Jacque Medina

@LivinMedinaLoca

Perched on the corner of Wyckoff Avenue and Grove Street, Elmekkah Bar and Grill is relatively nondescript. If it weren’t for the distinct yellow lettering out front, I may have missed it. But, Elmekkah’s humble exterior is in no way reflective of its atual size and how much this place bumps on the weekends. 

I ventured to Elmekkah early on a Sunday evening. Still feeling fairly unwell from my Saturday night, I walked in bleary-eyed and was immedietly greeted by a gorgeous, friendly bartender, who, just from looking at me, could tell my condition. We watched the pre-Grammys red carpet show and judged each celebrity’s outfit unscrupulously until the owner walked in.

Elmekkah’s owner, Nabil Cheikhali, leased out the space for the bar more than a year ago and remodeled its entire interior on his own. We talked over beers and mint hookah about how he used to get up at 3:00 a.m. to prepare the bar for its April 2016 grand opening. Now, it’s a destination for all hookah lovers off the Myrtle-Wyckoff L and M stops. 

Elmekkah is not a small place. There’s a giant bar in the front room, and a smaller elevated lounge leading to the outdoor area, which will be opening this spring. DJs spin every weekend, and patrons are invited to use what ever space they can find as a dance floor.

Elmekkah is celebrating its first year of business this April, just in time for the outdoor deck to open to warmer temperatures.

All images by Jacque Medina for Bushwick Daily.