Just got back from a 3-nite trip to NYC. Some great herfing. Hit up 4 different cigar shops/lounges: Velvet Cigar Lounge, Barclay Rex, The Carnegie Club, and Merchant's East. Before this trip, I'd only smoked in NYC at The Cigar Inn, where I'd been a few times. Had a house Nicraguan at Velvet that was dry, although it was a cozy spot. BR had a good selection with reasonable prices. TCC was way overpriced, although I'm glad I had the experience. Merchant's East was my favorite. No lighting fee, no minimums (unlike TCC), the waitress was great, and the atmosphere was excellent. All in all, not a bad string of stops.
4 shops in 3 days in NYC
- Thread starter bama
- Start date
LasciviousXXX
Lucifer
Sounds like a fun time bro :tu
Just curious as I've never been to any Cigar shops in NY, what's the deal with the lighting fee? Do they charge you for actually smoking in the shop?
Sorry, just curious as we don't have anything like that here in AZ
Just curious as I've never been to any Cigar shops in NY, what's the deal with the lighting fee? Do they charge you for actually smoking in the shop?
Sorry, just curious as we don't have anything like that here in AZ
Sir Ashton
ChestBeater
Several places have some type of lighting fee practice. It's charged if you are using the lounge but smoking your own cigars and not purchasing anything. If you are a regular customer and just smoke your own every once in awhile, there is no charge. It is meant to discourage people from just using the lounge without doing any business with the shop. Seems fair to me.
They have four now. Personally, I love the atmosphere at Merchant's East. Everyone is friendly, and they haven't asked for identification... yet!
The lighting fee (or "tobacco charge") is fairly common for the reasons mentioned above... worst I've seen is Carnegie Club, which has a $10 "tobacco minimum." Even with the $10 surcharge, it's cheaper to bring your own, as their prices are high even by Manhattan standards (think 3-4x suggested retail for top shelf)
On the Upper East Side, Merchants is a good choice, although the cigar lounge is a converted basement with poor ventilation (but great decor) and absolutely packed on Saturday nights... your eyes will be burning by midnight! Lexingotn Bar and Books is more upscale, but what a great bar (unparalleled scotch selection.
On the West Side (downtown), you have Hudson Bar and Books ($4 tobacco cover charge, same owners as Lex bar and books), which is a great little bar with one of the better selections of bourbon and scotch you'll find... small, so get there early as it fills up quickly.
Over in midtown, the new Nat Sherman doesn't let you lounge for free anymore... to smoke downstairs you need to join their private club (not interested). New store is beautiful though. De la Concha, on 56th and sixth, is also pretty good, but the seating is very limited (no lounge area, just a couple of random tables at the front of the store). So-so selection (but I did find some Pepin Blues, VSGs, and the odd Padron Anni), good prices for NYC.
I wouldn't recommend Club Macanudo--overpriced, pretentious, and touristy...
On the Upper East Side, Merchants is a good choice, although the cigar lounge is a converted basement with poor ventilation (but great decor) and absolutely packed on Saturday nights... your eyes will be burning by midnight! Lexingotn Bar and Books is more upscale, but what a great bar (unparalleled scotch selection.
On the West Side (downtown), you have Hudson Bar and Books ($4 tobacco cover charge, same owners as Lex bar and books), which is a great little bar with one of the better selections of bourbon and scotch you'll find... small, so get there early as it fills up quickly.
Over in midtown, the new Nat Sherman doesn't let you lounge for free anymore... to smoke downstairs you need to join their private club (not interested). New store is beautiful though. De la Concha, on 56th and sixth, is also pretty good, but the seating is very limited (no lounge area, just a couple of random tables at the front of the store). So-so selection (but I did find some Pepin Blues, VSGs, and the odd Padron Anni), good prices for NYC.
I wouldn't recommend Club Macanudo--overpriced, pretentious, and touristy...
Duuuuuuuuuuuuude... you didn't stop at the Davidoff shop on 54th & Madison? I was just in NYC last weekend and that place ROCKS.
Only place that has a lighting fee is Carnegie club which is a joke really, the deal is that 10 percent of the sales has to be towards the purchase of tobacco in order to keep their license. Also the Bar and Book Places but much cheaper is a gimmick really, thats why I am part of a private club. Also I tend to hang out at BR also known those guys for a long time.