So I've been here 3 times now. The first two times they were in party mode, but last night, it was chill and quiet with light music and some sports on the TV. Just the kind of atmosphere I was looking for. The south-side is a really neat area of Pittsburgh to visit and this place just adds to its charm. Their hookah tasted authentic, and they kept the coals coming. You can also smoke cigars, vape, cigs, whatever you're into. It seems like people come mostly for the hookah, though. Great night! read more

Hookah Bookah - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

A chill spot to smoke hookah and BYOB. A friendly crowd and chill people to discuss an read more

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My friends and I stopped here after a baseball game at PNC Park. We were all looking to just relax and spend some time with each other. When we came across Hookah Bookah, it was the perfect solution. Before I get into lots of detail, I just want to say the I really enjoyed my time here. This place is wonderful! My friends and I opted to try the mango flavored hookah... Absolutely amazing! So, so worth it! (None of us smoke outside of the occasional hookah.) We also took advantage of the available beverages. I was going to order a mango lasse, but sadly they were out of mango pulp, so I opted for a frozen chai later instead. It was delicious! I could definitely taste all the spices in it! The whole place was quite relaxing. My friends and I took advantage of the leather seats. I enjoyed how spacious it was. Lots of seating. The large TVs were nice too! The staff were attentive and changed our coals often. Overall, this was a wonderful experience! I can't wait to return soon!!! (Hoping to get a mango lasse next time!) read more

It's probably the best hookah bar in Pittsburgh with quality flavors. This is my 3rd time there and twice this week. No problems with their hookah base, coals and pipes at all. It gets crowed with lot of young people and I sometimes do find myself oldest among which is not very helpful but nothing Cafe management can help about it. They have dark Ambiance which is good for smokey places. It's only relaxing one if I have my ear phones on, due to lot of young crowd shouting at each other. They don't have good exhaust fans over there so I'd rather sit closer to door so i can get some oxygen from time to time whenever someone opens that door. What I'd like management is to focus on customer service which was close to nothing except when you want to order and when you want to to get coal changed. They don't greet you that well, neither they would ask you if everything's alright once in a while. I have been to hookah places and whoever has to pay over 10$ for a hookah do get a really good customer service. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 star is lack of customer service but I'd definitely want to go back as I have no better choices. read more

Hookah Bookah - Our special hookah - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Bookah is the best of the Pittsburgh hookah bars, although that's not saying much. Still, it's an enjoyable spot to spend a few hours. At night they turn the lights off and the atmosphere is more clubby and college-y than relaxing, although it's not too loud. It can get a bit cramped, so you might have to do some gymnastics to get to the counter. Service is friendly and prompt, although it can lag a bit during the busy weekend-night hours. Seating is comfortable, even if you're not on the couches. The hookah is overpriced but awesome. I always have an enjoyable smoking experience at Bookah. Here they use good quality tobacco, well-maintained pipes, and natural coals that are frequently adjusted for optimal smoking. It can get a bit crowded as the drunks stumble in towards the end of the night, but the quality of hookah and service you receive is superb. This place closes at 2 but we've been here until 3:30 without issue. Definitely stop by. Oh, and try the fries. They're lime-salted and good to munch on while smoking. read more

This place was super boring .. I wouldn't go back... U can't smoke weed lol But super boring here read more

Hookah Bookah - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

There's a first time for everything. And that's just what my visit here was, my first time smoking a hookah. Honestly, my first puff I looked at my friend and said, "Who...are...you?" Of course we busted up laughing, and then continued to puff, puff, pass. I'm by no means a person who knows my stuff when it comes to hookahs. I walked in and had no clue what to do, but the staff were helpful in assisting me. I went with the strawberry banana, bought a drink, went to a table to wait until it was ready for us. Once the hookah arrived at the table we were set. We chatted, listened to the music and just passed the time away in a mellow environment. Every so often the staff would come around and replace the fading coals with fresh ones. One thing I wasn't sure about until we left was whether we were allowed to sit outside or not. In fact, you are. There are a few tables on the sidewalk in front of the place so you could people watch while you smoked away. And the only downside to the place is that it is an alcohol free zone. Maybe that's not really a downside, but I think I would have had a better time if I had a libation at hand instead of a water. For as many people that were in there, the noise level was actually low. The music was a bit louder than the other customers. Which was odd, but I enjoyed it. read more

The price was good, but the hookah was horrible, it was born hookah. The service is bad and not quick. I would never ever visit this place again It was a noisy place because of Dj. read more

Love this place, i know a lot of people rate it low because its not like other lounges in "big" cities, but for the location and price, its a really good place to hang out with friends. Me and 3 friends come here and chill for hours for just 17$, cant really beat that. Staff is really friendly and they have a nice selection of flavors. read more

Hookah Bookah - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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Yes, this place is awesome. They have a mixed crowd of all types of people which makes smoking a hookah and sparking up conversation that much more interesting. They have premium hookah tobacco from fruit punch and coconut to coffee and roses. They give you unopened tips to use and they come around and replenish your coals through out the evening. They have playing cards, dominos and TV's everywhere. If you enjoy coffee they have that as well as teas and lattes. Overall I gotta say this place is very welcoming and accommodating. The environment is always relaxing and interesting. This was my first hookah experience and then my 2nd and 3rd and... You get it. Smoking Hookah can be a bit expensive. Look to spend $15-$30 on the evening but also look for it to last a long time, a few hours or so. I don't smoke cigarettes, but an evening of Hookah sometimes is just what the soul could use. read more

You go to smoke hookah and you look for a relaxing time - this just wasn't. It feels like a coffee shop that happens to have hookahs, filled with college freshmen who are *loud*. read more

Hookah Bookah is one of the more popular hookah spots in Pgh. The crowd can be a little collegey but I wouldn't say that it's unfriendly to those past the college scene. It's a clean, well-maintained space. They have screens placed through the place, sometimes with sports or arabic music videos playing. During the summer, they also offer outdoor seating, which is nice and relaxing. The staff are competent but the service can be rather slow at times. The prices are pretty expensif (usually $12-$15 per pipe) but the flavors are good and the hookahs 'hit' pretty well. Still, as compared to the outrageously bad service at Sphinx, I would still rather choose Hookah Bookah. read more

We havent been here in a few years, but Bobby wanted to kick-start his birthday by a small dinner & the hookah lounge. All of the staff were very helpful. When we were here before, our friend knew exactly what to do. We were clueless by ourselves and staffed helped out alot. The vibe is completely chill.. low lights, Lebanese music and i swear theres a humidity machine in there lol. They serve hot & cold coffee drinks, plus bottled drinks such as red bull, water & juices. I'm not 100% sure if they had snacks but i do remember seeing them. Other patrons were playing games such as dominos and they also had the pens game on multiple tvs Our first visit, we tried blue mist and really enjoyed it. We asked the employee for suggestion and he brought up blue mist as well so thats what we went with. Bobby ordered an expresso and i ordered a cold chai.. nomally served over ice but the employee suggested having it blended.. like a frapp. It was delicious! Its hard to find a good nicely spiced chai but this one was great. Our hookah total came to about $17 which included rental of device (2 hoses) plus the blue mist (considered and exotic flavor & $2 more) Hot & cold drinks ranged from $3-4.50 We stayed for a little while then decided to head home but it was a very relaxing time. We wont wait another 2 years to head back here. read more

I went to Hookah Bookah for the first time when a friend was visiting. We went there around 6pm on a saturday to avoid the big crowds that is expected later. Its a very cool place with a relaxed atmosphere and a friendly staff. They have a different flavors of Hookah available with one or two pipes options. We tried out the green apple and the mango one. I must say the green apple flavor was great. I didn't really like the mango one though! Hookah Bookah also has a lot of drinks available. Overall, a great place if you are looking to just chill and smoke hookah! The only cons from my perspective is the somewhat congested seating and the non-availability of alcoholic drinks. That might be because a majority of cafe patrons are under 21 but over 18. read more

Having come from Cincinnati and having smoked hookah quite a bit, the hookah bars in Pittsburgh don't entice me a whole lot. The place is pretty loud, and gets decently crowded. Having to pay per person for hookah hoses and them being like 17 to 18 bucks a hookah I just don't know the appeal. I used smoke hookah for around 10 bucks maximum and it just seems a little overpriced (that is how all hookah bars in Pittsburgh are though). So, for Pittsburgh it is OK but for someone who might have experienced it before, it's nothing new read more

I have been here several times and there are things that I like and don't like about this place. The Good The prices aren't too bad. You get one Hookah and three hoses and it will costs you like 15 bucks which isn't bad for three people going to smoke hookah. The service isn't bad you can always get fresh coals and the Hookah's come out pretty fast. The location is nice located on the strip in southside which makes easy to get to when you are hitting up the bars on the strip. The Bad I have been to Hookah bars in the past that are much more luxurious. Low seating with cushions and pillows with curtains making the smoking area's seem more private. Hookah Bookah has none of this. It feels more like a crappy coffee bar that you smoke Hookah in than a Arabian Hookah den. The bathrooms are kind of gross and that's coming from a guy, so you know it's bad. Sometimes is so packed that you can't get a seat and even if you could it's hard to breath in there with so much smoke circulating. Over all it's nat a bad place to hit up after going to the bar. Next time you are in the area give it a go if you can find a place to sit. read more

Hookah Bookah is really a great place to go if you're looking at hookah bars in Pittsburgh. The main attraction for me is that you can smoke their hookahs outside on the sidewalk of the south side, one of the best areas of Pittsburgh itself. The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable, and are more than willing to talk with you about hookahs or anything else you might have on your mind. As far as flavors go, I have to recommend two very highly: special blend and sweet melon. Try as many as you want though, its part of the experience. The food is good, too, and free wifi and games are a nice touch. All in all a great experience for anyone looking to get their smoke on. read more

Not a great experience. Awful music and they are now enforcing a minimum of two hookahs for groups of two or more. If you want to hear Brittany Spears, Ashanti, and *NSYNC all night it may be the place for you. read more

Hookah Bookah takes a departure from the usual "mass of pillows, dimmed lights, secret basement hideaway" approach to the hookah experience, and replaces it with the bright atmosphere and uncomfortable furniture of a college campus cafe. There are only six or seven genuinely comfortable sofa-style chairs, which are almost always being horded by a group of glaringly obnoxious hipsters. That aside, it is an affordable alternative to the somewhat shameful HKan, and the tobacco itself is always very flavorful, the service is generally pretty swift, and the flowering teas they serve are just downright great, to both drink and to admire while you wait for it to steep. It's also just generally cleaner than both Sphinx and HKan. If you don't mind straightback chairs, tiny tables, and bright lights, this place is wonderful. If you prefer to feel like you're in an opium den (possible mystery body fluids included), you might try Sphinx. read more

Came here after being spoiled by hookah lounges - DEF not a classy joint. it really caters to the underage college kid. i actually wish there was something like this for us in college, but now..def not my scene. i think we were the oldest people there. i dont see myself going back ever. i'll wait for pittsburgh to come up with a nicer hookah place. read more

Great place to sit, relax and smoke. Owners are very nice and friendly. Decor is great, and all the furniture is very contemporary, from Ikea :) There's games like dominoes, and chess that you can play while smoking or if you prefer, just watch Lebanese songs on the tv. read more

Not a good experience on my first go. The crowd wasn't very good(my friend and I were actually -literally- surrounded by a larger group of college kids who were quite loud and didn't exactly have a very interesting conversation), the service was non-existent and the prices were pretty high, costing about $15 to start and going up from there. The decor was bright and modern, so I can see why some would prefer it to other lounges in the area. I haven't been back, so it might have just been a bad night. Also, they don't seem to be big on carding, so under-agers feel free to try your luck. read more

I love Hookah Bookah! The atmosphere is very calm and relaxed. It's a fun place to go on any night and just chill with friends. Lights are dimmed, there is two couches or a bunch of mini circular tables with chairs to suit either 1, 2, or 4 people at a table. It can get pretty crowded, but there's always people leaving once you come, I've never had to wait for a table. The staff is very friendly and they will just walk around with new coal to put on your hookah. You can sit for a few hours smoking good hookah with good friends. read more

The best hookah in Pittsburgh ..... They are so friendly and the atmosphere over their Amazing......

Very great experience here for one of our date nights to our first visit to a Hookah lounge in Pittsburgh. Atmosphere is very laid back, equipment was top of the line, the chai latte was so flavorful and fresh. We were very entertained by the dancing and ethnic/modern music. Such a fun and friendly group of people. We can't wait to invite more friends and go back. The staff was very attentive with our coals and how the whole place works. They even went ABOVE AND BEYOND by keeping my purse I HAD LEFT THERE, for me.. after I hadn't even called about it or noticed until the very next day. I couldn't get a hold of them to ask them about my purse, because they did not open again until 5pm. One of the staff ladies must have grabbed my purse for us and had kept it behind the counter. I was SO happy to find nothing messed with and all my credit cards, identification, AND CASH all there! Such a genuine company, thank you guys for the experience! read more

Very cool place. My only complaints are no alcohol, and it was very hot in there.other then that the place was awesome

My friends from collage and I love coming into the city to go here its a great place to go after a day of shopping and eating in south side. Its a very middle eastern styled coffee shop vibe. Best time to go is after dark when they play crazy persian style remixes of todays hits and there are flashing lights that cut through the smoky air! Very fun place how ever they are very busy every time I have been there and have limited space. But great place to rest your feet and catch up with friends over delicious smoke and bumping young atmosphere! read more

Got me nice and high = success!!!! (Only wish i could BYOB)

This is my third time here, and unfortunately i have to give it a bad review. The guy who served us was rude and unprofessional, i don't know his name but he had a septum ring. We waited for out coals for a good 35 minutes and the place was unbearably hot. I only give it two stars because it was great the first two times we came. We saw people that already had coals get replacements before we even got ours. Overall disappointing, probably won't be returning. read more

I wish Yelp had stars with a minus. This place would get a minus 5 stars. I wouldn't go back to this place if they offered me free hookah for the rest of my life!! First thing, when I got there I was at the cashier and was ready to order and I was about to open my mouth and order all of a sudden the cashier gave me his back and got a napkin and started cleaning the latte machine!! WTF!! And it wasn't that dirty!! And it was clear that the little latte that was spilled had been there for a while cz it was dry! ( I hope the cashier who worked there today reads this.. BRO U SU*K BIG TIME) Anyways I was like alright it's all gd... I ordered and sat down it took them more than 15 minutes to bring me my hookah and it wasn't that busy!!! still I was like alright no harm found so I started smoking and less than 10 minutes passed and the flavor was all burnout!! Its one of two things either that fu*ker gave me a hookah that someone else just finished from or this place doesn't know sh*t about hookah... Da*n!! First review I write in Yelp.. Didn't think it would be this long!!! Anyways I'll finish it up with an advise NO ONE SHOULD GO TO THIS SH**TY HOOKAH. read more

I really feel like this place can be hit or miss. I used to go quite often since I am an avid hookah smoker and the staff were always pleasant. However, the last time I frequented this bar one of the staff members was extremely rude. The guy started freaking out because their card swipe wasn't working "again" by what I could gather from his explicitly laden rant. After we stood there for several minutes, which we did not have any issues with, he was extremely rude to our group. I understand he was probably frustrated but there was no reason to take it out on paying customers who were polite through the entire ordeal. Needless to say, I will not be frequenting this place again. read more