Warm lighting, soft pillows and the intoxicating smell of sweet smoke aren’t the only tantalizing traits upon entering the doors of Funky Buddha Lounge and Brewery in Boca.

While a vast assortment of loose-leaf teas line behind the bar and artwork created by locals adorn the walls, live performances by Florida Atlantic students entertain patrons regularly over a variety of craft beers and hookah flavors.

“It’s really inviting, it’s comfortable and there’s no nerves playing here,” said junior commercial music major and Funky Buddha performer Garrett Kealer. ”It’s a pretty cool hangout place for a lot of the musicians on campus. I definitely recommend it.”

The bar has been around since 2010 and is only a six-minute drive from campus.  It’s relatively small, but spacious enough to provide an inviting sit-down atmosphere that makes it easy to enjoy a few drinks and listen to local artists.

“Usually you’re right in front of the speaker at small performances,” said music education sophomore Mellissa Montoya. “Here you don’t have to worry about that.”

The first musician to perform that night was freshman commercial music major Cal Nelson. He performed select cover songs including “Trouble No More” by Muddy Waters and “Proper Fence” by Shaky Graves, along with an original piece entitled “Spread Too Thin.”It offers live performance Wednesday through Saturday, making it available for FAU students to frequent and perform. Friday, Feb. 6 was just one night of many that FAU music majors graced the stage.

Modern rock and indie cover songs were a recurring trend among the musicians to perform that night, but the lounge welcomes all types of live music. They feature an “Improv Jam” night on Mondays for all musicians, where the cover charge, typically $5, is free.

According to students, it seems that the venue is getting a lot of attention from music majors at FAU.

Accounting sophomore and member of Phi Mu Alpha, FAU’s social music fraternity, Mitchell Parke, played alongside Kealer and was equally enthused about the venue. “This is a great place to play. It’s a great place for music to spread like a community. I definitely would recommend it to anyone and it’s been an awesome experience so far.”

An impressive cover of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues” was performed by junior commercial music major Ryan Huseman’s band, “Ryan Huseman and The Bottle Breakers.” Like his fellow musicians, Huseman had only good things to say about the venue. “This bar is awesome.  Everyone’s really nice, they have great beer, and they pay us which is really nice too. It’s a really fun place to play for sure.”

In addition to local artists’ performances, the lounge offers comedy shows, poetry open mic nights and new beer releases every Thursday.

With over 100 drinks to choose from, 40 different flavors of shisha for hookah, diverse menu items and live music from fellow Owls, Funky Buddha seems to be a popular choice among FAU students to frequent.

“I came to see Mitchell, but I stay for the beer,” said ocean engineering senior Justin Andrade.

Drinks featured at the lounge include craft beers ranging from $4-$6 such as “Mango Wheat Ale,” “Red Dawn Ale,” and the popular “Unknown and Beautiful.”

These beers, along with others are brewed on site in the homebrew store attached to the lounge. Classes are offered where patrons can learn how to brew their own beer. Check out the UP’s previous article about Funky Buddha beers.

Loose leaf teas, kava, organic coffee and various mixed drinks are offered as other options. As for food, the menu includes small portions of items like quesadillas, paninis and personal pizzas.

If you’re a fan of hookah, their selection of shisha flavors is vast. California dream, jasmine, strawberry margarita and pink lemonade are just a few examples. Prices range from $16-$27 depending on the amount you want to smoke and a $10 special is available every Tuesday.

More information about pricing, menu options and upcoming events is available on the lounge’s website as well as their Facebook and Twitter pages.

Address: 2621 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, Fla. 33431