Sehbali Cafe and Hookah Shop

I believe it’s under new management — now known as ‘Da Spot’ (???)
Still seems good — though for health reasons probably better to stick to the café rather than the hookah :)

This place is under new ownership and is now called «Da Hookah Spot» and connected to the café next door.
The Hookah area is much better than before (they removed the counter and added more seating area) and they also take your drink orders in the Hookah area and bring it to you (which they did not do before).
Most of the Hookahs they give are small ones, but they pack a punch and are pretty smooth! This place is also open late (until 1am on M-​T, until 2am on W-​TH and until 4am on Fri-​Sat)! Nice place to hang out with some friends for some tea/​coffee and sheesha!

Open late, and in Palo Alto — that alone gets it 4 stars from me!
I don’t smoke, generally, but I make an exception for shisha. After living in the middle east for a while, I discovered the social fun from smoking one of these together. Sehbali is a bit expensive ($ 20 for a shisha; vs. about $ 3 in the middle east…), but it’s Palo Alto, and the staff are friendly.
I seem to remember signs proclaiming this to be an unreinforced masonry building, so hopefully I won’t be here when the next big earthquake hits. However, while waiting, I’d rather be here than the other standard downtown Palo Alto cafes.

NEW OWNERS!
Kind of expensive, but not nearly as bad as before. I used to come here. It was 20+ for a hookah, and on top of that, the hookah didn’t smoke well — it felt like there was a huge plug in the middle of the hookah and you could never get that thick, flavorful smoke.
Now with the new owners, the shop is entirely stocked with Mya Saray hookahs, which if you don’t know your hookahs, are among the best, and arguably THE best in hookahs.
The hookahs CAN get a bit hot, because the stems aren’t so long (all the hookahs here are the QT model, as far as I can tell, excepting a few that the owners & their friends use).
A lot of the shop is connection-​based, in that they definitely do give deals to their friends and charge them less/​nothing, etc.
I have to say, the smoke here is better than at Smoke This; also, the environment is more chill. I think I’ll be frequenting this place, it’s nice to sit outside with a huge mug of tea and hookah.
Pricing-​wise, they charge $ 17/​hookah here. Smoke This charges $ 12. I like the people who work at Smoke This better — they’re very friendly, likely because I’ve been going there for almost a year now. Da Smoke Spot (or Da Hookah Spot, not sure what the hookah portion of the café is called) is a bit more exclusive, almost. The owners are very friendly and come by to all the customers, but not nearly as familial a feel I get with Smoke This. Loud music at both venues, though I like the heat lamps out back at Smoke This more. Seating inside in Smoke This is definitely more sketchy, and at Da Smoke/​Hookah Spot, it feels more cozy.
It’s kind of a toss-​up, though I think I’ll probably end up sticking to Smoke This & coming here when I’m in PA — in other words, it’s not good enough to make me drive out from Sunnyvale. The guys at this place tried to sell me a Mya Saray hookah worth $ 45 for $ 99. Wasn’t too happy when I found out the true value of the hookah. One star off for this.

Other than a few bars, there are very few places in Palo Alto that are open late, which is one of the upsides to Sehbali. That, and that it’s the only hookah joint in the local area.
But as far as Sheesha places go, it’s fairly sub-​par. The hookah is over priced, and they allow only 3 people per pipe, although they are usually nice and won’t bother parties a bit larger. The main turnoff for me is the complete lack of open air smoking, which isn’t really Sehbali’s fault, they’re just abiding by strict PA law. But the café hotbox usually leaves me light headed after only a few minutes of puff puff pass. The owners are very nice people, and the adjoining café is great for tea and coffee. I have yet to order any food from them, so I can’t really say how it is.
There isn’t much seating inside, which can mean a several minute wait, and the place also doesn’t serve alcohol. Boo.
Like I said before, it’s a nice alternative to the bars, but as hookah bars go, it’s a little lacking. 3 stars for the opportunity to sheesh.

I don’t really care for this hookah café. I mean, they only allow 3 people per hookah, and they have very limited seating. The drinks from the café were alright, but certainly nothing to be missed. The only reason I gave Sehbali an extra star was because it’s one of the only places on University to be open late. Actually, it’s one of the only places in Palo Alto for that matter that is open late.
If you are looking for a phenomenal hookah experience, then by all means go to Giza in San Jose. The atmosphere is great and they carry a vast array of shisha from which you can choose.

Arguably the best café in Palo Alto, especially for night owls as it’s open until 11pm (midnight on Fridays and Saturdays).
Just opened up at the end of 2006 so it’s one of those gems yet not known by everyone like the Coupa Café.
Why is this café, which is half a block from the Coupa, far superior? Let’s review:
1. Although half the size of the Coupa, just about every table has a power outlet and they don’t try to kick you out like some cafes. Ahem!
2. The tea is outstanding to the average to above average tea at the Coupa.
3. The tables are spread out so it’s almost impossible to get bumped, unlike the Coupa where half of the places you sit are ripe for bumping.
4. The staff is friendly and greets you as you enter, unlike the Coupa that ignores you or flashes a look of snobbery, even though these people are dependent on us for tips and probably don’t make more than min. wage. Very strange and destructive behavior.
5. If you have problems with internet connections, they will help you. Ask for Yosef, one of the owners.
6. Prices are a tad below the Coupa but similar enough. If you aren’t sure, just get a big cup of tea or a pot for 1.50 or 3.50, respectively. I really like the English Breakfast tea. One of the best flavors I have had anywhere.
7. They have a bathroom for men and another one for women.
8. You can hang out here for several hours and they won’t glare at you or kick you out.
9. Most of the people here are nice and helpful (I’m talking patrons) and that almost never happened at the Coupa.
10. There is a closed section in back if you like to smoke. I think it’s called Hookah and this is open until 1am. If you don’t like the smell of smoke, as I do, best not to enter.
11. No art exhibits to interfere with your working time, as couples walk by and look over your head at some painting/​photo on the wall.
12. Oh, and the people here speak English. Most of the people who serve you at the Coupa have to communicate with hand gestures and trying to get something simple can be a real chore.
So, given a choice, where do you want to go? :)
UPDATE: note that they are typically café open a good 1 to 1.5 hours after closing b/​c the Hookah is open later. While they don’t have a full range of things (like coffee) in those after hours you can still get sweets and tea and the like. Half a block from Coupa and Nolas, as well as other places.
DOUBLE UPDATE 01÷04÷08: I was told tonight they are closed for remodeling. Not sure when they will reopen. Definitely a great café to get back to you for a somewhat quiet environment, reliable WIFI and great service/​food.

I agree with most of the other reviewers, the hookah lounge could definitely benefit from some rugs and pillows, and turning the heat up a little higher. Other than that? I like it a lot. They have a fairly wide variety of flavors (don’t bother with the mint, though), and it’s pretty moderate in price (around $ 20). They say only 3 people per hookah, but if you’re nice they won’t say anything to a party of 4 or 5 (although personally I’d rather have 2 between that many, since I actually want to SMOKE sometime this year!).
I don’t have much to say about the café, since I’ve only ever gone in that section to pay for hookah with a credit card (they don’t have a credit card machine in the back, so you have to pay up front and bring them the receipt) and buy some pre-​made baklava from the display tray (which was delicious, although I’ve never met a baklava I didn’t like).

I was very excited to try Sehbali Café. I stopped by one evening to check out the menu and it looked so good. The owner was there and she seemed very sweet. We asked questions about the menu and I noted in my head that I needed to come by some day for coffee and a bite.
It was an utter disappointment. The food was mediocre and the service was horrid. It was obviously the first day the waitress had worked. She mistook orders. She blamed us for the mistakes. My food came without promised ingredients (sour cream for a quesadilla). The restaurant was out of many things and the waitress kept claiming that the menu was «wrong» and that it needed to be updated. These are things that a customer should be told upfront – not after they order.
If I wanted a quiet place to work on my laptop I would come here. It would be nicer to get a drink and work here than Starbucks.

So, this place really should be broken up into two different businesses, as the Café and the Hookah Shop are quite distinct.
The café is PAINFULLY slow. I mean, the slowest service I’ve ever had slow. The quality of the food/​drink is decent, but the utter pain in waiting for something from this place would make me run elsewhere. 2 stars, one for being open late in Palo Alto.
Now, onto the hookah bar. This place seems to have found a niche crowd of people in the 18 – 21 age group who can smoke but can’t drink, and just can’t bear going to The Cheesecake Factory one more time. The prices are a little high, but it’s open late. 4 stars.
Average the two, and we get 3 stars. Go there to smoke, but stay away from the café…

I passed this place the first time: it’s not an obvious location at all. But on the way back past it to go to a wine bar, I saw it. I got an espresso ($ 1.65) and had some mint hooka. I thought the mint was just OK, definitely not as minty as I would have liked.
I thought the atmosphere was just OK: the people working there were nice enough: though I was none-​to-​impressed generally. The actual hooka lounge area could do with significantly more lushness (read: more pillows, carpets, couches) and could be warmer (I got cold about halfway through), but it was overall a fairly good experience. I’d come back here with some more friends next time: it’s rather expensive for just two people.

This is for the café across the street from the upscale hair salon, not the hookah restaurant.
I love dark wood bistro cafes done right and love even more ethnic STREET FOOD and SNACKS.
I’ve never been to South Asia but I have had fancy chaat tapas in DC and was happily surprised to find chaat and chai with sunny outdoor seating right after my last haircut.
Service was friendly and prompt. Prices were high. Portions were small. So typical of any small coffee shop most anywhere, especially in a ‘where’ like downtown Palo Alto.
I have to give this place a 4 just for the uniqueness of the street food they offer. I also liked that my chai was smooth and strong, though you could always ‘make it better’ at home — but again, that’s typical for any coffee shop anywhere.
The fact that they cram their 2 outdoor tables next to an awkwardly displaced flower shop whose phone is always ringing is a minus, but I guess you could chalk that up to it’s «charm» and the overall «charm» of downtown Palo Alto.

wanna sheesha? Well i just came back from turkey and did buy some water pipe supplies but i can’t be asked to set it up so I came here. This place is crazy chill, its intimate (aka small) but the «booths» are cornered so if you have a couple of friends you can actually hear them. The staff is great, they are very attentive and make sure the coals are always hot and blow your filter (also *hott) The prices are higher than i usually pay then again i was in Turkey and do it in berkeley and this is Palo Alto but you do get A LOT. We spent like an hour + ish on one and there was only 3 of us. Thats the other thing to note one water pipe for 3 people. I had such a great time and it does get busy but you never feel rushed.
so yea check it out, ill probably be there still not assembling my own.

Ahhhhhh Sheeeeshaaaah. You’ve missed it ever since you left Beirut /​Cairo /​your dorm room. It’s a small but homey room, with a wood ceiling, open till 1 am /​2am on weekends. They have a nice selection but it ain’t the cheapest I’ve seen — 20 bucks for a shisha you can share between 3 people.

Nice atmosphere. Decent, warm, comfortable seats, clean. I like the separate bathrooms for men and women — not that I care about sharing a bathroom with someone of the opposite gender, I do it every day — but it’s definitely convenient to have two bathrooms available in case you’re, well, in a hurry.
Coffee is decent. But my god, things are pricey here! I ordered the aforementioned large coffee and some pita and hummus, and it came to $ 7.89. Excuse me, does a blowjob come with that? It took 20 minutes to get the pita and hummus, and while it’s good (grilled, fresh, nicely done with toppings), it’s very much not worth $ 5.
I’m a little dubious of some of the rave reviews here, to be honest.

Shockingly good. far superior hookah to Kan Zeman, more affordable, awesome staff and very friendly and dedicated owners. As a bonus, the whole place is halal, which is fantastic for those of us rocking our Axis of Evil status… Not only have I never been disappointed by tihs place, I have never failed to be impressed. Me and Wisconsin Dave have made this our Thursday tradition…
Without a doubt, the one bright spot in the suburbian blight of palo alto…

I was actually floored at how much these guys want your order to be just right. My friend ordered a sweet lassi from them. The lady who made it actually came out and told my friend that if it was too sweet, she could go add more yogurt and re-​blend it. She even stood by as my friend made an initial taste. After confirming that it was indeed too sweet, it was taken back, re-​blended, and then brought back out.
Amazing customer service.

I’ve never been to the café portion of this establishment, so this review is only concerned with the Hookah side of things.
The Hookahs here are good, if not a bit pricey. They coals they use burn long enough, and the staff is always willing to give you a relight if necessary.
If you go on the weekends expect a bunch of not-​yet-​21 kids to be in here.

I’m surprised that I’m only the second reviewer of this café. I stopped by here tonight after catching a film at the Stanford Theatre. I walked up and down University looking for a café but couldn’t find one (except for that one that sells chocolates); then I too stumbled across this place. The store front has some sort of flower shop, with the entrance to the café tucked behind it. It looked quaint, so I went in.
I really like the décor. The ceiling has nice wood beams. The chairs and tables are attractive. The counter is nice (but cluttered).
I ordered the Masala chai. It was tasty, but not cheap ($ 3 and change). I guess this is equivalent to a latte at Starbucks, but I never was one to pay over $ 2 for a coffee or tea. It’s too bad there are no prices on their menu boards.
The service was sub-​par. The middle-​aged woman who finally made me tea was nice enough, but the two young men who took my order (and who were supposed to fill it) were slow and not very professional.
The customers all appeared to be Stanford students (lots of laptops and text books). The woman behind the counter seemed to know all of them, so I guess there are a lot of regulars. I’d go back, but would find a cheaper drink.

I went with some trepidation having read the other reviews here. But I was in the area and wanted something more relaxed than starbucks. I walked in and felt transformed to another time and place. The young man behind the counter said hello to me and welcomed me to their new café. He chatted me up for a minute telling me about the menu and some of the unique things they offered. I ordered a cap, dry. I took the menu to my seat to give it a good look over. It was extensive for such a small place. My cap came and it was just perfect. Smooth foam with a nice circle of crema around the edge of the cup. The espresso was very good too! No acid, just smoothing drinking.
I ordered one of their sandwiches. It was something with brie and turkey and apples on a very fresh and flaky croissant. Really nice! Their other sandwiches looked good too. I wanted something sweet after-​wards. I was talking to the manger who used to be a pastry chef. She told me that she picked out all the desserts and proceeded to describe everything in the case to me. I actually settled on two desserts. I had one of these lovely little mousse cups. There were a few flavors but I had the Lemon Mousse and Raspberry Mousse. Just perfect and the price was right! only 2.50. They also have other small desserts like petite fours and some mini chocolate covered cookies.
My second dessert was a sugar-​free fudge brownie made with Maltitol. The manager assured me that if I could tell it did not have sugar she would give me my choice of anything in the case. It was good and I stuck with the brownie. No chemical aftertaste at all. There were two other desserts made with this type of sugar. She told me that she was going to get more.
I sat for a while, unhurried and played on my lap top and ate my lunch. What a lovely time. I plan to go back frequently