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Kowloon Restaurant

January 01, 1970

Kowloon Restaurant is a pan-Asian restaurant in Saugus, Massachusetts. The restaurant serves a range of Cantonese, Sichuan, Japanese, Polynesian, and Thai dishes in several themed dining rooms and lounges. Kowloon was called one of the best Chinese restaurants in New England by Boston television station WHDH in 2004.[1]

Kowloon Restaurant in 2008

Visiting the restaurant is a tradition for many New England families on birthdays, anniversaries, and graduations. It is also considered a top destination for fans of tiki culture and has been a stop on organized tours.[2][3] The restaurant has been owned through three generations of the same family.

Attributes edit

Kowloon Restaurant is in Saugus, Massachusetts, a short distance north of Boston. It is a landmark along U.S. Route 1. The property spans 5 acres (2.0 ha).[4]

The restaurant exterior includes a 30 ft (9.1 m) tiki statue above its entrance. The first floor holds a bar, while the second has a showroom stage where Jerry Seinfeld, Frankie Avalon and Phyllis Diller have performed. Comedian and actor Dane Cook is a noted fan, and stated that he has performed there several hundred times.[4]

The restaurant has about 1,200 seats in total. Themed areas include a lagoon, tiki-hut-shaped booths, and a fake ship deck.[4]

History edit

The Mandarin House restaurant opened August 22, 1950, in a converted ice cream parlor on the Newburyport Turnpike with a menu of a few dozen Chinese and American dishes. The dining room could hold 40-50 customers. In 1958 Madeline and William Wong bought out the first-generation owners and began the second generation of family ownership of the restaurant. They changed the name to Kowloon Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge and began to grow the business.

In the next 50 years, the family added five additions to the original building and increased the capacity to accommodate 1,200 customers. Diners can choose from a number of themed dining rooms including the Volcano Bay Room, the Tiki Lagoon, the Mandarin Room, the Thai Grille, or the Hong Kong Lounge. Private events and a comedy club use the Luau Room.

The menu has grown as the restaurant has added new dishes to keep up with the evolving American palate. First Polynesian dishes, then Chinese when Joyce Chen became popular, more Chinese when Nixon went to China, even more Chinese when Sichuan became popular, then Thai, and then Japanese and sushi. Guests now choose from a menu of nearly 300 items.[5]

In 2001 the Wongs were inducted into the Hospitality Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.[6] The restaurant has also been nominated for addition to the Inventory of Cultural and Historical Resources by the Saugus Historical Commission.[7] Bill Wong died in 2011 at the age of 88.[8]

The third generation of the Wong family continues to run the business. The restaurant is reported to bring in over $8 million per year as the top-grossing Chinese restaurant in the United States. The current owner is Massachusetts state representative Donald Wong and five siblings.[9][10][4]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the restaurant shut its indoor dining room and furloughed some workers. Kowloon built outdoor dining spaces to seat hundreds of people and increased its takeout business. The restaurant also added a drive-in movie theater.[4]

In 2021, it was reported that amid difficulty in the restaurant industry, the Wong family's next generation will not be involved in Kowloon's operation. The family presented a preliminary plan for a residential subdivision on the site, which would involve tearing down the restaurant. The family anticipates the restaurant's closure in the future, potentially as soon as two to three years. A smaller version of Kowloon is likely on the property.[11]

References edit

  1. ^ . WHDH-TV Boston. 2004-03-05. Archived from the original on 2009-11-29. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
  2. ^ DiNardo, Kelly (2007-08-03). "10 great places to carry a torch for Tiki bars". USA Today.
  3. ^ Reynolds, Josh (2007-05-04). "South Seas chic". The Boston Globe.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Boston Flips Out over Losing a Landmark—A Giant Polynesian-Themed Restaurant". Wall Street Journal. 13 August 2021.
  5. ^ Schaffer, Matt (2000-11-29). . The Boston Herald. Archived from the original on 2009-02-09. Retrieved 2009-10-06.
  6. ^ McCabe, Kathy (2001-11-25). . The Boston Sunday Globe. Archived from the original on 2009-04-15. Retrieved 2009-10-09.
  7. ^ "William Wong". The Boston Globe. 2011-08-09.
  8. ^ Miller, Bryan (1988-04-06). "Oh, to Dine in Saugus, Mass". The New York Times.
  9. ^ Sheridan, Margaret (2000-04-01). "2000 Top 100: Technology upgrades help independents hone operations and buy more time for guests". Restaurants & Institutions Magazine.[permanent dead link]
  10. ^ Doyle, Terrence (2021-01-08). "Kowloon Is Not Closing". Eater Boston. Retrieved 2021-08-15.

External links edit

  • Official website

42°28′4.08″N 71°1′29.78″W / 42.4678000°N 71.0249389°W / 42.4678000; -71.0249389

January 01, 1970
kowloon, restaurant, asian, restaurant, saugus, massachusetts, restaurant, serves, range, cantonese, sichuan, japanese, polynesian, thai, dishes, several, themed, dining, rooms, lounges, kowloon, called, best, chinese, restaurants, england, boston, television,. Kowloon Restaurant is a pan Asian restaurant in Saugus Massachusetts The restaurant serves a range of Cantonese Sichuan Japanese Polynesian and Thai dishes in several themed dining rooms and lounges Kowloon was called one of the best Chinese restaurants in New England by Boston television station WHDH in 2004 1 Kowloon Restaurant in 2008 Visiting the restaurant is a tradition for many New England families on birthdays anniversaries and graduations It is also considered a top destination for fans of tiki culture and has been a stop on organized tours 2 3 The restaurant has been owned through three generations of the same family Contents 1 Attributes 2 History 3 References 4 External linksAttributes editKowloon Restaurant is in Saugus Massachusetts a short distance north of Boston It is a landmark along U S Route 1 The property spans 5 acres 2 0 ha 4 The restaurant exterior includes a 30 ft 9 1 m tiki statue above its entrance The first floor holds a bar while the second has a showroom stage where Jerry Seinfeld Frankie Avalon and Phyllis Diller have performed Comedian and actor Dane Cook is a noted fan and stated that he has performed there several hundred times 4 The restaurant has about 1 200 seats in total Themed areas include a lagoon tiki hut shaped booths and a fake ship deck 4 History editThe Mandarin House restaurant opened August 22 1950 in a converted ice cream parlor on the Newburyport Turnpike with a menu of a few dozen Chinese and American dishes The dining room could hold 40 50 customers In 1958 Madeline and William Wong bought out the first generation owners and began the second generation of family ownership of the restaurant They changed the name to Kowloon Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge and began to grow the business In the next 50 years the family added five additions to the original building and increased the capacity to accommodate 1 200 customers Diners can choose from a number of themed dining rooms including the Volcano Bay Room the Tiki Lagoon the Mandarin Room the Thai Grille or the Hong Kong Lounge Private events and a comedy club use the Luau Room The menu has grown as the restaurant has added new dishes to keep up with the evolving American palate First Polynesian dishes then Chinese when Joyce Chen became popular more Chinese when Nixon went to China even more Chinese when Sichuan became popular then Thai and then Japanese and sushi Guests now choose from a menu of nearly 300 items 5 In 2001 the Wongs were inducted into the Hospitality Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association 6 The restaurant has also been nominated for addition to the Inventory of Cultural and Historical Resources by the Saugus Historical Commission 7 Bill Wong died in 2011 at the age of 88 8 The third generation of the Wong family continues to run the business The restaurant is reported to bring in over 8 million per year as the top grossing Chinese restaurant in the United States The current owner is Massachusetts state representative Donald Wong and five siblings 9 10 4 During the COVID 19 pandemic the restaurant shut its indoor dining room and furloughed some workers Kowloon built outdoor dining spaces to seat hundreds of people and increased its takeout business The restaurant also added a drive in movie theater 4 In 2021 it was reported that amid difficulty in the restaurant industry the Wong family s next generation will not be involved in Kowloon s operation The family presented a preliminary plan for a residential subdivision on the site which would involve tearing down the restaurant The family anticipates the restaurant s closure in the future potentially as soon as two to three years A smaller version of Kowloon is likely on the property 11 References edit New England s Best WHDH TV Boston 2004 03 05 Archived from the original on 2009 11 29 Retrieved 2009 10 09 DiNardo Kelly 2007 08 03 10 great places to carry a torch for Tiki bars USA Today Reynolds Josh 2007 05 04 South Seas chic The Boston Globe a b c d e Boston Flips Out over Losing a Landmark A Giant Polynesian Themed Restaurant Wall Street Journal 13 August 2021 Schaffer Matt 2000 11 29 Chinese Eatery Celebrates 50th Anniversary The Boston Herald Archived from the original on 2009 02 09 Retrieved 2009 10 06 McCabe Kathy 2001 11 25 Kowloon Owners Inducted into Hall The Boston Sunday Globe Archived from the original on 2009 04 15 Retrieved 2009 10 09 Inventory of Cultural and Historical Resources Proposed Additions William Wong The Boston Globe 2011 08 09 Miller Bryan 1988 04 06 Oh to Dine in Saugus Mass The New York Times Sheridan Margaret 2000 04 01 2000 Top 100 Technology upgrades help independents hone operations and buy more time for guests Restaurants amp Institutions Magazine permanent dead link Doyle Terrence 2021 01 08 Kowloon Is Not Closing Eater Boston Retrieved 2021 08 15 External links editOfficial website 42 28 4 08 N 71 1 29 78 W 42 4678000 N 71 0249389 W 42 4678000 71 0249389 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kowloon Restaurant amp oldid 1140663835, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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