A Phoenix Comeback: King Wong’s Reopens Under New Owners

Reporter: Annamarie Walters

PHOENIX- For more than 15 years, King Wong’s Chinese Restaurant has been a neighborhood fixture in central Phoenix, known as much for its food and the warmth of its owners. Samuel Ho, who worked as a delivery driver from 2010 to 2022, remembers the early days clearly.

Back then, the restaurant was run by Maria Chen, whose hospitality made the small dining room feel like a second home.

“Maria greeted everyone with a smile,” Ho said. “She treated customers like family. She’d pour their tea, ask about their kids, and make everyone feel welcomed.” 

Ho recalls delivering menus door-to-door to apartments and nearby homes as part of the restaurant’s grassroots effort to grow its customer base. “People loved her. She brought in a lot of regulars.”

Under Maria’s leadership, King Wong’s even earned recognition as Arizona’s No. 1 Chinese restaurant in 2017 on the news.

But when COVID-19 hit, the restaurant changed dramatically. Dining rooms shut down, and the business shifted to no-contact delivery. During that time, ownership transitioned to Yin Hai Zhao. 

With social distancing rules in place, tables remained blocked off into 2021 as the restaurant slowly reopened. 

Customers noticed the shift in atmosphere. Zhao, who was expecting a baby with his wife, often needed to leave work early, leaving Ho to run the store as shift leader. The staff was aging, short-staffed and overwhelmed by the sudden urge in business.

King Wong’s was one of the only Chinese restaurants in the area that remained open throughout the pandemic. 

“We were slammed,” Ho said. “We had to shut off online orders because they were coming in too fast. People started getting mad about wait times. We just didn’t have enough staff.”

Some longtime customers drifted away during Zhao’s ownership. Esmerelda Smith, who had eaten at King Wong’s for more than a decade, said the restaurant felt different. 

“It just wasn’t the same.” Smith said. “I felt like my food wasn’t made for me anymore. It felt like it was made for the company. But I still respected that they kept pushing through everything.”

In 2023, King Wong’s experienced its biggest transformation yet when Cliff and Martha Lopez purchased the restaurant. Their daughter, Nikki Lopez, now helps run the front of the house, taking orders and organizing take out bags.

Inside, the dining room looks different, refreshed with new décor, a fish tank, jewelry displays and additional Chinese artwork that gives the space a brighter, more welcoming atmosphere.

“I like helping my parents build this new family business,” Nikki said. “A lot of customers who stopped coming during the last ownership are finally returning. It feels good to see people recognize us again.”

Even Ho, who no longer works there, said he notices the improvement.

“I see a change,” he said. “Prices went up, but the business looks alive again. And my old regulars seem happy.”

Today, the new crew is younger, mostly in their 20s to 40s, and are excited to push the business into its next phase.

“We’re proud of how far it’s come,” owner Cliff Lopez said. “The business came back to life. It’s thriving more than ever.”