Decided to go here for dinner on a Thursday night and heard some rumors of it going downhill and not as good as it was. Who ever has been downplaying Kowloon is just lying. Food was HOT and FRESH. Atmosphere was just as I remember from years ago. Service was quick and fantastic. All of the above. If you hadn’t been back in a while it’s still the MECCA of Chinese restaurants.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Marianna Perkins
Just been there after big cheer event not enough help and food was not the greatest in my book onions in rice seemed old so if they change that would be great. Chicken wings a little slimy egg rolls really good crab ragoons need more crab in it.
Dimitri Panagakos
Apparently quite the local institution. Packed on a Sunday night in October. I remember passing it on highway since childhood and always wanted to eat here. While atmosphere was still over the top, I get the sense that much of it has been updated to keep with the times and much of the kitsch factor may have been lost. Pu Pu Platter was good, as was General Gau's Chicken, but much of the other food was bland and poorly prepared. In particular, stay away from the Sichuan Tofu, which had no spice and generally no flavor at all. Also, be aware that you will pay for the fame of this location, meaning it borders on tourist trap. All in all, a fun outing to do once or twice, but not a place I'd visit regularly.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Kim Johnson
Good 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Carrie Sunde
Kowloon is an absolute classic — there’s truly nothing like it! The atmosphere is fun, nostalgic, and always buzzing with great energy. The food is so good every single time — from the famous chicken fingers and scorpion bowls to the lo mein and Pu Pu platters, everything hits the spot.
Huge shoutout to Janet, the best waitress ever! She’s so friendly, attentive, and genuinely makes every visit special. You can tell she really cares about her customers — she’s a big part of why we keep coming back!
Whether you’re going for dinner with friends, a family night out, or just craving that Kowloon magic, this place never disappoints. A true North Shore legend!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
J Cicco
We had a great time at Kowloon. The Saugus Wings were so good. The batter on the chicken fingers was light and crispy while the chicken was juicy. We had 3 different dishes of beef and chicken and shrimp all were to die for.
Mallory MacDonald
Tina W made our experience so amazing!!! Sesame chicken and Peking ravioli were hits!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
ACE Laser and CNC JPM
Very good food, rice was a little off, egg rolls were not that great. Everything else was very good. Small booth. Packed but was shown to our table right away.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Justin C
Love the theme and decor but the food was about comparable to Panda Express. A bit over priced in my opinion, but there’s a large variety of dishes. Come for the experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Andrea
You come to Kowloon for the experience and not necessarily the food, but damn it's gotten expensive. It's classic American-ized Chinese, so it's great but dont expect to be blown away. Strong drinks and fast service are a plus!
Growing up this was the place! Iconic old school chinese...So sad they're goung to be closing and a craving for some takeout this was the obvious answer.....I don't know ow what happened to the place I loved so much but this wasn't it. The rice was just unflavored mush!!! The chicken fingers were these small chunks crammed in the container so they all morphed into 1 giant finger! The ckn wings were strange and fatty. My husband did say his dumplings were good. Overall for 100 bucks was totally not worth it. I always see negative reviews on social media but I didn't realize it had gone that far downhill... I'm totally bummed. There is no where to get that old school chinese food from anymore. Matters well live in Florida 😭
Food: 2
Cathy Mazzeo
I found the food very disappointing. It was barely warm and the fried Rangoon was very small, hard on the edges and scarcely filled. The beef teriyaki was very tough as were the bone-in spare ribs. The egg roll tasted old and tough outside. The only decent thing was the pork fried rice but even that was barely warm. The Mai Tai was just okay. I've had better. Won't go back.👎
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
Cynthia Fulti
Rented hall upstairs, very pretty, very pricey. Still worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Steve Find Me
Sadly, not the same as we've been used to. They continue to claim they are closing forever, yet they continue to add entertainment and build outside. The server's don't seem overly enthusiastic or happy to help.
From the website:
Originally established in 1950 as The Mandarin House, able to accomodate 40-50 customers, the Kowloon Restaurant has grown to a capacity of 1200 seats and has become one of the premier multi-concept dining establishments in the United States. Enter into another world from the Luau Room with it’s red lanterns, to the Tiki Lagoon Room with it’s mini lagoon; or perhaps you are craving the succulent fresh tastes of Sushi in the Thai Grill. With several themed rooms, you will find the ambiance at the Kowloon comparable to no other. Then continue the fun in our Komedy Club on Fridays and Saturdays. Check Upcoming Events for the latest acts and showtimes. Whether you are visiting out from out of town or are one of our locals, having a night out, or hosting an event, the Wong family invites you to visit us, dine, and relax for a most memorable and enjoyable experience.
The Wong Family:
In 1958 Madeline and Bill 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. In 2001 Madeline and Bill Wong were inducted into the Hospitality Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. The restaurant has also been nominated for addition to the Inventory of Cultural and Historical Resources by the Saugus Historical Commission. Now operated by the third generation, the Wong family continues its tradition with providing top notch fresh, delicious cuisine in a traditional themed atmosphere with outstanding entertainment.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Chinese Food, Peninsula Pu Pu Platter, Pu Pu Platter with Beef Teriyaki
mark D fialkowski
went there Saturday night eggrolls old dry and cold pork fried rice old dry cold steak kew very good
been going there for decades first time not good hope not a sign of things to come service excellent
Decided to go here for dinner on a Thursday night and heard some rumors of it going downhill and not as good as it was. Who ever has been downplaying Kowloon is just lying. Food was HOT and FRESH. Atmosphere was just as I remember from years ago. Service was quick and fantastic. All of the above. If you hadn’t been back in a while it’s still the MECCA of Chinese restaurants.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Just been there after big cheer event not enough help and food was not the greatest in my book onions in rice seemed old so if they change that would be great. Chicken wings a little slimy egg rolls really good crab ragoons need more crab in it.
Apparently quite the local institution. Packed on a Sunday night in October. I remember passing it on highway since childhood and always wanted to eat here. While atmosphere was still over the top, I get the sense that much of it has been updated to keep with the times and much of the kitsch factor may have been lost. Pu Pu Platter was good, as was General Gau's Chicken, but much of the other food was bland and poorly prepared. In particular, stay away from the Sichuan Tofu, which had no spice and generally no flavor at all. Also, be aware that you will pay for the fame of this location, meaning it borders on tourist trap. All in all, a fun outing to do once or twice, but not a place I'd visit regularly.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 3
Service: 3
Good 👍
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 3
Kowloon is an absolute classic — there’s truly nothing like it! The atmosphere is fun, nostalgic, and always buzzing with great energy. The food is so good every single time — from the famous chicken fingers and scorpion bowls to the lo mein and Pu Pu platters, everything hits the spot.
Huge shoutout to Janet, the best waitress ever! She’s so friendly, attentive, and genuinely makes every visit special. You can tell she really cares about her customers — she’s a big part of why we keep coming back!
Whether you’re going for dinner with friends, a family night out, or just craving that Kowloon magic, this place never disappoints. A true North Shore legend!!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
We had a great time at Kowloon. The Saugus Wings were so good. The batter on the chicken fingers was light and crispy while the chicken was juicy. We had 3 different dishes of beef and chicken and shrimp all were to die for.
Tina W made our experience so amazing!!! Sesame chicken and Peking ravioli were hits!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Very good food, rice was a little off, egg rolls were not that great. Everything else was very good. Small booth. Packed but was shown to our table right away.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 4
Service: 4
Love the theme and decor but the food was about comparable to Panda Express. A bit over priced in my opinion, but there’s a large variety of dishes. Come for the experience.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
You come to Kowloon for the experience and not necessarily the food, but damn it's gotten expensive. It's classic American-ized Chinese, so it's great but dont expect to be blown away. Strong drinks and fast service are a plus!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 4
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Growing up this was the place! Iconic old school chinese...So sad they're goung to be closing and a craving for some takeout this was the obvious answer.....I don't know ow what happened to the place I loved so much but this wasn't it. The rice was just unflavored mush!!! The chicken fingers were these small chunks crammed in the container so they all morphed into 1 giant finger! The ckn wings were strange and fatty. My husband did say his dumplings were good. Overall for 100 bucks was totally not worth it. I always see negative reviews on social media but I didn't realize it had gone that far downhill... I'm totally bummed. There is no where to get that old school chinese food from anymore. Matters well live in Florida 😭
Food: 2
I found the food very disappointing. It was barely warm and the fried Rangoon was very small, hard on the edges and scarcely filled. The beef teriyaki was very tough as were the bone-in spare ribs. The egg roll tasted old and tough outside. The only decent thing was the pork fried rice but even that was barely warm. The Mai Tai was just okay. I've had better. Won't go back.👎
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 1
Service: 2
Rented hall upstairs, very pretty, very pricey. Still worth it.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sadly, not the same as we've been used to.
They continue to claim they are closing forever, yet they continue to add entertainment and build outside.
The server's don't seem overly enthusiastic or happy to help.
From the website:
Originally established in 1950 as The Mandarin House, able to accomodate 40-50 customers, the Kowloon Restaurant has grown to a capacity of 1200 seats and has become one of the premier multi-concept dining establishments in the United States.
Enter into another world from the Luau Room with it’s red lanterns, to the Tiki Lagoon Room with it’s mini lagoon; or perhaps you are craving the succulent fresh tastes of Sushi in the Thai Grill. With several themed rooms, you will find the ambiance at the Kowloon comparable to no other.
Then continue the fun in our Komedy Club on Fridays and Saturdays. Check Upcoming Events for the latest acts and showtimes.
Whether you are visiting out from out of town or are one of our locals, having a night out, or hosting an event, the Wong family invites you to visit us, dine, and relax for a most memorable and enjoyable experience.
The Wong Family:
In 1958 Madeline and Bill 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.
In 2001 Madeline and Bill Wong were inducted into the Hospitality Hall of Fame by the Massachusetts Restaurant Association. The restaurant has also been nominated for addition to the Inventory of Cultural and Historical Resources by the Saugus Historical Commission.
Now operated by the third generation, the Wong family continues its tradition with providing top notch fresh, delicious cuisine in a traditional themed atmosphere with outstanding entertainment.
Atmosphere: 3
Food: 3
Service: 3
Recommended dishes: Chinese Food, Peninsula Pu Pu Platter, Pu Pu Platter with Beef Teriyaki
went there Saturday night eggrolls old dry and cold pork fried rice old dry cold steak kew very good been going there for decades first time not good hope not a sign of things to come service excellent
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 2
Service: 5
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