Really? Â REALLY? Â I need to go to Portland, ME in order to LOVEEE Hookah? Â Oh, ok, that's fine. Â Off I go!
Seriously, no SERIOUSLY! Â This is the BEST HOOKAH spot I have ever been to. Â Want to know why? Â Sure, let me count the ways!
1. Such sweet, down-to-earth staff.
2. tasty hookahs!
3. decor. Â In fact, you don't need hookah to make me go in there. Â Everything on the inside made me want to pay rent to live there.
4. free drinks (tea, coffee, hot chocolate, iced tea, etc)
5. Best music playlist EVER! Â That says a lot because my husband and I NEVER (read NEVER!!) agree on music, but this place was perfect!
6. Board games galore!!!
Main downside: no credit cards accepted, which sucks, but hey, next time I'm in town, I'll be ready for that!
5 of out 5 for real. Â Check it out!!!
Overall pretty lame experience. Â I guess if you wanted to relive your high school lesbian coming out experience this is the place for you, otherwise stay away.
What to expect when you arrive:
-Sour looks from the poorly dressed and lazy owners (yes, they are actually playing board games and won't be at the counter)
-Alanis Morissette, Indigo Girls, 4 Non-Blondes, Wilson Philips etc. playing from someone's iphone
-Poor, slow service
-Drab interior and low energy vibe
-No alcohol and creepy walls
Not sure what the negative hubub is about this spot. The service was nice and friendly. The atmosphere was super chill. I came here to smoke hookah and hang out with my lady, not to be swooned by servers, served booze, or trip out on their design aesthetics. I personally liked the cheesy Alice In Wonderland theme with thoughtful quotes and stuff on the walls. Given, it could be revamped a little and some of the nasty ceiling tiles could be fixed....but I don't get the sense this spot is raking in the dough.
The nice ladies who helped us were really kind, friendly, and attentive to everyone that came in. They were knowledgeable about hookah (according to my girlfriend who used to work at a hookah bar), got us setup promptly, and answered all of our questions.
PLUS....this place has free coffee, tea (solid selection), water, juice, lemonade, etc., tons of board games, and bubbles (which you can blow your hookah smoke into....oooh smoky bubbles).
Here's the low-down, the place is chill, friendly, warming, and nice. 20$ for a hookah, complimentary beverages, board games, and bubbles, is a decent deal. Don't expect some crazy, high-class, alcohol serving, middle-eastern hookah bar in the middle of Portland and you won't be disappointed.
My one issue with them is that they don't take credit cards....in 2012 I feel like that should be illegal if you own a brick-and-mortar store.
Really enjoyed this place. Although its a little hard to find (being a tourist) it is the perfect night cap when the bars aren't what you're looking for, and you're not ready to head home yet. 20 bucks get you a hookah and 2 coals, a menu with ample flavor selection to satisfy anyone's taste cravings, tons of board games, complimentary hot chocolate, water, tea, etc...and....wait for it.....BUBBLES!! tons of bubble buckets, allowing you to take a whack at blowing smoke bubbles, all while relaxing on one of their many couches/ chairs. Loved all the life quotes around the walls, and the art work of Alice in wonderland really brings the place to life. I even noticed a tree stump turned seat with a fancy looking mushroom top to complete the fairy tale look. The owner was really nice and chill- I could see how this place gets busy as the night goes on (its open later than the bars-2am!) And while that's a little late for me these days, it was the perfect hour night cap my boyfriend and I needed to unwind while still having a good time. The only downside/what would make this place better was if it had its liquor license/permitted BYOB-then it would definitely be a full 5!
Review Source:Pros:
- Lots and lots and lots of couches
- Only $20 for a hookah and two coals
- Many flavors
- They have tons of board games!
- Many outlets (for laptop or phone charging)
Cons:
- While I appreciate their efforts of making the lounge into an Alice in Wonderland-themed place, I don't think the wall paintings are enough. I'm personally not a fan of the wall paintings and would prefer that they have some other kind of theme going on, that will bring some FUN into the place.
- They don't serve alcohol
Casual and welcoming, this place stays open later than the bars, making it a good place to go when you're not ready to go home. The proprietor was very knowledgeable and friendly, and the atmosphere was very relaxed. They have dozens of board games so you and your group can gather around and play something while you share your hookah.
Review Source:I liked the laidback atmosphere here and actually enjoyed that it felt like someone's basement. The people sitting smoking nargilehs all around us all seemed like they had perhaps been smoking something more illegal before they arrived. I thought the staff was basically friendly and they got the hookah to us in record time.
The selection of flavored tobacco was definitely more for the novice hookah smoker and didn't include some of my favorites (jasmine and rose) but they had apple so I was happy. The tobacco was more mellow and the flavor lighter than I have had in the Middle East or in Arab cafes in the US but that was probably a good thing since we had a friend with us who had never smoked shisha before.
The nargilehs were excellent...very large, very sturdy. They were obviously well taken care of in terms of each part.
I was overall very impressed by this little hole in the wall place. The price was also excellent!
This is the best hookah lounge in Portland, mainly because it's the only one.
I like the paintings on the wall that are Alice in Wonderland themed but how it's pulled off just has the feel of someone's basement. Â The people that work there are just extremely cliquey and will play games, litterally, they will be playing a game when new paying customers have been waiting in their line. Â
I understand that hookah people are laid back but this is just unproffesional. Â
This place would go out of business if there was competition.
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