Health Department Cracking Down on Hookah Bars
Sorry, NYU students. The New York City health department is not into the hookah that you scored during your semester abroad. Under the 2002 Smoke-Free Air Act, the DOH has filed court papers revoking the permits of 13 hookah bars in Manhattan and Queens, including Luxor Lounge on MacDougal Street, Parlay Cafe on Amsterdam, and Melody Lounge in Astoria. Looks like the department is targeting the few remaining indoor smoking establishments left in the city. Thanks, Uncle Mayor De Blasio.
The health department filings are reportedly from a sting operation in which actual NYU students brought back samples of the shisha used in hookah smoking. The samples had tobacco in them which is a violation of the Smoke-Free Act, which banned smoking in bars 13 years ago. Without their permit, odds are the hookah places are going out of business. Per Gothamist, the whole list of hookah places that are going (ahem, ahem) up in smoke is here:
- Parlay Café, 1780 Amsterdam Avenue, Manhattan
- 9A NYC Kitchen and Lounge, 2331 West 12th Avenue, Manhattan
- Luxor Lounge, 118 MacDougal Street, Manhattan
- Le Souk Harem, 510 LaGuardia Place, Manhattan
- Falucka, 162 Bleecker Street, Manhattan
- Cozy Café, 43 East 1st Street, Manhattan
- Sahara East, 184 1st Avenue, Manhattan
- Cloister Café, 238 East 9th Street, Manhattan
- Kazuza, 107 Avenue A, Manhattan
- Fayrooz Hookah Lounge and Bar, 28-08 Steinway Street, Queens
- Melody Lounge, 25-95 Steinway Street, Queens
- Layla Hookah Lounge, 181-34 Union Turnpike, Queens
- Cloud 9, 179-22 Union Turnpike, Queens