Hookah Bars in Madrid

Morocco is just a hop away, and the exotic flavors of the Middle East are all over Madrid. One tradition from the Orient, the hookah, melds well with Madrid’s crazy nightlife. Madrid hookah bars include not only the mellow dens expected elsewhere, but also party destinations in their own right, setting the inhales and exhales to club beats.

One such place, the La Comedia Urban Club, brings together the sensual smoke of hookahs with a pounding dance floor. DJs mix things up with hip-hop, reggae, R&B, and old-school favorites that keep everybody bumping on the blue-lit dance floor until the wee hours, and this slightly seedy but animated hangout packs in a constant stream of internationals and fun-loving locals drawn in by the familiar beats and sociable scene. No matter who shows up, however, hardcore dancing and drinking is always the name of the game. Luckily, patrons in need of a breather can just head downstairs to La Comedia Urban Club to sink into a fluffy white couch, smoke a bit of hookah, and chat with a more tranquil crowd.

More traditional tea-room type hookah bars such as Casa Blanca and Atlas are instead respites from the crowds. Cigarette smokers are out of luck inside Spanish bars, but everyone can take hits of peach and nectarine flavors from hookahs whenever a club-hopping break is needed. “Mellow” and “Madrid” don’t always go together, but in this Moorish-tinged city, dark and sexy lounges are always a good break.