KAU KAU Barbeque Market Reviews

We ordered a whole roasted pig for our daughter's wedding reception. We paid extra for delivery from the Intl. District to West Seattle and it was worth it! The pig arrived right at the beginning of the cocktail hour. It was a big hit. In hindsight I should have ordered a second one. After 30 minutes, there was only the head and some bones left.

Had a great feed of duck, 'pig', honey walnut prawns, lemon chicken, stir fried veg, oysters. Heaps of food and beautifully cooked. Delicious. A pity the surroundings were a bit scummy. Don't look too closely, just eat the food.

Food is relatively good and affordable. For the non-plate options, servings are good for 3 to 4 people. We like the dried fish fried rice and the duck. The fried spareribs didn't taste that good. The pechay was good. The beef steak was a bit salty but the meat is very tender. The staffer was friendly too.

We return again and again to take out the chia siu (BBQ pork), roast duck and pork ribs. The chia siu and pork ribs are the best in Seattle. The first time we went a woman was taking away 10 boxes of roast meats. Turns out she drives in from Yakima every 2 weeks to get BBQ for herself and her friends. Yup, we agree -- it's well worth it.

Great budget gem, entirely authentic, delectable Asian BBQ. Humble venue /atmosphere part of the charm and well worth the amazingly low prices. My fried rice was perhaps the best I ever had

I have been here many times over 30 years. Come here for the barbecue. Duck with plum sauce and BBQ pork with mustard and sesame. Just do it!

Best Chinese BBQ pork in Seattle - as good as any char siu in any other chinatown in the US or Canada. They also have a great garlicky baby bok choi dish and a very good beef chow fun (dry style), which I always get. The eat-in ambiance is pretty dismal, therefore the 1 star deduction, but otherwise 5 star for tasty food and BBQ counter service. Also prices are pretty low for the quantity and quality of what you're getting.

My father and I were really looking forward to checking out this restaurant since a few YouTubers recommended it (ie, The Fong Bros). Keep in mind that we stopped by around 8 pm. We ordered soy sauce chicken, roast pork, and bbq pork/wonton noodle. The chicken and roast pork tasted like it has been sitting there for a very looong time. The bbq pork was the most decent. The wontons were... honestly, I don't remember. This place reminded me of a Chinese restaurant in a college town, where it's the only place you can go despite the quality of the food. In addition, there were houseflies flying around.

"2nd Chance was worse than 1st visit!" DO NOT GO HERE OK... I am the "eternal optimist", and wondered if the place improved from my December visit and TA review. It is a Holiday Monday, so thought other places might be closed -- but I should have really checked, as I found that it had not improved at all, not in the food, and not in the value for money. It was a terrible experience. At least the duck noodle soup last year had lots of duck -- that I needed a doggy bag. Today, the Vermacelli Duck dish consisted of just a pinch (I am not exaggerating) of chopped cabbage -- not even bok choy or napa cabbage, but just common white cabbage. And the duck "portion"! -- I am not kidding: loose "off" parts of the fowl, mostly straggly bits of skin and gristle... the entire amount was not even commensurate with what could have been scraped from the smallest drumstick possible, and then halved again. I don't know if the cook was a stand-in, as it is Labor Day, or hung over... but s/he should have been ashamed to have sent out that dish. It was a disgrace. I just could not believe it. But what can you do? In retrospect, I should have sent it back. It is a low, low experience to feel you have been cheated, and even robbed to have been charged $10.52 for this thing. Worst dining experience I have ever had. Do yourself a favor -- Stay Away. (and I have never been so stinging in any of my previous reviews... but it is the truth!)

I had an image of what a Chinese bbq place should be like and this is IT! Roast meat hanging in the windows, just waiting for your order to be cut up and served! I ordered the roast pig, not to be confused with bbq pork, this delicious goodness of pork that still have the skin on. Roasted to crackling. This is one of the best roast pigs I've ever tasted. I also ordered the roast duck noodle. Very generous bowl of noodle soup and half a roast duck on it for around $7. We also ordered a seafood saute dish, which was ok. This is the place for Chinese bbq, if you order something else you might be disappointed. The waitress was very friendly and attentive to us as well, gave me directions to a local grocer but we were not there during meal rush. Enjoy!

We decided to go to Chinatown on our last day in Seattle. We where standing on the corner looking lt and this kind woman asked if she could help us. We asked where to go to eat. She guided us to Kau Kau and it is such a great place to eat. Abundant food and excellent service.

My family has always come to KAU KAU for Roast Pork (which we call Lechon) and Chinese BBQ pork, which KAU KAU sells by the pound, out of the window, along with duck and soy sauce chicken. My grandmother always got it here, so I do too. It's very good. The BBQ pork is very moist and the Lechon is always crispy. Prices are fairly reasonable. You will pay extra for sauces, but get them - it's worth it. You will find old-school Cantonese Chinese-American food done o-k here. Mostly we just stick with the meat!

Awesome recommendation we received, as the food is excellent. It is in China Town and 100% worth the trip. Best Barbeque Pork we ever had along with everything else they served for a lunch special of $8. Don't miss it :)

We were only in town for the day and wanted to try some Asian food. We arrived just as they opened on a Tuesday. Read a few reviews and this looked like it could be pretty tasty. We are so glad we gave it a chance. We both ordered a lunch combo which I think was $6.10 each. It also came with soup, pork fried rice, BBQ pork and a choice of another meat/veggie. It was so good we ordered a pound of just the BBQ pork to go that we ate on a trail later that day while hiking! Thank you Kau Kau BBQ for great service and good food!

Came here for the Peking duck. Very good. Was hoping for pancakes, but they serve on buns. Still very good. Also had BBQ pork fried rice and their BBQ pork. All delicious. Big portions. We also ordered the broccoli. There were three of us (2 men and 1 woman) and we couldn't finish it all.

Came because I read the reviews and I wanted some authentic old-school Chinese BBQ and rice. The portion sizes for the BBQ for the dinner special were just OK, especially since I paid extra for the roasted pork, but it wasn't otherwise anything to write home about. The current $10 dinner special (soup, BBQ pork or ribs, fried rice, pot stickers or fried shrimp, and a choice of a side dish) was very good value, admittedly. But the BBQ wasn't anything special in my mind, and tasted like just about all of the other Chinese BBQ that I've ever had. Would strongly suggest getting the specials for the best value instead of ordering off the menu. Service was quick and reasonably friendly. Wasn't super busy on a Thursday evening around 8:00PM.

This is a Chinese restaurant. This is authentic stuff, not what you get at your run of the mill Chinese all you can eat buffet made for an American diner. I love it. The Duck lunch at about 5 bucks cannot be beat. The decor is old, so is the building. Anything else and I would not like it as much. This place has charm. There are fish swimming in a large tank in the front window and murals on the walls. You walk past the butcher counter for takeout that has the butcher chopping the duck, chicken and pork for your order. With a cleaver, Chinese style, you will love it. Enter the International district to the east of the stadiums, go past the Imperial Gates, past the small park on the left and one block further east. You will smell the food before you see it.

The duck skin was kind of a disappointment but the ribs more than made up for it. Kind of a cramped location but we just took our food to go and ate in the nearby Hing Hay Park. Delicious people watching at its best.

This is our family's "go to" or "take out" restaurant for BBQ pork in Seattle. Of course there are many menu choices including vegetarian too.

Easy and cheap ($5.75) lunch where you get soup, meat, rice and egg roll. Wasn't busy and service was good. Place was clean

I came to visit from Indonesia and heard a lot of delicious comments about Kau Kau's BBQ pork. It was delicious but I find BBQ pork dishes in Jakarta were much more delicious and my high expectation really didn't meet. The scrambled egg which was said to be great also didn't do so well. Maybe it's because I am not too much of a pork fan, but whoever is in town should definitely try Kau Kau.

Have been dining at Kau Kau since the 80s and have compared their barbecue pork and roast pork all over the US and abroad. I still rank Kau Kau number 1! Their soy sauce chicken is tender and never dry. Prices are cheap and I will bet if you do your own barbecue pork and roast pork comparison, Kau Kau will still rank the best.

Just YUM! Real BBQ pork, duck, chicken. Never dry cause the master chef is so talented the food flies out the door. Go before 3 and get the lunch special! Take lightrail or bus, unless you plan to circle the block or pay for parking.

For us this is a pilgrimage site, When we want the best BBQ that China Town has to offer, this is our go-to place. In more than 25 years, we have never once missed coming here early on the morning of new years eve. Get in the long line that has already formed outside, and wait to order what will become the favourite part of celebrating in the new year at our annual new years eve party. A tradition for our family that goes so far back. Can't speak for the restaurant, I know we have eaten here several times over the years, but we don't come here for the Restaurant, we, and so many others, come here for the take-out BBQ. My standard order, 2 pounds of BBQ pork, One whole BBQ Duck, and 1 pound of side pork. Chinese hot mustard, duck sauce, and sesame seed. Now you have a feast that will amaze your guests! That's it. don't miss it if you live here, or, are just a visitor.

this restaurant is in the heart of Chinatown. It probably can see about 25 to 30 customers and they have hanging barbecued meat in the window. I probably have been to this place a dozen times and feel like it is necessary to write a review now. The barbecue pork is excellent the Chinese broccoli and vegetables are wonderful. I would have given it 5 stars had the waitress been more attentive. However the quality of the food makes up for any shortcomings on service.

Went for a birthday celebration. At first there were only 8 people and they based their food quantities on the amount of people in your party. Well in the end there were 10 of us and we still had plenty of food left over to take home.

Very good value BBQ to go, Spare ribs, fried pig pork belly, BBQ pork, duck,chicken. Don't forget your plum sauce. Call ahead you can order whole BBQ Piggy.

Recently went to Seattle's "Chinatown" - terribly disappointing - few shops, most were closed, few restaurants. We asked a local where to go & he recommended Kau Kau. It had a line out the door, so we figured it must be good - WRONG! We ordered about 5 dishes. Duck was OK, Sweet & Sour pork was pretty good, well fried, but overly sauced (nice portion though). One of the pork BBQ dishes had a lot of fried fat on it which I thought was disgusting. One dish was unrecognizable. Service was so bad, we finally canceled our order for lo mein. Service was horrible - we had to ask for rice multiple times after our other dishes came out. I can only imagine that someone didn't show up for work because there was only one waitress in the joint & the owner was trying to pitch in. He was very apologetic. The only good thing I can say is it was cheap, which is good since we left hungry.

had their BBQ combo which consist of char sit, roast pork belly and roast pork ribs. Love the roast pork belly, crunchy yet moist. Service was quick.

This is the third time come to this Chinese restaurant, fast serve, good food, crispy bbq pork belly, fried noodle with seafood

OH-MY-WORD I crave me some Kau Kau BBQ almost any day of the week. This place has THE BEST BBQ pork I have EV-AR had. It's seriously de-lish, with a capital D. I never actually eat at here, I just park in the 15 minute parking spot out front, go up to the counter, order my BBQ pork by the pound (ask for the fatty pieces and they'll give you some juicy, fatty, deliciousness), any duck by the bird if I'm feeling it, and out the door I go. If there's a long line, just wait it out; they're super quick and super friendly. And my-goodness, the pork is well worth the wait! Kau Kau is quick, easy, and most certainly delish. There's no other place in Seattle to get better BBQ pork. So go get some, and bring me back some too! ;)

I'm giving Kau Kau a 5 star for the outstanding BBQ pork. It's so tender and juicy! We discovered this place a few years ago by accident -- wandering around the ID looking for a place to eat, I noticed people lining up for take-out at the Kau Kau. So we tried it and we were hooked! The atmosphere and most of the menu is fairly average -- good value and taste, but nothing special. But the BBQ is wonderful. Last time I flew up to Seattle for business, I brought back some takeout pork with me on the plane and my family gobbled it all up in the car on the way home. Yum! Might need to check airfare to Seattle....

Kau Kau means delicious in English and YES it is! One of my boyfriends favs in Seattle. We always order the BBQ Pork every time we go. Yes it is a bit of a hole in the wall and it is very unassuming – but it’s a mouth watering W – O – W. The duck is also amazing! Great anytime!

Been going to Kau Kau's since 1979 and probably only have eaten in at this restaurant and the one they had on King Street a total of 3 times and the food was always good. But like 99% of the locals, I just pop in and order up 3 lbs of their bbq pork, roast pork and an occasional roast duck....all to go. They do a ton of business before the noon lunch hour and the line can easily go out the door starting at 11:00 in the morning, so plan accordingly and make sure you have enough money in the parking meter in case there's a huge line. Good tip, call in your order to go and they'll have it waiting. There's really no better take out Chinese BBQ in all of Seattle.

Decent not great. Had huge portions. The meat was a bit tough . I would not go back. It was not very flavourful.

We stopped in here for lunch and ordered pot stickers to start and each ordered the lunch combo with soup, fried rice, bbq pork, and bbq ribs. I also got the plum wine which I really liked. The potstickers were really good, the soup and fried rice were just ok, and while my boyfriend liked the meats (although he thought the portions of the meats were small), I was disappointed with how fatty my portions were. My boyfriend ended up giving me a few of his pieces because they weren't as fatty. Overall I liked the flavor, but I don't know that it was enough to get me to go back.

As always, KauKau never fails. Serves great food. Almond chicken done right to perfection. I think it was called the crunchy noodles. Yum. Affordable and quality food. Most of the time they are packed but was able to stop by at their low times. Good experience.

Inexpensive and high quality food and service. Overall excellent, go to Seattle International district just for Kau Kau, then go to the Wing Luke museum. You will have a happy belly and mind!

We stop by for a late night comfort food dinner. The food was were good. The decor might be dated but very good food

The other reviews of Kau Kau made me give it a try on my first visit to China Town. The pork fried rice and BBQ ribs were delicious as well as the chicken chow mein. The wonton soup was good, not used to the minced garlic and I prefer just pork dumplings where they use shrimp. I would skip the egg rolls, not much to these fried rolls with shrimp.

My husband and I were introduced to this place by a local Seattle family member. The service is fast and friendly. The food was tasty and well seasoned. Although, the garlic short ribs need some more flavor. But, we were very full and satisfied.

Great dinner at a reasonable price. I had a special or BBQ duck (1/4), with BBQ pork fried rice (excellent!), soup, and green beans. My son had the BBQ roasted pork with white rice and green beans. Both meals were exceptional. My duck was cooked perfectly and the crisp skin was really nice. Service was good and the restaurant was busy. Pleasant and enjoyable atmosphere and we got out of there for under $20 total. Worth seeking this one out when in Seattle.

This is my favorite Chinese bbq joint in Chinatown. The price is very cheap and the food is incredibly flavorful. I got the mix plate and for $8, it's an amazing value. They also have an awesome fried rice. Next time, I might try a dish from the daily specials as they looked awesome too and they were written out in English! That's not easy to find in Chinatown.

The basic staple of Chinese BBQ are Cha Su pork and Roasted Duck. Both excellent here. Cha Su sweet enough but with that touch of tanginess. The Duck, greasy enough but crispy. The tail piece, ya got to eat it right out of the box at home. Don't wait. And savor the crispy BBQ touch. Put it in a bowl with wonton noodle soup.... COMFORT FOOD.

Three of us ate on a Thursday night. We all got different dishes but did try the sampler plate pushed by the waitress. My duck dish was fine but I wish I got the bbq! Next time

I've been coming to this little joint for over 40 years now since I was a kid. It is hands-down the best barbecue pork on the planet period, whatsoever, no arguments, Conversation Over! The guy serving up the pork is not the friendliest you will ever meet and you would be hard-pressed to get him to crack a smile if you even look at you. What do you expect? He's been swinging that Chinese cleaver for nearly 50 years. I bet he's a little bored with the job. Anyway, you can also get some very interesting food combinations at this restaurant. The most notable I have ever had was fish lips and duck feet. Yes, real fish lips and real duck feet in a savory brown sauce. Tasty, but the texture left something to be desired. Go by yourself a half pound of BBQ pork from this joint and you will be totally hooked for life like I am.

"Doubtful of a repeat visit" I took a chance and entered, though it was difficult to see through the grimy windows. I was the first customer of the day. In keeping with the state of the windows, do not expect modern, sanitary fixtures and ambience. I guess these enterprises have enough repeat business, they do not care to showcase their premises and ways in order to attract more customers. Ordering the duck noodles with soup, I received it in good time, found it of generous proportion, though with a broth tasty but quite overly salty. It was reasonably priced for the quantity. The elderly waitress was sufficiently efficient -- as stated in one of my other reviews of Chinese restaurants, I do not expect these older generation, monolingual staff to be overly friendly. But she unsolicitedly brought me a small plate for bones, and extra napkins. Later, I had to remind her, but she eventually brought me a very suitable container for my doggybag. She did ask if I wanted tea before leaving the pot, but if you are a first-timer, you do not realize that is because there is a 50cent charge. There was impressive traffic for takeout, and towards actual lunch time there was busy traffic for sit-down meals. All custom was from very local people, familiar with the environment, so I guess that means they rate this eatery highly. Nonetheless, I will continue to spread my custom around -- there are so many restaurants to choose from.

I went here to take out food, there was a fat as rat, she it a mice, im like wtf, i wanted my money back, put just want to leave the store and threw the food away, its only less $20 dollar.

We went there for lunch. We tried the egg drop, mushroom soup, the half duck , vegetable fried rice and the sweet and sour pork. All the food was great but the duck was by far the best, if you order it watch out for the bones. The service was fast and efficient . I highly recommend it .

I came here with a friend for a late lunch. I'd been to Kau Kau in the past but had forgotten how great it is. We had barbecued pork (of course) and I had house fried rice (FANTASTIC) I am never going to forget how great this place is again!

I have been to this restaurant few times and it never disappoint. We ordered the barbecue Pork. It taste like heaven! You have to try it. In addition to the restaurant's hygiene, they could improve the decor though, as it seems outdated.

Met friends for dinner at Kau Kau. The barbeque pork was do good we ordered another portion. We had multiple dishes to sample and every one was so good. The only problem is, be careful the floor can be slippery. Can not wait to go back.

It is very rare that I had to complain about the food and returned it to the kitchen. we ordered the shrimp with oyster sauce. It was tasteless. There were no seasoning or salt. We asked the waitress to take it off the ticket. She ordered another one and it was slightly better. My suggestion is come here for the BBQ only. They are fine. Don;t ordered anything from the menu. The chef n the kitchen cannot satisfy Asian customer like me. If you don't know much about Chinese food, you may think that the food is fine. It did not meet my basic standard of Chinese food. I know Chinese food. I was a Chinese chet for 4 year when I was in College. The place was very hot. I was sweating the whole time. Other customer were complaining too. I should not have gone in because most of the customers were not Asian.

I went there based on so many reviews about great Chinese BBQ pork. First off, get there before typical lunch time. The place will fill up quickly. By the time I left there was a line for getting a table. They have a lunch special that includes soup, BBQ pork, a second entree of choice, rice, and tea. All for a very good inexpensive price. The BBQ pork is as described by previous reviewers...excellent and moist. During the 25 minutes I was there I must have seen 40 lbs of BBQ pork come out of the kitchen for To Go orders. The BBQ duck (my second entree choice), was the worst cut of meat I've ever had. There was more bone and cartilage than meat. Was that just bad luck? I don't know, but I literally got 3 small bites of meat. I had to eat with my hands just to get that. The soup was mediocre at best. I heard a another table ask if they had hot and sour soup, but sounded like that is only served on a particular day...I didn't hear which. Maybe that one is better than the egg drop soup. The pork fried rice...had great flavor, moist, lots of nuggets of pork, carrots, etc. one of the best tasting fried rice servings I've had, and good size portion too. A little more and I could make that a meal in itself. Yum! The service was fast and friendly. If I were to just have gotten the BBQ pork (x2) and fried rice (both excellent), I'd probably have given 5 stars, over looking the mediocre soup. But I have to go with what I experienced, hence 3 stars. I may revise on my next visit. I will go back but only for the pork and rice. I would like to try another entree type, but I want to ensure I enjoy a culinary experience before venturing elsewhere on the menu.

My friends and I ate here at lunch today. I have always been leary about eating in Chinatown because the cooked ducks and chickens hanging in the window freaked me out. This time, I decided to try something new and we came here. The staff was so sweet. The food was terrific. The serving sizes were large. I wish I lived here so I could go there anytime I want Chinese food!

We had a truly good experience yesterday at Kau Kau Barbeque Market when we ordered a full Peking duck. It was really great and we enjoyed the full meal.

We visited this restaurant after recalling how delicious it was three years prior. Still delicious. Still affordable. From lunch specials to a $6 barbeque pork dish to more expensive dishes, there is something for everyone. No General Tsao but they do offer skinny chow foon noodles, which in our experience are hard to come by! Service is fast and friendly and ducks hang in the front window.

This place does a great take out business as well as having a small dine in area. The Cha Siu is better than what I usually get in New York. The meat is nicely roasted with a juicy sweet taste . We got 2 plates of the Cha Siu rice and the portions were so generous we had a doggie bag of extra meat to take home. The roast pig is also fantastic- very moist with the crunchy skin- another great treat. The only disappointment was the roast duck which didn't seem to have the right seasoning and was quite on the dry side.

We did a take out of BBQ pork, salt brined chicken and fried rice. The food was solid and not the best of what I had in other places. Price was not expensive. Give it a try if you are in the area and want Chinese BBQ. It is not worth to get out of your way to dine here.

I wandered in here one evening looking for something to eat and I was not disappointed. I saw a lot of locals ordering roast pork to go, so I decided to sit down at a table and order the same thing with rice. While I'd usually prefer vegetarian cuisine, this dish was really great! While it may seem to be a tad oily for some & may not be healthy to eat on a regular basis... as a Chinese American, I knew that the "antidote" to that (well... somewhat) was to wash it down with a lot of hot, strong tea! I'd repeatedly heard some westerners gasp in astonishment at the size of the Pacu swimming in the aquarium at the front, but they should wait till they see the full grown Arrowanas some Chinese keep in their homes and businesses to ward off bad luck!

We stayed in International District on our recent visit to Seattle and base on review of Kau Kau BBQ this was the first place we went to eat at and it wasn't worth it. The time of our visit was about 2:00 pm and it wasn't busy at all, when our food arrived the only thing that was hot was the rice and the meat was warm. We were looking forward to having some good chines food but this place let us down.

I took my date to Kau Kau's because of all the talk about the best Barbecue in town. I must say it was good...She had the roasted duck with rice and I had a prawns and rice, Almond chicken.. we will come back to this place and have another great time. Service was fast and great..

Me, my wife and another couple went to Kau Kau to expierence some true oriental cooking on the last day of our trip. What a mistake. First off...if the place is not crowded like their neighbors on a Saturday night, you may want to avoid it. There were only 2 tables in the place at 7:00. Tables were dirty...used wooden chopsticks that were washed? Food came quickly to the table. The Kau Kau for 2 has a ton of food, but everything was Luke warm and the flavor of every dish was not at all appetizing. Sorry folks , I've had better Chinese food in the sticks of Illinois, then in the food mecca of Seattle.

I try to come here as often as I can. It's right in the middle of China Town as has been here forever. Awesome food and super fast service. The lunch specials are amazing. Sweet and sour soup, a big mound of pork fried rice with real chunks of pork, steamed veggies and a select of 6 meat dishes. My favorite is the roast duck. Comes with hot tea. Price is crazy: $5.00

prices are very good …. ‘we had BBQ Pork, Roasted Duck, steamed rice and Vermicelli Chicken Cantonese style ….. flavors were okay but not extraordinary. You can tell there is a lot of history inside the building and that makes it fun to dine there

We live in Pierce County and drive up to get the pork probably every other weekend. It is very flavorful and made the way it should be. Not like the red stuff from local grocery stores but true pork. the hot mustard and seeds add to the experience.

Have eaten there 5 or 6 times since last review and still love it. It is always good, but a few times a year one gets the meat right out of the oven and it is even better. Go with two or three other persons and order a cheap lunch special for everyone and add extra Barbeque Pork and Roast Duck to share. Eat the pork with Chinese mustard and sesame seeds and eat the duck with plum sauce. If you don't like plum sauce or mustard try it anyway. See if it works for you.

This is an old style Chinese restaurant, somewhat like the 70s in Toronto. They are still serving steamed rice in a BIG bowl and using the stainless steel pedestal footed plate. We found the food was just ok. May be it is the best Chinese food in Seattle but certainly below average in Toronto.

We tried about 12 different kinds of meat dishes and some veggie ones as well. All were good. Curry Chicken and BBQ Duck were my faves. The Chinese Broccoli was excellent. I did not like the Eggplant but I generally don't like it. The dishes just kept coming. And all were happy. And the Mariners won their opener!

Definitely the best BBQ pork in town. Other meats good as well. I love their lunch special, though the mystery soup of the day always makes my friends and I laugh because it looks like it came out of a can. Oh, and their fried rice is also delish.

Since my son now lives in Seattle he's tried several place to eat. He told us the food was good at Kau Kau, but he and his girlfriend would get theirs to go and had never dined in. The food is good, but the service SUCKS! The waitress took 10 minuets to come to our table and greet us, then didn't ask if we wanted drinks. We let that pass but when we were ready to order we had to get someone to find her. She did take our order and the next time we show her she was bring the bill. The bill was about $40.00 and she got a $3.00 tip. I thought that was way to much for the lack of service. Go try the food, but DO NOT eat in.

We grabbed lunch here to have some variety. The waitress was nice & helpful. The food is authentic. We were expecting more vegetables mixed in. The atmosphere left a lot to be desired.

If your looking for a great Chinese BBQ food. Here is it. Try to get in on the weekends, expect to wait in line for take out, seats for eat in are easier to get. This is a typical greasy spoon place which puts out "Village" food. A term of endearment.. Means down to earth food. You want high society style presentation and pricing.. Not here. Sometimes I get there and the staff is eating at the big round table in front room, I wish I could join them, but.. In any case, good Chinese food.

Went to this based on TA review. Ordered a take out rice box with BBQ duck and pork which was $9+change, definitely not the good value we're used to. [The last time we're in Boston Chinatown and ordered the same, it cost only $7+change.] Unlike any other Chinatown BBQ markets/restaurants we had been to in other U.S. cities including Boston and NY, the duck and pork were not chopped fresh to order. The waitstaff just dished up whatever's been sitting around. There was also no vegetable which usually accompanied this kind of rice box order. We definitely had had better BBQ elsewhere. The one good thing we could say about this is that the duck was not as greasy.

The Kau Kau is a throwback to the days when a person could eat a filling and tasty Chinese meal for a small price. The BBQ pork is excellent, though contemporary tastes have rendered it more lean than Chinese traditions and tastes would allow. The dishes are primarily Cantonese, so don't expect spicy. Of course, I don't expect anything but "Norwegian Spicy" in Seattle. The ambience is functional and time-worn, so don't plan to celebrate your anniversary here.

We had walked by this place so many times on several trips to Seattle, but today we stopped in and found a line of twenty people waiting for chopped duck and pork BBQ. We however were going to sit down and eat in. This is a typical Hong Kong style eatery (and I should know, I lived there for five years --), for lunch you would usually order something like a plate of rice topped with chopped duck, with a small bit of greens on the side, or you can have a "two" entree plate, with say, a bit of duck and a bit of BBQ pork. The plates are not expensive. This is of course a typical falling down, well-used restaurant space, nothing fancy, but you are here for good food, not chandeliers. The menu is quite expensive, but you are coming here for the entrees of duck, pork, or perhaps chicken. While we were sitting here, about fifty people came in and took out bags of lunch. Good stuff! Bon appetit.

We had the BBQ Combo and the roast duck as well as bok choy. All of these dishes were cooked perfectly.

Love this restaurant. Favorite dishes are the roast pig, differs from the BBQ pork. Squares of pork, with a very crispy top, and succulent pork. The Chow Foon, any one with seafood, chicken and other. The noodles are completely heavenly...floating off to heaven on good taste. The menu is large and we have never been disappointed. My partner is in a wheelchair, and we usually go in the morning to get a table by the door. We were told that the restaurant is 5th. generation Hawaii. We lived in Hawaii for 25 years, and really love the Hawaiian music they often play at lunchtime. Check the extensive menu on line. We often start off for lunch elsewhere, but usually end up there.

I only come here to buy their BBQ pork. It's the best in the city. I like to cut the pork myself so I buy a chunk of it.

Great barbecue pork and moist, quick services to pick up something quick for lunch, parking is a little difficult but worth it.

I have been going to Kau Kau since 1978 and it has been and still is the BEST BBQ and Roasted Pig and Duck in the Northwest !

Great variety of chinese food with good prices. Simple but good service. Good for take away. Do not be carried away by the outer aspect because inside is a pearl.

Location small and unassuming, but excellent tasting food. We had the duck, BBQ pork, pot stickers and really tasty rice. Large portions for a reasonable price. I'm still dreaming of them pot stickers.

One of the first restaurants eaten in Seattle when we moved up here and in 40 years of eating here regularly, nothing but great food!

Used to go to this place for years, but will never go back again. Food is good but very small proportions and almost miniature size plates. Everything was going o.k. until we went up front to pay. That's when a young server walked up to us asked for his tip. This server did nothing for us at all. It was the elderly lady that actually served our table. We were going to give her a tip after we got change from our bill, but was so mad we left in a hurry. Very poor service and rude performance from the younger generation.

Being in the area I couldn't miss this restaurant. We had a Pecking Duck lunch, starting with duck soup, then pancakes and the duck. BEAUTIFUL, I still recall the great taste. I tried other places, but I don't want to talk about. No one comparable to KAU KAU. I need also to thank the lady that served us very kindly. We will go back.

A hole in the wall, but famous for their Char Siu (roasted red pork). It's usually hanging in the front window and the oil is oozing out in big drips. Bad for your arteries, but shovel it down quick with hot rice.

We chose Kau Kau at random, and were pleased to see "Zagat Rated" on the door. Well, I have to ask.... Rated when, exactly???? The $5.25 BBQ pork lunch special included five tiny tiny fatty Phil sized slices of pork, two small bites of steamed broccoli, a thin slice of carrot, a bowl of salty soup, a mound of salty rice, and an egg roll with an unusual tempura "shell", instead of the usual crispy wonton type we're used to. Nothing was really spectacular but nor was it very tasty. As my husband said, "You get what you pay for". What bothered me was the the restaurant was just plain dirty. There was food caked on the walls at our table and others in the lower dining room. The dish and spoon with chili sauce that stays on the table was sticky and nasty and didn't appear to have been washed in some time. And there was a small yellow curtain shielding the two bathroom doors, I guess from noncustomers. The yellow curtain was black with dirt. I mean, come on, ladies. How difficult would it be to take it down and wash it once in a while? Its visible to everyone in the dining room. Gross!!! Door pushes and knob areas to bathrooms and kitchen were black with dirt. Wipe the darn doorhandle areas down!!! It really made me uneasy about the cleanliness of the kitchen itself when these were covered in black grime. I couldn't even recommend Kau Kau on the basis of cheap eats.

Awesome China town experience in Seattle. Easy to find riding link from SeaTac. BBQ pork and roast duck very good. Plus man chopping up your order is a classic.

I went there because we were hungry, and every other dimsum joints we were intend to go were all packed with people at 12 noon on a Sunday. It feels like some ghetto Chinese/Hong Kong styled joint. We sat down and ordered bunch of their BBQs. We had soy sauce chicken, BBQ pork, BBQ ribs, roasted pork and roasted duck. Among all, I like the roasted pork the best with nice and crispy skin, well flavoured meat, just a bit on the saltier side for my tasting. Duck is good too. BBQ pork is a bit sweet but still well flavoured and not too dry. My least favorite is the soy sauce chicken. Dry and not well seasoned. I ordered a Singapore styled vermicelli. They forgot to make it, so I just end up cancelling it. Nothing special with this restaurant. Just a normal BBQ joint, but I guess I am just too spoiled with food from Vancouver.

This is an older Chinese restaurant located in the international district. The food is okay, a little greasy but quite inexpensive. We have beef and duck.

I frequented Kau Kau when I lived in Seattle in the 90's and have craved it ever since I left in 1999. While vacationing in Seattle earlier this month, I took the opportunity to revisit Kau Kau and was happy to see that nothing had really changed. The same gentleman with the whiskers was still there, chopping up pork, goose, duck, etc. like he had done for me years ago. The BBQ pork with the hot mustard, plum sauce and sesame seeds was just how I remembered it and it was delicious! Can't wait for next time!

Fantastic duck, roast pork, and won ton soup. This restaurant is full of Asian people so you know it's darn good Asian food. The service is impeccable - I've eaten here four times in the past two months. Price is right as well. Restaurant is clean and well appointed. I'm going to be a lifetime patron.

This Barbeque lace is cheap, fresh, tastes wonderful. I do my Kung Fu classes next door and then I have there Barbeque lunch. Two friends eat dinner there and enjoy it too.

This place does not look like much from the outside or inside, but famous for their Char Siu (roasted red pork). The people are nice and food is fabulous! Don’t let the place dictate your taste buds.

I decided to try somewhere in Chinatown and came across Kau Kau. I was pretty early but there was plenty of people eating in and as well plenty getting take away. I thought since there were plenty of people here that the food must be good. This proved correct. I got the BBQ pork and the vegetarian fried frice. Be warned the portions are BIG. Another positive is the price, it was super cheap. The two dishes cost me about $14US. The food also arrived in minutes of me ordering. It is not fancy but it is well worth a visit. Make sure you are hungry. They also serve beer and wine as well as soft drinks. I only ordered soft drinks but they too were cheap. It is only a short walk 5-7 minutes from Chinatown station on the light rail.

We are always on the lookout for a place to fill up on fresh ingredients inexpensively, and get a cultural experience along the way. Kau Kau nailed it! From the authentic dishes to the family-run atmosphere, we felt like we could be in China. Three of us split two dinner combos, and were full to the brim for $20 total! Where else can you find that? The veggie and tofu dishes alone would have cost $8 each somewhere else, and they were just the side dishes! Pork was simply done, not over-thought or over-spiced. Just great quality meat with pure flavor. Waitress was running around like crazy (in a good way) they seemed short-staffed for how busy they always are. She did great and threw in free soup for us! You can't leave Seattle without eating here.

Ranked #1 in my hotel area by Yelp, we decided to try it out. Squeezed by a line of takeout diners and was promptly seated. BBQ combo was very good with rice as was the vegetable chow mein. Large portions. Customer was picking up a whole pig for a party for $300.

Our hotel recommended this restaurant and it was great! It is really good food. There is a lot of food when you order the Kau Kau for 2. It was definitely worth the price. I will return again.

The BBQs are very good (pork, chicken, duck and offals), good for take-out. The sitting area is pretty dingy, with sloppy services. I usually stop by to order some meat to take home. Very good value for money. I noticed that they roast your turkey for you during Thanksgiving. I didn't try this service.

$8 lunch special served with tea, soup. Large bowl of fried rice and I got the BBQ pork, which was like salt pork, or pork belly. Delicious flavor. Good portion size. The communication was okay here, with some places in the ID it can be tough to get your orders lined up. I was wanting to ask about getting appetizers along with the lunch specials but we couldn't get through to the folks there, but in the end the portion size was good, so it wasn't a big deal.

The food was alright, we visited with another couple and everyone enjoyed their dishes. We tried the BBQ pork fried rice and lemon chicken, both good. There are some set menu dishes that look good as well for pretty reasonable prices. Service was quick.

We were trying to find dim sum on a Sunday noontime and all the best rated places had long lines, Somehow this place got on a list of good dim sum. Had to be a mistake. Sat for almost 30 min. just waiting for our drinks and to place our order. Only dim sum was awful potstickers out of a bag. Even the BBQ was lame. Waitress kept cleaning tables instead of taking orders. Stay away.

If your downtown Seattle and want good cheap Chinese food this is the place box of rice with duck 6 bucks enough for two and I'm a heavy eater

From the lines waiting to dine here, it is obvious this is a local favorite for Cantonese comfort food. Fresh BBQ pork and roast duck are excellent. Prices are extremely reasonable, and the food is excellent. Free parking is not provided. Try the Braised Oxtail Stew!

Got a quick "mixed plate " for take out. Soooooo good!. Plenty of food for *two*.. and the bbq was not greasy or "food dyed" red. They pack for airplanes also : Bonus!

Kau Kau is a specialty restaurant that is best for takeout. They have amazing BBQ pork and great duck, but nothing else on their menu can compare, and if anything, is slightly disappointing. People who know the restaurant well only use them for the meats that they have hanging in the window, as those are worth taking a trip there (but not much else is).

One of my go to spots in the international district in Seattle when I'm up there visiting. Any of the Chinese vegetables dishes with meat is a great dish along with a dish from the BBQ counter. A suggestion for a group of 4 is the to start off with a won ton soup, main dishes include Chinese broccoli w/ beef, roasted pork or duck, house special chow mien, green bean chicken. They will supply the white rice. Share all the dishes family style and enjoy the flavors.

bbq duck had so much salt it was inedible. string bean dish was better.

Nice and great tender meat, very tasty indeed, recommended for lunch or dinner, reasonably priced. Would love to come back.

If you are looking for one of the best places for Chinese BBQ, this is it. They have a huge takeout crowd especially from 10:30 am until 2 pm. Lines most of the time is out the door. In the evening, An old fashion greasy spoon Chinese restaurant. The Peking duck is excellent, best to order the day before.the BBQ pork is great, the roast duck has slipped a little in it's crispiness as well as the Roast Pig. The rest of the menu, is just ordinary. The special plates are well priced and you get a lot. Go with a group, and all will be filled.

Perhaps it's not right to give Kau Kau five stars, because the truth is my wife and I have really only eaten one entree here--the Peking Duck. But that dish is so good that whenever my wife visits Seattle from Santa Fe, she insists that she eat Peking Duck at Kau Kau at least once. Since we're generally just passing through on our way to Bellingham, that means one of the only Seattle restaurants she's tried in five years of coming to the NW is Kau Kau. She has tried a few others, but this place is de rigeur for her. Incidentally, for health reasons, we never get the plate of pancakes that comes with it. But what we do get are 3 separate courses--the duck skin, including chunks of meat, with the wings, served on a bed of puffed shrimp chips, a second plate of remaining duck meat, and a large bowl of soup made from duck bones and mustard greens. Added to that we always have a plate of the Chinese broccoli, which is done in a garlic sauce. This meal is downright delicious and more than two can consume--we always have some to take home. The price for this wonderful meal is ridiculously low. As for quality, my wife, who loves Peking Duck (and spent several years in Hong Kong) claims it the best she's ever had in her life, beating out a very pricey offering which was her favourite during 10 years living in Los Angeles. To be very honest, although I've eaten here for years, I've never written this up, afraid that too many people eating here will spoil it for ourselves--but we eat here so rarely (only a few times a year), I don't think this review will spoil things. But see for yourselves if you don't agree. I guarantee you won't be sorry for trying this if you like duck at all. As for the service, we have found it to be excellent (of course, they know us well by now.)

We like this place specifically for the BBQ - duck and pork. Also, they do take out which is great as you can then buy just want you want and take it home. The quality/flavor of the duck and pork are the best, and better than Uwijamaya. The other food isn't bad either and the service is good so it is a nice place to take a break in the ID. Very kid friendly.

Kau Kau has a large menu. There are bbq meats, noodle dishes, vegetable dishes, rice dishes etc. The bbq pork was fatty but good. The bbq pork noodle wonton soup was very good. The egg rolls were very crispy,hot and delicious. The restaurant charges 50 cents for a pot of tea. My only complaint is that the staff was not friendly

after going to Kau Kau for over a year only with friends i started to noticed that Kau Kau which means "eat eat" now means "run run" the restrooms spell and no adequate hand washing facilities..always have dirty forks and spoons the food contact areas appear to not be clean..the fried rice always has a burnt taste to it ..the chow mein is stick and gummy with gum ball in the middle..the FAMOUS bbq pork is usually real fatty or hard as a brick or even on occasion depending on the time of day is un-done..if you ask for extra hot mustard the staff act as if you are robbing the place..if you don't believe me check your KING COUNTY DEPT OF HEALTH..