Joya Restaurant & Lounge

Name: Joya Restaurant & Lounge
Address: 339 University Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, United States, 94301
Telephone: (650) 853-9800
Price range: $30 and under
Rating: 4.3

4.3

1540 Reviews

$30 and under

Latin / Spanish

Top Tags:

Joya Restaurant and Lounge features the cuisine of Spain and Latin America in a lively, sophisticated atmosphere. Joya has received multiple Michelin Guide recommendations and media recognition, including having been the downtown Palo Alto scene for an episode of "Silicon Valley" on HBO Television.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 26, 2022

June 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

8:30 PM

Booked 17 times today

Dining areas

Additional information

Dining style
Casual Elegant
Cuisines
Latin / Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates
Hours of operation
Wed, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Phone number
(650) 853-9800
Website
http://www.joya.com/
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Dress code
Smart Casual
Executive chef
Judith Lopez
Private party facilities
From initial design inception, Joya was envisioned to beautifully accomodate private parties. As such, Joya is a collection of unique, yet flowing separate spaces capable of hosting private parties from 8 to over 200 people in comfortable, modern style.
Private party contact
Nancy Morita: (650) 440-4798

Location
339 University Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301
Neighborhood
Palo Alto
Cross street
Florence Street
Parking details
Abundant free parking adjacent to Joya in the multi-level Florence Street parking garage.
Public transit
Palo Alto Caltrain stop is just a few blocks away.
Entertainment
During the spring and summer seasons, Joya often hosts live Latin musical performances on its open air patio. The lastest event information is announced on our website: www.joyarestaurant.com
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Popular dishes

Papas Bravas$6.00
pimenton, garlic aïoli
Guacamole & New World Chips$8.00
plantain, gold sweet potato, yam & taro root chips
Fried Calamari with Fresno Chile Salt$13.00
with cilantro aïoli
Yuca Fries$6.50
honduran yuca with chipotle aïoli
Truffled Deviled Eggs with Salmon Caviar$12.00
crème fraîche, chives
Crispy Polenta$10.00
organic polenta, spinach, butter beans, red onions, guajillo chile aioli
Pink Taro and Spinach Croquetas$9.00
piquillo, manchego cheese, with black garlic aïoli
Warmed Spanish Morcilla 'Blood Sausage'$11.00
caramelized onion, goat cheese & almonds
Queso Fundido$10.00
oaxacan and mozzarella cheese 'fondue' melted with chorizo, pasilla peppers, jalapeno, and grilled onions
Dungeness Crab Cakes$14.50
two crab cakes, pasilla peppers, corn, ginger chipotle aïoli
Ahi Tuna Tartare$17.00
avocado, ponzu glaze, lemon, serrano chili essence, fresh mango
Ceviche
raw seafood cured in citrus, choice of: local rock cod 'baja style', mexican bay scallop 'aguachile', or pinky shrimps 'caribbean green papaya'
- ea$10.00
- Sampling of All Three$28.00
Kobe Beef Mini-Burgers$11.50
three mini-burgers, oaxacan cheese, soria pork chorizo, chipotle mayonnaise
Braised Short Rib Tacos$11.50
three tacos with jicama salsa, horseradish cream
Latin Empanadas
- Two; Beef, Raisins, Olives & Ají$9.50
- Two; Mushroom & Cream Habanero Sauce$9.50
Chipotle Chicken Tostadas$10.00
two tostadas with roasted pulled chicken in chipotle tomato sauce, pimenton crema
Seared Bay Scallops$13.00
sweet potato-goat cheese purée, grilled corn, dino kale, pioppini mushrooms, garlic-parsley lemon butter
Caramelized Brussels Sprouts$9.00
roasted garlic, lemon zest, niman ranch smoked pork belly
Sautéed Gambas$13.00
garlic, bilbao pork chorizo, pimento, worcestershire and lemon
Cantimpalito Chorizo Corndogs$9.00
venezuelan slaw, mustard cheese
Chicken 'Anticuchos'$10.00
three grilled chicken and pineapple skewers, seville orange barbecue, fresno pepper relish
Charcuterie Assortment$14.00
serrano ham, lomo embuchado, salchichon, soria pork chorizo, served with pickled nopales
Artisan Cheese Plate$15.00
valdeón, manchego, urgelia & marinated queso fresco, served with membrillo el quijote, poached apricot with chili flakes, red wine marinated bing cherries and black truffle honey
Tapas Sampler$24.00
chef choice selection of latin tapas

Sopa Y Ensaladas

Fresh Tomatillo Soup$10.00
roasted garlic and grilled onion chicken broth, blue corn tortilla, cilantro, mexican crema
Latin Chopped Romaine Salad$10.00
grilled heart of palm, crispy bacon, queso fresco, castelvetrano olives, corn tortilla, avocado-cilantro cream dressing
Joya Mixed Greens Salad$9.00
cherry tomatoes, shaved fennel, shaved red onions, aged sherry vinaigrette
Caramelized Gold & Red Beets Salad$12.50
frisée, radicchio, toasted pumpkin seeds, shaved red onion, champagne vinaigrette

Entradas

Pan Roasted Skuna Bay Salmon$26.00
sautéed shaved brussels sprouts, grilled sweet corn, spanish peppers, vidalia onion cream sauce
Pan Seared California White Seabass$28.00
grilled zucchini and yellow squash, dino kale, grilled onion, garlic-guajillo chile oil
Sautéed Camarones In Lemon-Coconut Butter Sauce$24.00
pasilla roasted potatoes, trio house-made tortillas
Albondigas De Arroz$18.00
saffron infused spanish rice, shaved brussels sprouts, charred tomato & guajillo sauce, queso fresco
Jerk-Marinated Organic Mary's Chicken$23.00
half chicken, sautéed nicaraguan vegetables, chayote squash, pineapple & raisins with chipotle jus
Argentinean-Style Hanger Steak$30.00
grilled 10 oz hanger steak, yuca fries, cilantro chimichurri
Niman Ranch Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin$23.00
crispy brussels sprouts, grilled pink lady apples & red onion, smoked chipotle sauce
Paella Clásica (Serves Two)$48.00
saffron rice, mussels, chicken, clams, scallops, gambas, calamari, pork chorizo and english peas
Wild Mushroom Paella (Serves Two)$38.00
saffron rice, roasted red onions, piquillo peppers, english peas, fennel and asparagus

Para Acompañar

Dino Kale & Mushrooms$5.50
Mushroom Al Ajillo$6.00

What 1,540 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.3

4.3 based on recent ratings

4.2Food
4.5Service
4.6Ambience
4Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Peninsula
Hot Spot

Sort by

Filters

c
claudiac
San Francisco
1 review
1.0
1 review
Dined on June 19, 2022
overall1food3service1ambience4
Please refund me you guys charged me for a chicken mole I did not order
LE
LyssE
Portland
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on June 12, 2022
overall4food5service4ambience4
We didn't realize Stanford has graduation on the day we went, so it was pretty crowded, luckily we had a reservation so we only waited a couple minutes while our table was set up. As for the food, it was delicious! We started with the croquets and the empanadas. The croquets were outstanding and I would definitely have them again. The empanadas were fine, but I didn't really like their take on them. Since this is a latin place, I expected them to be amazing. We also had the paella and it was delicious. Next time, I think we'd definitely stick with ordering the tapas.
NL
NancyL
New York Area
22 reviews
vip
5.0
22 reviews
Dined on June 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Graduation . Fun restaurant and great food to share
H
Hools
San Francisco
14 reviews
vip
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on June 10, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
The food and drinks were very good and the service was attentive. Our table ordered a number of tapas to share and they ALL were delivered to the table within a very short window of time. We prefer to enjoy a few tapas at a time, and the table got crowded with plates very quickly, so it was a bit overwhelming. But overall we enjoyed our experience. And we appreciated that on a warm evening, the walls facing the street largely retracted, so indoor dining was like outdoors with lots of fresh air.
OB
OceanBeach24
San Francisco
32 reviews
vip
4.0
32 reviews
Dined on June 8, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Good is not good value. Presentation is 4.5.
MW
MayuriW
San Francisco
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 21, 2022
overall3food3service5ambience5
Ambience and service is good. The food was flavorless and not worth the price. Chicken Empanadas had more cheese than chicken. Seafood Paella rice didn't have any seafood flavor.
PA
PaloAltoResident
Singapore
5 reviews
4.0
5 reviews
Dined on May 19, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience5
For a Tapas place, there were more misses than hits. The food needs to improve in flavor for me to go back.
m
monicak
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on May 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Enjoyed the ambience, the food presentation and their service. Was a bonus to go as a family of four cause we got a chance to order and taste a lot of different small plates on their menu, everything was yum! And the warm churros with chocolate sauce on the side are a must order in the end.
MS
MSF415
San Francisco
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on May 12, 2022
overall3food2service4ambience5
I enjoyed the ambiance, the vibe, and the service, but the food was lackluster for me.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on May 8, 2022
overall5food5service3ambience5
Joya has a beautiful atmosphere with a very eclectic vibe.
S
Sabina
San Francisco
3 reviews
vip
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on May 1, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
First time after re-opening post pandemic. Good food. We menu - better one ! Good food more healthier choices. Good ambiance. Fun times. Recommend
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
10 reviews
vip
2.0
10 reviews
Dined on April 29, 2022
overall2food2service3ambience4
I have to say we were really disappointed with the food, and frankly, the service wasn’t that great either.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined on April 24, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Very nice vegetarian tapas
a
arnout
San Francisco
15 reviews
5.0
15 reviews
Dined on April 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Great place, great food
AP
ArtP
San Francisco
6 reviews
5.0
6 reviews
Dined on April 16, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Celebrated my birthday there with 10 people and really enjoyed the food and the service.
T
Talush
San Francisco
19 reviews
vip
1.0
19 reviews
Dined on April 9, 2022
overall1food1service5ambience3
The food is just plain bad… not tasty at all, It used to be a great restaurant - it was closed for couple of years and now reopened … Very disappointing, not coming back .
y
yummy
San Francisco
5 reviews
vip
2.0
5 reviews
Dined on April 7, 2022
overall2food2service2ambience4
We did not even receive water at our table for over 20 minutes after being seated. And then once we finally ordered drinks and food, it still took quite a while. We were happy to see that this place had re-opened but we’re extremely disappointed by the food. It was highly unimaginative, lacked any unique flavor, and yet we were paying a pretty penny for all of it.
MS
MikeS
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 27, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience5
Our first time back at Joya was so much fun and memorable. We were so happy it opened up again and we didn’t hesitate to come back after more than a few years. Probably a little too harsh with 4 stars for food, but selfishly, the paella was so good, it could’ve used more of that wonderful, flavorful rice. Yes, I’m actually complaining they had overloaded the dish with too much of the good stuff, go figure. ANYWAY, come back to Joya, you won’t be disappointed. Service was unequivocally impeccable!!
K
Kenneth127
San Francisco
140 reviews
vip
4.0
140 reviews
Dined on March 19, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
We had a very nice and light dinner last night. The wine was great, the Tapas were great and this was topped off by great service by Elsa, our waitress.
O
Outandabout
San Francisco
18 reviews
vip
5.0
18 reviews
Dined on March 12, 2022
overall5food4service5ambience4
Very nice tapas restaurant. Excellent drinks, very well made food, friendly and professional service! Good portions. Good flavors
l
liliana
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 11, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
My husband and I really enjoy the food and the service. We were very excited to find out the restaurant reopened recently and booked our Friday night dinner. Perfect food as always. Can't wait to go back again!
TR
TRTus
San Francisco
3 reviews
2.0
3 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2022
overall2food2service1ambience3
Very frustrating...they sold the reservation at 9:30, but compained that the kitchen was closing that we needed to order everything at once--apitizers, second, main--we agreed, but asked that they bring each course out one at a time...they did not, they delivered everything all at once (hardly any room on the table, but they did't see to care. Then the server reappeared 3 min later wanting to take our dessert. The crab cakes were dry, the steak served well done after I specifically ordered it Medium Rare! UGH!
t
tastygirl
San Francisco
116 reviews
vip
3.0
116 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2022
overall3food3service4ambience4
We had a nice time.. So happy to be back after two years plus?? I wondered about the 'covered patio' as we wanted to sit outside. In reality it is just the sidewalk with a small cover and a heater high up. We ended up sitting inside, which we really are hesitant these days to do. I did find the tables for two were very close together. I had a young woman facing me about 12 inches away. So we might wait until summer to go back. Short rib tacos always great.
H
Humphrey
San Francisco
13 reviews
vip
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on March 5, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
So happy Joya has reopened! Food and service even better than I remember. Great night out with delicious small plates. A Joy.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 4, 2022
overall5food4service4ambience5
Really like the service. Very friendly. The empanadas are the best!! I highly recommend them!! Bravo al chef! I had the mole… traditionally the mole is serve with chicken breast, not drumstick and thigh. Great flavor, anyways. The Yuca is very good too. It was overpriced in my opinion. I see myself coming back only in special occasions.
OT
OpenTable Diner
New York Area
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on March 3, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience4
Great food, good atmosphere
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
7 reviews
vip
4.0
7 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2022
overall4food5service2ambience4
The food and ambiance were amazing. The hostess, who was also the manager, was very rude and wouldn’t seat us even though we had a reservation. We ended up going to the full-service bar and then a table “magically” opened up for us. The waitress was very nice and made the experience better.
D
Daniella
San Francisco
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 26, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The food was really delicious and not your standard fare. The vibe was young and cool. Service was fabulous!
GR
GaryR
San Francisco
10 reviews
vip
4.0
10 reviews
Dined on February 26, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience4
It is good to see Joya re-open. The short rib tacos were very good, the crab cakes were a bit disappointing. I though the bar really lacked energy, it doesn’t seem that the restaurant wants to make that attractive.
RM
RohiniM
San Francisco
1 review
vip
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 21, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Loved everything. Elsa helped us and she was fantastic!!
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
18 reviews
vip
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on February 21, 2022
overall4food5service5ambience5
The waitress was extremely nice and kind. She was the most best waitress ever. The Paella was was amazing and very worth it with the price. But I wish they have more variety of menues to choose.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
6 reviews
vip
3.0
6 reviews
Dined on February 20, 2022
overall3food3service5ambience4
So sorry to give Joya a three star rating- we were so excited they reopened, but it was very disappointing. The service was above average but the food was not good. Unseasoned guacamole with stale plantain chips, dry inedible chicken, rubbery octopus with a very unsatisfactory, limp side - so sad because we loved Joya in the past. We honestly discussed not returning after last night.
AM
AlinMTV
San Francisco
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on February 17, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
Sat on the lounge side and ordered dinner there— liked it better than a table in the main dining area. Quieter and more romantic than when you’re on a date. Focused on seafood… everything was incredible especially the salmon with lobster sauce.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 15, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The best… we always love it!
D
Doug
San Francisco
14 reviews
vip
4.0
14 reviews
Dined on February 13, 2022
overall4food4service4ambience4
Nice experience, back to normal times, nice menu, decently priced for the area. Not my favorite tapas bar in the area but at least they still had availabilities 24 hours ahead of our reservation on a busy Saturday evening.
DC
DeanC
1 review
5.0
1 review
Dined on February 13, 2022
overall5food5service5ambience5
The vegetarian paella is to die for. The quacamole dip is outstanding.
OT
OpenTable Diner
Los Angeles
1 review
3.0
1 review
Dined on February 12, 2022
overall3food1service4ambience4
Service was good but the food was disappointing.
JM
JalalM
San Francisco
2 reviews
vip
4.0
2 reviews
Dined on February 6, 2022
overall4food3service5ambience4
This visit the entrees were salty. The cheese and chartuerrie boards were skimpy for the price. We had wonderful service.
OT
OpenTable Diner
San Francisco
18 reviews
vip
4.0
18 reviews
Dined on February 5, 2022
overall4food4service5ambience5
So glad to have Jaya back! Food was possibly even better than we remembered.
FD
FamilyDining
San Francisco
30 reviews
vip
5.0
30 reviews
Dined on February 4, 2022
overall5food5service4ambience4
Very attentive service, price was right and food was excellent! We’ll come back 💖

Safety precautions

Protective equipment
- Waitstaff wear masks
Screening
- Staff is vaccinated

FAQs

Joya Restaurant & Lounge is rated 4.3 stars by 1540 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

Party Size

2 people

DateTime

Jun 26, 2022

June 2022

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

8:30 PM

Booked 17 times today

339 University Avenue Palo Alto, CA 94301

Dining areas

Additional information

Cross street
Florence Street
Neighborhood
Palo Alto
Hours of operation
Wed, Sun 4:00 pm–9:00 pm Thu–Sat 4:00 pm–10:00 pm
Cuisines
Latin / Spanish, Tapas / Small Plates
Dining style
Casual Elegant
Dress code
Smart Casual
Parking details
Abundant free parking adjacent to Joya in the multi-level Florence Street parking garage.
Public transit
Palo Alto Caltrain stop is just a few blocks away.
Payment options
AMEX, MasterCard, Visa
Executive chef
Judith Lopez
Entertainment
During the spring and summer seasons, Joya often hosts live Latin musical performances on its open air patio. The lastest event information is announced on our website: www.joyarestaurant.com
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, BYO Wine, Corkage Fee, Entertainment, Full Bar, Late Night, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://www.joya.com/
Phone number
(650) 853-9800
Private party facilities
From initial design inception, Joya was envisioned to beautifully accomodate private parties. As such, Joya is a collection of unique, yet flowing separate spaces capable of hosting private parties from 8 to over 200 people in comfortable, modern style.
Private party contact
Nancy Morita: (650) 440-4798

Joya Restaurant & Lounge

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information

Latin Empanadas

Chocolate Martini

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas

Latin Tapas

Papas Bravas$6.00

Guacamole & New World Chips$8.00

Fried Calamari with Fresno Chile Salt$13.00

Yuca Fries$6.50

Truffled Deviled Eggs with Salmon Caviar$12.00

Crispy Polenta$10.00

Pink Taro and Spinach Croquetas$9.00

Warmed Spanish Morcilla 'Blood Sausage'$11.00

Queso Fundido$10.00

Dungeness Crab Cakes$14.50

Ahi Tuna Tartare$17.00

Ceviche

Kobe Beef Mini-Burgers$11.50

Braised Short Rib Tacos$11.50

Latin Empanadas

Chipotle Chicken Tostadas$10.00

Seared Bay Scallops$13.00

Caramelized Brussels Sprouts$9.00

Sautéed Gambas$13.00

Cantimpalito Chorizo Corndogs$9.00

Chicken 'Anticuchos'$10.00

Charcuterie Assortment$14.00

Artisan Cheese Plate$15.00

Tapas Sampler$24.00

Sopa Y Ensaladas

Fresh Tomatillo Soup$10.00

Latin Chopped Romaine Salad$10.00

Joya Mixed Greens Salad$9.00

Caramelized Gold & Red Beets Salad$12.50

Entradas

Pan Roasted Skuna Bay Salmon$26.00

Pan Seared California White Seabass$28.00

Sautéed Camarones In Lemon-Coconut Butter Sauce$24.00

Albondigas De Arroz$18.00

Jerk-Marinated Organic Mary's Chicken$23.00

Argentinean-Style Hanger Steak$30.00

Niman Ranch Bacon Wrapped Pork Tenderloin$23.00

Paella Clásica (Serves Two)$48.00

Wild Mushroom Paella (Serves Two)$38.00

Para Acompañar

Dino Kale & Mushrooms$5.50

Mushroom Al Ajillo$6.00

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Sort by

Filters

Protective equipment

Screening

FAQs

How is Joya Restaurant & Lounge restaurant rated?

Is Joya Restaurant & Lounge currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Dining areas

Additional information