Top Hookah Bars: Chi Cha Lounge

The Scene

Hipsters flock to this exotic U Street nightspot, which was designed to evoke the homey atmosphere of an Ecuadorian hacienda. The walls are soft adobe, with splashes of colorful paintings, the lighting is low, with lots of candles and the music is usually a mix of cocktail jazz and electronica, with little surprises such as Peruvian folk songs thrown in.

Sink into a plush velvet couch and order one of Chi-Cha's popular traditional tapas: sweet potatoes in peanut sauce or vegetable tamales steamed in banana leaves. The drinks are generous and if you're in the mood for something different and definitely sweet, go for the much-talked-about chi-cha cocktail. The red chi-cha is a mix of pineapple juice, cinnamon, cloves, cane sugar and a secret ingredient.

Chi-Cha Lounge is one of the few places in town where you can order your own hookah pipe, filled with the sweet or spicy tobacco of your choice. You and your friends can pass the hose among yourselves for a fun and unique nightlife experience. The atmosphere can be loud, and though the couches are comfy, they hinder conversations more than enhance them. But of course, with the fine music, tasty tapas and the sweet scent of smoking hookah pipes, who needs chit chat?