SoHo Cigar Bar has been doing this since 1998 — back when it was Circa Tabac, back before indoor smoking became a historical footnote — and the place works because it never pretended to be anything other than what it is: a cigar lounge that also happens to have one of the better whiskey programs downtown.
The Vibe
Plush leather booths, candlelit cocktail tables with ashtrays, a portrait of the Rat Pack above the lounge, dim light throughout. The art deco bones were drawn from the Rainbow Room, and the reference lands. On a Tuesday it's quiet enough to hear the ice in your glass. On a Friday it's louder — fuller, livelier, smoke hanging in the middle air — but still manageable if you're in a booth toward the back. The room is big enough that it never feels precious, small enough that it still has atmosphere.
What to Order
- Whiskey flight — over 150 bottles on the shelf, organized by style; the Scotch flights are the move, and the staff will steer you correctly if you ask.
- Bacon-wrapped scallops — the kitchen is here to absorb the whiskey, and this is the thing to order while you're deciding on a cigar.
- Skip the classic cocktails — they're fine, but this room is about whiskey and cigars; ordering a vodka soda here is like ordering a salad at a steakhouse.
When to Come
Midweek is the call for a date — quieter, easier to get a booth, ventilation performs better when the room isn't packed. Book a reservation; Saturday without one means a wait. This is the right spot for a date who smokes, or at least one who's curious about it — the staff will walk a novice through the cigar menu without condescension. Non-smokers can survive it, but they'll smell like it on the way home.
The Bottom Line
If your date smokes — or wants to — there is nowhere better in New York City to do it properly.