Can You Bring Your Own Cigars to a Cigar Bar?

Yes, you can bring your own cigars to some cigar bars, but it depends on the establishment’s policy. Some lounges welcome outside cigars, some charge a cutting fee, and others prohibit them altogether. The safest move is to ask before you light up, then support the business with a purchase when you stay to smoke.

Unlike alcohol, cigars are not always governed by the same blanket rules when you bring them into a bar or lounge. Some cigar stores and bars allow outside cigars because public smoking options are limited, while others charge a cutting fee or require a purchase to offset the cost of hosting non-paying patrons. Before you assume it’s acceptable, check the policy and be prepared to support the lounge.

Ask Before You Light a Cigar You Brought

Before you pull out a cigar and light it, it’s proper etiquette to ask whether outside cigars are allowed. Some brick-and-mortar shops prohibit them; others charge a cutting fee, which helps the lounge earn revenue when a customer smokes a cigar purchased elsewhere. That policy is reasonable because cigar lounges are often small businesses that cannot afford to host a room full of non-paying patrons.

Support the Lounge, Even If You Can Bring Your Own

Even if a cigar bar allows outside cigars, be a courteous patron and buy something while you’re there. Lounges pay rent, employ staff, maintain humidors, clean ashtrays, and keep the room comfortable before and after your visit. A purchase supports the business, earns goodwill, and makes it more likely you’ll receive attentive service.

What If the Cigar Bar Doesn’t Sell the Cigar You Want to Smoke?

Some shop owners understand that you may want to bring your own cigar because it’s a brand or size they don’t currently carry, and they know they can’t stock everything. However, it’s considerate to reciprocate and buy something, regardless, when you’re allowed to smoke a cigar that you purchased elsewhere. If a cigar store or lounge doesn’t carry the cigars you want to smoke, order a drink if the establishment has a liquor license. Or buy a gift for someone else. Ultimately, business owners who welcome you to bring your cigars do so because they want to earn your patronage as a paying customer. That’s how they stay in business.

Retail Cigar Store vs. Cigar Bar with a Liquor License

Keep in mind that a cigar bar with a full liquor license and bartenders who serve alcohol may be more amenable to customers who bring their cigars because they know you’re going to order a drink. For example, the Ashton Cigar Bar in downtown Philadelphia does not charge a cutting fee. High-end, ultra-accommodating establishments like Ashton Cigar Bar maintain a customer-centric approach. Still, many customers do purchase a cigar during their visit because the bar carries several rare, exclusive options you won’t find elsewhere. 

Recently, we opened our new Holt’s Humidor, Bar & Lounge in Northeast Philadelphia, where we’ve fully integrated our brick-and-mortar retail store into a spacious 11,000-square-foot lounge with a full bar, world-class air purification, and over 100,000 premium cigars in inventory. Buying a cigar to smoke in our bar isn’t required, but thousands of customers buy most of their boxes from us and frequently return to smoke what they buy.

Retail cigar shops that cannot sell alcohol don’t have the luxury of alternative revenue streams from cocktails and whiskey. Therefore, your cigar purchase is essential to their business. We still advocate buying a cigar, in addition to your drink, when you’re visiting a cigar lounge with a proper bar because you’re supporting the establishment and preserving its longevity. The more places that we can smoke these days, the better.

When Outside Cigars Are Prohibited

Be respectful of establishments that strictly prohibit outside cigars. Ask a staff member to clarify the policy if it isn’t posted on the counter or the door. If you don’t want to make a purchase, you don’t have to smoke there. Business owners may prohibit outside cigars to avoid entertaining patrons who will take advantage of their facilities. Unfortunately, some folks feel it’s acceptable to buy their cigars online for a discount and smoke them in a public lounge they have no intention of supporting. Don’t be that guy. Be a gracious guest and support your local lounge. 

Private Membership Cigar Lounges

Many cigar stores maintain lounges that are not open to the general public. They charge monthly or annual membership fees for the exclusive use of their lounges. When you purchase a membership to a private lounge, the proprietor is unlikely to scrutinize the cigars you smoke. However, these businesses often offer additional deals and incentives to their members to buy their cigars in-house. Most cigar lovers who purchase lounge memberships enthusiastically buy most, if not all, of their cigars from the same business.

The bottom line is simple: ask first, respect the policy, and support the place that gives you somewhere comfortable to smoke. Whether that means paying a cutting fee, buying a cigar, ordering a drink, or joining a private lounge, a little courtesy keeps cigar bars welcoming for everyone.