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Princess Garden is a family-owned Chinese restaurant in the Waldo area of Kansas City, Missouri, serving Hunan and Sichuan specialties from the same Wornall Road address since 1981.12 Founded by the Chang family — Hong Kong immigrants who arrived in the early 1970s — it is run today by owner-chef Robert Chang, who cooks nearly every dish himself.2

Description

Princess Garden is a Chinese restaurant on Wornall Road in the Waldo area of south Kansas City, Missouri.1 The dining room is known for a preserved mid-century atmosphere — white tablecloths, tufted dark-red booths, tasseled lamps, hammered ceiling tiles, and ornately carved wooden wall panels.1 The kitchen specializes in Hunan and Sichuan cooking, with signature dishes including Peking duck, Sichuan noodles in black bean sauce, and golden Hunan egg rolls.1 The restaurant is family-owned and operated, with a private party room used for graduation parties, birthdays, and similar events.3

Ownership and history

The Chang family immigrated from Hong Kong to the United States in the early 1970s; the family patriarch was the original chef.2 Princess Garden has operated at its current Wornall Road location since 1981.2 For decades the restaurant has been run by owner-chef Robert Chang together with his siblings.2 Robert Chang cooks nearly every dish that reaches the table, preparing roughly 200 to 300 dishes a day.2

As of 2022 reporting, the next generation of the family had pursued other careers and did not plan to take over: Robert’s son Ray Chang played professional baseball and went on to a role with MLB China, and a cousin, Darren Chiao, works in engineering.2 The family stated they had no immediate plans to close.2

Sources

Disputes

None at this time.

Footnotes

  1. Kansas City Magazine, “Princess Garden is a time machine (that also serves Peking duck),” Aug 16, 2021. https://kansascitymag.com/princess-garden-is-a-time-machine-that-also-serves-peking-duck-1/ — asserts: Waldo location; founded 1981; Hunan/Sichuan cuisine; signature Peking duck, Sichuan noodles in black bean sauce, golden Hunan egg rolls; mid-century dining-room decor. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4

  2. KSHB 41 News, “Decades-old Kansas City family-owned restaurant faces uncertain future,” May 2022. https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/decades-old-kansas-city-family-owned-restaurant-faces-uncertain-future — asserts: Chang family immigrated from Hong Kong in early 1970s; original chef was the patriarch; at current Wornall location since 1981; owner-chef Robert Chang and siblings; Robert cooks 200–300 dishes/day; next generation (son Ray Chang, cousin Darren Chiao) pursued other careers; no immediate plans to close; open and operating. ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5 ↩6 ↩7 ↩8

  3. Yelp, “Princess Garden Restaurant,” updated May 2026 (218 reviews, 146 photos). https://www.yelp.com/biz/princess-garden-restaurant-kansas-city — asserts: address 8906 Wornall Rd, Kansas City, MO; currently listed/active; private party room. ↩

See also

  • Registry
  • Owner-And-History-Research-Toolchain
Categories
  • Locally owned
  • Chinese
  • Waldo