Andrea G.
Google
Being the only cigar lounge in the area, I wanted to like Stag Lounge, but it fell short of my hopes for a cool spot to enjoy a cigar and drink. I would best describe it as one of those places I'd return to simply because there are no other options.
Location:
Stag Lounge is located in Stillwater's historic downtown alongside a handful of restaurants, bars and coffee shops. The potential is there to be a cool, trendy spot.
Ambience:
- This is definitely a hangout for guys who don't pay attention to their surroundings and just want to watch TV and smoke.
- The interior is spacious but dark in gloomy sort of way. When entering, you are greeted by a pool table, an odd mish-mash of masculine wall decor, and forced to walk down a slightly narrow space to the lounge in the back. I got the illusion of walking into a dank cave.
- Stag Lounge can accommodate a fair number of people, but there are not enough comfortable lounge seating options. They have some wingback leather chairs we were able to snag in a slightly awkward group seating area.
- I was surprised to see bar height tables along one wall, which is not conducive to kicking back and lingering over a smoke.
- The bar is long with seating for 7. It has a decidedly "not finished" look with cheap shelves thrown up to accommodate spirits and glassware.
Humidor:
- The humidor is a small but mostly well-stocked room of cigars. Decent small selection with the big brands (Drew Estate, Fuente, CAO) and some more boutique options (RoMaCraft).
- The disappointment for me was that it smelled musty and lacked that delightful aura of a humidor filled with premium tobacco.
- A musty smell means it's over-humidified and was built like a room you throw a humidifier in versus a real humidor (walls not treated to handle moisture, etc). It worries me when I smell mildew around cigars.
Service:
- The one employee working made a valiant effort to be helpful in the humidor while also manning the bar at the other side of the space.
- He was not terribly knowledgeable in the humidor, and I opted not to risk ordering a cocktail.
- He clearly knew the locals, which points to them having a loyal customer base.
- I think it is unprofessional for an employee to sit with customers and smoke the whole time (couldn't he be doing something to clean the humidor?!).
- They offer humidified lockers for members at $100/mth, and I saw several customers access their lockers while we were there. He said they had a waiting list for them.
Go into Stag Lounge knowing you're getting: a simple spot to have a beer and a smoke and watch sports. Not a high-end smoking experience.
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