Stratosphere Lounge

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  Best place in San Marcos to smoke hookah.  Laid back atmosphere full of comfortable furniture to relax.  They have all the regular flavors plus monthly selections and blends that are created by staff and customers.  Only downside is finding a place to park, but well worth the walk.  It is even BYOB!

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  Posted on 10.20.12 Jonathan B.

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  This is one of the biggest regrets I have about moving back to Austin. I miss Strat. I used to go here weekly when I lived in San Marcos but now I barely ever get the chance to. Apart from a great place to unwind and smoke, they sell shisha and coals for you to take home. The hookahs that they sell are top quality and beautiful, too. I'm a fan of the byob policy, but it can get pretty crowded on the weekends when all the drunks meander in from the square.
  They have boardgames and card games, snacks and drinks, and you can mix flavors in your shisha order.
  
  The only qualms I have with Strat is that it's too small for all of the people it serves, especially on the weekends. I really hope they find a way to extend the lounge somehow down the road. The prices used to be the best around, but since I stopped going on a regular basis the price per-bowl has sky-rocketed.
  
  Tip: Parking is awful in this area in general, so get there early.

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  Posted on 02.02.12 Hoshi A.

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  Great owner. Awesome selection of flavors, high quality tobacco. They serve a small, somewhat eclectic variety of beverages. If you want some beer, you're free you BYOB. They'll even put the beer in the fridge. The employees are sooo friendly.
  
  Definitely a good place to chill if you want to wind down after a long day or a long night. They have comfy couches, glass tables with chairs where you can play board games and awesome artwork that you can actually purchase.

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  Posted on 04.20.11 Jessica C.

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  Ah Stratosphere, one of my favorite places to head to in the lovely city of San Marcos.
  
  Walk in and you're treated to random music playing and or a movie at times, very chill atmosphere. There are comfy couches and chairs to sit at along with your menu to decide on what flavor tickles your fancy. (I recommend, "Sex On The Beach" with ice, yum!) I've never been to other hookah bars, so the prices seem decent, better than owning your own hookah IMO. Staff here are very relaxed and friendly, and always seem willing to help you out. The wait time varies, some days they'll be out with your hookah fast, others not so much. But the wait is worth it, trust me. Also, some nights will be very packed, some it will be empty. (Fridays and Saturdays seem the most packed)
  
  You can bring whatever food/drink but their prices for their awesome selection of beverages (Dr. Pepper in a glass bottle, DRANK, Bawls? Yes please!) are awesome!
  
  All in all if you want something to do with friends in the evening or feel like relaxing after a long day, go to stratosphere, you won't be disappointed!

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  Posted on 02.03.11 Roberto L.

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  when i used to go it was byob, but since i havent been there in a while i'm not sure if it still is.  i like the laid back atmosphere and decor: there was usually art from local artists hanging on the walls.  they have games (board and card) for customers to play while enjoying a bowl.  they have a nice selection of flavors and nice equipment as well.  if i could give this place a four and a half star rating i would particularly because its byob.  when i went there the staff was helpful and knowledgeable about there products.  hopefully this place is as good as i remember it being

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  Posted on 02.03.10 Elbo W.

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  With a name like "Stratosphere Lounge", my expectations for this place were pretty low. I had envisioned some sort of over-hyped undergraduate hangout . . . kind of like Tantra but with more neon lights and Madonna blaring on the speakers. However, after a long night at the bars, a little hookah sounded like just the thing to mellow out with before heading home so we decided to give it a shot. I was pleasantly surprised by what Stratosphere is actually like. The atmosphere inside is very chill. The lighting is subdued but not too dark and the seating ranges from tables and chairs to lounging sofas with tables next to them. We ordered our shisha from a pretty impressive menu with prices ranging from $10 to $15, depending on the flavor. They also had all the bells and whistles like extra hoses, adding ice to the water, etc., for moderate fees. The guy working behind the counter really seemed to know his shisha, let us smell the flavors we were interested in, and made a few recommendations for us.  The BF and I settled on a single-hose double apple with ice in the water and waited on a couch for our hookah to arrive. The wait was not long and the other patrons were friendly when approached (we had to ask where to order the shisha when we first came in) but relatively quiet and unobtrusive. We were lucky to get a couch as those seem to fill up the fastest, but the tables and chairs didn't look uncomfortable. The shisha itself seemed pretty quality, and the guy working there was also attentive with making sure everyone's coals stayed hot. Altogether, this was a great hookah experience and, though I am not a habitual hookah smoker, the next time the urge for a little flavored smoke hits I know San Marcos has a great option to satisfy it.

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  Posted on 08.10.09 Mary T.

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