First time in a hookah bar in years, so since I'm visiting NC, and it was a late night decision, so…read morewhy not. Kind of stashed in a shady strip mall, but I didn't let it bother me going in, and I'm glad I didn't. Very spacious inside, and has a huge wall tv to watch the WC (Mexico won this night). I got lucky Sam was working. He helped me with some decisions to try, and was very attentive. Good times.

My wife and I love this spot. Always have. However, we haven't been since 2023. It was nice to see…read morethe new furniture and the new setup.When we arrived at 6ish, we were immediately serviced. We were able to see our favorite server/bartender and that was nice. He made our drinks just the way we remembered... nice and strong...lol. Everything was good until 10pm when the "Club" party began. We were told that we would need to go to the bar for our hookah and drink needs. That ordeal was horrible for the rest of the night. We did not get tended to for our coal refill and repacking needs, even after going to the front several times. The guy kept saying he will come and we watched him go everywhere else each time. We waited way too long. The 1 line for drinks being made by 1 server took extremely long. Although the music was great bring played by the live dj, it did not take away the frustration. No one should have to chase for service that the establishment is known for. No one should have to wait on a extremely long line just to receive a drink at a hookah lounge. This is not a club by any means. Even if you have an event, the establishment should plan much better for the crowd by make it a more efficient and effective experience. The transition was horrible.

I have been a regular here for the majority of the time I lived in Charlotte. You should ask why…read morewould someone consistently show up to a venue unless it's among the best. (Hookahs are easily in the top three of in the city) Combining atmosphere, patrons and quality ... Taboo Lounge gets top marks. Don't let the negative reviews fool you as they all refer to a "cover." As a regular attendee, I want to speak on this: It's not a "cover" it's a membership fee enforced by the state. Also, no matter what you call it, it is a ONE TIME payment that will allow you access for a whole year. (If you are out of town the fee is actually half off) Being a member not only gives you access to what I consider the best spot in town but it also affords you a discount to the attached smoke shop. This shop compliments the lounge and honestly, if you purchase anything of note twice in a year the membership pays for itself. Drink pricing, compared to other spots in the city is $$ tier. This isn't your undergrad level lounge and that's a positive if you are older, however, it's worth mentioning that there are weekday specials to soften the blow. All in all if you want great value and ambiance, give this place a shot.

Very strange place. They will change a membership fee. $10 in state $20 out of state…read more It's a one time charge but very strange They didn't have many flavors It was very hot also like the AC was not working. Music was nice and everyone was polite but I watched a lot of people leave turned off on the idea of that membership fee. At the end I had 2 beers a hookah and membership fee plus a $5 tip that's a $80 experience which was not worth it in my eyes. I was not impressed

I have literally been coming to Crave for over 15 years. I was a fan then and I'm still a fan now…read more I have a serious sweet tooth so I love that this dessert bar offers a variety of sweets for different pallets from the drinks to the cheesecakes and the cakes, I can always find something that I like. On this particular visit, I sat on the patio, which I had never done before, but it was nice and quiet and very relaxing on a Sunday evening. I ordered the cheesecake and it was garnished with caramel popcorn, which added a nice touch to look at, but the popcorn was stale so I don't really think it was necessary, but it did make the plate look pretty. The cheesecake was delicious. Couldn't finish it all, but I took it home and finished it the next day. Our server was great. She was very attentive, friendly, and gave good suggestions. Love Crave and I'll again and again.

I haven't been to this place in YEARS, due to several bad experiences that felt very much like…read moreblatant discrimination in the past. Truly. But a good friend of mine said that they go all the time and haven't had any issues and wanted to get me to try it again. So, we went on a Saturday evening around 6ish. We didn't necessarily have any issues getting in, but the hostess did say that her security might have an issue with the shirt my friend had on, even though he was very dressed up. It made me uncomfortable and seemed threatning almost. But she let us in and everything was fine. I don't understand why Crave always acts this way. But then when I walk in I see people of non-color dressed any kind of way, casual, etc. It just really rubs me the wrong way and for it to happen to me EVERY time I go, only leads me to one conclusion... So, anyway. We were there and we ordered hookah drinks and had a good time. Our server was super sweet and chill. She really saved the visit. I had a good time, but I most likely will not be back again.

Nice place for hanging out with friends. They have BYOB. Good service and very nice owners who take…read morecare of customers

Visited on a Thursday night at 9 p.m. and there was not a crowd. Not a bad thing at all. Normal…read moreHookah lounge. Plenty of seating throughout the floor. It was Karaoke night and it was a blast! They had every single song you can think of in both English and Spanish. Hookah was great. Different flavors to choose from. Overall great ambiance and wouldn't mind coming again. All employees were efficient and friendly.

I'll start with the pros: It's a nice, chill spot to relax and the vibe is cool. The flavor of the…read morehookah I had was nice and fruity (forgot the name of it). Disclaimer: Please keep in mind there was a total of 7 other patrons in the Building during my visit. It's sad to say that this establishment falls in line with the rest of the Black owned establishments in Charlotte with poor customer service. My visit started off ok with the customer service and then it went nonexistent. Let's start with the "Cockotail" menu. Yes, the word cocktail is incorrectly spelled on the menu --and this was not intentional. PLEASE RUN THE SPELL CHECK AND UPDATE THIS PLEASE!! It's embarrassing ! I came here on a Friday night during the finals, and I ordered drinks and hookah. There was an issue with our hookah not pulling, so we asked the bartender if they could look into it. Five to ten minutes go by, no one comes by to assist. The wait time would've been acceptable if there were a lot of people in the place, but it wasn't. I went back to the bar and had to remind the bartender to please check on the hookah. They finally came over and then returned the hookah about another 10 minutes later and the hookah issue was resolved. My guest ordered one drink and it came out in a decent amount of time. We ordered a second drink and we were told that they would bring it right out. We literally watched the bartender with the curly hair sitting down to talk with another patron and she NEVER brought the drink. At that point, we were irritated because I'm not going to keep on reminding someone to do their job, especially when it is slow. I am so appreciative that a man paid for our bill because I was most certainly going to have a conversation with the manager due to the lack of customer service. If the service was this poor on a slow night, don't bother wasting your time going in when place is packed. I'm not sure if this place is new, but they have some kinks to work out because it makes NO SENSE as to why you are paying for customer service that you cannot get. It is so irritating that you can't go anywhere these days and not have some type of issue when you go out. The purpose of going out is to relax and have a good time, not to be irritated your entire visit. I could've stayed home and saved money. Unfortunately, returning here is not on the top of my priority list. My best advice is to stand at the bar and watch them make your drink or bring your hookah so you can guarantee that you get your items in a timely manner.

This place is a rip-off! I went to an R&B night with my girls and were told we could only sit down…read moreif I bought a booth. So, I did. We arrived at 10 p.m., and I was gone by 11:30 p.m. In that time, we only got hookah. The drinks never came. The booth size was absurd, so other customers kept asking if they could take a seat because there was nowhere else to sit. I'm sure not every group payed for a booth because everyone in there was sitting down. By about 11 p.m., the scene was still dead, and the vibe was non-existent. I spoke to a hookah girl and asked for a refund because this place was just not worth it. They had to call the manager and he said I wouldn't be charged, and free to go. I waited to write this post to see what the outcome would be because I ended up being charged and ended up having to file a complaint with my bank. I had no receipts, and the manager stopped responding after he agreed to meet me to fix the matter. I was scammed $300 by this place, and it wasn't worth the headache. Drinks were nonexistent, and the service was slow. Experience Trash.

Sammy was the best bartender . Good vibes & great service ! Will be coming back with the girls againread more

Ry is the go to guy there!! Speedy with the service, very knowledgeable with specialty cocktails! I…read moreonly go when he's working! He's that dope

I have IBD and charlotte is such a difficult area to find public bathrooms in. Thank you so much…read morefor letting me use yours!!! The bathroom is very very clean and spacious.

Sat at the bar for 5 minutes before the bartender came from the back. She looked me straight in the…read moreeye and never acknowledged me. Her two friends came in and stood right next to me at the end of the bar and she started hugging and speaking to them. She made eye contact with me 2 more times before giving them free liquor in to-go cups and then they walked out with it. She then asked me what I wanted. Proceeds to overcharge me $27 for a bourbon and automatically added 20% gratuity. Nicole (the name on the receipt) she never introduced herself of course. Hospitality industry is not for you babes. No wonder the bar was empty!

Amazing lounge to hang out, watch some games, and play some games. The menu and service were…read moreoutstanding. Highly recommended.

Nice ambiance in a cool spot of town with delicious drinks and wonderful service! And a lovely…read moreowner.

I really want this place to work for me because it's conveniently located on this side of town, but…read moreunfortunately, every time I come, I leave disappointed in either the food or the drinks. It's never a win on both. The best thing I've had here so far is the strawberry French toast--it's actually really good. Unfortunately, the worst thing I've had was the waffle portion of the chicken and waffles. The waffles were so hard that I honestly can't believe the kitchen sent them out, and I can't believe I actually tried to eat them! I really want to see this place succeed, but they definitely need to work on consistency, especially with both the food and the drinks. There's potential here, but unfortunately, my experiences so far have been more disappointing than enjoyable.

Charged $10 to add Baileys to expresso martini and claimed it was a shot. Bailey's is not liquor…read moreand has 17% alcohol, so to charge it as if it is a shot is scam activity. That's like charging $10 for a small shot of Hpnotic, especially without notifying that it is that much of an additional charge. I understand an upcharge, but $10 is absurd for what was a splash of Baileys. It wasn't even 1.5oz brought out in those small plastic communion cups. Upon Google review, "A $10 upcharge for a shot of Baileys Irish Cream in an espresso martini is unusually high. Normal liquor and modifier upcharges at restaurants generally range from $2 to $6. The Modifier Premium: Standard bars charge $2 to $5 to add a splash of liqueur.The Standalone Pour: High-end lounges often lack a dedicated "modifier" button for premium liqueurs in their Point-of-Sale (POS) system. The bartender is forced to ring up a full 1.5 oz to 2 oz pour, which carries a baseline lounge price of $10 to $14."

Service- 5 stars Drinks - 5 stars…read moreAmbiance- befitting a dive bar named Istanbul! Green tea shot was a hit with our group.. we had several rounds!

Spent a fantastic lazy Sunday afternoon here during my trip to Charlotte. The bar is small, but…read morecool, with a great vibe. The service was great and we were served by Luis, who had just finished upgrading their sound system, which sounded great. The drinks were great and they have nice drinks specials including $5 beers and $3 shooters. The bar sits in the undiscovered Alley area where a bunch of great bars sit nestled together in a row between streets. Istanbul is one of the better places along the alley and is a must to visit.