Inside look at 3 popular Charlotte hookah bars

When I turned 18, my first rebellion against my parents was sneaking off to a Greek restaurant to smoke hookah with my best friend (sorry, mom). After that, I always remained interested in hookah, but never had any access to lounges until I moved to Charlotte.

A quick history lesson for those of you who don’t know what hookah is, simply put: it’s a water pipe with flavored tobacco. There is a history of hookah that originated in Persia and migrated throughout the Middle East, Egypt and India. It’s presence in the United States is only recent and rising in popularity, mainly as a social activity for us cool kids in our 20s. Most of Charlotte’s hookah bars and lounges have shown up in the past 5 years.

Living here, I’ve discovered many of the hookah bars and lounges here, each with their own take on the social experience. The hookah culture has many different components and may seem overwhelming to an outsider, but that’s the thing about hookah: everyone wants you to try it so that they can induct you into the social fun.

A few pointers:

• Each hookah smoker in Charlotte has a bar that they call their favorite and will remain loyal to.
• Each bar has its own self-proclaimed “hookah guru,” and while some are far better than others, we’re not going to discuss that now. It would result in a battle of the hookah bars.
• Each bar has two different atmospheres: early and late. Visiting a hookah bar early is always more relaxed and usually a time to get to know the space and the bartenders, or anyone else at the bar (early is usually a lone experience). Visiting a hookah bar later in the evening is when you get to see what the bar is all about and what vibe is happening. There are always a large following of regulars at hookah bars… you should be able to judge what type of place the bar is based on the regulars.

And drum roll, please… here are my three favorite hookah bars in Charlotte.

Crave Dessert Bar.

The what: Located in Uptown, it’s definitely the most trendy of the hookah bars in Charlotte.

The catch: A menu of calorie-drenched desserts and a variety of martinis and cocktails, all served by an attractive staff in red dresses (yes, that means they’re women). The atmosphere is upscale and a place for sharing— like their s’mores platter and chocolate fondue.

The who: Where you take someone you’re trying to impress. And birthdays. So many birthdays.

This photo is in fact from my 23rd birthday.

Barreled at the Lift.

The what: This bar is the smallest and your best chance to make friends. Located next to Montford, Barreled is literally hidden behind an elevator shaft.

The catch: It’s a speakeasy-style hookah bar with a long list of muddled cocktails that boasts the creativity of each of its bartenders (go ahead and give them two adjectives, and they’ll concoct a cocktail on the spot). You’ll also get a chance to hang out with some of Charlotte’s DJs, with performances each night.

The who: Take your friends and feel free to mingle. Don’t take your dates. The bar staff are too attractive. Fruit used for both muddled cocktails and fruit bowl hookahs.

Red at 28th

The what: Across from Amelie’s in NoDa, it can be used as a change of scenery for study mode or maybe a place to unwind after all your studying is done.

The catch: A multicultural bar, lounge, billiards, study space… pretty much equipped for anything. Opening at noon Wednesday through Saturday, you’re free to study or hang out. One wall is completely lined with books, and there are plenty of tables and chairs.

The who: Your friends, your classmates, your favorite book. It’s a very chill atmosphere.

If you’re new to the game, now’s your chance to give it a try.

This story was originally published March 4, 2015 at 12:55 AM with the headline "Inside look at 3 popular Charlotte hookah bars."