Hot Joy Reviews

I do wish I could give less than one star. If two people order and one is more complex than the other...start the complex dish first so that the meals come out together. Restaurant 101 folks. It took a few minutes to get seated and the restaurant was nearly empty. Packing 6 customers at three tiny tables.. why? To save steps? Now the food. I'll give you the star for the bloody mary. It was very good. The rest was lackluster. Two biscuits, badly poached eggs and some gravy. And I had to sit there uncomfortably and eat while my boyfriend waited. He never got his food it was so awkward. The people next to us had the same problem. And...I should not have had to flag down the waitress to tell her my boyfriend had no food...reallly? By the way, we eat out a lot. We may not look like we are your regular ultra rich customers, but we know good food... please save your money folks unless you like overpaying for not much. B y the way. I have never left a 0 tip. If your waitress feels slighted, then you need to address your issues. She should have been more attentive and explained the menu better.

My wife and I had stopped at Hot Joy based on a recommendation. Greeted kindly and warmly by Nick the bartender. Excellent drink menu and excellent food. Would highly recommend Hot Joy to anyone wanting a great place for drinks and dinner in San Antonio!

There is a reason this restaurant was #7 of America's best restaurants! It is fabulous. Absolutely unique and delicious dishes! The cocktails were unique and quite elegant. The Soi Cowboy was citrus but not sweet and the Wax on, Wax off was refreshing as well. Wresting noises was very anise based.True mixologist concoctions and a far cry from the sweet slop in other bars. The food was amazing and so unique we had to ask for suggestions because we were not sure what some items were. Dishes are served to share and we did. The Steamed Country Ham and Scallop dumplings were delicately steamed and siting in a bowl-licking sauce. The twice fried chicken was so good we almost ordered another bowl, but wanted to try more dishes. Request steamed rice with this. The Lamb Dan Dan noodles had a wonderfully sticky texture with a delicious lamb and peanut topping. The only drawback was the bar service was slower than the food service. This is a must do on your visit to San Antonio!!!

I had the smoked brisket dan dan noodles. Everyone enjoyed it. We also had the fried chicken dinner, I've had better chicken. The Japanese potato salad and curry corn that came with the chicken was very good. All in all it was a good, fun dinner. I would go back. Our server Gillian was great!

Our odd timing of the day led to an early supper that happened to coincide with happy hour. Service was fine, cocktails were good, HH food specials were a good deal and all the food we tried (family style) was excellent.

We chose this restaurant because of it's location and because we LOVE Asian infusion. The great experience we ad began the minuet we walked in the door, with interesting decor choices to stimulate the eye, friendly staff greeting,awesome music and some really cool looking people hanging out at the unique bar. As an artist I was stimulated by the visual art all around the place and a decor of Asian Quirky Coo!!! BUT~ the best thing was the food, OMG~ some of the best wings I've ever had with a salad of Kale, Mint, Basil, Cilantro with lemongrass dressing was divine. My husband had a Shrimp Ceviche that rocked all at a great price and our waiter was a perfect blend of attentive and knowledgeable. I really suggest you take a trip to the King William area of San Antonio and find this restaurant for a truly unique dinning experience ~ and be bold and try something new I don't think you will be disappointed.

Great food, excellent service and outstanding cocktails. Really couldn't ask for more. Be sure to try the Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Migas Fried Rice (sounds funky but it's delish!) and the Hot Fried Chicken. Enjoyed the "Respect Your Elder" very much. Will be back again and again.

We stopped by Hot Joy for lunch. I had seen it on the Food Network. I ordered the Tokyo Cream Donut and the Tan Tan Ramen. They were both great. The restaurant has great decoration.

First of all we discovered Hot Joy after a BAD dining experience at Starfish (seafood) restaurant. We had just stopped in for a nightcap and discovered a little jewel. We loved the knowledgeable and friendly wait staff. We could not have found a better way to end what was turning out to be a disastrous evening. Hot Joy was an absolute delight!!!

This is one of those places I will always visit without hesitation, and a place I will quickly recommend to anyone in need of a delicious and unique dining experience. Asian fusion often disguises itself as average hole-in-the-wall Asian joints, but Hot Joy is the local mecca for true Asian fusion. I cannot say enough about all of their dishes, but I would be remiss not to mention their tacos. Their use of roti canai in place of a tortilla is not only unique, but genius. It completely changes the nature of the dish in the most incredible way. If you eat one thing at Hot Joy, it has to be the tacos. Trust me - you will not be disappointed.

Having had my fill of riverwalk food that all tastes pretty much the same, we ventured down the street a ways to Hot Joy. I wasn't at all sure what to expect. From the look of the place I thought it might be Indian food. Brightly colored, very vibey. We decided to stay, and while the service wasn't amazing, it was fine and the food was delicious. So many interesting flavors. We had the twice fried chicken wings and pork carnitas tacos with a rice ball salad. All very tasty. I would highly recommend the short walk down Alamo street for a dinner here.

This is a great restaurant. Everyone is friendly and laid back, and the atmosphere reflects the same attitude. There's an old school attention to detail that mixes really well with their modern food fusions. The food itself is an interesting take on meals we know well- the result is a lot of satisfying flavor!

a little off the beaten path, but this "Asian fusion" place has a very good menu and a nice bar. reasonably priced too

The problem started first with ordering. It was happy hour and we requested the "snack" to be served with our cocktails and before the dinner. Before we knew it- all our dinner dishes were served and the snack of the fried spicy chickpeas was nowhere to be seen. We had to inquire after this several times. This service issue persisted when we ordered a second drink (more on cocktails later) which also did not show up till the bill did. The waitress assumed the bar would bring it to the table and the bar assumed the waitress would By the time we got it most of it was watered down from the melted ice. Having a "tiki bar" one might assume the bartender could make a decent cocktail, but one would assume wrong. Like the food, the key ingredient in everything served was sugar ( sugared brussel sprouts, super sweet cocktails, etc). after the first disastrous cocktail, we thought that Tanqueuray and tonic would be a safe bet- but the restaurant does not have Tanqueray (Who does not have tanqueray!) so we ordered a Hendricks and tonic- the tonic seems to be a simple syrup base - again bizarrely sweet. The food was similarly terrible- who puts frozen tater tots in the curry? When we left we got an amusing note on text that our reservation had been cancelled because we had not shown up- when in fact we were 15 min early and notified them that we had a reservation. This was a disaster from the first to the last moment without a single redeeming quality in between.

Ok, if it is possible to imagine a nouvelle cuisine Thai/Vietnamese with a Texas twist, this is your spot. HIGHLY recommended. The food, although relatively non Texas sized, it's simply delicious. The complex yet humble mix of flavours and textures makes it a very unique culinary experience. Only in San Antonio. A must... One of those places that if you don't try it, you have not been to San Antonio.

I ordered this restaurant through Uber Eats, so take my review with a grain of salt for the delivery delay/not super freshness. The sesame chicken I had was slightly overcooked and a little chewy, but the sauce was good. It did not come with a side of rice, and I wish I would've known that. However, THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS. OH MY GOSH. Delicious! Even cold (again, Uber Eats delay), I would get this restaurant again just for those.

Asian with a twist or their own touch. First visit for us as we were in town only for a night and had reason to celebrate, so went looking for something unique and definitely found it. Never been in a chic Asian restaurant with classic rock playing. Nice touch. We had the chicken ramen, chicken and shashito yakitori, and chicken yakisoba. Everything was wonderful. The yakitori may have been the juiciest chicken I’ve ever had. The yakisoba was full of flavors. The ramen was heart warming on a cool day. We also had a good time with the happy hour drinks and nearly tried one of each. The Nightwalker is great; there’s a reason they limit it to two per person. We won’t be splurging every time as we did on this visit, but we’ll definitely be returning.

First, be sure you make reservations ahead of time. The place was mobbed! The dirty rice was outstanding, but my favorite was the Brussels sprouts! I don't even really like Brussels sprouts. I would say the Ramen was my least favorite. Pricing was a little on the high side, for what you got. Wait staff were terrific.

Sounded like a cool place, but the food was just okay. I had the chicken sandwich, which was a kind of bahn mi sandwich. Great idea, but needed something to pull the flavor together.

I was in San Antonio for a trade show with a business associate. We were stuck in the River Walk district and desperate for a non-touristy meal and atmosphere. Hot joy was recommended to us and we walked from our hotel to an area called Southtown. This was just what we were looking for! A great neighborhood with interesting, fun bars and restaurants. Hot Joy is an Asian Fusion - a mix of great flavors with an Asian swing. Our waitresses had great wine suggestions. She was always quick to refill waters, and kept her distance when needed. Excellent - wish I could remember her name. I noticed that all the wait staff and managers really worked as a team, hoofing it to get out orders. We started with the rice ball salad. A lovely bowl of yummy. Next we had steamed pork dumplings, made with country ham. Hello! Can't say enough about these little pockets of deliciousness. The roasted brussells sprouts are crispy with a touch of Thai sweet chilli. I could eat them every night. We then split a noodle bowl - the double miso ramen. This was a hot bowl of slightly spicy, super good broth and noodles , and some good crunchy veggies for good measure. This meal answered our need for good, non-tourist driven food. . We left Hot Joy feeling goof about San Antonio.and will return again next time!

Great food, Asian cuisine, different; excellent service; good prices for dinner, delicious and not a typical Chinese eatery, its hidden by trees, but the smells attracted us to it

Loved the exterior look and the interior design of Hot Joy. So much attention to detail. The red lacquered booths are private and romantic or good for a large group of friends. So many cocktails. The waiter did a great job recommending different drinks for our party based on their likes and dislikes. Also he graciously let us know that if we weren't happy with a drink we tried we could get a replacement free of charge. I would never take a restaurant up on this offer but it's a nice thing for them to say. Love that the menu changes seasonally. Will definitely return. I had the vegan japchae- glass noodles and veggies. You can add any of their proteins if you want. The spam fried rice looked so so good! Only negative- we were a table of three and obviously ordered three dinner portions to eat ourselves. We were still told all the dishes come at as they are made. This is fine for sharing but no so great for when your all having your own dishes and you're with people you don't know well. Some of our table where more than halfway done with their meal by the time everyone was served.

Upon entering we were told “this is a concept restaurant “ OK, we were ready to give it a go. Talia our waitress who was very sweet also told us how conceptual the place was. She suggested some beers which were good but forgot to bring us glasses to drink them. Then the dirty silverware was placed on our table, I mean greasy dirty silverware, Talia said she sent the whole tray where they were stored back to be washed again. Then we waited for our food. I wish we didn’t. The pork ramen was tasteless, not seasoned. The stuffed soft bread was so oily i couldn’t eat it. We also didn’t like the fried rice. What the heck 0 for 3. We were honest Talia, it was obvious we didn’t like the food. She returned and told us the manager deducted the fried rice because we barely touched it. Conceptually the whole thing was a terrible experience, I would go with clean silverware and good food instead of trying to be so eclectic.

Flavors should mix well to create new tastes. Hot Joy tries to do this but didn't succeed. My dish was over powered by chili oil, I was eating chili oil covered noodles. I ordered dumplings and they just dumped them in chili oil. Not a good place to eat at all.

Stopped here based on a local recommendation and we were not disappointed at all! Great vibe, great food, great staff! Very pleased!

Fun enviorment, the service was really fast although the place was really busy. There was people on the wait list. The food is good and the price is fare. The only thing I found kind of complicated is that the menu is limited, maybe it was because it was dinner. We didnt really quite understand what the menu was at all, maybe a bit of a more specific menu would have been good. We liked what we ordered at the end, it was interesting.

Everything was EXCELLENT. Family style, and so yummy!!! Good bar drinks also. Not too long of a wait on a Saturday night.

Dinner with adult family. Food is delivered family style. Excellent wings. Unique drinks. Limited menu, but the care and attention are obvious. Staff is very helpful and pleasant.

After hearing about it for ages, I finally made it to Hot Joy...and now all I think about is going back! I was so eager to take coworkers until I realized they don't serve lunch. The atmosphere is so much fun and the family style dining experience is wonderful. Every crazy thing we tried - at our helpful waitress' recommendation - was perfect. Tater Tot Chaat and Brisket Dan Dan were so amazing, we wanted more. The Tikka Masala tacos were a very generous portion we were thrilled to take home. Happy Hour specials were a great deal. I can't wait to come here more regularly.

Outstanding food in a fun, eclectic atmosphere. The roasted Brussels sprouts were yummy!!! Nice variety of beers to choose from.

My friends had told me about this place and I finally got to join them for a wonderful meal that did not disappoint. The menu changes every three months focusing on Asian cuisine with influence from a different country. Everything was so tasty, it’s difficult to single out a favorite dish. Definitely worth trying!

We used to go here a lot a just remembered why we stopped Dinner wasn’t even able to eat and they just brought us a to go box Used to be good now it’s worse than vending machine food Skip this place for sure

Gone Downhill….. several yrs ago we ate here on a Saturday nite and had a great dinner—-not so much 1 week ago when we decided to go for Sunday lunch. To begin with, there were only 2 other couples there which should have been a sign. We had a lunch special which came with soup, entree. I had hot and sour soup which I LOVE and it was so spicy hot that I could barely eat more than a few bites—-I’m a native Texan girl who grew up on Mexican food, jalapeños so believe me when I say the soup was unbearably hot. My husband had egg drop which was good. We both had a fried chicken entree which consisted of small bites of fried chicken coated in a sauce. The chicken pieces were way over fried, super salty and sauce had bits of dill pickles in it. We each ate half our meal and decided against taking any home. FYI: if you plan on having a conversation you may have trouble due to the piped in music that consisted of musicians screaming at the top of their lungs. Guess we’re just old, if you consider 37 to be over the hill.

Visited Hot Joy hoping to enjoy a drink with a friend at the bar. Bartender insisted we sit separate so as not to disrupt the 5 seats. Unbelievable.

This was one of the best meals I ever had. Thanks to the worker at the best western for telling us about it! Well worth the 25 minute walk. We visited twice and enjoyed the food both times! If you want a flavor explosion, visit this restaurant.

First time at this restaurant, ordered a take out. Two dishes took 45 minutes. After seeing the dishes at home, I could've prepared it in 5 minutes. Rather expensive for such so so taste. Won't go again.

We went to Hot Joy for brunch. The waitress started off our meal by telling us Hot Joy isn't known for brunch, which probably wasn't a good sign. While the service was good, my double fried chicken was aggressive and the tater tots lacked a lot of tater. In other words, it was too much fried everything. We also didn't order from the drink cart, which quite frankly didn't seem that appealing. I would try to go back for other meals but maybe not brunch.

Hot Joy is true to its image as a funky, fresh spot to nosh on tasty Asian-fare. Whether it is 5pm or 1am, the food is always fresh and always flavorful. The menu rotates enough to keep you hopping from one culinary experience to another, but seems to always have enough regulars to satisfy your constant cravings.

The food was great, but the service and atmosphere were underwhelming. On the atmosphere point, there are two areas to sit in -- the area off to the left (where the bar is) has cool decor, big paintings/murals, funky lighting, and a vibrant mood. The area off to the right, however, is a hallway to the kitchen, kind of an afterthought, and feels more like the kid's table at Thanksgiving. As you might surmise, we wound up in the latter area. (Ironically, we met a woman earlier in the day who said she stopped eating at Hot Joy because they wouldn't let her sit where she wanted to -- sounded weird at the time, but now I know what she meant). Kind of a drag to be led past the "cool" room off to Siberia (I had made reservations about a week out, so this wasn't a case of the section being reserved for walk-ins). The food, on the other hand, was fantastic and fun. Tater Tot Chaat is not to be missed, nor are the Brussels sprouts. Both were billed as "small plates," but this being Texas, the plates were easily entree-sized, so keep that in mind when ordering. The two cocktails we tried were equally awesome. So much so, that we would've ordered a second round ... had our waitress ever come back around, which brings me to ... The service. It was not the best. Our waitress was super nice, but not what I'd call an effective multi-tasker. She chatted up the table next to us for a good 15 minutes, which put her completely behind the power curve for the rest of the time we were there. By the time we saw her again, we were way beyond done eating, and had lost the feeling for more cocktails. Not exactly the end of the world, but it did put another dent in what would have otherwise been a great evening. Prices are very reasonable for the quality of the food. Yes, they are slightly more than average for San Antonio, but that's because restaurants are generally inexpensive here. You'd pay close to twice the price for the same food in bigger cities. For those who care about such things, the waitstaff has an oddly casual uniform: jeans and restaurant-logo t-shirts. This struck me as out of sync with the restaurant's otherwise cool vibe. Bottom line: great food, but I'm not planning to rush back, given the other promising places to try in the area.

Great Asian fusion dishes to share. Dirty fried rice is a great combo. Pork belly is a good lunch choice.

What an amazing place to eat if you like spicy food. The fried rice combination is really amazing, crispy, spicy and made with, I think, love for food. I recommend this restaurant without any doubt. Superb food, the choice of music could be better.

Some people said this place was "amazing" and "superb" - well, I'm not sure. It was not a terrible place, just not amazing in any way. Our waiter was rude and slow, but that's okay, I can't judge the whole place on that. The food was alright. The location is great though and the décor is truly beautiful. I will give them that. Other than that, I would choose not to go back.

The food was very tasty but the service left alot to be desired. It was pricy for a what you get and not very clean. #4travelersonly

Asian fusion is often an attempt to be hip without actually delivering on good food, but I was relieved to find the dishes at Hot Joy satisfying and worthy of the crazy, Chinatown-gone-insane vibe of the place. My one criticism is that the dishes lack a bit of subtlety, so be prepared for a heavy-handed approach to seasoning. The cocktails are unique and well-executed. The cocktails featuring pho-syrup are a must-try and something I've never seen anywhere else. It somehow incorporates the essence of a pho beef broth into your cocktail and it's delicious. It sounds gross but it isn't--you have to trust me. The khao soi was my favorite dish of the night. Rich, complex flavors and the comfort of eating a bowl of noodles.

We dined here on tiki night. The décor is fun and so is the food. We tried the cauliflower and brussels sprouts -- both were very good. But our favorites of the night were the spam fried rice and the chicken wings -- both warrant a return visit sometime soon. The only miss was a noodle dish the vegetarian in the group ordered. He said the miso flavor was almost floral and left a bad after taste. All in all - a fun time.

A group of six of us was seated for lunch quickly in one of the beautiful Chinese-inspired booths. Then they forgot about us. It was not busy so we don't know why the delay. We shared our favorite: chicken wings appetizer then ordered separate entrees. Four of us got our meals at more or less the same time. The other 2 waited a very long time. We always enjoy the food - General Chads Chicken and Pork carnitas tacos are favorites, tasty and lots of it. But the service is very unpredictable.

Stopped in with the family after a Sunday walk we did all appetizers everyone was great very reasonably priced happy hour was incredible the atmosphere is really neat lowlights private booth would definitely recommend stopping in

Saki, small plates, ramen noodles, tangy wings - all fantastic. We have always sat at the bar because the bartenders are great. The booths and table seating look great too but for two, the bar is best.

I had been here years ago and loved it I was back in town visiting and talk some people into going to the restaurant much to our surprise Monday is ramen night I never really had ramen for dinner other then back in college. Of course this was nothing like that. Our choices were all quite eclectic, service was great, the decor was funky.!

A really special Asian cuisine and the location is everything but ordinary. And they played good punk music!

Place is overrated , Loud music , good servers, I eat here twice a month and they say they are open late for partial menu after ten pm to 2 am but on two occasions I arrived at 1 am and they said kitchen is closed. I have eaten most thing on menu chicken shrimp fried rice horrible over killed by way to many jalapeños and tastes extremely mouth burning. The Brussels sprouts are very tasteful. $$$ for well not the best.

This asian fusion restaurant does not need an introduction. It was ranked #7 from Bon Apetit. Every single item in the menu is excellent, I go there once or twice a month...

We dropped in on a Monday night, which turned out to be Ramen Monday. The steamed buns we're so good that we got an order to go. My teens and my husband and I all tried different ramens and we all enjoyed them. The atmosphere is wonderfully funky.

Amazing dish! I recommend to any and all. It is very spicy but flavorful. atmosphere is awesome ... tacky but kind of on purpose and it makes it a lot of fun .. Definitely try the cocktail Flawless Victory... soo good with spicy dishes

This place is incredible! Hot Joy on the south side offers, amazing fusion of asian and spanish (like lamb dan dan noodles with Cotija cheese, never would have thought of that combo). The brisket ramon, smokey, sweet and savory. Just what you want. This was a wonderful discovery and we were completely impressed.

Been going to Hot Joy since it first opened when it was an outstanding restaurant. Over the years it has been in decline. This was the last visit. No more. Four dishes, two with meat, two without. One could be considered good - pork belly, the rest barely mediocre. Yes the place is physically unchanged, great décor, fine bar, but don't go there expecting great food. Alas those days are past. Forewarned!

The food taste ok but man is the potion small! They can't even put enough noodle to cover 1/3 of that small bowl... O and it's definetly not Chinese food, or Asian food for that matter. Environment-wise it feels more like a bar than a restaurant. Will not come back again.

I have eaten at several fusion restaurants in my journeys but HOT JOY has been the most adventurous one so far. There are several different Asian influences and some Indian spices thrown in for good luck.I had read an article about ramen that had originally been the reason to try out HOT JOY and we were able to try two different styles. Both were good but the mushroom broth was the better of the two. We went with friends so we had a great opportunity to sample 7 different dishes-- all were really good but the smashed cucumber salad was the run away hit with the whole group. Everything was delicious, the drinks were great as well. The service was perfect and the ambiance was funky. I would definitely revisit HOT JOY again and again if I lived in San Antonio--I know for sure that I will return the next time I am in town. If you want a party in your mouth than think about visiting HOT JOY but plan on making reservations as this is a hopping funky place for great eats!

We had a large party they served well. The food is a very interesting mix of Asian and Tex Mex, but they do it well. I enjoyed the Pork Carnitas Tacos with a unique soft, thicker "shell" and "Kewpie" (had to look that up--Japanese mayonnaise), although the meal was a bit too salty for my taste. I also had the Garam Masala Donut for dessert--it tasted like a not-too-sweet cinnamon roll, served with banana slices and a small scoop of mango sorbet--it was quite good! We enjoyed the service.

I went to dinner here with four colleagues. We all got a different entree and everyone was very happy with their meal. There was also a nice wine and drink list and the service was fabulous. The menu changes every few months, but they always stick to an Asian theme.

This place is just pure fun! The decor is over-the-top Chinese kitsch. We felt like characters in a 1950s Doris Day madcap comedy. Luckily, the drinks were really unique and tasty -- and the food was incredible. We loved the pork belly dumplings, the fried chicken, and the cooling cucumber mint salad. Our server was fun, friendly, and efficient. The place is full of hipsters, but nobody was taking themselves seriously. Try the Pinche Knees: two kinds of tequila topped with a plum sake for a unique and not overly-sweet flavor. We can't wait to return!

I know this place is trendy, but really? They take cheap ingredients like Spam, Ramen, chicken wings, beef tongue, etc and try to make them "exotic". Their motto should be "Hot Mess" because that is what their menu is like. You're paying high prices for them just to mix up a bunch of cheap stuff together and everyone thinks that's cool. I'd rather pay a bit more for quality ingredients and great food. The only good thing about this place is the atmosphere and that is why I gave it a 3 star rating.

This place is super cool to visit and lots of interesting drink/menu choices. It has the biggest rum selection in Texas! Adrian was a huge help in helping us find the best drink choice for us. The Saturn was awesome! We also ate from the late night bar menu and had the French Fries with Katsuobushi that were amazing and an interesting conversation piece! We will definitely visit again when in town.

This is a restaurant that people seem to love or to hate, based on an average of ratings from other reviewers. We had dinner as a family, ordered a wide sampling of the menu, which evidently changes on certain days of the week. Since we went on a Saturday night before a show @ the Majestic, we were definitely hungry after an otherwise busy day of only snacking. Usually, it has been my experience that a restaurant is either it's best or worst on Saturday-date night. The food we ordered was frankly outstanding to the taste, flavorful, with pleasing presentation. The menu suggested attempts @ creating "fusion" combinations, & being a fan of Pad Thai, I ordered the Thai noodles with lemongrass, garlic, & peppers; & the dish was spot-on with a nice variation in the usual Pad Thai dish. We had initially ordered the smashed cucumbers with coconut milk & mint. This appetizer was mouth-watering to the points that were spoon on the sauce after the cucumber was gone! Usually a good litmus test for ordering entrees. My family shared an order of the Miso ramen with shiitake mushrooms, & garlic oil. This dish along with Carnitas Tacos using Malaysian flatbread, pork shoulder, & spices were both above average in flavor & taste satisfaction. The Malaysian flatbread was fresh & tasty that we asked for extra pieces on the side. Service was prompt & efficient. The setting was fun insofar as it was an eclectic & colorful reproduction of oriental themes. This restaurant has previously won national & regional awards for it food, & yet many reviews that I have scanned are very severely critical. When I hear so much negativity as contrasted with my direct opposite experience, I tend to believe that a problem in consistent management is the most plausible explanation. I hope that management will take a look & find a fix because I absolutely loved this restaurant & had a lot of fun with my family on a special night celebrating our youngest daughter's birthday. Best wishes!

I have sampled many an "Asian fusion" restaurant around the world, and I have to say that the dishes at Hot Joy, "deep in the heart of Texas (San Antonio)", rank close to the top. The meals we ordered seemed to blend spices and ingredients from China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand and left us craving for more. Serving sizes were perfect at the right price. We had Kung Pao Chicken, Honey Sesame Chicken, Dan Dan Noodles, Migas Fried Rice, and Hot & Sour Soup. All very very tasty. Despite having 18 hungry people in our party, with lots of questions, the service at Hot Joy was fantastic - laid back and fast. We will be returning on our next trip to San Antonio!

We went here specifically for the half price wings and cocktails. Our table shared all three flavors of wings, and I can honestly say that their hot wings were not as hot as the hottest wings at places such as Buffalo Wild Wings, for example. Yes, they were spicy hot, but they were not so hot that you couldn't really enjoy them. Their other flavors of wings were very good also. I can't vouch for any other food, as we only had wings.

Loved the shrimp chips and spam (yes spam) fried rice! Delicious and plenty of food. Waitress was wonderful. One dish is enough to share with leftovers!

First & most importantly the sign is hard to see hidden behind the bamboo !!! When mentioned it to wait staff they said " Oh yes we put a sign out on curb when it's dark" It was dark. Hello?? Very, very, very difficult to see coming from 2 directions. Second we ( Party of 4) tried 3 different rum drinks, something I believe H.O.J. claims fame for and all three were not only bad but undrinkable. Now four different people tried all 3 of them. Mentioned it to wait staff, not once but twice, set drinks to the side. Nothing done, no offers to replace, remove from bill, ( they are 12-14$/drink) anything, drinks sat there till dinner done. Waitress a bit pushy for us to order also. If 2 people at the table are still studying the menu, and you have asked twice already, best to give it some more time and watch to see them put menus down. No, it was not busy, 4 tables in the place, 2 which came after us. Good things --- The wings are very GOOD, no doubt about it !!! Fried chicken is very good too, over priced for fried chicken and it's served in "Lettuce Wrap" presentation. So you pull the chicken off the bone, put it in lettuce with the condiments. Bit strange that? Anyways, just go to bar order some wings and leave, DON'T order a rum drink, well maybe a Rum & Coke, maybe that they can make -- correctly??? Did not include picture of street and how hard it is to find, but you will see.

Not what I'd expected as was under the impression from online info that it is an Asian restaurant. Several menu items sounded good and we finally settled on a "small plate" [tofu tacos] and a "large plate" [pork summer rolls] to share. In addition we ordered the "happy hour" wings special. Service was reasonable and the food tasted good, especially after a long day of walking along the Riverwalk. But the menu is really weird ["eclectic"] and will definitely not please many.

Tried this place out for lunch since I was hearing so many friends rave about it. The ambiance was nice , and I would probably come back for a drink but never again to eat. Honestly they didn't have much selection and the food had no real "flavor" . We we're sat at a table right on top of another and couldn't really have a conversation without whispering.

My husband and I found this gem when searching for a cheap eat over the fourth of July weekend. Many of recommended spots we identified were closed, but Hot Joy was not only open, it had the kind of hours catering to a crowd who was out for a good night on the town. You will quickly notice that the menu items range across at least three cultures. Asian, Mexican, and American. This alone sold me. An eye for the best in each cuisine type among the chefs at Hot Joy truly delivers. We had the ceviche, brussels sprouts, pork buns (steamed wonton), and wings. I still cannot stop thinking about the Thai style, oh-so-crunchy wings!!! I am only sorry that we filled up before trying more items and that we live out of state. With reasonable prices to boot, this place puts San Antonio on the map for me.

This place has a style that goes amazingly well with the food and drinks they serve, I've been for lunch only but still is amazing every time I eat here (the staff is super friendly, like Tess the hostess). The sesame chicken, korean chicken sandwich and their tiger salad are super tasty.

Went for dinner with a group of friends on a weeknight. Overall good experience, good service and decent food. The server was attentive, kept our drinks full and was available whenever we needed something. The appetizers where excellent, the meals where decent. Nothing to really complain about just have had better food at many other locations. I would highly recommend the Happy Hour and appetizers if looking for some eats and good drink deals. I will be back to do just that.

A fun place everyone should try at least once! We enjoyed a night out with friends and loved it here. Food was unique and tasty!

We stopped for a drink before dinner. Very unfriendly people. We felt very uncomfortable. Drinks very expensive even it was happy hour; no snacks. Lasciate perdere se siete da questi parti. Ci sono posti molto più simpatici in zona. (There are much more friendly places around there)

One of the most original restaurants we have tried. Fusion menu that is small but packs great flavor. Crispy wings were phenomenal, could have had 15. Tried spam fried rice and was not disappointed! All the sauces and flavor profiles were so interesting. Decor is amazing. Loved the private booth set up.

This spot is great for a delicious Asian inspired dinner in a kitschy and amazing restaurant. Honestly, there's always something to look at while you wait on your food. AND the wings are BEAUTIFULLY DONE. Incredibly tasty. I literally will lick the bottom of the bowl when they bring out the wings for the sauce. Servers, ALWAYS funny and ALWAYS personable.

This place is cool looking and trendy. The tables are all pretty private which is nice. Also a cool bar in the middle. It has a cool Cali fusion vibe and no Asians working there. The menu was really unity and they change it up. Good was good. The Thai rice smelled and looked amazing. I had ramen which was not bad but the baby corn and shiitake mushrooms tasted pickled. I did not care for that. Price wise it was on par with any other Asian restaurant. I would go back but not in a hurry.

Restaurant with a kind of a random menu every night. Was worried it would be too special, or trying to be, but the place was really nice, food great and so was the service, and also affordable.

Beautiful, funky, creative, inclusive, are all great words to describe Hot Joy. You need just a bit of an adventuresome palate to understand the fringe items on the menu. Many of the dishes involve the use of fish sauce and other excellent Asian ingredients. Please remember that fish sauce does not taste like the aroma it gives off. You have got to try the Twice Fried Chicken Wings and the Tiger Kale salad. I love the bar, the food, and the staff. If you are in San Antonio Uber on down to Southtown and enjoy this up and coming area.

Let me begin by saying that I am not a foodie. I don't place a lot of value in taking normal food and trying to trick it up just because you can. I know this place has received a lot of good reviews and I went with friends with an open mind. The ambiance was nice, and the wait staff was excellent and enthusiastic, spending time to explain various dishes. We sampled at least six different dishes, and my first comment is that because of all the intense flavors and spices, I don't think you could even eat one of the small dishes as a meal. You would get sick to your stomach. The tater tot chat was fine, the texture of the twice fried chicken wings was intesting, but the crab fat caramel was not good. I had heard positive comments about the migas fried rice, but it was rather bland to me. Spam sandwich was unusual and ok. Spring rolls seem like a straight forward dish, but these were the worst I have ever eaten. Not sure if it was the fish oil, but it has a rather unpleasant smell. Raman noodles were fine, but everything has so much spice, it was hard to eat more than a few bites. Bottom line, I am one and done. Obviously many people like this type of food, but I will stick with traditional food, where you don't have to try to make the food fancy just because you can.

Last week we tried HOT JOY an Asian-Texas Fusion restaurant. This was our second attempt. Our first attempt ended in a fail due to the crazy crowd they had. Due to this we absolutely had to make a second attempt. This was my son’s second try at this establishment. His first try was also a fail, though he did get a chance to eat. However, he wanted to give HOT JOY a second try. The restaurant has a menu based on special days. We went on Monday, Asian noodle day. Since we lived in Asia for 17 years this should not have been a big deal. In fact, this should have been very easy and a great eat. That said, we wasted of our time and $87 dollars out of my wallet. HOT JOY have received national recognition form several major outlets. Food magazine Bon Appétit named HOT JOY as one of their 10 Best New Restaurant for 2014. They also earned the title Feast in the Heart of Texas 2015 from the NY Times. The Chef was named a rising star in 2012 from Starchefs magazine. After reading the national accolades, I read the common folk reviews. From the reviews the restaurant, was a rising star. However, those days are gone. From zero stars to four, the reviews are all over the page. Many ratings are lower on the scale. If you've never been to Asia and you're into to metro sexual or some other term for the current hipster city life HOT JOY maybe for you. However, if you're out for something a tad better, this is no the place for you.

I kept hearing rave reviews about this place and thought I'd take my college aged kids in. The outside and inside of this place is so inviting and legit looking but that's where it stops. We went in for lunch and had the spring rolls, curry, migas fried rice and ramen with pork. The best way to describe the flavor of each dish is mismatched, overdone and tried wayyyyyy to hard to make something out of what should have been simple,,there were too many flavors in each dish and seemed to collide and go no where. I think most people are drinking or drunk when eating and can't tell either way. I might recommend a drink after work but eh...I regret spending the money I did on lunch.

My sister, a full-fledged foodie who lives in Seattle, selected this place for a meal on the one night that she, our mother, and I would all be in San Antonio. Two nights later my mother and I returned for a second visit. The food is difficult to describe; with Chicken Tikka Masala Tacos on the menu, you get the idea. (They were delicious.) Between the two meals I relished the tacos, spring rolls, a smoked brisket and noodles dish, a Thai curry, and Tater Tots Chaat (yes, Tater Tots). The atmosphere is as eclectic as the menu. Careful, some of the portions are enormous; the servers are excellent and they will assist you in avoiding culinary overload.

Hot Joy has a menu like you will find no where else. Every time I go I try something different, and it is always different. The food is really good and the uniqueness of it makes it really fun. Try it I bet you will like it.

I'm not really sure how this place has stayed open as long as it has. I've seen poor health inspections of this establishment yet I see people rave about it. I visited this location a few months back, not by choice as I was there for a girls night out. This probably should have been my first clue to stay in! The location itself is easy to find and it's a cute building. When we arrived there was nobody to greet us and we sat unattended to for about 5 minutes prior to the hostess making it back to the front. Mind you, the bar is right there and someone from the bar could have at the very least greeted us - nope. We had a reservation and still had to wait abut 30 minutes, so we headed to the bar. The bar is definitely the bright spot in the establishment. Their specialty drinks were tasty and the bar atmosphere was decent. Once we were sat we started ordering as it is family style. To be honest, the selection was very mediocre and left much to be desired. For a place that was so highly anticipated and has lasted this long - not impressed. Once the food came, it was super salty and just ok. For the price I'd rather go to the local Chinese restaurant in my neighbor hood and have a delicious meal with no frills.

I'm usually a "go with the flow" kind of person. This place had a lot going for it. My friends were over the moon about it and the company was nice. The service was just fine. Most of the food was really pretty good. The spam fried rice and curry wings were ridiculously spiced. I did, however, like the crab fat wings (they were salty, too - but it worked) The Dan-Dan noodles were full of spice. So, if you dig spice, I'd say you're gonna be happy. The drinks are SOOOOO expensive. I had the Sake To Me. It was... fine. Didn't have other drinks because I'm not a millionaire. This place will set you back and I'll be honest, I was a little less than bowled over. Would I go back? Maybe on Wednesday wing night. Otherwise... negatory.

We went on a pretty long walk during our first evening in San Antonio, mainly to try out this place. The decor grabs your attention right away, and the restaurant is overall themed much like its cuisine "Asian fusion." We were seated promptly (at around ~6pm) and our server took our drink order shortly after. We both opted for one of their signature drinks (can't remember the name, but it's blue), which was outstanding, but pricey $12-14. Our food choices were rather limited as the menu was short and seems to change ever so often. My wife likes to look at menus online to have an idea of what to order upon arrival, but the menu had completely changed. We settled for a spicy noodle dish which was tasty, but rather average. The server was attentive, until the place got a little busier, which is understandable. Overall a decent experience, but not sure I would go out of my way to specifically seek our this restaurant.

This is a very popular trendy Asian fusion place in Southtown. Reservations are needed. Its a fun atmosphere reminiscent of the Orient and the Opium wars. We sat in a booth which is enclosed with a Chinese screen pattern. We chose to order as a group and share dishes. We enjoyed the edamame, smashed cucumbers, dirty rice, chicken wings and more. Interesting dishes. I'm not a huge Asian food fan and I still enjoyed it. Cocktails were not a particular strength. Better to just stick w the Asian beers.

Hot Joy boasts, among other things, Spam Fried Rice. I didn't try it but the BLT fried rice was delicious and so was the sesame chicken and Barbacoa Lampia. Cocktails were inventive and pretty awesome. The twice fried wings require a developed taste, but all and all well worth the adventure and the brisk walk. If you're in San Antonio, and want to step outside the box, this is definitely a place to try.

Finally got here and it was worth the wait. Struggled to figured out what to order until we were told it was Wing Wednesday and thus $5 for 7 wings!! A thing of beauty. Smashed cucumber salad was pleasant and the Thai Tea ice cream was epic. Great value for the money. Go!!!!

My wife decided to go grab a bite at Hot Joy tonight at 7pm and was abruptly turned away by the hostess stating “we don’t seat singles”. Is this a joke? When she then asked if she could sit at the bar the hostess yet again rudely responded and said “well can’t you see it’s full”. I am completely astonished at this complete lack of hospitality and desire to accommodate patrons. My wife and I travel extensively all over the globe and we have NEVER experience such attitude. Hot Joy is an incredible let down.

Every dish was bad. The waitress forgot to place our appetizer orders; then had a disclaimer that dishes came out of the kitchen when ready! Pork & sweet potato noodles was horrid with ice cold, flavorless noodles and dry, fat laced slices of pork. Bbq shrimp fried rice had maybe 10 small pieces of shrimp in huge platter of mediocre fried rice. Beef dan dan was fatty ground meat sauce over more tasteless noodles. Same crap was sauced over Dan dan unidentifiable hot dogs (sausages). And the appetizers were frozen, fried tater tots with schiracha squirted on top and frozen fried wings with curry? sauce dribbled on top. Disgusting, inedible fast food in a junky, red atmosphere. Should have read more reviews before going!

It's kind of a cool place to go for 1 drink, but no more. The decor is super kitschy, almost comically so. The food has no identity, is inauthentic, and not very good to boot. Don't eat here.

This restaurant, located right next to FEAST (see my review of FEAST), on ALAMO Avenue, is a very small friendly but NOISY place. Like FEAST, HOT JOY seems to serve smaller plates, which ware meant to be shared. Because of this, expect to spend a LOT more than at a typical Chinese or Thai restaurant serving full entrees. I heard about this place on the FOOD NETWORK. The menu at HOT JOY intrigued my husband and I to try it. Any place that has Brussels sprouts, or edamame on the menu (as a complete plate) deserves a try. The food was pretty good. However, being from the EAST Coast, we eat a lot of Asian and Thai/indo cuisines. For the prices that HOT JOY charges, my husband and I expected MUCH higher quality. I think HOT JOY wants to be an exciting nighttime joint. They are very energetic, hopping and NOISY. This is certainly not a place for a family or a romantic dinner. But it is a far cry from the typical Tex-Mex places which seem to inundate the San Antonio area. So for that alone, HOT JOY is worth a try. There was nothing really original with the food at HOT JOY, and I found the plates to be even smaller than at FEAST. So again, this could be a fun (albeit expensive) night out with friends. But if you want a real Asian meal, this is probably not the place for you.

Chad Carey has this place humming. We've been there several times and it just seems to get better. The atmosphere is kind of: "Chic, Wacky", and the waitstaff are mucho fun. Hot Joy is a must for everyone.

I had heard all the good reviews about this restaurant so took a friend for lunch. I was disappointed in the quality of the food - just okay but nothing to rave about. I also thought it was overpriced. Service was on the slow side too. Limited parking hurts as well. I won't go back - too many other good choices.

Had dinner with the family after taking in a show (at Majestic on Houston St.) There were eight of us and the host suggested a booth which worked out perfect. Cozy but not overcrowded or cluttered. We ordered from all over the fusion menu and were pleased with Hot Joy's take on many traditional treats (soba noodled, fried rice, hot wings, seasoned enadame). There was enough spiciness in the dishes labeled as such (for our traditional Thai fans) and enough non-spicy dishes. The drink selection was ample and very reasonable (happy hour!) My only semi-complaint was on the timeliness of the waitstaff which was sometimes a bit slow...even for those of us not at all in a rush! Overall it was a good experience and we hope to return.

I didn't know what to expect when going to hot joy since their menu could be a little frightening. I had to take the most adventurous of my friends to try it out. I was delighted with every dish we got. First, the dishes are meant to be shared, so they are big. We made a reservation and got seated right away on a Friday night. We started with the tater tot chaat. I don't even know what was in it, but it was tasty. I'm not a fan of tater tots, but enjoyed this dish very much. For our dinner we shared the double miso ramen and the Indian green curry. The curry was scrumptious. It was not spicy. The ramen was also very good and it came with an egg. The cocktails were also different. I tried the lime in the coconut and once I got used to the toasted coconut flavor, I enjoyed it. We took half of all the dishes home and were very satisfied. The wait staff was excellent. Never did I have to ask for a water refill. The only thing that bothered me is the size of tables. They are small for family style dining. We were very cramped. I would still return and maybe leave room for dessert.

I was advised by the locals not do go to any restaurants along the river in order to get more authentic SA experience and so I went to Hot Joy. It wasn't busy when I arrived and I chose to sit at the bar. Servers were very attentive and I was done with my meal with less than an hour. I had a wasabi cocktail and liked it very much. For main I had ramen and it was a bit salty for my liking and I added pork belly and it came as one piece and I wasn't sure how to eat it just with chopsticks and a spoon but I managed lol

Disclaimer: This place isn't for everyone. The food selection is really eclectic and the restaurant has the odd mix of Southtown meets Asian fusion meets tiki bar. But we love it. We have been avid HJ patrons for years and seen several waves of menu changes and special offerings. We went late on a Saturday night with our friends (mostly to drink) and decided to splurge on the Oye Pono Que Paso shared party bowl. It came to our table in flames (true story!!) with four large straws for consumption. If you want something for the 'Gram, this is the drink to get. We also enjoyed the Navy Grogs and Frozen Night Walkers- all tiki based, really delicious, boozy beverages. We haven't eaten too much from the new menu but did try the loaded potato bing, which I could have eaten five plates of. Next time, we will be more adventurous and try more food. If anyone from Hot Joy sees this, we are dreaming of the day when the tater tot chaat comes back on the menu!

This place is amazing! As soon as you walk in, you're transported to China, or Japan, or some crazy mash-up of Tokyo and San Antonio. Everywhere you look, there is something to discover, from the hanging baskets and stuffed shelves of the lobby, to the crazy masks hanging around the chic central bar, to the red latticed private booths. Get started with one of Hot Joy's creative cocktails, like the Respect Your Elders (made with elderberry of course) then fill your table with appetizers like the shrimp chips and sweet chicken wings. Riesling is king at Hot Joy, with an entire menu devoted to it. The sweetness of a fine Riesling counters the heat in many of their dishes. Continue your feast by ordering one of the ramen dishes, migas or spam fried rice, and the Indian Curry, all served family style for sharing. We had a fabulous time!

We had foodie friends visiting from Austin and we went to Hot Joy by recommendation. We ordered a variety of plates and my favorite was the bulgogi noodles and the Asian tator tots -- both delicious! The edamame dipping butter tasted like sweet movie theatre popcorn butter; pass on this one! The wings were good but the smell does turn you off a bit. The most disappointing was the wine menu which was basically one Cava & Riesling. The two red selections weren't any better. Delicious food, drink before or after!

If your not too hungry and looking for a cool place to go for a bite after the theater, this place it. They stay open late and have quaint booths for couples or tribes. Our waitress was excellent and tried hard to accommodate our needs Unfortunately the food lacks. We are vegetarians and the menu offers very little. We shared the miso ramen bowl with tofu. The hot chili is superior. The soup was a bit salty but edible. The spam fried rice with tofu instead of the spam was the best dish. The Chinese broccoli stir fry was awful. Tough old bokchoy drowned in too much sauce the main reason to go here is the atmosphere. It’s reminiscent of A hip 1960s style Chinese restaurant and very cool

The decor is over the top in a great way. The food is comfort food done with an asian flaif. Definitelly differenet and a lot of fun.=====

The food was good, the waitstaff was very welcoming, and the prices were reasonable. I had no idea what to order and would love to pay another visit to try some other things on the menu.

The first thing I need to mention is the amazing service we received. Our waitress was pleasant, knowledgeable of the menu, and genuinely concerned with making sure we had a great experience. The atmosphere was funky cool and our food was delicious. Definitely plan to go back!

Great place to visit for an eclectic bar and tapes scene. Asian in spired menu, mostly tapes style...but good portions are great for after work get togethers. The best experience is to go with several people and order many dishes..all shareable and the many types of wings on wednesday nights were extraordinary!

The food here was a little different than what we were use to. I described it as "Hipster Chinese Food". It was all good but the wings were AWESOME!!

Was doubtful about going to an Asian restaurant after living in Asia for a while, but dang was this great. Awesome service, amazing cocktails and adventurous takes on classic Asian food from several different countries. Chinese style 担担面 Dan Dan noodles with a Texas twist (brisket), half priced crab fat twice fried Korean Chicken, 抓饼 tikka masala Tacos, spam fried rice... too many good flavors to name. Check out their happy hour for cheap priced drinks!

Love this place, menu always changes. They always have fun, creative, and delicious food. I just wish they had the original carnitas tacos.... :( BRING THEM BACK!!! Ask the bartender for an Army Navy. Delicious Drink/shot!!

Great food and exceptional service. Our waitress, Sam, was attentive without being hovering. Made sure we were satisfied and thoroughly happy with dinner. We ordered wine that wasn't quite chilled enough yet so we were served complimentary Cava (yum) while it chilled. Made sure every need was attended to. We felt so valued. Double miso noodles with pork belly were outstanding as was my husbands Migas fried rice. As locals who live nearby we have a lot of choices, but this quality food and service make it hard to go anywhere else.

I was excited to eat at Hot Joy with all the great reviews. Unfortunately the service was terrible, so terrible that I will never return!! The horrible attitude from the servers and mangers should embarrass the owners. Don't waste your money or time.

We came here after Googling some close by Asian food places with great reviews. Upon looking at the menu we were a little worried that we wouldn't like any of the food to be honest. My fiance is not always the most adventurous when it comes to eating what he deems "ethnic" food and the place is a bit pricey. But, all that being said, we ended up ordering a large platter to share. I can't remember the name of the dish, but they change their menu regularly so it probably won't matter anyway to those reading this review many months later anyway. It was a platter that had fried chicken and it was to be served with rice, lettuce, and condiments. Think, half of a fried chicken served lettuce wrap style. You grab a piece of lettuce, put a little rice and chicken and then add the condiments. The condiments came on a very large platter and there were several to choose from. I can't remember them all, but a very delicious sauce in the middle, pickled daikon, some sauteed green onions, some Korean style mac n cheese, kim chi, etc. There were about 7 different things, all of them quite good. In all, it was one of our most favorite Asian style meals we've ever had. So, if you are feeling like something different give this place a try. We didn't try a bunch of stuff on the menu just because it was our last meal before heading home after the weekend in San Antonio and we didn't want to spend too much. So, you can definitely eat here on a budget if you want to.

Everyone is right, the decor and vibe of this place is pretty great. The food is good, and the cocktail menu is fantastic. A great place to hang out with friends, especially in one of their little "opium den" looking booths. Very cool

We celebrated a friend's birthday at Hot Joy and it was fabulous. We ordered several dishes to share and nothing was a disappointment. Happy hour on a Saturday night was a surprise and offered impressive deals. We will def be going back soon!

Went here for dinner for my birthday. I had been wanting to try this place for a while and thought this would be the perfect time. I went on their website and made a reservation for my group. I had a coworker that had tried this place a gave it a good recommendation. I then went on a couple of other site and saw some of the negative reviews. I started to worry but then thought, no, I want to try this place and I trust my coworker over random strangers. So glad I went! This place was delicious. The food is great and I love the fusion twisted they put on everything. The tater tot chaat was especially great. No one in my party was disappointed. The waiter was friendly, even wishing me happy birthday when he found out that was the occasion. I especially appreciated how he accommodated my group. Two of my people had tickets for a show and needed to get their food and check quicker while the rest of us ordered once the last two of our group showed up. When we were finished eating he didn't pressure us to leave the table and even continued to refilled our water glasses as we chatted. This was great since a few of us aren't able to hang out very often. I would definitely recommend this place to anyone, but come with an adventurous appetite!

Took my family there for an early dinner and was shocked how how good the prices where on the happy hour menu! Twice Fried Chicken Wings, Crispy Honey Chicken, Dan Dan noodles all for $6 each.

This is a funky and whimsical restaurant and bar, and I'll definitely return IN WINTER. I hope we were there on a night when there HVAC was not working properly and that an effort was made to improve the stifling heat indoors. I really hope it's not typical. We had made reservations for a Friday night and drove from Austin for dinner here. We were seated at the very back of an enclosed "den" of booths that was adjacent to the swinging door where servers come & go. Not only did we feel buried and somewhat forgotten seated there, but there was no air circulation in that den and dining was very uncomfortable. The "lobby" area where guests wait for seating was also miserably warm. Thankfully, we didn't have to spend much time there, but it seemed to be about 90º up front when we were leaving about 9:45. I felt so sorry for the two staff members working the front desk for having to work in those conditions. So, that's the part we didn't enjoy about our experience at Hot Joy. Here's what we loved and why we'll return in chillier seasons: the Twice-Fried Chicken Wings with crab fat caramel. I could've ordered plater after platter of those wings and never been disappointed that I didn't try anything else on the menu. I'm still craving those wings a month later. The cocktail menu is also delightful: we had the Surf Rock and the Guava Pineapple Mule. Both drinks were beautifully balanced and skillfully executed. We shared a platter of the Fried Okra--it was just okay. The okra are fried whole and with a very dense batter--too dense for my taste--but they were very crispy. The dip accompanying the okra was just weird. It seemed like a combination of ingredients that made me think "just because we can doesn't mean we should." We shared the Hot Joy Rice Bowl for our entree, and it was good but the flavorful ingredients that topped the dish ran out long before the rice. So, the last part of the meal was mostly just white rice. When we return, I'll try another entree--that is, if I don't fill up on those spectacular wings.

The moment you enter this restaurant you are welcomed into a festive, fun atmosphere which promises a great dining experience. They are known for their wings, which are amazing as well as asian cuisine with a flair for the unusual...and it's really good! For a different experience, I highly recommend giving this one a try!

Hot Joy is a great spot with unique and delicious cocktails, great appetizers and eclectic and fun decor.

The food was good and very asian infused. The atmosphere is not appealing. We experienced a few things on the menu that was not available as in wines. Service was okay. The menu is very limited.

Nice Asian place that had a good vibe and fun decor. Not a lot of vegetarian dishes, but there was some to choose from. I had a pretty tasty curry. The service was ok but more relaxed than professional.

Best Asian wings and fried rice I’ve ever eaten! Cool interior too! Best part were the cocktails. So interesting and delicious.

They offered vegan options. They were happy to make changes for us. The place is cute and casual. Nice bar that you can eat at. It was fun.

Got seated at a table that was unbalanced, and the bathroom was filthy. Tried two of their Happy hour drinks, they were really marginal. Order their signature dish twice fried wings. Got 5 wings for 14.00. My wife had the Kale salad, again not good at all. It was small, too salty, and had a weird sour taste. When we got home we both had a bowl of cereal.

Unique and interesting dishes that borrow from many different Asian influences with some local twists. We enjoyed it! The soups are well-prepared. Everything we tried was unique and flavorful.

I love this place! Ramen & I mean better than most. Chicken wings better that most! The korean is my fav. Expecting the usual...go somewhere else! Pleaase! Happy hour is the best!

My goodness. I consider myself a chicken wing connoisseur and Hot Joy's crispy chicken wings are delicious. After the first order, I had to get another because they were so good.

We went here for late night eats and it was amazing. We had several dishes to split between three of us so we could try a bit of everything. However, the chicken wings I will never forget. I still daydream about them; they were that good!

Fun decor. Food was ok we had smoked brisket Dan Dan noodles which were good and roasted Brussels sprouts. Food was ok. We visited on a Monday night, so not many people there, the music was very loud so we could not carry on a conversation. Other then the decor nothing really special.

We live out of town but had been to hot joy once before while visiting a friend is San Antonio. We returned because we remembered how amazing the food was last time. Although our server was very nice, the service was not as polished as we remembered it to be in our previous visit. Our table legs were uneven, so the table was majorly rocking. The hostess from the front walked by and told us she'd send someone to fix it but she never did. When our waiter came to introduce himself and bring waters, we told him the table was majorly rocking and he bent down and folded up a napkin under the table. Seems like they should put a little money into decent tables. The food was incredible. No complaints there! I loved the Sichuan tofu pork buns! Spicy, crispy, and delicious. The other weird thing that happened was that the waiter noticed we were having trouble cutting up our cauliflower dish. The restaurant typically only gives out forks and chopsticks. He came by to check on us and offered to bring us a knife. He later told us that he searched the entire restaurant and couldn't find a knife. Why offer us something the restaurant doesn't have? Finally another server came up to us with a knife and said that all of them had to spend time searching for one. It kind of made it look like we had been demanding a knife, which wasn't the case--the server asked if we wanted one! Either way, a weird situation. I would definitely still come back to hot joy though!

Try it. Hot Joy is pretty good fun drinks and fun atmosphere. It's not your everyday Chinese restaurant.

This is not a typical Asian food place. This restaurant mixed American, Asian, and Mexican. It is very unique. I had the szechuan beef and noodles. It was amazing. The food has an explosion of flavor and is hot. Not to bad but certainly warm in a good way. They have a new menu and it had so much that looked good. I am going again before I leave to go home. The staff was nice and the service is good. If you are looking for something new this is the place but not for the picky eater. Be adventurous and try something new.

While visiting San Antonio, a co worker told me I had to go here. The decor was the best part. The food was good but not something I usually go for, I thought it was your run of the mill Chinese place but its more Asian Fusion. Would I go back? Probably not.

Pretty good spot for drinks and food. The food is meant to be shared and the servings are pretty decently sized. They have a lot of alcoholic beverages and mixed drinks as well.

Met and exceeded high expectations (based on good reviews dug up by my wife). The chicken wings were the best chicken wings I ever done eated, and I eat wings frequently, you know, for science. The wings had some kinda crab fat something or other but somehow maintained a crispy, and sticky, exterior. They supply handiwipes at the table. I had the dandan noodles with a pork based "chili" on top, like an alternative universe cincinati chili, but delicious. My wife had the smoked lamb fried rice, with jackfruit (for crunch/texture) and other veggies. Local beer Hans Pils was deliciously authentic, crisp, yummy. My crazy oldfashioned coctail was goodnstrong. They take the mixology serious so be prepared to wait a few minutes for a specialty coctail. Our server was a knowledgable, sweet young lady and happily answered all of our guestions about the menu. It's funky and casual so go elsewhere if your looking for white linen. I wish i had eaten there more on our trip to San Antonio. We ate there at 8pm on a Thursday so cannot speak to what it's like when it's hopping. In all seriousness, get the wings.

My husband and I were in town last week for a concert. We were recommended this restaurant by a local acquaintance who lives in the downtown SA area. We ordered the smashed cucumbers, twice fried wings, thai noodles and some spicy sichuan ramen dish. My husband and I eat food of this type frequently so we are not strangers to this type of food. There is no way that this food could have been tasted before being sent out. The thai and spicy Sichuan noodles were so salty that I dumped some of my ice water into the noodles to see if that could salvage anything. I added half a cup and that did nothing to touch the saltiness. The spicy noodles had too much flavoring dumped in which ruined the noodles and the broth. The twice fried wings were the only thing somewhat edible and I ended up drinking 3 glasses of water before leaving. The cucumbers were disgusting as well. It did not taste like coconut milk, but rather a bland yogurt with a bunch of conflicting flavors dumped on top. I have never left a 1 star review for a restaurant before and was hoping to like this place. Sadly we left with empty stomachs which both hurt later that evening from the few bites we did eat. The server was new and when my husband mentioned that the food was mostly inedible she did not respond. She just had an awkward look on her face. We paid for the terrible food and left.

As a local I have been to Hot Joy numerous times. It's a places I love eat at and take out of town guests for a few reasons: it's in a great part of town to visit (Southtown) and the cuisine is unique. The menu is definitely a departure from your normal Asian fare, so be prepared to see some different and unique items on the menu (One of my favorites was a Cheeseburger Fried Rice). The menu changes frequently, but you can usually count on a riff of fried rice, ramen, and tacos. One of the constants is the twice fried wings, which I highly recommend. If you find yourself in the Southtown area around dinner, you won't regret trying out Hot Joy.

Their menu changes every now and then. I always loved their carnitas tacos. They were delicious!!! I was disappointed when they no longer offered that, but there were plenty of options on the menu that were nice replacements. Many great options. And Wednesday night is wing night!!!

My husband and I ate here on a Friday night and we were lucky to get in. On the weekends you have to make a reservation. Anyway, we were seated at a small table and we were brought water. They have quite a selection of exotic alcohol drinks and just a small 3 selection of soda. We ordered dumplings which I did not like but my husband liked. We also ordered a lettuce wrap dish which came with lemon grass rice. I did like that dish and so did my husband but he didn't like the rice because of the lemon grass flavor. It is a very eclectic type of food taste. So if you are looking to try something out of the ordinary I think you will enjoy this place. I would recommend ordering your own dish because it just isn't enough to share, even though they say it is. The service was good, the bathrooms were small and need to be upgraded but clean and usable. The place itself is very interesting and has a cool vibe. We will go back to try the drinks and dessert in the future. Enjoy🤗

The food here was the worst I have ever had. The stirfry bulgolgi noodles were flavorless and extremely oily. The BBQ shrimp fried rice was similar to a frozen meal and the creamy topping was inedible. The food was ridiculously priced. We left so fast and with so much food on the table we surprised the waitress. I will say that the booths were nicely set up and the color scheme of the place was chill. Maybe a place for drinks but not food.

My wife, son and myself went to Hot Joy after i saw it on Food Network. We walked right in no wait which was great, our waitress explained the menu and i ordered the twice fried chicken wings, food was really good and the atmosphere is nice. We also had chicken hearts and pork belly buns, all the food was good and can’t wait to go back to try something different.

Bartender was great. Double Fried Wings were not as good as real wings. But they were good. 5 for $10 (happy hour). Not the greatest. Pork Ramen was good, but not great. Did i mention the bartender was great?

The bar staff here is outstanding, the drinks are great, and the atmosphere is really fun. I come for the tiki drinks, but all the food I've tasted was great. The tasting event I attended was an amazing value and I'd definitely attend another one if it happened while I was visiting. Hot Joy is one of my favorite things to do in SA and I always recommend it to friends!

Really great wings and large servings. They also have a nice sized tropical drink menu. Some of the seating is enclosed so you have privacy as well.

First impressions make a big difference. This Asian infused eatery has a nice ambiance and a friend of mine recommended I come here. The restaurant is nice. However, I ordered a glass of wine and it was served in a very thin "juice glass". Yup, a juice glass. Is this the new and trendy thing? I'm sorry, but a drink should be served in a proper glass - a wine goblet or a steady temp double wall glass. Second, I believe in individuality but the bartender was dressed in cut off bib overalls with heavy black boots. I'm not sure if she was planning to go to a hoe down or if she would've been better suited to work in a Texas honky tonk. The vibe in this place just wasn't there. I left after the glass of wine.

While visitig my son in San Antonio he suggested we go here for dinner. It was fantastic. We arrived right before happy hour ended and we were treated to one drink and our appetizer at hh prices.. I find that a bit awesome! The food was fantastic a little Indian with a mexican flair. I know it sounds weird but the mix and the flavors were just amazing. We ordered the tator tots which have a spicy trail mix on the top, can you say out of this world? We also ordered a noodle dish which had jalapeño's and a fried egg on top. This was my favorite. The food is served family style so there is plenty....We each had two drinks, appetizer and 2 dinner items all under $50...I would suggest trying this delicious Asian Fusion food! Top Notch!

I quit going to Hot Joy when they got a big head after they opened and the press got them as the best in San Antonio. They went way down hill but they are coming back and I have returned and will keep them on my list of go to restaurants.

AMAZING food - creative, fresh, fun (SPAM fried rice, anyone?). Don't miss the green beans with pork belly or the brussles sprouts with some kind of amazing sauce from heaven! Fun cocktails too - they don't look like they'd work from the ingredients, but OMG - so yummy. Impressive selection of fun wines by the glass, too. Interior is like going to a Pink Floyd concert on a Thai fishing boat - be sure to ask for one of the booths if you have a group of 4 or more.

It's hard to tell what is offered here from the outside, as it blends in with the rest of the restaurants on the block. Since it is downtown San Antonio, in the historic district, it could be anything, but you might expect Tex-Mex or BBQ, as that is what the other places offer. Once you enter, it is a definite Chinese motif; it actually reminded of my visits to Hong Kong, so I expected more traditional Chinese items, rather than the normal Chinese-American cuisine found across the country. When you view the rest of the interior, it continues with the Chinese decorations, reinforcing the idea of Chinese food. Yet, when you look at the menu, you realize that it is one of the new-fangled "asian fusion" restaurants, not authentic Chinese. The menu consists of Chinese, Japanese, Hawaiian, Korean, etc. combined in weird arrangements. I wouldn't have a problem if it was a variety of Asian dishes in separate categories, but dumping a bunch of things together doesn't always work. For example, I ordered pork buns as an appetizer. Normally, these are minced meat and vegetables enclosed in a dumpling, which is what I expected. What I got were dumpling tacos: flat dumpling dough was wrapped around the meat and vegetables. I lived in Japan and visited China, so I know it doesn't take long to make true dim sum dumplings. The time it took to make these was as long, but probably longer, than making authentic ones, yet the results were something I could put together in five minutes. The fried rice was essentially normal fried rice but half was covered with Kewpie mayonnaise (a traditional Chinese/Japanese condiment) and the other half was some sort of Polynesian sauce. It was okay but not what I expected. The twice-fried chicken wings were, in my opinion, overcooked. There was a lot of breading, kind of like ordering fried shrimp, where it takes a bit to get to the meat. The sauce flavor was fine but the fact that there was a puddle in the bowl was a little disappointing, since it means that very little actually stuck to the wings. A little cornstarch or other thickening agent might help it stick to the wings. Service was fine. Even when the restaurant got crowded, we were attended to. However, I may not have noticed how frequently the staff came by, since we had already finished our meal and were just talking, so we weren't waiting on anything. The prices were, IMO, slightly overpriced. The "dumplings" were $8-$9 for two of them, the fried rice was $12 for a large plate (I believe), cans of soda were $2.50, etc. Overall, I was disappointed. After living overseas for eight years, I abhor asian fusion cuisine, especially if it incorporates American food, like the pork dumplings having cilantro. I have had fusion food several times now, but I was never impressed. If you want to try something different, then give it a go. If you want more authentic, traditional Asian food, go elsewhere.

If the ambiance wasn't enough, the food creates an interesting taste for the palate. I love trying new things, so this is the place for me. If this does not sound like you, I might be a little hesitant to go. The ambiance of the place creates a mood for great date nights. It's a little dark in there, so make sure you're alright with that. The art in the bathroom is one of my favorite things about the place. Now, food wise, you need to know that this is an Asian fusion restaurant that specializes in blending American foods like friend chicken and ranch with Asian spices and rices.

The restaurant has a very nice atmosphere. Large bar and nice lounge area. The enclosed booths are very nice. The menu items tend to be a bit pricey and the portions are on the smaller side but the food is wonderful. The service could use some improvement. We sampled various dishes. The Tater Tot Chaat was my personal favorite. The Migas Fried rice was tasty but I would not get it again. I liked the blend of Asian and Indian with a Texas twist. The restaurant does a lot of specials various days/times and is a must for foodies.

I've been here a few times - the last was with a group of friends. We all ordered different things an shared. Unfortunately I'm not sure what I was eating but it was great - some ramen, some curry, bean curds, I think their was a little cow tongue in something. The twice friend chicken is a must have. I just love the decor as well - the lanterns, the art on the bathroom walls, etc. The only negative is the service is hit and miss. Sometimes they're great, while other times the waitresses are borderline rude. Hopefully they will address that because otherwise it's near perfect.

I love this place. It's in the historic part of town surrounded by colorful old houses and hip restaurants. The whole area has a great vibe. But onto Hot Joy itself. Let's start with the service, superb! Our server greeted us quickly, had great recommendations for drinks (I had the wax on wax off, which was delish! We ordered the fried spring rolls which were amazing. After asking about the spicier items on the menu he recommended the Hot Fried Chicken. Considering I live in Birmingham I never would have ordered fried chicken without his recommendation, but I'm glad he did. So delicious! And definitely met my spicy criteria. Hot Joy has ruined me for all things fried chicken anywhere else. The food was served quickly, our water glasses were never empty and the service was just right without being overbearing. Truly a great way to start my first trip to San Antonio.

Although the menu descriptions sounded appealing, we found our meal to be a bit lackluster. Salty, greasy, nothing special.

This is just a neat place to visit, period. Wouldn't become a regular but I would put it down on the must try list. Unique drinks and food made in unique ways. Make reservations ahead of time or show up early and sit at the bar. Plates are definitely large enough to share between two people. Be prepared to have a little indigestion with the items that give your food the unique flavor. They also offer cute t-shirts to take home as a souvenir. Park down a side street and walk over but don't blakc a driveway or you will be towed. There are friendly bars all around the area so you can satisfy every taste bud.

Though it's a little pricey, it's a good restaurant downtown / Southtown to meet friends or for a date. Nothing bad about it.

We have been going to hot joy for a couple of years now. It started out as a favorite, lost its luster, and finally ended up on the" we may not go back" list. Tonight started out with service that seemed to ignore us, but was redeemed when the food was served. Booby was very knowledgeable about the dish that we ordered. He gave us great details of preparation, including accompaniments, and was this was a saving factor of tonight's visit. The brazed pork belly was incredible, and the mushrooms were my favorite banchan, and are absolutely awesome. I will be more eager to return now, and we are happy the night turned out so well.

This restaurant is overrated. I had dinner here recently with friends and will never go back. The attitude of the manager on duty was terrible and the food was very mediocre.

I was Leary about Bon Appetit's award of Top New Restaurants of a fusion place; however since we were in town I wanted to give it a try. The atmosphere is a red loungey/club type scene. Many of the servers were the hipster type. Service was spot on. They were well knowledges about the menu. They were also very accommodating. Most importantly, there were no attitudes. Food...I've had Latin American/Asian fusion before in Orange County and it didn't taste like this. We shared the smashed cucumbers, twice fried chicken wings, dirty fried rice, and drunken noodles. The drunken noodles was the most discombobulated dish I've had in a long time. They used pappardelle pasta, tongue, tomatoes and olives with Asian spices. Hot Joy seems to appeal to the hipster crowd/seen and be seen rather than foodies because the food did not impress whatsoever.

We were sent to Hot Joy by a friend and told that we could not leave town without trying the Twice Fried Wings. Oh my goodness!!!! I don't know what they do to these wings, but they are melt in your mouth deliciousness!

We were walking down the street and found this jewel of a restaurant in San Antonio. Each dish we had was unique and wonderful flavor. The Tula masala tacos were my favorite!

We were never sat. We came in when there was nobody in the lobby and were told there would be a 15 minute wait. We sat in the lobby for 20 minutes with the host and hostess less than 5 feet away. Three groups of people came in and were sat immediately. When we stood up and inquired if they had a reservation, we were told no. When we asked why they had been sat immediately and we had to wait, the host started yelling "What's your name?" over and over. The hostess simply scanned the sheet. Keep in mind, we'd been sitting in front of them for 20 minutes. The host then said company policy was to seat larger parties sooner than couples. The hostess just stood there with a blank look on her face. We left without eating or ever being sat.

My husband and I called a day ahead for a reservation. We don't mind a long wait, but if the opportunity comes to reserve a table, we're on it! As soon as we walked in at 7pm, our take was ready. Our waitress was super friendly and very attentive. The atmosphere sparks conversations and time was flying by! We had the stir fry green beans (absolutely THE BEST THING EVER!), the shrimp pad Thai (very tasty, not the best in the world, but very tasty!), the lemon pepper, the irresponsibly hot, and the off-menu tamarind chicken wings, and the steam buns with brazed pork. The wings were fried perfectly, but the dry spiced lemon pepper and irresponsibly hot wings could've used a little sauce. The off-menu wings were the best of the three. WARNING! The hot wings are the hottest wings I've had in a very long time. My lips actually looked like I had collagen injections. If you want to experience hot, get them. Other than that, stay away! The stream buns were also really good. It was fun to see a steam bun dish altered into steam bun tacos. The pork was very well seasoned. The star of the show was a dish our waitress recommended. I love asking the staff what their favorites are! She brought us the stir fry green beans. You wouldn't expect anything wow about them, but WOW! Those were absolutely delicious! Get your reservation, allow yourself a good hour or two to get the full experience, and don't be shy on getting multiple dishes to share with family & friends. We took all the leftovers to share with our family.