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Kwans Original Cuisine

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835 Commercial St SE
Salem, OR 97302

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(503) 362-7711
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Kwans Original Cuisine - Salem, OR
Kwans Original Cuisine - Salem, OR
Reviews
( 6 )
( 1 )
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Best

One of my favorites. They have the best atmosphere. The food is very good. They have the best pot stickers I have tasted. They have traditional Chinese, but also offer Emu and...

Worst
Eh

The food is ok, but overpriced. The decor is old and dirty looking, and the servers are never welcoming or prompt. I never like dining here, not matter how many times I give it ...

Average typical chinese restaurant 10/21/2010

We go out to eat pretty often and enjoy trying new places throughout the valley and coast. This however, is just another typical Chinese restaurant, nothing extraordinary about it. We have been here a few times before and haven't had a bad experience and like the close proximity to our house, but other than that, it's okay. This last time we visited, they must have changed cooks or something because their food was very very salty, from the egg flower soup to the entrees themselves. We complained to the waitress, whom has waited on us before and she told us she would let the cook know. A few minutes later she came to ask us if we did not eat much salt! We felt like they were putting the blame on us! A business that wants to keep it's customers will not come back and tell you something like that, they will want to do something about it. We ended up not eating the rest of the food and yet we were still charged for the whole dinner. WE WILL NOT COME BACK......our new best place now is GOLD DRAGON on COMMERCIAL ST SOUTH (fresher, much better tasting, NOT SALTY food) more
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Eh 2/16/2010

The food is ok, but overpriced. The decor is old and dirty looking, and the servers are never welcoming or prompt. I never like dining here, not matter how many times I give it a try. more
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Best Chinese in Salem. 7/24/2009

One of my favorites. They have the best atmosphere. The food is very good. They have the best pot stickers I have tasted. They have traditional Chinese, but also offer Emu and other items not often seen. Good quality preparation. Mr Kwan is great...plus you can watch them cook. Fun for the whole family. more
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Simply stated it's the BEST! 2/1/2007

I've been a regular at kwans since before I could walk. My family swears up and down by their food and their service. We get the almond chicken (it has all white meat chicken fresh vegetables and crunchy almonds on top) the chow mein-a -malaya medium ( beef and shrimp and vegetables tossed with thin noodles in a sort of curry spicy rub) and the strawberry chicken. All of their food is amazing. It's always fresh and you can clearly tell it's made with quality ingredients. After you've eaten a big meal here, you don't feel bad about eating it! The Owner- mr Kwan regularly comes out to greet his customers, he is the most personable man you could meet! I high recommend Kwans Cuisine to anyone who likes quality chinese food and a friendly staff. Pros: Excellent food and staff more
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Typical American Chinese Cuisine 12/30/2006

Not my bag, but the place is great for American Chinese food. Service is subpar, but the decor is very odd. Pros: Decor, Service Cons: Food, Prices more
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Husband and Family love this restaurant 6/15/2006

I can see why...the owner was at the front desk and he and I made a joke...I instantly loved the guy. It's a warm restaurant with great service. My husband and his family live and die by this restaurant. He recommends the cashew chicken, szechuan beef and chicken...he says everything there is awesome. I really enjoyed myself and recommend it. Pros: Great food, Great prices, Great quality Cons: The crab rangoons are not recommended by me more
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Beautiful Experience 12/6/2005

I really enjoyed eating at Kwan's. My partner and I went last night and we will be going back. The lobby was beautiful! The huge Buddha being my favorite thing in there. We were seated promptly. The dining area really had a 70's retro feel with the crushed red velvet backs but it was totally comfortable. The wait staff was courteous and knowledgeable. The food was outstanding - try the garlic shrimp with green beans (medium, just the right amount of heat) and the curry triple, yummy! The bathrooms are completely automated, the air purified and all water used in the restaurant is put through a filtration system. A real plus - you can get take out and reserve large banquet rooms. The greatest part of the evening was when Kwan himself came out as we were leaving to chat. What a wonderful and accomplish gentleman he is. Pros: Large parking area, Comfortable seating, good wait staff Cons: can't think of any more
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Orignial Recipies, great service 8/19/2005

Kwans resturant is the best Chinese in Salem, owned by the Kwan family, Mr Kwans will walk around at times to see how you are enjoying the food. Uniques flavors mixed with vegtables. They do have your typical Chinese, but also some interesting dishes, Emi, Ostrich, and wonderful fish. more
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WOW!! 4/6/2005

Even though I live in Seattle where we have plenty of great Chinese food, I dream of Kwan's. Some friends took us there when we visited, and I can't get it out of my head. The BEST hot and sour soup I've ever had! And the stuffed jalapenos are delicious. Everything we had was great. We will definately be back, even though it is 3 hours away!! more
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Authentic healthy grub 7/26/2002

I walked into a beautiful front entrance filled with chinese art, a huge 15 ft Buddha, and tantalizing aromas. Then I enjoyed a wonderful, succulent meal along with purified water, no msg, fresh vegetables, multiple seafood selections and even exotic meats (emu and ostrich). I love the Pot Stickers with the homemade ginger vinegar dip and the Strawberry Chicken. Many vegetarian entrees available. Pros: lg, fresh selections, ample parking, no msg/purified water more
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Menu for Kwans Original Cuisine


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Voted "Best Asian" Restaurant of Mid-Valley 6 Years in a row

Owner Message

  • Kwan"s is a conveniently located establishment which offers excellent customer service and high quality menu with selections that cater to healthy eating as well as Gluten Free Meals.


    Kwan's is well known for accommodating customer's special needs such as food allergies and other health restrictions. We also offer a wide variety of Vegetarian and Vegan dishes as well.


    The roots of Kwan's awards for being voted as the "Best Asian" restaurant in Salem six years in a row go back to the dedicated work ethic of Master Chef and Owner Kam Sang Kwan. At age 11, he got his first restaurant experience in a cafe. By 12 or 13, he decided to learn English to be able to communicate with foreign customers. He quickly became the number one waiter and at age 16 he was booking banquets. At age 17 he was transferred to Hong Kong and learned to speak Japanese, which helped him rise further in the restaurant business.


    After a possible job offer to work in San Francisco fell through, he was offered another opportunity to move to the U.S. and work as a chef in an affluent household. "The requirement was a little bit of cooking, but also knowing how to make drinks", Kwan recalls. Both he and his wife Bo carefully thought about the opportunity and he decided to accept the two year position working for Oregon businessman and author Gerry Frank. Kwan performed his job so well that he was asked to stay for another two years.


    Kwan started his first restaurant in 1976, known as "Kwan's Kitchen" in Salem's City Hall. The current restaurant building was opened in 1982, has the architecture of a pagoda, and is a landmark just south of downtown Salem. Besides Kwan's excellent menu and healthy choices, his strong reputation in Salem is also due to his diligent attention to customer care and his community service. He will get the attention of children in a classroom visit by de-boning a chicken blindfolded with a meat cleaver, then deliver a message of ethics and work values to every student.


    "At Kwan's we provide food for the soul as well as the body". After savoring a curry chicken rice casserole, my soul was delighted.


    Ask Mr Kwan any question about cuisine or life, then enjoy his wisdom.


    Mr Kwan is indeed a living legacy of hard work, wisdom, and dedication to helping people enjoy food and life

Additional information
  • Hours: Sun 11:30am-9pm, Mon-Thu 11am-9pm, Fri 11am-10pm, Sat 11:30am-10pm
  • Payments: American Express, Discover, Master Card, Visa
  • Neighborhoods: Central Area, Central Area (CAN-DO)
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