Kasbah Hookah Lounge Bar

by James L.

*edit* I decided to take off two stars for the assholio-ness of the workers. I can understand if you're "cool," but it just comes off as being dumb. The hookah part is nice, but they kinda kill the mood. Read Niki Z's review.With the suggestions from fellow yelpers, I checked this place out. the atmosphere is nice and makes me think "hey I'm smoking hookah" There's seating outside and in so you can pick and choose, although the closer you are to the inside, the louder the music gets. I know some people enjoy loud music when hanging out, I just can't hear myself think with it.The staff seem alright, not as bad as Jacob S. thinks(whoa I just realized he reviewed this place before I did...weird) but then who knows. *See the edit aboveOh, since it's close to the campus, you get a bunch of college kids. I was surprised to see the amount of preppy kids there...what?anyways, not bad. Much better than The Hook-up. Earns a star for atmosphere.

by EJ L.

Great new cafe in Austin that seems to be drawing mostly college students. The place has great Moroccan Mint tea, Arabic sweets, and an assortment of beverages from all over.If you are a fan of shishe, you are in luck. They have a great patio outside to smoke, and have some of the nicest hookah's I have smoked in Austin. As an added bonus, they are going open the upstairs for smoking. The inside has very limited seating in favor of cushions around a few tables. It fills up fast at night (they are open till 3 AM), but there is usually plenty of seating outside. The owner can seem a little cold and distant at first, but after a few times he warms up to you.

by Devin T.

I've been coming here for over a year. You might call me a regular.I love this place.However, there seems to be a few people who don't understand the rules here and give it a bad review on Yelp. Let me make it real clear:If you missed the big fucking sign on the wall detailing the few rules of the place, then you're going to have a bad time.If you come with people without their IDs, then you're a moron. This is a smoke shop. This is not a restaurant. All they serve is hookahs. If you have no ID, there's a 99% chance you're NOT 18. Your friends will be asked to leave.If you come to just sit down, don't. 2 people per hookah inside, 3 people per hookah outside. If everyone came here to just sit, Kasbah would be packed and would only sell 3 hookahs for the entire night.This place is great. The atmostphere is great. The people are great, and if you can spend more than a minute here by following the rules then you'll come back. A lot.

by Lauren L.

Great atmosphereGreat MusicFollow the rules, (READ, open your eyes and fucking read..lol)They have really good happy hour specials, From 4-8 I believe it's 10 for one flavor and 12$ for 2 and if you bring in the little flyer you get a drink freeOnly downside, Bathroom, Yuppies, drunk people and creepy men in their forties. ^_^ Would deff recommend it, also (Mint and Strawberry)

by Niki Z.

Even though I'm not a fan of the hookah's, I do enjoy stopping by Kasbah now and again. Their chai is delicious and the music is great. The only downsides are that I've never been able to sit inside (but the cushions do look comfortable), and that the huge chain video store across the street kind of ruins the view.---Edited Nov. 2007 --I found out the other day (I haven't stopped by in a while) that this place now makes getting a hookah mandatory. As someone who A) doesn't smoke and B) doesn't always go with friends who smoke, this seems pretty stupid. I'm not paying $14 for a hookah so I can hang out and enjoy the chai, thank you very much. My rating just plummeted.

by Erin H.

The atmosphere here is definitely the best in Austin when it comes to hookah. Also the best tea. But this is all besides the point.Do these guys deserve your money? Absolutely not. And to think that they get tips for such crappy service. I don't understand it. The reason the workers have such bad attitudes is because the owner doesn't give a dang about how they act towards customers. If you're craving hookah, I definitely suggest walking a couple minutes down the street to pipes plus or right around the corner to smokin' o's. Just don't give these socially challenged tools your money.

by Alexis K.

I think Kasbah was an excellent transition from Mojos, the alternative "anti-starbuck's" predecessor. The atmosphere and decorations are beautiful, the tea is delicious, and it has the most comfortable sofas to relax and read or chat with friends.But last week they refused to sell me tea.  The man behind the counter said, "This is a hookah bar. You have to buy a hookah if you want tea."  This is a new rule at Kasbah that I believe will severely hurt their business.  On top of that the man telling me I could not buy tea was rude and laughed at me when I said he had lost my business.I really truly love this place but am saddened to see that I don't have the option of purchasing just a cup of tea. If they need more money, they could charge more for tea, charge a sitting fee, or keep the hookah's outside to avoid the pressure to make a certain amount of money off the hookahs. I would suggest this to them if it bothers you too. Perhaps they'll change the rules back to what they once were.

by Jennifer D.

I originally gave this place a crappy rating for crappy service, but when I see a business try harder at making their customers happy, it puts a smile on my face. I went their not too long ago, and did not have ANY complaints with their service. Granted, I kinda want to see the guy behind the counter give high fives to every customer, with rainbows and butterflies popping out of his arse and the other whole 9 yards, but that only exists in my fantasy world. I think they could be just a tad, just a little, just a TINY, just ever more effervescently talkative (without telling me his whole life story, or how the blond he was with the night before was a real drag. Like, literally) because that would really truly make me want to give em all five stars. I have a few suggestions to make this place really pop. 1. They could for example serve "mystery tea" just for the thrill of it. 2. They could throw in some really interesting tobacco flavors like "mud" and "laundry detergent". 3. For offering our patronage, the staff at Kasbah could have a nightly drawing. The prize: Finally getting to see what the darned mysterious 2nd floor finally looks like. 4. They could stay open a little later and get the overflow of people being forced to leave their bar stools and dance floors and cosmos oh my. 5. They can keep soap and toilet paper in the restrooms for people like myself who like to wipe their behind. Thank god I had Kleenex in my purse. Thank you Kleenex!5 1/2. They could serve a traditional Moroccan Berber Whiskey, or at least some beer and maybe some of that "trite-hipster-over-loaded-with-sugar-but-so-cool- because-they-don't-advertise-on-t.v."Jones soda.6. They could higher the prices just a little to keep the Irish and other drunk satirists out. Come on, if I said Scottish, you would kick my ass. I'm not even racist, but I try. Ambiance is as good as it gets. I recommend this place, finally!I am aware that the reason why they might not sell anything besides tobacco and tea is that any tobacco business that lets you smoke inside has to be a business primarily for selling tobacco related products. I read some comment here about the restaurant and bar law regarding kicking smokers out of the joint. I think it is a stupid rule first off, because bad karaoke is seriously hazardous to my health, and I don't see anyone kicking THEM people out of bars.. I think it would be fun for the owners to look into bending the law a bit by providing an opportunity to petition this law. Challenging something so stupid can be fun and worthwhile. If you get enough signatures, you can do ANYTHING.P.S.... UPDATE! I AM SINGLE, AND NOT LOOKING. I like hookah, and I like the way the place looks on the inside. I am giving 2 stars however because…

by Heidi S.

Hoookah wasn't bad but I'll be taking my business elsewhere. I don't care where you're from, Mr. Owner, but in America you actually kinda have to pay attention to the customer. You know, make them feel welcome. You know, not act like a complete prickola.It's packed full of people and there's hardly anywhere to sit even though it's a prertty big place. If you like eye candy and to be treated like a piece of warmed over dog poo, I'd recommend getting a job as one of the drag's many homeless people before coming here.Terrible. F.

by Christy J.

If I could give this place zero stars, I would, because that's what they deserve.  I went in with a group of friends, and the guys at the counter were cocky jerks.  We were trying to figure out their rates, and how they charged, the guys just pointed at the signs and laughed like we were idiots.  Every individual is forced to pay for their own hookah, even if that person does not want to smoke.  The rates were ridiculous, and the guys were such aholes that we left.  None of us will ever return, and I'm sure they have lost a lot of business this way.P.S. to the main meathead running the counter who apparently thinks he is Gods gift to women, you are no brad pitt!