Hade Bade

A few nights ago, I wandered into Hade Bade, a place that I’ve frequented for the past couple of years. Though I’ve never had a problem here, I could immediately sense a different vibe as soon as I walked through the door, seeing a little barricade that divides the front entrance from the back of the place. First red flag.
As soon as the guy comes up front, he gruffly announces, «One drink minimum. Hookahs are $ 35.» Second red flag. Since WHEN was their hookahs $ 35 dollars? I wish I would’ve been warned about the big price bump before I took a cab over. Still, I dragged my friends out here after recommending it, so I decide to just face it. We’re already here, right?
As he escorts us to the back area, I say to myself, «That’s crazy,» in reference to the barricade and the price bump. The owner swiftly turns around and says, «WHAT DID YOU SAY?» At this point, it’s way too hot in here (no AC on one of the hottest days of the years, just a couple of fans that barely work) for me to deal with this man’s hostility, so I just say, «You know what? Forget it.» and I turn around and leave.
This place used to be decent, but Jesus, what happened? Avoid this place like the plague.

–Great place to relax.
–Hookahs are great. (Mint flavor is my favorite)
–1 drink min per person.
–Weekdays are the best not so many people and you get to play your own music. (Music will be share if they are other people in the room which is fair)
–You will be asked to take your shoes off just a heads up.
–no alcohol so my advise is go by to a local bar and get your drink on and after words come here.

So I adore this place and im gonna tell you why
As soon as we walked in, we were able to get some space in a matter of minutes, compared to other hookah bars in the city where the average wait time is about 20 minutes.
The place is divided in two ways, one room is an area with seats [comfy sofas] and stools for those who feel uncomfortable in the other rooms where you get to lay in your socks with tons of pillows
in this place I was a bit curious about how clean it could be, it turns out it was ridiculously clean, I didn’t find anything funky on the floors
the place is extremely comfortable, especially for couples who wanna cuddle, I believe they provide blankets if you need one
im not sure if this place has any food, but they have a wide range of hookah flavors to choose from and good teas as well, this place doesn’t serve any alcohol, seems like they have no liquor license
we decided to keep it simple with mint tea and watermelon, which took forever to make, but it was well worth the wait. the hookah lasted a really long time, and they frequently changed the coal, great customer service is most important
this place had a good ambience, it was dim lights, people can come in their pjs if they want to, it is very intimate. It’s decorated with lights in the shape of hearts, very romantic ;]. Also you can plug in your phone to play whatever music you want, each corner has a cable. they even post pictures here of customers from the past, looks like great memories were made, it shows Mohamed values his customers.
the prices are modest for nyc, hookah and tea for two people was $ 32 bucks, however it is cash only, no credit.
what holds me back from giving this place five stars is how hot it was in there, I was sweating bullets, I couldn’t last more than 2 hours in there, it felt like a sauna, I know its winter but I think in the summer it is just as hot in there, it can be rather uncomfortable.
another reason why they don’t get five stars is because majority of the hookah bars now serve hookah on a fresh fruit head, and that wasn’t offered here, they should definitely update their hookah selection and extend that offer.

Came here for hookah, owner is pretty rude. Before entering he gruffly announces that theres no liquor and there is a one drink minimum for whatever he has available. We went away and complied anyways. Teas are $ 5.5 and sodas are $ 3.
He charged $ 25 for hookah and only came by once to change the coal, the other time was to give the check without us asking for it. He charged us a self-​added service charge of $ 8 for one hookah and basically made up the tax as $ 4.
Shady pricing, rude owner. Would not come back. Also the cushions look really old and grimey.

Yeaaaaa… wondered in here when all of the other hookah places didn’t stand up to inspection. We were the only ones for quite a while until a couple strolled in. Menu is randomly too diverse to really decipher so we stuck with the basics and had an apple hookah.
It was random and so was everything about this place. The music was an ecclectic mix of music from around the world (which is great if you have travelled and speak multiple languages to appreciate it – thank you very much). But it was still VERY random. Oh well, hookah was good and going strong.
The décor Definitely can be a conversation starter if you are on an awkward date but the atmosphere was relaxed and I’d probably go again if I were with a group. It is an experience in itself as the pictures are accurate and this is the type of place where you can imagine an orgy having taken place… but get your mind out of the gutter will ya?

Great window seat to relax and do hookah. This place has style and a sense of humor. Nice owner. Very authentic feel.

Great hookah spot, so glad it still here for years now (I’d moved to CA for a few), which is a good sign in my opinion. Proper flavors (my fav is pistachio!), service, and ambiance. Mohammad is the man! So glad to have found it again!

I’m not sure why this place is closed on Unilocal,because it is most certainly open and up for business, even though it hasn’t been reviewed in about three years.
It is pretty hard to find as it doesn’t lie along the main street, but rather a little off between First Avenue and Avenue A.
It is no longer $ 15 for a hookah, but $ 20+, depending on the type you smoke. The teas are $ 5.50, and there is a one drink minimum.
I’ve never been to a hookah bar with piles of pillows all over the floor. It was new, I would say, but kind of strange. It felt kind of unsanitary, because think about all the people who’ve slept there before… It’s not necessarily a hotel. That was the large sitting area, but there are smaller, elevated areas that are about the size of the bed, also adorned with cushions. Of course, there is also a sitting area but if you’re here, you don’t really want to be sitting.
Anyhow, the hookah was alright, a bit on the stronger side. The drinks were also okay, just ordered green tea– couldn’t go wrong there. Overall, $ 20 for each of us, which wasn’t too bad, but I personally wouldn’t come here again.
The prices aren’t the only reason, but this place honestly looks like the perfect place for a sex ring. It is adorned with pictures of half naked girls with sultry eyes and hookah smoke coming out of their mouths. Obviously not professionally photographed, so it made it even weirder. Lots of red lights for this love palace. The menu is also strange– constant messages spread throughout. It was also strange that me and my friend were the only two people there until like 10:30, when ONE couple came in. Otherwise, this place creeps me out.
The atmosphere was different, much more relaxed, I agree, but the idea in my head of what has happened in these pillows is an idea I would like to put away forever.

On a Thursday night around 9pm, this place was soo empty.
They have two sections, one area there’s tables and seats. The other section has beds. It was kinda cool sitting on the beds doing hookah, it felt very cozy. But this place was so shady looking and the waiters weren’t attentive at all.
I thought it was freaking expensive for the crap we ordered. Tthere were 5 of us and we each got tea or OJ and the french rose and peach hookah. It came out to $ 84. WTF? and you HAVE to order drinks. and I believe they do not have alcoholic drinks there. The mint tea had a weird taste and after reading the Unilocal reviews, I think it’s b/​c they had tobacco in it… it was interesting but don’t think i’ll be heading back for some.

I’ve been to about a dozen different hookah joints and I have to say; this place was dissappointing. We showed around 5pm and the place was empty. I asked the waiter which was the most popular shisha flavor. He told me lemon-​peach so we went along with it.
The décor was what you would expect in this kind of place. It was far from high-​end but it was sufficiently cozy. They played Shakira and Akon on their boom box in the rear of the bar. I thought music killed the mood but that’s just my opinion.
Our waiter arrived with our hookah as well as a coke and a mango juice. The total on the two drinks was already 12 bucks. My juice was decent, Although I suspect it was from a bottle. The hookah was averge. It lasted a good while and had a good scent to it.
My biggest complaint was the service. They were completely inattentive to us and we had to try to flag the waiter down for everything. We spent 2+ hours there and our waiter never once checked on us. There were five other customers in the room in total! I noticed he did not check on any of the other customers either. I ordered a refill on the drinks and never received it. When I finally got the bill it was $ 36. Wow. And when i gave the waiter my cash it took almost 5 mins to get my change… Because he was too busy showing the other 2 waiters something on his cell phone. I’ve had a better time at a lot of other bars and spent much less bread. Oh and keep in mind they do not serve alcohol if you do plan to go.
I probably would not go back.

$ 19 hookahs, $ 5.50 drink minimum, and a forced 18% service charge add up to make this place a pretty lousy deal considering the wealth of quality hookah places nearby. And they don’t even have alcohol anymore!
I used to come here a lot between 2007 – 2008 — it seems that if Hade Bade’s become more popular, that’s just translated into bloated prices. Then again, considering how empty it tends to be now, I’m not sure it really HAS become more popular, and even the décor’s taken kind of a dive.
Oh, and the music? Horrendous, blaring techno-​pop from the turn of the century blasting in your ears incessantly. Save your money and go to a nicer spot that understands the importance of atmosphere, like Sultana or Scarab.

I’ve been to Hade Bade many many times but never knew the name of the place until I searched for hookah on E 2^nd Street on Unilocal.I always loved this place because it’s hidden out of the way from the other commercial Spots like Karma and Le Souk which are close by. Come to think of it, I’m hesitant to write this review because I want to keep it as one of my little secrets!
Hade Bade sits behind another hookah spot on E 2^nd street in the East Village. Though it’s not the most swanky of hookah bars (which keeps the prices low) $ 15 for a hookah that last a while and $ 5 per teas. I feel it’s one of the best for an authentic hookah experience. Pillows line the floor in both the front room and back making for a great mixed group experience or an intimate cuddle with a loved one. They played Né-​Yo and 90’s Hip Hop & R&B last time I was there. Also, you must know that the best part about this place is they have two beds! Mostly used for groups but the last time I was here with my now boyfriend after our 3^rd date, we cuddled while we smoked hookah and drank tea while we watched the snow fall until 12am. Hade Bade doesn’t have a liquor license but their teas are amazing and makes you forget the sans liquor part.
Now, Hade Bade’s teas aren’t like Lipton + lemon. These are authentic Egyptian teas that taste like heaven and compliment their hookah flavors. My favorite is their Lemon tea with honey. Sweet and smooth goes well with Mango, Berry and even the mint flavored tobacco. I highly recommend this place. It’s easy on the wallet and a lot of fun.

Great little hookah spot. In one of the rooms you sit on a fully cushioned floor. I would classify it as a classic dive. I also wouldn’t say it looks like the cleanest place ever. It’s comfortable though. Management only posts pictures of women on the walls and they usually have short dresses or skirts on. Just saying. Moderately priced, dark, food is decent. Gets the job done.
Haha: this is an edit. I just checked out the pix posted by a Unilocaler named «Hade Bade» or something and it’s still only pix of scantily dressed women!

Sketchy is about the only word I have for this place. The service was TERRIBLE. Our waiter brought our friend the wrong drink 3 times. Floor/​pillows were filthy.
Hookah was good, but I will not be returning. Especially since they were busted for some weird sex-​ring operation.

This is pretty much a dive hookah bar. Granted, dive hookah bars are not always bad, but there are better ones if that is what you are looking for (try the Habibi Lounge, not too far away in the LES).
You will probably end up sitting in kind of a weird rug area with some throw pillows. This may sound like it would be kind of cool, but the rug is pretty nasty and it is not comfortable at all.
Like most other hookah bars, you are required to order a drink, but the drinks here are bad. They have some weird kinds of juices and other drinks, but they are not really good at all.
There are enough hookah bars in the LES that you should not waste your time going to this one.

So far, my fave hookah lounge in the city. I almost don’t want to write this review because I don’t want my window seat or corner cushion gone next time I go! Yes, there is a minimum as some reviewers have pointed out. The wines are pretty atrocious, so unless you absolutely HAVE to get drunk while you are there, stick to tea. Hookah prices are pretty standard, and there are a ton of flavors to choose from. Unlike other hookah lounges I have been to (cough *KARMA* cough), the hookahs actually work and they don’t have to hook up some wacky rigged-​up vacuum to get the charcoal to start burning. The «French» shisha (rose & mint) is my favorite. It’s very smooth, and has nothing of the artificial aftertaste you get in some of the fruit flavors (especially cherry, anywhere. gag.)
But the best thing about Hade Bade is the seating. On the floor, on pillows, the way is should be done! Lean back, inhale, and enjoy. But beware! Come here with an attractive member of the opposite sex in that cloudy early stage of a «friendship» and you will soon be more than friends! It’s very easy to start making out here. You’re smoking on pillows, what do you expect! It’s dark and cozy, sexy in a bit of a trampy, dirty way. The music is all Middle Eastern. I have no idea who the artists are, but I don’t care and neither should you: when you come to a hookah lounge, it’s to smoke, lay back, converse, and the music here adds to the authentic hookah lounge vibe of the place.

We arrived late in the evening and were immediately drawn into the cozy looking exterior. The place was fairly crowded but a big group left as we were arriving and we managed to snag a nice spot. Drawback here being that the rug underneath felt filthy and our waiter was ridiculously bad in that hilarious «is he joking and where is the hidden camera» way.
Drink selection is really bad and «camel juice» flavors taste like juice straight from the can with no alcohol at all in them. For Juicy Juice, it’s way overpriced.
That said, the hookah was decent but definitely not the best I’ve had. For a lot of people smoking it, it did last for a long time. I’d come back here with a smaller group and maybe try it again as long as I had a different waiter.

I’m an avid hookah smoker, amongst other things. I’ve owned about 4 pipes and have smoked hookah in Dubai. I’ve also been to virtually every hookah place in the city — Sahara East, Tut’s, Moomia, Rico’s etc… With that being said, Hade Bade is currently my reigning favorite. Why? Ohhhh, let’s list the reasons:
1) Price — It’s competitively priced and doesn’t overcharge you like some of the other hookah places in the city (although, it is much cheaper in Astoria)
2) Hookah Flavors — Great selection and accomodating to your personal mixes
3) The beds — Hookah is meant to be smoked lying down. There’s just a naturally tendency to lay down, and well, hade bade got it right.
4) Mango Tea — TASTILICIOUS. Great to pair with Hookah smoke.
Why I didn’t give it five stars:
1) Service can be a bit brusque, although I’ve taken the extra step to get to know the owner and he’s always friendly
2) No AC in the summer — can be a deal breaker for some, although I wasn’t suffering when I went there last weekend.
3) Sangria is crap. Don’t get it.
So be like the Caterpillar, grab a hookah at Hade Bade, and ask passer-​bys «Whooo… are… you?»

I checked this place out with a friend last night after having a so-​so dinner at a thai place a few blocks away. I’d been craving a hookah for a while now and he agreed to check it out.
When we stepped in, the first thing we noticed was how very small the place was. However, we were seated on cushions on the floor and fell in love with the place immediately.
We tried a few of the different flavor shishas, and loved the turkish beer they served. The music definitely brought across the feel of this special place.
Only downside… the decorations on the walls seemed just thrown together. An authentic middle eastern café would have rugs on the walls, along with blue pottery and gold trinkets. That would have made me feel as if I was back in Amman.
I will definitely be back. Loved it!

I’m a hookah newbie, and when I wanted to try it for the first time an experienced friend brought me to Hade Bade. It’s a great place for the initial hookah experience. The atmosphere is perfect, the hookah flavors amazing, and the music just right.
Now that I’m completely addicted to hookah (not in a chemical way, though), I go to Hade Bade often. I’ve tried the following flavors:
Double Apple
French blend (rose and mint)
Mango
Cognac
The Bob Marley (tastes a bit like pot, actually)
My favorite is Cognac, with Bob Marley and French blend fighting for second place. They have any, many more flavors besides those.
The hookahs will last for an hour, like they promise, and they’ll change the coals once for free. Even after the change, the hookah is still really nice. Only once did it get harsher after the change.
Their drink selection is pretty nice. I’m partial to the Egyptian Nighttime Tea, other friends have tried different teas and never reported anything but goodness.
The food is, overall, too expensive. the hummus plate is quite good, but there’s not a lot for the price. I suggest you eat before you come.
Once I organized a party there with a friend and that wasn’t so great (which is why it’s not a 5 star review.) The owners aren’t all that organized when it comes to such things, and really dicked us around with the drink tab and promises they’d made. My advice: don’t try to have a party here.
This is a great place to relax with a couple of friends, smoke some nice hookah, and enjoy a drink or two. I’ve only ever come on Monday-​Thursday and Sunday nights, and we usually show up around 7−8PM. Once it gets on toward 11 – 12 more people show up and the place can get louder and more crowded. Which is fine if you’re not looking to relax :)