23K is always my J seat of choice travelling solo on an A380. While it's true you get your meal a little later, you only have a bulkhead in front of you so you generally don't even notice, plus you can see your seat from the bar and make a move when the cabin crew are getting close with the table linen. It's also got the more private layout with the minibar between the seat and the aisle.

I've never noticed noise as an issue, and I view proximity to the bar (and the loos) as a plus.