With more than 80 years under its belt, Hung Fong is the preeminent Chinese restaurant on San Antonio’s Broadway, but there used to be another Chinese eatery that held its own just a few blocks down until it unexpectedly shuttered in 2019. King’s Palace may be gone and replaced with a shiny new restaurant, but its pink walls, fish tank and gigantic menu will never be forgotten.
San Antonio locals might recall the 23 years King’s Palace spent at 3302 Broadway, where the restaurant served an assortment of Chinese specialties and American Chinese dishes, totaling about 90 items on its menu at one point. The lunch specials were always the big draw, with prices as low as $5.95 for an entree, soup, fried rice and an egg roll back in 2016. You could have your sesame chicken and then some
Some may also remember the restaurant’s aesthetic, with its pink exterior, its lion statues, its bubbling fish tank, its wood paneling and the dimly lit dining room that made you feel like you were eating in a friend’s grandmother’s house. It was a place to celebrate occasions or to grab a quick lunch and everything in between, so when it closed seemingly out of nowhere, customers felt it.
A lion statue outside of King’s Palace. (Chuck Blount / Staff)
King’s Palace closed its doors suddenly in 2019
It’s been about seven years since King’s Palace ended its run in San Antonio with a piece of paper, like one of Carrie Bradshaw’s exes breaking up with her via Post-It. A printed-out sign taped to the front door informed customers of the end, leaving a sliver of hope that the owners behind the business may one day open another restaurant in the future.
“We are deeply grateful for your patronage during these past 23 years. It has been a privilege to serve you and share with you a part of our family – we are truly thankful to those who have made our establishment a warm and familiar place,” the note said. “Unfortunately, we are sad to announce that this location will be closed. However, we will reopen and resume business in a new nearby location, to be expected in the near future.”
After sitting vacant for a couple of years, an order was approved to demolish King’s Palace in September 2021, and eventually, P. Terry’s Burger Stand acquired the lot to build a new restaurant from the ground up.
P. Terry’s replaced King’s Palace following the latter’s demolition. (Warren Brown/MySA)
P. Terry’s replaced King’s Palace in San Antonio
In May 2024, P. Terry’s opened a location at 3304 Broadway, an address that was home to King’s Palace for more than two decades. Nothing about the burger stand resembles the pink Chinese eatery that came before it, as P. Terry’s is known for its highly stylized retro-inspired restaurants. That isn’t to say that the location isn’t a welcome addition to the area, as it offers more choice for people dining in the area. The P. Terry’s is just a hop away from a Whataburger, a Shake Shack and even Cheesy Jane’s.
Still, customers who used to stop by King’s Palace on a regular basis might find it hard to forget the years of memories made in that pink establishment. While the San Antonio business no longer exists, King’s Palace still holds a place in the city’s restaurant past.
This article originally published at Long-forgotten pink building with San Antonio lore transforms to burger haven.