Hawaiian Gardens is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. It is the smallest city in the county in area and was incorporated on April 9, 1964. The population was 14,149 at the 2020 census, down slightly from 14,254 at the 2010 census. The city's unusual name originated with a 1920s refreshment stand that was decorated with palm fronds and bamboo. It was the then-rural area's main landmark for many years, and its name stuck as the small town grew up around it.