Lips
Reviews
Name: Ron Paine
Occupation: Marine Industry Technician
Lives In: Ft. Lauderdale
Favorite Restaurant: Lips
Reviewed Lips: March 8th, 2008
Lips is easy to find on Oakland Park Blvd. There is valet parking in front of the restaurant. There are two shows nightly and the “Gospel Brunch” on Sundays with some of the performers dressed as choir members. Everyone is offered a drink at the door, and then all are seated at the same time. You will get to relate to your server, who will be one of the performers when the show begins. After the food has been served, portions are good and the food quality and value are excellent. Everyone gets comfortable and the bright lights and music begin, and then you know it is show time. If you don’t like to be teased a little, this may not be for you. The performances are really high energy and full of laughs. Everyone leaves laughing. All in all, this is a great value. Where else can you get dinner and a show for around $30?
Note: A visit to the restaurant’s website will provide a lot of useful information for planning your outing.
Name: Eschel Hamel
Occupation: Systems Analyst
Lives In: Ft. Lauderdale
Favorite Restaurant: Grazianos
Reviewed Lips: March 26rd, 2008
My girlfriend and I arrived, dropped our car with the valet, and went in to see the host. There were only two 2-tops available, both of which were right in front of the stage, which was not my preference, but that’s all there was. We were seated, and our waitress arrived shortly thereafter. She took our order for wine ($28), which was brought out relatively quickly. Throughout this, loud techno and pop were playing over the sound system.
A little while later she came back and took our dinner orders. The sliders ($12) and salad ($7?) arrived quickly and were pretty enjoyable, and she came in to check on us, but the tuna main course ($25?) seemed slow in coming. We had to ask about it a couple times before it arrived, which it did right as the show started. So we ate during the warm-up routine and first number. The tuna was cooked perfectly and the sides were decent, if nothing exceptional.
The show is a series of lip-synced performances of more or less famous female-sung tunes. Some were better than others and throughout, the hostess kept the audience occupied and amused, frequently interacting with the various groups all over the dining room, often selecting birthday girls and bachelorettes to target with her wit and jokes.
Eventually there was a “fashion show” where each performer presented one of the desserts, which I found to be a novel and amusing way to show them off. Our waitress then came to our table and took our order of chocolate cake ($7?). It arrived during one of the next numbers and was simple, but quite tasty. I doubted it originated at Lips...
What bothered me was the moment where the hostess came to me and made me, albeit briefly, part of the show, placing her foot on my lap and dragging my head towards her. I wasn’t comfortable with that and would want anyone going to be aware of that possibility. I suspect most would be fine with it, but it’s an important thing to take into consideration.
Other than that, I had an enjoyable evening and would recommend it to any group having a big celebration/party.
Name: Donnamarie Baptiste
Occupation: Liquor Brand Manager
Lives In: Miami
Favorite Restaurant: B & M Market
Reviewed Lips: March 23rd, 2008
When I arrived at Lips for Sunday brunch, $3.00 valet parking was available-a nice, very affordable luxury. After valet-ing my car, I headed inside to be greeted by the friendly host and my choice of a mimosa, glass of champagne or a bloody Mary. I chose a glass of champagne and headed to the bar to wait to be seated. I decided to stay at the bar, as I met a friendly group of gay older men and chatted with them until they were seated. I decided to order steak, eggs, tomatoes and another bloody Mary from one of the lively bartenders. My food arrived quickly, and the portion was pretty usual. The steak wasn’t a terrific cut, but cooked to order. (medium) My eggs were over cooked, as I ordered them over medium, but I ate them anyway. The presentation was simple-diner style. I noticed the bar wasn’t particularly top-shelf, but I suppose at the prices they were asking, ($16.50 for brunch menu, plus all you can drink mimosas, bloody Mary’s and champagne) you can’t complain. I had fun conversations with some of the “waitresses” who were dressed in anything from nun’s habits to glamorous Oscar gowns. I checked out a few of the drag performers doing their lip-syncing performances to fun, upbeat gospel songs. I tipped a few of the performers, got my check and picked up my car from valet. I have seen my fair share of drag shows, so a few performances were enough for me.
This is a place to go if you want to be entertained and aren’t looking for fine dining. It’s a fun time for the open minded.
Restaurant Information
Location: 1432 East Oakland Park Blvd., Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33334
Parking: Valet available
Phone: 954-567-0987
Website: www.lipsusa.com
Restaurant Owners: Group owned
Type of Cuisine: American
Signature Dishes: none
Vegetarian Options: Vegetarian Options Available
Alcohol Served: Yes
Restaurant Hours:
Monday – Closed
Tuesday – 7pm, 7:30pm, and 8pm
Wednesday – 7pm, 7:30pm, and 8pm
Thursday –7pm, 7:30pm, and 8pm
Friday – 6:30pm or 7pm, 9pm or 9:30pm
Saturday – 6:30pm or 7pm, 9pm or 9:30pm
Sunday – 11am or 11:30am, 1:00pm or 1:30pm, 7pm, 7:30pm, or 8pm
Meals Served: Dinner and Sunday brunch
Prix Fixe Menu: Yes, it is available
Take-Out: No
Delivery: No
Average Dinner Price Range (per person, full meal, tax, 15% gratuity, w/o alcohol): $25
Payment Options: Cash and all major credit cards
Accept Reservations: Yes
Need Reservations: Yes
How far in advance do you require reservations be made: 2 weeks in advance
Accommodations for Children: No
Dining Style: restaurant and dinner theater
Disabled Access: Yes
Restaurant Size: Medium to Large
Accommodate Groups: Yes, with reservations
Private Dining Room: Yes
Tables with Scenic Views: No
Outdoor Dining: No
Entertainment: Yes, every meal