Lees Hawaiian Islander
“Lee's Hawaiian Islander is the absolute best 1970s plastic flower tiki-themed windowless concrete kitsch fortress this side of Fiji.”
“-The Zombies and Mai Tai's are perfect drinks and they always make a Shirley Temple for the kids when asked.”
“Everyone really enjoyed the pu pu platter (appetizer sampler) which came with a flaming bowl in the center.”
Lees Hawaiian Islander
Takes Reservations: Yes
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Good for Groups: Yes
Has TV: Yes
Waiter Service: Yes
Caters: Yes
Price range.
$$ Price range $11-30
8 reviews
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Ok so I came here to a small 30th bday party with about 10 friends, and from the start it was a bit annoying. We had reserved a table in advance and when I had arrived on time, the table wasn't ready. For a good 30 minutes we waited. I could see if the place was packed but it was not. They had Kareokee going on that night and I was super excited for that. The lady doing it was nice but kind of older. I wouldn't pick her for my first choice to host Kareokee sorry to say. We seemed to wait a little while for our server to come and take our food orders was a bit of a pain because our reservation was late to begin with and the of course the additional 30 minute wait on top of that. When we did get our food, which was appetizers, some of was good but some wasn't. We had a bunch of poo poo platters lit up like a volcano on the table. Some of the stuff was a tad too greasy and lacked flavor. We were all planning to dinner there but after we had that literally no one at the table decided to get anything but drinks. We conversed and drank and sang some Kareokee and then was wondering where the waiter was so that we could eat bday cake. We literally asked him 5 times to get it. Mind you the cake was in a box on the table right next to us, so one of my friends got up brought it over and lit the candles. I felt like our party didn't matter to them because we didn't order more food. It could have been a much better experience in my opinion. I thought it was gonna be my new spot for some Kareokee. Negative.
Tacky, cheesy and an absolute delight. If you can imagine Elvis's Hawaiian phase and transform that into a restaurant, it would be that.
The staff was very friendly to us and catered to us on every wish and whim that we had. My table ordered the PuPu Platter which was huge and amazing. It came with Spareribs, some kind of Satay, Shrimp Toast, Egg Rolls, Battered Shrimp and Chicken Wings. I was telling myself "Peter, think of your summer body" but the Shrimp Toast was saying "nah you'll be fine".
I ordered the Shrimp Samoa and a Mai Tai as my main entree. Now I have no clue what Shrimp Samoa was when I ordered it and I still have no clue now. It was some kind of shrimp smothered in a brown gravy of sorts with beef here and there. I don't know what was happening but I loved every minute of it. The Mai Tai packed a punch though. The first few sips were a little tough, but I was feeling good after the 4th.
Overall I loved this place! It was campy and cute and the food was divine. Definitely coming back here at some point.
We came here for lunch on a weekend and place was pretty quiet. Servings were decent but it just seemed like regular Americanized Chinese food, though very overpriced for the taste. I got the rainbow har kew which tasted like shrimp with vegetables and that starchy, savory sauce they always use.
Service was pleasant; the manager was a friendly man and wanted to get me to bartend for his karaoke nights which were apparently lively around here. Decor was AMAZING: lots of Hawaiian themed flowers, trees, and mood lighting. We also got leis (even my grandmother!)
So: food was 3/5, service and decor were like 10/5. Come here at night for drinks or for karaoke, not lunch.
A trip and a half. Actually, if I'd been tripping I'd give it 5 stars. A throwback to the sixties Tiki culture and early Polynesian/American food. Really sweet South Sea cocktails, amusing but bordering on seedy Tiki bar décor, and wait staff in threadbare Hawaiian shirts that have seen it all-it really is a must visit place, even if the food is 'meh'. I can't imagine how much fun it would be on karaoke nights.
As a previous poster said, this was probably some amazing place back in its prime. You could almost picture the gangsters and their girlfriends in pastel gowns tossing back mai thais while listening to Hawaiian Elvis songs. Sure, the decor is a bit tired and maybe it's not what is used to be, but I loved it anyways.
My husband nearly crashed the car when he spotted Lee's. We were headed somewhere else but my husband has recently fallen in love with anything tiki. We sat at the small bar, perfect for people watching, and ordered a drink. The Zombie drink I had erased my brain, and hubby's mai thai was really good. Both served in authentic tiki style cups. You know the porcelain totem pole kind. We shared steamed dumplings which were great and enjoyed the complimentary won tons. If you're in the area you gotta go. In fact if my husband "runs out to home depot" too long one day I might find him here.
I haven't been here since the 70's and it looks exactly the same. As my friends said, "we feel like we're in an episode of the Brady Bunch". Tacky tacky, but I loved it! I knew what to expect and that's exactly what I got.
Friday night and it was a little quiet Would have felt better if there were more people, but honestly the food was great!
I had to order a zombie and another and another. For an appetizer we had the pu pu platter because you just have to! And it was the same food that was in it 30 years ago. Also tried the steamed dumplings and honestly wasn't a fan. The dough was too thick and they tasted like the kind I get from Costco in a bag.
My dinner included vegetables which all tasted very fresh. 8 different meals ordered around the table and everyone seemed happy with their food.
The waiters were attentive and friendly, and it was karaoke night so the regulars were there, but again – that's what I went there for. To have some laughs and have some fun. Great night and I can't wait to go back again.
Love Lee's! I've been eating here since I was a kid. The same people have been working here since the 80's. The food is excellent, the staff is super friendly and charismatic, and the prices are reasonable. The decor transports you to another dimension. A perfect blend of cheesy and mystical. Reminds me of something you'd see on a Vegas strip. You must check it out – it is truly unlike any other place in North Jersey!
I came for my friend's party one Friday night, we had 3 huge tables.
We sit down and ask if we can split the bill and open our own tab at the table as there will be a bunch of us (many of whom we don't know closely enough really and we were only getting drinks). The waiter told us they don't split checks. He brought the manager over who again told us we can't split checks because she doesn't want to deal with putting it on like 5 different cards were her words.
Fine, so we say we'll go to the bar, when we said that, they then went, "If you get drinks at bar, you cannot sit here!!!" Fine.
So, guess what? That table sat … empty all night and it wasn't like a full restaurant.
The drinks are a bit pricey at like $7-10 each and I had about 6-7 (yup) … so let me just say those drinks sneak up on you HARD. I was out all night and the next day trying to rid my body of the booze. HAHA
So, yeah, they're pricey but they are strong and do not taste strong (even though many of them tasted alike).
At the bar, the bartenders were MUCH nicer than the wait staff. They started a tab for us and even with their limited english, tried their best. Eventually I began just speaking Chinese to them and even got a free drink from the bartender after last call (THANK YOU!!!). So that brought the stars back up after my terrible experience earlier in the night.
Also, bathrooms are quite clean and the decor (though old and dusty) was interesting. Also, we were definitely the drunkest loudest people there I think. Haha. And karaoke is always funny to watch and cheer your friends on!