I'm going to be in Boston for a couple of days. Looking for a nice cigar bar (not just B&M). After searching a bit it looks like these are the three main choices:
Cigar Masters
Churchill's Lounge @ David P. Ehrlich Co.
Stanza dei Sigari
Are there others I should know about? Only SdS has a full bar, correct? I'm staying at the Liberty Hotel are those places considered to be within walkable distance?
Thanks in advance.
Posts: 122 | Location: NYC | Registered: July 13, 2007
Couldn't tell you about distance, but you identified all three in Boston. CM has more of a vibe to it, very attractive baretenders, good wine/beer/coffee selections. Churchill's is quieter, more "club chairs" and quiet conversation. SS is in the North End, almost the cigar room of an Italian restaurant. Can't go wrong at any of them. Bill
Posts: 14 | Location: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: August 03, 2004
Don't know if that's all of them, but it's all I know of. I've only been to the first two and concur with Marigotrip's description of them.
As for distances, I used Mapquest and got the following distances from your hotel:
CM - 2.3 miles CL - 1.5 miles SdS - 1.25 miles
Just comparing the first two, I prefer Cigar Masters. Better looking staff, better selection in the humidor and right next door to a great steak restaurant - Morton's!
Enjoy your visit!
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. -M. Acklam
Posts: 841 | Location: New England | Registered: August 03, 2007
Cigar Masters is two different places, depending on when you're there. At night, it turns into a party bar for Back Bay yuppies and is pretty loud. During the afternoon and early evening, though, it's a quiet, comfortable place to have a smoke and read, watch the people outside on Boyslton Street, or just relax. A lot of men use it as a refuge while their wives spend their money over on Newbury Street. It has a well-stocked walk-in humidor, though the markup is a bit high. There's a ten-dollar fee if you want to smoke your own.
Stanza di Cigari is a comfortable place on Hanover Street in the North End, below ground under Caffe Vittoria. It has a whole different vibe -- not better or worse, just different -- but it also has a liquor license (CM serves only beer and wine) and a reasonably good selection of single malts, bourbons, brandies, etc. You can also light up your own stick (though I've always thought that was kinda inconsiderate). It's only open in the evening, and is a wonderful place to go after dinner at Bricco, Lucca, Mare or Taranta.
'Question authority. Think for yourself. Filter out the spin. Engage elected officials critically. Make them defend what they're doing in your name. Derive the truth. Speak truth to power.'
Posts: 2083 | Location: Boston | Registered: April 16, 2005
Good points Jack. I had only been to Cigar Masters at night and was drinking beer that night, so I didn't notice that spirits aren't served.
Sounds like a great place to spend an afternoon!
We give dogs time we can spare, space we can spare and love we can spare. And in return, dogs give us their all. It's the best deal man has ever made. -M. Acklam
Posts: 841 | Location: New England | Registered: August 03, 2007
Pretty accurate on all 3 spots Jack. Another place I enjoy is Gloucester Street cigars off Newbury st. Nice place to hang and enjoy a good smoke, better prices than Cigar M. and definitely not as pretentious. Good smokes and nice regulars with great conversation.
Posts: 16 | Location: Boston, MA | Registered: August 23, 2007
Good descriptions. One point on the fee at CM: it is $10, one time, not per stick. Since the ability of all the cigar bars to maintain their exemptions depends on their ability to sell enough tobacco, doesn't seem unreasonable to me. Bill
Posts: 14 | Location: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: August 03, 2004
Got back from Boston last night. Had a really great time at Cigar Masters. That is pretty much a perfect casual cigar bar to me.
Also tried Stanza di Cigari but got there early Sunday afternoon when it was pretty dead. Started to get more lively just as we had to leave.
It doesn't bother me too much to pay a premium for a cigar at a cigar bar since it keeps them in business. I could get beer cheaper at the grocery store and mixed drinks cheaper if I bought the liquor myself and made them at home too.
Posts: 122 | Location: NYC | Registered: July 13, 2007
One that you guys haven't mentioned is L. J. Peretti. I haven't been there personally, but it sounds cool!
Peretti is a B&M shop with a small back room for customers. It's a fine shop that's been around for a long time, but it's not a cigar bar.
The only three places in Boston where you can smoke a cigar and have a drink are CigarMasters, Stanza dei Sigari and Churchill's. Only Stanza dei Sigari has a full liquor license, while the others serve only wine and beer.
Out in the suburbs, both west of the city, there are two more. Victory Cigar is a great place in Sudbury (happily not far from me), and Havana House has recently moved to a new location in Northborough. Both places have full licenses.
'Question authority. Think for yourself. Filter out the spin. Engage elected officials critically. Make them defend what they're doing in your name. Derive the truth. Speak truth to power.'
Posts: 2083 | Location: Boston | Registered: April 16, 2005
