Anyone been to San Francisco?

Joined Jan 2005
2K Posts | 0+
So Cal
Saturday morning I'm making the 8 hr (if I were to follow the 65 and 70 mph limit that's posted out here :wink: ) drive up to Berkeley to help my brother move out of his dorm for the summer. Then I'll be shooting over to S.F. to look for an apartment to stay in while I go through my culinary training beginning in August. My question is does anyone have any info about cigar-friendly establishments (bars, restaurants, or clubs) in the area? I know I could probably do a search and find some online, but I think first-hand experiences would be more informative.

Thanks.
 
you will be hard pressed to find any buisness in california that allows indoor smoking.
 
Tell me about it :roll: . Funny how a state with so many suv's on the road is so hard-pressed to condemn smokers who mind their own business.
 
I'm just getting into cigars so I can't really help you out with first hand info. But I have heard good things about a shop called "Sherlock's Haven" and for some reason, you can smoke in the shop.

Sherlock's Haven : 275 Battery St. (@ Sacramento), San Francisco, CA
415-362-1405 -- Hours: M-F: 9-7, Sat: 12noon-6, Sun: 12-5.
 
I'll do some asking around and see what I can find.
i know someone that works/ed on the Warf in a cigar shop he might know?
 
I think I know the shop you are referring to, if it's the one with a huge cigar sticking out of the wall above the entrance.
 
chickenfried said:
I have heard good things about a shop called "Sherlock's Haven" and for some reason, you can smoke in the shop.

Sherlock's Haven : 275 Battery St. (@ Sacramento), San Francisco, CA
415-362-1405 -- Hours: M-F: 9-7, Sat: 12noon-6, Sun: 12-5.

I'll definitely be checking that place out. Thanks for the info. Now I have 2 places to refill my otterbox which I plan on emptying on this trip. :D
 
Hey Axegod,

I actually live here in S.F.

Sherlock's is great. They usually carry one or two sizes of OpusX for near retail, and their prices on everything else seem very reasonable. Sometimes you'll even find that they sell cigars for the same price you can get them online. Good selection, too.

This is the list I found when I first started smoking cigars: http://www.cigargroup.com/regional/ca/sfbay/sf-smoke.html

You'll see a place called Murray's about halfway down the page. Apparently, there's a cigar lounge where you can bring food and drinks. It's totally enclosed and it's open 24/7. I haven't been there yet, but I'll give you a firsthand report when I do. The SF Cigar Society has its meetings there, as a matter of fact.

The funny thing about SF is that it's often better to smoke outside. True, you can't sip your scotch at the same time, but if you just want to sit somewhere for an hour with a good stick, it's hard to beat the parks and open areas this city has.
 
chickenfried said:
Sherlock's Haven : 275 Battery St. (@ Sacramento), San Francisco, CA
415-362-1405 -- Hours: M-F: 9-7, Sat: 12noon-6, Sun: 12-5.

This is Marty Pulvers store and he is one of the finest folks in the business. Excellent store.
 
I want to thank everyone who posted some places to check out. I had a good time in S.F. and am looking forward to spending some time there. Aside from the shops and hotels mentioned I found a place called Fumo Blu Cigar Smoking Club which offers a $300/year membership with a 10% discount, and if you bring a bottle, they'll even store it for you.

While in Berkeley I visited a smoke shop on the corner of Telegraph and Bancroft. Their prices were somewhat above retail but they did have PAM's, VSG's and Hemi Maduros (of which I picked up a few).
Funny thing about this place:
They had a 5000ct cabinet alongside display cabinets full of hookas, pipes and rolling papers :lol: But hey, it's a college town!
But for my money I would rather pay the toll for the trip across the Bay Bridge and spend my money in San Francisco.
 
Glad you had a good trip. What'd you think of Sherlock's Haven? Did it seem like a beginner friendly shop?
 
Absolutely. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff. Their prices were some of the best I've seen on the west coast as well. I know I'll be giving them some business while I'm in town.
 
Take the drive up 101 to Santa Rosa, and get off on Cleveland Ave. Drive North about two blocks, and look for the Tender Box. It's a stand alone shop with a very nice Cigar Lounge in the back. Oh yeah, that will also place you dead center in Sonoma County which also has the best wine in the world. You wouldn't want to miss the drive out Hwy 12 to Kenwood/Jack London Vinyards for a few good bottles, and a few tastes of what real NORCAL wine is :wink:
 
Thanks for the tip. I planned on being a nuisance to the wineries anyway during my stay up there :lol: :wine:
 
Two areas I'd suggest for wine tasting are the Dry Creek Valley in Sonoma County and Carneros, not sure whether it's napa or sonoma it's in between the two.
 
Check out this place in the East Bay...

http://www.lasallecigars.com/

They have a "habana room" drinks, and smoking allowed... Very nice large walk in humidor as well! This is of course in the east bay in the Oakland hills town of Montclair. It is about 15 min's from UC Berkeley.

As far as San Francisco... I do not go there often.

http://www.cigargroup.com/regional/ca/sfbay/ebay.html

That last link is a list of cigar shops and places in the bay area... Some of the data seems very old and out of date.
 
Thanks for the info Rory. I had meant to check out La Salle's, but ended up going to an A's - Yankees game instead.
 
Great 1st week in December 1980 eating and drinking.
Poor 2nd week- two days in jail for puching out two sissy boys who broke into my rental car. They were not whistling Dixie when I opened the door. The Judge wanted to know why their lips and faces were all swollen. When it was my turn to talk, I told the Judge the swelling must be an occupational hazard- I never laid a finger on them Judge. The Judge went crazy with laughter and dropped all charges. He told me to approach the bench and asked did you really not put a finger on them. I said " Yes sir, it was my closed fist and my hands hurt like hell." He gave me the name of a restaurant and told me to be there at 3:00PM if I knew what was good for me. The Judge arrived at 3:00PM and we got drunk as hell and told stories for hours.I had to get the Judge a cab to get him home. He passed away in 1997 and I went to his funeral. Cost me a couple of grand but the Judge was more important than money. I miss him but I'm sure he will read this somehow.
Malone