Highland Park Taiwanese restaurant Joy is eyeing a second Los Angeles location at 418 Wilshire Boulevard, according to a recently filed liquor‑license application. If approved, Joy would bring its counter‑service, night‑market‑inspired menu to Santa Monica’s Wilshire stretch in the space long occupied by Wahoo’s Fish Taco. The proposed spot would be Joy’s first outpost on the Westside.
As reported by Santa Monica Mirror, the application was submitted to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control and lists 418 Wilshire Boulevard as the proposed premises. The Mirror notes that Joy’s menu features minced pork on rice, scallion pancakes and seasonal small plates, along with teas, beer and wine.
From Highland Park to the Westside
Joy began as a compact, counter‑service neighborhood eatery run by the team behind Pine & Crane and has built its reputation on Taipei‑style night‑market dishes. According to Eater LA, the Highland Park location focuses on quick service, a tight menu of buns, dumplings, noodles and bowls, and neighborhood‑centered touches.
418 Wilshire’s Past Life and the Block
The Wilshire parcel has long been home to a Wahoo’s Fish Taco outpost, according to local business listings. MapQuest lists Wahoo’s at 418 Wilshire Boulevard. Neighborhood coverage has highlighted the block as attracting new restaurants in recent months, and Toddrickallen pointed readers to the ABC filing and nearby openings.
What Comes Next
Neither Joy nor the property owner has announced an opening date, and coverage so far notes that the liquor‑license filing is the first public sign of the project. Per WhatNow, the new location is expected to mirror Joy’s Highland Park offerings, though final menus, hours and timing will depend on permitting and the license review process.
