Nubia Cafe

by Ali P.

I have to say that when you first see Nubia Cafe you may, like me, think twice before entering. After all, when you're literally the only person not belonging to the same ethnicity as anyone inside you may feel a bit intimated to go in. But we finally put our assumptions aside and stepped in, only to be warmly welcomed by a manager who said we could sit anywhere. We took a seat outside and  proceeded to have a great experience.I had never smoked Hookah before going to Nubia (yes, I know, what kind of Persian am I?) so I don't know what standard prices are, but I can say I personally felt like Nubia is cheap all around. It was about $10 for any non-exotic flavor tobacco (we got melon), sandwiches were $5, and sides were around two or three bucks. We were never pressure to leave and now and then when we needed something, we just flagged down an assistant and were taken care of.It was pretty packed on a Saturday evening, so service was a bit slow. However, the ambiance totally made up for any negatives we experienced. Looking around, it reminded me of my nights in Tunisia where people would just go out, fill up sidewalk cafes, and just grab a bite, smoke some tobacco, and have good conversation. It's such a shame we have to confine such organic people bonding to back-alley cafes (I'm not saying I'm okay with smoking indoors), but there is certainly an element of camaraderie when you sit with friends but can lean over and talk with a neighboring table as well as you wish. Don't be intimated by the cafe's appearances or crowds. Everyone, from other guests to the staff, is hospitable, open to conversation, and willing to show first timers how to do it right. Check it out, be it for food or for hookah, and you'll have a great time.

by Cathy D.

(Original posting was 22 Oct 2008 for the OC Register.)It was Friday night, so what better place to be than somewhere with good food and camaraderie? Our first late-night stop: Nubia Café.Located in Anaheim, Nubia Café is an Arabic hookah lounge that at first glimpse might make you uneasy about entering. The clientele is mostly middle-age men, sitting around playing cards and smoking hookah.So what if it's not your typical X and Y generation hookah bar? My friends and I, all juniors in college, definitely felt out of place. But after a few minutes, Nubia Cafe really grew on us and we were glued to our table not wanting to go home.This late night spot opens at 4:30 p.m. and closes around 3 a.m. on most nights.The staff was extremely welcoming, asking us where we wanted to be seated: the main room, outdoors or in a semi-private spot. The main room was very crowded and it was too cold that night to sit outside, so we chose the semi-private room. It was equipped with a TV (we watched "The Matrix," lol), artistic Middle Eastern mural paintings and comfortable, spacious seats for our table.Our guy who waited on us was supposed to be on his break, but whenever he suspected that we needed something, he assisted us. At the end of the night, you can bet your hard-earned money that he got tipped!My friend and I ordered the Kufta (Ground Beef) Kabob for $11, and the Lamb Kabob for $12. These two main dishes came with jasmine rice, salad, hummus, sour cream, pickles and pita bread. My other two friends wanted something small to share, so they ordered the hummus and pita bread alone for $5.99.Both the Kufta and Lamb Kabob came out in generous portions. My first thought was to wrap all the side stuff in the pita bread, but my friends' laughter indicated that wasn't the "correct" way to eat it. I guess you're supposed to dip the pita bread in the hummus and the other sides.The Kufta and lamb were slightly dry but packed with natural beef and lamb flavor. The salad of cucumber, white onion, tomatoes and cilantro complimented the whole plate with crunch and lightly salted taste. The hummus was smooth in texture and garlic-y, with a touch of olive oil and cumin for a little spice.If you're feeling parched, order an actual drink. I made the mistake of asking for water thinking it was going to be free. So, save the $2 and order tea or some kind of hot beverage. They have a variety of drinks - from smoothies (strawberry, mango, lemon) and juice (banana milk, lemon, cocktail) to frappes (mocha, latte) and hot beverages (yansoon, tea mint, tea cinnamon, coffee) costing no more than $4.Even though the water wasn't free, a big bonus was the free refill on pita bread!It's not the most attractive hookah lounge, nor is it in the most attractive location. But if you're looking for good comfort food, a place to relax and carry on conversations with unpretentious people, stop by Nubia Café with your friends!

by Juan Miguel S.

I went to Nubia cafe with one of my friends from high school to catch up. He told me its a Hookah cafe with good Middle Eastern food. That's good, I love Middle Eastern food and I love hookah.So we get there and the whole place is packed with old Middle Eastern men playing dominoes, chess, and cards while puffing on their flavored tobaccos. Starting to love this place already.We get a seat in the back outdoor seating area and order orange flower tea and order the Melon Peach hookah. Hookah comes immediately, good, tasty smoke. Mmmm. Tea comes and its also very good. I also order the Kufta pizza and my friend orders the Kufta Kabob sandwich and we share a side of  fries. The Kufta pizza is this grilled crispy thin pita and grilled chicken with a very hot and spicy sauce to it topped with melted cheese. It was very good and packed a good punch of spice and heat.The hookah was really good too because they have people who patrol your charcoal for you and replace it when its done. And the hookah lasted for a good hour and a half. Soo good.

by Christina T.

This place is in a strip mall, so it's easy to miss, but you should def stop in for a pretty chill experience. We got there at about 8 on a Friday night and the front room was already delightfully smokey and packed to the brim with, nearly all men, engrossed in conversation and playing cards.  So we headed to the back patio: tables, chairs, heat lamps and eastern music videos projected onto a brick wall, oh my. Didn't order any food, but my tea with milk was pretty delicious. They don't serve alcohol here, so you won't be enjoying your hookah with wine or your personal libation of choice. There are a lot of flavors of tobacco to choose from, mostly all for $10 each. You can also mix two flavors for $10. We had melon and white grape. Both were really good, smooth. The service is quick, the staff is friendly, and the hookahs are clean.  I'll be coming back before the summer is over.

by Roz C.

My friend frequents this place all the time and it's definitely different from trendy X and Y generation hooka bars. First of all, I detests those places, they're dark, cramped and tons of young bucks and half naked mares prancing around. Nubia has the exact opposite clientele, but it's so refreshing to be able to carry a conversation and see the other person's facial expressions. I personally don't smoke hooka, but plenty of people who are addicts say Nubia offers the best hooka and a wide variety too. I go for the hot tea, zattar jibne (pita bread topped with cheese and a special Arabic sesame concoction), hot sandwiches, kabobs, all surprisingly full of flavor and tasty! You will also see tons of people play all kinds of card games, most will play different versions of bridge and rummy. The owners are very personable and practically knows everyone that walks in. Normally open until 2am but certain nights up to 4, 5am. Go for hooka, a nice game of cards, food, or/and the people! Great place to relax and hang out with unpretentious people.

by nancy r.

This is a nice hidden gem in the middle of Anaheim. I have always passed by this place but never stepped in. The place looks small from the inside but once entering they have a huge patio area.Place was quite busy after getting off of work at around 1am. The inside of the place was busy and found a table in the back.Then placed an order for my hookah which was a mixed blend, don't remember which blend exactly but it was a nice flavor.Tried their Chicken Kabob  which runs about $4 dollars. It is a nice snack sized item which had refreshing flavors with the perfectly grilled chicken accompanied with cucumbers and peppers and a nice fresh sauce drizzled on top, with a side of pickles.After that delicious dish I ordered the Chicken Cave which was about  $5 bucks. Its breaded chicken with mozzerella cheese, lettuce on a toasted roll. So good.Also tried their Sahlab which tastes exactly like Elote in Mexican cuisine. It is a milk based, thick drink that has a nice cinnamon/hazelnut flavor and aroma to it. Really really good! It hit the spot since it was quite cold outside.Service was a bit sluggish but they were extremely nice and would come by and change our coals for us every so often.Super chill atmosphere and wouldn't mind coming back.

by Anthony V.

I went here this past Wednesday night with a friend of mine.  She happens to be acquaintances with the owner.  I would've felt awkward if she wasn't there with me because everyone was Middle Eastern. When we walked in, the inside was packed with men.  They were playing dominoes and backgammon with each other.  There were TVs set up with the Laker game on.  Everyone was smoking their hookah.We were seated in the back patio area. It was freezing cold but there were heating lamps next to almost every table.  They had the Laker game projected on the wall.  We got apple hookah. The smoke was nice and smooth.  I also got a mint tea to drink. I wasn't so sure about this order because the only other mint drink I have had was a mint julep.  To my surprise, it was quite tasty.  The owner stopped by our table and we talked.  He talked in Arabic to my friend but in English to me. He's actually a really cool guy from Egypt.  It ran us about twenty bucks for all the drinks we had along with the hookah.  When we said goodbye to the owner, we did the Egyptian thing to do - pecks on each others' cheeks. We are manly secure men.