I still haven't had a chance to try a full meal here but have had dessert and hookah. The pastry was not very good but the hookah was solid. I tried the braklava and really was disappointed. The atmosphere is nice for what it is. Solid bar and beer menu as well. I will probably go back but it's definitely not a place I would be a regular at.
Review Source:This place has a great atmosphere and is the perfect place to begin, end, or just stay for the night. Â The huge draw here is hookah, but they also have a great drink selection and delicious appetizers. Â I've never eaten any of the entrees but the hummus and feta dip are amazing. Â Highly recommend this place.
Review Source:1. Get there early to enjoy hookah without all the overwhelming cigarette smoke that takes over the place after 11pm.
2. Belly dancers are a LOT of fun to watch. But beware, if the restaurant tells you they're supposed to dance at 9-ish, it'd be safe to say they'll start around 9:30-10pm.
3. Their Hookah is very fairly priced and they have quite a nice selection, including the ability to combine flavors, but after trying it 2 times, I am convinced they skimp on the amount of goods inside each hookah. I've had to send mine back a couple times on different occasions and request more stuff (tobacco/fruit leaves etc--whatever they put in there that makes it taste good.)
4. The food is just ok.
5. The owner is very sweet and he ALWAYS seems to be around. He sits in the back smoking up a hookah storm. Either that or he's walking around taking pictures of the belly dancers and any other women bold enough to get up and dance with her. Â
Hey--at least he believes in his product!
I really like this place. Curling up on the cushions in the window was really nice (it's definitely a different experience from sitting at one of their tables), and the hookah was thick and smooth - at the waitress's suggestion, I tried the peach flavor, and it was wonderful. Coming from an Arabic family, I can honestly say the food I ate was "authentic" Middle Eastern cuisine. Although I feel they didn't serve enough food for the dish I chose, it was all hot and delicious, and the hummus was great (if not a little heavy on the tahini - but oh man, who's complaining?). The pita bread wasn't the dry "pocket bread" kind; it was softer, served fresh and warm. All in all, a great place to unwind, hang out, and fill up on Arabic food. My suggestion? Order a dish of those greasy, black olives with your meal.
Review Source:update March 2011-
Having had the chance to go to other hookah bars since first trying Cairo, I've become jaded and disenchanted with Knoxville's offering. Â The main thing that irks me is how freaking terrible the sound system is that they blast far beyond what anyone can possibly endure. Â Blood curdling. Â The speakers are blown out and they sound like ice picks ramming into your skull. Â I've walked right out on more than one occasion just for that reason. Â Seriously. Â Walked in, looked for a seat, began to cringe thinking o crap now I'm almost commited to sitting even tho my ears are being raped, maybe it will stop, no, it's so horrible, o god, we have to leave right now, turn around, exit. Â Unless you are deaf and or don't mind screaming over the noise box that so indelicately accompanies the belly dancing, I recommend you find another venue. Â And just to clarify, I love belly dancing and belly dancing music. Â
The smokes are good and the food is ok but nothing special (you can get the same flavor from Kroger). Â The pillows on the floor are nasty. Â It's so dark I guess they think we can't tell. Â Still, if they would turn the speakers down 400 notches and make the food from scratch with some fresh herbs and spices, this could be a great hang. Â Who doesn't love smoking some peach or apple tobacco with friends? Â So come on Cairo, get your act together. Â Invest in your music, clean up a bit, and make better hummus. Â Alas, I just can't stomach the mediocrity and jacked up decibels of Cairo.
Edit 11/28/10
This place no longer has a good wine list... but my husband had soup and he said it was really good.
This place is great to hang out in, its very very casual!... get a drink (they have some good wines which is hard to find in Knoxville) , have a hookah (I'm not a fan of the hookah there... I am very picky about hookah so I bring my own) , watch the bellydance show (if the dancer is good! can be a hit or miss!) .... I have ate there alot , since I worked as the bellydancer for awhile, but always ate the same thing... babaganosh .....I'm kinda into healthy eating so that leaves most all of the dishes out for me. my husband likes the soups but lately they've been to salty for him. Â Its a fun place check it out sometime with an open mind
Cairo Cafe/Mirage is definitely a stand-out in Knoxville. The interior's great for relaxing- wood paneling and dark red walls enclose a bar, table area, and (my favorite) a room with short tables surrounded by cushions. It's a bit smokey but less so than the bars that have cigarette smoking indoors.
The food's pretty good, depending on what you get. The pita bread's fine, Â definitely not made in-house. The feta dip is ah-ma-zing, and the lamb chops are delicious. The tzatziki can be skipped.
The service was also good- they split checks for large groups multiple times for us (not to mention putting up with large groups in the first place!).
The belly dancers are varied. We saw one who was a good dancer but looked like she was trying to copy a video of belly dancing, and another who was actually trained in it. They didn't stay in one place and dance very much- maybe 1/4 a song in each side of the bar, moving around the bar for 2 songs at a time. & apparently you're supposed to tip them? That felt a little sketch to me, but it looked like the regulars were used to it.
Saving the best for last: the hookahs rocked. They're better than anything I've had in much bigger cities. The jasmine, rose, and peach particularly were all very smooth and flavorful. Apricot was another favorite, although you felt it a little more.
First off, I always call this place Mirage. Â I think the name of it at night is Mirage and during the day it's Cairo Cafe.
This place makes you feel like you are in a different city other than Knoxville. Â It was truly a cool experience with hookah smoking, belly dancers, and a front room filled with cushions where you sit on. Â I tried several of the appetizers however my favorite was the feta dip. Â It was wonderful. Â The hummus, baba ganoush, and the stuffed grape leaves were also quite good. Â I also tried the Kofta Kabob (ground beef). Â It was fantastic. Â The lamb chops are also a great choice!
The service was lacking majorly. Â We only saw our server every 20 minutes or so. Â We would order a bottle of wine and they would be out and it would take her a while to get back to us on that. Â Overall I thought it was a unique experience unlike any other you will find in Knoxville. Â It will also make you feel like you are out of Knoxville which can be a great feeling! Â Try it out!
The cushy interior is very conducive to a relaxing night of jasmine and rose shisha. Â Bring a few friends and they'll keep the coals going for four hours if you so desire, and they'll be happy to split the $10 per hookah check at the end of the night. Â The Arabic television will keep you entranced while you lounge around, and the hummus and babaghanouj come garnished with olives with unlimited refills on pita bread. Â
However, come here with a lot of patience. Â Sloooooow service and it wasn't even busy. Â 20 minutes for a glass of water. Â Why???
Updating my review to 4 stars...been there a few more times and service has improved. Â One of our favorite things to do when people come visit.
Large Space, Arabic Music Videos, Comfy Floor Pillows, Belly Dancers, Tastey Hummus and Even Tastier Hookah...
I've visited this place around 3 or 4 times now, each time for Hookah ad drinks. Â Their prices are very reasonable(compared to places I used to go in Boston). Â The food is good, though I haven't had too many things.
Turns out I'm a big Hookah fan, and I recommend the Melon for beginners (like me) and the Cherry for those wanting a nicer buzz. Â They will also mix any flavors you want, and my friends love a Caramel and Coffee mix.
On Saturdays they have live belly dancing...most nights after 11 or so they crank the music up and everyone starts dancing a little, so if you're looking for a place to relax and have quiet conversation, try to get there around 9 or so before the place turns into a "club".
I'd only give them 3 stars, because the service has been rather poor (at one point I had to literally get up and find our waitress because our Hookah coals had completely gone out) last couple of times we've been there, on both Hookah, drinks, and food. Â It's an understandable relaxed atmosphere, but when there's only a couple of people in the place not seeing your server for over 30 mins is a little silly.
I'd give 'em 3 1/2 if I could.
The hookah's great, lots of flavors, and insanely cheap. I've paid three times as much for hookah and not had nearly as good an experience.
Haven't had the food yet, but the fianC says it's great. I'll definitely up the rating if that's the case next time I go.
The service is spotty. One time we didn't know whether to sit down or wait to be seated, so we waited, and waited, and waited some more, until the owner got up from the bar where he'd been staring at us for a while (not joking) and asked us if we wanted a table... Just got back from there this evening, and wouldn't yet be home if the coals hadn't gone out on the hookah (though was time to be gettin' home anyway)...
The atmosphere is okay. Belly dancer is a nice touch, though the one we saw tonight is obviously American, which I thought was a little bit of a downer. Decor is little shoddy, but aight.
Let's just say, the place could stand for a little competition in the area. That'd bring it up a notch.
Well, they have hookahs after 9, I believe. I've actually not tried the hookahs there, but I like how all the smoking is off limits until a certain hour. Their selection of vegetarian entrees is zero, but their appetizers are very good, and since I don't eat much anyway I was happy.
I will be back.
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