Hawaiian Isle II, Concord, NH (restaurant)

Name:Hawaiian Isle II
Type:restaurant
Street:8 Hall Street
City:Concord
State:NH
Zip:03301
country:USA
Phone:(603) 228-0195
Status:operational

Description:
This large A Framed building looked promising! But alas, only 2 tiki plaques hang in the bar; the other decorations are beer and lottery signs. TV was on with some sort of sport activity. There was a hint of bamboo framing where a waitress might pick up drinks for the dining room.

The faux palm tree entryway to the dining room is across a wooden bridge. The rest of the room is nondescript.

The menu items seemed very similar to Kowloon, Bali Hai and HuKeLau.

driving from Boston to Vermont we planned on eating in Concord, NH ~ and saw this from the roadway.


nifty A Frame

there were no cars in the parking lot, and we had already had chinese-polynesian food 3 times in MA ~ so we decided to go in "for drinks" and to take pictures; but it didn't look incredibly promising.

camera in hand and all excited to have discovered something tiki in New Hampshire, we were met by a surly Chinese man. realizing there was nothing tiki in the dining room, we went into the bar "for a drink" as an excuse to poke around more. the surly man became the suspicious man ~ he handed us a drink menu, complete with pictures ~ but no mugs were in use. we ordered a diet coke and a mai tai.

there were a few handmade palm trees, a mural (pine trees), and a lava rock wall

Tiki-wise, there were 2:

while todd tried to drink is mai tai (strong booze but tinny tasting pineapple juice overpowered any other flavor in the drink) i sipped my diet coke. i think there was one guy drinking a beer at the bar. the Surly-Suspicious Chinese Man just watched me as i looked at the menus and around the restaurant. Todd and i concluded Mr Surly-Suspicious must think i was opening a competing restaurant or something...

as we paid our bar tab, i offered to buy a drink and dinner menu ~ my request was denied before i could finish my sentence. the dismay on my face was obvious. we told SSCM that we were visiting from Seattle and were happy to have found his Tiki Restaurant. SSCM gave us our change, and then rather grumpily handed me onematchbook, which i accepted with glee.

thinking back, maybe i should have offered to buy the tiki masks SSCM didn't seem to have any emotional attachment to them... dang. coulda, whoulda, shoulda...

elicia

Elicia, I've seen that surly, suspicious look on restaurant and motel owners before. Try going in with a full photo-vest if you really wanna see suspician. I picked up those same fiberglass masks (in much wilder colors) when a restaurant in Springfield, MO went under. I think they were made by Orchids of Hawaii. Again, thanks for posting pics; I feel like I'm along for the ride. Hey, can we stop at the next convenience store for a pop?

Sadly, I believe the Hawaiian Isle II is no longer with us. :(

The Hawaiian Isle II has been closed for some time. see this article ... http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/articleAID=/20060302/REPOSITORY/603020329/1031

But the original Hawaiian Isle is still going strong in Plaistow NH. It's next to the new Shaw's. The plaza got bought and the outside is getting a face lift. They are the original, it's got low key tikis at the bar. More traditional Chinese decor a-la Dragon Phoenix style. If you have not been inside in a while it probably looks just the way you remember it. They still deify the emperor with those imperial dragons. Yeah this place has been around for a long time.

It's Polynesian menu is very diverse. I say the chicken wings are the best around but you just can't go wrong with anything on the menu. Everyone has their favorites and they are all good.

Some drinks are served in tiki cups too. They serve a traditional brown Mia Tia in a high ball glass more than anything else. Not to dry, not to fruity, It's just right. I define the perfect brown Mia Tia by the way they make them.

Found this photo of the Hawaiian Isle II building.

And a matchbook advertising both the Hawaiian Isle I and II locations.

DC