Quick answer: New York City has 82 cigar venues across the five boroughs in the CigarFinder directory, 46 of them in Manhattan, with The Carnegie Club, Casa de Montecristo, and SoHo Cigar Bar leading the pack. NYC's Smoke-Free Air Act limits indoor smoking to a few grandfathered cigar bars and registered tobacco shops. Davidoff of Geneva Madison Avenue is the city's luxury retail flagship.
New York makes you work for an indoor smoke. Most bars lost the right in 2003, and the rooms that kept it are few, old, and worth knowing by name. The list below sorts them by the kind of night each one owns.
The New York Cigar Scene at a Glance
New York City has 82 active cigar venues across the five boroughs in the CigarFinder lounge directory: 46 in Manhattan, 18 in Brooklyn, 13 in the Bronx, and a handful in Staten Island and Queens. The count includes tobacco shops and some delis and newsstands that sell cigars. The lounges concentrate in Manhattan (Midtown, Midtown East, Financial District, SoHo, West Village), with Brooklyn rooms in Williamsburg, Crown Heights, and Bensonhurst. The NYC Smoke-Free Air Act ended indoor smoking in most bars and restaurants in 2003, but a small group of cigar bars that earned at least 10 percent of their 2001 income from on-site tobacco sales kept grandfathered status and can still allow indoor smoking. Registered tobacco shops, whose main business is selling tobacco, can also allow smoking inside. Outside those rooms, indoor smoking is illegal across NYC. The luxury anchor is Davidoff of Geneva at 515 Madison Avenue. The rolling tradition runs through Martinez Handmade Cigars in Chelsea, founded in 1974 by Dominican immigrant Antonio Martinez, and historic tobacconists like Barclay Rex in the Financial District, open since 1910. Brooklyn rounds out the scene with the Davidoff lounge in Williamsburg and neighborhood rooms in Crown Heights and Bensonhurst.
Top Cigar Lounges in New York
These eight lounges are not ranked best to worst. Each is the top pick for a specific kind of visit. Click any lounge name to see hours, photos, and reviews on the CigarFinder lounge directory.
The Carnegie Club
- Address: 156 W 56th St, Midtown Manhattan, NY 10019
- Vibe: Grandfathered cigar bar with a stone fireplace, leather and velvet seating, and 18th-century bookcases. Dim lighting calibrated for conversation.
- Hours: Opens 2 PM daily; closes midnight Sunday and Monday, 1 AM Tuesday to Thursday, 2 AM Friday and Saturday (confirm before you go). Saturday nights belong to Sinatra Saturdays with Steve Maglio and the Stan Rubin Orchestra, a run that marked its 20th anniversary in 2024.
- What to know: One of the few NYC bars with indoor smoking rights. Saturday shows carry a cover charge and a two-drink minimum, so book ahead. No membership needed.
- Best for: Date nights, post-dinner drinks, an introduction to NYC cigar bar culture. Rated 4.6 by 1,045 Google reviewers.
Casa de Montecristo Cigar Lounge
- Address: 1016 2nd Ave, Midtown East, NY 10022
- Vibe: Big Midtown East shop-and-lounge that began as Cigar Inn and now runs as Casa de Montecristo by Cigar Inn, with nine TVs for sports and large humidors.
- Hours: 11 AM to midnight Monday to Saturday, 11 PM Sunday (per the lounge; confirm before you go)
- What to know: Carries the Altadis portfolio (Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, H. Upmann) plus boutique brands. As a tobacco shop with a lounge, it can allow smoking inside. Ask about humidor lockers if you smoke in NYC weekly.
- Best for: Sports nights, group meetups, longer sessions where you want a TV. Rated 4.6 by 981 Google reviewers.
SoHo Cigar Bar
- Address: 32 Watts St, SoHo, NY 10013
- Vibe: Opened in 1998 as Circa Tabac and renamed SoHo Cigar Bar in 2014. Plush leather, low lighting. Its pre-2002 history keeps indoor smoking legal.
- Hours: Opens 5 PM daily; closes 1 AM Sunday and Monday, 2 AM Tuesday to Friday, 3 AM Saturday.
- What to know: Long cocktail program, walk-in friendly, popular with downtown locals. Smaller room means weekend nights fill fast.
- Best for: Pre-dinner drinks, downtown date nights, anyone who wants a classic downtown cigar bar with history. Rated 4.6 by 848 Google reviewers.
Hudson Bar and Books
- Address: 636 Hudson St, West Village, NY 10014
- Vibe: The original Bar and Books, on Hudson Street since 1991: a library-style bar with a deep single-malt and cognac list and a tight cigar list. Quieter than Carnegie or SoHo. Cigar bar status with full bar.
- Hours: Opens 4 PM Monday to Thursday and 3 PM Friday to Sunday; closes 2 AM, 3 AM Friday and Saturday.
- What to know: Leans whisky-first; the cigar program rotates and is curated rather than encyclopedic. Excellent for one cigar paired with one specific whisky.
- Best for: A single-cigar evening with a thoughtful pour. Rated 4.4 by 444 Google reviewers.
Davidoff of Geneva Madison Avenue
- Address: 515 Madison Ave, Midtown Manhattan, NY 10022
- Vibe: Luxury retail flagship, reopened in August 2025 after a renovation: 3,300 square feet, a humidor with the full Davidoff lineup, and two members-only lounges.
- Hours: Mon-Tue 10 AM-8 PM, Wed-Thu 10 AM-10 PM, Fri 10 AM-8 PM, Sat 10 AM-6 PM, Sun 12 PM-6 PM.
- What to know: Retail-first. Lounge membership runs $1,400 (Private Lounge) or $3,400 with one of 75 lockers, and a walk-in can get lounge access for the day with a $250 purchase. Carries Aniversario, Royal Release, Special Editions, and limited drops.
- Best for: Luxury retail experience, gift purchases, brand visits. Rated 4.7 by 250 Google reviewers.
Martinez Handmade Cigars
- Address: 171 W 29th St, Chelsea, NY 10001
- Vibe: Family-run rolling shop founded in 1974 by Antonio Martinez, a Dominican immigrant; his son Jesús has run it since 2003. Everything is rolled on site. Quiet, working tobacconist energy.
- Hours: Mon-Fri 7 AM-7 PM, Sat 10 AM-6 PM, Sun 10 AM-5 PM.
- What to know: Ask which house blend was rolled that day. There is one lounge chair, not a lounge; this is a working shop with a rolling table.
- Best for: Hand-rolled cigars, a family craft going since 1974, anyone who wants to watch rollers work. Rated 4.8 by 308 Google reviewers.
Barclay Rex Pipe Shop
- Address: 126 Pearl St, Financial District, NY 10005
- Vibe: Historic tobacconist founded in 1910 by Vincent Nastri and named for its first home on Barclay Street and his Great Dane, Rex. At 126 Pearl Street since 2016, with a humidor, pipe collection, and business-meeting atmosphere two blocks from Wall Street.
- Hours: Mon-Fri 10 AM-9 PM, Sat-Sun 11 AM-7 PM.
- What to know: Retail on the main floor, a public smoking lounge in the basement, and a members club upstairs (Rex NY Cigar Club) with humidified lockers. Excellent staff knowledge across premium brands.
- Best for: Wall Street smokers, anyone visiting the Financial District, history buffs. Rated 4.7 by 211 Google reviewers.
Davidoff of Geneva Brooklyn
- Address: 156 Broadway, Williamsburg, Brooklyn, NY 11211
- Vibe: Shop-and-lounge that opened in 2018 near Peter Luger, a partnership between Davidoff and Matador Cigars owner Boris Grossman: about 2,000 square feet, a walk-in humidor, and a lounge with 90 lockers, TVs, and seats for about 30. Late hours, Williamsburg crowd, walk-in friendly.
- Hours: Mon-Thu 10 AM-12 AM, Fri-Sat 10 AM-1 AM, Sun 11 AM-11 PM.
- What to know: Distinct from the Madison Avenue flagship: this is the Davidoff store built around its lounge. The lounge carries a $40 minimum purchase after 6 PM. Full Davidoff line on premises plus rotating boutique selections.
- Best for: Brooklyn nightlife, late sessions, anyone who wants Davidoff cigars in a lounge rather than at a retail counter. Rated 4.8 by 340 Google reviewers.
How to Find More Cigar Lounges in New York
The eight above are curated picks. NYC has 82 active cigar venues across the five boroughs, 46 of them in Manhattan, in the CigarFinder lounge directory. Three ways to find more on the site:
- Tap the location pin in the search bar. It uses your phone's GPS to pull lounges within a few miles of where you are standing. Best when you are walking Manhattan or Brooklyn and want the closest legal indoor spot.
- Filter the New York directory. Use the City menu to switch between New York (Manhattan), Brooklyn, the Bronx, and Staten Island, then narrow by type (cigar bar, cigar shop, cigar lounge), Open Now, and amenities like full bar, lounge seating, or humidor lockers. Switch the sort to Most Reviewed to surface heavyweights like The Carnegie Club (1,045 reviews) and Casa de Montecristo (981 reviews).
- Toggle Map view. Any directory page has a List / Map toggle near the filters. Map view plots every lounge by location so you can pick by proximity to your hotel or restaurant.
Headed elsewhere in New York State or the Northeast? The full New York State directory covers Long Island, the Hudson Valley, Albany, Buffalo, and the rest. The main lounge directory covers every US city for cross-country trips. Taking the Acela south? Our DC cigar lounges guide covers Shelly's Back Room, W. Curtis Draper, and the rest of the District.
What Makes a New York Lounge Worth Visiting?
Four things to evaluate before you walk in:
- Indoor smoking status. Grandfathered cigar bars (The Carnegie Club, SoHo Cigar Bar, Hudson Bar and Books) and registered tobacco shops with lounges are the only legal indoor venues. If a lounge does not advertise this, ask before lighting up.
- Walk-in vs members-only. Most NYC lounges accept walk-ins. Some rooms are members-only or members-first: Davidoff Madison Avenue's lounges run $1,400, or $3,400 with a locker.
- Drink program. Whisky depth varies. Hudson Bar and Books leads on single malts and cognac. The Carnegie Club pours premium spirits and cocktails. Smaller bars often have a tight rather than deep selection.
- Ventilation. Even in grandfathered bars, the smoke load varies. Bigger rooms clear faster; smaller rooms can get heavy on busy nights.
Visiting Tips for New York
- Avoid Friday and Saturday after 8 PM at premium spots if you want a seat. Monday through Wednesday evening is the sweet spot.
- Subway access is good across Manhattan; use the directory's Map view to check the walk from the nearest stop.
- Ask before you bring your own cigar. Many bars charge a fee for outside cigars, and some do not allow them.
- Tip on drinks as you would at any bar, and remember the server who cuts and lights your cigar tableside.
- Members-only? Call ahead. Some clubs let walk-ins in for a guest fee or a minimum purchase; others do not.
Can You Smoke Cigars Indoors in New York?
The NYC Smoke-Free Air Act prohibits indoor smoking in restaurants, bars, and most workplaces; the bar and restaurant ban has been in force since 2003. Two exemptions apply to cigar smokers:
- Grandfathered cigar bars. Bars that earned at least 10 percent of their gross income from on-site tobacco sales and humidor rentals in 2001 (2002 under the state law) can register for an exemption, renewed every year and lost if the bar expands or moves. The list is small and closed; the city counted eight such bars in 2015.
- Registered tobacco shops. Stores whose primary business is selling tobacco can allow smoking inside, which is how shops like Davidoff, Casa de Montecristo, and Barclay Rex run their lounges.
Outside these venues, indoor smoking is illegal. Smoking on sidewalks is legal, but it is banned in city parks, on beaches, in pedestrian plazas such as Times Square, and in every restaurant and bar outdoor dining area. You must be 21 to buy tobacco anywhere in New York State, under state law since November 13, 2019.
Where Can You Buy Cigars in New York?
The eight lounges above all sell cigars. For the deepest selection, Davidoff of Geneva Madison Avenue carries the full range of Davidoff cigars, and Casa de Montecristo carries Montecristo cigars and the rest of its house portfolio plus boutiques. Martinez Handmade Cigars is one of the last NYC shops that rolls everything on site. Barclay Rex Pipe Shop carries pipe tobacco alongside the premium humidor.
If you cannot get to a lounge, track codes for Famous Smoke and Cigars International. Browse single cigars or compare prices on the home search to land specific Padron, Davidoff, or Liga Privada vitolas before your next NYC visit. Need a broader lounge guide? The find a good cigar lounge cornerstone covers evaluation criteria for any city.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best cigar lounge in NYC?
The Carnegie Club at 156 W 56th St is the most-reviewed of our eight picks, with 1,045 Google reviews and a 4.6 rating. It pairs grandfathered indoor smoking with a stone fireplace and Sinatra Saturdays. For sports and space, Casa de Montecristo at 1016 2nd Ave has nine TVs. For a downtown cigar bar with history, SoHo Cigar Bar at 32 Watts St has been open since 1998.
Can you smoke cigars indoors in New York City?
Generally no. The NYC Smoke-Free Air Act, in force in bars and restaurants since 2003, prohibits indoor smoking in most venues. Grandfathered cigar bars (at least 10 percent of 2001 income from on-site tobacco sales, never expanded or moved) and registered tobacco shops are the only legal indoor venues.
How much do NYC cigar lounges cost?
Walk-in cigar bars charge for the cigar plus drinks, and some add a fee if you bring your own. The Carnegie Club's Sinatra Saturdays carry a cover charge and a two-drink minimum. Members lounges cost more: Davidoff Madison Avenue charges $1,400 for lounge membership or $3,400 with a locker.
Are NYC cigar lounges still legal?
Yes, the grandfathered ones. Bars that met the 10 percent tobacco-revenue test in 2001 can keep allowing indoor smoking as long as they renew their registration every year and do not expand or move. The list is closed; no new venues can join, and the city counted eight in 2015.
Where can tourists smoke cigars in NYC?
Walk-in friendly options for visitors: The Carnegie Club (Midtown), SoHo Cigar Bar (downtown), Hudson Bar and Books (West Village), and Davidoff of Geneva Brooklyn (Williamsburg, with a $40 minimum purchase in the lounge after 6 PM). None of the four needs a membership.
How many cigar lounges are in New York?
The CigarFinder directory lists 82 active cigar venues across NYC's five boroughs: 46 in Manhattan, 18 in Brooklyn, 13 in the Bronx, and the rest in Staten Island and Queens. The count includes tobacco shops and some delis and newsstands that sell cigars. Browse the full list at the New York lounge directory.
Are Brooklyn cigar lounges different from Manhattan?
Yes. Brooklyn's rooms tend to be neighborhood-focused and less formal than Manhattan's luxury venues. Davidoff of Geneva Brooklyn (Williamsburg) is the borough's flagship lounge; smaller rooms such as The Crowne Cigar Lounge in Crown Heights and Smoke Bar Lounge in Bensonhurst serve their neighborhoods.
What is the oldest cigar shop in New York?
Barclay Rex is one of the oldest. Vincent Nastri opened it in 1910 on Barclay Street, and the family-run shop has been at 126 Pearl St in the Financial District since 2016.
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