At 123 years, Wo Fat was Hawaii’s oldest restaurant when it closed in 2005.
Wo Fat was opened in 1882 by Wat Ging.
Ted Wong, the owner from 1973-1978, said he was told the name Wo Fat means “peace, prosperity and harmony.”
“My dad, Henry Awa Wong, had a liquor store across the street from Wo Fat in the 1930s after Prohibition. He supplied liquor to the restaurant, and they fell behind in their payments. Instead of collecting, he ended up with a controlling interest in the place.”
Wong said 150 shareholders owned Wo Fat in his dad’s time.
“Awa,” as he was called, was the unofficial mayor of Chinatown for 40 years. “My father was a very political guy. He was a close friend of Mayor (Lester) Petrie. He had a board of directors with 40-50 prominent people on it.”
People wanted to be on the board because of the directors’ parties Awa Wong threw every four months. “He served them fabulous dinners, spending maybe $50 a person, and this was in the 1940s and 1950s,” his son said.
They were also paid $100 a meeting and received a case of whiskey at Christmas. “Dad figured if each one hosted one party a year at Wo Fat, he would make money. Some had several.”
“Our chief competitor was Waikiki Lau Yee Chai,” Wong continued. “But we had an advantage over them. The taxi drivers could make a better fare bringing Waikiki tourists to Chinatown. So they recommended us.”
The restaurant could seat as many as 980 people on its three floors. With that kind of capacity, there was always room for walk-ins.
After Prohibition, Wo Fat applied for the territory’s first liquor license. For many years it proudly displayed liquor license No. 1.
Awa Wong was the first Chinese director of a Caucasian bank and was a vice president of Liberty Bank. He helped start the Narcissus Festival.
“Hawaii Five-0” borrowed the Wo Fat name for Steve McGarrett’s archvillain. Actor Khigh Dhiegh played Wo Fat in the original “Five-0.” He was born Kenneth Dickerson in New Jersey in 1910.
In a 1980 episode, McGarrett captured Wo Fat. Did he then let Danno (James MacArthur) book him? “I’ve waited a long time for this, Wo Fat,” McGarrett said. “Now I’m going to have the unique pleasure of booking you myself.” Danno looked on silently.
In the new “Hawaii Five-0,” the actor Mark Dacascos plays Wo Fat.
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Bob Sigall, author of the “Companies We Keep” books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.
