Firdos Grill

by Rayad A.

The best hookah restaurant I've ever been to! The hookah is good and cheap. The food is great for a hookah bar! Most hookah bars concentrate so much on the hookah that they neglect the food but Firdos definitely picks up the slack. The decor is simple but beautiful and the staff is very nice. I would go to stay for a few minutes and end up staying for five hours.This is a must- go- to hookah bar with a great atmosphere.

by Majid A.

If you've been on Steinway Street in Queens, you know you have a myriad of choices in choosing a hookah spot.  All generally serve Arab food and the hookah flavors are the same wherever you go.  Being one that frequents these cafes many times a week, I can say that these visits have become quite bland.  There, beyond the neon signs and plumes of smoke, I saw Firdos.  Absolutely amazing! This place is truly unique being the only establishment serving Afghan/Persian/Pakistani food on a block where Arab cuisine monopolizes anything and everything.  Having a choice is great.  I, being of Afghan descent, give the thumbs up to the Afghan food, as well as the Desi food.  The chicken tikka makhni is an absolute favorite of mines.  The decor isn't tacky, rather quite tasteful.  It compliments the experience.  Once the food is settled in me, I like to smoke my hookah.  The choices here reflect that of the other establishments and more.  The high quality flavored hookah used will leave with you a wonderful and lingering taste.  The "fresh fruit" hookah's are absolutely great.  Compared to $25-30 in the city to $14 at Firdos, my wallet isn't complaining.  From pineapple to apples, melons to oranges, etc... The wide array of choices are great.  Because having a choice on a strip of cafes that mirror one another is great.

by Gina C.

Wow!  What a gem of a place in Astoria, Queens.  I don't normally hang out in that neighborhood, but determination and peeking in definitely lead this to this great find!Located among a strip of hookah bars, this was it!  The music is wonderful...with variations of Arabic music, Hindi music, and other great beats that it never got old.  The hookah was CHEAP (yeah, you heard me!) $7 for one flavor and $9 for two...the price was right, the flavors were fresh, mellow and yummy!  Flavors we tried there were coconut, cherry/rose combo and watermelon.  Teas were good and even though I didn't get any food, from the plates around me, it looked pretty good.  I plan to visit again the next time I'm in Queens =)The place was packed on a Friday night, a mixed crowd...both in age and cultural backgrounds...it was a great night...um...morning...had by all!

by Rachel H.

Firdos is definitely worth the trip to Astoria!I'm used to paying $15 for hookahs in Manhattan, but I couldn't believe they were only $7 here and GOOD! One of my friends picked grape... not something I would have chosen of my own accord, but it was really smooth and smelled great. We also got one of the "special" blends that were being offered that night for $14... not quite as good but still decent.The food was also solid- no complaints from anyone. Service was quick and friendly. I imagine this place is packed on the weekends (I went last Wednesday)- but the tables seemed spread out enough so that nobody was sitting on top of each other or all up in anyone's business.

by Geoff A.

I must say, living in Queens I'd never pay 15 bucks for a hookah...its just absurd to me, there's so many places on Steinway that charge half that. This is one of the better hookah bars on a block that's swarming with them. I've frequented this place on and off and found that its just a cool place to go with some friends to just lounge and hang out. The fact that they offer cards and chess on request make for a pretty good time. The food here is not the star attraction but still pretty tasty, and because they like all the other hookah bars in the neighborhood don't serve alcohol, I can recommend the local Irish bars in the proximity to satisfy that thirst. A quick heads up, finding parking even on weekdays can be an adventure on its own, despite that, it gets busy here every night, I guess word is getting out : )

by Christine N.

The hookah here is solid and reasonably priced. $7 for several basic flavor options (which we opted for) or $14 for the more extravagant offerings. The staff could be a bit more attentive. It took some effort to get someone's attention and usually longer to receive your order/request. But if your not in a hurry, its a minor issue. We stopped in around 7PM and the room was surprisingly nearly full. But be prepared for a young crowd - most of the patrons appear to be college freshman/sophomores.

by Donna E.

Firdos is the spot if you need a change of atmosphere from the usual surrounding arab establishments.  The food is amazing, the hookah is fresh and flavorful, the teas are splendid!  The backyard in Firdos is by far the nicest and most intimate that I have seen, great for large parties!

by Leo C.

Fairly priced hookahs. Offers lots of flavors (single flavors starting at $7 and goes up to $14 for combination) and they are good about changing the coal on your hookah. Festive environment with music and adequate ventilation. Clean restrooms are a plus. Variety of drinks from soda to coffee/tea are offered. Food is average at best, so just sit back and smoke, I wouldn't recommend ordering any edibles. Cash only. Wish the seating and layout to be more spacious and comfortable therefore, I can relax and enjoy my hookah. Too bad this place does not provide such standards. Space is cramped (people sitting wall-side, don't expect to come out), seats were rickety and old, and there simply wasn't any floor space available to maneuver the hookah to a more comfortable position. Wherever the hookah starts out at, just leave it or you may knock something over shifting it. Bottom line, there are better hookah bars along Steinway.