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Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge
Category: Nightlife Bars Hookah Bars Hookah Bars [Edit]
901 W 24th StAustin, TX 78705
Neighborhoods: West Campus, University of Texas
(512) 477-9456
- Hours:
Mon-Wed, Sun 11 am - 2 am
Thu-Sat 11 am - 3 am
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Sun, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- Yes
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Quiet
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Hipster, Casual
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
28 reviews for Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge
Review Highlights
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"...staff is friendly and very good on changing out the coals." In 7 reviews -
"Cute and comfortable seating areas consisting of..." In 2 reviews -
"This place is super chill to hang out." In 7 reviews
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28 reviews in English
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Review from Steven R.
3/11/2012 2 Check-ins Here
They do a good job here. Hookahs are very clean. Service is friendly. Really cool mouthpieces. Unbeatable ambience. Nice variety of flavors. BYOB allowed (small surcharge). Quiet crowd. Chill (non-invasive) background music. Prices moderate ($18 to smoke a Starbuzz).
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Review from Christopher N.
Houston, TX
8/12/2011 2 Check-ins Here
I hate to give this place a 3, but since they got their liquor license, you can only smoke outside! It's fucking hot out there! The whole mood is a bit ruined when you are forced to sit in clothes drenched in your own sweat thanks to our 103 degree Texas summer.
It's a shame because the shisha is very good. They have a molasses based and honey/molasses based tobacco - the choice is yours. I prefer the honey/molasses because it is completely washed and cleaner. It's always smooth. Hookahs are large, ornate, and clean. Mouth pieces are not the cheap cone type, but the duck bill type made with thick plastic.
Just tried their food yesterday, and it's pretty limited. They have.. grilled cheese sandwiches? For $5 you get a normal sized grilled cheese with meat or w/e you order inside and chips or tomato soup.
Sandwiches taste alright, but they're small. Soup is straight up the tomato sauce from Chef Boy RD.
They also have some skee ball machines in there now... might as well put a sign outside saying "HEY FRAT BRO DUDES, YOU CAN MAKE A LOT OF NOISE HERE TOO!"Comment from Dawn S. of Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge 8/20/2011
Due to popular demand, hookahs are back inside! Now you can… More » -
Review from Gerald M.
Houston, TX
9/12/2011 3 Check-ins Here
As far as any hookah lounge in Austin, this is the best. I used to live in Austin for two years and frequented quite a few hookah lounges around here. Then, I moved to Houston because of grad school and started working at a hookah lounge out there. Comparing between Houston and Austin, Arab Cowboy (and my place of work- because I can be biased on my place of work) is the cleanest, friendliest, most comfortable place to smoke hookah. And the prices are perfect for the shisha they use for their hookahs.
The owners are great people and Nathan, a long time worker and family of the owners, is always there to help. I know the place went through a lot of changes this past year, but they still have the atmosphere I fell in love with 3 years ago. Even though they stopped the food and alcohol, this place has a lot of character. If you have never been, you have to go at least once. -
Review from Randy M.
Austin, TX
Updated - 9/8/2011
Wow, that last review has been a while, hasn't it?!
I moved back into town recently, and I'm quickly becoming a regular once more. They've done some remodeling to the place. There's a bar at the front you can sit at now, and what used to be a little nook in the back is now employees only. There's a patio as well which is nice since the temps are FINALLY dropping.
Nice to see the owner (at least I think it's him) hanging out and conversing with customers as well. Yeah, this place is a wee bit pricier than some other establishments, but there are a lot of outlets for computer usage, good service (the times I've been, some people may get unlucky or it just isn't their thing), and a nice atmosphere. I'm going to keep coming back until I'm pulled out of Austin again, which hopefully will be never.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/4/2010
I love love love this place. I recently moved up to Ohio, but everytime I come back to Austin, this… Read more »
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Review from Allen C.
Austin, TX
5/31/2011
I'm a regular at Arab Cowboy and always came here several times a week to get my hookah fix. The atmosphere was pretty chill, and the staff are all great people. Recently Arab Cowboy has renovated to serve alcohol and food, but you can no longer hookah indoors.
I was a fan of the remodeling, but I was unaware that I wouldn't be allowed to hookah indoors now. It's too hot in Texas for me to hookah outdoors. Usually I came here during happy hour, but it's not really an option for me anymore because 3pm-7pm is too hot to hookah outdoors.
Other than that, the food and alcohol are great.
BTW parking is a nightmare here -
Review from Stephanie R.
Austin, TX
5/30/2011
This was my favorite place to hookah in all of Austin...until they began serving food and wine. Because of this, all hookah smoking must be done outside. Their patio is pretty and very spacious but fills up quickly.
AC has such a cool feeling indoors and it's a shame that they are wasting it. I went the other night and the patio was full, but indoors was entirely empty. The patio was so full, actually, that my friend and I weren't able to sit down to hookah. We left disappointed.
The remodel and bar menu are nice... but I come here for the hookah. Just wish they would have dedicated more space for smoking, because their indoor space is getting absolutely no use while longtime loyal customers are unable to frequent this place due to space issues. -
Review from Estephany C.
Austin, TX
7/1/2011
Arab Cowboy, I wanted to like you but I was disappointed.
So I knew going into this place that parking was a nightmare, but goodness I thought I saw an empty space, nope...it was someone who double parked into a space, ugh so awkwardly I had to reverse back out onto 24th and park at the bicycle shop across the street.
So whoever you are, if you're reading this, it's advisable to park at the bicycle shop after business hours. So my small group (3 of us) go to the back patio, are served water, and place our order for hookah.
Btw, hookah for one flavor is $15.99... more than saya redline and maybe kasbah.
Seriously, I am not a pushy person but we received our hookah 15mins later. Why? The coal wasn't placed on right so we asked for someone to fix it, we're told that they would be right out to fix it. Nope 10 mins go by and finally we get someone to fix the coal. The fan was spraying mist that was getting my friends hair wet, she asked for the mist to be turned off and the patron there said that we could move if we liked, alright so we moved although we liked our table.
I am not sure but the overall experience was just eh. I guess having to wait so long for someone to help us and not only that but our server gave us two tips not three...
Hopefully you fellow Yelpers have a better time at Arab Cowboy. -
Review from Takashi K.
Austin, TX
7/8/2011
A good place to smoke hookah and use wireless internet to do your homework. Most of the patrons are students so if you are an older person this is probably not the place for you unless you like seeing fresh young faces.
However, the service was extremely slow on the night I went and I constantly had to harass the waiters to get our orders out. I waited about 30 minutes for our hookah to come out... The good part was that *most* of the people there were extremely apologetic about the slow service. This would be a four star review if the service was improved. They could use some sort of organized system to make sure that everyone is being helped on time.
Like many reviewers have mentioned, the parking lot is small and if you park in one of the spots you have to back yourself out of the lot onto the street. And what is up with not being allowed sit indoors does anyone have an answer to this? -
Review from Red N.
Austin, TX
4/9/2011
I LOVE this place! Its the only place in town I can go to work outside the office with a cup of latte and a hookah. This joint is great to get some serious work done during a weekday, or just chill with friends. Hookah prices are higher than normal, but I'll pay it because it's worth it. The folks here are very friendly, always refreshing the coals, always smiling and nice. Here's a tip - ask them for bubbles. You can blow bubbles with hookah smoke in them - it's a ton of fun and will get you buzzed really fast too :o)
-1 star because they are working on getting their liquor license (if they don't have it already) so they can be more of a wine bar/lounge. I love that idea - except that to accommodate this, they will no longer be able to serve hookah indoors. If you want hookah, you gotta sit out back in their patio - not cool! Sacrificing their main attraction (hookah lounge) to become another wine/bar/lounge is like if an Indian restaurant started serving TexMex because the TexMex joint next door does good business. There are plenty of bars and lounges in the area - so I'm not sure why this is a good idea.
In any case, I'll continue going here for my first points above - still great people and good hookah. But probably go there half as much because I don't feel like sitting outside in July so I can smoke hookah. -
Review from J K.
Dallas, TX
2/13/2012
so this place is alright.. the couches are comfy and it has a nice chill mood.
the music choice can get odd at times though..
but theres two things I want to gripe about.
the first is the price.
my friends and I are from Dallas and Houston.. and back home the hookah prices are usually $12 and $15 for the special. so we feel like we're being jipped at times. the tangerine dream here is like 18 bucks here. but in dallas we pay 12.
the second thing is that the hookah doesnt seem to last as long here...
i dont know why.. but it just seems to run out faster..?
kinda wish they had more space cause it seems to get busy often. but hey its the closest hookah bar/cafe to us so it'll do. -
Review from James L.
Austin, TX
11/6/2009
I went to this place since it was the only place open early for hookah. The 3-7 happy hour deal is awesome. I dunno about Aly's experience, but most of the hookah places I've been have been more than or equal to the 16.99 price that they charge normally. Not to mention, most places use foil too... although I'm sad that Aly's service sucked, but my service was awesome!
There was a girl who resembled a blond Emma Stone. Totally cute. The staff were very nice to us and came by to give us another coal as we were dimming down. The hookahs themselves, I thought, were really good. They put ice under the tobacco, not in the water, which gave the smoke a nice cool feel.
The decor was actually pretty chill. In fact, most of the furniture was chill and relaxing. I am sure that once it gets busy, it can be kinda annoying trying to find a good spot because most of the seating areas are spaced out for comfort. That is a nice thing, but I feel like the amount of seating is low. But that is not a bad thing... just if it's crowded.
They also have their own parking! so that's very awesome. You don't have to try to snag west campus parking. That shit sucks yo.
Oh btw, 4 people = 1 hookah. So you may wanna remember that. Kinda reminds me of the old Kasbah...without assholes. -
Review from William L.
Harris, TX
6/30/2010
I came to this place only expecting a simply hookah but got soo much more.
The atmosphere is soo relaxing. There are tons of couches and the music is great. The staff is friendly and very good on changing out the coals.
I think the best way to some this place up is like a star bucks that serves hookah.
My only dislike about this place is the price. However, I enjoyed it soo much I would gladly pay it again. -
Review from Slevin S.
Austin, TX
Updated - 10/28/2011
Update!! The hookahs are back inside!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2011
The Arab Cowboy recently changed so that you can't hookah indoors. In Texas, the weather is usually… Read more »
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Review from Erica W.
Cedar Park, TX
6/14/2011
My friends and I used to love Arab Cowboy until recently. They've become more of a cafe/bar (which is virtually empty) and everyone who wants to smoke hookah has to go on the patio. The way they operate now is also confusing. It used to be that you pay up front and leave when you please, but this past visit we were confused as to if we wait for a check or pay inside. At least they provide free water now...! Lastly, parking is a bare. Is anyone really comfortable BACKING OUT onto 24th? Anyone who's been here before knows it, but in Arab's defense, there's not much they can do about that. Overall, I don't think we'll be coming here again for hookah, but maybe coffee or food if I'm in the area.
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Review from Bob B.
Austin, TX
4/19/2011 1 Check-in Here
Awesome place! I am here all the time! Service is awesome and hookahs are great.
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Review from Saul T.
Austin, TX
6/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Good happy hour special. I'm not much of a hookah person, only went to hangout so I can't really compare to other hookah places.
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Review from Grace Y.
Houston, TX
2/2/2010
Not your typical hookah joint interior. Cute and comfortable seating areas consisting of differently styled sofa, couches and chairs. However the lighting was on the bright side for me. (Personally I prefer darker/moodier lighting.)
Good range of flavors and staff was friendly and helpful with coal being changed out without having to ask. Will come again! -
Review from Warner B.
Austin, TX
6/16/2011
I just came back to this place for the first time since the renovation. We stopped in to grab a quick drink before going to the fed. I wanted the house tea but they were out. So my girlfriend and I ordered a latte. It was so watery that I only drank a few sips before abandoning it. To top it off the service was beyond slow. I won't be returning again.
Comment from Dawn S. of Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge 6/23/2011
Sorry you had a bad experience at our lounge. We take great… More » -
Review from Henry P.
Austin, TX
8/19/2010
Haha 20 dollars for a hookah?! You must be joking, this isn't Chicago, LA, or New York! Yes the atmosphere is relaxing but the service was awful, the chick had no idea how to fix a hookah that was too ashy, and of course the parking was bad. Better atmosphere and SUPERIOR service just a 7 min drive away at Pharas! Now that is how a hookah bar should be run. This place is overrated and over hyped! However if you like being overcharged and not helped when asking for help then by all means come here
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Review from Stephanie B.
Round Rock, TX
4/12/2011
Very great service. I met a friend to check it out for the first time. I was surprised to find they had no beer. I went for a fruit smoothie which was great. Some of the chairs are very old and uncomfortable. Lots of students in and out. A great place to catch up though if your a hookah person. The parking is minimal plan on searching round the block for spots.
Comment from Dawn S. of Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge 5/25/2011
We are now offering food, wine, and beer in addition to… More » -
Review from Deirdre C.
Austin, TX
11/9/2010
This place is super chill to hang out ...awesome music... nothing loud. Good place to sit and chat with friends while enjoying Hookah. I just wish Skii Ball was cheaper!
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Review from Taylor M.
Austin, TX
9/18/2010
This is my first hookah experience in Austin. Compared to Houston I am NOT impressed. A group of myself and 4 of my friends came here Saturday night. Two of us forgot our id's and were told that we needed them to enter. Out of 4 people who had their IDs... not used to that. So we had to walk back to our apartment and get our ids. Then we were told we needed to get 1 hookah per 4 people. Whaa? It ended up being way too much hookah and they hassled us until we ordered our second. They also don't give you your own tongs to stir coals? And they don't serve food, just tea. I was underwhelmed and annoyed and won't be coming here again.
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Review from Tosha M.
Houston, TX
9/6/2009
Went here last night with my group of friends and we all thought it was such a chill place. After spending all day criticizing the "art" at Blanton, we appreciated the very tasteful decor inside. I enjoyed sitting next to the windows and watching all the undergrads stumble by on their way to random hookups and more binge drinking as I lazily reclined on a sofa surrounded by pillows. Much better.
It was pretty busy, but no matter how many people came in, chairs always magically appeared to provide more seating. The service was very good and there was always someone walking around to check the coals.
There are clearly regulars who frequent this place, but they were very entertaining singing the Bollywood-esque songs at the top of their voices, displaying their great smoking prowess by blowing perfect "O's", and eventually rapping, which wasn't as skilled as the smoke-blowing =)
It's a little pricey for this to be a regular thing on my small student budget, but a great place to hang with friends and just relax. -
Review from Emily M.
Charlottesville, VA
Updated - 7/21/2009
The owner and his wife are a constant presence in the FOH - both are so so kind. And I recently discovered that can you can ask for natural coals ... fo' free. Booyah! Parking is still a biyatch, but the addition of natural coals bumps Arab Cowboy up a star.
Listed in: Arab-land
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/17/2009
Mmmmm, tobacco. Loved to find that a new hookah place opened up in the West Campus area.
The owner… Read more »
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Review from Travis S.
Bryan, TX
7/1/2010
I haven't tried the hookah and I know that's what the place is known for... I had a cup of coffee there while I was studying and wasn't terribly impressed. The ambiance is great, well furnished and a good place to sit and read (unless there's soccer on). If you're not smoking hookah then you still get to enjoy the scent of strawberries wafting in the air...
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Review from Yousof M.
Austin, TX
10/7/2009
Arab Cowboy SUCKS.
Why? Go there for the 4th week in a row. If you don't know about their 4 people/hookah law, they try to make you pay another $18 for the extra person in your group. When you tell them no one told you, and you've had enough to smoke tonight promising to get 2 hookahs next week, they tell you you have to leave and can't even start to consume the 2nd pot of tea you just got after 30 min of paying for it.
And it was the owner "Anwar" who did this. The employees are actually very nice. -
Review from Aly S.
Austin, TX
6/21/2009
Living in West Campus, I was excited to see that a new Hookah place was opening up. "Finally", I thought, "this could be a chance to redeem the hookah seen in Austin." Well, I was wrong. The inside is cool, even though seating is kind of slim, but that's about it. The Hookah was over priced (it's a bad sign when Starbuzz is the "premium" shisha. I mean really? How American can we get), and I was completely let down when the coal was sitting on foil. (I could have just done to my neighbor's place to smoke hookah like that) I got the Jasmine and Rose mixed, which is a favorite of mine, and it tasted like liquorish. I asked the kid helping us if we could have gotten the wrong one on mistake, and he looked at me and said "Um, no, I mixed it myself" in a rude way. After that it went even further down hill, fast. We then got Strawberry and it was worse than the first, the completely ignored us, never moved the coals, and at one time we had to get up and ask for a new coal. Maybe if the people who were "working" there would actually work and not just sit behind the counter and smoke hookah themselves, then they would have gotten three stars. However, they bombed, and I'm still left searching for a hookah place.
Comment from Dawn S. of Arab Cowboy Cafe & Hookah Lounge 6/22/2009
As the owner of Arab Cowboy Hookah Lounge, it is important… More » -
Review from Ela B.
Arlington, VA
2/14/2010
Cheap happy hour ($10 hookah? I'm there), chill atmosphere, nice couches and nooks. They also replaced the coal while we were there, which I've never had anyone do before. I love the name, too.
