This place is literally a middle eastern hidden gem! The inside is to die for; an interior designers dream. The food is delicious; but the dessert is really where it's at. The service was okay, it could've been better. The restaurant is a perfect place to catch up with friends over a bite or a sweet treat. They have lots of drink choices but I believe they are non alcoholic for the most part, but the mocktails are very good. TRY THE TURKISH ICE CREAM! read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This place is nice. I came here on a whim for the first time this past weekend after emo night downtown. It was cool to try and the kanufe was sooooo good. No, I didn't share! read more

Service was outstanding. The hookah was excellent! Turkish coffee was spot on. Very comfortable place. read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Outside Seating - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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Always a pleasure to come here and destress and relax. Love the ambiance. Workers and amazing always changing coals and making sure you are doing well. Love this place read more

The ambiance is perfect and our "server" with a ponytail was exceptional. He is hospitable and makes you feel absolutely welcome. They change coal often and are attentive to your experience at this lounge. I will definitely return here. Cheers boys!!! read more

Had some time to kill downtown and decided to pop into Tabac to try their Karak tea. There were a few people smoking hookah around 5pm but mostly empty. The tea came out in a few minutes and was delicious. Perfect temperature but a bit on the sweeter side. Next time I will ask for half the sugar that they normally add. The tea was flavorful though and you could tell had been boiled in milk for a while. Highly recommended if you're a milk tea fan. read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Karak tea - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Great Caesar's ghost, Tabac Hookah Lounge is a revelation. I entered Tabac seeking a place to relax... and I emerged in a state of bliss normally reserved for people floating on clouds or winning Emmys. The hookah flavors were smooth, rich, and dangerously delicious--the kind of clouds that make you pause, nod approvingly, and say, "Yes. This was the correct life choice." Each pull was flavorful perfection, balanced and aromatic like a well-delivered evening news sign-off. And then--the gyro. Oh my. Thinly sliced, juicy, expertly seasoned, wrapped with the confidence of a dish that knows exactly who it is. One bite and I knew: this gyro did not come to play games. It came to dominate. Tabac somehow manages to be both laid-back and impressive, the rare lounge where you can unwind and eat like royalty. I reclined, I exhaled, I contemplated ordering another gyro simply to see if joy had a limit. Tabac, you've won my heart, my taste buds, and a solid chunk of my evening. Stay smoky, my friends. read more

I've been coming here for a long time. The location is great, they are open early so it's great to have the cafe vibe during the day and then more of a nightlife feel after the sun goes down. The bakery items are all very delicious. The Turkish coffee is something that I love to grab from here in the morning or mid day. The customer service has always been good here. The coals come on time, and you don't have to wait forever or track down anyone to get someone's attention. I'll always be a customer for sure. read more

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Amazing hookah lounge! Came here to relax and was seriously impressed. The atmosphere is cozy and stylish, perfect for hanging out with friends or unwinding after a long day. The staff were super friendly, knowledgeable, and helped us pick the perfect flavor mix -- it was smooth, flavorful, and lasted a long time without getting harsh. Drinks were great, music was on point, and everything felt clean and well-organized. You can tell they really care about quality and customer experience here. Definitely one of the best hookah spots I've been to -- will 100% come back and recommend to friends! read more

Ordered: Lemon Mint Hookah (~$22) Aya's take: Great spot to grab a hookah or tea after dinner! The decor is nice, although the seating isn't super cozy. The hookah tasted great and lasted a while. Considering this is downtown San Diego, the price was also very reasonable. Definitely recommend stopping by! read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Lemon Mint Hookah (~$22) - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

I love hookah and my friends have been recommending to come here so I gave it a try! It was my first time here and the service was fast and friendly. It's definitely a more chill spot to come to. The music isn't loud and the atmosphere is super chill. They have games for you to play which is cool! The inside is so cute! They have such cute ceiling lights. It was like little lamps. I do want to say the hookah was a little harsh but it wasn't too bad once you get it going. Definitely will be back I forgot to mention how cheap hookah is here! It's $24 for a bowl! Everywhere else right now is $30+ read more

My husband and I were in the mood for hookah, so we quickly found Tabac in the Gaslamp area after a Yelp search. They had both outdoor and indoor seating, and we chose to sit outside because the weather was beautiful. The hookah smelled amazing, and we were excited to try it. They offered a wide range of flavors and two sizes; we went with the regular size. Our server recommended the peach and mango flavors infused together , so we decided to give them a shot. The hookah came out quickly, and they thoughtfully provided two mouthpieces, which we appreciated. Unfortunately, we didn't enjoy the flavors as much as we hoped, they tasted too artificial for our liking, and the hookah was harsh on our throats. We really wanted to like this place, but it didn't live up to our expectations. The server was kind and did their best to suggest good options, but overall, we don't think we'll be returning. read more

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The Hookah was really good. Kunafah was fresh Sahlab was delicious Service was good read more

I've been visiting this spot for over 10 years and continue to love it. It's actually a great study/work spot as well in the morning. The service is quick and friendly, their turkish coffee/lattes are soooo good, and the vibe inside is cozy. read more

Where do I start? They played 2010s pop music, Bruno Mars, Taylor swift ( and I love Taylor swift) but the music did not match the vibe. I asked for crystalize sugar, which is very common in hookah lounge and they brought me sugar pack like Starbucks and their double Apple was licorice even the tea wasn't good. Disappointing read more

This is the best place for hookah in San Diego! The quality is great, the prices are very reasonable, and the atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming. We also love the gözleme there it's delicious and fresh. The only downside is that parking can be difficult on weekend evenings, but it's definitely worth it. read more

Everything here is amazing! I tried the chai hookah with milk base this time! So good read more

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Went here to celebrate a friend's birthday and other than having smoke constantly blown in our faces, everything was really nice. I guess you can't help the smoke at a Hookah place ;) read more

First and foremost let me start by dispelling a giant myth about hookah lounges or as we like to call them back home; Cafes. When you go to a cafe it's meant to be a place where friends and families can relax, drink some coffee or tea, smoke argeela (hookah) and enjoy each other's company. Cafes are meant to be places to share a conversation with others or get some work done, NOT listen to obnoxiously loud music while you're hotboxed in a stuffy dark "lounge". I don't have enough good things to say about the hospitality of the staff, the quality of the hookah, the amazing ambiance they've cultivated, and most importantly the warmth you feel sipping on your chai latte. Instead of a night out drinking and partying, try this: - go to tabac and order a white gummy bear lemon mint hookah specifying fumari tobacco - order a chai tea latte - sit outdoors and just talk with the person/people in front of you. Talk about anything at all but just talk read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Chai Latte + white gummy bear lemon mint hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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I was in town for a conference and was happily surprised when I found a Tabac near our hotel. My colleagues had never had a hookah before, so we got something mild (the peach). My friends loved it and found the whole experience very relaxing. I've been to maybe a dozen hookah places, and this was maybe the best. The staff were very attentive and kept replacing the coals (I think three times), so that hookah lasted a long time. Typically the hookah craps out before I do, but in this case I stopped smoking while the hookah was still going strong. Good, mild flavor, and very affordable. Wish I lived closer to San Diego! read more

Very good place ! A have been here 3 times and every time everything was amazing!!! Hookah, service people! read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Was in town again so decided to stop by here! It was fairly empty on a Saturday night around 7:30 pm. Ordered sujok pizza ($16), Turkish coffee (free with check in), black tea ($6) and water ($2.5). The pizza was yummy! It was great to see Fatima who actually remembered my name!! She's so sweet and attentive! Got blueberry & mint for hookah ($22) which lasted about 5 hours!! The place fills up by 9:30 pm and gets pretty loud! $50 total before tip which is a steal! Love this place! My go-to place for hookah in SD! read more

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Good relaxing vibe, lots of locals and the music was just right to relax and smoke away for a few hours. read more

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Very expensive with very small portions for breakfast , nothing like Turkish breakfast

Such a very cute Turkish cafe in the heart of downtown San Diego, with lovely vibes, cozy decoration and of course delicious food read more

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They charge so many unnecessary fees and have terrible communication -- their mismanagement even led to customers being double charged. On top of that, they add a surcharge, a gratuity fee, and expect a tip too -- it's a total rip-off. I would never recommend this place. There are so many better restaurants with great food, service, and fair prices. The man at the front desk was also rude, unfriendly, and showed no sense of customer care. read more

Coworkers and I popped in here for some hookah and light bites. I was impressed by all of the options. You can basically build your own hookah! You select everything from the head, bowl, base, and a great selection of flavors. Not many places offer that. We were surprised by how good the food was! To be clear we didn't expect anything bad but it was soooooo good! We had the pizza and the hummus. It was more than enough for three. My coworker had tea and they serve it out of the cutest little tea pot! We sat for a long time and never felt pressured to leave. Our server was attentive and when it was time for him to go home he communicated that we would be getting a new server. We appreciated that. I wish I could remember his name! Overall it was a really chill spot. Everything was great. I will definitely be back! read more

Great hookah spot with lots of variety and great flavors. Service was amazing and the inside is super roomy filled with really pretty lights. The teas are also super good. My new go-to hookah spot downtown I'll definitely be back! read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

This hookah place is amazing.. they have the best hookah quality in SoCal.. Great service and the staff are super friendly. Aysena helped our table, she was great and very friendly. read more

Very happy this place is still open and seating! I ordered the Blue Mist flavour and hookah with an ice tip and it was great! Quality hookahs and tobacco products. I also ordered a snack, the hummus, but was not as pleased with the food as I was with the hookah. Hummus was bland and pita was too soft and fell apart. The service took a while but the place was also rather full, so I will cut them some slack in that department. read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah with ice tip. Definitely get the ice tip! Makes it much smoother and denser. - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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This place was a complete disappointment. I had a reservation and still got treated like I didn't exist. The receptionist left us standing outside for 15 minutes without even acknowledging us. Then someone else showed up and she took them right in and gave them a seat like we weren't even there. Absolutely rude and unprofessional. The staff had a nasty attitude and zero sense of hospitality. We will never be coming back. Avoid this place at all costs. read more

Lively hookah spot with ample indoor and outdoor seating options. The baklava is to die for (get it with ice cream for even more deliciousness). read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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The service and food were amazing! The hookah was great quality. I went during happy hour for $16.5 hookah. Good atmosphere! read more

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Very relaxing, great hookah it last for a long time. The staff is very friendly. Definitely try the food and coffee when you visit.

Very very good Turkish coffee and Turkish desert, little bit crowded, and little bit noisy but if you are in town, worth to try for different experience! read more

Good Hookah. Good Service and Good Food! The gyro hummus was delicious! The sausage sujuk and the coffee is also really good. Stop by if your in The Gaslamp area. read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

Wrong operating times. Answer. " yeah we know it's incorrect... ". Well great. That just cost me money and time.

We there with my friends, hookah was on point along with Karak milk tea, It was chilly out there so it tasted even better lol ! Also we got chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream, it was alright. Honestly, Parking was a big issue and the music was loud. Staff were nice and service was fast. read more

This place was nice and cute inside. The decor was cute and I liked it a lot. The hookah was fine, it wasn't bad. The kunafeh wasn't really good, I wouldn't get that again. read more

Tabac Cafe & Hookah - Hookah Bars Near Me - San Diego, California

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My husband and I have been smoking hookah for about a good 10 years now. Was in San Diego for a day and googled hookah lounge to grab a bite & was super excited to see that they have Tangiers flavors. Anil & Ice were super attentive, they gave more recommendations for Tangiers, Must Have and Darkside but we sticked to our usual Cane Mint flavor and it lived up to our expectations. We were suggested to try the gozleme and we got the spinach & cheese one, as a Turkish person I am usually skeptical about trying Turkish food without a little background check but it really blew my mind how close it was to the authentic. Had some Turkish black tea to go with it and I have to tell you, It felt so close to home, Great service and chill vibes all around. Highly recommend! read more