Kowloon Sets Table for Big 75th Birthday Bash - Sampan talks with owner Bobby Wong about iconic restaurant

When Bobby Wong was a teenager, he wanted to help out with his family’s restaurant, the Kowloon, so he took on some part-time work there.

Now, as an adult and a co-owner of the iconic Saugus restaurant, Wong has seen it all. He’s watched the bustling family business morph over the decades into arguably one of the most well-known-Asian eateries and cocktail lounges in America. This summer, the famed restaurant – known for its beloved-but-campy Tiki décor and pagoda architecture – turns 75.

“We’re so proud of the restaurant being here for 75 years,” Wong told the Sampan. “It’s not being boastful; it’s just us celebrating that we’ve been here for that long.”

Wong’s family first took over the Kowloon Restaurant in the late 1950s. But the restaurant’s history can be traced to its origins as the small Mandarin House, which first opened in August of 1950, after being converted from an ice cream shop. Wong’s parents, Madeline and William bought the Mandarin, and turned the location into the Kowloon, which has expanded greatly in the years since – turning a restaurant that could seat a few dozen people into a place that could seat 1,200 patrons and serve a menu of dishes from various nations like China, Hong Kong, Japan and beyond.

Now, three-quarters of a century later, Wong, who runs the restaurant with his siblings, is looking forward to honoring his family’s restaurant with a major gala block party on Aug. 20 (or Aug. 21st if it rains).

“Just to be able to pull this off and have a great night, that’s what I’m looking forward to the most,” said Wong.

The event will last from 7 p.m. to midnight and feature live music. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Joey Fund for Cystic Fibrosis.

The Joey Fund was started by the late Joe O’Donnell, a friend of Wong who lost a son to cystic fibrosis. O’Donnell dedicated his life to this fund with the intent to help find a cure for the disease, and although a cure wasn’t established during his lifetime, he was able to play a large role in funding any advancements made toward one.

“Joe O’Donnell was very well known in the community, business, as well as philanthropy. He was very charitable,” said Wong, who helped organize fundraisers over the years with O’Donnell.

Bigger, Better, Louder

The recent addition of a large outdoor venue near the restaurant has allowed for a larger party than in years past, added Wong.

“Because we have the outdoor venue, we want to take advantage of it,” Wong said. “Because it’s our 75th and could possibly be the last big anniversary party, depending on how the development of the property goes, which is another issue that we were trying to get complete, we decided to bring in some bigger-name entertainment than we have had in the past. So we have, instead of just one big ... band, we’re actually doing three bands that evening.”

(Wong has earlier reportedly said that “closing is not in our plans at all” but that the restaurant has plans to downsize and he’s getting older,” according to live959.com)

Scott Brown and the Diplomats, led by former Massachusetts Sen. Scott Brown, will be the opening musical act, followed by the bands Tavares and Starship.

Wong touched a little on the decision-making process behind selecting the bands, specifically with Tavares, who has played Kowloon in the past and has built a strong relationship with the family over the years.

“We’re bringing in one of our favorite bands over the years. They’re called Tavares. … We felt it was really fitting to be going into a kind of nostalgia trip and reliving some of the past. Tavares would definitely be a huge part of that, because they played for us a number of times in the past. So we’re bringing them back,” Wong said.

Family, Friends and Food

For Wong, running the Kowloon has been as much about family and friends as food. He said working at the Kowloon has strengthened his bond with his family.

“Naturally, one of the best things is to be able to work with your parents every day. A lot of people won’t get to see their parents, maybe once a week, or whatever the situation is. Everybody’s different naturally. But to be able to see your parents every single day at work, you take it for granted, but then you realize, as you get older, it’s really a blessing. And as well as your siblings too, your siblings are here every day. You spend more time with your siblings than you do with anybody else.”

He also discussed Christmas Eve as an iconic day every year, and how the happiness of the customers reflects back onto him, discussing the unique sensation of enjoying a holiday while working through it.

“Christmas Eve, it never was really busy when I first started working at the restaurant, but it’s since become a huge night. It’s festive, we decorate the restaurant, and it becomes such a fun feeling. You see people really enjoying themselves. It’s all about getting together with people that you want to be with on Christmas Eve. People are really touched by the fact that we’re open. People always mention to me that that’s their favorite night of the year. It’s become such a tradition for a lot of customers.” Wong said. “You know, most people in the restaurant business, it’s all about hospitality, and you either drink the Kool Aid and really enjoy being part of it, or you just go into the line of work, which is fine, you know, everybody’s different. But I think that people in the restaurant business, the service industry, it’s a different mindset for most, watching other people enjoy time that you would be off, but you’re not.”

Wong also told the Sampan about the legacy of the restaurant, how that’s been reflected through the care they’ve given to their customers over the years, but also for the people who have been a part of operations there for several decades.

“I think when you look at 75 years, I look at it not only from the customer standpoint that we’re able to sustain a business, but even more so, I think is even more important in some ways, is the fact that we would provide a great place for a lot of people to work that they wanted to work at,” Wong said. “We didn’t hold anybody hostage; they could leave any time they wanted to. But I think the fact that they stayed and really thought of us as a great family, a great place to work. That gives me a lot of pride, too, a lot of pride.”

Wong also mentioned that the event will present a slideshow with photos from the Kowloon restaurant over the years, as well as a short documentary on the restaurant filmed by Netflix.

Tickets for the Kowloon’s anniversary party are available on the website,

https://www.kowloonrestaurant.com/