Best places to have shisha in Souq Waqif

I’ve rounded up a few of my favourite places in Souq Waqif for shisha. It IS a daunting task to pick the right place every time, isn’t it?

In no particular order, my picks:

Tajine

This is possibly one of the most popular places for shisha at the Souq. And you almost always will notice the crowd. But there are a few reasons why this figures in my top favourites list. Its open 24 hours, or at least until late night. Of course, they stop serving food by 12-ish, but shisha and beverages are available into the wee hours of the night. Their outdoor terrace seating is fantastic! There are cosy sofas lined against the walls clubbed with the perfect dim lighting. You cannot get a better shisha environment than this. And if you’re too cold/hot, the indoor seating is pretty nice too. Very dingy Moroccan vibes – but in a nice way. And then of course, you get some good Moroccan tea here. Unless you’re Moroccan, in which case you’re going to keep complaining about how this is not what real Moroccan tea tastes like.

I think the only two negatives for me here would be – the constant crowds and the pricey menu. The food is tasty albeit not the best for your daily pocket. While this place qualifies for everyday shisha, the menu might not. But overall – Tajine is a winner!
Shisha flavours – Double Apple, Grape, Grape Mint, Mint
Price – QR 30
Overall rating – 4/5

Café Tasse

This place is right opposite Tajine, and its outdoors only. If you’re looking for no privacy whatsoever and willing to sit in a spot where practically anyone walking in souq waqif can get a bird’s eye view of your underhanded activities, then Café Tasse is your best bet. The shisha is pretty good, and they have a variety of flavours too – unlike most of the other cafes which only serve the regular flavours. The watermelon shisha here is definitely recommended. If you’re looking for some add-ons, they have good eats too – the pizza, a decent selection of pastries and my favourite – the Caramel Cappuccino! It does tend to get a bit crowded because of the small seating area, however, you can put your name on the list and take a walk meanwhile.
Price – QR 25
Overall rating – 3.5/5

Le Gourmet
I have never really tried the terrace seating here – but I’ve heard its good! Since this is a more corner place, we always prefer to sit on the streets, especially on a pleasant night. the shisha is arguably one of the best in Souq. They have limited flavours though, so we stick with our usual grape mint. They have a good number of tables, so don’t worry too much about finding a place. The food is great too, especially the grills and pretty much everything is decently priced. I don’t recommend the Moroccan tea here though! Added bonus – the place is open till 1 am!
Price – QR 25
Overall rating – 4/5

Asherg

I have been coming here for the longest time and this is probably the only reason why I get a table and the best service. A lot of people do complain about the service and the quality of the shisha. But visiting Asherg is more of the experience for us. It’s conveniently located, and the first place you can find after that looong walk from the parking, for one. It’s always crowded, but they have lots of tables, so the chances of finding a table are pretty high, unless they are screening a match that day. In that case, quietly walk away because literally you are NEVER going to get a table! The staff (the gang of Nepali boys) are super friendly and really take care of you! And even give you discounts if they know you well enough!
The best part about this place is they’re open 24 hours. Beverages are served all day. And if you’re lucky enough you’ll still get a chicken sandwich (only QR 10) post 12 am. WITH fries! The food is super-reasonable. They have some delectable kebabs for only QR 5 a stick – totally worth it! And their Masala Harees (which I think they don’t serve anymore) is the best thing on a cold winter night!
Pretty much everything on the menu is cheap, their karak is good and if you want to try something different – I highly recommend the “Vimto” drink (it might be overloaded with crushed ice – but still yum).
Their terrace seating has great views of the Corniche and the Fanar. And if you’re feeling cold – they give you blankets!!
Great place to chill in the true sense, regular shisha flavours, good food and not a bad option to take your guitar here and hum away!
Shisha flavours – Double Apple, Grape, Grape Mint, Mint
Price – QR 25
Overall rating – 4/5 in the winter, 3/5 in the summer

La Boca

Located right next to Café Tasse is an Argentinian surprise – newly opened La Boca. The outdoor seating is just like every other café around here, but the indoor area is quite funky. If you’re willing to skip the shisha and gorge on Argentinian steak, we definitely recommend the indoor and upstairs seating areas.
The shisha is slightly higher priced than its other counterparts at QR 35 but this has got to be the smoothest, longest lasting shisha we have had in souq. And since the place is new – the service is absolutely fantastic. The “coal guys” are literally running around you happy to change coal at your disposal! The menu seemed interesting, although for me personally, I found it a little odd to be devouring steak at the souq. I don’t know why – it’s probably just in my head and I do intend to try it soon enough. The drinks are nice – definitely try the grenadine seven up – and the starters are very reasonably priced. Oh and do not order the Fiesta Argentina dessert!
This café is brand new, so there’s still a lot to try and discover! Let’s see if they keep up their great service and shisha with time.
Shisha flavours – Double Apple, Grape, Grape Mint, Mint, Watermelon
Price – QR 35
Overall rating – 3.5/5

That just about sums up shisha in the Souq, in my opinion. I’d love to hear your feedback in the comments!

And PS: Shisha smoking is seriously injurious to health. This blog does not promote shisha smoking, only the places that serve it, because their “food” is so good 😉

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