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Off the Hookah doesn't follow the usual Clematis Street pattern of island motifs and sun-kissed servers. (Courtesy OffTheHookah.com)
More: Directions, write a review
Editor’s Note: We’ve just started a new series called “New In Town”, where newcomers to Palm Beach County check out the restaurants, bars, clubs and venues that make our home fun. Today, pbpulse.com producer Joshua Nichol-Caddy heads down to Clematis and checks out Off the Hookah. If you’ve lived in the area less than six months, and you’d like to contribute, give us a shout at pbpulse@pbpost.com.
Early this week I experienced an impromptu pub crawl down Clematis Street with a coworker.
Not having to navigate the crowds of Clematis by Night, we casually wandered in to and out of a handful of downtown bars.
Granted, it was a Tuesday and a bit early, but all were relatively low-key. And, despite efforts to distinguish themselves from one another, had the feel of most bars within walking distance of a beach: friendly sun-kissed servers, outside tables and boat or island motifs, menus favoring seafood to beef and regulars who assert the distinctions between their bar and the others.
An anomaly is Off the Hookah, 314 Clematis St. A blast of cold air upon entering confirms what one suspects: Once the room fills with the smoke from shared hookah hoses and the heat of bodies grinding (either on the dance floor or the curtained couches and beds that filled the space) under the tinted lights to the deejay, this place gets hot.
The jingle of the hostess’s hip scarf as she led us in seemed the only thing at Off the Hookah left to chance.
It all communicated the very serious business of showing people a good time.
This slick product has undeniable appeal to some; my coworker seemed eager to return with certain friends, and I, still curious about what it’s like later in the evening when things are really heating up, will probably return.
Still, I was glad to end the evening doing something more familiar: watching the College World Series (the shots of Rosenblatt Stadium diminish the distance between myself and my hometown) and drinking a beer at O’Shea’s.
I went to Off the Hookah A little over a month ago with some Friends and Really enjoyed it! It was alot nicer then any of the Hookah bars in the Area. The Atmosphere is great If you want to dance you can go to the dance floor but if you want to just chill with your friends in the back and have a conversation you can do that also!
This goes out to the owners ” If you are going to enforce rules as far as who can get into your club, I suggest you to do it without bias”
I visited your club a few weeks ago and it was a disaster.
Please tell your bouncers to do their jobs and stop taking money on the side to determine who can get in.
I respect the dress code of no hats or tennis shoes. However, one of your bouncers refused to admit a friend of mine into the place for having tennis shoes on, then a group of white men came through totally violating the dress code with tennis shoes but they were let in without being questioned.
If this kind of behaviors continue, your club will vanish fast!
I’ve been twice, once a few weeks ago they didn’t let me and my (also white) friend in because we had t-shirts and not dress shoes and they were charging a cover, though the bouncer said if I went home to dress I’d get in free. Then I went last night, there was no cover and they didn’t seem to care about dress code for anybody (white, black, Asian). It seems like a cool club, definitely a change of pace for Clematis.
Shared hookah hoses? Aside of being unsanitary, isn’t smoking a hookah (hashish, marajuana, et al) considered to be illegal drug useage? For which participants (and suppliers) can be arrested? I’m not trying to be a literal “buzz-kill;” I’m just wondering how such a club is permitted to exist? After all, it’s 2010, not 1972. . .
It looks like a nice club. It sad to see this many unhappy customers this early for them though…
Thanks for the article.
Alice there is no Marajuana in a hookah its simply flavored tabacco. YOu also dont normaly just share a hookah with someone you dont know . As well as they give you personaly tips for the hookah so you dont have to smoke after someone if thats what your worried about
I like the place, graet for a romantic date or late night clubbing with friends, the food was great. I recommend this place to everyone,