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Hong Kong Cafe
Category: Restaurants Chinese Chinese [Edit]
1271 Boylston St(between Ipswich St & Jersey St)
Boston, MA 02215
Neighborhood: Fenway
(617) 437-8889
- Nearest Transit:
-
Ipswich St @ Boylston St (55)
Boylston St @ Jersey St (55)
Jersey St @ Boylston (55)
- Hours:
Mon-Thu, Sun 7 am - 12 am
Fri-Sat 7 am - 2 am
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- Yes
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
35 reviews for Hong Kong Cafe
Review Highlights
"...fan of the SeasmeChkn, boneless spare-ribs (not all fatty..."
(in 3 reviews)
"...that make me swoon, "hey, baby, how about a Scorpion Bowl."
(in 5 reviews)
"Fried rice - very tasty and they give you an abundant..."
(in 10 reviews)
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35 reviews in English
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Review from Daenerys T.
Boston, MA
1/11/2012
I am writing this review after years of dine-in and delivery.
I'll start with delivery & price.
I work about a mile down the street so always fast and food is always still steaming when I dig in. The price is very reasonable. There is nothing more than $12 on the menu. Lunch specials are pretty cheap, not more than $6.50. Plus, the portions are more than enough to fill you up.
Now, dine-in and food experience......
Since I can't hop over to Chinatown on a whim to satisfy my lunch cravings, I searched for a Chinese restaurant close by that might help. I looked for anything close to Chinatown selections on the menu. This is how I found HK cafe. So through the years I've only tried a handful of their dishes which I order over and over again. It's not exactly on point but close enough. The service is always just bleh. The hostess and waitstaff possesses the personality of a dead fish.
Anyway, back to food ....
I've tried the salt and pepper pork chop on fried rice, roast duck with rice, seafood chow foon, and beef w/black bean sauce chow foon. All of which are pretty tasty and consistent. The food has never been a let down nor have I ever been overly excited. It was just ..... for the moment ...... fine. I like that the lunch special entrees come with a choice of egg drop (includes corn) or hot and sour soup. One day I will try the fried squid w/spiced salt and pepper. Everything else on the menu looks like standard Chinese American fare.
So if you're looking for a colorful place with personality, don't go there. If you don't care and you just want to eat and get back to work, then do. But just take my advice, don't be adventurous. Use your lunch hour wisely. -
Review from Mark D.
Boston, MA
12/10/2011
This review is after many orders via Foodler.
This is one of my favorite Chinese restaurants to order from.
The food is excellent. Every dish I have sampled, which covers all of their non-seafood appetizers and most of their chicken and beef dishes, has been prepared and arrived very well. Their delivery staff is fast and very friendly, the last driver even said hello to my large dog after she went to greet him (she's a pitbull mix and is rather intimidating to non-dog lovers), so extra points to him! -
Review from Lisa B.
Boston, MA
9/3/2011
I feel bad writing a negative review, because the people were extremely nice. Unfortunately, I was not impressed with Hong Kong Cafe. The food took an extremely long time to arrive and was not very good... Honestly, it was bad.
There are many better places in the neighborhood. -
Review from Steven E.
Boston, MA
8/9/2011
I work nearby and I l've stopping in for a quick lunch or grabbing takeout.
This place is an amazing value for lunch - you can't go to subway for cheaper.
I'm a vegetarian and I was getting tired of a couple vegetarian lunch items they had so I asked them if they could take tofu and put the General Tso's sauce on it and they did no problem and didn't even charge me extra.
I space is what you would expect for $6.00 lunch specials but it still has that suburban Chinese place charm. -
Review from Sara G.
Boston, MA
7/24/2011
So, I am new to Boston and realized the other night that after living in the area for about a month I'd yet to identify my go-to Chinese restaurant. Since wonton soup is one of my top 5 comfort foods (I lived on little else for a sold week after having surgery), this seemed a pretty serious oversight on my part.
My online ordering service provided a plethora of options, and somehow I chose Hong Kong Cafe out of the mix. I chose my "standard" dishes - the ones I'm most familiar with and use to compare one restaurant to another. Unfortunately, I am not very creative, so those dishes are wonton soup, chicken with broccoli, and chicken fried rice.
The delivery service was much quicker than promised. That was a plus. Everything arrived hot and smelled tasty. I tried the wonton soup first, and let me tell you - these were delicious wontons! Delicate noodles, flavorful filling - not your typical American version but much tastier. Even the broth was well-seasoned.
After such an exciting soup I was ready for the rest of the meal to be pretty spectacular. It wasn't, really, but it wasn't bad either. The chicken and broccoli was in a white sauce instead of the brown sauce I was expecting. The sauce was tasty and had a hint of garlicky flavor that I enjoyed, but it wasn't quite what I'd thought it would be. The chicken fried rice was average but tasty.
The price, as another reviewer mentioned, is kind of high for what I'm used to paying, but on a night when I didn't feel like going out, it totally hit the spot. I'll order from them again. Four stars for the wonton soup. -
Review from Matthew P.
Boston, MA
4/21/2011
I'm reviewing way too many Chinese restaurants and not enough workout facilities.
I always order delivery from this place through foodler. They've always come on time if not a little early. For an impatient man like me that totally deserves a good tip!
In the South End there is only one Chinese restaurant and you can read my review on why I don't order from them. Therefore this is the default place. It's good. It's decent. It's cheap. My favorite dish to get is the General Gau's. I have to give them props because I asked for it extra spicy and they delivered! -
Review from Nicole V.
4/9/2011
Do not go here expecting a classy establishment.
That being said, I don't think I've ever been here sober. Most classic HK moment was the double header scorpion bowl races we did mid-Beer Marathon. Seeing as how the Beer Marathon is a 26 bar pub crawl, two scorpion bowl races was not the smartest idea ever. It actually didn't even register on list of "you may want to consider this" list of ideas.
However, we did it anyway. And we ordered food. They served us, giggled, and didn't get overly angry when a few hopped the fence and jumped in the HoJo pool.
Hong Kong Cafe - your acceptance of our horrendous behavior will keep us coming back for more. I promise we'll be polite but I don't make any promises about jumping in the pool; I'm still sad I missed it the first time.
Sorry we're not sorry.Listed in: My 'hood
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Review from Michael R.
Boston, MA
4/11/2011
Another pretty decent Chinese offering in the Fenway area of Boston. I ordered take-out Chicken Lo Mein, which was pretty tasty, and certainly above average based on the other neighboring restaurants.
Delivery took awhile on a rather slow night, however, and its a little more expensive then the average Boston Chinese place.
There are better options nearby, but if you're dying for pretty good Chinese food right next to Fenway Park, check out Hong Kong. -
Review from Martha D.
Boston, MA
7/23/2010
If you want a dive bar, look no further. Wander into the HoJo and the Hong Kong magically appears in front of you. It's usually pretty empty, and always pretty dark. Whatever, you're not there for the ambiance.
What you ARE there for are the scropion bowls. Unlike the sickly sweet (and in my opinion not alcoholic) bowls the Kong in Harvard Sq serves, these things are the real deal. A tropical volcano rises from the middle of the scorpion bowl and what's that in the middle? Oh right, tequila. These things are your express ticket to black out city!
This is not the kind of bar you want to linger in. Its also not for the faint of heart. But if you have a good group of adventurous friends with you, it can be quite an experience! -
Review from Chris C.
11/30/2010 2 Check-ins Here
This review is only for the bar.
Went for an after work drink here with a coworker the other day. The bar was totally dead although the bartender was super friendly. The beer selection was pretty poor, but the bar was pretty well stocked. I ended up going for a Johnny Black on the rocks and it was only $6 so no complaints there.
So while its certainly not a destination bar its cheap and if you're in the area its another option. -
Review from Alex B.
11/15/2010
This review is for their delivery and food.
I have not ordered Chinese in Boston in a few years after some bad experiences at Sunrise and Nan Ling. However, Hong Kong Cafe reminds me of a place back home and is the one takeout Chinese that has not made me want to jump off of a cliff here in Boston.
Crab Rangoon is very good and not greasy.
Lo Mein - a little too greasy for my liking
Boneless spare ribs have good flavor but are somewhat fatty.
Fried rice - very tasty and they give you an abundant supply
Spring rolls - rather bland, not worth the extra couple of bucks.
Delivery - I order on http://foodler.com and now two out of three times the guy has arrived 20 minutes prior to the estimated delivery time. The third time he arrived exactly on time and apologized for being late. I really appreciate a place that actually has nice delivery men.
Best of all it is pretty cheap. I just cant justify giving a takeout Chinese place more than 3 stars. So as far as takeout goes, this place is at the top of the ladder. -
Review from Victoria J.
Weymouth, MA
10/22/2010
THIS IS NO TIKI LOUNGE!!! FALSE ADVERTISEMENT!!
Where are the tiki torches? Where is the plastic tropical botany?! Where's the multicolored water sculpture?!! Highly disappointing.
On the other hand, the Scorpion Bowl was strong, Egg Drop soup was good & hot, and the Crab Rangoons were quite tasty.
I'll give you that Hong Kong Cafe, but I'm not OK with the false advertisment of said "Tiki Lounge." -
Review from Stacy A.
Somerville, MA
9/19/2010
Say what? Decent Chinese lunch for, like, less than $6.50? Um, o.k.!
The lunch deal includes a cup of soup (either wonton or hot and sour) an appetizer (a small spring roll, a few crab rangoons, etc.) and a healthy-sized portion of several favorites with either steamed rice or pork fried rice.
I wouldn't go here looking for authenticity, but they do serve up good, cheap, food fast. Which exactly fits the bill for a weekday. It's my colleague and my go-to place for our "Happy Friday" lunch. -
Review from Lea C.
4/24/2009
Disgusting. Disgusting. Disgusting.
This should not be allowed to be called "Chinese" food. I know that we are all accustomed to Americanized Chinese food, but sweet jesus this tasted like a microwave version created by rednecks who can't spell the word C-H-I-N-A. It is clear that white people made this food, which is just against the rules.
I ordered for delivery during the first month I lived in Boston, and the food was so bad it scared me away from Chinese food in Boston for awhile given that it was the first representation I experienced. I ordered a variety of things (General Gau, crab rangoon, spring rolls, beef with snow peas) because it has always been my experience that every Chinese place has high hits and low misses. This was FAILChinese on every imaginable level. It was basically inedible. Especially the beef with snow peas, the flavor of which seemed like some sort of joke. Seriously, like a Lean Cuisine interpretation of what a "teriyaki-like" sauce should taste like. I was so angry (and starving) when it was all said and done.
I should really start asking for my money back after I get disgusting delivery. -
Review from A P.
Brighton, MA
3/7/2009
I used to go into Hong Kong Cafe in the Hojo Fenway all the time, but I've only eaten their food once when someone brought me an unsolicited bowl of Egg Drop Soup. It had corn in it, which is weird for Egg Drop Soup (which shouldn't have veggies in it, period.) It was pretty tasty, probably some of the better Egg Drop Soup I've had in Boston.
So, you ask, why was I in there all the time, but didn't order anything? Simple! The place was crawling with rodents! I saw mice inside the restaurant, scurrying out in full view of staff and patrons in the late afternoon. When I reported it to the bartender, she just said, "Yeah, we have a problem with them." That's it. They seemed very blase and jaded about it, like they'd made their peace with the mice being there and just gave up trying to do anything about it.
I also saw employees preparing huge piles of vegetables on the bare tabletops in the cafe, which struck me as unsanitary, especially given the rodent problem. Delicious though their food smells, I won't risk eating at a place this dirty.
Here's their health inspection record: http://boston.everyblo...Listed in: Zero Stars
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Review from Olayemi A.
Boston, MA
3/23/2009
I'm from NY so I know great chinese food, at least great American Chinese food. Since I've been out here in Boston, I'm still yet to find a great chinese food restaurant. Yesterday I had a chinese food itch I just had to scratch and so I went on yelp, typed in my address and searched. The closest option was the Hong Kong Cafe, and it had seeing that it had 4 1/2 stars I was impressed and went to read the reviews. After seeing mostly positive reviews about the food and the nice staff I finally decided to give it go and order.
Pros:
1. My food came relatively fast
Cons:
1. What typical chinese food place doesn't have egg rolls?
2. For the $15 I paid ($13.65 +tip...he just handed me back a 5 from a 20 I gave him so I assumed he wanted his tip) I was less than satisfied with my order. The Sesame Chicken was decent, but a little on the extra crispy side which made it hard to chew at times. The Pork Fried Rice was meh. It tasted kinda weird and there were chicken chunks which I felt was random. And on top of that the portions was not fair for what I paid. There was alot of rice, but there were like 7 chunks of chicken. The Spring Roll I ordered, since they had no egg rolls, was not good at all.
All in all, the food was decent, but not fairly portioned (or tasty) for the amount I paid. Guess my hunt for great chinese food in Boston continues... -
Review from Sunny H.
Boston, MA
9/19/2006
No Msg, Very Friendly service. the layout is strange - as it is in an old HowardJ's. dont let that fool ya'... The prices are great 4-10$ for most dishes. I am huge fan of the SeasmeChkn, boneless spare-ribs (not all fatty like other places), and the chckn rice is very very good (no peas , i love that). Delivery is always quick and hot! ( heard the scorpian bowls are so yummmy - i have to try one)
;) -
Review from Jimmy H.
Boston, MA
Updated - 3/25/2009
Oh.. Hong Kong Cafe... I still love you but I have to lower the stars. I am not complaint price has been gone up.. but the taste, flavor... I miss the old time. Like a few years ago.
But these days I couldn't help not noticing :
Mapo Tofu is becoming waterier and waterier.
House special fried rice is tasting blander and blander.
Hong Kong Cafe, you can do better than this.
I don't see the owner Peter anymore. Has the management been changed?Listed in: At the other end of #55....
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/15/2008
Try something other than generic dish such as fried rice, beef&broccoli or general Gau's chicken.… Read more »
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Review from Beau R.
Tulsa, OK
11/29/2008
Pretty average Chinese food.
I would eat here again if I was staying at the HoJo.
I had sesame chicken and I remember it being pretty good. Why do I always get sesame chicken? Can you really taste sesame's?
Also while you walk to your table you have to dodge the ninja throwing stars at you.
Not bad, but I would rather find some where else in Boston. -
Review from Dianalily L.
East Watertown, MA
4/25/2010
Last night, the man whispered in my ear those tender words of love that make me swoon, "hey, baby, how about a Scorpion Bowl?" Zipping through the horde of post-game Red Sox fans, passing many a bar on Lansdown and Boylston that boasted long lines (ridiculous, really - why wait for that Bud Light, brah?), we arrived at the HoJo's on Boylston.
After we plonked our selves at the bar, observed the few tables of people eating and the guys at the back playing darts, we heard a shriek. "MOUSE!!! Ohmygawdthere's a mouse running across the floor!!" As other reviews have noted, the staff didn't seem to disturbed by this. We decided to skip the food and focus on the rum drinks.
Pre-mixed, the Scorpion Bowl came with the required topper of 151. And tasted like Peach Schnapps. Which is odd because there isn't supposed to BE Peach Schnapps in a Scorpion Bowl. Of course, we finished it.
A couple of Mai Tai's came next, properly made with two kinds of rum and juice, and orgeat syrup. Except they had an odd taste. Like liquid smoke. Maybe the bartender used a smoked rum? Is there such a thing? Why would there be such a thing? I just wanted a damn fruity drink, not to contemplate the vagaries of the liquor industry.
The staff was entirely friendly, including the desk clerk who called a cab for us. But between the rodent, the strange tasting drinks and the utter lack of kitsch, the Tiki Lounge failed to impress. There are much better places around town to get your Polynesian fix.
Tally: 1 Scorpion Bowl, 2 Mai-Tais = $28, not including tip. -
Review from rob c.
12/3/2009 3 Check-ins Here
After an annoying day where i made negative progress at work, had a vexing commute home, and didn't even get to eat lunch or breakfast, i had a desperate craving for the General, whether Gau or Tso. Since i had a bevy of Chinese food places leave menus on my door, it was somewhat random that Hong Kong Cafe was the choice. However, it was conveniently located to my place, and very fast (once i found it--it's inside the lobby of the Howard Johnson's).
The General did not disappoint, with crispier-than-usual (before it gets soggy in the yummy sauce, if that makes any sense) chicken drenched in a flavorful and spicy, but not massively syrupy sauce, with tasty broccoli thrown in. It is, however, on the expensive side, $13ish with a small order of rice. Nevertheless, it's not bad at all. -
Review from Andrew R.
Somerville, MA
10/5/2009
Hong Kong has completely satisfactory American Chinese food. Don't go here expecting to have blow-your-mind good food and you won't be disappointed.
I work nearby, so I get the lunch specials every couple weeks. The food is always okay, always ready in 10-15 minutes, and always cheap. It was a little weird to me to get used to Boston's Chinese food naming conventions (General Gau's is the same as General Tsao's, and crab rangoons are almost the same as cream cheese wontons) but it's still they same old tasty greasy Chinese you can get anywhere around the country. -
Review from Quel M.
Allston-Brighton, MA
3/11/2010
I'd give the food 2 stars and the bar 4 stars, so I'll even things out.
The food is inconsistent. It's obviously greasy American Chinese food. But I will never understand HOW I can order the same dish multiple times and it's like I'm eating at a new restaurant each time.
I don't think the bar is for everyone. Unless there is a Red Sox game, there is a good chance that's it's empty. Empty, however, means I get my drinks instantly. You can also ask the bartender to put on whatever TV channel you want. The bar service is always friendly.
The drinks used to be SO cheap. $11 for a scorpion bowl (with the 151 shot) and $5 for a cocktail. The last time I went in, they were a little more expensive. With that being said, you can still get out-of-your-mind drunk for under $20. -
Review from Nicole L.
Chestnut Hill, MA
3/12/2011
this place totally serves its purpose when you're leaving fenway area bars and craving chinese food at 1:30 in the morning!
it is really hard to find places open after the bars closed when you're starving.
food was decent and hours were perfect.
there are other chinese food places i like much better for meals during normal hours (such as mandarin gourmet in chestnut hill!) -
Review from HERE N.
Boston, MA
12/7/2008
A great standbye! My favoirtes are Fried tufu and vegatbles, sliced chicken and vegatbles, The pan fried chow foon is also pretty good, skip the regular dark fried rice unless it's the house fried rice. The ribs need some work. They downsized the peking dumplings to the tiny ones so skip those or you will be dissapointed.
GREAT CHOW FOON! -
Review from Julia C.
Boston, MA
Updated - 6/16/2010
Came here in person after a long day of gardening. Yup, this place still sucks. Gross, tacky interior. The American presidents placemat was amusing, though. But still, how can you fuck up pork fried rice? NEVER AGAIN.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/21/2010
How can you UNDERSALT takeout Chinese food?! I'm in utter shock. Plus what the hell is up with the… Read more »
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Review from Joe S.
Brighton, MA
7/4/2008
I've only gotten their take out but let me tell you that their All Day A4 special (fried rice, boneless spare ribs, chicken teriaki and chicken fingers) is greasy goodness that even General Gao would love. Take out is fast and reasonable priced. There combo/lunch specials are generously portioned so if you are not feeling gluttonous it should be plenty of food for 2 meals. Good service, good prices- it's unpretentious take out at its best. It even has a off center entrance so it's not that awkward entering the Hojo.
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Review from Kathleen Y.
Astoria, NY
7/15/2007
Like all of the Chinese takeout I've had in Boston, Hong Kong Cafe is not very good. I used to eat there/get takeout because I lived down the block. The one good thing is that a.) they show Red Sox games and b.) the people who work there are super nice. I wouldn't recommend going after a game though because I imagine it gets crowded like every other place on Boylston Street.
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Review from Sarah S.
Ashland, OR
9/1/2008
Terrible! I ordered from here out of desparation (Need. Chinese. Food. Delivered. ASAP.) and what a mistake! The worst Schetuan Beef ever - bland and disgusting. Didn't even save the leftovers - what a dissapointment! The scallion pancake was fine, but those are pretty hard to f up.
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Review from Layla L.
Boston, MA
10/1/2010
worst place ever.
we went there on mid-autumn festival, it's a last-minute decision so we just went to somewhere random. this place is really creepy, how you have an empty house on mid-autumn festival? i can imagine no one would go there if they have other options on any other days.
About the food, it was canned food you can buy at super 88 and accidentally mixed together. And the place is pretty dirty, really made me sick.
Anyway, i definitely won't go again. -
Review from John D.
Los Angeles, CA
11/5/2008
Scorpion Bowls! Amusing dive of a chinese restaurant with a late night bar scene. Just don't eat here. I'm glad it's still there because most of the dives in Harvard Square are gone.
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Review from Kelly L.
Boston, MA
3/21/2010
I am a fan. Just finished eating it now and i love their Crab Rangoon. It is delicious!! I work at a hair salon and a few of us always order from here on a Saturday!! It's our weekend treat. I always get the same thing the A7- Lo mein, Crab rangoon, and a spring roll. I order from them off http://foodler.com and they are always quick to deliver my order!
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Review from Claire S.
Saugus, MA
2/20/2009
We LOVE this place. It's a hidden jewel outside of Fenway Park in the HoJo. The food is really good and the people that work here are really nice and will accommodate any request. The bar is soooo much fun...before and after a Sox game. The Mai Tai's are really good even when served in a plastic cup :) Can't wait for opening day :::)))
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Review from George P.
Austin, TX
6/28/2009
Suprising how good the Pepper Beef was. We were really not expecting this to be that good but it turned out to be a pleasant surprise. On a second visit, things were not as good. So, I am now lowering my star rating to a 2 stars.
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Review from Jason F.
Cambridge, MA
8/23/2008
I'm gonna be honest. I don't know why alot of people don't know about this place, it might be the Hojo location (which to be honest keep me away initally) because the food is fantastic! It is hard in the Fenway area to find a really good take-out place that doesn't stay open till 2 am, is rude, and is practically all fried food specials. Hong Kong is great quality, generous portions and satisfies every time. However, they put lettuce in the fried rice sometimes which does bother me, and always forget to tell them to leave it out! Boneless ribs, seafood and lo mein are awesome. I have to say their choice of meat and seafood (as well as the prep) is really, really good and why I love their food.
