There are a lot of places to enjoy fantastic food, wine, cocktails and nightlife in New York City. Have you been to most of the places in this city and now you are wondering where you should go? As you are here, you must be planning on visiting a hookah bar. With that said, let us take this chance to fill you in on some of the hookah hot spots in NYC!
There are several hookah bars in NYC, which are designed as per the Middle Eastern pizzazz. As the décor is Middle Eastern, you will be sitting on velvet pillows set on the ground and having mint tea whilst enjoying your hookah. Some hookah bars also serve Mediterranean food along with hookah. The most common dishes offered are Hummus and Baba Ghannouj. Some places also offer a full meal, which is followed by mint tea and a hookah. The atmosphere may either be on the more peaceful side, which is perfect for lengthy conversations while passing the hookah hose around or you can choose to be in an upbeat setting with live music and belly dancers. Irrespective of the environment, you’ll get a terrific Middle Eastern experience.
Certain places are very expensive while some give hookah at really affordable prices. You can also smoke tobacco from a fruit such as orange, but it will definitely cost a bit more. A hookah session that lasts longer than 60 minutes can cost between $12 and $30.
Top Hookah Lounges
Without further ado, this is a list of probably the most popular hookah bars/lounges to check out in Manhattan:
Sultana – 128 E 4th St (between 1st Ave & 2nd Ave), New York, NY 10003
Having comfortable couches and pillows and a calm setting, Sultana offers the true Middle Eastern experience. Their Turkish coffee and mint tea are popular around Manhattan. If you decide to eat, the grilled lamb and falafel will be sure to satisfy your appetite.
Karma – 51 First Ave, New York, NY 10003
You can think of it as a fashionable Middle Eastern lounge. Velvet couches and original artwork on the walls make Karma a unique spot to enjoy hookah. They also offer cocktails and other drinks at a specially designed bar. Karma has two levels. The downstairs lounge is a bit more cozy and comfortable, but it opens only at night. The main floor, nonetheless, is open from 1pm to 4am. They have a wide selection of tobacco flavors you can choose from or you can even provide your own tobacco.
Le Souk – 510 Laguardia Place, New York, NY 10012
Le Souk is made on multiple floors and it is based in the East Village. The spectacular Middle Eastern décor makes the atmosphere of this club sultry. You can find authentic hookahs and French-Moroccan food. Don’t forget about your dancing shoes as you are going to be dancing the night away. A stringent dress code is used at the place.
Tagine Dining and Hookah Bar – 537 9th Ave (between 39th St & 40th St), New York, NY 10018
A soothing and entertaining bar with excellent hookah and fantastic food. Excellent entertainment, wonderful décor and fantastic food set this bar apart from the rest.
Cozy Café Hookah Bar – 43 East 1st Street, New York, NY 10003
Yet another relaxing bar with an excellent food and drink menu along with authentic hookah. They regularly hold live belly dancing shows in the bar.
Cafe Khufu – 61 E 3rd St (between 1st Ave & 11th St, New York, NY 10003
On the lower east side of Manhattan, this café offers a wonderful atmosphere. Besides hookah, various snacks, coffees and teas are available at this bar.
Kazuza – 107 Ave A, New York, NY 10009
It is a multi purpose establishment with a restaurant, bar and hookah lounge. With a comfortable ambiance, this place is great to hang out with your buddies and have long conversations with them. They also provide wine along with other cocktails. The menu has a number of foods such as hamburgers, paninis, wraps, chicken and shish kebabs. Each night a live DJ entertains the customers in the bar with American and Mediterranean music. There are belly dancing performances on Friday and Saturday nights.
Hookah bars and lounges are not just in Manhattan. You will find a number of hookah lounges in Queens and Brooklyn too. Due to the fact that most people enjoy heading into Manhattan to have their fill of the night-life, the lounges and bars are more intimate and the venues are not extremely packed in Brooklyn and Queens. If you live in Brooklyn or Queens, you have a wide range of spots to enjoy shisha. Check out some of these popular hookah bars and lounges:
Queens
Hookah Lounge – 107-29 Metropolitan Ave, Forest Hills, NY 11375
Deja Vu – 33-22 28th Ave, Astoria, NY 11103
Teal Lounge – 22-79 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 11105
Layali Beirut Cafe Restaurant – 25-60 Steinway St, Astoria, NY 1110
Brooklyn
Zamaan Hookah Bar and Restaurant – 349 Broadway
Brooklyn, NY 11211
Red Mist Hookah Lounge & Cafe – 569 Coney Island Ave (between Beverly Rd & Lewis Pl)
Brooklyn, NY 11218
7 Hills Cafe – 849 Manhattan Ave (between Noble St & Milton St), Brooklyn, NY 11222
Cafe Tabu – 2205 Ave X, Brooklyn, NY 11235
If you’re a hookah lover in NYC, you have numerous choices of venues to select from. Make sure that you select the right bar and the right flavor.
Hookah Joe is a writer specializing in hookah-related topics. You can check out more of his work at www.hookahdetective.com, where he provides information on hookah topics, like best hookah bars in NYC.
Hookah Joe 