our story
House of Joy, or also known as Heung Rae Gak (흥래각) is a family operated business rooting back to 1973. ‘Peking’ was the very first restaurant in the family lineage, specializing in dumplings (boiled, steamed, fried) based in EunPyeong-Gu (은평구), South Korea. The freshly hand-made dumplings soon became the town’s favorite after opening.
The family immigrated to Los Angeles, CA and in 1984, Heung Rae Gak opened in Koreatown. Heung Rae Gak became the first restaurant to deliver Cha Chang Mein (짜장면) and Jaam Pong (짬뽕) in the LA area in 1984.
In 1999, Heung Rae Gak opened in Glendale, CA. It was then when Heung Rae Gak officially gained its English name, House of Joy.
Then in 2004, House of Joy opened in the southern Mojave desert - Victorville, CA. Being the only Korean-Chinese restaurant in the high desert, House of Joy gained the opportunity to serve the Korean-American community. It was a familiar name in the desert, like a mirage of oasis.
Expanding to further serve the Korean-American community, House of Joy opened in La Crescenta, CA in 2009, becoming the sister branch to Glendale.
In 2014, House of Joy opened in Buena Park, CA serving the Korean community of Orange County. Later in 2016, the second Buena Park branch opened on Orangethorpe street.
The restaurant was founded by Young Ok Lee and Duk Soo Kim in Korea. When they immigrated to America, their son Richard helped run the business. Destiny found Richard and he transformed what started as a small dumpling and noodle hole-in-the-wall into a gourmet San-Dong style Korean-Chinese restaurant.
The family continues to operate the business in Buena Park till this day.