Ambiance is the first word that comes to mind upon entering the Zeeba Lounge. With its dimmed lighting, relaxing music and comfortable seating, Zeeba is a welcome, classier break from the usually crowded, frenetic nightlife scene. Perhaps part of the reason for the laid-back vibe of Zeeba is because it is a Middle Eastern-themed hookah lounge -- the kind of place that's made for groups of friends to sit and relax while smoking hookah, which is a supposedly non-addictive combination of mostly fruit molasses and a little bit of tobacco.
The first, and most obvious, attractor of Zeeba is the quality of the hookah itself. Aficionados will be pleased by the smoothness of the sheesha and the subtlety of the flavors (the words "harsh" or "rough" will rarely be uttered within the walls of Zeeba). The less experienced will be grateful that, upon inhaling, they don't feel any unpleasant tickle in their throats. Every patron will be impressed by the range of flavors available on the menu, which varies on different nights. Each hookah is estimated to be enough for four people, but germophobes don't need to worry about passing the mouthpiece around the table because individual plastic coverings are given to everyone, so it's all sanitary.
Even if smoking isn't your thing, it's still possible to have a good time at Zeeba, assuming the ubiquitous cloud of secondhand smoke isn't an issue. Either as accompaniments to the hookah or as a substitute for smoking, there are numerous appetizer and dessert options, including a delicious hummus (complete with soft pita triangles for dipping) and dolma (stuffed grape leaves). If you need a little extra help staying up into the wee hours of the morning (as is inevitable when you take full advantage of Zeeba), their Turkish coffee will keep even the most tired eyes wide open.
Underclassmen will be glad to learn that, unlike most of Federal Hill's offerings, you don't need to be 21 to make it through Zeeba's doors. They don't serve alcohol here, but it is BYOB if you are legally allowed to drink (beware of the bottle fees, though). There's a sub shop down the block where you can buy a six pack or two, so forgetting to bring the bubbly in a sketchy paper bag to Zeeba isn't the end of the world. Just be aware that the staff is very vigilant about checking IDs, even if half of your party is 21 and the rest is not. It's not really the type of place where people get stumbling drunk anyway, so if you try and help the staff out by following the rules, your night will not be ruined in the process. Plus, there aren't any rules against some innocent pre-cab ride pregaming.
The staff at Zeeba is incredibly accommodating. Even the largest of parties will be seated as quickly as possible. Though the establishment is rather small, its size is deceptive -- a surprising amount of people can fit into the lounge. There seems to be an endless amount of small, backless chairs that the staff will bring out, so that groups of friends don't need to split up.
Included in the staff of waitresses and bouncers is a bellydancer or two. Though the presence of a scantily-clad, gyrating woman may or may not be considered a good thing to everyone, it's undeniable that she adds to the overall, Middle Eastern-themed atmosphere of Zeeba. If the energy of the place seems to be dying, she'll try to inspire a little craziness by urging people to dance or clap along to the music. Anyone with loudmouth friends who is celebrating a birthday can pretty much expect to be "dance-attacked" by the peppy bellydancer.
There's no way to describe the overall crowd at Zeeba in some all-encompassing manner. For the most part, it seems to be college-aged kids (probably ones who couldn't sneak their fakes past bouncers at Federal Hill's many bars) -- couples out on dates, small groups of friends and larger parties, often there to celebrate a birthday or two. It's not really the place to meet new people or score a date because each group sticks to itself and mingling is minimal. People at Zeeba are there to have a fun, relaxing night of hookah smoking with their friends -- not to make out with a stranger.
As long as you enjoy (or at least tolerate) hookah smoking and don't have some strong moral opposition to bellydancers, a night at Zeeba Lounge will be a low-key outing that maintains a sense of extra sophistication that's often lacking in the Baltimore college nightlife scene.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication in The News-Letter.