Hookah Lounges: An Overview
As prevalent in parts of the Middle East and India as delis or
Starbucks are in the United States, with one on every corner,
hookah lounges and hookah bars, once quite rare in the West,
have lately been seeing a rise in popularity here. From the
friendly ambience of many of these establishments to the
uniquely relaxed mood of hookah smoking and the kid-in-a-candy
store variety of flavorful tobaccos available, hookah lounges
and bars have a lot on offer.
Much of this upsurge in popularity is due to college and
university populations, who find hookah lounges an attractive
way to spend quality time with friends in a sober, but socially
easy, environment. Hookah lounges are big with sororities and
fraternities, but there are older sets of patrons on the scene
as well, and a multiplicity of ethnicities and people from all
walks of life can be found in various hookah lounges.
Different hookah bars and lounges offer different things to go
with the smoking experience. At some lounges, an older clientele
comes to play cards, backgammon, or chess, while pool tables,
video games, and big screen TVs are on offer for the younger
crowd. Many lounges serve food and drink, from Turkish coffee,
spicy chai, and honey-drenched bamieh fritters to foie gras and
Moroccan spiced lamb, while hookah bars offer everything from
wine and cocktails to package deals--including private booth or
lounge, hookah, drinks, and appetizers--which run about $125 for
four. Rental prices for hookahs in lounges generally run from $5
to $20 an hour, with tobacco prices from $4 to $9 per bowl.
Whatever's on offer, people feel comfortable enough to linger,
gathered round the hookah pipe. You can find directories of
hookah lounges in the U.S., Canada, and Europe at
www.hookahforum.com or www.hookahculture.com, and other sites
online.
Someone on staff--often the proprietor--is always happy to help
those new to the experience of hookah smoking and guide them
through it. Pipes are generally prepared for the patrons with
whatever exotic flavor of tobacco they choose. There's usually a
hookah coal carrier, circulating through the lounge with coals
and tongs to replenish any waning hookah coals.
Music ranges from jazz to hip hop to tablah-backed Middle
Eastern pop music, d