Joy House

Editor’s Note: Menu items mentioned in this review might have changed in the time elapsed between our reviewer’s meal at Joy House in 1994 and her reemergence into society in 2019.

With its high ceilings, unfussy American fare, and compelling dogma of contentment through “soul evaporation,” Joy House is more than just a well-priced bar and grill—it’s an enlightened mode of living. When you step into this Highland Park gem, don’t just expect to nosh on the best chicken sandwich in LA; expect a server in a violet boilersuit to reveal to you the unending happiness achieved by disconnecting from selfhood and surrendering to The Grand Knower. After that, diners can indulge in a delectable baked berry tart before spending the next 1,000 years living among their new brothers and sisters while ascending the Golden Ladder Of Self-Annihilation. Promises of eternal ecstasy aside, Joy House offers an outstanding elevated pub food menu; the pulled pork alone is worth relinquishing all your earthly possessions for.