smoking in NJ and NY

[iergeni]

Hello, everybody.
I'm looking for information on good smoking spots in Pricenton NJ and (presumably Manhattan) NY. I'll be spending about a week in the area later this year and I'm looking for an outsider (i.e. non-member) friendly cigar lounge or a cafe/bar/restaurant where cigar and/or pipe smoking is allowed. I'm not looking to make any big purchases, just to have a good time.

Also, what is the smoking-in-parks situation in these states?

 

[mitchellmunster]

http://www.jrwhippany.com/
huge place from what i’ve heard.

also a few in the city
http://www.clubmacanudo.com/

strict dress code

 

[GreekElite]

Jr is huge, about 6 large sections with tvs, and additional tables around, but no where near Princeton (about 1 hour). Unless you are referring to the one in Paramus, which is close to New York but will still take a good 30 to 45 minutes to get to

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[mitchellmunster]

Jr is huge, about 6 large sections with tvs, and additional tables around, but no where near Princeton (about 1 hour). Unless you are referring to the one in Paramus, which is close to New York but will still take a good 30 to 45 minutes to get to

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haha idk why i thought they were a little closer to each other, i generally don’t head out that way. probably worth the trip though

 

[SurfnSafari]

If you are going to Manhatten be sure to pack lots of money. Nothing is cheap. Think Nat Sherman still has a shop in Manhatten might be an interesting side trip.

 

[GreekElite]

haha idk why i thought they were a little closer to each other, i generally don’t head out that way. probably worth the trip though

I seems it should be close but not really.

But back to ops question, I asked a buddy in the Princeton area and he said theres only one shop he knows of, called a little taste of Cuba.

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[mitchellmunster]

I seems it should be close but not really.

But back to ops question, I asked a buddy in the Princeton area and he said theres only one shop he knows of, called a little taste of Cuba.

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oh yeah that’s right i forgot they had one.

little taste of cuba is nice, i’ve been too the one in new hope

 

[GreekElite]

Thats why it sounded familiar, didn't think it was the same. Been to the one in new hope as well, pretty good selection.

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[Burnaz16]

In NYC...
St. Clouds Rooftop Cigar Lounge at the Knickerbocker Hotel is a really nice spot (6 Times Square, 17th floor).
SoHo Cigar Bar (32 Watts Street).
Cigar Inn (1016 Second Ave).
Carnegie Club (156 West 56th; pricey and sometimes they have exclusive nights so check ahead).
Club Macanudo as someone stated (26 East 63rd Street).
Nat Sherman Townhouse (12 East 42nd Street).
Davidoff of Geneva, Brookfield (225 Liberty Street).
Davidoff of Geneva, 6th Ave (1390 Avenue of the Americas).
Papa Juan Cigar Room (3456 Broadway).
Bar & Brooks (1020 Lexington Ave).
Gran Havana Room (666 5th Ave).

Not really familiar with the Princeton area but there are a few decent lounges, restaurants and bars on your way into the city if you're looking to stop.
Crave Cigars (130 Baldwin Ave, Jersey City).
Tony Santana Boulevard Cigar Shop (1019 Broadway Street, Bayonne).
Cigar Room (206 Main Street, Fort Lee; right over the GW bridge on your way into the city).
Porter House which is now Hearth & Tap (125 North Kinderkamack Road, Montvale; this is my go to spot aside from JR/Casa de Montecristo in Paramus).

 

[iergeni]

Thanks a lot for the feedback.
As stated, I'm not into making purchases beyond single sticks for immediate consumption, so I guess however high the prices, a petite corona won't break the bank.

Is smoking allowed in parks? I remember reading about attempts to outlaw it, so what's up with that?

 

[GreekElite]

I don't think so for state parks, but small ones, or done discreetly you should be fine.

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[causeyrob]

Grand Havana Room is membership only, $3000 invitation-only membership then $200/mo.
Club Macanudo - collared shirts only. $30 table minimum, $15 cigar minimum. Appear to have a modest cigar selection.
St. Clouds Rooftop Cigar Lounge at the Knickerbocker Hotel - hadn't heard of this. Assuming it's formal attire only, like Club Macanudo, since it appears to be run by them? Same table/cigar minimum, or more? Looks pricey.
SoHo Cigar Bar - $10 cutting fee or buy a cigar there but beware that the cigar upcharges are outrageous. They charge $100 for Opus X Lost City and I think $50 minimum on ANY Davidoff.
Papa Juan Cigar Room (3456 Broadway) - make their own cigars, don't sell commercial sticks beyond that, right?
(Adding Martinez Hand-Rolled Cigars as they're similar to the above ^ but more central to midtown)
Carnegie Club - also business casual.

I personally go to Cigar Inn (1016 Second Ave) aka Casa de Montecristo several times a week. They have a $10 cutting fee but huge selection of sticks with modest upcharge from what you can get online, friendly/helpful staff and you can find lots of sticks around $10 or even under. Buy a stick and you can smoke your own. Buy two and you can even BYOB. Buy 6 and you get 15% off, buy 25 you get 25% off. Internet, comfy leather chairs, big TVs, open late, etc. They also have Casa Cuba right now for like $8/stick. Super tasty,... very reminiscent of Opus X.

Any of the three Davidoff stores in town are great if you wanna smoke a nicer stick. Way smaller and less lively than Casa de Montecristo. Close earlier, 8PM vs midnight/later. Wider selection of ultra premium sticks like Opus X Lost City and Padron The Hammer (maduro), rarer Davidoffs like Chefs and Year of the... and Royal Release.

Bar & Books is said to be outwardly racist, so be warned. Although they do have a $5 cutting fee. Cigars appear to be way overpriced though.

Nat Sherman Townhouse (12 East 42nd Street). Great spot, my friend works there. It's not a cigar lounge, though, just a store where you can smoke inside if you strictly BUY something (no cutting fee, have to buy). Membership lounge in basement that's like $3k to join. Great selection of sticks though. Rare Nat Sherman blends. Opus X Lost City. Etc. More upcharge than Cigar Inn, but not nearly as much as Bar & Books or Soho.

In NYC...
St. Clouds Rooftop Cigar Lounge at the Knickerbocker Hotel is a really nice spot (6 Times Square, 17th floor).
SoHo Cigar Bar (32 Watts Street).
Cigar Inn (1016 Second Ave).
Carnegie Club (156 West 56th; pricey and sometimes they have exclusive nights so check ahead).
Club Macanudo as someone stated (26 East 63rd Street).
Nat Sherman Townhouse (12 East 42nd Street).
Davidoff of Geneva, Brookfield (225 Liberty Street).
Davidoff of Geneva, 6th Ave (1390 Avenue of the Americas).
Papa Juan Cigar Room (3456 Broadway).
Bar & Brooks (1020 Lexington Ave).
Gran Havana Room (666 5th Ave).

Not really familiar with the Princeton area but there are a few decent lounges, restaurants and bars on your way into the city if you're looking to stop.
Crave Cigars (130 Baldwin Ave, Jersey City).
Tony Santana Boulevard Cigar Shop (1019 Broadway Street, Bayonne).
Cigar Room (206 Main Street, Fort Lee; right over the GW bridge on your way into the city).
Porter House which is now Hearth & Tap (125 North Kinderkamack Road, Montvale; this is my go to spot aside from JR/Casa de Montecristo in Paramus).

 

[SurfnSafari]

Is this good info makes me want to return to see the old homstead again.

 

[Burnaz16]

Grand Havana Room is membership only, $3000 invitation-only membership then $200/mo.
Club Macanudo - collared shirts only. $30 table minimum, $15 cigar minimum. Appear to have a modest cigar selection.
St. Clouds Rooftop Cigar Lounge at the Knickerbocker Hotel - hadn't heard of this. Assuming it's formal attire only, like Club Macanudo, since it appears to be run by them? Same table/cigar minimum, or more? Looks pricey.

So St. Clouds you can go and eat there, they have a relatively small menu technically without a required table minimum to go smoke as long as you eat. And it was business casual. Slacks and a shirt is fine but you can probably get away with nice jeans and a shirt. Menu is pricey but nothing ridiculous, pretty much like most other places in NYC. I didn't know it was run by Club Macanudo though.

 

[iergeni]

Thanks a lot for the feedback.
As stated, I'm not into making purchases beyond single sticks for immediate consumption, so I guess however high the prices, a petite corona won't break the bank.

$10 cutting fee or buy a cigar there but beware that the cigar upcharges are outrageous.

I stand corrected.

 

[causeyrob]

Just an update: I went to three of these for the first time Friday night. Davidoff on 6th ave in Midtown just below Central Park sells to Carnegie Club. You can take their business card or receipt to Carnegie Club and they will waive the cutting fee there, but there will still be a $20 service minimum. Often live music there no cover but on weekends (sat:sun) there is a Frank Sinatra show and you have to buy a ticket to be inside, I think $40. Cigars in house cost 2.5x street value. The Davidoff around the corner is frequented by a lot of famous actors/celebrities and they (employees) will stay and smoke with you for close to an hour past closing. Uptown Casa de Montecristo in the 70s has a totally different vibe than the one in the 50s, which I much prefer. Bigger humidor but I found better selection in the 50s location. More brightly lit and communal, but less of a relaxed vibe. Frequented by one of Carlito Fuente’s best friends, who had an Opus named after him and apparently sometimes hands them out to friends. 50s Casa de Montecristo is still the favorite.

 

[Burnaz16]

Just an update: I went to three of these for the first time Friday night. Davidoff on 6th ave in Midtown just below Central Park sells to Carnegie Club. You can take their business card or receipt to Carnegie Club and they will waive the cutting fee there, but there will still be a $20 service minimum. Often live music there no cover but on weekends (sat:sun) there is a Frank Sinatra show and you have to buy a ticket to be inside, I think $40. Cigars in house cost 2.5x street value. The Davidoff around the corner is frequented by a lot of famous actors/celebrities and they (employees) will stay and smoke with you for close to an hour past closing. Uptown Casa de Montecristo in the 70s has a totally different vibe than the one in the 50s, which I much prefer. Bigger humidor but I found better selection in the 50s location. More brightly lit and communal, but less of a relaxed vibe. Frequented by one of Carlito Fuente’s best friends, who had an Opus named after him and apparently sometimes hands them out to friends. 50s Casa de Montecristo is still the favorite.

Sounds like you had a great time brother. Glad you enjoyed it!