Gypsy Cafe

Service is a little slow but overall good place to smoke hookah and hang out with friends

Best hookah lounge in San Antonio by far, service is great, I recommend it to my friends and peers

A hookah bar should offer:
* fresh brewed iced tea if offering Mediterranean food;
* if in south Texas, air conditioning from the start of business hours;
* if using iced tea that is mass-​produced soda product, no taste of an uncleaned soda tap in my tea on two visits;
* no ripped seats or couches;
* attentive waitstaff.
Strikes 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5. The first visit was excellent with good food and a tasty Irish Bomb hookah mix. Second visit was a disappointment that we had to cut short. An average of the two visits is two stars.

I had noticed this spot for months now and after meeting the cook from there at another function I decided to give them a try. I’m very glad that I did! Most of my other favorite Mediterranean places are a little bit of a drive from my place. Gypsy Café is very close by comparison. We got there for an early dinner just a little after 5:30 and we were the only patrons in the place. According to my friend, their business picks up after the sun goes down. My chef friend was working and he came out to say hi and let us know that he’ll be working his magic in the kitchen. Magic he did work!.We started with a mezza which is all of the greatest hits on one appetizer platter: hummus, falafel, dolmas, baba ganouj, and olives. Everything was delicious. The order of chicken shish tawook was also very good, and my wife also loved her gyro pita that she ordered. They also had toum, which is a delicious sauce made of garlic and olive oil whipped up until it is a creamy sauce. We thoroughly enjoyed every aspect of our meal and we will definitely come back!

I usually go to hookah lounges near the medical center area (which have always been great) but my brother wanted to try a closer place so we gave them a try. Honestly the hookah flavors and varieties weren’t bad but the food and our waitress were enough to make me not go back. The food tasted like it was bought prefrozen at Sam’s Club or Costco and our waitress clearly knew nothing about hookah and came to check on us once every 30 minutes. In talking to her I found out that she’d only been there a month so I can overlook her inexperience but I cannot overlook how «manufactured» the food tasted. If you’re in the area and it’s late and you feel like going to a place for some hookah then this isn’t the worst choice you could make, but PLEASE get something to eat before you go because you will probably be disappointed if you eat here. But that’s just my opinion.

I’ve decided the best way to spend a Saturday afternoon is luxuriating on a leopard print lounge while indulging in Mediterranean food and sweet, fruity hookah.
The place is adorably kitschy. If you want to go for just food they have a non-​smoking section with tables and lounges available. The back half of the restaurant is where you can smoke hookah and get food service as well if you want the ultimate experience.
I had the falafel wrap and it was delish. I’m a big fan of falafel and a lot of places get it either too mushy or over cooked where it’s hard. Gypsy got it just right. The portion size was very generous and I had leftovers to take with me. The hummus and pita bread was great too. If you just want a small snack while you smoke that would be the perfect dish. My mom had the gyro and she really enjoyed it which says a lot because she is super picky. The server told us they use a beef and lamb combo in those. Strangely enough, the thing that really blew us away was the french fries! I don’t know what they do to those but they are amazing. We were told they actually won an award for the fries a couple years ago and I can totally understand why.
The hookah menu is quite extensive so you’ll definitely find a flavor you like. Our server was awesome and took the time to help us pick our hookah and tell us which were her favorites and even ways we could customize a flavor. We went really early which is their slow time and we had great service. The hookah gave the nice, billowy clouds of smoke you expect when a pro prepares it for you and it lasted the whole time we were there.
I will make a point to stop by Gypsy whenever I take a trip down to SA!

Gypsy offers a large variety of hookah flavors, all worth trying! My friend and I had the Jolly Rancher, and it was sweet and satisfying. Tried the food for the first time tonight: a gyro with fries. SO GOOD! The naan bread was delicious and soft, and the lamb and beef were cooked to perfection. It was scrumptious every single bite! While I was ordering, I noticed a «Best Fries» plaque the café had been awarded, and it is well deserved! Seriously the best fries, so perfectly crunchy and crispy!
This place is always busy so the servers are all over the place, which is understandable. It took awhile for our order to be taken and our food to come out. But it’s well worth the wait!

Hands down the best hookah lounge in San Antonio! They have the best staff, hookahs and authentic Mediterranean food! If you are looking for a place to have a good time, Gypsy’s is the place to go! I have been going there for over 3 years and would not change it for the world!