Joy by Seven Reasons — Restaurant in Somerset

My husband and I dined at Joy, for the first time, for my birthday. The atmosphere and vibe in the restaurant is awesome. We were greeted and promptly seated at our reservation time. I had the POMA DE LOS ANDES cocktail which is their take on a Pisco Sour. This drink was absolutely delicious. I loved the addition of Apple syrup and lemon which added such a nice Citrus note. My husband had an IPA which he loved. Our server recommended the tomate a caballo for an appetizer. This dish did not disappoint, it was very flavorful and had a slight kick to it. My husband and I smashed. So, for the entree my husband ordered a burger. I told him that wasn't a great choice at a latin restaurant. I always order based on what the restaurant specializes in. Needless to say, the burger and fries were just okay. I looked at their IG pics and decided to order the branzino. To my surprise/disappointment, the branzino I wanted was only on the brunch menu. The dinner version is a filet served Al Pastor style with a lackluster salad and tortillas. The branzino was okay but I was disappointed since I didn't read the description on the menu, I went by the pics. Our server Sara was an absolute JOY(pun intended)!! She explained the difference, and advised the dish would be removed from my bill. I decided to just move to dessert and order the Bati Bati. To my surprise, Sara came back a few minutes later and advised that the chef was willing to make me the branzino off the brunch menu even though it was dinner time. I was shocked and pleasantly surprised on how accomodating the server and chef was! She said it would take some time to prepare but I was in no rush....it was my Birthday!! 15 mins later, the whole fried Branzino with patacones and latin coleslaw arrived to the table. Oh my goodness!! The dish looked and smelled divine!! I could not wait to dig in. It did not disappoint.....it tastes AMAZING!!! ABSOLUTELY delicious! The branzino was fried to PERFECTION and was so flavorful with the most crispy skin!!! Delicious!!. The slaw and the tostones was a perfect pairing for the fresh, flaky fish. I was extremely happy... doing my good food dance. I told Sara how absolutely amazing she and the chef was and that this dish needs to be the ONLY Branzino on the menu. The level of care and consideration given to us was exceptional!! This level of customer service is RARE!! I wish I could give 10s for service as a 5 is not enough for Sara's service and the Chef's willingness to please. They had no clue that this was our first time there and because of the service we will definitely be back. Had Sara not suggested the brunch dish, we would have left and never came back to JOY. Due to this experience, we will dine here again and again. I would have given a 5 for the food but that burger and fries was not that good and neither was the first Branzino dish. Please don't change your attention to service and catering to your patrons. Your name is JOY and that is exactly what you all brought to my birthday dinner. Oh, and that Bati Bati!!! Baybeeee, it was sooooo good!!! I loved that Ube icecream so much and the caramel and waffles...divine!! Compliments to the Chef and that beautiful light...

Absolutely incredibly creative and delicious dishes artfully presented, warm and attentive service with flavors of the culture, and a chic interior made this a singular experience. I would give this place 6 stars if I could.

We tried several dishes and almost always were delighted with our selections.

The Conchitas a la Parmesana (Hokkaido scallops, kosho, parmigiano reggiano, guajillo oil, espelette) was heavenly, the succulent scallops perfectly accented by the other ingredients. The sauce was just incredible, and they give you extra bread with foresight to sop up every drop.

The "Is it a Potato Salad" (baked potato, vegan mayo, potato salad hard boiled eggs, feta cheese, yellow mustard, mojo poblano, vegetable purée) is a little masterpiece. It's hard to describe how unique the flavor is, it hits all the notes.

The Corn Buratta (refried black bean purée, green tomato mojo, salsa criolla, pata e’ grillo, corn tostada) was good, but not just as epic as the other items.

The Tomate a Caballo (roasted tomato, green rice, shishito purée, fried egg, feta-nata) was otherworldly. I could have never imagined a roasted tomato tasting this good, and the feta flavor was just, I can't even.

The Pastichio (Venezuelan style lasagna, bolognese, cotto ham, mozzarella, mint-basil pesto) was extraordinary too. Just perfectly done. We loved it so much we ordered another one to take with us.

The one "XL" dish we tried was the Little Chicken Con Esquites (yellow corn sofrito, bomba rice onion, jalapeño, corn cream, lime, merken mayo, cotija cheese) and while the chicken itself was a bit pedestrian, the bomba rice with all the trimmings was superb.

For dessert, we tried two items.

The Bati-Bati (Ube soft serve, salted peanut caramel, lemon-ginger syrup, honeycomb toffee, bee pollen, waffle pieces) was really unique and one of the most inventive blend of different flavors and textures.

But while I enjoyed it, my favorite was the "If You Like Pina Colada" (coconut flan, caramelized pineapple foam, fresh pineapple, freeze dried pineapple & flowers). They just nailed it.

All three cocktails were at the same level with the best dishes, and also artfully presented.

The Passion over Perfection (Patrón Reposado, Ilegal, Passion Fruit, Lime, Rosemary, Chile de Árbol ) was superb, one of the best cocktails I've tasted. The Caribbean Boulevardier (Sagamore Signature Rye, vermouth, Infused Aperol, espresso beans, orange peel, bitters) was intense in color and flavor, quite enjoyable. I absolutely loved the Amazonian Gin & Tonic (Amazonian Gin, Allspice, Sarsaparilla, Mint, Rosemary, Lavender flowers, Thyme), a wild and refreshing cocktail.

So basically everything was amazing. Can't...

Price: This restaurant is quite expensive, so it’s good to be aware of the prices before you decide to visit. Additionally, there's a service fee of 22% and a fair wage fee of 5%.

Ambiance: I dined here with a group, we were seated in the middle at some large rectangular tables that were connected, leaving some empty seats around our group. That combined with the loud music, made it difficult to hear others who weren't sitting right next to us. The waiting staff were friendly and attentive.

Drinks: While I didn't try any drinks myself, those at my table enjoyed their innovative and attractive drinks that reportedly tasted good. It wasn't until we saw the check that we realized the refills for sodas and cokes (which were served in small glasses with half ice) were $7 each!

Food: The food menu wasn't very extensive, consisting of starters, vegetarian options, main courses, and XL options designed for two people. Each category had a limited selection of options. The font on the menu was small and difficult to read in the dim lighting, so I tried to check it online, but there were discrepancies between the online and paper menus. Anyway, we eventually placed our orders, and the wait was not too long. I ordered the LITTLE CHICKEN CON ESQUITES, which was a pleasant surprise. It was well-cooked with a variety of delicious flavors, and the portion was generous enough that I took half of it home in a box.

Dessert: I tried the IF YOU LIKE PIÑA COLADA, which looked impressive, but it didn’t taste quite as good as it looked.

Overall, I enjoyed my experience at this modern restaurant, although the atmosphere was a bit dark and lacked coziness. The food, drinks, and desserts were good and very Instagram-worthy, if that's important to you. However, considering the high prices, my expectations were equally high and not entirely met in certain aspects. Lastly, they offer a parking voucher that only covers $3 (one hour) of parking, which is usually two to three...