Joyful Garden Watertown

550 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472, United States
+1 617-356-1234
$$$ Chinese restaurant
(1110 Reviews)
Price Range $20–30

Welcome to Joyful Garden, a delightful Chinese restaurant nestled in the heart of Watertown, MA. Located conveniently at 550 Arsenal St, Watertown, MA 02472, and just a phone call away at +1 617-356-1234, this gem is a haven for dim sum lovers and fans of authentic Cantonese cuisine.

As you walk into Joyful Garden, you’ll immediately be greeted by the inviting ambiance that strikes a perfect balance between casual elegance and vibrant energy—a true reflection of the culinary adventure that lies ahead. The atmosphere buzzes with chatter and laughter, enhanced by the tantalizing aromas wafting from the kitchen. The moment you settle in, a steaming pot of tea arrives at your table, setting the stage for an unforgettable dining experience.

Pioneering a classic Cantonese dim sum experience, Joyful Garden specializes in serving a wide array of flavor-packed dishes. One culinary highlight is their Joyful Shrimp Dumplings (聚福蝦餃皇)—each bite reveals a burst of ocean-fresh goodness enclosed in a perfectly delicate shell. The Seafood Dumplings (海鮮燒賣) and Pork & Shrimp Dumplings (蟹皇燒賣) are equally impressive, offering a delightful medley of savory fillings. If you favor something unique, try the Lobster Dumplings with Supreme Broth (上湯龍蝦餃), a dish that epitomizes luxury with its rich, fragrant broth that dances on the palate.

Vegetarians aren't left out either, with choices like the Sauteed Shanghai Baby Bak Choy (清炒上海白菜苗) and the flavorful Buddhist Delight (羅漢齋), which showcase the vibrant colors and tastes of fresh vegetables, elevating your dining experience to new heights. Each dish is crafted with care and precision, aiming to create a memorable culinary journey that you will want to repeat.

Customers are captivated not just by the food, but also by the service that Joyful Garden provides. As one diner, Kelly from Cambridgeport, notes, “it felt like a place I’d been coming to for years.” It's this sense of comfort that keeps patrons returning, along with the delightful cart service where servers proudly present a rotating selection of dishes, inviting you to explore flavors beyond your plate.

Joyful Garden is not only a feast for the taste buds but also a hub of community warmth. Weekend visits may require a bit of patience due to the popularity of the place, but frequent diners like Mehmet Kugu assure that every minute spent waiting is well worth it, promising a flavorful adventure through its bountiful menu. Families and friends often gather here, celebrating special moments over shared dishes like the crispy pork chashu buns and heartwarming West Lake beef soup.

Whether you’re a dim sum devotee or simply looking to explore new culinary territories, Joyful Garden is more than just a restaurant—it is an experience that beautifully marries tradition and flavor. Don’t just take our word for it—let the dishes speak for themselves as you uncover the joy that awaits at this remarkable eatery.

Accessibility
Has wheelchair-accessible car park
Has wheelchair-accessible entrance
Has wheelchair-accessible seating
Has wheelchair-accessible toilet
From the business
Identifies as Asian-owned
Service options
Has no-contact delivery
Offers delivery
Offers takeaway
Serves dine-in
Highlights
Has fast service
Good for watching sport
Popular for
Popular for lunch
Popular for dinner
Good for solo dining
Offerings
Serves alcohol
Serves beer
Serves cocktails
Serves comfort food
Serves healthy options
Has private dining room
Serves small plates
Serves spirits
Serves vegetarian dishes
Serves wine
Dining options
Serves brunch
Serves lunch
Serves dinner
Has catering
Serves dessert
Has seating
Amenities
Has bar on site
Has toilet
Atmosphere
Casual
Crowd
Good for groups
Planning
Accepts reservations
Payments
Accepts credit cards
Accepts debit cards
Accepts NFC mobile payments
Children
Good for kids
High chairs available
Parking
Free of charge street parking
Free parking lot
Plenty of parking
Openings Hours
Checking

Monday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Tuesday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Wednesday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Thursday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Friday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Saturday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

Sunday

10:00 AM - 9:00 PM

1110 Reviews
Kelly Cambridgeport

24 Aug 2025

I visited Joyful Garden for the first time ever on April 6, 2025, and it instantly felt like a place I’d been coming to for years. Located inside the Watertown Mall/Arsenal Yards, this classic Cantonese dim sum spot delivered on every level: warm service, authentic flavors, and a comforting, familiar menu. Everything we ordered was exactly what I hoped for—and perfectly executed. The deep-fried taro dumplings had that beautiful nest-like crunch with a creamy savory filling. The shrimp rice noodle rolls (cheung fun) were soft and delicate, draped in just the right amount of sweet soy sauce. My personal favorite? The fried shrimp and chive dumplings—crisp on the outside, packed with fresh chive and juicy shrimp inside. I also had the steamed shrimp and chive dumplings, and both versions were spot-on. These are the classics I’ve loved my whole life, and Joyful Garden does them right. The restaurant was easy to get to by rideshare, and the drop-off was smooth—even during a busy lunchtime. The dining room is spacious, the dishes arrived hot and fresh, and the prices are very reasonable—especially for lunch. No surprises on the menu, just comfort and quality.

Mehmet Kugu

16 Aug 2025

Love Dimsum, Love Joyful garden, they do it right from the taste of the cart service, Waiters and all. Highly recommend if you like Asian cuisine. Easy to park at Best buy and Target lot. Weekends will be a line to be seated, they don't take reservations, but definitely worth the wait.

Eleanor King

08 Aug 2025

Classic cart dim sum is a favorite of mine! You definitely need 4-6 people minimum if you want to try a bunch of stuff! I love the turnip cake and Shumai!

Crystal Lee

24 Jun 2025

It’s been awhile since we last visited. Dim sum tasted as good as we remembered. Everything was steamy hot. Our favorites are the crispy pork chashu buns. This time we have to order them. They were in the push carts. Shrimp dumplings (ha gow), pork and shrimp sui mai were really good! Steamed Bean curds pork rolls came with three in the steamer was delicious too! Chicken feet with black beans and garlic, fried taro dumplings, steamed pork ribs, lotus leaves wrap with sticky rice, fried sesame balls with red bean paste inside, tofu pudding….They were all very good! Except the jelly fish and radish… they tasted from a package. A little mala taste (numbing) seasoning. We didn’t enjoy that! Service was excellent! The waitstaff are always so fast and friendly! Clean restroom and restaurant seems pretty spacious! Get there at 10 am when they open then you won’t have to wait. By 10:30 am it was a full house on a Sat am! Would definitely recommend this restaurant!

Claudine R.

19 Jun 2025

Joyful Garden Chinese restaurant is indeed joyful! We were seated quickly with a pot of tea. Service was friendly, and food came out rather promptly. We started with West Lake beef soup and it was amazing! Light and delicious, I must say it’s my favorite soup. Then, we shared an order of salt and pepper shrimp and calamari, bok choy, and Yang chow fried rice; everything was delicious! But the highlight was the pan-fried flounder; I just couldn’t get enough of it, just quite pricey for $40.95 market price. Plenty of parking and a much better option than going to Boston. I can’t wait to go back!

Dereck yang

17 Jun 2025

I really like their dim sum, where the servers push carts with food around the dining area, and customers and pick any dish they want. Their regular dinner menu is also solid, especially the seafood like jumbo clambs. However, the veggies we had were not very fresh and the poached chicken was just okay. The service can be slow sometime, partly because it's a huge dining area.

Amber C

02 Jun 2025

The food is generally very authentic and good here, the closest to Cantonese dim sum outside of Chinatown and Quincy. We usually do take out here but have dined here for lunch and dinner, mostly positive experiences. The dim sum variety is plentiful and the stir fried noodles are good. The only complaint we have is that the non-dim sum items, like noodles and dishes, can be inconsistent in quality and taste. Our favorites, Singapore noodles and beef chowfun, are usually very good. However, a couple of time, they were mushy and beef was tough. Service is barely OK. Wait staff always seem busy and ignoring customers as they walk by. Might be short staffed at times. Sometimes we share tables to shorten the wait. Overall, we very much enjoy the food and are happy that Joyful is in the area.

Checking
Listing Image

US NAILS

3701 6th Ave #8, Tacoma, WA 98406, United States
Nail salon
(278 Reviews)
Checking
Listing Image

Cafe O'Lei Kihei

2439 S Kihei Rd #201a, Kihei, HI 96753, United States
Pacific Rim restaurant
(2160 Reviews)
Checking
Listing Image

House of Galbi

15927 Ventura Blvd, Encino, CA 91436, United States
Korean barbecue restaurant
(568 Reviews)
Checking
Listing Image

L'Apéritif Bistro

6650 N Cedar Ave, Fresno, CA 93710, United States
Restaurant
(171 Reviews)
Checking
Listing Image

The Greek Kitchen

889 10th Ave, New York, NY 10019, United States
Greek restaurant
(1448 Reviews)

Join the Joyful Garden Watertown Newsletter

Get the latest updates on seasonal pastries, special events, and local highlights directly in your inbox.