Aladdin Cafe

Boo.

food isn’t good. hookah is harsh. they probably don’t know how to pack the bowl and they definitely don’t clean the hoses. charge everyone who wants to smoke hookah $ 3 for water or a soda because you are REQUIRED to buy a drink.

Why the hell did I end up back here?
Of course, peer pressure. And growing up, I never learned how to say «no». Crap.
This place used to be open 24 hours, but now closes from 2am-​5am. Actually, the whole strip is closed from 2 – 5 in an effort to reduce crime and such that was always going on here (Does anyone remember the bust from a year or so ago?).
A cop is posted here on the weekends, too.

In the area so I Unilocaled for some middle eastern food. Was originally gonna go to fairouz café but a chicken shawarma was 10 bucks… so I walked down the street and found this restaurant. Chicken shawarma was 7 bucks even and the service was very friendly but…
The shawarma was not tasty at all. They used like a sub shop bread and oil and vinegar seasoning!?! If it wasnt for the good fries and service than it wouldve got a worse review

My first time in here and my last. I’ve been to most if not all of the past and present hookah places on South George Mason and this certainly ranks near the bottom. It’s dark and uninviting. The windows have what looks like packing paper over them to keep prying eyes and the sun out. It’s like some sort of cheesy clubhouse or something. My shisha wasn’t very good either as it wasn’t the flavor I ordered and when I opened the foil up, the tobacco was packed extremely tightly (this is wrong). As Nicole mentioned, there used to be a lot of drugs dealt outside and a lot of unsavory characters around this place. I gather that it has gotten a little better, but I’ve still heard from nearby shop owners that there are still problems with the clientele who visit this far end of the shopping strip. Hit Fairouz a few doors down for a more adult and welcoming experience.

I still love this place, but since the smoking ban in restaurants this restaurant has stopped serving food and now just provides hookah. The prices have gone up a bit, but it’s still great. It was actually empty though when my group went, but that may have been because we went on the night of the start of the Snowocalypse ’09.

I have been going to this place since I was in high school, can’t say I love it or hate it but hooka is great and the service is amazing. The only thing you might not like is the fact the place is a bit small area with lots of ppl… Other than that have fun and enjoy!

This place used to be fun, people used to actually come and hang out and play cards and dance and whatever. Now it is all grimey guys and young ass teenage girls trying to be cool. Hookah still is ok, some of the food is ok. If you have never else to do then go but I don’t recommend it.

Once a week, theres a fight either inside or out, and the police show up in droves. Lots of thugs like to hang here at night. I also see kids going in there that look way under 18…
Oasis was just as bad, but is now a hookah store.

In all honesty, it’s more like a 2 ½, but I’m not feeling very generous today so 2 stars for Aladdin.
No real reason, I just like Oasis better. Oasis has better falafel and they give me plenty of tahini.
The hookah at Aladdin is slightly better, but I feel like at Oasis they’re more attentive to it.
Usually there’s more seating room at Aladdin though — and the chairs aren’t quite as uncomfortable.
edit: less than 24 hours later.
So I found out Oasis closed. WHYYYYYYYYYYY. Now that I Have nothing to compare Aladdin to in Falls Church I’m going to bump it to 3 stars. Tears are rolling down my face.

So, I’m too sleepy to write a proper review at the moment because the Nyquil is kickin’ in, but I’ll come back to it later… maybe. I’m only posting this right now because I want to be the FIRST ONE TO REVIEW IT, DAMNIT.
For now, I will say this…
— shwarma and felafel need more tzatziki sauce b/​c they suck without
— desserts are super delish but i need lactaid for them, jesus
— service falls short, often
— prices are very reasonable though… but still, doesn’t make up for lack of service
— sometimes i order one thing and get another… & sometimes the other thing i get is better than what i ordered, but what the hell?
— too many g’damn kids here
— and the hookah isn’t so great… not so fresh and so clean clean
And with that, I’m out.