Highland Hookah Bar

Got invited to a 30th birthday party here!  At first I was skeptical...you do have to walk down the alley behind Hot and Hot - you'll know you've reached the door because they have lights strung above the door.  Once you get inside, it's not a bad set up at all!  There's seating along the walls of the place, chill music, a bar w some additional seating and cool decor.  $10 hookah for happy hour till 6 pm? don't quote me on that! on Tues-Thurs.  Staff is very helpful in recommending flavors - can't go wrong with grape and mint!  It's not the biggest place so it does tend to get packed on the weekends later in the night - and the music does pick up.  There's also several restaurants that deliver to this place!  I've been back a handful of times and it's been a great experience with a diverse crowd.

I'm a bar snob.  I admit it.  Blame it on Austin and my beer sensei, Q.  It's a stone cold fact.  So when my buddy Wes mentioned stopping by the Hookah Bar I was dubious. A  hookah bar?  In bham?  

He said there were fifty beers on tap and I thought, "Bring it buddy.  Let's see what my old hometown can deliver."  Consider me served.

The entrance is in a back alley behind the old Western supermarket on Highland Ave on the Southside.  No joke, this is the secret back entrance in the alley behind the liquor store.  There were two bouncers and a security guard at the entrance so I'm going to assume it was all legal.

There actually were 50 beers on tap. The taps aren't at the bar, they're in another room, but they show you a menu and will tell you about any new beers not on the list.  I chose two local brews.  Avondale Miss Fancy Triple - a crazy tasty 10.5% sweet little malty number on tap and Good People Snake Handler double IPA - a slightly hoppy 9% punch in a bottle.  I'd stake Miss Fancy Triple with any of the malty favorites I've met in Austin honestly.

So two thumbs up for the beer.  I don't smoke either cigars or hookahs so I can't really say how I feel about that.  Other people with hookahs seemed satisfied and my friends were happy they could smoke inside a bar.  Love the atmosphere.  Nice mellow old school jazz.  Really casual but not divey.  Comfy sofas. The people who work there are clearly happy with their jobs and eager to please.

This is a seriously undiscovered gem in the ham.  Don't spoil it, just enjoy it and make sure they stay in business till I can visit bham again.

Thanks Wes!