Joy, aka Joy’s Taiwan or 5 Joy Restaurant is a small restaurant in the Beach Park plaza strip mall bordering the San Francisco Bay in Foster City, just south of the Highway 92 San Mateo Bridge.  A hidden gem in the middle of no where. The Thai restaurant in the same complex is also solid. Be sure to check out Top 10 Chinese Restaurants in San Francisco They serve Taiwanese style Chinese food along with some Shanghainese Cuisine and Shanxi items. Food from Taiwan can be significantly different than other Chinese regions.  A recent Anthony Bourdain Layover Episode sheds light on this. Joy has been in existence for over 10 years and moved to this new larger location in 2008.  The restaurant is a lot nicer now though the bathroom could still use work! This review encompasses experiences made over many visits, the last of which was in early 2026. Decor, Vibe – Joy is small, unremarkable, noisy but popular for get family and friend get togethers. Not a place for a quiet date. The seating outside is good for warmer summer days.  Deep fried Stinky tofu anyone?  This place serves up tons of it and wrecks of it when […]

This post originally from Joy Restaurant Review, Foster City

Foster City is a suburb of San Francisco and not known for its food.  Here are a couple worthy spots.   Starbird Chicken 1141 Triton Dr Foster City, CA 94404 Website This place is, as the name would suggest, an epicenter for chicken. It serves it up in tacos, in buns, and stand alone, including trendy preparations like Nashville hot chicken. The chicken comes served with a huge number of different toppings and sauces, from the traditional (like mayo and ketchup) to Greek yogurt ranch and Asian-inspired sauces. The ambiance is very relaxed and fast-casual, with a bright interior and a fair amount of seating. I ordered the Nashville hot chicken which, happily, was spicy without being too spicy. It came with a side order of fries, which were fairly standard issue. Looking around, I’d anecdotally say that people tended to prefer the sandwiches to the tacos, with the Nashville hot chicken being a big favorite, especially for groups. All-in-all, Starbird Chicken is a pretty solid bet for a fast-casual restaurant and has enough variety to keep diners coming back.   Dozo Izakaya 3 Plaza View Ln Foster City, CA 94404 Yelp Dozo Izakaya is a solid sushi restaurant, serving […]

This post originally from Foster City Restaurant Recommendations

Armadillo Willys is a local BBQ restaurant with 8 locations in the San Francisco Bay Area. It was started in 1988 and offers ‘real Texas barbecue’ cooked over a wood fire. We were in the shopping center and decided to give it another try so we could more fairly gauge other BBQ restaurants. We visited the Foster City location. Decor, Vibe – Big colorful murals on the wall, along with flat screen TVs showing sports. Lots of families and groups eating here. Famous BBQ Sauce Their barbecue sauce taste like tomato sauce with a bit of sugar, vinegar, and a little zesty in it.  Pretty marginal stuff. Menu They have a pretty extensive menu with salads, soups, sandwiches, burgers, and BBQ. There are combination and special deals on most days. Web site menu Picks: None OK: (Order only if you really like this dish) 2 way combo with Sweet Willy’s Wet Ribs and Memphis pulled pork ($15.95) included a good portion of meaty ribs cooked in their sauce. The ribs were average, utilized normal meat, and not very tender. Pulled pork was very smoky and dry.  BBQ Sauce is now warmed up for folks.  Beans had meat bits yet were […]

This post originally from Armadillo Willy’s Restaurant Review

This post originally from Sweet Basil Thai Cuisine Restaurant Review, Foster City