 Café Layal is the Houston Hookah hot spot. The café and hookah lounge opened about a year ago, and quickly gained popularity for its combination of back-home ambiance and professional customer service. The café is decorated in a modern Mediterranean style and has a unique fountain in its entrance made from hookahs.
The café is known for its huge covered outdoor patio with enough seating for about 200 people. The patio features two flat panel televisions, normally set to Arab music channels, which create a relaxed environment for a sociable lunch or dinner unmatched by any other Houston lounge.
Layal serves primarily as a restaurant, but hosts everything from private parties to live music nights on Wednesdays and Sundays. The café has prime location onthe corner of Richmond and Hillcroft- close to downtown, the galleria and both the party and museum districts. As a result, the café is the perfect spot to begin and/or wind down your evening. |  | |  | The food is tasty and affordable: A hearty lunch runs about $10. The Mediterranean favorites (i.e. gyros, shawarma, falafel & hummus) are always available and taste great! When I went, I opted for an American favorite: The Philly Cheesesteak. While it wasn’t the best sandwich I ever had, but it was certainly tasty and edible. I sat in the non-smoking section (which seems to have better service and is more aesthetically pleasing than the smoking section) and my waiter provided standard service. The café also features fresh juices (their mango and carrot juice is amazing), a coffee shop, and a gelatto ice cream counter, adding a touch of a charisma and diversity that appeals to a mixed array of customers. | The hookahs are top quality and fairly priced ($10 for a hookah and $5 for each additional head). The hookah lounge offers the 6 most popular flavors of the Al’Fakher brand of tobacco and welcomes customer requested mixes. In addition, the hookahs last a while, due to the quality and generous portion of the tobacco, making the smoking experience well worth its price. Their dedicated hookah staff is constantly walking around with extra coals in case your hookah is in need of refreshing or service. With the mellowness to accommodate lunchtime lounging and the sophistication to facilitate a nice evening out, Café Layal has become a very popular hang-out for college students, and families. I would recommend this café to anyone interested in a unique and authentic cultural experience. | |
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