Best Places for Cigars in Austin, Texas

Having lived in Austin, Texas for over a decade now, I’ve smoked more cigars here than anywhere else on the planet. But besides just being my hometown, the city is actually one of the most cigar friendly places I’ve ever been, with not only a good assortment of cigar lounges to enjoy but also bars and restaurants where you can happily puff away while enjoying the fine food and drinks. For all of you coming through town and looking for some good recommendations, here’s my list of the top spots to smoke cigars in Austin, Texas.


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For those of you who know what you are looking for, here’s a quick table of contents to find what you need:

Best Cigar Experience in Austin

Room 725 / Rules & Regs
101 Red River St, Austin, TX 78701

Let’s cut to the chase here. We’ll get into some of the other local options later in the article, and while they all have their charms and their appeal, there’s little doubt that Room 725 is the spot that provides the single best cigar smoking experience in town.

Located inside the Fairmont hotel in downtown Austin, this swanky lounge started as a pop-up to take advantage of an unused portion of the hotel and was popular enough to become a permanent fixture. The lounge itself is decorated like a 1930’s era speakeasy, with soft lighting and live musicians to entertain you while you are served champagne and caviar (or any other cocktail you might want).

Moving outside is where things take a smoky turn. The lounge shares the outdoor patio space with Rules & Regs (the bar located on the 7th floor of the Fairmont Hotel). Rules & Regs does allow anyone who comes to smoke cigars. There are space heaters and misting fans available to keep things temperate, and the area is covered to keep out the rain. For those who just want to smoke and grab a beer, heading straight there is a fine choice.

For those patrons of Room 725, though, there’s a dedicated area with reserved tables where you can enjoy your cigar in peace. I recommend bringing a cigar with you to keep the night going, but you should absolutely start out with one of the cigars that Room 725 has on offer. They keep a stock of pre-embargo Cubans on the shelves, some almost a century old and perfectly preserved. They smoke beautifully and are a rare experience that you probably won’t find elsewhere.

When it comes to Room 725, you will absolutely need a reservation to get in. Finding a spot can be tough, but it’s absolutely worth it for those who persevere. Just be ready for the expense — it’s easy to drop $500+ experiencing everything Room 725 has to offer.


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Best Cigar Lounge in Austin

Casa de Montecristo Cigar Lounge
3801 N Capital of Texas Hwy Suite A100, Austin, TX 78746

There’s something every cigar smoker will know and love: the local cigar lounge. There are some great options in the city, and some closer to downtown (I’ll get to that topic next) — but for locals or visitors with a car, this lounge just on the other side of the Pennybacker Bridge is my top choice.

The lounge offers both an outdoor patio as well as indoor seating, which is a requirement for the hot Texas summer days. There’s also plenty of space to work, and a fairly large selection of cigars to choose from at reasonable prices. The friendly staff also helps make this somewhere you can spend some time.

And that’s not even mentioning the delicious French restaurant just next door.


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Best Cigar Lounge (Downtown Austin)

The Cigar Vault East Austin
2501 E Cesar Chavez St, Austin, TX 78702

Not everyone has a car, or wants to travel very far from downtown Austin. Good news is that there are a few cigar lounges downtown as well that can help scratch that itch.

For my choice, I like The Cigar Vault on the east side of the city. It doesn’t have the biggest selection, the biggest seating area, or the biggest parking lot. But it has a friendly staff, a welcoming crowd of regulars, and it’s damn convenient for anyone staying downtown. You can even stop by on your way to or from the airport.

There’s also plenty of delicious restaurants nearby, including a couple German style beer and sausage places and a brewery just across the street.


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Best Bar for Cigars (Downtown Austin)

Seven Grand
405 E 7th St, Austin, TX 78701

In general, smoking isn’t allowed in bars and restaurants in Texas. However, there are a couple places in town that sell cigars and have an outdoor section where you can simultaneously spark up and order a cocktail.

Seven Grand is my favorite of those locations, a fantastic bar where you can also enjoy a cigar. Their whiskey library is deep and diverse, with spirits from around the world that their bartenders can whip up into all sorts of delicious cocktails.

The bar does have a humidor on-site with cigars for sale, but you can also just bring your own. Their back patio is shared with the mezcal bar next door (owned by the same folks) and smoking is permitted in that outdoor section.


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Best Restaurant for Cigars (Downtown Austin)

Bob’s Steak and Chop House
301 Lavaca St, Austin, TX 78701

Austin isn’t necessarily a place where dressing up and eating expensive steak dinners is common — locally, its much more of a food truck taco and smoked brisket kind of vibe. But if you’re searching for a traditional steakhouse and also want to enjoy a cigar with your evening, Bob’s Steak and Chop House is the best option.

While smoking in the dining room isn’t going to happen anytime soon, this location offers a covered rooftop patio with heaters and fans that should keep you comfortable in about 90% of the weather we experience here in the heart of Texas. Smoking is permitted on the roof, with ashtrays available and a selection of cigars in their humidor downstairs available for sale.

It might be one of a small chain of restaurants, but the food is solid, the cocktails are good, and the staff is friendly. And it’s one of only two restaurants I know in town where you can actually smoke and eat simultaneously.


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Best Restaurant for Cigars (South Congress)

Habana Restaurant
2728 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704

There is one more restaurant in the downtown area that not only allows cigars but actively encourages them: Habana Restaurant.

This restaurant serves authentic Cuban food, and while they do have an indoor eating area, the best part of this restaurant are the handful of huts out front with thatched roofs where you can enjoy a full meal with proper table service. It almost makes you feel like you’re in an island paradise, especially during the warm summer months. Fans and misters are available for the warmer temperatures, but I’d avoid this spot during the winter.

You can feel free to bring your own cigars, or there are cigars for purchase inside as well.


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Best Place to Buy Cigars in Austin

Habana House (South)
3601 S Congress Ave Suite K300-A, Austin, TX 78704

Habana House (North)
13729 Research Blvd #1075, Austin, TX 78750

When it comes to shopping for cigars in Austin, there’s really only one choice for where to get the biggest selection at downright reasonable prices: Habana House. Not only do they operate two cigar lounges (one in north Austin and the other south of the river) with plenty of seating room and comfy chairs, but they have the biggest humidors in town that come stocked with whatever you could want.

Interesting side note: the same company that runs these lounges also supplies the cigars for a number of the grocery store and gas station humidors you’ll see around town. As a consumer, you get to benefit from their distributor status, specifically giving you even more choice and better prices.

For locals, I highly recommend you sign up for their membership. It’s an across-the-board discount that essentially makes it so the price on the sticker is the price that you pay — covering the taxes for you.


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As of the time of publication, those are my pics for the best cigar friendly spots in Austin. But things change, and people have different opinions. I’ll keep this updated as time goes on, but if anyone has any other opinions or favorite locations let us know in the comments!


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