Joy Cup Noodles Mean — Restaurant in Honolulu

This restaurant should not be in business. All the dishes were microwaved- none of the dishes we ordered cooked on the stove-and made us all sick afterward. We walked into a hot and empty place, decided to stay despite our instinct to immediately walk out only due to the high ratings of reviews about this restaurant. A huge mistake! We could hear the constant microwaving sounds and see the owner and one other female taking out the containers from the microwave through a cutout window between the dining hall and a dinky kitchen area. The place certainly not popular anymore, didn't have air conditioning turned to a comfortable level for the diners and the TV monitor had Chinese podcast in high decibel which the owner didn't bother to turn the volume down for the customers. Two pork belly noodle bowls came first in tepid room temperature broth, obviously made out of instant soup powder-we could see the lump of undissolved powder floating on top. The noodles, reheated in the microwave from frozen as we saw through the cutout, were broken into 1-2” length. We had to scoop them with the spoon. The pork belly noodles were not even closed to what their website picture looked like and the pork pieces that looked like store bought bbq pork slices had a very strange taste. The next two dishes were as terrible as the noodles, far below to the normal standards expected in a restaurant business. We paid the owner with the tip and told him about the food especially the broken noodles in a tepid room temperature broth. He replied that their noodles were hand pulled to our surprise. But what came next was the reason I decided to write this review. Our son got nauseous after returning and started vomiting. We called the restaurant owner and informed of this because we didn't want any other people to get sick. He didn't want to converse with me and started saying that we were lying. I told him that we might report the incident to the Dept. of Food and Health if the symptoms didn't clear. The owner said we were those sick people and hung up. It was 9/28/2025 we ate there, and the next day we all had GI issues including diarrhea. The symptoms cleared by 9/30/2025 and we called the Dept of Food and Health, Oahu to report the incident. We were told that the ownership changed in August, this year. If this restaurant thinks that they can draw people with the reviews from the past, they’d better practice the standard...

A HUGE DISAPPOINTMENT. DO NOT GO!! After read online reviews, we decided to do a dinner together. Parking was very limited, inside was stuffy as the AC was not turned on, even though it is end of June. The owner, wife and their four little kids were sitting around a table, eating their dinner; I felt like I intruded into a family’s living and dinning room. Kids were well and did not make noises at all. I asked owner to turn on the AC which is a split unit and was working. A Chinese lady took our order, and went into the back. The food prepare area looked empty, so I did not know where they prepared food. I asked about the xiao long bao a reviewer raved about, and she answered very vaguely about who made them, but made it very clear it was not them; she made it sound like some one makes them and sells them to the restaurant. But they tasted and looked like the xiao long bao one can purchase frozen from a super market. The first steamer at least came out hot and second steamer they all squished to one side and were lukewarm. I suspected they were microwaved. Asked for some dishes on the menu but were told they were not available. Noodle portions were very small and the fish noodles was $21 an order. Taste was okay, presentation terrible, temperate again was not hot. Dan Dan noodle tasted okay and interesting but not authentic at all. They tried to push some dishes on us and we. Had to say firm no to them. Our family left the restaurant feeling misled by the reviews and...

Best Noodle Spot on the Island (Hidden Gem)

I found Joy Cup Noodles while searching for a place that served Dan Dan noodles, and my goodness, these were the best noodles I have had since coming back from Japan. Every bite had that perfect balance of flavor, spice, and texture that brought me right back to the authentic noodles you get overseas.

My girlfriend ordered the beef noodles, and they were just as incredible. The beef was tender, juicy, and full of flavor. But what truly made the experience unforgettable was our server, Michael. He went above and beyond from start to finish. He never rushed us, was genuinely kind, and even surprised us with complimentary ice cream and hot tea after our meal.

I also have to mention the coconut juice. They serve it in a real coconut with a straw, and it does not get fresher than that. After I finished drinking it, Michael came back and opened it for me so I could eat the coconut meat inside. That small detail made the experience even more memorable.

To top it all off, they have free karaoke and a huge screen, which makes it an amazing spot for date nights or groups. The atmosphere is cozy, the staff is friendly, and the food options are endless. It will take many visits to try everything this place has to offer.

Overall, Joy Cup Noodles is easily one of the best dining experiences I have had in Hawaii. The food, the service, and the atmosphere were all perfect. Ask for Michael, order the Dan Dan noodles, get some coconut juice, and...