If you walked into the second floor of the Java Road Municipal Services Building in North Point a few years ago, you weren’t just going for dinner. You were entering a fever dream. Imagine a fluorescent-lit government market building where the floor is perpetually slick, the air smells of flash-fried garlic, and a man is moonwalking to Michael Jackson while opening beer bottles with a chopstick. That was Tung Po Hong Kong. It wasn't just a restaurant. It was a riot.
Honestly, most "famous" spots in Hong Kong are polished for Instagram these days, but Tung Po was different. It was loud. It was sweaty. It was unapologetically chaotic. When news broke in late 2022 that the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) was pulling their lease, it felt like a gut punch to the city's soul. People weren't just losing a place to eat deep-fried squid ink pasta; they were losing a piece of the "old Hong Kong" that refuses to be tamed by malls and luxury developments.
The Rise of Robby Cheung and the Cult of Personality
You can't talk about this place without talking about Robby Cheung.
He's the manager with the bleached hair and the energy of a rock star who somehow ended up running a Dai Pai Dong-style joint. Robby is the reason Tung Po became a global phenomenon. Sure, Anthony Bourdain visited for No Reservations, and that put it on the map for every Western tourist with a backpack, but locals kept going because of the vibe. Robby would jump on tables. He’d do the Macarena. He would pour beer into "battle bowls" (warrior bowls) and insist you drink like a hero.
It was performance art disguised as dinner.
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But here is the thing: the food actually held its own. In a city where gimmick restaurants fail within six months, Tung Po lasted decades because the kitchen knew exactly what it was doing. They took classic Cantonese techniques and just... played with them.
What People Get Wrong About the Menu
A lot of people think Tung Po was just about the spectacle. That’s a mistake.
While the "Wind Sand Chicken" (crispy chicken buried in a mountain of fried garlic) was the crowd-pleaser, the real genius was in the weird stuff. They were one of the first to really bridge the gap between "wet market" dining and creative fusion. Take the squid ink spaghetti. In a traditional Cantonese kitchen, that's heresy. At Tung Po, it was a signature dish that came out jet black, rich, and loaded with wok hei—that elusive "breath of the wok" that defines high-level Cantonese cooking.
Wok hei isn't something you can fake with a blowtorch. It requires massive heat and a chef who isn't afraid of a little grease. The kitchen staff at Tung Po were masters of the high-flame sear.
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- The Duck Liver Toast: Think of it as a blue-collar version of foie gras. Crunchy, fatty, and perfect with a cold beer.
- Deep-Fried Pig’s Trotters: Salted, crispy skin with gelatinous fat that melted instantly.
- The Clams in Spicy Black Bean Sauce: A staple, but executed with a freshness that reminded you the seafood market was literally downstairs.
The Controversy: Why Did It Actually Close?
The shutdown in 2022 wasn't just some random expiration of a lease. It was messy. The FEHD claimed that Tung Po had violated tenancy agreements—specifically that the named tenants weren't the ones actually running the stalls. Essentially, it was a bureaucratic crackdown on a business model that had existed in a gray area for years.
It sparked a massive debate in Hong Kong about the "sanitization" of the city. When you move these iconic, gritty eateries out of public markets and into shiny private buildings, something dies. The grit is the seasoning.
Critics argued that the government was being too rigid. Supporters of the move said rules are rules. Regardless of which side you land on, the closure of the Java Road location marked the end of an era for North Point. For a few months, it looked like Tung Po Hong Kong was dead for good.
The Resurrection in Wan Chai
You can't keep a guy like Robby Cheung down.
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Tung Po eventually found a new home in Wan Chai, specifically on the second floor of the Konwall Mansion on Jaffe Road. It’s different now. The ceiling is higher. The air conditioning actually works (mostly). It feels a bit more like a "proper" restaurant and less like a secret club in a warehouse.
Some purists say it’s lost the magic. They miss the plastic stools and the humid chaos of the wet market. But let’s be real: the spirit is still there. Robby is still cracking beers with chopsticks. The battle bowls are still being passed around. The chicken is still covered in enough garlic to ward off a legion of vampires.
Why It Still Matters in 2026
Hong Kong is changing faster than most people can keep up with. As the city leans into its future as a tech and finance hub, these "low-brow" cultural touchstones become more valuable. Tung Po represents a specific type of Cantonese resilience—the ability to take a harsh, loud, crowded environment and turn it into a party.
It's also a lesson in branding. Tung Po didn't have a PR firm. It didn't have a TikTok strategy in the early days. It built a brand on being authentic. In 2026, when so much of our dining experience is curated by algorithms, walking into a place where the manager might yell at you to drink faster is refreshing.
How to Do Tung Po Right (Actionable Advice)
If you're planning a visit to the new iteration or just want to capture that vibe, there are a few "unwritten rules" you should follow.
- Go with a crowd. This is not a place for a romantic date for two. You need at least six people so you can order the entire menu and share the "battle bowls."
- Order the "Wind Sand Chicken" early. They do run out, especially on weekends. It's the dish that made them famous for a reason.
- Don't dress up. Even in the new Wan Chai location, it gets loud and things might get spilled. Wear something you don't mind smelling like garlic and Tsingtao.
- Embrace the Beer. If you don't drink alcohol, that's fine, but the "battle bowl" tradition is central to the experience. They’ll put tea or soda in there if you ask. The point is the communal toast.
- Check the Bill. Not because they'll scam you, but because the math in a chaotic Cantonese kitchen can be... creative. It's part of the charm.
Practical Next Steps for the Hungry Traveler
- Book ahead: Even with the move, Tung Po stays packed. Don't just show up at 7:00 PM on a Friday and expect a table. Call them. Yes, use the phone.
- Explore North Point anyway: Even though Tung Po moved, the Java Road Market is still worth a visit to see the "old school" food stalls that remain.
- Seek out other Dai Pai Dongs: If you love the Tung Po vibe, check out Sing Kee in Central or the stalls in Sham Shui Po. They are the vanishing heartbeat of the city.
Tung Po taught us that dining is about more than the food on the plate. It's about the energy of the room and the person sitting across from you. Whether it's in a wet market or a Wan Chai commercial building, that's something worth saving.