What more can be said about this friendly neighborhood Polyn-Asian restaurant? The food is fair -- roughly on par with your favorite local Chinese takeout spot -- but the food alone isn't really the reason you come here. Walking inside feels like stepping into a themed Disney or Times Square restaurant, just without the inflated prices, and that atmosphere adds a fun calming charm to the experience. You're probably not going to get a "knock your socks off" meal or world-class service and the cocktail menu can feel a little mysterious, filled with drinks you may or may not recognize. Still, no matter what you order, some fruity and alcoholic concoction will appear at your table, and chances are you'll enjoy it even if you're not entirely sure what it is. At the end of the day, it's just a great little spot -- perfect for birthdays, family dinners, kids, or simply a fun night out. read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Dining area. - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

If you want to be treated with respect, and dare I say kindness- look elsewhere. I absolutely hate writing one star reviews. I understand the impact that a single one star review can have on a small business. But this restaurant behaved in a way that seemed like they literally do not care one bit. And judging by the other recent one star reviews, I see I'm not alone. Which is a shame really, because this restaurant could be something great. I had been planning to visit for my birthday. I had heard of Lee's for years, and have always wanted to go. I was finally ready to make the trek from Queens to NJ, with 9 friends in tow. So I excitedly called to make a reservation. The conversation started out completely normal. He put me on hold (no biggie) to get the reservation book, asked me how many people, and the date. He then went into a list of "rules" they have for reservations. With each point, he was seething with annoyance. Like they're doing their customers a huge favor. But I didn't mind, I just wanted to make the reservation. $75 deposit. Fine. If we cancel for any reason they keep the deposit. Fine. It can be used as a credit if we come another day. Ok. He said a few other rules, and one stuck out to me that I didn't understand. He said "there's no reserved seating". As the point of my phone call was to make a - reservation - I asked to clarify, literally in the nicest tone. He immediately got annoyed at me, and said that they have upstairs and downstairs seating, and they can't guarantee either or. It was at this point I said to him, "I feel like you're upset with me and I'm not sure why." I then explained that I've never been there, but I'm a huge fan and have always wanted to visit, and that this would be for my birthday. I tried to give him a chance to reset and steer the conversation back to- at the very least a calm tone. Spoiler alert- didn't work. He then asks me what time I want. I say 6 PM. You would have thought I just asked him to give me the moon. He got very upset and went on a rant about how "people come, and then the music (he was referring to the karaoke) starts and then they leave." I told him we actually wanted the music, that I knew it started at 7:30 PM and was requesting 6 PM so that we had some time to talk before the karaoke began. He very angrily told me no, that I had to pick one or the other. That if I wanted music, it had to be a reservation after 7 PM- that I had to pick one or the other. And then went on another rant about "changing over the tables" and "they don't want people there til closing" and "how do I expect them to make money." Well for starters, you can provide basic customer service. It was at this point I thanked him for his time and said I didn't want to go there anymore. It's clear they have had various issues with prior customers. But I did not deserve to be treated like that. After hanging up, I was devasted. My birthday plans had crumbled in the span of a 7 minute phone call. Luckily I found another establishment more than happy to take my reservation- and my hard earned money. read more

Eh, another comment was correct on how the outside you'd never tell that the inside is what I could only describe as a discounted tiki bar. Honestly really cool interior, water falling over the rock walls and tiki huts for booths. Just once you get to the food it was underwhelming. The chicken in the lo mein had no flavor along with the chicken in the soups. Soups 4/10 The appetizer dumplings were good and had a nice grilled flavor with the insides and served with a yummy sauce. Dumplings 8/10 The complimentary wonton chips were nice to snack on while we waited. Chips 9/10 Then the entrees. Once again the chicken in the lo mein was bland and boiled. The pork lo mein was basic and not better than a take out spot. The flambie steak platter was insanely disappointing with what described as a filet mignon truly was a 2 ounce flank steak on top of a salad of over compensating bok choy to account for the lack of meat in a tangy sweet sauce. The other Hawaiian steak platter was also disappointing for other reasons. With this platter there was a whole steak served on a cast iron with bok choy all over, probably still compensating for the lack of steak on the other plate, but no flavor. The sauce this steak was served in had no flavor, the bok choy had no flavor, the other veggies had no flavor and the steak had no flavor. Lo meins 3/10 Steak dishes 2/10 Service 6/10 Food 3/10 Ambiance 8/10 Probably won't return. read more

My wife and I were feeling nostalgic on an impromptu casual date night and we decided to grab a pu-pu platter from Lee's. Geez - gotta be at least 25 years since we dined there. Chaotic upon entering! We got there a bit before 9:30pm (we checked to ensure they'd still be open - yes 11:00pm) and the manager said - if you know what you want, hurry up! Kitchen is closed! LOL - Wah?! Anyway, we got our pu-pu platter and shared a fried rice and sweet n sour chicken. The platter was fun; the food just OK. It was karaoke night and we were happy that a lot of the patrons this evening were a young and mixed crowd - meaning this place might still live on for another generation. Hey - why not? Cool Polynesian-themed (albeit VERY dated) decor and mai-tai's that'll knock you on your butt if you have two or more! I do hope Mgt decides to spend a few bucks on this place though -- the carpeting is pretty gross and the chairs look like they're from grandma's basement. Old! Anyway - fun blast-from-the-past night for just the two of us. Cheers! read more

Worse place to eat. Dont deserve costumers. I never went back but i see the dump is doing worse. The whole place needs a major make over and clean and get rid of all the relatives that work there. Hire a whole new professional staff. The place is scummy. read more

The online reviews and pictures look super fun, but we didn't get to go because they were on vacation and closed. It would've been nice if they had put a notice not just on the door window but also on yelp Google reviews anything that would communicate beyond the door. read more

What a unique experience! The decor makes you feel as though you are on a Polynesian Island. The service was very good. We came for the first time after seeing multiple videos on Tiktok. It is a large room, they have an upstairs. From what I know, there are no reservations. We had the Mongolian beef (not my favorite) the dumplings were good and the spare ribs and egg foo young was good. If I come back, I would order something else. read more

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First time we have ever been here since we were little. Same decor. the ambiance makes you feel like you're on the islands. The service was impeccable, very friendly. Food was hot & very, very delicious. can't wait to go back!! Very clean. Great place! read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Hawaii Four Oh - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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I haz a sad. A tremendous one. I don't know why I can't find my many prior enthusiastic 5-star reviews and updates for Lee's, because I have been their biggest cheerleader and strongest defender for years. Their shrimp with lobster sauce, Hawaii beef, egg roll, fried noodles with duck sauce and hot mustard, have long been my designated Execution Day meal. I have patronized Lee's here in Lyndhurst and in its long-shuttered Clifton location since the late 80s. When I lived in. Nutley, I ate or ordered takeout about once a week. Since moving to CA in January, 2000, every flight home is scheduled around their operating hours. I dine there alone frequently because friends and family are not enamored with their food. On occasion, I manage to persuade them with the promise of karaoke and turpentine-strength tropical drinks that come in a coconut shell with four straws. You must understand, we have endless options for delicious, authentic, regional Chinese cuisine in the San Francisco Bay Area. And I mean, all over it-- the cities, the suburbs, the questionable neighborhoods. What we don't have, is the delicious Americanized "Polynesian" cuisine that I grew up with in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. We had Bamboo East--close enough to walk to for lunch during elementary school, have an egg roll and a bowl of wonton soup, and get back for the bell. We had Ho-Aloha where I did, the majority of my underage drinking, downing Maii-Tais and Rum Runners. We had Chan's Waikiki near the Paramus Park mall, and we had Jade Fountain--in the malls and in Clifton. Even EWR had great "Cantonese" food in C terminal when it was dominated by Continental Airlines, In California, we have "tiki bars" with admittedly, excellent drinks, and mediocre "egg rolls," which we East Coasters know are actually rice paper-wrapped, celery-dominated deep fried "spring rolls," filled with soggy, insipid vegetables, which never passed my lips voluntarily during my 32 years in Jersey. So here is why I am sad. At first, I was happy! I'm in town for the Fair Lawn High School Class of '85 reunion, not feeling very well today. My incoming flight was quite delayed, so I was unable to make my requisite stop on the way to the hotel I saw that I could actually get my mandatory Lee's order from GrubHub. I thought, "This is great! There is a microwave downstairs, and a fridge in my room. Tomorrow, I will pick up some tinfoil and big Ziploc bags, and bring some of my favorites back home to California. That is where the happiness ends. I can forgive the fact that even though I checked the "include napkins and utensils" box, *and* added a note that said, "please make sure to include the napkins and utensils," alas, my bag was devoid of them. But that's not the problem... The problem, my dear friends, was the quality of the food. At last visit, in the fall, I believe, I didn't think things tasted quite the same, but still felt nostalgic. Of course I was going to give them another chance. I regret to say that the complaint that have other reviewers have lodged over the past few years, are now also mine. Starting with the Hawaii beef, which I confess I usually begin eating in the car: it is now tough, liking its distinctive, cumin and turmeric flavor, and just tastes like vinegar. The spareribs are dripping with grease, which led me to not even open the shrimp toast. The eggroll tasted like it had been heated up in a toaster oven and there was none of the juicy bites of roast pork and baby shrimp that I love so much. I did not open the chicken in foil either. The egg drop soup was fine, but I have saved the unforgivable travesty for last... the noodles are now mass produced and packaged. This is where I was actually looking forward to greasiness! Lee's noodles were like none other. They were wide, bubbly, crispy, and tasted like heaven when dipped both in the hot mustard and duck sauce. I would often ask for an extra bag to take home to California. This just hurt my soul. I know there had been talk of selling the place in recent years, and on GrubHub, it is the *New* Lee's Hawaiian Islander, so maybe it's finally happened and the business is now more focused on the bar and karaoke which I know it had become its bread and butter. Over the past 15 years there have rarely been many other patrons when I visited during the day, and they used to do a booming lunch business. Many a pupu platter flew under the ceiling, mounted outrigger canoe while water fell down the rock wall while we sat in sea shaped booths under taxidermied pufferfish. This is by far the longest review I have ever written because it's the closing of a chapter in my life. Thank you, Lee's, for 35 years of making me a little happier. I shan't forget you. read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Peak tiki sadness - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Absolutely love this place. Drove 40 minutes to try an authentic Hawaiian Polynesian Restaurant. Definitely not disappointed. The decor was so nostalgic. So many of these places have closed down. No comparison to Chinese take out. Beautifully decorated. Loved the Hot & Sour Soup, Pu Pu Platter haven't seen in years as well as the Crispy Noodles. Dinner was FANTASTIC. The fried rice was done to perfection not that yellow look. The steak and Hawaii Four O were delicious. Drinks were reasonable as well as the dinner prices. Can't wait to go back with friends as it was date night for us! Met a very nice couple at the bar as we didn't want to leave. read more

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Awesome...if you've never been its a must experience..food was delish..pupu platter was ok..but for $28 you can get two full size appetizers with way more food. Went for Christmas dinner...service was great..food great..def will be back read more

Hope they never close! This place is iconic ...the decor and vibe is like none other. Tiki huts to sit is so fun!! The pu pu platter is amazing and so is their other food! Drinks are delicious! Service was good but the waiter never came back to our table after serving us I had to ask for containers for take out and also walked up to the register myself read more

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It was alright. Food was ok. I would agree with the 3 stars. Lady never came back to refill our sodas and wasn't very friendly. Sat next to some gross smelling cleaner at their station. Probably wouldn't go back. read more

Having a girl's day with the BFF and we couldn't make up our minds about where we wanted lunch until she, out of the blue said, "When was the last time you had Lee's Hawaiian?" MIC DROP! OMG I hadn't been in a good 15+ years and said LET'S GO! Walking in was nostalgic ... it looks exactly as I remember (which is great bur someone who's never been might not get it tho). We were seated in a fun booth and given time to review the menu which drinks were the first thing in order and boy did they deliver! The drinks packed a punch just like we remembered and were served in the iconic tiki glasses. We ordered shrimp toast, wings and the Hawaii 4 Oh and every single thing was SLAMMIN!!!! We took a bunch of leftovers to go and asked for some of their delicious fried noodles with homemade duck sauce as well. We will definitely be back bc they also have karaoke on the weekends and I can only imagine what a blast that is! read more

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Food is good. Service is good. Nostalgia is amazing. Great place to be in. Great atmosphere.

Dump - Strongest Drinks The Hawaiian decor in Lee's is pretty cool although it could use some cleaning and some updates. If the decor was updated and the food and service improved this place could be a goldmine. Right now the food is pretty bad and service is nothing to speak. They don't seem very friendly at all. Literally served us the strongest rock gut alcohol drinks I have ever had in my life. Usually I like good old fashioned strong cocktail but these were so strong that my wife went in the bathroom and threw up. We couldn't even finish them. Brutal Thanks read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

The food was amazing, just like the olden days. The ambiance was just like the olden days with wide, fresh, crunchy noodles. Authentic poo poo platter and delicious all around. I can't praise Lee's enough and I can't wait to go back. read more

Lee's Hawaiian Islander had some great food and a fun vibe! Neither of us had been there in a very long time, and we both enjoyed going back. read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Seafood Hawaii and Mongolian steak flambé - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Went for lunch with my friend who was a little under the weather and wanted some soup She has never been and you can get soup anywhere but this place is fun It's more about the ambience then then the food She happens to be Asian so the 92 year old came over and we had a great conversation If you are looking for more than food a place to go read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Inside - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Had my birthday party there last week and it couldn't have gone better. They were able to accommodate our large group (25 people or so) and everyone had a blast. Best karaoke this side of the Hudson! read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

Folks, eat at your own risk, and don't expect great customer service either. Save your money and order in. This was definitely a really bad experience. The chicken was raw, and the staff were very rude. They basically told us we couldn't order an entree because they were about to close, but we order an appetizer anyway (raw chicken wings). So we had our two drinks and then got kicked out, AND THEY ASKED ME FOR A CASH TIP!!! Save your money! read more

Amazing time capsule of a place! One of a kind! Make reservations for weekend karaoke!

Went on Saturday Approx 4pm a woman with white hair inquired if we had a reservation, we didn't she brought us to a table and said we had to be out in two hours. We never experienced anything like this a formal complaint with the Better Business Bureau will be filed as well a complaint to the Lyndhurst Chamber of Commerce and possible civil suit regarding discrimination. Chris B. Acker read more

Mr. Lee is incredible a true legend and the food has fresh quality ingredients! Highly recommend Lee's!!! Great atmosphere for a first date or family dinner. read more

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Went on a busy Saturday night, after seeing reviews I didn't have high hopes for the food. Started with pu pu platter wow it was tasty highlights were the spare ribs and shrimp toast. Main course general tso, It was one of my favorites I've had. As a general tso critic it is hard to find a good dish now that still uses the spicy red peppers in the dish. The sauce was thick sticky & peppery with big pieces of white meat chicken, I was impressed. All to be washed down with a fruity Mai Thai. Service was excellent as workers checked on us frequently. They were setting up for karaoke around 9pm. Took a start off because the bathroom was gross... regular cleaning is needed as it's such a busy place. read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - General Zuo's Chicken - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

The food was as expected. The service was a bit quick. Wasn't done with Pu Pu Platter and next course was being served. Otherwise authentic atmosphere. read more

Great place if you love the Kitsch atmosphere Wonderful Polynesian theme!! PuPU platter is a must

Awful food. Awful service. It was so hot . Why won't you out the air conditioning on? It was old, dirty and tacky. Everything was awful. I would never return . Why ? Only losers that want to sing would be there. read more

Memories are better than actually going back Same plastic flowers from when I first went in 1979! Boco Loco now served in a ceramic coconut. I thought the fresh coconuts were questionable back in the 80s, I was sure they were reused. I take each of my grandchildren there to create memories. Not for the food. read more

This place is very kichey. Very Polynesian interior with a bar that looks like it goes back to the 1960s. It's a very fun place to visit with all the Polynesian accoutrements hanging from the ceiling and the walls with a waterfall flowing in the background. The service is excellent especially the guy with only a couple of teeth. They were very friendly and accommodating. I had the steak special over Chinese vegetables and my friend had the seafood delight with Polynesian vegetables. Both were very tasty and the sauces were very good. We also had drinks, mai tai's and they were very strong. Overall, a very nice experience on a weekday evening in early summer. It was not crowded, but I suspect it gets crowded during the weekends. This place is a landmark restaurant in the middle of Lyndhurst. read more

Been coming here for over 30 years and still love it! Fridays are karaoke night and regulars love to drink and sing their hearts out. Food is authentic and rarely a disappointment. Service is quick and they give you your space to dine and enjoy and know exactly when to check in on you! Love the old school Polynesian decor! If you truly want to get tipsy quick get a Zombie or Boco Loco! Always get a pu pu platter and request a booth seat. There's just something more to the experience with all my recommendations combined. Mr.Lee (as I've called him all my life) is 90 years old and still as sharp as a whip! read more

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I haven't been in years but happy to see they are still around! One of my favorites! It's like you stepped back into time! The food and drinks are great and generous portions! read more

Fun place to visit. As another reviewer said you don't go there for the food. You go for the scenery. Service was excellent but they also told us on the way in we were strictly limited to 2 hours. And while we were chatting at the table after paying we were approached by our server who said: "thanks again for coming. We'll see you again soon". You're done! read more

The pupu platter and the Polynesian drinks were absolutely delicious. The dinners were good, but not as good as they used to be. I would go again just for the pupu platter and the drinks. read more

I really struggled with giving this restaurant two or three stars. I opted for three stars because it has such a history, it's a relic which I admire. Inside is Hawaiian tiki themed with straw huts and a rock wall with a built in waterfall. I personally really enjoy this theme including the food and drinks that comes along with it. The place is showing it's age and has an overall dated feel.. We dined on a Saturday night and I was surprised that not many people were there. We were seated at our table and I ordered a Mai tai which arrived quickly and was pretty decent. We ordered few appetizers. The Chinese spare ribs were good but the pork dumplings are a hard pass. For my main course I ordered the Mongolian steak medium well. When it arrived I cut into it and it was medium rare at best. I was forced to send it back. After it was returned at the right temperature I found it on the bland side and the Mongolian sauce it was in was very liquidity not thick at all. My wife ordered the orange steak which she said was very spicy and that was not labeled as such on the menu item. My wife also noted her broccoli came out cold which was alarming. The place is very casual, so casual that a couple waiters sat down in a table next to us as it was kinda slow. Overall if your looking for a place to get a tiki drink then by all means stop in you wont be let down but the food wasn't what I had hoped. A read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Inside - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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I've heard about this place from a few people and had to go there. It's a throwback to the 70's as soon as you walk in, old school bar area in front and a Hawaiian theme can't go wrong. Food is fine, nothing great, morning horrible. Pu Pu platter is a must and there are strong drinks. But the karaoke is why you go there. Characters galore turn up and you will find yourself up there singing read more

Waited for my takeout while drinking a few cocktails. Owner is super friendly. Drinks and food were legit. Ambiance is awesome. read more

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Went there specifically for the Pu PU Platter, some time ago. Every piece on the platter must have been sitting around all day and completely dried out, we left most of it which probably got recycled into the next order. The meal and drinks were fine. Decor was great, it was just like I remembered all those Polynesian/Chinese restaurants that used to be all over going back to the 70's except this one had the waterfall. Which was a nice touch. It is worth going as it was moderately priced and the exotic drinks did have alcohol in them. read more

A step back in time to the 1970s. The nostalgic feeling from the tiki style dining room caused me to round up to a 4 star rating. Not much has changed in the dining room in 50 years. This step back in time includes the food, which tastes more like you would find in a Chinese restaurant in the 1970s. The food is adequate, the sauces are a little gummy and the spicy dishes aren't too spicy. The service was attentive. read more

Lees Hawaiian Islander - Asian Fusion Near Me - Lyndhurst, New Jersey

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Well waiting at the table for 20 minutes then having to ask for a menu. Then waiting another 45 for the Waiter to come back to our table to pretty much tell us that he never put our order in. Don't sit upstairs they forgot u ever existed. Which is sad because I used to love this place and now Instagram ruined it like they do everything else read more