Cleopatra Hookah Lounge is an awful place. I was truly amazed by the number of people that were inside the lounge when I went on Friday. I really was.
To begin with, hookah is supposed to be a social experience. The entire focus is to relax with friends and be social with each other. The music being played was far too loud. Loud, noisy techno with very foul language ("fuck this girl, then fuck that girl" was a popular lyric being blasted for several minutes during one song) was pumped through the lounge for all two hours I was there. In addition, the lights were off and a laser light show was playing for the entire night - we literally couldn't see anything, we had to use our cell phones to even see the menu!
The music was so loud we couldn't communicate. Frequently, we would have to repeat ourselves three or even four times before other people in the group could understand what was being said across the table, and forget having more than a one on one conversation. Several times during the night we even had to send text messages to other people at the table, just so we could understand what they were saying! TOO LOUD!
The atmosphere was also poor. There were only two couches in the entire lounge, both of which were reserved for friends (I assume they were friends, as everyone at these couches were hugging the waiters) and not available for use. Instead, they have restaurant style chairs and tables, which were uncomfortable after smoking for two hours.
None of the above affected me that badly. I was content with the service, but was sure I wouldn't return. The music was loud, but I'm sure some people like that! I personally felt that it was more like a club and less like a lounge, but I could see the appeal to some people looking for a more "lively" place to smoke. And the service was great! The waiter was always there offering drinks and coals and seemed extremely knowledgeable.
That, however, all changed when I saw the bill.
The shady business practices turned my "okay place, but not for me" opinion to "avoid at ALL costs!" Bowls of shisha are advertised as $15.95. That's a little on the expensive side, but it isn't absurd. However, upon receiving my bill, I was charged a flat $20 for a "hookah rental" - four dollars more than advertised. If that isn't bad enough, the lounge also has a non-optional $3.60 tip on top of tax. All together, smoking a single hookah ended up costing $24.89! That is an INSANELY high price for something that was on the menu as $15.95! Lots of hidden fees!
Another complaint about pricing - the lowest quality/cheap shisha was the same price as the highest quality shisha. Definitely seems like a tourist or beginner trap - a person new to smoking hookah probably won't know the difference between Al-Fakher and Fantasia, but anyone who has seen pricing at other lounges will know something is up.
If you like loud techno music while you are trying to talk with friends and paying incredibly high prices with hidden extra charges for shisha, this is the place for you. Otherwise, avoid! read more