Where to Smoke DC

FH Finster · May 26, 2015

Brothers,

I'll be travelling to DC with a few cigar smoking buddies in the coming weeks.

If you have any suggested places (indoors or outdoors) that you'd suggest for a nice leisurely smoke, be it a roof top lounge or a park bench with ample views and people watching we'd appreciate it. We'll be staying near D Street and NJ Ave but will be all over the city itself. Heck, if there's a good spot to smoke, I'll go there just for that!

Any suggestions would be appreciated......

atbat82 · May 26, 2015

W. Curtis Draper is great. Corner of G and 15th street. Then stop into Old Ebbitt Grille great food in an awesome atmosphere (in an old school restaurant kind of way, not a modern "dining experience" kind of way).

Grrrrr609 · May 26, 2015

Civil Cigar lounge
Signature cigars
Both are up off Wisconsin ave. Civil is owned by Drapers. Huge whiskey selection there. Don't drink so don't know what they got. They serve food.

PetersCreek · May 26, 2015

On there rare occasions I get out to DC, I make a point of going to Shelly's Back Room, about a block-and-a-half from Draper's.

btubes18 · May 26, 2015

PetersCreek said:
On there rare occasions I get out to DC, I make a point of going to Shelly's Back Room, about a block-and-a-half from Draper's.

Shelly's best place in DC to smoke, hands down - food is actually really good too. Just bring your own smokes or drop by Drapers before.

atbat82 · May 26, 2015

btubes18 said:
Shelly's best place in DC to smoke, hands down - food is actually really good too. Just bring your own smokes or drop by Drapers before.

This is spot on. The food/drink at Shelley's is great. But the cigar selection is limited and pricey (and I'm not convinced the storage conditions very good). They used to charge a cutting fee if you brought your own, but the last time I was there they did not charge one (we ordered quite a bit of food and some scotches that weren't cheap, so that may be why they waived it).

PetersCreek · May 26, 2015

Story about Shelly's:
A couple of trips back (some years ago) I was at Shelly's every night of the trip. I sat at the bar and struck up conversations with some of the regulars and the bartenders. One night I was talking with an older fellow when Tony, one of the bartenders, gave him his tab. The guy pointed to a handwritten note on the receipt..."fries"...and said that he didn't order fries. Tony explained that he had ordered fries on a previous visit and it stuck in his mind, so that's how he keeps track of his receipts. I quipped, "Well, if he's fries then who am I?" Without missing a beat and in a strong Italian-American New York accent, he replied, "You? You're nobody." And that's who I was from then on.
That was a long time ago, so I don't know if Tony still works there or will remember but if you run into him, tell him nobody (the guy from Alaska in the hat) sent you.

Thedude · May 27, 2015

All the above are great places. Shellys is tired but not terrible. Tony is great. I've known him going on 20yrs.

Civil really is something you don't see in the US. That kind of money isn't spent on cigar lounges here. The food comes out of the Range kitchen next door, operated by Bryan Voltaggio. You really should check it out.

If the weather is nice, try the Four Seasons in Georgetown. You can have some phenomenal bourbon (and dinner as well), or just hang out outside with your cigars in a massive courtyard dining area. Paul (in Foggy Bottom) is good too. Kind of like a coffee/bistro place with a nice outdoor area.

Indoors, a pretty happening place is Jack Rose saloon (in Adams Morgan). Best selection of scotch and bourbon in the city and they permit cigars indoors. There's also a subterranean speakeasy (no smoking there though).

Mortons on Connecticut has a tarp-enclosed cigar area with about 10 tables that's frequented by power brokers.

Mathen · May 27, 2015

Get out of DC and head to the country.
That's my PSA. I think they've mentioned all the spots inside town.

Thedude · May 27, 2015

P.S. Make sure you eat at District Taco which is right by Shellys. Best food you'll have the entire trip.

Thedude · May 27, 2015

Mathen said:
Get out of DC and head to the country.
That's my PSA. I think they've mentioned all the spots inside town.

Shut up Mathen. Hehehehe

atbat82 · May 27, 2015

Thedude said:
Indoors, a pretty happening place is Jack Rose saloon (in Adams Morgan). Best selection of scotch and bourbon in the city and they permit cigars indoors. There's also a subterranean speakeasy (no smoking there though).

Last time I went to Jack Rose (admittedly 2+ years ago) the place was utterly overrun with hipsters. Phenomenal selection of Scotch and Bourbon, but terrible atmosphere. Has it changed?

Thedude · May 27, 2015

atbat82 said:
Last time I went to Jack Rose (admittedly 2+ years ago) the place was utterly overrun with hipsters. Phenomenal selection of Scotch and Bourbon, but terrible atmosphere. Has it changed?

Depends on the night, but you're more likely to see women there than any of the other locations suggested.

Mathen · May 27, 2015

Thedude said:
Shut up Mathen. Hehehehe

My porch followed by the property the brewery is on is the best smoking spot within 100 miles of the district. Why would I want to sit in stanky-ass Shelly's buying $14.00 beers when I have the splendor of mother nature around me? The drawback, of course, is that I am in the middle of nowhere. Any further and I wouldn't drive into town, period, with out it being a mini-vacation.

Thedude · May 27, 2015

Mathen said:
My porch followed by the property the brewery is on is the best smoking spot within 100 miles of the district. Why would I want to sit in stanky-ass Shelly's buying $14.00 beers when I have the splendor of mother nature around me? The drawback, of course, is that I am in the middle of nowhere. Any further and I wouldn't drive into town, period, with out it being a mini-vacation.

No, I get it bro.

FH Finster · May 27, 2015

Thedude said:
All the above are great places. Shellys is tired but not terrible. Tony is great. I've known him going on 20yrs.

Civil really is something you don't see in the US. That kind of money isn't spent on cigar lounges here. The food comes out of the Range kitchen next door, operated by Bryan Voltaggio. You really should check it out.

If the weather is nice, try the Four Seasons in Georgetown. You can have some phenomenal bourbon (and dinner as well), or just hang out outside with your cigars in a massive courtyard dining area. Paul (in Foggy Bottom) is good too. Kind of like a coffee/bistro place with a nice outdoor area.

Indoors, a pretty happening place is Jack Rose saloon (in Adams Morgan). Best selection of scotch and bourbon in the city and they permit cigars indoors. There's also a subterranean speakeasy (no smoking there though).

Mortons on Connecticut has a tarp-enclosed cigar area with about 10 tables that's frequented by power brokers.

My buddy mentioned he made us reservations at a "speakeasy" but is providing no details, what's the deal with that place?

Thedude · May 27, 2015

FH Finster said:
My buddy mentioned he made us reservations at a "speakeasy" but is providing no details, what's the deal with that place?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/going-out-guide/wp/2014/02/21/six-things-to-know-about-dram-and-grain-the-new-cocktail-lounge-below-jack-rose/

Thedude · May 28, 2015

PetersCreek said:
Story about Shelly's:
A couple of trips back (some years ago) I was at Shelly's every night of the trip. I sat at the bar and struck up conversations with some of the regulars and the bartenders. One night I was talking with an older fellow when Tony, one of the bartenders, gave him his tab. The guy pointed to a handwritten note on the receipt..."fries"...and said that he didn't order fries. Tony explained that he had ordered fries on a previous visit and it stuck in his mind, so that's how he keeps track of his receipts. I quipped, "Well, if he's fries then who am I?" Without missing a beat and in a strong Italian-American New York accent, he replied, "You? You're nobody." And that's who I was from then on.
That was a long time ago, so I don't know if Tony still works there or will remember but if you run into him, tell him nobody (the guy from Alaska in the hat) sent you.

Actually, Tony has a Baltimore accent combined with a sort of "Eminem" street twist. Still funny though.

Thedude · Jun 24, 2015

FH, you do your DC trip yet?

FH Finster · Jun 24, 2015

I did. We checked out the four seasons, which was gorgeous but during the half hour wait for an outdoor table we found this place.

The Rooftop Bar and Lounge
The Graham Hotel
1075 Thomas Jefferson St NW
Georgetown
Washington, DC 20007
http://yelp.com/biz/WR54eF67L1d3imHNFkDI6w

It was great. Young crowd drinking, smoking gars and pipes. Loved it. 6 scotches and two gars later we stumbled back to the hotel before dinner here

The Partisan
709 D St NW
Penn Quarter
Washington, DC 20004
http://yelp.com/biz/KFOTWKvC9K-psPxrCqWokw

The food was very good. Lots of meat dishes to gorge on. I think we walked out of there at about $90 per head. Needless to say we were stuffed.

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