In times like these, when a good cigar bar is becoming harder and harder to find, take a page from Alejandro Benes, our roving reviewer, and post some of your favorite cigar spots around the United States and the rest of the globe. If you haven't read about his cross-country expedition yet, click here!
looks like you'll be driving through Wichita, KS, the resort destination of the midwest. If you have a chance, drop off by Mort's for a quick smoke. It's the best cigar bar in town. Opens at 3:00, so don't come too early!!!
Originally posted by gdmonroe: looks like you'll be driving through Wichita, KS, the resort destination of the midwest. If you have a chance, drop off by Mort's for a quick smoke. It's the best cigar bar in town. Opens at 3:00, so don't come too early!!!
if you're ever in the Toledo, OH area, check out this place, it's called Cigar Merchant and it's located on Sylvania between Lewis and Jackman, it's the only place i go for smoke, great atmosphere, great people, well most of them anyways, and the owner is a very nice guy and won't sell you a horrible cigar, plus everything is price very reasonably
if you're ever in the Toledo, OH area, check out this place, it's called Cigar Merchant and it's located on Sylvania between Lewis and Jackman, it's the only place i go for R&R and a few good smokes, great atmosphere, great people, well most of them anyways, and the owner is a very nice guy and won't sell you a horrible cigar, plus everything is priced very reasonably[/QUOTE]
While the greatest cigar bar in the world must be Lexington Bar & Books, I'm very fond of Trios Enoteca in Denver. They have an outstanding cigar room in the back, an enormous wine list, and a fairly good, if pricey, cigar menu.
They don't have a cutting fee if you bring your own - which, sadly, may doom them once the smoking ban comes into effect in Colorado, July 1. (Their tobacco related revenues may not cross the 5% threshold the law requires.)
So in other words, get there while you can. The room is cozy, the chairs comfy, and the servers attractive.
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Posts: 1477 | Location: New York/Denver | Registered: August 05, 2005
Well, here in St. Louis we have a lot of great cigar bars. One day is not enough. First as you drive into the area take the Hwy. 55 south exit about 20 miles east of St. Louis heading into the downtown area. At the Illinois Hwy. 157 exit is a Holiday Inn with a great, very large cigar bar called Porters Cigar Bar. eHerf.com is having a preherf there Friday night at 6. Lots of people from all over the U.S. will be there. Continuing into St. Louis you will find one of the finest places to have a cigar is the Ritz Cigar Bar at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in the Clayton area of St. Louis County within a few miles of I-64 which runs through St. Louis and connects back to Hwy. 70 west. In the Chesterfield valley (about 25 miles from the Mississippi River is a new cigar store called simply the Cigar Box. They have a fantastic cigar lounge and has fantastic restaurants all around it. Just get off at Long road and it will be just as you cross the railroad tracks then left into the strip center. Less than a mile off the highway. That's where I get my CA.
Posts: 17 | Location: St. Louis, MO USA | Registered: March 17, 2004
Believe it or not, but Omaha, Nebraska has an outstanding cigar bar, Cigarros. In suburban west-Omaha it has a great walk-in humidor, great wine and drink selection. Plus the staff knows how to treat you right. check them out: www.cigarrosomaha.com
Posts: 29 | Location: Omaha, NE, USA | Registered: September 14, 2004
What I would give to have the job of driving across the country to find the best cigar spots!!!
When you come through Kansas City the Outlaw on I-29 is a MUST. Great humidor selection, great guys, and the public smoking room is memorable! Dieble's on the Plaza is really good too (better selection - I think), but there's no place to smoke and definately less personable staff than Outlaw.
Richard
Posts: 1 | Location: Kansas City, MO | Registered: May 17, 2006
When you are driving through the wide open, spaces of Northern Arizona, before you drop down to the HOT desert of Phoenix...stop off on historic Route 66 at BoJo's Sports Bar and Grill in Winslow, AZ. and enjoy a good meal. No smokes for sale, but smoke in peace in our bar and later go stand "on a corner in Winslow,AZ." made famous by the Eagles in their song "Taking It Easy". The perfect stop after leaving Albuquerque. Good Luck!!
Come on down to the OC. There's quite a few cigar good cigar bars down here in SoulCal. Lido's in Newport Beach is probably the best for your excursion.
If you are driving from Albuquerque to Phoenix, you be going through Las Cruces, NM. There is this great bar that Men's Journal rated as one of the top 100 bars (I think it made top 50 or so). El Patio bar.
The bar has an interesting mix of college students, old timers, bikers, babes, and everybodys cool. There are jazz, rock, retro bands playing all the time. It is a great place to take some time off and just chill with a good cigar and good Mexican beer or whatever.
If you come into town Alejandro let me buy you a few beers.
Also when you are in Alb. if you time in Santa Fe the cigar shop just outside the Plaza area is a great little shop. They have a great selection and great service.
If you like to gamble Sandia Casino is nice, probably the best casino in Alb. A great breakfast place in Alb. is the "Star Cafe" on Central Ave. Friggin great food and people.
Word of warning: Alb. is really cracking down on D.W.I. or D.U.I.s so be careful.
"There is no true enlightenment without conflict." - Carl Jung
Posts: 233 | Location: Las Cruces, NM | Registered: March 05, 2006
Alejandro, as a new resident of Westlake Village, allow me to recommend a few of my favorite cigar bars and shops in the San Fernando Valley. First off, I'm a resident of Burbank but I make frequent trips to Westlake Village. I'm very familiar with the Cigar Zone though I've never bought a cigar there. I figured it was a typical little cigar cart with a substandard, overpriced selection. But thanks to you, The Cigar Zone will be a regular stop whenever I'm in Westlake Village. But back to my favorites:
Kolpin's Cigars on Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills. The entire store is one big humidor. There's no leather chairs or board games, just a massive selection of cigars at very reasonable prices.
Cigars by Chivas in Pasadena. Very classy place. Sales people where ties and are very knowledgable. It's pricey but they carry a good selection of premium brands. And it's one of the few places that sell the Fuente Fuente Opus X.
Vendome Liquors on Riverside Drive in Toluca Lake. Yes, it's a liquor store but it has a huge selection of choice cigars at very reasonable prices. I found Trinidad Maduros there after looking just about everywhere.
California is so tobacco unfriendly it's sickening. The only place I can comfortably enjoy a cigar and scotch is my patio. I rarely light up anywhere else because I'm unsure of the local laws. Can I smoke in a cigar bar? Can I smoke on the sidewalk? I know I can't smoke on the beach. Every town is differnet. And don't get me started on Calabasas. I refuse to go to that city ever again.
Still, even with the rabid anti-smoking envrionment and the confiscatory taxes, Southern California has some mighty good cigar shops run by some fine people.
Enjoy your new home in Westlake Village. It's a beautiful town.
