Blink and you'll miss it, but if you've got your eyes open and you're looking for a decent Hookah Bar in the Allston area, Sheesha Lounge shouldn't disappoint.
The Shisha flavors are fairly varied, though they could be a hit-or-miss. The Jasmine is some of the smoothest I've ever had, while the Double Apple wasn't anything special, and almost had a Black Licorice flavor to it (which I don't mind, if I order Black Licorice). The quality of Shisha seems pretty high, given the fact that there were virgin hookah smokers in the group I attended with and none of them dealt with any coarse or harsh smoke. The Hookahs were good, since myself and the party I was with had two flavors we ended up swapping hookahs, and both got decent pulls without any major issue. The lounge provides hose caps for hygienic reasons, which is nice - though it was strange that they didn't seem to have any multi-hose hookahs.
Atmosphere wise, the Sheesha Lounge is a great place to chill and converse. The Techno music playing was a little upbeat for my Hookah-time desires (I don't mind techno, but when I'm in a dimly lit hookah bar I prefer something totally mellow), but it was kept at a reasonable volume so I didn't have to fight to speak to people. The large television in the center of the bar is part 'cool' part 'distraction.' The night we were there they were showing a wildlife show, and watching a tiger attack a gazelle while mellowing out elicited a strange response from our party - the women present felt it was sad, the men were rooting for the tiger - but I can't help but think the feelings evoked were totally out of place. When I smoke with friends, it's social, so the television was pushed to the back burner in short order. I suppose it works for some people, but it wasn't for me.
The staff seemed very nice, and I even discussed Honey Shisha with one of them. Hopefully someday it'll be on the flavor roster! They seemed genuinely happy to work at the place, which is a good thing, because it reflects in their work. They were prompt with coal adjustments and friendly overall.
The crowd on the night we went was fine. Another review here mentions the crowd and/or the staff had attitude, but I didn't experience anything of the sort. In fact, the other patrons kept to themselves except for when my party asked another person to take a group photo of us, and they obliged kindly.
Finally, prices. Sure - it's expensive. Anyone who expects prices to match Shisha you'd purchase for at-home use is crazy. This is a Hookah Bar. We all know beer is a lot cheaper at the packie than it is at a bar, but that's just the way things are. Add to that the fact that you smoke Hookah in group, and the total cost is spread a bit more than if you get an MGD at the watering hole. Any way you cut it, it's not unreasonable.
All in all, Sheesha Lounge is a very solid little Hookah Bar. I can easily anticipate a return visit to try some of the other flavors on their menu. The experience was an overall pleasurable one, and I'd recommend Sheesha Lounge to anyone in the Allston/Brighton area looking for a Hookah fix. read more