber with Soy Sauce – Surprisingly one of my favorite dishes! The simple yet flavorful seasoning made it stand out.
Service – Excellent!
• Despite the crowd, the service was very good.
• The staff was on top of refilling our water glasses and kept everything running smoothly.
• The tea was very nice, adding to the authentic dim sum experience.
Location & Accessibility
• House of Joy is located on Pell Street in Chinatown, New York.
• The restaurant is not the easiest to get to because Pell Street is closed off to cars.
• If you’re taking a taxi or rideshare, the driver will drop you off at the entrance to Pell Street, and you’ll have to walk about a block to reach the restaurant. This is something to keep in mind if you have heavy bags, a stroller, or mobility concerns.
While House of Joy had a great atmosphere and attentive service, I found the food to be just okay—not bad, but not quite living up to the hype. The 30-minute wait and shared table were expected for a busy Sunday, but I was hoping for more flavorful, standout dishes. The shrimp rice rolls being too thick was particularly disappointing, as that dish is usually a dim sum favorite.
Additionally, I strongly recommend that the restaurant add seating areas for those waiting at the entrance, especially for individuals with disabilities or mobility issues. The location is also something to consider, as getting there requires a short walk due to the street closure.
Good service and decent dim sum, but the food didn’t quite meet my expectations. Would I return? Maybe, but I’d be open to trying other dim sum spots in Chinatown first.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
This place is SO mid. Soup was cold, fried rice didn’t have seasoning, lights are pretty much fluorescent. Would never come back or recommend. Service was average. The Peking duck was good, I asked them not to make the bao’s for us and they literally gave us the duck piled up on a small side plate 😂
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 2
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Peking Duck
The crispy fried chicken in garlic sauce was the saltiest dish I’ve ever tasted. It wasn’t just an excessive sprinkling of salt; it felt as if the chicken had been soaked in chunks of salt, and the excess wasn’t properly removed, resulting in an intensely salty flavor. It was like chewing on pure salt. I spoke with both the staff and the manager, but they insisted that Cantonese chicken is like that and said I should simply eat it. They didn’t even consult the kitchen staff regarding this issue. Both of us have lived in Hong Kong and have frequently dined on Hong Kong cuisine in the U.S. While dishes in the U.S. can sometimes be quite salty, this chicken was shockingly so. I have no desire to return.
The waiter was friendly and professional l. The food was delicious.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Dim Sum
Everything's so good especially pepper shrimp. Wait time is not ideal but that makes food good
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 5
The food seems good. I wouldn’t know cause I NEVER GOT IN. I waited outside for 50min and the reception guy was too “busy” to call our number.
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