After 34 years on Savannah’s Southside, Wang’s II Chinese Restaurant has served its final plate.

The longtime favorite on Waters Avenue closed after dinner service on Sunday, May 17, ending a run that made it one of Savannah’s most recognizable names for Chinese food.

Eric Chi, son of owners Simon and his wife, confirmed the closing to Eat It and Like It, saying the decision came down to something pretty simple: time.

Both of his parents are now in their 70s, he said, and after more than three decades in the restaurant business, they “needed a break.”

For decades, Wang’s II served Savannah regulars who had their favorite dishes, their favorite tables, their favorite takeout routines and, in many cases, their favorite memories attached to the place. It was part of the Southside dining landscape long before Savannah’s restaurant scene became what it is today.

Eric says the decision was made “about a month” ago. There were no announcements, no farewell messages. Regulars found out over time that May 17th would be their last opportunity to enjoy what-at one time-was one of Savannah’s most popular restaurants, bar none.

As for what comes next, the door may not be completely closed.

“We may do something down the road,” Eric said. “We are going to take the summer to think about it.”

The sign on the door says they are closing for maintenance beginning on May 18th. So they’re saying there’s a chance.

That, of course, will give longtime fans at least a little something to hold onto. Whether that means another version of Wang’s II, something smaller, something different, or nothing at all remains to be seen. For now, the family is taking a well-earned pause.

And frankly, after 34 years, they’ve earned it. Eric tells me the family owns the building, so they do have options. What those are is what will be discussed over the next few months. But based on my chat with Eric, it sounds like another significant chapter in Savannah’s culinary history has closed.

Of course, this news comes just days after we reported that Olympia Cafe, a very popular Greek restaurant on River Street would not return to their location behind city hall. You can read more about that here.

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