Any links in this post to a merchant may contain an affiliate link, which means that if you click on that link and then buy something, I may earn a commission from it. However, all opinions in this link are 100% mine and 100% honest. If I didn't believe in a particular product, I wouldn't recommend it to you.
When traveling with kids, it’s important to find restaurants that are as kid-friendly as they are delicious. In American Samoa, one of the best restaurants for families is Shan-J’s Pizza Park. It is unlike any other restaurant on Earth. It really is a great hidden gem for families. Keep reading to find out why!
Why you’ll love Shan-J’s Pizza Park
Shan-J’s is a pizza joint, hang-out patio, pick-up place, and playground all rolled into one. This is an excellent choice for parents who are looking for a place to socialize with friends over a casual dinner while the kids play nearby.
Plus, the menu is full of kid favorites! So, you can be assured your kids will want to stop playing to eat!
Location
Please know that there are several different Shan-J’s restaurants scattered around the island. However, they all serve different types of food. The pizza park is definitely the most unique of them all. It is also the most family friendly of their restaurants.
Shan-J’s Pizza Park is located on the main island of American Samoa. You can find it across the street from Ace Hardware tucked behind a small convenient store.
You can just barely see the sign from the main road. So, you will have to be on the lookout in order to find this place.
The fact that it is somewhat hidden adds to its charm and makes it a great uncrowded family-friendly place to hang out.
Food
The menu at Shan-J’s Pizza Park includes pizza, burgers, chicken, french fries, and a selection of buffet items. The food was delicious.
While this is a great place to hang out with family friends, it is also the perfect place to pick up a quick dinner to take home.
When we ate here, we actually decided to go with chicken and burgers instead of pizza. This was one of the best burgers I have had on the island.
However, one drawback is that the chicken takes 25 minutes to come out. This could be annoying at times, especially if you have hungry kids with you. I did appreciate, though, that the staff warned us about the wait on the chicken before finalizing our order.
Theme/Decor
Like many places in American Samoa, the theme and decor of the restaurant seems to have been an afterthought. However, you won’t miss a lack of decorating at Shan-J’s because the focus of this place is the huge playground in the middle of the outdoor seating area.
There are a few tables inside, but most of the seating is outdoors on two covered patios that sit in an L-shape. In the middle of them is the playground, complete with swings, slides, a sandbox, and a fireman’s pole. There is also a hammock off to the side for relaxing.
On the far side, you will see a couple of basketball courts. There is a sign up near the courts saying that there is a fee of $1 or $2 to play.
My son thoroughly enjoys the playground. It was nice to have something to entertain him while we waited for our food.
There is plenty of space for kids to run around and burn some energy. The set-up of the space makes it easy for parents to sit at a table and watch their kids play. This setup is especially wonderful if you are meeting friends for dinner and want to visit while the kids play.
Price
The prices of food at Shan-J’s are very affordable. Pizzas range from $13-32 depending on size and variety. The other meals fall in the $4-7 range.
This is a great place to take the whole family without spending a fortune on food. Compared to other eating establishments on the island, Shan-J’s is pretty average in price.
Service
While it took longer than I felt it should for the chicken and fries, I have to say that the service at Shan-J’s was better than average.
Even though it is a counter-service restaurant, one of the ladies working brought our food out to us. She also made sure that we had napkins, condiments, and anything else that we needed to enjoy our meal. I appreciated this.
Conclusion
Shan-J’s Pizza Park is a very affordable, family-friendly pizza joint in American Samoa. Its location is hidden behind a convenience store, which adds to its charm and ensures that it won’t be overly crowded. This is the perfect restaurant to catch up with friends while the kids run around and play.
The food is delicious, and because most of the seating is outdoors, you won’t have to worry about your kids getting too loud or rambunctious during dinner.
If you are looking for a quick, casual restaurant to eat with your kids in American Samoa, I highly recommend Shan-J’s Pizza Park.
For more information on Shan-J’s, check out their Facebook page.
For other places to eat in American Samoa, see my review of Goat Island Cafe. For advice on your trip to American Samoa, see my tips for visiting and things to do with kids.
Happy travels!
P.S. Need help finding the best places to go on your family vacations? My Ultimate USA Bucket List for Families will instantly give you 60 of the best vacation destinations for families in the United States! Get it for FREE in the box below and start planning your next trip today! Plus, as a bonus, you will receive my weekly email newsletter full of family trip tips and inspiration!
Leave a Reply