If you live in Happy Valley and have ever made the short drive toward SE Portland for a bowl of something warm and deeply satisfying, there’s a good chance someone already told you about Master Kong. And if they haven’t, consider this your introduction.
This is not the kind of place that needs a neon sign or a PR team. Since opening in March 2018, Master Kong has quietly built one of the most devoted followings in the Portland metro area, drawing regulars from Clackamas County, Happy Valley, and well beyond the SE Division Street block it calls home.
A Family Kitchen That Happens to Be a Restaurant
Master Kong is run by sister-brother duo Amy and Kang Zhu, who also operate the Sichuan skewer spot Pot N Spicy on SE 82nd Avenue. Their philosophy here is rooted in the kind of food people actually grew up eating in China, specifically a North-meets-South blend of classic Guangdong cuisine and Northern Tianjin dishes. It is home cooking, streamlined and served fast.
Walk into the original Division Street location, and you might catch a handful of women in an open kitchen, chatting while their hands fold dumpling after dumpling in an easy, practiced rhythm. That scene tells you everything about what this place values.
The Menu: Short List, High Reward
Don’t let the compact menu fool you. Every item earns its spot.
Must-order dishes:
- Xiaolongbao (XLB / Soup Dumplings): delicate, broth-filled, and the subject of considerable local debate (the good kind)
- Wonton Noodle Soup: a deeply savory fish-and-chicken broth with chewy noodles, pork wontons, and a whole shrimp, finished with cilantro and green onion
- Beef Brisket Noodle Soup: slow-braised brisket and tendon in a rich broth with house-made chili oil, widely regarded as the best in Portland
- Jianbing: a traditional Tianjin savory multigrain crepe, crispy and filled with fried bread flakes, a rare find anywhere in the metro area
- Pan-Fried Buns (Goubuli Baozi): the most iconic Tianjin dish on the menu, golden-bottomed and pillowy on top
- Roujiamo: a Chinese-style “hamburger” loaded with slow-braised pork, heavy on flavor
Noodles are handmade in-house, and you can taste the difference immediately. Prices are among the most reasonable you’ll find in Portland for the portion sizes you get.
Award-Winning Since Year One
The recognition started rolling in almost immediately and has not slowed down:
- 2018: Named Willamette Week’s Newcomer of the Year and nominated for Restaurant of the Year by Eater Portland
- 2018: Included in The Oregonian’s list of Portland’s 10 best new restaurants
- 2019 and 2020: Featured on The Oregonian’s list of the city’s 40 best inexpensive restaurants
- 2024: Runner-up for Best Chinese Restaurant in Willamette Week’s Best of Portland readers’ poll
- 2025: Included in Eater Portland’s list of Portland’s best affordable restaurants
That kind of consistent recognition, year after year, is not luck. It is a kitchen that shows up.
Two Locations, One Standard
The original SE Division Street location started it all in the Montavilla neighborhood. The SE 32nd Avenue location opened in November 2022 in the Richmond neighborhood, with more space and slightly extended dinner hours. Both are close enough to Happy Valley that a weeknight dinner run along I-205 makes complete sense.
Visit Master Kong
SE Division St (Original Location) 8435 SE Division St, Portland, OR 97266 | (971) 373-8248 Mon to Fri: 10:30 AM to 9:00 PM | Sat and Sun: 10:00 AM to 9:00 PM
SE 32nd Ave (Richmond Location) 1522 SE 32nd Ave, Portland, OR 97214 | (503) 384-2184 Mon to Thu and Sun: 11:00 AM to 9:30 PM | Fri and Sat: 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM
Both locations offer dine-in, takeout, and delivery. Order ahead at masterkongor.com.
Your Next Bowl Is About 15 Minutes Away
Happy Valley is a community that values quality, and Master Kong delivers exactly that without charging fine-dining prices. Whether you’re heading out after a hike on the Scouters Mountain trails or just wrapping up a long week, a bowl of wonton noodle soup from Master Kong is the kind of meal that fixes things.
Go find out why your neighbors are already regulars. Your first bowl will not be your last.
Hungry for more great local spots? Browse the full collection of business spotlights at Discover Happy Valley, because once you find one worth driving for, you’ll want the rest of the list too.
Sources: yelp.com, tripadvisor.com, wikipedia.org, pdxmonthly.com, masterkongor.com, wweek.com, oregonlive.com, pdx.eater.com
Header Image Source: Victor Mui on Unsplash
