Isis Cafe & Grill

Isis is a good hookah bar in Sterling/​Herndon, across from the old Herndon Police Department building.
Don’t be afraid of the name… it’s the name of an ancient Egyptian god/​symbol, and has nothing to do with the idiots tearing up the Middle East. The owner says he’s probably going to change the name soon, anyway.
Isis has surprisingly quality eats. I give higher marks for the presentation and ganache than the actual taste of the food. You can expect the usual Middle Eastern fare here– grape leaves, hummus, etc. for apps, kabobs and sandwiches for meals, and baklava and basbousa for dessert.
I’ve noticed it’s quieter here than in other hookah bars around the area. I think that’s because of the area (out in the burbs), but also because this is like a «best-​kept secret» for Sterling/​Herndon. It’s the same kind of chill people here week in and week out; it’s very chill, not divey or ultra-​posh.
I appreciate the nice blend of old and new worlds in the décor. The restrooms are clean, which is always a big plus in my world. The prices are reasonable, and they have pan-​flavored hookah here, which nearly no one has. South Asians will love that.
The owner’s name is Ahmed. Nice guy. He’s usually there during the evening hours.

i love this place!
i’ve been coming here for years now. Their service is fast and everyone there is very polite! they have some of the best food for a hookah bar. their shisha is always on point! the atmosphere is what i like in a hookah bar very chill and relaxed!

I cannot believe this place has not changed its name. Will not be dining here again until they do.

Its a chill place to hang with friends… but they keep pushing u to by drinks… it doesn’t matter what u got…

This is a great place for people who would want relax their evening in casual environment with Shisha. They serve great Egyptian food and most important of all great people. Very friendly owner and servers who understand what hospitality means!!! I have been coming here for last ¾ years and I can say this is my favorite hang out place in the area. Along with great environment and people who work here if I have to sum this up for new people in three words — Comfortable seating, great food and even better Shisha!!! It’s a must try for people living in this area!

This place rapidly went from one of my favorite hookah bars to one I will only go to if there is no other choice.
My main complaint with them is they don’t honor the deals that are listed on their website, or their in house menu. They sometimes don’t even honor the deals they have plastered over the windows; they seem to change it willy-​nilly. That’s my main complaint with them; their policies and the implementation of their policies leaves ALOT to be desired.
Otherwise, their hookahs are good (starbuzz hoses), and their food is pretty solid. Just watch out when you are paying cuz they will add on extra things or not honor the listed deals.

Very nice place. For those people who don’t mind the smokey atmosphere. We visited there with my husband and son today. The food was great and so were the prices. The lady was very nice and a good cook as well. We will return here soon.

This place rocks! Get here on fight night — the place is roaring! Always exceptional service! Their food and smoothie options are pretty darned good too!

Food is five star BUT the place smells like lingering smoke. Not dive bar cigarette smoky, but if you are a non smoker and/​or have sensitivity to it you will definitely notice. I won’t be dining in again but I will definitely order carry out.
The hummus is excellent. Highly recommend the Isis salad!

I went there on a friend recommendation
Who knows that I’m carving Egyptian food
To find that this is mainly a hookah place
I don’t think anyone go there for the food witch was not bad but mediocre, the service is slow and food is made to order
Food presentation is actually nice and it tells you that someone back there in the kitchen really care, but the problem is hookah is the star, maybe if you went there with less high expectations on food you will like it, but for a none smoker like me it was not a very good experience

Came here one night on a whim for a friend’s 18^th birthday in August– and so glad we did! I swear my friends and I have been here over 50 times since then (not even exaggerating).
The owners know most of us by name and they’re so nice! Always helpful and never fail to make us all smile!
They’ve got quite the selection when it comes to flavors of shisha and it can be quite intimidating. The first few times we were pretty clueless about them, and the employees were definitely helpful in giving us recommendations and such.
To be honest, I don’t remember the last time we ordered an actual flavor! They know us pretty well now– or at least our flavor palates so we literally can just ask for a mix, and they’ll bring it out a few minutes later.
Their food is really good too. My personal favorites are the Isis Fries (which sometimes will spawn a craving to just stop by even on say a Wednesday afternoon or so– they’re just that tasty!), the Isis Platter (which is definitely a sizeable portion and consistent with taste), their chicken tenders, and smoothies.
They also hold «DJ nights» which are something to look forward to. My friends and I usually come in a group of 10 – 15 and we dance the night away. (If you hear the Wobble, chances are– it’s because of us).
Overall, love this place and definitely recommend it!

I have been coming to this place for quite a while, I have to say that in the last few months I’ve been impressed how much they have improved their menu. The food is just delicious, especially their Sunday specials and deserts. The hookahs are great, many flavors to choose from. If you’re not a hookah lover, I recommend going for lunch when it’s not as crowded.

Yay!!! finally fruit hookah in the area.
If you are looking for a place to smoke hookah with a hot tea this is the place to go. There other hookah place in this area but this stand out better for its classy interior and great service.
In short Great place for hookah :)

Best hookah in town by far. I have been in the area for over 15 years and been to every hookah place in town and I can vouch for their hookah. They changed the chef recently and he makes one of the best kofta sandwiches and platters that I have ever tasted. Their Isis platter is a signature dish for sure something to try out. They usually have specials on Sundays that offers authentic middle eastern and Egyptian home-​made dishes. I highly recommend it!

Came to this place with 4 – 5 other people a couple weeks ago.
We were in the area and looking for a hookah bar that was close by; although I would have driven for my favorite one, nobody else was willing to.
In the end we chose Isis. Came in and noticed how the restaurant was pretty empty on a Saturday night at around 10pm, but it was decorated well and had nice couches for big groups.
We ordered 2 hookahs and a couple people ordered food. The waiter forced each and every one of us to buy drinks which I think is pretty annoying. I had a smoothie that was mediocre at best, seemed like a mix of juices and ice and not real fruit.
Friends that ordered food enjoyed it but it was difficult to eat because of the seating arrangement. Sitting on a couch and eating on a coffee table isn’t the best position, but that was because we had a large group and wanted the couch.
The hookah wasn’t bad. I don’t remember the prices but if it was too high I’m sure I would have remembered.
Overall decent, but forcing everyone to buy drinks isn’t cool. Didn’t eat so can’t comment on the food.

We came here on a Friday night, a few weeks ago.
Even though it was about 10:30, there were only about 3 – 4 people inside. We were a group of about 8 people.
Upon entering, we all commented on the nice décor, and also on the emptiness.
The server came up and handed us out all menus. I looked and found an entrée that I wanted to order, and I know this is weird– but I did not want a drink. Usually my fiancé will order a coke, and I will take 1 – 2 sips out of it. When he asked us what we wanted to order, among the 8 of us, we ordered 2 hookahs (some of us don’t smoke). The server told us we HAD to order drinks. So we forcefully ordered $ 2 water bottles, at which point I told him it didn’t make sense that he would not allow me to buy my $ 9 entrée without a drink… since mathematically $ 9 is better than $ 2…
So I told him I didn’t want my entrée.
Someone else also ordered a mango smoothie, which was mediocre and not worth $ 5 when it just tasted watery and not like the real fruit.
Another friend ordered a mixed platter which was good, but the plate was a bit empty for the $ 12.
In the end, he charged some people for their water, and not others. I don’t get it?
I probably would come back to try the food, but due to distance and not great hookah or service… I’ll probably go to a local Kabob place instead.

So grateful this restaurant/​lounge is within walking distance! Lunch was fresh and oh so yummy. We had the Greek and Isis Signature wraps, and while hubby left stuffed, I saved my 2^nd half for later. The Isis chips were plenty to fill us up with the wrap. Will update when we go for the hookah bar & happy hour.
Oh! I almost forgot… The staff was super nice, and casually attentive.

Randomly happened upon this little gem at 1am after a long flight from LAX.
Welcoming atmosphere. Didnt try the hookah … But certainly had great authentic food and service. Wish I had a place like this where I live.

Good hookah flavors. Service was not that great. It took 20 min for them to bring my water and the bf’s fenugreek drink. Besides that, the servers were nice but not readily present so idk if it counts. The croud seemed mature, they have in and outdoor seating. Indoor was not packet yet it got smokey there really quickly to a point of nausea… we decided to sit outside… Maybe that’s why the service sucked. Three stars for the hookah quality. They had star buzz which I like.

Pretty good standard mediterranean fare. I had the Kasbah and it was pretty good. Only slightly annoying thing is that they don’t give you bread or humus or anything when you sit down.
They also have hookahs which is pretty cool.
Open late, which is excellent, and the seating is pretty good for larger groups or parties.
Also a good selection of middle-​eastern coffees and beverages.