Post #471758 by Mo-Eye on Sun, Jul 26, 2009 5:34 AM

Found a couple good articles describing this place. From Oct. 25, 1961:

"Leilani means gracious dining in luxurious surroundings. The new Polynesian Supper Club at 18615 W. Blue Mound Rd. must also mean that somewhere in the South Seas there is an island missing. Nearly everything from outrigger canoes and Tiki god figures to Polynesian cooks, has been imported by the owners of the newest restaurant sensation in the Milwaukee area. John and Paul Fechner, brothers, who built the club to go along with the successful Leilani Village Motel, said they have attempted to achieve the best possible quality of the cuisine and culture of the far away islands.

With the completion of the large Tahitian banquet room on the lower level, Paul Fechner said there will be room for more than 1000 people to dine and sit quietly in the plush settings, sipping such South Sea potions as Leilani Halfmoon. About 100 people are employed at the Leilani and the one who will have the most to do with making this the best restaurant in the midwest is 27 year old Joe Moy, chef in charge. Moy learned his difficult trade in restaurants in Hong Kong, Hawaii and San Francisco... ...the mahimahi fish are flown in each day fresh from Honolulu, where the natives catch them in the bay.

Some of the more popular rooms at the Leilani are the Malahini lounge, the Shell and Wahine rooms and the Garden terrace where on can dine in a jungle like setting. The numerous carved, heavy stone god heads that have caused so much comment at the Leilani are made from imported feather rock, which is the hardened foam of the lava that spews out on an erupting volcano. The wall of the stairway leading from the main floor to the lower level is composed completely of feather rock.

If it weren't for the one piece sarongs, the quiet, lovely dark haired waitresses could make one forget the Polynesian setting. They pad about the beautiful rooms and provide as much eye appeal as the Tiki gods did for the first museum collector who discovered them.

The Tahitian room, when completed, can be used for display purposes by area corporations and a specially designed wall allows cars to be driven into the banquet room for display."

Here is a great ad in the same issue :down:

Another March 29, 1962 article had some more good descriptions:

"Romantic music of the islands floods the five dining rooms, two cocktail lounges and huge private party rooms which seat more than 1000. Outrigger canoes hang from the ceiling. Turtle backs, massive sea shells, preserved starfish, black velvet paintings (for sale if you like them) adorn the lahala matted walls. There's enough bamboo in the restaurant to build a forest. Bars are made of monkey pod wood. Feather stone god heads peer at you from a hundred vantage points and rain cape thatched canopies provide unnecessary shelter but plenty of island atmosphere.

One of the dining rooms, the Garden Terrace, would have been better named the Jungle Room. Its authentic, all right. The only things lacking are a few live panthers and spear throwing natives. Its the perfect setting for a Witch Doctor cocktail, recommended only for the initiated. Then again the famed Leilani mystery drink might be more fitting, for with it you get the spine chilling crescendos of a Fu Manchu gong. After hearing it you're about due for the potion for four bracer which is served by a mystery sarong wrapped wahine.

And another ad from this issue :down:

Lastly, I also found some info on those other locations listed on the back of the one menu in a Jun 21, 1961 article. It says that the design concept of the Leilani Vilage has attracted people from all over the nation. The motel has had a steady 90% occupancy rate and last year had to turn away 8,000 room rentals. They catered a lot to large corporations and groups. It states that a leasing company is now handling contract work on other franchises for Leilani Village and that final transactions are now underway in Newark, NJ.

And here is a simple Oct. 1964 ad :down: