Shouk Lounge

It is currently permanantly closed.

Yeah, this place is most likely closed for good.

I have the urge to make a terrible, punny joke about Shouk’s name, but I’ll refrain. It’s much more fun if you just imagine me making it.
Dim lighting, potted plants and hanging décor made me feel like I was in a country along the Mediterranean. The upstairs area was closed that night so we chilled in their main lounge and hookah’d it up. Not a fan of hookah in general, though it’s possible (read: likely) that I simply don’t know how to smoke. Music was okay.
Spiffy server Danielle got us chocolate cake shots — her fave — to start. They were actually double shots, and much appreciated. (Thanks to server/​bartender Jesse as well.) After that, we put away a few custom shots, and maybe drinks, and maybe wine, and definitely water. Hookah and liquor didn’t set us back too much, and all I remember leaving very, very, pleasantly buzzed.
Bathroom’s unisex, by the way.

Slapped with a cease operations order, this place will not re-​open.

CLOSED?!? Even found on street parking Sat night (7÷25÷09). Window papered over. Door locked.

Want a nice night on South Street? This place is perfect! I first went to this place two years ago and I really enjoy it a lot. I’ve gone there with friends, out of towners, even on dates and each time I have had a great experience. The food is excellent! When I went they had these potatoes, very simple, with herds on them that I got everytime. Their hummus was good and the pita was warm and fresh! My friends have tried a varitety of the other food on the menu and I didn’t hear one complaint. Their drinks are very reasonably priced and delicious. The wait staff is awesome and very friendly. The only problem was the price of the hookah was a bit mroe expensive then I am use to paying, but when you go with a large enough crowd and you only need one hookah, spliting the cost isn’t so bad at all. So try it… I’m sure you’ll enjoy it!

THIS PLACE IS A DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH.
I walked in with two friends Friday night after reading about their $ 2 pomegranate martinis until 9pm. After having an odd experience with a rogue bartender at Tattooed Moms, we were seated close to the bar (which is always convenient) and Stephen introduced himself as our lovely host for the evening. We ordered a mixed fruit shisha ($ 17 + $ 5/​coal after 1^st) that he mixed fresh himself. We also ordered a hummus plate with cucumber and feta ($ 7 + 3 + 3) which was DELICIOUS! It came with warm grilled pita and pita chips. And as a final munchy snack for the three of us to share was their fabulous fries served with a cool mint yogurt dip (~$ 7). All in all we had a fabulous time and would recommend this atmosphere to small groups and those looking to have a great night on South street :)
Please note: Do not bother being seated by ANYONE ELSE if you’re planning on having a fantastically well-​attended table and a personable experience. Stephen is a genuinely caring host who conveys the true meaning of jack of all trades. He didn’t hesitate to warn or recommend us certain dishes, which shows true moral character.

I just moved to Philadelphia from Miami, so I know my share of good and bad restaurants/​lounges. I received a friend request from Shouk Lounge on MySpace and thought it looked like a cool place. So my roommates and I went to have dinner, drinks, and of course, a hookah.
As soon as we got there, I immediately liked the décor and feel to the place. Its dimly lit with tons of candles. They have a bunch of art hanging on the wall, the music was a good selection of things I don’t normally listen to, but like none the less.
We ordered Israeli fries and these lentil fritters which were really good, but above all else, their Moroccan martini is AMAZING! If you come here, you MUST give it a try. I am not a martini person, but I was won over with this one. For dinner I had this steak with a thick olive paste on it which was really really good. If you like olives, you will love this! For our hookah, we ordered the melon flavor which was great and not very smoky to inhale… I’m not a smoker, but smoking out of a hookah was fun. Our waiter was very knowledgeable and helped us out with this whole hookah thing, since we were all new to it.
If you are looking for a nice romantic date place, Shouk is also great. If you and your date are ok with the smell of smoke and being around it, I would definitely recommend it! I have been back to Shouk many times to have drinks with friends, and I always order my Moroccan martini!
I give it 5 stars! *****
–JP

This place fell way, way short of my Unilocaled up expectations. Actually, the poor quality and service I experienced would have been enough to violate even the lowest of expectations.
-) I had to hunt down a server to figure out where my party could sit. Were we supposed to seat ourselves? I’m still not sure. Anyway, the place wasn’t crowded, so this didn’t take so long.
-) Seated, now wait…
-) A little longer…
-) Oh, there you are. Yes, I’ll have a melon hookah and a pot of mint tea.
-) Our server brings the hookah to the table and starts pulling on the hose to get it going for us. I could tell that she knew something was wrong, but she left us with it anyway. There was almost no suction at all, and after tampering with it myself for a while and fixing a few things, I realized that the inner tubing of the hose is completely broken. I don’t even know how that happens…
-) Couldn’t find my server for a while, so I eventually had to pull a different server aside to ask for a replacement hose. Dude drops off a replacement, and what do you know — still no suction. I take out the hose, cover one end and blow through the other, and yeah, the thing really leaked too much to be useful.
-) Asked my server for yet another hose, and I think by this point it seemed we were being treated like a bunch of over-​sensitive hookah snobs. Look, I know this lounge gets pretty busy and countless clueless customers probably abuse the hell out of the equipment, but come on. I’m familiar with those hoses — they retail for $ 5 and I’m sure lounges can get them for much cheaper.
-) By now we’ve got a functioning hookah, only half a coal left burning, and we tried to make the best of it. The tea was nice, the atmosphere had a likable combination of exoticism and cozy homeliness, but my legs weren’t even close to fitting under the rickety table that gyrated all over the place every time I bumped it.
-) The hookah’s kicked and we’re not interested enough to see about getting a replacement coal sans the $ 5 charge listed on the menu. The wait for the check was long enough for me to start considering leaving without paying. The servers were unapologetic.
I was eager to give this place a shot because I had heard it was better and cheaper than Byblos. Better quality? No. Better service? No. Better selection? No. Better atmosphere? That really just depends on what you’re in the mood for.
It might be cheaper, but not by too much. $ 17 for a hookah will never seem right to me – even by retail prices, you’re only using about 25 cents worth of the cheapest shisha tobacco money can buy, 25 cents worth of charcoal and 25 cents worth of plastic mouth tips. And the cost of labor, how much can that be? They didn’t even bother to use a grommet to connect the hose to the stem.
I understand that many people come there just to smoke, and that the $ 17 charge is probably more to cover the time spent occupying one of their tables than the materials and labor. But even if that’s the case, they need to find some way to make it seem a little more worthwhile…
Anyway, after having to apologize to my group for suggesting Shouk, I decided I won’t be going back.

Firstly, Shouk is a hookah lounge. Anyone who doesn’t smoke or even like the smell of it should steer clear… let alone write a review and blame their own choice of attending on the very nature of the place.
The environment is plush, with ambient lighting and decorated with a Middle-​Eastern vibe. The booths are nearer to the ground, true the an almost Moroccan style. To get one of my only two complaints out of the way, a more down-​tempo (even trip-​hop) selection of music would fit the atmosphere far better than their current selections.
The food is excellent. Most Americans have adapted to the high-​lemon, high-​tahini content used in Grecian hummus. The hummus served at Shouk is a more North Israel (even Lebanese) variety, toning down the non-​chickpea ingredients to allow the flavor of the toppings to shine thru. If Grecian hummus is a pickle, this hummus is a cucumber. Or, if you prefer a desert analogy, if Grecian hummus is cherry pie, this hummus is cherry cheesecake. Dig?
There’s really only two drink choices you should concern yourself with on the menu: what wine you are going to have along with your Turkish coffee? The coffee, true-​to-​form, is often served with cardamon seed for a hint of sweetness. As with any shisha experience, the flavor of both the coffee and the tobacco are enhanced by each other. The wine is for the meal.
The hookahs… ah, the hookahs. They pack a good variety of shisha. If you came alone, you’re in the wrong place. If you brought a group, you’re just getting started. Smoking a night away at Shouk often brings you into contact with other tables, as well as into conversations with the workers (who will often sit down and really get to know your experience).
To avoid the music and the crowds, simply show up around six or seven. The added attention you’ll get should really take your experience to a new level.
I mentioned there was one other complaint. The price really is a bit over what you want to pay. As Shouk is conveniently located right off of South Street, I have a good idea where their money is being sapped… but it makes the stop a bit painful… especially when you can’t say «no».

So, Shouk lounge. What do I say. The one star they get is for ambience and good music, which quite frankly, you can get if you sit at home, turn on your radio, light some candles and have some friends over. Or just buy your own hookah.
The service is terrible. It takes them forever to come and get your order, and they barely pay attention to you when you need a drink replenished. They never pick up their phone, so you can’t tell if they will be open or not on any given night. Sometimes they say they will be open and you go over and they don’t open.
The tobacco we got was about 14 bucks and we paid 5 bucks for the coal. There were two of us smoking at a moderate pace and the hookah was done in about an hour. It seemed quick. We were thinking about replenishing it, but the waiter who was clearly not interested in serving us any more than he had already — already being taking out order once and watching us chew on our straws — came by and took it away. Then he just brough the tab. Who brings the tab without having asked if people are okay, or trying to see if they are done at the very least.
The sound system was not good.
It’s good for smokers, as in cigarettes, cause you can smoke there.
The drinks are expensive, like 9 bucks each. They were good, made strong by the bartender.

I am not a smoker but for some reason I really enjoy a hookah now and then. This place is cute, although if you do not smoke cigarettes, I suggest you go on a weekday, Mon-​Thurs. Otherwise, between the cigarettes and hookahs, your eyes are blood shot and you feel like you dumped all of Shouk’s ashtrays on your clothes and hair. Oh, and the food is nothing great. I would eat at Southwark and then wonder over for a late night toke.

I always loved Shouk. My experiences there have generally included really delicious cocktails that tend to knock me on my ass, great atmosphere and quality hookahs.
The most recent time I was there was on a first date. I picked it for the occasion because it has an intimate atmosphere and how better to get to know someone other than over hookah & cocktails? Well, the table we were sat at was unsturdy and we kept knocking the table with our legs, endangering the drinks and hookah. At a point in the night, the music the live DJ was spinning got so loud that we were literally screaming across the table to each other.
We returned to the place later in the night to find the same type of music; however we were sitting in a much more comfortable booth.
Ultimately, as long as the music isn’t blasting and you’re not sitting at one of the two-​person tables up against the wall, you’re good.
Oh, I have to mention, the service is totally dependent on the person. One of the servers is the best of the best and one of them, I wouldn’t give another penny to.
Oh Shouk… I love you anyway.

Went here for my friends birthday gathering on Friday night and in a lot of ways Shouk lived up to my expectations. I’m not a tobacco smoker so I can’t comment on the hookah experience. But the food, drinks, and overall ambiance was pretty awesome!
Our party was seated in the upper lounge portion so we kind of rolled V.I.P. style amid fluffy red pillows and dim wooden décor. The food is pretty much Middle Eastern tapas so expect your portions to be on the small side. My grilled eggplant was excellent but not $ 9 excellent, especially since it only came with two slices of eggplant. But the lamb kabob with yogurt dressing was incredible, and the blue margarita I picked up was the bomb!
For the first and probably only time McThrill is actually going to complain about good music (gasp!). In most other situations listening to a DJ spins a well rounded mix of hip hop, electronic, Sublime, and G Love would perfectly be my thing, and chances are my butt would be moving. But when a group of people are lounging around to hookah and good food it seemed more than a little out of place and unnecessary. They should definitely bring in some music that goes with the overall ambiance instead.

I finally went here last night after my unsucessfull attempt to get service at Manny Brown’s (I refuse to wait over 5 minutes when no one even bothers to look at me when I“m staring point blank at the service staff). But I digress.
Shouk has a very nice atmosphere and very nice decorations. The music was a little annoying but that’s just because I“m not into the music they were playing. At least they did have a variety playing. What annoyed me straight off the bat the most was that the seats were all very low. It was like sitting in those grade school chair as an adult. not only that but the tables were low so I couldn’t fit my legs under very easily.
I ordered the rosemary beef and olive tapenade skewer. The beef was tasty and had plenty of seasoning. The olive tapenade also was tasty. However, that was freaking it. 14 bucks for 4 pieces of meat with olive tapenade. I could have bought a double whopper, some olive tapenade spread and saved at least 4 bucks. I can’t believe they didn’t serve rice, vegetables, or something in addition.
If you feel like spending dollars and not getting filled up, go here.
Oh yeah and my pepsi was FLAT.
I should have gone to the place next door. At least they had hot women sitting around. And maybe I would have gotten a decent meal.

I really enjoyed this place when I stopped by the other night for a drink. Since it was a weeknight, there were barely any people there. The place is small and beautifully decorated in a tasteful way, but with still just the right ethnic touches. I didn’t eat nor did I partake of any smoking, so I can’t tell you how that was.
I sat in the upstairs lounge which is small but in a cozy way. The staff is nice and helpful and friendly. While there are cushions upstairs, the padding is quite thin, so I recommend sitting on some of the pillows or your ass will start to hurt, especially if you have a bony one like mine. The place has great ambiance and isn’t noisy so you can talk. I would definitely come back here!

Shouk. As in, sHOUKA. I mean… sHOOKAH. Ok, I don’t really know what it means, but they sound the same. Shouk has hookahs.
I went with my friends, not for a minute thinking that I would actually try smoking this thing. Putting smoke into my lungs is anathema to me. I’ve never even considered trying a cigarette. So, when my group ordered a peach flavored hookah, I still thought there was no chance.
But, after a discussion on smoke rings, and every human’s desire to pretend to be the caterpillar from Alice in Wonderland (I’ve been trying to think of a good way to work in… ‘Whoooooo… R… UUUUUU?’ but I can’t seem to make it happen.), I tried it.
I can’t make smoke rings. I mean, neither could anyone else, but I was still disappointed. I was also disappointed in the hookah. I mean, it’s certainly not Shouk’s fault, but I still don’t get it. What’s the point?
It wasn’t as horrific as I thought it would be — it didn’t make me gag or cough. But it also didn’t give me a ‘buzz’ or… anything at all. And it didn’t really taste like peach. I guess it tasted vaguely like wood that smelled like peach. Or something. In the end, I’d rather have peach-​flavored alcohol. Or a peach flavored… peach. Seriously. A bowl of peaches. I’d enjoy that more. And there would be less chance of spreading herpes around the table.
But, um… none of this has to do with Shouk, and this is supposed to be a review, not a treatise on hookahs, so… yeah, I liked the place. I like the comfy seats, though I can never quite get used to the table being so low in Middle-​Eastern places. The food was good — we got the platter that was described to us as having ‘everything on the menu’ — it did not. Just so you know. There were definitely things on the menu I was curious about trying that were not included. And while it was a LOT of food, for the price (around $ 50), it was actually less food than I expected, and especially a lot less meat. Plenty of different dips, but only a couple pieces each of lamb and chicken.
The DJ the night I was there was awesome. Don’t know his name, but everything he played was a mashup — two songs overlayed. It was a huge variety — oldies merged with oldies, oldies merged with modern songs, rap and alternative… it was not overbearing, and very interesting to listen to. You could still have a conversation, but it was fun to just stop and listen.
What else… well, while I was there, I saw two people hooking up more hardcore than I’ve ever seen in public. We’re not just talking making out… if their lips weren’t locked, hers was on his neck, and he was sucking her fingers… it was nuts! And, apparently, acceptable, so… I dunno. If your apartment is being fumigated and you need a place to get it on, Shouk seems to be a decent choice.
Ok. Good food. Kind of pricey for the portions. Alcohol. Pointless Lewis Carrol role-​playing. Pretty decent place to come in a small group and chill.

I’ll give it 3 stars instead of 2 because I maintain *hope* for this place. I’ve been there 3 times. The first time it was great. We got quick attention and all our requests were promptly satisfied. The second time, it was a little more crowded, and the service suffered. I forgave them, understanding that service can be affected by a crowd. The third time, I left in a huff because the service was outrageously bad. (If you read all my reviews, you’ll see that I believe that shisha requires dedicated staff to tend to the coals.)
The shisha is decent to good.
The service is very hit or miss, which is not an acceptable characteristic of service.
The drinks are okay, if you ever get them.
The atmosphere and music are really great.
Please, Shouk, don’t let me down again or you shall lose me forever. [play dramatic sad music]

Lauren H. seems to have covered it all very well, so it’s hard to add anything here. I recommend the cauliflower dish, which I have tried and failed to recreate in my kitchen. The secret ingredient is ketchup, folks, if that helps.
Buddha Bar-​type music adds to the lounge feel, as does the low lighting. This is a great place to eat family-​style with friends, not least because you’ll want to try everything on the menu, but would also make a fantastic place for a date.

Shouk is a true gem, tucked away just off of South Street. The food, an Israeli/​Mediterranean mix is both affordable and delicious. The tapas-​style menu offers a series of small appetizers and large entrees that are perfect for sharing. The menu changes daily, but here are a few must-​haves: the labaneh, a yogurt-​cheese dip ($ 7); the hummus with pine nuts ($ 5); the pomegranate chicken skewers, which come with spicy Israeli fries and grilled asparagus ($ 17), and the wheat/​barley/​fig salad ($ 12).
Shouk, formerly a BYOB, now also offers an assortment of cocktails, beer, and wine. My friends and I walked six blocks from the subway in a torrential downpour, and the hard mint tea ($ 4) warmed me up instantly, and in combination with the amazing food, made me forget that my pants were completely soaked through. One of my friends opted for the Turkish coffee ($ 3), which was fragrant and rich.
The restaurant has two areas — a downstairs dining area, with warm orange walls and mosaic tiled tables with red couches in lieu of chairs, all lit by multi-​colored lanterns. Upstairs is the sheesha lounge, which is available for private parties, but also for dining. One of my friends held her 21^st birthday up there and maintains it was one of the best nights of her life. You can also smoke hookah in the downstairs area. The prices have gone up in the past year (one hookah is $ 17), but there are a variety of flavors — I recommend Mixed Fruit or Mango.
Overall, the ambiance was delightfully chill and mellow, the wait staff friendly and attentive. The first time I came to Shouk with a friend, we were upstairs in the lounge, and the chef came up and talked with us for a bit, making sure that we liked everything. It’s one of my treasured Philadelphia finds.