Babel Cafe

by Christina G.

love this neighborhood, so makes the place even better. good crowd, good music...good to chill out and dance with friends. only downside is it's crowded.

by Alexis K.

The music was hot (Latin, Arabic, Turkish, Hindi, and some good top 40), the decor was cool, crowd was great, but the waitstaff? WTF? They were really irritable and bitchy for no reason. I know it was the weekend right before Christmas, but it was weird that they were so assy when it came to ordering drinks and such. I'd consider going back, but I hope they're better the next time

by jess w.

this has nothing to do with the movie!!!Actually, this is a Middle Eastern restaurant by day and i didn't know that until i was searching for it's address. I've only been there after 10 pm (i believe the kitchen is closed by then), cool lounge to go smoke hookah, listen to the dj mix hiphop with arabic music (really freakin cool, makes you want to shake what your mama gave ya), and hook up. haha jk. relaxed, easygoing, fun experience. Been there twice. dj never a disappointment. mixed crowd, awesome ethnic decor. Place is small-medium sized. but never disgustingly crowded. Great for groups of friends.

by jessica f.

Wandered in here late on a Saturday. It was a good stumble-upon, opened the door to a cave-like place blasting middle eastern music with a girl twirling around barefoot in the center of the floor. I liked the vibe, it wasn't too crowded (though we got there probably at 3) and we had some drinks and hookah --- great spot to end the night, people seemed pretty chill and friendly.

by Anthony L.

Like a lot of places I review, I tend to remember the backstory that led me to that location in the first place.  For this spot, I will always (vaguely) remember the time my buddy and I went here one Halloween weekend a few years back to catch a friend's b-day celebration.  The plan was to bar-hop from Hell's Kitchen to Ave. C and see where the night would take us.Along the way, we proceeded to:  almost get thrown out of an open mic night at one bar, walk into another bar that looked like a scene from a Tarantino movie, and get drafted into an impromptu 2-on-2 soccer match somewhere along Ave. B.  (During the match, I remember a girl passing out on the sidewalk and almost getting kicked in the head as my friend battled his defender for ball control.)As for Babel Cafe, I think it may have had a different name back then, but the vibe seems to be unchanged since my visit.  I will concur with the other reviews here.  I remember the staff being pretty cool about things (getting hookah, drinks, etc.).  The vibe is pretty laid-back, and is a good spot to hang with a bunch of friends, and yes, there may be some guys (perhaps costumed) who will try to keep the party going at 3am.  Please do not scare them by saying you have herpes.  A simple "no" will suffice.  They're harmless.

by Katherine H.

All I can say is that I went on  a Saturday night and had the time of my life!  The drinks are not expensive, the music is great (the dj really does a good job of playing many types of music and having it flow well), and they even had a live drummer come in.  The crowd is cool.  Only downside is that it gets crazy packed and it can be uncomfortable at times, especially if you need to use the bathroom =/Tons of eye candy at this place, yum!I can see myself going back there a lot.

by Robby T.

Dancing to J. Timbo between half-size hookahs at 3am.  For this Boston dweller, this is one jillion times cooler than anything I can do in Puritanland.  And a heavy-handed bartender to boot. Done and done.

by Nana A.

Hookah is always a plus, and it's always readily available here. Everyone is pretty easy-going, but no extraordinary guys. Otherwise, it's a nice casual hang out. On some nights the music selection is tolerable.

by simone B.

Average NYC drink prices, decent music. But alot of dumbass rules, absent waitresses, and douchebag bouncers. Required coat check, even to the point where the bouncers were walking around making people pick up their coats or check them. Would only allow us to sit in certain sections, order from one specific waitress who rarely showed her face. $200 minimum for parties, $25 minimum per person. Would be a cool vibe if it weren't for the staff. Felt like I was being chaperoned. Eh.

by Kathy S.

Crowded place and didn't have to wait long for a table, but once seated service didn't happen.  We ordered a hookah, but our waitress never came back around to have our drinks refilled.  I'd go back here for a drink and authentic Middle Eastern music with a splash current music, but not for the hookah.