Red@28th

We came in yesterday around 11 and found the place PACKED! We were able to find seating in the back, but it was the very last table that only fit two. We sat for a while, the server took a little to come over. When he did come over, I like the fact that he was honest with me and told me we are expecting about a 30 minute wait on hookah. there were more customers than hookahs. We got up and went to Istanbul in Brevard Court.
Come early to ensure you get a hookah! We will be back here at an earlier time so we can actually enjoy the hookah… and get Amelie’s afterwards too. Though, I did see a cupcake stand near the cash register at Red@28^th. The daily drink specials weren’t that bad either.

I don’t come to this location much because it is always packed, which results in waits for drinks and hookahs. So usually the service is pretty bad, especially compared to the other location in the university area. BUT tonight we had Jamal, and despite having to wait for a hookah (not his fault) we had good service from him. No wait for our drinks, and he actually checked up on us relatively frequently despite being so busy. Some of the best service I’ve received here!

It’s a Wednesday night. They were slightly crowded but that still doesnt excuse our server for never showing their face to us. Been a while since we had been here so therefore, we waited for service at the counter. Eventually we were told to take a menu and sit anywhere.
And there we continued to sit.
We won’t be returning anytime soon.
Surrounding charlotte has some amazing places to hookah. Make sure to check them all out before using this last resort

A nice little hidden treasure, I will definitely be returning back. The drinks were awesome, the environment is laid back, low key, mellow, and reserved. Hippie vibe, overall great experience. Would be a nice date for a hookah and some drinks!

Tucked in the corner of this plaza, Red at 28^th is a hidden bar/​hookah lounge where you can have a drink, relax, and people watch. The drinks are reasonably priced and it isn’t very loud. There are televisions that are visible if you’re sitting at the bar, but this is far from a sports bar.
There are several flavors of hookah, $ 10 before 8:00. No more than $ 20 afterwards. The waitresses are attentive. The problem is figuring out who works there, as there is no uniform, name tag, or commonality that signifies an employee. I understand the hipster vibe they’re going for, but a wristband or something would be very helpful.
There are no fancy drinks here with foam or puréed anything, mostly just juice and liquor. Nothing wrong with keeping it simple. Just managing your expectations. Last, but not least, they do not serve food here, but you can bring it in from the diner next door or Amelie’s. Because I like low key spots where you can come as you are, I enjoy Red at 28^th.

If I could put a lower rating I would, they took 45 minutes to get to our table and had nothing but terrible attitude the whole time… not including they don’t except out of state identification cards even if your over 21… the waitress claimed that’s a law in North Carolina but I have yet to find any proof.

I was recommended to Red by a friend who knows how much I love hookah. I moved here recently and so far I’ve only found 1 solid spot prior to this, so I was pretty skeptical coming in. However, after sitting down and having some hookah, I was pleasantly surprised.
— The Venue is fantastic. It may be a little cramped with too many tables but once you have a seat everything is fine. There are also couches available if that’s your cup of tea. It’s pretty loud but not at the club or EDM concert loud. A nice buzz where you can still have a good conversation with friends which (for me) is perfect. There are TVs everywhere which makes it perfect to come for a game.
— The hookah is on point. They pack the bowl very well and have the coals burning hot by the time it reaches your table. The biggest secret is that they have Al Fakher as their lower priced hookah selection which is AWESOMEEEE. It’s definitely my favorite brand of shisha and the fact that they carry it makes it a winner in my book.
— Drink Specials — They have daily (or on most days) drink specials which usually include a beer (awesome). Well played
Overall, I’ll come back over and over while I’m here. Great spot.

This place was great !! If you are looking for a chill simple atmosphere with great Hookah this is your spot !! They have books and the place is cleary for all cultures!
My boyfriend and sister-​in-​law threw my father –in-​law a birthday party here !! It was a simple party where we could bring our own food. The staff was amazing and treated us very kindly !! They helped the details, payment, and everything else go very smoothly !! Cory hooked up the details for us to reserve the extra room and our waiter, she was an african american female, I hate I didn’t get her name but both of them were spectacular !!!
We had the Ron Burgandy, Holy Grail, and Rick Ross Hookah and they were amazing !! I surely do recommend this place

My cousin and I were visiting from NY and decided to try Red after the concierge at our hotel recommended it.
Great spot. Laid back, chill atmosphere. Everyone was super nice especially our bartendar Kesha. She was so friendly, funny and super sweet. Our drinks and the service was awesome. We even tried and enjoyed our very first Hookah.
We will def visit if we are ever in Charlotte again.

There Are very few times when I have a hookah that is absolutely perfect!!! And this place is a key place u can say is a perfect spot all the round and really make u feel welcome!!! I love bringing my girl here!!!

Ok

Standard hookah bar. Crowded. Looked like they had picked up random pieces of furniture from Goodwill that I was afraid of getting bedbugs from.

Ratchet with a capital R.
This place actually used to be pretty chill.
When I was in college, they had cheaper hookah, cheap drinks, board games, and the owner was friendly.
It was never super crowded, but not dead either.
The back room was a private and semi-​peaceful place to smoke and converse with friends.
But then summer of 2012 happened. I don’t know how it happened, but this place had an underaged ghetto revival.
Anybody who was anybody and under age 20, decided that reds was the place to be, even though they weren’t old enough to purchase the alcohol. But they could smoke hookah, and oh, the hookah did they smoke.
Reds was no longer a chill place for a 20-​something to have a relaxing night with friends, but it became a hotspot for the hyper, rowdy, and jobless late teenaged punk.
So, if you’re into craziness sans liquor, reds is for you. I need a few shots before going here.
I’ve moved on to bigger and better hookah bars. I suggest crave if you’re looking for upscale, and casablanca café in university if you’re looking for a quieter, more mature crowd.

There are a few places that i come for hookah.
This place is very convenient for hookah because its right outside of amilie’s french bakery! I have not seen this place where it is not crowded. I say the hookah prices here are very reasonable for the amount of choices you can get. Don’ be sketched out by this place as it is a little older than others but this place is still very friendly.
This place has a dim setting with pool tables and tables. Its a nice place to chill with your friends in a chill environment. I believe there are special ddays where hookahs are discounted but i do not remember which days. The employees are fairly nice as they are very helpful. There isn’t much space in this place so do come here first to grab your table. If you do end up waiting, it won’t be for too long as it clears up pretty quickly.
I probably come to this hookah place the most because it is very convenient and on the cheaper side of things.

I’ve been to Red@28 and every time I’ve gone there its always busy there. The staff is cool and very knowledgeable about the recommendations of the hookah to try. They have security there and you always feel safe there. A lot of times it’s hard to find a place to sit do to it being packed but over all a good spot. I never knew there was a spot you can goto and really enjoy yourself without doing the club scene. I’ve been to other hookah spots and and there no way close to the vibe you feel here

I’ve been there and enjoyed the place, I wanna tr t an get there when there’s not so many people I hear it’s hard it’s always packed. I’ll definitely recommend this spot to others because my husband and I really enjoyed the place

Hoookahhhhhh. I’ve been here twice, and what can I say? It’s mostly a dense smokey aroma of hookahs and people hanging out. Great if you have a table, not so great if you dont. So I’ll break down my visits.
First time:
Got a table. Not bad. Relaxing. Played some UNO with my friends and just chilled out. Hookah is definitely relaxing, and I have to say it’s a guilty pleasure of mine. There’s plenty of things to do here. I saw people reading. People talking. People playing pool. People doing homework. So, possibilities are endless. Definitely a place to chill out though.
Second time:
Didn’t get a table. A little sucky. However, we sat at a bar and ordered a Hookah. Staff is really nice and we got serviced really well. Started messing with the Jukebox that they have. I think the best part of messing with the jukebox, which you can request songs on your phone, that you have the ability to get everyone going crazy about a song. And yes. I’m going to brag and say that I did that very thing. It’s funny because I played one of my childhood songs and well, the rest is history.
In conclusion. This place, is pretty awesome. Drinks, are a little meh. But if I were to go for drinks then I would be disappointed. However, the atmosphere, the hookah, and just relaxing. Yes. I’ll most likely be back if my guilty pleasure arises when I’m in town.

Visited here again and had a much better experience. Hookah was reasonably priced in comparison to competitors but remember that you get what you pay for. We got pineapple and it was good but nothing special.
Pros:
–Lillie, our server was very attentive
–Cool, Hipster Atmosphere/​Diverse
–Daily drink specials
Cons:
–Little walking space in main/​front room
–poor ventilation in front room
–some patrons loud and obnoxious

Yo! Dis place be needin’ mo’ couches, you know what I’m saaaaayin? I mean like its cool n all, but dayum these chairs be maaaaad uncomfy yo.
Hook me up with some comfy couches and I’m all over this joint. They got some mad good books up in here, like the biography of Danica Patrick — that dope NASCAR girl. Yeah man, this place tight.
But bring a cushion, cuz those chairs be hella no good. And don’t bring a large group… they’ll make you squish.

We have been to Red several times and the only word to describe this place is «eclectic». Now this word cannot be thrown around on a whim as there can be both a positive and negative version… as for Red… it is definitely positive.
Unlike most hookah bars in and around the Queen City, Red is absolutely the type of atmosphere that provides a place for everyone to feel comfortable to hookah. There is a sketchy back room that I’ve peeked into a few times only to find very intoxicated individuals that may have indulged in more than tobacco. To each their own.
Moving on to the fantastic parts of Red: the quality of the hookah, incredible wine specials, a jukebox that accepts credit cards (dangerous), and great design. Almost every night I’ve been we have been able to get a bottle of red wine for $ 15. Is it the fanciest wine you will ever drink? No, it’s actually probably one of the cheapest you will drink. But that’s neither here nor there… it’s cheap wine and perfect for hookah.
The next huge plus (and perhaps the most important) is the quality of the actual hookah. They have a huge variety of different flavors, and if you know the right people you can partake in some of the coolest combinations I’ve ever had. There is constant coal service and the hookah lasts forever… without losing flavor or intensity. The quality is one of the best in Charlotte (and I’ve searched far and wide). If you have not smoked hookah before or are bringing along a beginner, Red is the perfect place to get great flavor for the newbies and high quality for the more experienced.
Lastly, one of the best parts of Red is the actual design and decoration of the facility. Some may view it as a confused or cluttered look… and I would think they are crazy. It is mix between retro, hipster (yes I said it), and stoner. There is tons of antique furniture and different styles of seating from retro 1950’s kitchen tables to french antique sofas and chairs. Another incredible part is the massive amount of books featured throughout Red. Old books, new books, fiction, non-​fiction, and beyond. Throw in the board games scattered about the place and you have everything you need for a long, entertaining evening with friends in a relaxed atmosphere.
Is this the ritzy, trendy hookah bar common of Uptown? No… and that is probably my favorite part. If you need a comfortable night out wth friends or even care to venture out alone to partake in hookah and catch up on your reading… Red is hands down the place you need to go.