HOUGuide
The Hookah Lounge Power Rankings
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
Hookah is everywhere in Houston. Whether you’re at a glitzy clubstaurant or a dimly lit sports bar, you’re just as likely to see clouds of hookah filling the air. And when you sit down to eat, there’s a menu listing off smoke blend flavors like they're food options. But if you’re looking to eat literal food in a haze of artisanal smoke, and maybe dance a little, here are the best hookah lounges in Houston, ranked.
THE SPOTS
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
#1
We love The Tent because of its sparkle. Glittering string lights and intricately decorated drapes cover groups eating beef kabob wraps and puffing clouds of smoke. As a self-proclaimed family-friendly spot, this Mediterranean cafe and hookah lounge in Westchase fills with families earlier in the night, but the grown folks can mingle inside personal cabanas or the main tent until 4am. This alcohol-free lounge is the best spot for drinking mint lemonade slushies, sampling dozens of hookah blends, and bringing your friends to gossip under lively music played on the oud.
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
#2
Urban Smoke is made for people who refer to themselves as “grown and sexy”. The Upper Kirby restaurant has an exclusive speakeasy feel where every table is full of people smoking hookah while listening to live music. But when the band isn’t playing, expect the DJ to spin smooth ‘90s R&B loud enough to sway in your seat but low enough to hear your thoughts. Come here when you want to experience Jodeci over a Cuban or just need an Old Fashioned with a fried catfish plate.
photo credit: Gianni Greene
#3
Uptown Lounge is the best place to go for hookah happy hour. During the week, specials range from half-priced smoke to $4 tequila shots. Karaoke can be heard any night over the loudspeakers as people do their best cover of 112. The menu checks many bar food boxes, but you should prioritize this Galleria spot’s crispy fried pickles and cheeseburger with golden onion rings.
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
#4
Some nights you want to dress up and eat fancy food, and other nights you want to grab your Catan board, a few friends, and smoke hookah. Nara Cafe is a Mediterranean restaurant with a chill late-night scene reminiscent of a board game cafe with good kief blends. The parking lot gets jam-packed after 7pm and students sip on slushy mint lemonades while glancing up from their laptops to watch the Rockets game. End the night with a chai pot, and pour the honey syrup over the made-to-order knafah.
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
#5
Ranosh Cafe looks like it was built into the side of a cave on a deserted island using a deconstructed McDonald’s PlayPlace, antique lamps, and a lot of purple paint. It’s the kind of spot a retired uncle would go to chop it up with other retired friends, smoke hookah, talk politics, and play cards for, well, the entire day. The food consists of classic, homestyle-looking kebabs, hummus, and basketball-diameter-sized pitas. Kick back at a patio table next to a ten-foot rock waterfall or bribe your way into a heated card game with an offer to pay for the next round.
photo credit: Liz Silva
#6
Aria Lounge is a Galleria hookah spot connected to Aria Suya Kitchen. When the Nigerian restaurant is open, you can enjoy flavored smoke alongside some of Houston's best West African food. Even though Aria has the best bites on this list, the excitement stops there. The space is compact—you can see the doors into the kitchen from the entrance—and since they don’t take reservations, it can feel cramped on a busy night. Plus, the service is in no rush, so getting in and out is not a realistic goal. But if you had dinner at Aria Suya Kitchen and aren’t ready to end your night, Aria Lounge is a convenient place to split a mango blast hookah for a nightcap.
photo credit: Gianni Greene
#7
On any occasion, Azuza is a party. The Washington Heights hookah bar keeps a neon light in rotation as much as the DJ rotates the latest 808-heavy hip-hop hits. On weeknights, most tables are full of work besties who have stayed late through the end of their Happy Hour. And while the food here is just OK, you’ll be served a surprisingly balanced cocktail like the Blue MF. Come solo and puff away at the bar, or show up with your friends before the sun goes down, which guarantees your group a table with no wait.
photo credit: Quit Nguyen
#8
Nomad is known for its graffiti-covered walls and comfy couches that feel like you’re hanging out in your friend’s living room with some great food. While the house party energy is infectious, some rules feel like they come from an uptight chaperone. First, tables here require a $100 minimum, and since this Galleria restaurant is BYOB you have to hit that objective with hookah and food—opt for the crispy catfish platters and surprisingly well-seasoned collard greens. Secondly, they have a two-hour time limit which detracts from the kickback atmosphere of this lounge. So come hungry, roll deep with your friends (for only two hours), and bring a bottle to split.
