Paymon's Mediterranean Cafe Hookah Lounge Reviews
by Reggie M.
it doesn't matter which location you go to, but both paymon's are great off strip places to eat and smoke out!!! ha..ha..ha. this was probably one of the first places to offer a hookah lounge in the vegas area. thank, goodness!!! the hookah lounge is great place to chill out at. it 's decorated beautifully (if you are into the middle eastern theme), but it's a bit dark, and the music can be loud at times. so if you are looking for an intimate date place, the loud music may interfere. the food here is yummy!!! for appetizer's i recommend the flaming saganaki (Kefalotyri cheese lit on fire w/some rum and sprinkled w/fresh lemon juice). I also like the baba ganosh (eggplant blended w/tahini, garlic, olive oil, and lemon juice) as far as entrees, i always order either the pastitsio ( a casserole filled w/ground beef, pasta, tomato, and cheese) or moussaka (a casserole of sliced eggplant, onions, potato, and ground beef). i'm always too full to eat dessert, but i finish my dinner off with some dark rich sweetened turkish coffee.....
by Stephany S.
I am not a smoker, but an occasional hookah is always fun with friends. The Hookah Lounge attached to Paymon's is THE hookah lounge in town. It is right next to UNLV which proved convenient for my study buddies and I when we needed a break from our rigorous study nights (ha ha). The dcor is fitting of a Mediterranean theme, and I especially enjoy the collection of small shoes hung about the room. There is so much to look, one could lose track of time inside. The windows are blacked out, and warm colors fill the room to add to the time distortion. There are about eight tables and two big booths for your hookah party. The best part is that they serve food from the restaurant side. A small bar is located toward the back, and one of their rinks was featured on $40 a Day with Rachael Ray. I can't remember the name, but it is tropical and sweet, and if you asked, I'm sure they would know which one you were talking about. It pairs nicely with a fruity hookah too. The Hookah Lounge is small and cozy and always a good time.Recommended Hookah flavor: Mango Jasmine MintRecommended drink: A mojito. For sure.
by Kelly T.
We had my sister's 30th birthday here with a dinner for about 30 friends. The service was exceedingly slow. I think they only had one waiter working each table, which was a mistake. The food itself was competent, but nothing to rave about. I got the chicken parmigiana, and also tasted a greek lasagne type dish. I am willing to go again, and mark the poor service down to a large group poorly managed.
by Hope D.
I am a fan but I like the other location on Maryland Parkway better. This location is not as cozy still great service and drinks.
by dominique l.
everything was delicious!came with 2 others and we shared the shrimp, artichoke, cheese dip with parmesan crisps, the combination platter and the kabob trio.so effin good! the combination platter came with falafels, hummus, babaganoush, athen's fries, rice stuffed grape leaves (forgot what they were called), and other dips. soo yummy!then the trio came with lamb, ground beef, and chicken skewers, and came with this white saffron rice and this other orange colored rice which was so bomb! the meat was cooked perfect medium rare and the chicken skewers were sooo moist! not dry at all.i will totally come back here again. and fyi the hooka lounge is 21 and up. i figured this out because a bunch of high schoolers walked to the hooka lounge, then walked out all pissed because they couldn't get in. haha.
by MayMay W.
I'm not a hookah-girl, but that room that they've got at the Sahara location is absolutely beautiful.Here's what I have to say about Paymon's-- the food is excellent. My favorite thing to get is a Greek salad and add on the salmon. They make a light, but flavorful house dressing, just the right amount of cheese, and plenty of veggies. It's definitely enough to fill you for a whole meal, or to share with a friend while you also order a round of their great appetizers (like hummus, grape leaves, etc). It's also a good starter place if you are new to Mediterranean and Greek fare as the staff is generally knowledgeable, and the menus are pretty comprehensive. It's a great place to eat for a casual date or lunch meeting.
by Suzie Q.
I went in to check out their to go menu. The decor in this place is absolutely beautiful! I also took a look at the hookah lounge and I want to go there now! Note: They have happy hour smoking. You get to smoke for 1/2 the price during those times. Regular price is $15 per bowl. Their food is incredible. I took it to class with me and since the portions were so big, I ended up sharing with everyone. Everyone kept asking me where this place was at because the food was so good.They serve this sauce with Athens fries. I am not sure what type of sauce it was but it was really good. The prices are definitely right! I will be back for sure!
by Jen K.
Hookah lounge so good. One time they ordered too many chicken wings and had a special rotisserie-cooked wings. They were so good. I don't even eat chicken ... The food is decent. I can't imagine its too authentic. The seasoned fries are great, though. The apps are a nice accompaniment to the smokes. A bowl is ~$15 and a refill is like ~$8 I think. They have a variety of flavors. I remember when the whole no smoking where food is served thing was around. Paymon's complied for a sec, but then reverted back. Sometimes we get picky about how hot the coal is or how the shisha is burning, but the smoke boy comes around and makes it all better. The drinks are okay-priced. If you ask for a water, they'll give you a tiny Fiji for like $5. I think the food prices are reasonable, though. Get the app combo platter (classy, huh?) for $11 to feed a non-ravenous group of three. Baklava and rice pudding are vera nice. On the weekends, the lounge fills up. I've seen the restaurant side get busy, but not packed. The lounge is open late, but not late enough. 1a every night. The lounge is lowkey and chill. Its perfect for the nights you want to get out of the house, but not deal with the crowds or yelling over loud music. Sometimes they play Middle Eastern jams. Sometimes its like club electronica. * off the strip, non-casino
by Iryne B.
Being a fan of Paymon's other location on Maryland Pkwy, I wasn't too fond of this one...here are my issues with the place:1. Too Americanized. Although decor is very nice and seemingly authentic, there is a touch of fakeness and not authenticity about it all; The waitresses are always recomending the more "Americanized" dishes and knew very little of the more traditional Mediterranean dishes the few times that I dined here. 2. They started offering pasta! dishes!!! What travesty offering run of the mill spaghetti in a Hookah lounge and Mideterranean place, let's focus on the cuisine at hand!!!3. Kataifi, my favorite desert is gone!!!I still enjoyed my Fatoush salad and Baklava desert, and teas were certainly good, but food is still far from what it is at the Maryland location. It seems like the owners are trying to capitalize by abandoning more traditional fair and offering more "poplar with the masses" fair. I was not impressed and won't come to this location of Paymon's again, unless I am really pressed to find no other dining establishment (not likely).
by OIivia H.
Visited Paymon's for the first time this past weekend for my Dad's 50th birthday. I was a bit leery when we walked in, it was not very busy. The hostess seated us right away and a friendly waiter got us our drinks. Started with a Magic Carpet, my stepmom got a vanilla type of martini. Martini was kind of gross, but mine was delish (redbull, vodka, and chambord. Simple enough.) We had the combination as an appetizer, comes with falaffel, tabouli, baba ganoush, hummus, and bouranni and stuffed grape leaves which I always avoid at all costs. My homemade tabouli is much tastier, but the rest was very very good. This was all new to my Dad and he was impressed. Dad got chicken fesenjan, which he swore was amazing, as a vegetarian I refused to taste it, so all I can say is my Dad is a total meat and potatoes guy, and he was about to lick that damn plate. Hubby had meatball sandwich, not really sure why they serve Italian here! I got the eggplant panini and was not impressed, a bit bland, just a plain mushy sandwich. But the FRIES... omg YUM they really are great!! We finished up with some tirimasu, heavy on the rum, just the way we like it, and some sort of dessert martini which they added dark chocolate to at my request. All of the food was good, not super amazing, and I should have avoided the Italian and enjoyed Meditteranean. I would go back, great atmosphere! We had my kids and sadly could not enjoy the hookah, but the lounge smelled divine when we passed by it!
by Kristin M.
Great place for a late night snack or meeting out for drinks!I've been quite a few times and always eat in the hookah lounge - you can't beat the comfortable ambiance! I'm quite addicted to hummus, and theirs is fabulous! They also make pretty decent specialty drinks.This place is also great for take-out, but its a bit on the pricey side, yet it gets outweighed when you dine there.
by Alex S.
I first discovered Paymon's before I moved to Vegas. I had read an article that said they unequivocally had the best fries in Las Vegas. I rushed out and picked up an order of fries to go and wasn't disappointed.When I moved to Vegas, Paymon's was the first restaurant I ate at. It was absolutely delicious and has a wide variety of menu offerings. I love the freshly wrapped grape leaves. The chilled leaves have just the right amount of citrus and are firm. The lentil soup is savory and well balanced. The soup itself can be very filling as a light meal.The Athens fries. Where do I start? These fries are always served hot and thick. They aren't too starchy and are coated with Paymon's proprietary spice blend. They are served with a delicious sauce.The spanikopita portion is huge. The phyllo is flaky and the filling is rich and creamy.The salmon tandoori comes complete with a huge mound of rice. The salmon is plump and tender, cut into large cubes. The tangy seasoning is great and well balanced.Personally, I opt for the combination platter. It is a little taste of everything, from falafel, fries, babaganoush, tabouli, bourrani an hummus. It is served with fresh pita.Oh, and one of my friends would kill me if I didn't mention the Chicken Fesenjen. He says it is killer.
by Gary G.
No longer my favorite restaurant in Las Vegas. The two previous years we were in LV on a business trip this was one of our favorites. This year the food seemed "tired." I have heard people on "Top Chef" talking about putting "heart" into their cooking. This time Paymon's food had no heart, it seemed like it was phoned in. Also the service was so-so. Therefore my review is down from 5 stars. I don't mean you should stay away, especially when you most everything you can spend money on in Las Vegas is a rip off. I did not feel ripped off this year, just disappointed. See my review on the Himalayan restaurant on Flamingo for our new favorite/good buy restaurant. My Favorite Restaurant in Las Vegas. The quality and taste if the food is excellent. It is also and…
by Kelly M.
I love this Hookah lounge restaurant! The hummus and chicken were really tasty! The lounge is nicely decorated and the staff was friendly. Plus, after going to Men of Sapphire and paying $15 for a beer it was nice to pay $1.50 for blue moon. So if you have some extra down time in Vegas and want some good middle eastern food then I would make the trip.
by Kaleigh B.
This is one of my favorite restaurants. The food is phenomenal, the atmosphere is cozy and it's a great place to hang out with friends. My only complaint is that the service is always so slow. It takes at least twenty minutes after asking for them to bring your check, and my glass is often empty. If you're not in a hurry this place is good. The hummus is some of the best I've had. Also, their Athens fries are addicting!
by Angela W.
I've been here a few times and I'm never disappointed. The portions are huge and always tasty. I really like the kabobs, especially the chicken. The fries and dipping sauce is pretty great too. I've never checked out the hookah side of the place but that looks fun too.
by Melanie L.
Superb! Every time I come here the food is always fresh, fast, and delicious. Baba Ghanoush Hummus are to die for, and the portions are huge. Lamb is cooked perfectly, rice is tasty, and the vegetables are grilled perfectly. If you're a coffee person like me try the Turkish or Arabic coffee. As for desserts you can't go wrong with the Baklava. They also have a nice drink selection in Hookah Lounge (which is decorated real cozy) more tobacco flavors then you can try. Absolutely love this place!
by Fork D.
I'm a repeat customer of Paymon's, therefore I'm leaning toward 4 stars. Realistically, probably more 3.5 but let's not split hairs.The hostess was fantastic as soon as we walked in. She was friendly and alerted us to a nice booth that was just opening up, instead of just sticking us at any table.Our waiter was very familiar with all the dishes and recommended his favorites, as well as commented on the wines we were considering.Noticed that they have a 1/2 portion menu for a limited time that includes some of their huge portion items (like the Spanakopita).This evening we opted for the small Indian section of the menu (I know, Indian at a Mediterranean restaurant??) The Chicken Tandoori was very tender and the Mango Chutney dipping sauce superb. The portion was perfect also. The Chicken Curry dish was excellent, although I would have preferred more chicken. That was my only knock on the meal, although for the price I wouldn't say it's a deal breaker.The atmosphere is quite nice. And for the hookah smokers out there, the lounge is a great stop.All in all, Paymon's is a great off-strip stop and I will be back.
by Seth Y.
MEAT FILLED DOLMAS. MEAT FILLED DOLMAS.MEAT FILLED DOLMAS.JEWISH FUCKING CHRISTMAS!Hummus was great. MEAT FILLED DOLMAS!!!! were great. Athens fries were great. Greek salad with gyro meat was great.DISCO LEMONADE HOOKAH!!!! was great. Mango-Melon hookah was great.This place is just neato! I will surely be a repeat patron here, especially since it's 10 minutes from my house. GET THE MEAT FILLED DOLMAS!!!!
by Matthew C.
Hint: Go here from 5p - 7p (every day of the week) for Happy Hour or Tuesday night which is Happy Hour until they close at 1am.I love Paymon's and have actually ended up there twice in the past week. If you go during Happy Hour, lots of specials with the big one being hookahs at half-off. Even if you can't make it during Happy Hour, no problem. Everything is still affordable and won't break the bank compared to other Mediterranean places located in the valley. On both my visits in the past week, service was consistent, friendly and fast and I had no problems at all with my orders. Highly recommended.