Allston Nightlife: Sheesha Lounge & Soul Fire

Located right off the green line on Harvard Avenue, a little town with a lot to do awaits.  Living in the heart of downtown Boston, I find myself sometimes wishing for a change of scenery, so when my friends told me about a few cool places located in Allston, I decided to set off for a little adventure and find out exactly what was in store. 

When departing from the T, make a right on to Harvard Avenue where there are many thrift stores, antique furnishers, restaurants, bars and little shops. The streets are busy with young people and there are many seasonal art shows going on at the Van's Skate Shop.  Our destination was Sheesha Lounge, a Hookah Lounge up the road located at 417 Cambridge Street.

Quick and easy to find, Sheesha Lounge also has convenient operating hours; open from 6pm to 2am, guests can take part in this Turkish tradition at almost any hour of their night. Though smoking the tobacco through a hookah may not be appealing to all, the environment of the lounge is very relaxing. The walls are painted a dark red and the other walls are covered in brick. The lighting is dim and hanging throughout the lounge are white Christmas lights strung from the ceiling. The price for your party varies depending on how many hookahs are needed, but it is generally priced inexpensively so that college students can afford to partake in this activity. 

Since hookah is such a popular activity for college-aged students over the age of 18, Sheesha lounge does fill up its occupancy relatively fast. No matter what time of the night, there is always a wait, so make sure to have a photo ID and have some people arrive at least a half-hour early of your ideal meeting time with friends in order to get a spot at this popular lounge.

The night does not end there. All this hookah smoking, or just the anticipation of your night, could make you and your friends work up an appetite. And the perfect place to satisfy your hunger in this area is Soul Fire.

Soul Fire is a barbeque restaurant that is located right on Harvard Avenue, a ten-minute walk from Sheesha Lounge. By far, Soul Fire has the best barbeque food in the Boston area. The menu has classic barbeque favorites along with dozens of signature items that can only be found at this restaurant. The best part about this place is that they provide their guests with large portions for a very reasonable price.  Though Soul Fire is known for their barbequed meats, they also have a vegetarian menu so that there really is something for everyone. My recommendation would be a classic pulled pork sandwich, with the macaroni and cheese as a side. The friendly wait staff and upbeat atmosphere of the restaurant added as well to the quality of the food being served. Soul Fire is worth the trip to Allston for this quality barbeque meal.

So, next time you find yourself bored in the downtown Boston area, just take a trip to Allston for hookah and barbeque. You will not be disappointed.

For more information about both locations, look them up on the web at: soulfirebbq.com and sheeshaboston.com.