Chang's Mongolian Grill Reviews

When I lived in Portland, I used to frequent Chang's. I hadn't been back for over 10 years, and it's still good! :-) If it ain't broke, don't fix it. I went through 3 times. 1st time, I got chicken. 2nd time, I got salmon. 3rd time, I got chicken again.

Enjoyed a quiet dinner at Changs. Good selection of meats, vegetables and other items to select for a fresh stir fried dinner. Pleasant staff, clean dining area, tasty food.

This is an old faithful for me. I go here for lunch every once in awhile and went to dinner last night. If I was coming here for the first time, I would not like it. There really isn't any direction and you are just tossed in. But since I have been going to different Chang's since I was little, I love it. Obviously, you make up your own bowl with veggies, meat and sauce and have the cooks make it up on the grill. There are some sauces on the side as well. If the food is tasty is really all up to you, if you are good at coming up with stir fry ideas, go. If not, don't go here. In the beginning they offer soup. I have had both types-they are not good. I always ask for rice and rice papers(used as wraps for whatever you want to cook) and I always end with an ice cream with caramel sauce, they also have chocolate sauce. The difference between lunch and dinner as far as I can see is: dinner has shrimp, octopus, lamb, and salmon. Everything else is the same for lunch. However, I am really not sure if this place is worth $32 for 2 people... The service is usually just ok here, especially since this is a buffet style place.

Again - I like having food that I want---this place is it. Hubby starts with Egg Flower soup while our daughter and I get the yummy hot & sour soup. We then go to the buffet line...which you can go through as often as you like (once is enough for me). Friends take 2 bowls; one for their noodles, and one for their seafood & veggies. I get 2 bowls and have chicken in one (although you could have beef, pork, or seafood) and in the other bowl I put my veggies (I don't get noodles). I like the hot oil and garlic & that's it...but friends ladle-up various spices. There's a sign that tells you how much liquid of each to put in your bowl to season it to your particular taste. Once your bowls are ready - you set them on a counter where men place the food on a large, round grill and sort of stir fry the food. They add a bit of water while cooking so food doesn't stick. Your meal, including rice, wraps & ice cream is one prices (soda is extra). Cost for meal is a little under $20.00 per person. NOTE: If it's your birthday and you have your ID - it's free! Casual atmosphere, jeans fine.

If you are looking for a great lunch option, this is the place to be. You choose from your choice of meat (the lamb is tender, the beef is pretty tough & chewy), vegetables, sauces and you take your filled up bowls to the cook who cooks and prepares your food right in front of you. You can also get a side of Jasmine rice as well. All for $10 a person and you can go back and get as much food as you like.

I’ve been going to Mongolian bbqs since the late-1970s as a young kid. I’ve been to restaurants like these in California, Utah, North Dakota, Florida, Ohio, New Jersey, and several other states in between. I unfortunately have to say that Chang's Mongolian Grill is one of the worst ones I’ve been to. To give credit, the Mongolian Grill has a very nice selection of meats, vegetables, noodles, and sauces. Everything then goes downhill fast due to a combination of regular customers and the cooks. Regular customers load multiple bowls of food at a time – three or four full bowls was common, and I saw at least one person bring five full bowls up at once to the grill. Inevitably, one of those multiple bowls would be stacked high with lo mein noodles. The two cooks at the grill will cook ten to twelve bowls at once. The result of too much food, that many meals on the grill once, and only two cooks means that everything gets incredibly overdone as the cooks move through all of the bowls – they simply can not keep up with turning the food to keep it from burning before they get back to the same food a second time. One ends up with burned food – and I do mean burned to a black crisp in some cases. The full bowls of noodles that seem so popular here completely stick to the grill, in turn getting burned and stuck on the grill, resulting in a time-eating laborious cleaning between cooking rounds, and at least a quarter of the noodles being wasted as their charred remains get scraped off and thrown away. All of these problems could be solved if they limited people to one bowl per trip (it is all-you-can-eat), and cook no more than six to eight bowls at a time. Look somewhere else if you want Mongolian bbq.

Eat here many times a year and do so for a reason. The food is great, my wife is vegetarian, I eat meat so we can both eat here. Joann is really cool ask for her by name.

Service is great, cooks do great under the heat of the grill. Staff is very friendly too. Love coming here, it's near my house. Prices are currently well worth it.

I've been going to Chang's on Portland trips since 1992, back when it seemed like an ascendant chain and there was a novelty to the MBBQ thing. I even remember the Pearl district location. In the years since the chain has matured, the mural on the wall has stayed the same (and really everything in the restaurant...no evidence of remodeling), but the consistency can be a good thing. If you've been to chains like BD's or Genghis Grill or even HuHot in other parts of the country you should know that Chang's has fallen way behind on ingredients. Chang's still uses the frozen rolls for meats like beef and chicken...I last saw this at bd's in Ulan Bator, Mongolia (yes, that one), but they'd never be able to get away with it in their U.S. locations. Other places tend to have meats in cubed chunks at room temperature, not in the thawing frozen rolls. But it's still possible to make a decent-tasting dish, and the old-style gauntlet of liquids and ladles is still there, which is becoming a unique feature in itself, as all the chains have opted not to do anything like that. It confuses customers, even with "guides" in the signs above (Americans don't really do guides that well). Where a place like Genghis may have you choose one or two sauces like Kung Pao or Szechuan, at Chang's you get the ladles of things like sugar water, cooking sherry, sesame oil, hot oil, soy sauce and a number of others. Mixed right, that can create a great taste that's different from what you get with the chains. It's also popular for the all-you-can eat aspect, at $9.95 for lunch and $13.95 for dinner (including sides of rice, soup and ice cream). Many people will just take two bowls to the grill, especially if there's a wait or a chance of one if they made a second trip. I like the dinner better because they put out seafood (like salmon and tiny shrimp) in addition to the meats. So it's still a good value in its own way. Not the latest thing anymore by a longshot, but like so many Asian food places it keeps going on value and loyal customers. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

Although not the best restaurant in the world, it does serve up some really good stuff by way of their self serve stomach stuffing, hunger stifling, astoundingly delish assortment of meats, veggies and seasonings - making your way to the circular familial grill where the cook puts whatever your concoction is together! If you leave hungry, you have a serious problem. This is a great place to go with a crowd, whether friends and/or family. Kind of 'Mongolia meets Middle Ages' atmosphere with the volume and communal ambience. Although a chaotic start, it is worth it once you start digging in to the prepared dish! Genghis Khan never had it so good! Be ready for a wait line at the buffet if going during their busy time... but be patient, you'll enjoy the meal! Bon appétit!

If you are in the mood for good and filling Asian food, Chang's Mongolian Grill is the spot. You fill up a bowl or bowls with the meat, seafood, vegies, noodles, oils, spices, seasonings and take them to a couple of guys running a giant flat circular grill where they will stir fry your food for you. They add all of the sauce in your bowl and add a little water to keep it from sticking or burning then put it on a plate for you. You also get white rice, a drink and Ice Cream all for under 20.00 per person. And if it's your birthday and you have your ID it's free! You can also go back as many times as you like although usually once for me is enough.

“Frozen Meat, Lukewarm Service, and a Buffet That Could Use Some Fire Support” The veggies on Chang’s Mongolian Grill buffet were plentiful and fresh — colorful, crisp, and begging to be stir-fried. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for the “meats,” which looked like they were flash-frozen sometime during the Korean War. The beef was thinly sliced, yes, but frozen nearly solid and chewier than a boot heel after a 100-mile march. For $17.95, I wasn’t expecting Kobe beef, but I was hoping for something I could bite through without dislocating my jaw. The sauce selection was solid — soy, garlic, chili oil, the usual suspects — but no amount of flavor could hide the frostbite in that protein lineup. The grill guy did his job with military precision, but the end result was more MRE reheated on a Humvee hood than authentic Mongolian stir-fry. Service? Functional. They kept the water glass full and cleared the plates, but smiles were in short supply — maybe they’re frozen too. Not rude, just not friendly or welcoming. If you’re looking for hospitality, you won’t find it here. Bummer. Had the meat been leaner and easier to chew, we might have considered a return mission. But this was a one-and-done operation. For $18 a head, there are plenty of places in town serving food that doesn’t require a combat knife to cut through. CombatCritic Gives Chang’s Mongolian Grill 5 Bombs Out of 10 … More Bombs Are Better ... Unless You’re On The Receiving End! 💣💣💣💣💣

its an all u can eat place that u you build up your own plate with what you like! They have everything you can think of to choose from

First time visiting this restaurant and my husband and I enjoyed it. You get to build your own meal then they cook it for you. Hats off to the guys doing the cooking, not sure how they endure the heat of that large grill. Don't forget to tip them since they are the ones doing the hard work :).

Clean, great choices, food is fresh, and your family will be full. I'll return next time I'm in Portland.

This is one of my favorite places to eat in Portland. Because you choose your own ingredients and sauces you are in complete control of how your food tastes. The ingredients are fresh and of high quality. I usually do not like buffet restaurants since the food is usually sub-par, but this food is excellent. If you are looking for something new, definitely try this! This is a great option for families with picky eaters since you can put only what your child likes.

Took my wife here on her birthday it's her favorite place ... how can you go wrong you pick the food they cook for you plus you get to watch them cook it .. food was great place was clean and quiet what more could you ask for ..... we'll definitely be back......

Varies from location to location and very much based on the staff. Some are very cooperative and helpful some dont want to be there. They need to make you feel more welcome and put instructions on the table. The assumption is everyone has been there before and knows how to matriculate through the food line and formulated their own sauces. Also there needs to be a sign saying if your not happy with your creation try again. they need to keep wiping up the food and sauce row and overall you will have a good experience and good value. Disappointed they dont take AMEX.

Nice variety (4 kinds of seafood, 4 kinds of meats), very good quality, unlimited trips (some places charge per trip). Nice staff. Good value.

They were NOT busy. First entering we were not greeted just a wave towards tables while she talked on phone. Some one brought us plates and left,no information on the way they operate or ask if we had been before. To the food,below average quality and choices. Cooks were NOT friendly. We have been to other locations and enjoyed it all. Very disappointed!

We enjoyed our meal at this Chang's location. It was very clean and there was a good variety of ingredients. The server was very nice and quick. It was nice because the kids could create their own meal so for picky eaters it works out well. The prices were very fair compared to other Mongolian grills we've been to. I would suggest this to anybody.

Service was very good. Mongolian grill wasn't the best that I have had but it was good. Decent seating and parking.

You choose your own ingredients for and Asian style meal. Then few minutes on the grill and it is ready. You can eat as much as you like, for the same price.You can get up and prepare another dish if you like.

went here last night it was after 7:00PM so take that into consideration. The food was pretty good, you get the food off a buffet and it is grilled on a round grill top in front of you. You can go back for food as often as you like. Service was poor. No sign or anything telling you what to do seat yourself or wait for a waiter. It was our first time there and we made that known the staff was NO help in explaining what to do,where to sit,etc. We had to ask another customer what we were to do. But the food was really good.

Good clean location, fresh food on buffet and very nice manager/servers available to diners. Social distancing and masks used until seated and separated adequately from other diners. Also, free soft serve included in meal price. Very happy with my experience.

I love eating at the Gresham location of Chang's. The staff seem always friendly and happy to see me and my friends - we usually go for lunch. There's a great variety of options for your meal - tons of different veggies, and besides beef, chicken and pork, they offer fish (at dinner they even have salmon) and tasty lamb. The cooks grill up your selections exactly how you ask (if you have a preference - some people like the food grilled more or less than others). I generally get the egg flower soup and hot tea, with a side of rice and wraps. During COVID, you'll need to ask for teriyaki or soy sauce or their delicious plum sauce, but they'll bring it to your table handily. It's a buffet style restaurant, so you can have more than one plate if you aren't full from the first huge plate! The floor plan is open and airy, and you can watch your food being cooked. Prices are very reasonable for what you can get, and the place has a relaxed, comfortable atmosphere. The circular grill is huge, so the cooks can keep a lot of meals going at once - but it's super hot up close to it, so please be generous with tips - they're working hard, and always happy to do it for you.

I've been going to Portland 1-2 times a year most years since 1991 and have eaten at one Chang's location or another at least once during most of those trips. The place used to have a novelty about it and edge to it, but in recent years has slipped down a few notches in my book simply by not changing that much. If you travel and have tried Genghis Grill or bd's (chains operating in other parts of the country), then Chang's likely will be a letdown. The ingredients are still the frozen meat "chips" for some items, and are neither as numerous nor as appealing-looking as the refrigerated meat chunks used by the chains. Tamp the frozen meat down, then fill in vegetables (again, so-so selection there), and then ladle out the cooking sherry, soy sauce, hot oil, sesame oil, garlic and other choices. This area presents a decision overload to many people (don't worry, you WILL get it wrong), and has been seriously streamlined in favor of spices or pre-mixed formulas by bd's and Genghis for just that reason. Lunch is a good value ($8.95) but can be swamped. To avoid having to wait through the grill line a second time, people will fill 2 or more bowls, ensuring the initial wait for the grill is that much longer (Genghis, by contrast, has people drop the bowl and take a number, so they wait at the table rather than in line or at the grill). Dinner is much more laid-back and has fish/shrimp items on the bar in addition to the frozen meat, but crowd control has been achieved mainly by raising prices to $13.95. I can get my money's worth on that if hungry, and it's nice to be able to go through the lines and not have to wait. But if bd's, Genghis or even a lesser chain were to horn in, Chang's would have to adapt and change quickly. It used to be the best MBBQ place I'd go to in my travels, but has been eclipsed there.

Yummy! If you go for lunch witch is served until 2:00 it is $3 or $4 dollars less than the dinner price. They have ice cream for dessert.

It's a Mongolian grill, so there are unlimited options. They let your dish grill a little longer than most places do, basting with the sauces a little at a time so the food really absorbs the flavors. The service is good and the prices are very reasonable. If you're staying at the airport hotels this is a quick and easy lunch.

Chang's has changed so little that it's in danger of becoming a curiosity, a rarity of sorts. Chains like bd's, Genghis Grill and Hu Hot have refined the methods to where a throwback like this one, with rolled frozen meats and the dozen or so liquids to ladle (soi sauce, ginger, hot oil, sugar water, etc.). Chains have decided the meat presentation has to be important and the ladle system just confuses and frustrates customers, and Genghis Grill even lets customers drop bowls with table numbers at the grill so they don't have to stand and wait. No such tweaking here, but then the price is slightly lower, at least at lunch. It's usually a choice between going for a cheap lunch with only the basic meats, or splurging at the less-crowded dinner where you also see salmon, snow cod and shrimp on the line. No worries about stacking one bowl high to get the one-bowl price, as AYCE is standard and at crowded times you see people fill two bowls just to not have to go through the process twice. Servers don't tend to pad their part and for many people just deliver soup, rice, the optional ice cream at the end or drinks or water. They aren't always Johnny-on-the-spots but thankfully don't get much of the upsell training and are fine if you just want water. And the food does go through you quickly, so don't plan to be out of reach of a bathroom shortly after going. When it hits, it can hit hard.

Good assortment, great cook, and YUM!! We stopped in after years away and we enjoyed it so much. Everything was neat and clean and happy people. We’ll be back soon

Delicious. Affordabe. All you can eat.