If you’ve ever visited the Middle East, you probably know the merits of hookah. It’s the perfect supplement for a relaxing evening among pals.
If you like watching your breath move to the rhythm of the air, visiting a hookah bar should probably be next on your list of nighttime activities in NYC.
You also might also enjoy hookah if you’re not yet 21 and looking for an evening activity with your friends that will still make you feel semi-badass-- but be wary that some hookah bars will ID you to get in the door.
If you want to find a good hookah bar, your first stop should definitely be Steinway Street in Astoria, the hookah capital of New York City.
Where else should you head to puff on some hookah pipes in NYC? Read on and discover our top 7 recommendations.
1. Le Souk Restaurant (510 LaGuardia Place)
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This East Village restaurant and hookah bar was started by two brothers with a vision of representing their culture by bringing together the fusion of North African and Middle Eastern food.
They certainly succeeded, as their space is huge, dark, and candlelit, their vibe is amazing, and their nightlife is popping.
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If you come here once, you’re likely to get hooked and return week after week. Le Souk hosts belly dancers, avant-garde music, and an army of celebrity chefs.
If you’re into fire dancers, snake charmers, and an overall wild time, this should probably be the venue for your birthday party, your next date, or your Wednesday night solo hang out.
2. Fayrooz Hookah Lounge & Bar (28-08 Steinway Street - Astoria)
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Open until 3 a.m., this gem sparkles right on the center of Steinway Street, NYC’s hookah capital.
The vibe is very Middle Eastern-- from the food, to the drinks, flavored tobacco, music, and dancing.
It’s also turned way up. You should come here if you’re interested in finding a party, but if you’re looking for chill or relaxed, you’d do best to huff your hookah elsewhere.
As Fayrooz puts it, this hookah bar is excellent for feeling “relaxed and crunk at the same time.”
If you head here on a weekend evening, the music will be on full blast, the alcohol will be flowing, and everyone will be getting down.
3. Teal (22-79 Steinway Street - Astoria)
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Also located on Steinway Street in Astoria, Teal is definitely on the cozier side. If you’re hankering for some fusion cuisine, a relaxed atmosphere, and the occasional belly dancing performance, this might be the hookah bar for you.
The prices are dialed back too, which is always excellent. They serve Middle Eastern dishes, but that doesn’t stop them from also serving hamburgers and French fries.
Teal’s intimate feel doesn’t prevent the occasional dance party from breaking out either. Teal’s known to get rowdy on weekend evenings once all the hookah’s softened everyone’s nerves. Why not check it out?
4. Khyber Pass (34 St. Mark's Place)
This Afghan eatery is a great hookah bar in a dope location.
Most often frequented by NYU students and East Village locals, this is the sort of place you can hit up alone or with a crowd.
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The menu is healthy, delicious, ethnic and affordable. Khyber Pass also features a wide variety of vegetarian options.
If you’re looking to diversify your taste buds, or you’re from Afghanistan and you miss speaking Farsi and eating Afghan dumplings, this might be your next spot for a dinner and hookah smoking sesh.
,5. Babylon Hookah Lounge (208 East 34th Street)
With a fitting name, this midtown hookah bar provides Middle Eastern eats, cocktails, and DJ spun jams.
Belly dancers perform on the weekends, the hookah coals are changed often, and the drinks are strong.
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In our humble opinion, Babylon’s pineapple head hookah is their most excellent flavor, but they also offer a staggering number of other options, including grapefruit head flavors and “regular” flavors, like gum and sweet melon and mint.
Their space is huge, and if you come here on a weekend, it’s bound to be a popping party.
6. Melody Café (25-95 Steinway Street - Astoria)
With a unique and lively vibe, this hookah bar is also clustered in Steinway Street’s cache of hookah bars.
While the space is small, the music is off the chain. It’s mostly hip hop, rap, and reggae, and their variety of hookah flavors is almost staggering.
It tends to get pretty packed on the weekends, so if you’re into getting close and personal with other hookah lovers, you’ll be likely to have the opportunity to meet them here.
7. La Sultana (124 East 4th Street)
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The vibe here is just lovely-- the front interior is decked with exposed brick, red satin couches, and a conglomeration of well-lit, gorgeous ceiling chandeliers.
The back is decorated with an array of hanging Moroccan lamps, and, as they say, is where the party’s at.
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La Sultana’s most excellent hookah flavor is rose and blue mist hookah, and their mint tea, beer, and hummus are off the chain. They serve a wide variety of menu options, from kabob to shawarma to cheesecake.
They also feature a full bar, and while their hookah flavors aren’t the most exotic in the city, they also aren’t the most expensive.
You know what pairs well with hookah? 6 Karaoke Bars in NYC to Get Your Drink On.