Lun Wah is a Chinese restaurant located in a nondescript strip mall, with Polynesian decor and tropical drinks served in tiki mugs. It became Lun Wah in 1974, before that time it was called the Red Dragon. The restaurant has lots of bamboo and tapa cloth on the walls, and like most other tiki joints in this corner of the country, the few tikis look like they were painted by a kindergartener. Other features of the decor include booths in bamboo huts, illuminated palm tree wall scenes, artificial palm trees throughout the restaurant and a koi pond with a functioning rock waterfall. The ceiling of the dining room is painted white unfortunately, but the dim lighting helps to keep it feeling cozy. The menu includes a flaming pu-pu platter.
In 2013, Lun Wah was taken over by a new family. They are keeping the tiki character intact, and hoping to make some needed upgrades.
We had a fantastic time. Our server Savannah and our host Anita were both tremendous and delightful to talk to. The service was prompt, the drinks were good, and everything was fairly priced, including the merchandise and souvenirs! Can’t wait to go back.
We went here for the first time on Sunday after Ohana and had a great time! The staff member that helped us (a younger girl, just discovering tiki) was very helpful, very kind and easy to talk to. The food came in very large portions, but pretty good. The drink selection was great and the few drinks we got were good, some were strong like the rum runner :) the place is very decked out in tiki decor and they offer a selection of mugs and other merchandise at the front register. The music at first was top forty crap and not at all what you’d want to hear in a place like this, however it quickly turned to exotica and was fitting. Also worth noting, they have a digital juke box there, download the TouchTunes app and add some credits and you can play whatever you want by syncing up via Bluetooth. Lots of places are using TouchTunes nowadays and I find myself using the app more often than I would have thought. Worth it for the one time in a tiki bar anyway lol. I definitely liked this place and will return again. Let’s keep the tiki bar alive, and not be so harsh.
RumAndOldSpice is a semi-regular at Lun Wah Restaurant.
July 22, 2018, 3:29 PM
I really love this place. It reminds me of my childhood and the Chinese / Tiki places that I used to remember. The decor is very Tiki with waterfalls and huts and light box murals. The menu is standard Chinese Fair, but is of a very reasonable quality. I have generally gone during the daytime, sitting at the bar while the same very regular patrons are there every time I walk in.... A beautiful juxtaposition of blue collar folks drinking Tiki drinks out of giant mugs. They recently did a little renovation at the bar and removed one of the beautiful lightbox murals, and there are two televisions above the bar which are a major drawback, however the piped-in music over the speakers throughout the restaurant is pure retro Tiki: surf, traditional Hawaiian songs, Annette Funicello songs, The Works.
As for the tiki drinks... They are above-average in relation to other local New Jersey Chinese / Tiki places. The prices are phenomenally cheap, and the menu is extensive with Tiki classics. The problem with them however, is that their quality is not quite all there. What sets them apart from the other places, is that the drinks do resemble the flavor profiles of what they are supposed to be. The mai tai tastes appropriate, the Navy grog has definite flavors of honey.. but I'm willing to overlook the medium quality drinks for the fact that they are strong as hell, and after 2 you're not really concerned about how accurate the flavor profile is.
We had a fantastic time. Our server Savannah and our host Anita were both tremendous and delightful to talk to. The service was prompt, the drinks were good, and everything was fairly priced, including the merchandise and souvenirs! Can’t wait to go back.
We went here for the first time on Sunday after Ohana and had a great time! The staff member that helped us (a younger girl, just discovering tiki) was very helpful, very kind and easy to talk to. The food came in very large portions, but pretty good. The drink selection was great and the few drinks we got were good, some were strong like the rum runner :) the place is very decked out in tiki decor and they offer a selection of mugs and other merchandise at the front register. The music at first was top forty crap and not at all what you’d want to hear in a place like this, however it quickly turned to exotica and was fitting. Also worth noting, they have a digital juke box there, download the TouchTunes app and add some credits and you can play whatever you want by syncing up via Bluetooth. Lots of places are using TouchTunes nowadays and I find myself using the app more often than I would have thought. Worth it for the one time in a tiki bar anyway lol. I definitely liked this place and will return again. Let’s keep the tiki bar alive, and not be so harsh.
RumAndOldSpice is a semi-regular at Lun Wah Restaurant.
July 22, 2018, 3:29 PM
I really love this place. It reminds me of my childhood and the Chinese / Tiki places that I used to remember. The decor is very Tiki with waterfalls and huts and light box murals. The menu is standard Chinese Fair, but is of a very reasonable quality. I have generally gone during the daytime, sitting at the bar while the same very regular patrons are there every time I walk in.... A beautiful juxtaposition of blue collar folks drinking Tiki drinks out of giant mugs. They recently did a little renovation at the bar and removed one of the beautiful lightbox murals, and there are two televisions above the bar which are a major drawback, however the piped-in music over the speakers throughout the restaurant is pure retro Tiki: surf, traditional Hawaiian songs, Annette Funicello songs, The Works.
As for the tiki drinks... They are above-average in relation to other local New Jersey Chinese / Tiki places. The prices are phenomenally cheap, and the menu is extensive with Tiki classics. The problem with them however, is that their quality is not quite all there. What sets them apart from the other places, is that the drinks do resemble the flavor profiles of what they are supposed to be. The mai tai tastes appropriate, the Navy grog has definite flavors of honey.. but I'm willing to overlook the medium quality drinks for the fact that they are strong as hell, and after 2 you're not really concerned about how accurate the flavor profile is.
Went to Lun Wah for first time on a Friday, returned the very next day and went back a few days later. Very much enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks in tiki mugs and also for purchase. The owner(Chris) is a super cool cat. Keep in mind the drive to get there from Westchester is almost 1 hour, its worth the trip, at least for me.
As for the tiki drinks... They are above-average in relation to other local New Jersey Chinese / Tiki places. The prices are phenomenally cheap, and the menu is extensive with Tiki classics. The problem with them however, is that their quality is not quite all there. What sets them apart from the other places, is that the drinks do resemble the flavor profiles of what they are supposed to be. The mai tai tastes appropriate, the Navy grog has definite flavors of honey.. but I'm willing to overlook the medium quality drinks for the fact that they are strong as hell, and after 2 you're not really concerned about how accurate the flavor profile is.