Dave L.
Yelp
I have been here for years, since I started working after college and I am now in my 30s. I was just sending the link to a few friends to meet there this week and stumbled on some of the negative reviews. So I just have to write something to paint a better picture.
To be honest, Yelp is not my favorite. Because people write reviews based on the $ factor while comparing apples with oranges. This place is not a bar or a social club. This is a cigar lounge - no need to judge it on anything else besides cigars and ambiance to smoke the cigars in.
I frequent multiple cigar lounges. When I travel, I also hit all of the cigar clubs in Hong Kong, Tokyo, etc. just to try out different experiences. So let me address the factors that are actually important to a cigar lounge:
1. Selection: I don't disagree with some of the reviews that the selection here is not huge. It's also not small and it has everything you need (just nothing from a limited edition). For cubans, I like the Partagas Series D #4, Montecristo #2, Cohiba Siglo VI for a special occasion, or the Romeo #2 for a quickie. For non-cubans, I like the Padron family reserves or 1964s, multiple my Fathers lines, Series V Melanie, Aroma de Cuba, and a few other full bodies. You can find half of the things mentioned above at this shop, which is more than sufficient. If you don't smoke frequently, this definitely covers all of your needs.
2. Price: for the Los Angeles greater area, the price is fair considering this place also has a full bar. If you go to Lone Wolf nearby, which is a private club, you may save a couple bucks a stick, but there is no alcohol and no parking. I love Lone Wolf but Buena Vista is just different.
3: Bar: has a good selection of whiskey (including the Santory made Japanese ones that I love) and everything else you would see at a normal bar, including IPAs. Price is normal for a typical bar in the area.
3. Customers: I think most of the clientele are locals. I personally go there with my coworkers after work. Don't expect people to start conversations with strangers...this is not a cruise or somewhere you would see the same faces everytime you are there. Whether they are snobby or not (as mentioned in another review), is purely a LA people thing (or maybe a personal issue) and it's not fair to deduct stars for this lounge.
4. Ambiance: hunting cabin themed... although hunting is kind of a tabooed topic to talk about in California, I like the theme. He's got some mallards, deer, elk, and a few European mounts. Nothing offensive and I feel it's comfortable and kind of unique.
5. Owner: Rigo is awesome. He doesn't make as much small talk as some of the other cigar shop owners I have met in other countries but he is helpful, professional, and pays attention to you. I don't normally review the owner but I just need to mention it to clarify from another review.
SUMMARY: you will like it if you are new to cigars or if you smoke frequently and just looking for a chill place to have a stogie. You will hate it if you are coming in there trying to date some of the clientele, or in one of the reviewer's case, the owner.