"Fun" places to eat in N. NJ

[bp1123]

I'll be celebrating a birthday and anniversary in September and was looking for someplace in Northern NJ that could be considered a fun place to eat. I remember someone mentioning a middle eastern restaurant with bellydancers & hookahs, something like that is a possibility.

Can anyone recommend a place with good food as well as some type of unique atmosphere/entertainment??

[Rachel Perlow]

This Morrocan restaurant has belly dancers, but I don't know about hookahs. I know they're BYOB.

Marakesh Restaurant Website

Address: 321 US Highway 46, Parsippany, NJ 07054

Phone: (973) 808-0062

[Jason Perlow]

I know that Bennie's in Englewood has hookah in the evening. Excellent middle eastern food as well.

[Rosie]

I think Vine Valley 1131 Main St Paterson 973-278-4444 Lebanese

has hookahs; BYO.

[menton1]

Good food and entertainment are not going to mix these days. Dining has become entertainment all by itself.

So basically you are going to have to choose between the 2. And restos with entertainment at all are few and far between these days. There's always Medieval Times, in Lyndhurst, a place I wouldn't go within miles of myself, but people love the scene in there. Cafe Boulevard in Fort Lee actually has decent food and a live band on weekends. Lastly, River Street Experience in Hoboken is very popular, but I think they only have sandwiches and hors d'oeuvres, with lots of live entertainment.

[Anonymouze]

I'll be celebrating a birthday and anniversary in September and was looking for someplace in Northern NJ that could be considered a fun place to eat.  I remember someone mentioning a middle eastern restaurant with bellydancers & hookahs  , something like that is a possibility. 

Can anyone recommend a place with good food as well as some type of unique atmosphere/entertainment??

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***** Yes here are some (I like Aladdin, great food/appetizers - I hear the entertainment is good too!)

Aladdin Restaurant at 382 Main Street in Hackensack has shows with music, singers and dancers every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights. They also feature special show nights with famous singers from the Middle East. Call them at 201-498-9500 for hours and events. www.clubaladdin.com

Also check out this site for this and other places - they break it down by location such as Manhattan, Brooklyn, LI, NJ etc...!

http://www.bellydanceny.com/show.html

Goodluck and Happy Birthday (P.S. I hope you really meant HOOKAH's)

[EMcD]

In terms of bizarro fun, maybe Lee's Hawaiian Islander in Lyndhurst. Food isn't so hot, but the place on Friday and Saturday nights has karaoke that makes it seem like a "Magnum P.I." episode--as directed by David Lynch. At minimum, it's straight out of the Brady family trip to Hawaii.

Last time we were there, there was a guy who may have had some Wolfman DNA--a face FULL of fur--signing Johnny Cash with a flaming tropical drink in his paw, er, hand. But the show-stopper was an elderly Chinese staffer's rendition of "What a Feeling" from "Flashdance."

At minimum, it will halt any depression about being a year older.

[TongoRad]

That place sounds like a real hoot, EMcD, definitely up my alley. Along those lines I'll suggest Chan's Dragon Inn in Ridgefield- an honest to goodness tiki bar that hasn't really changed since the 60's. Great atmosphere (I just love the blowfish light fixtures), waiters in Hawaiian shirts, rum drinks, PuPu Platters- the works.

[richl2214]

That place sounds like a real hoot, EMcD, definitely up my alley. Along those lines I'll suggest Chan's Dragon Inn in Ridgefield- an honest to goodness tiki bar that hasn't really changed since the 60's. Great atmosphere (I just love the blowfish light fixtures), waiters in Hawaiian shirts, rum drinks, PuPu Platters- the works.

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Lee's Hawaiian Islander in Lyndhurst/Kearny on River Drive si definitely fun for a group. Food is pretty decent too. You get those HUGE pineapple and coconut drinks. Have a few and say goodnight

Edited August 30, 2005 by richl2214 (log)

[MsSumida]

That place sounds like a real hoot, EMcD, definitely up my alley. Along those lines I'll suggest Chan's Dragon Inn in Ridgefield- an honest to goodness tiki bar that hasn't really changed since the 60's. Great atmosphere (I just love the blowfish light fixtures), waiters in Hawaiian shirts, rum drinks, PuPu Platters- the works.

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Oh Man.....I love that stuff. In Essex Green Shopping Center (West Orange), There used to be a Chinese Restaurant called Golden China that was a cheap imitation of Trader Vic's (OK OK I'm dating myself). BUT, they had the best Mai Tai's and rum drinks. The woman who owned it was a tough cookie, but the food was always 'Amercian Cantonese' and always enjoyable. Boy... do I miss those places.

[scott123]

It's been a solid 10 years since I've been there, but I had a great time at Lucky Chengs in the city. You can't beat a Chinese restaurant with transvestite waiters for boosting the fun quotient. That is NYC, though.

Do you have access to a big open space for the night? You might want to track down a good chef that will cater it for you and then you can plan activities yourself. I know a couple of Indian places that do very competitively priced great tasting catered food. It also shouldn't be hard to 'drum' up someone to play tabla and sitar.

Btw, I ate at Marakesh a few years ago, and although the atmosphere was different/kind of fun and the couches were comfortable, the food didn't blow me away. Good but not phenomenal.

[Anonymouze]

My friends and I went out last night to Lee's Hawaiian in Lyndhurst about 2 miles from Rt 3.... we had a nice supper which consisted of an appetizer of "Pu-Pu Platter", Garlic Shrimp, Lychee Nut Duck and Fong Wong Gai (which I had been thinking of for many years, since I last had it in W. Orange at Golden China? which is no longer there.) which all tasted pretty good.

So anyhow we got there at 8pm finished by 9pm then the Karaoke began... lol

The guy in the hawaiian shirt did sing (and dance - OH MY! ) to What a feeling from flash dance... we laughed our heads off it was so funny... he was offkey (on purpose?) and all over the place with the song (made Elvis' drunk days look good! ) but we really did enjoy the many real good singers and the one or two that were, like myself beginners in Karaoke.

Then this one guy who had a velvet voice and sung from Elvis to Springsteen and I and two other nice gals from the next table (they were also celebrating birthdays!) all got up and sang "Summer Lovin'" from Grease and everyone applauded us heavily when we were done, my friends said "you guys were really great, I don't know why you were so nervous!" - Anyhow, it was a fun night and good food with plenty of left-overs and it was under $75.00 w/drinks which was nice too!

I know we will definitely be going back for the Fri or Sat Night Karaoke it was FUN!