thePULSEBy Katey Khaos
Hookah bars have been popping up all around Worcester, giving us a great way to unwind after a long week of classes, midterms, work, or just the general stresses of life ~ and what could be better than that?! Keep in mind, too, that a trip to the hookah bar will cost 20 dollars or less ~ including food and drinks! 
For those unfamiliar with what a hookah is all about, here’s the run down ~ Hookahs are tobacco pipes from which shisha (tobacco) is smoked. Depending on the type of hookah, up to four people can smoke from a single one with the attachment of hoses. The shisha comes in a variety of flavors ~ and can be mixed and matched to create new ones! Generally, hookahs are filled with water, but it’s not uncommon to see milk or various other juices used instead to add more flavor. The tobacco is burned by coals that sit on top of the hookah, and one smoke session will usually last for about an hour!
Interested? We thought you might be! Here are our favorite hookah places!
Spiritual Haze (482 Park Avenue): For those looking for a cozy spot to relax and unwind, Spiritual Haze is the place to go! Spiritual Haze was created by four Clark University students for their Entrepreneurship class project and has been a popular hangout for college kids since 2007 ~ making it the first hookah bar in Worcester! SH offers over 50 different flavors of shisha (plus house-mixed favorites like Sexual Healing) as well as a wide variety of cafe treats including smoothies, cookies, cakes and more! You’ll also find board games, magazines and various other forms of entertainment scattered around ~ help yourself! Best of all, there’s always something going on at SH, so be sure to check out their calendar of events. www.spiritualhaze.com
Cigar Masters (1 Exchange Place): Primarily known for their incredible cigar selection, Cigar Masters also offers a wide range of hookahs, too! Cigar Masters is a great place to go to catch some live entertainment ~ every Thursday – Saturday ~ and with weekly hookah specials, there’s always something new to try. www.cigarmastersworcester.com
International Lounge (27 Pleasant Street): Looking for more than just a relaxing evening? The International Lounge is the place to go! With a full bar, dance floor and a hookah lounge, what more do you need? International Lounge offers more than 20 flavors of shisha ranging from the basic strawberry to more exotic mixes like Sex on the Beach. There are weekly karaoke nights, comedy nights and more, so no matter what “the group” is in the mood for, International Lounge has it! www.internationallounge.us
Victory Bar & Cigar (56 Shrewsbury Street): Victory Bar & Cigar is Worcester’s most popular smoke bar ~ known for its vast selection of hand-rolled cigars and international cigarettes, Victory also offers hookahs! There are more than 25 flavors of Starbuzz shisha in stock, and the second hookah pack is always free! Victory also has a full bar, making it the perfect place to go to grab a couple drinks, enjoy a hookah, and unwind after a hard week! www.victorybarcigar.com
The Shisha Room (86 Shrewsbury Street): Maybe you’ve been studying all day and are looking for a quiet place to relax and enjoy a hookah ~ look no further than The Shisha Room. Known for their exotic flavors (make sure to try the California Mix) and their dance floor (in case you feel the need to let loose!), The Shisha has something for everyone. www.facebook.com/pages/Shisha-Room-hookah-bar/137611256260278
Keep in mind, as is true with all tobacco products, you must be 18+ to enjoy these hookah bars, so don’t forget your ID!
