Egyptian has always been one of my favorite, if not my favorite, hookah bars. The atmosphere is unique and comfortable, it is low-key while maintaining a feeling of going out on the town. The feel to this place is unlike any others. There's interesting music playing in the background and sometimes they have live music or DJs.
The hookahs are always great and last for a long time. The wait staff comes to check the table and flip the coals in a timely fashion and I've never felt abandoned while smoking a harsh, bad tasting hookah. My favorite hookahs from there are the fruit flavored ones. The peach, double apple, and apricot are all fantastic. I've also smoked the house special mixed flavor Egyptian blend, which was also great. The regular hookahs are $8.99 and the specialty hookahs are $10.99. Fret not about germs, the cafe gives out mouth pieces for each person at the table to smoke. The food and drinks are also great here. They have beers, wine, and sangria. The pesto hummus (rather, any of the hummus) is great as well as the Egyptian fries. The gyros are great and the lamb kabob is also worth trying. Don't be afraid of these new foods; they are all delicious and worth expanding horizons!
A few friends recommended this place as best hookah bar in broad ripple so, we thought to give it a shot. I've been to a few hookah places before but I must say I loved the atmosphere here. It is cozy and warm with a beautiful decor that doesn't come in your way but is relaxing to look at. The quality of food was decent and the time spent at Egyptian was well worth the money. I simply fell in love with the Egyptian tea. Its aroma freshened me up and made my day. Â Butter chicken was good too although the bread could've been better. Loved the variety of Hummus they have. I am definitely going back whenever I crave to chill out with a Hookah in my hand.
Review Source:They've gotten their act together since Lava opened. Good music again, revamped their falafel sandwich, staff is much friendlier and more attentive, and hookahs and shisha are better quality than Lava. The one thing that I really, really do not like are the awkwardly low tables. I can't get my knees under them so I spend the entire time slouching to reach my table. But hey, everything else is good.
Review Source:The only thing the Egyptian had going for it was the location. The convenience of being right in the heart of Broad Ripple was great. Now with Lava there is no point in coming here anymore. The service and the quality of tobacco have always be lacking and haven't gotten any better even with some of their clientele frequenting Lava instead.
Hookah: 3/5
Service: 2/5
Location: 4/5
Ok, I like hookah.
I've been to more hookah bars than I can count on 2 hands.
Some have food, some dont.
Some have good drinks, some dont.
Some of a fun atmosphere, others are pretty basic.
This one was all of the above.
A group of us were in town for some business training and out of the 6 nights we were there, we came here twice.
First of all, our server's name was "Pants". Nickname of course, but that's what we called him for the remainder of the night. Fun guy, definitely added to the fun.
This particular place has options for heads/toppers. We chose a pineapple. And it was glorious.
The sangria's weren't very strong, but they were definietly tasty.
I recommend trying the Skittles flavor (a specialty flavor).
Whatever they're using there works really, really well because that was the best I've had, ever.
My other favorite aspect was the open (garage) doors for some outside ambiance.
Wish I lived in that town because I haven't found a hookah bar that good where I am.
NOTE: City ordinance has changed and they are now 21+ years.
Sorry, kids! :/
The service was really bad -- we sat there for 15 minutes before anyone even acknowledged our presence, while the wait staff wandered around, goofed off, went out for Starbucks. Â Then suddenly the service became friendly and attentive, with the server spending a good deal of time talking about the hookahs. Â The menu is, well, diverse. Â Hummus, spanakopita, dolmades, but then japaleno poppers and mozzarells sticks. Â Gyros, kabobs, schwarma, but also chicken fingers, burgers, Philly cheese steak. Â And everything comes with "Egyptian fries," which are, well, French fries. Â So I can't speak for the "authenticity" of the place, but that being said, the chicken souvlaki was really good. Â And it's fairly reasonably priced. Â Also: Â hipster heaven!
Review Source:This is tough. On one hand, The Egyptian Cafe serves up some of the most delightful fries I've had. Crispy, toasty, with the perfect amount of spice and love. And that, good Yelpers, is where the delight ends for me.
I dropped by here for lunch with a colleague of mine and besides those tasty fries, nothing was delightful. Not only was the service extra surly, but it was exceptionally slow. And there were four people in the entire restaurant.
Look, I realize that this place is probably a hopping establishment in the evening hours due to its hooka availability, but if you're going to serve lunch, at least attempt a smile. Our server couldn't have looked and acted more irritated with us and with life if he tried. On to the food...
The prices: Are fair, but the portions are moderate. Again, if you like fries, get an order of the plain and go to town.
Falafel: Incredibly dry and lacking in flavor. There was way too much pita wrapped around those poor balls. The falafel didn't stand a chance. I would have asked for more sauce, but our server was in the back sulking.
So, if you need some lunch, try your chances and hope for the best at Egyptian Cafe. At least order the fries.
Stop reading now if you are squeamish. Â
Since moving to Broad Ripple at the start of 2012, I've made it a mission of mine to eat at every non-chain restaurant in town. Â This mission brought me to the Epyptian Cafe one afternoon for lunch. Â Walking in, seemed like a nice enough place, a few people were smoking hookah's, so it smelled faintly pleasant, interesting decor, and I'm a sucker for Mediterranean food, so things were off to a good start.
As I was reviewing the menu, I noticed a faint foul odor. Â At first I chalked it up to one of the hookah flavors not agreeing with me, but returning back to the menu it got stronger, and that's when I realized the horror that had occurred. Â My menu was covered in vomit. Â It was a trifold menu and there were just some slight dried up splatters on the section I was looking at, I carefully, fearfully, opened up the rest of the menu to reveal that the inside was completely covered in vomit, a large portion of it still wet.
I pointed this out to my waiter who apologized and threw away the menu, then brought me a new one, but didn't offer to comp my lunch, or have a manager come talk to me or nothing. Â If it weren't for my "Eat everywhere in Broad Ripple" mission I would have just left, but I figured I might as well cross this place off my list and be done with it.
I had a chicken schwarma pita wrap, and it was passably OK. Â To be honest my stomach was turning from the entire incident and I probably wouldn't have enjoyed even the best food in town. Â I also realize that this must have been a very isolated incident, but seriously, even happening once is entirely unacceptable, and I would have hoped they would have done something to make it right other then just giving me a non-vomit menu.
I'm 98.56% sure we inconvenienced the hostess at Egyptian Cafe from the minute we crossed the threshold. The service was in what I like to call "sloth mode" -- and to top it off, our visit came complete with a side of "fuckoff" facial expressions. Â
To be fair, my previous visits to the The Egyptian Cafe & Hookah Bar have generally been more pleasant than this particular day.
Our falafel sandwiches were on the dry side. Falafel typically needs a healthy dose of Tzatziki or some other sauce to help it slide down. (Listen to me, trying to act like some sort of falafel expert er something). Unfortunately, this wrap was light on the sauce and heavy on the bread. For moi, the falafel is the main event...not the pita bread. The pita bread is there for construction purposes.
My next visit will most likely consist of some couch time with Absolem.
I like to make sure my that my magic carpet flies through The Egyptian whenever possible! Â There is so much to love about this hooka bar from start to finish!
Upon entering The Egyptian you are pleasantly greeted by a ton of atmosphere and charisma to get you geared up to get your hooka on! Everything from the art on the walls, the music in your ear, the decor at your grasp and the flavors in the air draw you in immediately. Â Even if you have never enjoyed the art of hooka, you will leave The Egyptian feeling like a pro. Â
At The Egyptian you will find people on the nightlife stroll, lounging after a rough day, hanging out with friends, or even putting in some work on the laptop. Â Whatever your mood, you'll have a great time here.
A huge bonus here is the staff! Â Everyone is so knowledgeable of the products offered. Â Whether you need help choosing a hooka flavor, ( or 2, or 3) one of their cultural and delicious entrees or drink selections, the staff is happy to help. Â In no way will you be making any blind selections at The Egyptian. Â Everyone is extremely helpful and well informed. Â You can ask as many questions as you like to make your choice exactly what you want. Â While attending with quite the picky and indecisive bunch, our waitress offered to make us a special blend of flavors that was her personal favorite. Â We agreed and we were not disappointed! Â What a sweetheart, right!?
Speaking of the menu, there are SO many awesome and intriguing hooka flavors to choose from. Â Whatever the pallet craves, there's something for everyone. Â You can choose a single flavor, create your own mixtures, choose from a selection of mixtures on the menu and even add a huge hunk of fruit to your hooka! Â Outside of the hooka... whatever you do, if you do nothing else, HAVE THE FRENCH FRIES! Â Oh Mylanta the fries will make you get down on one knee! Â Another one of my fav's is the Bubble Tea! Â It's by far the cutest beverage I have ever drank in my life! Just make sure you aren't lactose intolerant!
All in all, The Egyptian Cafe and Hooka Bar is a great place to lounge before or after going bar hopping, it's a great bar to hop, you can't be over nor under dressed, there's no cover (whoo hoo!) and the free Wi-Fi is definitely something to write home about! Go! Now!
I LOVE The Egyptian. Â Hands down, best hookah in the city.
I fell for the Egyptian when I was studying at Purdue, since they have a location on campus. Â When I moved to Indy, I was happy to be close to my favorite hookah spot. Â I like going out on the weekend nights like everyone else, but I always enjoy a nice daytime hookah at The Egyptian.
The hookah selection is wonderful, and the staff is really knowledgeable about the flavors. Â I often ask for suggestions, and I'm rarely disappointed. Â If you're new to hookah, I recommend the Pharaoh or King Tut. Â These blends are really smooth and last for hours. Â Some hookah bars have hookahs that get "harsh" really quickly, and this is never the case at the Egyptian. Â Their blends are smooth from start to finish. Â
The food is great here too. Â I usually like to get the hummus plate to enjoy along with my hookah. Â Their chicken shish is flavorful and always a hit.
All in all: best hookah bar in Indianapolis. Â Smooth blends, great music and attentive service. Â Try it out soon!
Overall, this place is fine.  The service is not consistent nor is the hookah regardless of what time you go.  I went on a Wednesday evening one time with some friends and we got 2 hookahs. One tasted very harsh while the other was fine. When we mentioned it to our server, he just blew on the hookah some and said it was fine.  They also have minimums per person.  It wasn't  even busy.  They use to do that on the weekends only which I understand completely. But it is a bit ridiculous on a weekday. Another time I went on a Sunday afternoon and the hookah tasted great, and the server was very nice.  Hit or miss sometimes! I like the Eygyptian Bar at Purdue better.
Review Source:This place is mediocre at best. Â I thought the food was overpriced and lacked flavor. Â The owners cater to patrons between the ages of 18-20 and most of their business comes from the Hookah bar. Â This place is loud, obnoxious, and the service is wretched. Â I really can't figure out why I'm not giving this place one star.
Review Source:We went for the hooks after dinner. The hooka flavor was great and the room was awesome. My only complaint was the service. The server was pushy and unfriendly. Asked if we wanted water and we said yes, only to have him bring 4 bottled waters to our table at 1.75 each. I know he was trying to get his check average up but I left with a feeling of being cheated. Either way, we had fun and will probably be back at some point.
Review Source:I'm the adventurous type. Â My friend Jan is the adventurous type. Â So, after having dinner at La Jolla tonight, we decided to walk over to the Egyptian Cafe and Hooka Bar.
The employees were very nice and 'tolerant' of us Hooka virgins and showed us what to do. Â After the initial nervousness...we got into it. Â We were a little too ambitious though and got a double Hooka of the King Tut. Â Half way through the pipe...lightheaded and a little queasy (on my part)...we called it a night. Â I never realized that I'd be such a light-weight! Â The walk back to my house in BR helped settle my stomach...I still think it was the overdose of chips and salsa at La Jolla and not the Hooka...that did me in :-)))
We will definitely be back...with a group. A fun, relatively inexpensive way to spend an evening if you are looking to do something a little different.
I was a little hesitant on going here, simply because I had never done hookah before, and also because I've never been a fan of Mediterranean food.
My first trip there was at 2am on a Friday night. We went with a group of people and split two hookahs between the six of us. I tried their mozzarella sticks and the Egyptian fries (without the feta cheese) and they were delicious. I also tried the fresh lemonade, and it was *okay*. Husband was in love with the hummus and his Egyptian iced tea. Our server was totally rude to us after we ordered more food, like he was exasperated that we were giving the restaurant more money. We got charged for a water we didn't order, but it was taken off.
The second time we came back and had the same server. He was a lot nicer then. It would have been an okay visit if it weren't for the huge table of high schoolers (18+ though) behind us, talking loudly and being generally rude to those sitting around them.
In general, if you want a smoke and some decent food, go at a time there's not going to be any high school kids there to ruin your experience. Also, it's not really an eat and run kinda place. You need to experience the ambiance first.
Because when I think of hookah, I think of not being able to talk to anyone over shitty club music. This hookah bar blows and is staffed by reject theatre kids. I originally had this at 2 stars, but now I'm frothing at the mouth and vomiting with rage all over this computer, so I've changed it to a one star.
Review Source:I traditionally have gone there for their hookah (which is ok - I'm from Metro Detroit, and Dearborn [outside of the D] has the largest Middle Eastern population outside the Middle East) is ok. I'm just picky. Their prices for hookah are pretty reasonable and they have a wide range of flavors.
However - to my delight their food is pretty good too! Their hummus was good as well as their falafals! My friends have had their pita wraps and their fries are actually excellent haha. I'm not sure if its because I've always had a good time with friends here but this place is A-OK in my books.
I've frequented The Egyptian for a few years. If you're looking for a smoky hipster hangout, it's arguably the top spot in Indy. Parking can be a hassle on weekends, but with enough luck you'll find a spot in the surrounding neighborhoods (and avoid paying for a spot). And later on in the evening on weekends, there can be a line to get in.
  The atmosphere is relaxed. Sometimes too much so, as the waiters can forget to come by and see how you're doing. Other than that, everyone I've encountered has been very friendly, even when the place is packed.
  My biggest pet peeve is that they don't serve water. You have to buy it by the bottle, which can be a bit of a hassle. You're better off spending the money on a cappuccino.
  The only food I've tried at The Egyptian is their seasoned fries with fetta cheese. Definitely goes well with smoking.
The Egyptian is a nice little place tucked off the main drag in Broad Ripple that my friends and I refer to as "the hookah bar", because, well, that's what it is.
However! That is not all it is. Along with being a pretty decent hookah bar, the food is pretty good too. I've had the butter chicken and the kafta, and they're both amazing.
Basically, if you're stumbling around Brip and you want to smoke and eat some good food, this is your spot.
I adore this place during the day & highly recommend it.
Pros:
Nice ambiance. Â In a sea of cookie-cutter in Nap, it is so refreshing to actually feel like you've walked into a cafe in the middle east. Â The music and cushions strewn across hand-carved wooden furniture shipped directly from Egypt are fantastic.
Tasty food. Â While I'm veg (highly recommend the falafel, hummus, and homemade baklava) I'm consistently told that the butter chicken is to die for.
Encourages lingering. Â The hookah and the free wi-fi are nice touches.
The owner. Â Very friendly, thoughtful, and gregarious - seems like he knows everyone.
Tip: if you're a tea fan - ask for green tea with mint & sugar. Â my first sip took me careening back to n. africa like the food critic was taken back to his sunny childhood in Ratatouille. Â now whenever i'm in town, you'll find me there getting my fix.
Cons:
Smoke. Â The place is equipped with some pretty good air purifiers, but you're still going to come out smelling like hookah. Â If you go during the day, make sure you don't have an important meeting afterward. a client asked me afterward why i smelled like a smoky grapefruit.
The evening crowd. Â I think this may be the only gathering place in Broad Ripple Village which allows customers under the age of 21 (must be at least 18 however). Â The banter and intoxication from pre-gaming back at the dorms may be a little off-putting for the more mature crowd.
The service is very friendly but chances are good your college-age server is not going to preempt keeping your water glass full. Â Flag 'em down and you'll be fine. Â They do get quite busy in the evenings so don't anticipate having a quick in-&-out meal.
Overall: one of the great distinctive secrets of this city where you might be hard-pressed to find a locally-owned establishment with lots of character. Â Go!
Sent the first two glasses of wine back because they tasted "off" but the waiter opened a new bottle at our table after admitting that nobody drinks wine at the restaurant and the first bottle was two weeks old.
The service was very good. I was not impressed with the hummus or the salad that came with the entree, but the chicken kabob was decent... and both my dining partner and I agreed that the rice was quite good.
Having said that, I don't know if I'll come back just for the food... overall 3 stars.
Where can I begin?
Went there on a date in which my date arrived early and was hit on by our waiter several times until I arrived. But wait, he continues to do so while I was there. Strike one.
Don't get me wrong, however, he didn't do so often while he was there because he only came to our table a total of three times over a two hour period and never with what we asked in addition to what we ordered (i.e. another glass of water, a fork, the bill, etc.). Strike two.
Speaking of the clearly poor customer service, I ordered lemonade which took me 30 minutes to get because it was "coming." I expected to be blown away by the taste of freshly crushed lemons in some honey-based liquid. Alas, it tasted like something a step above warm Minute Maid lemonade. Strike three.
With three strikes most people are out of the game, right. Not really, you ever play something baseball related game (softball, "piggy," Â strike out, etc.) with somebody who refuses to leave the batting position. Well that's this spot.
We (remember I was on a date) were now late for two movies that started because we thought we could just pick up some grub and drive down the street to Glendale Mall. We were finally smart enough to ask for the bill when he arrived to our table with our main meals (of course winking at my date). The bill came and it totaled nearly $60 which I was floored over because all we ordered were hummus, two entrees, one late lemonade, one sprite, and a hookah. A small order of food + not so good (but not terrible) = high bill. Strike four.
Lastly, I began to feel extremely bloated while eating my meal prior to us leaving for the flick. During the movie I had no appetite for anything such as popcorn, etc. Because it was rumbling like a Tums or some other ant-acid commercial. I have been nursing clearly food poisoning symptoms since eating at this (insert expletive) place such as vomiting, diarrhea, the runs (and I mean the sprinting), and headaches. This is not good especially when I have to give lectures at work on a stage. I now appear to my students as a person in need for Flomax. Strike five-ten.
If this were that baseball-like game with that person who refuses to get off the batters box but is striking out, then at this point me and the other kids are whooping that (insert expletive) and taking the bat away. I had high hopes for this place being a vegetarian, a muslim, a traveller, and a foodie. We went on a Monday so I didn't experience the mad rush of drunken Broad Ripple-ites, it was only four other tables with people in the whole place. Minor positives: location and parking are great, ambiance is fabulous, and hookahs are cool.
Sadly, that was the last date with the person I went to but more importantly this will be the last time I care to venture into this place.
One
Note: This review is only for the food, not the hookah. Â
Ate the chicken kabob for dinner. Â It was dry. Â Egyptian tea: gross! And not just regular gross, it was offensively gross. Â I like most teas, but this one had awful before/during/aftertaste. Â Seated quickly with really friendly service. Â It was a hot spot for the young crowd.
oh Hooka!!?? i didn't know i was going to time-travel 2000 miles away to Egypt  to a dimly lit (even in the daytime) smoke filled rooms, but i went in because i'd heard from a friend that they have the best burger in town, to this & all the other restrs that uses Sam's Club cheap 1/2 lb burger, this one is Pretty good, having stopped smoking 7 months ago (& still counting it day by day), i didn't have the Hooka, but i want to, i liked the Egyptian fries but next time i'll ask them to double fry them, i would have liked the seasoned steak fries a little more crisper
Review Source:I have no credibility in rating this spot because I rarely go to hookah joints. I am rating based on customer wait time, menu options and hospitality. I ordered the gyros, which were not bad nor good. The Egyptian tea is not what I dig, it is very tamarind tasting which I do not prefer. The beer selection is limited but the wine menu is quite vast. The location is quite pleasant for all the young peoples to go and hang out. As for the hookah, Â I guess it is quality. The workers know what they're definitely doing and help out the newbies. Hope this helps! good eats and good smokes.
Review Source:Having been first for both The Egyptian and Khoury's, I now humbly declare myself Crown Princess of Hookah, Kingdom of Indianapolis. Yes! Check that off the Lifetime Goals List. I knew all that fawning in front of the mirror in tutu and tiara as a child would pay off someday. Oh, hell, who am I kidding--I still do that. No, really.
Anyway, for daytime hookah adventures, this place definitely bests Khoury's. Their hookahs are cheaper and, arguably, more flavorful. They tend to employ young, cute and artsy waitresses, if you're into that. The ambiance is perhaps my favorite of any restaurant in town. It takes me right back to Istanbul--the dark wood furniture with intricate inlays, the star lamps, the willowy potted plants and the multitude of mirrors. I love it. The music could stand to be turned down a notch, but perhaps even saying that betrays my age. I'm old enough to appreciate a venue where I can actually hear my companions.
Which brings me to my least favorite aspect of The Egyptian. If you are old enough to drink in public, do NOT venture into this place on a Friday or Saturday night. You will be knee-deep in underage college students looking for a place to show as much skin as possible and get mildly high (hookah does give you a slight tobacco buzz, after all). Even amongst that demographic, I would have guessed it'd draw a goth/pretentious/art victim kind of crowd. But no, it somehow functions as a vortex for bottle-blonde girls wearing those brightly colored, sweatshirt-fabric mini-skirts and jockish guys in ball caps rakishly turned to the side. If I wanted to go back to high school, I'd...well, I'd actually kill myself first.
Any other time of the week, though, it's wonderful. I recommend a pot of tea and a large order of hummus with your hookah.
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