I really dig this place, even on a Wednesday its packed with young and old professionals. Great service, great drinks, great atmosphere. If you don't like smoke then it's pretttty simple - don't go! But if you want to feel like you're in a 1920s speak-easy and kick back for some cocktails etc then this place is for you!
Review Source:This is a great place to relax after an Italian meal (it is in the Italian part of Boston). Â I have not seen better when it comes to atmosphere and quality of staff. Â The whiskey selection was limited but included some fairly high quality single malts to go along with my perfectly stored Ashton VSG. Â The prices are a bit high but what do you expect for a total luxury in Boston. Â I and my wife had two drinks each (single malts) and my cigar, the bill was $87 before tip. Â Seriously, worth every penny.
Review Source:I came here on a whim the last night and i was pleasantly surprised by whats going on down stairs. Â So we started earlier the night down the street at Fiorie, upstairs on the roof bar. Â Eventually the girls were going one way, fellas went another and into the basement of Stanza.
I'm generally skeptical of cigar bars and things of this nature as I really stink afterwards. Â But we met up in the back basement area, which my friend didn't even know existed, had a beer and a cigar while we watched the sox game on the west coast. Â We ended up closing the place and had a good time.
Just a tip for this place: if you want to bring your own smokes or cigars, you can. They charge you like a $5 cover or whatever, but if you don't want to pay 12-30 per cigar, it's a good alternative.
They also do hooka as well, which I did not dabble in, but it looks like a lot of fun. I haven't done it since college. But would welcome myself to do it again. Â I'll be back, I actually convinced my friend to have his Bday celebration at this spot, so I'll definitely be back sometime in August.
There is something undoubtedly dark and exciting about sitting back with stiff drinks and cigars in what used to be an actual 1920s speakeasy in one of the most historic neighborhoods in Boston. Stanza dei Cigari will transport you to another era with its basement location, lighting that is reminiscent of the Moulin Rouge, old world classical music records playing and rich leather upholstered couches.
You don't have to be a smoker to enjoy this place, but if you are you will be impressed by their selection of La Gloria Cubana, Romeo Y Julieta and of course the ever popular Rocky Patel. The house blends are of course much more price friendly and highly recommended as well. They have a pretty extensive selection of Hookahs if that is what you prefer, although I think it's almost too much of a compromise and just doesn't seem to fit in well.
With the gorgeous Stanza girls (and equally gorgeous suited men who seem to flock to this place), hard liquor selection leaning heavily towards single malt scotch, whiskeys in general and bourbon makes me think this was predominantly an old boys club. But the atmosphere is friendly and welcoming making it pretty gender neutral and don't be surprised to spot a few wandering tourists who somehow land up here.
I know the Italians would probably cringe reading this; but if you're a 90s mob movies fan like me, you really need to stop by Stanza. It highly romanticizes the concept and is a gorgeous place frozen in time with the right amount of smoky deliciousness to channel your inner Don Corleone.
Great cigar bar with a ton of character located downstairs from Cafe Vittoria on Hanover St (near Mike's Pastry). They have a great cigar menu and a private room, but they are usually out of certain types of beers (not seasonal, regular stuff) which can be frustrating. Otherwise, a great place to finish and evening or to watch a Bruin's game and enjoy a smoke.
Review Source:I have never been to a cigar bar before, and as a beginner smoker, this place made me feel right at ease. The prices for drinks are completely reasonable (I ordered an old-fashioned with Baker's for only $10!) while my friend's quality scotch was around the same cost. The waitress kindly recommended Rocky Patel Java Mint cigars for me, which has a smokey, sweet, and light aftertaste for beginners. Just make sure to wear clothing that you wouldn't smelling like smoke for a couple of days! The establishment is an old 1920's speakeasy with small portraits of stars smoking cigars and vintage cigar boxes on display everywhere.
I'd also like to make a plug for their hospitality. At one point in the night, the waitress accidentally spilled water on our table. In addition to apologizing profusely, she offered us complimentary scotch and another old-fashioned on the house. This is a place that really takes care of you!
This place is what I would imagine to be a cigar aficionado's fantasy dream lounge to be. Â An assortment of cigars to choose from and for the non-cigar smokers who want to hang out with their cigar buddy - hookah and a fantastic drink list is available. Â The martini's are dangerously delicious. Â The crowd ranges from young to the older set and the lounge has a very relax, chill vibe where patrons are friendly and inviting to others. Â The place is very smokey and you will walk out smelling like a blend of all the cigars and hookahs that were lit inside.
Note: My husband brought his own cigar with him and they charged him $5 for bringing it. Â And for the single ladies who don't mind the smoke, this place was filled with handsomely dressed men.
Stanza Dei Sagari
So off we go to Boston and I make sure I have a smoke place to visit. Stumble across this place and what I love is that in the 1920's it was speakeasy. Can't get better or so you think. Â You are in Boston's North End on a cold winter's night and need a fix. Your mind races and you find this little nugget. Â As you walk downstairs your mind starts to image how it would have felt knowing that you were going to partake in the illegal act of drinking. Okay so that is how I put it together in my head.
Good choices of premium cigars, cognacs, ports, bourbons, single malt scotches, rums and martinis.
Great service (the sexy and famous Stanza Girls) and just a great place to disappear into for a couple of hours in Boston. Not smoky at all. Nice place to pop in after and/or before a meal. They do have food but with so many places nearby why not make this one of the many stops.
My quest was for a stogie, a drink at an old-fashioned cigar parlor and that is what I got. Love the place, would go back.
Remember to always drink reasonably
Crazy Cubano Out.
What an awesome cigar joint!
If you're into cigars, and you're taking a trip in Boston, definitely pay this place a visit! It's right off the Haymarket stop on the green line and I think orange line, if I remember correctly.
It's very easy to find...just look for the huge cigar sticking out of the wall of the entire building. You'll notice a stairway that leads you downstairs into the lounge itself.
The atmosphere is very "chill." It has a good vibe to it as a place where, with a group, you would feel like the only ones there.
Cigar menu is impeccable; four or five house blends, a good selection of Partages, Romeo, Padron, a few Cohiba, etc...but not that many Gurkhas. There are also perhaps 20 other labels I can't recall off the top of my head.
Coming down here, you'd think you're walking into a speak-easy bar. I suppose that's the idea behind this place...or maybe it possibly was one?
Do you want to feel like an extra in a early 90's mob drama? This place is almost frozen in time.
Step right in. I stopped by on a Thursday night, the waitress was very friendly even though she seemed to be the only one working and was a little overwhelmed. She was helpful in helping us rookies in selecting a cigar. You can get a cigar and a drink for under $20. Also this cigar bar is the only one that serves hard liquor (raises glass of scotch).
yes. Â i have a lot of things to say about this place.
1. Â this is definitely the place for 3 gorgeous women to walk in as if they don't know what they are doing, in addition to being escorted by a gangster, wiser, gentlemanly italian man who owns the restaurant across the street. Â
2. Â place is packed with sexy men. Â duh, right? Â it makes sense. Â bachelor parties. Â men doing men things. Â they probably just got done hammering up some dry wall, shirtless, followed by a steak meal, shirtless. Â needless to say, we turned some heads.
3. the place is located underground. Â white xmas lights line the ceiling. Â old songs play in the background. Â awesome vibe - a place i didnt think i'd end up in in the middle of the night.
4. Â martinis martinis martinis. Â oh, black label on the rocks for pauli.
right next door to mike's pastry. Â don't miss it.
If you look up old school in a dictionary you'll find a picture of a windowless mens club where cheery gents puff away over glasses of whisky. That's this place.
They have big tables for a crew of guys. They have small tables for an intimate bromance.
Good selection of different cigars. They charge you a $5 cutting fee to bring your own, which is reasonable.
And they serve whiskey. In the nanny-state of Boston, this is the one cigar bar that serves liquor. A cigar without scotch is like a day at the office without scotch... Just not all it really could be.
I loved this place. Â
My friend and I were kicking around the North End with no real direction when he suggested a hookah bar. Â I have never been but he led me directly to Stanza dei Sigari. Â It was very busy but we found a small table in the middle of the room and made ourselves at home. Â The waitress took a little while, but I understand. Â We got a couple of drinks that were decent. Â Nothing special. Â But I really liked the atmostphere. Â It had that Goodfellas vibe to it minus the gangsters. Â I really l;iked the alcove booths and vow that I will go back and get one someday, should I arrive early enough. Â We didn't try cigars but we got a creamsicle flavored hookah and it was great.
the only real complaint I have was the drunken bruins fan that paraded herself around the room rubbing her behind on anything that had a pulse. Â seriously, at one point she ate the petals off of a tulip. Â yes, a tulip. Â oh, well, that's not the establishments problem but we still had a great time and i just can't stress enough how fun and friendly the atmosphere was. Â I love places where you can meet and talk to all different types of people. Â We met a very lovely couple and spend most of our visit talking to them. Â There was an older group of people on the other side of us who were fascinated by the hookah. Â It was just a genuinely nice place to relax and chat.
The decor is straight out of Swingers (1996 movie).
The smoky interior is straight out of your childhood, before all the clean air act laws went into effect.
The patrons range from 20-something tourists to hefty middle aged men (polo shirts & loafers) who are there to relax and flirt with the waitresses, whether the waitresses like it or not.
There is a fine selection of amber liquors, an adequate selection of martinis, and a subpar selection of beer. The seating is very comfortable, and you can get a cozy corner for a small group of people to enjoy a hookah together.
I don't like the North End very much; I think it's overrated and a piss poor attempt at mimicking Italian neighborhoods. In fact, I would gather that most true Italians would be embarrassed at some of the venues in this hood, tying to pass themselves off as authentic, but none of this rant has anything to do with Stanza.
One of the last few establishments in town that allows indoor smoking, Stanza is a great place for you and your friends to do something different. Smoke a hookah, or cigar, hell smoke cigarettes if you need to, but just relax and have a good time and relish in the fact that you won't be able to do this anymore, very soon. Thank you, Mr. Menino!
Service is okay, not outstanding, and drinks are a little bit more pricey than most places. Call ahead if you have a large group and don't expect much in the way of product knowledge. Go here because you want something out of the ordinary, not because you want to show off to tobacco aficionados friends...
Initially I was going for a 4 star review but I smell something fishy...
I tipped 3 bucks not 5. Yes it's 2 bucks but either don't rip me off or be more careful when you're tallying up my bill. Yes i'm talking to you Leah (waitress) or whoever is in charge of bill tallying. But I'm across the country in sunny California so you can keep it. This review will probably make you guys lose a few customers so we'll call it even Steven.
The 2nd thing in hindsight was that I clearly stated that I wanted a specific cigar and even pointed to it. You come out with a more expensive cigar. I almost begin to light it until I notice that it's not the cigar I ordered. Did you truly bring out the wrong cigar or are you trying to make a few extra dollars?
Regardless if it's intentional or not, it's bad service nonetheless.
Oh and btw. For the amount I paid for my cigar, i've had better ones priced at 7.99, I kid you not. This cigar marked at over 12 should have been divided by 2 to get real market value for the taste of it.
If you do go here, keep a close eye on your bill especially if you decide to tip. Not sure when i'll ever be back in Boston but if I do, I have no problems stiffing you guys the bill in return. Cheers.
Nothing better than a tasty cigar after a huge meal!
I've been to Stanza twice and both times had a great experience. The swanky interior with large numbers of leather wrapped chairs and excellent whiskey selection make this place a fantastic choice to end your night.
The cigar selection is only okay in my opinion. They focus on the big name cigar manufacturers, not necessarily the best names in the cigar business. A little more diversity would go a long way. However, you can always find a cigar and the prices, while more expensive then what you would pay at a store, are not bad. The scotch is pretty pricey here, but bourbon prices are solid.
Somehow, I even managed to convince my girlfriend to try my cigar last time I was there. That was a first and probably a last, ha. One word of warning, your coat will smell like cigar smoke for days.
Definitely one of my favorite finds in the North End!
This place rocks. I went there last night for the third time and had a great night. Yes this place is smokey but hello???? It's a cigar bar. People come here to smoke and the buildings in the north end are old, so ventilation isn't terribly high end. This is a small, very cool, laid back lounge. They have comfy chairs and booths and a couple TVs. It's a cigar humidor so it seems like if there is a certain cigar you're looking for, they most likely have it. The staff is friendly and does not rush you out. I have only tried the hookah there so far, but on my next trip I will probably have a cigar. It's on the pricey side, but for an evening of lounging and being able to smoke indoors (!!!) I say it's worth it.
**Side note, be prepared to throw whatever clothes you wear straight into the wash/have them dry cleaned. Even if you are only in there a few minutes, you will come out smelling like a giant cigar.
This is my type of place! Number 1 if u hate this place your prob a communist or some type of slob, so don't come in. This is a nice classy establishment not crazy like black tie classy but you know laid back James Bond, Frank Sinatra let your hair down kick back and have a few drinks establishments plus hookah sign me up. Thanks to my friends Julia and Eric for picking this place, they clearly know Boston. We had just eaten next door so this place was clearly just to relax chill out and have a couple of drinks, smoke hookah and watch some football. Perfect! We ended up mixing a Strawberry Lemonade blend of Hookah (good stuff on the choice Eric) i could have sat there and smoked the damn thing for hours it tasted that good. Got my self a Guinness and the company of good friends what more could i have asked for.
Oh WAIT I COULD HAVE USED A GIANTS WIN that night against the Eagles but that clown Tom Coughlin messed it up
p.s.- also saw a pretty sweet Ferrari 450 in white (some celebs must either come here or frequent the area on Sundays) so come then and keep your eyes peeled
A group of girlfriends and I came here one night after a terrible experience at a nearby restaurant in the North End. Â Not in the mood for dessert, not in the mood for more food, and certainly not in the mood to go home ... but rather more booze in the least congested area of the North End. Â It sounded impossible, but we landed at Stanza and in to a treasure chest. Â As a disclaimer, I am happily NOT single and I am NOT (and was NOT) looking to change my situation at all (sorry, fellas). Â However, since none of my friends regularly smoked cigars, I had to wonder WHY we were going to a cigar bar? Â Sure, it was a friend's birthday, but I was still clueless. Â ...Until we walked in the door at Stanza dei Sigari.
For the single ladies, this place is a landmine! Â Think about it... who typically smokes cigars? Â Men. Â Who would you think would be the most likely to frequent cigar bars? Â Men. Â And let me just say, there were plenty of them in there. Â They weren't all middle-aged, obese, and balding. Â No, no, no. Â They were in their late 20s to mid 30s. Â They were local guys, too; especially considering how this establishment can be easily overlooked while on the Hanover Street sidewalk. Â Needless to say, we were the center of attention in the place (downstairs bar) on a Saturday night. Â While I didn't feel uncomfortable at all despite my circumstances, my friends loved it.
Not only was there a daunting list of specialty martinis and an extensive list of cigars to choose from, there was plenty of space to sit and talk with friends and the music wasn't obtrusive at all. Â Our server looked like Lady Gaga, but she was extremely friendly and prompt. Â Since most of us didn't know much about smoking cigars, she explained to us "the rules" and even offered suggestions of what to try since we were newcomers. Â As for the martinis, they were loaded and extremely delicious. Â I had my normal post-dinner martini, an espresso martini, that was absolutely delicious. Â It wasn't as cold as I would have liked it, but it had a rich espresso flavor to it that, although strong, was not overbearing at all.
My friends thoroughly enjoyed their cigars while taking in the "scenery" (so to say). Â I don't smoke, and I didn't feel as if I was going to walk out smelling like an ash tray with the black lung when leaving. Â It took an extra rinse cycle in the laundry, but that was it. Â While I can say I have no reason to go back, I can now understand why we went and now I am happy to pass along the information to you!
I love this place! Â
I'm not really much of a cigar smoker but the atmosphere is great and its a nice little hideaway to escape the hustle and bustle of the North End (esp. in the summer). Â I've heard rumors that you can also smoke hookah here (though I've never seen it)...thanks Farrah for confirming.
Now I really have to go back!
I'm reviewing a cigar bar and I don't smoke cigars! What was I even doing here in the first place? Well I was walking through the North End, and while walking past, I was surprised to learn that they also had hookah available! Well, I know all about that. Drinks and hookah break? Yes, please!
You have to go "Downstairs" from street level to be in the cigar bar. This is a dark, cool, badass kind of room. There were some REALLY cool booths but we we were informed there were reserved for the owner and his peeps. Whatever, we still sat at a sweet little table and had a good view of the room. Atmospheric and smoky.
If cigar smoke gives you a headache, AVOID. It's very strong smelling in there. I was OK until I started smoking the hookah and drinking my drink. I couldn't stand to be in there for too too long.
The drinks aren't priced too high, but the hookah was $$$$. There are other hookah spots in Boston, so don't come here only for that. This is a place for the cigar connoiseur, and I am sure those people would LOVE it here. If I ever become a cigar person, this place is it.
Cigars are probably the thing I know the least about, except for maybe organic chemistry and plumbing. I don't know why those popped into my head--those just seem like subjects on which I'm woefully undereducated and should cigars, organic chemistry, or plumbing come up as a Jeopardy! category, I would be at an extreme disadvantage, even if the other contestants had a mediocre handle on any of the subjects, for I know virtually nothing and would surely lose.
That being said, apparently the cigars are good and plentiful. I don't know if they're overpriced, but they didn't SEEM so extravagant to me. Though there were a few listed as "market price"--I assume these are the lobsters of cigars, and they'll probably run you a little bit more--nothing seemed jaw-droppingly pricey.
The drinks were priced on the higher end, but I wasn't surprised. It's the North End, it's a veritable gentleman's club, they're mostly served in the proper glassware, etc. Our table's mixed drinks were limited to white Russians, which were met with approval. Scotch and cognac tasted as they should; beer was cold and bubbly, but the selection wasn't great (Stella, Peroni, Sams, Bud Light.)
Ambiance is dim and smoke-filled. (No, but really?) I love the smell of cigar smoke so that wasn't problematic at all. Mostly dudes in their thirties to fifties, leaving our group to bring the average way, way, way down, by about thirteen years. But the servers didn't seem to mind, and we behaved like proper ladies and gentlemen, ie, not wearing flat-brimmed baseball caps. (It would seem a damn shame to do so while sitting in a comfy leather chair, now wouldn't it?) And word to the wise. By ten o'clock on a Friday, this place became Cougar City. Make of that what you will. Grrrr.
Service was fine, if a little non-attentive. This place gets very busy; I'm glad we arrived when we did because it was HOPPING by ten. The server was nice enough, as was her well-displayed decolletage. (Am I allowed to bring that up as a point of service? I feel awkward.) There was a wee hiccup when she took away two half-finished drinks while the drinkers were waiting in the interminable bathroom line, and it took a damn while for the server to return to correct the problem. She did eventually but I'm surprised that she whisked away two drinks so quickly. She was also a little MIA but again, it was busy ... a little disappointed I didn't get a final drink because I wanted to impress the table by drinking a scotch and not puckering, but alas, alack, another day.
On the music note--heh--which everyone is bringing up ... yes, the tune selection is just plain wrong for the atmosphere, the clientele, and everything right down to the leather recliners. It should be swingin' jazz, not Taylor Swift, and though we admittedly sang along as the spirits flowed, it kind of killed the mood. More Sinatra, less Jonas, that's my motto.
All in all, went for the fella's End of Birthday Week celebration, and it seems a very good place to do so. Definitely a good place for a classier gentleman's birthday or probably a low-key bachelor party but I don't really know. Enjoyed myself. Maybe I can haz bachelor party?
Stanza is a North End cigar bar with a full liquor license - lounging in this comfortable, garden-level bar and enjoying a smooth cigar and a glass of scotch or cognac will make any man feel like a king. Â But wait, what's that I hear being piped in over the bar's sound system?
Cindi Lauper???
Look, I realize that girls just wanna have fun, and I'm all for it, but not while I'm trying to enjoy a Churchhill and a Single Malt. Â But every time I come here, they're playing the same 1980s Top 40 soundtrack that just completely ruins the mood. Â I've complained to the waitress and have been told, "Yeah, everyone complains about that," but apparently those complains have fallen on deaf ears.
But it's not just the soundtrack at Stanza that turns me off. Â They always seem to be understaffed, which means it takes forever to get service. Â When you finally get a waitress to your table, she doesn't have the time to make a suggestion or even look up because she has three other tables screaming at her.
The staff (bus boys) smoke cigarettes while working - I find this utterly unprofessional. Â I understand there's already smoke in the air, but you don't see waiters wandering around a nice bar with cans of Pabst in their hands. Â And how well can you bus tables one handed while you're busy flicking ashes into people's drinks with the other?
And I've been asked on more than one occasion to get up and move to a different (smaller) table so the staff could accommodate a large party that just arrived. Â That's just not right.
Stanza is also ridiculously overpriced.
But Stanza is the ONLY cigar bar in Boston will a full liquor license, and given recent legislation passed in the state, it seems like that won't change anytime soon. Â So if you want a drink and a cigar outside the comfortable confines of your own home, may I suggest you head to Stanza with a little Sinatra on your iPod and a boat load of patience.
Stanza is my favorite cigar bar in the city. Â The atmosphere is rather "speakeasy." Â The waitresses are gorgeous and the drinks are cheap. Â I also like that you can bring your own cigars and they don't charge a cutting fee.
My favorite time to go is to watch Monday Night Football. Â It is usually not crowded and they have plenty of HD TVs. Â It's like hanging out in your buddy's basement but with a hot cocktial waistress keeping your drink full.
On busy nights the drink service can be a bit slow, but that's ok. Â I'm here to relax. Â I've also always been a bit puzzled by the music. Â It is often 80s/New Wave - think Madonna, Prince, etc. Â It just doesn't go with the atmosphere.
Anyone complaining about prices here needs to understand Boston's stupid laws. Â A cigar bar has to maintain a certain percentage of it's income from tobacco. Â I believe it is 60%. Â This is to prevent any bar in the city from simply labeling itself a cigar bar and avoiding the smoking ban.
Cigar Masters keeps their % in line by charging a cutting fee if you bring your own.  Churchills doesn't have a full liquor license and maintains a good walk in humidor and a client base who will talk in and buy cigars for  stocking their own humidors.  They are really a tobacco store that has a smoking area.
Stanza has a full license and keeps their % in line by charging a lot for their cigars. Â They are not a tobacco store. Â One would never go there to buy a box for you home humidor. Â They are a bar that happens to sell cigars also. Â
As for their drink prices, they are quiet cheap. Â If you complain about an $8-$15 glass of Scotch or Bourbon then you don't know what you are looking at anyway. Â These same spirits would cost $10-$30 at other bars in the city. Â Don't compare your $4 Bud Light to an $10 Scotch if you don't know what you are talking about.
Stanza dei Sigari is molto molto molto molto molto molto oscillando.  Such a fun time in here.  The cigars are way over-priced, but here's the dilemma:  Cigar Masters on Boylston sells them for less, but they don't have a full liquor license.  Beat.   So, the question you have to ask yourself is, is it worth the extra few bucks to be able to sip scotch or other spirits con il vostro sigaro? in modo schiacciante, sì!
You're in the North End, so you've probably already spent money if you're walking by here. Â Why not spend a little more? Â Sit down, have a cigar, kick it live. Â You're paying for atmosphere. Â It's better than paying for crap, which is what Jesus gets for his birthday every time a new Disney's Christmas Hits comes out.
3 words: Total Gentleman's Club
The first time I went to Stanza, I had pneumonia and was out to dinner with a group of friends for a 30th bday party. Â For some unknown reason, I decided it might be ok if I went into the depths of smoke. Â I got downstairs and nearly collapsed from lung failure, and was dizzy and had blurred vision the entire whopping 15mins I was able to last without dying right there on the floor.
The second time was midweek during a cool summer evening. Â Too lazy to traipse across the bridge to Tangierino, we opted to head here for a hookah. Â The room to the right at the bottom of the stairs was empty, but the one to the left had ambiance going on, so we opted for that space. Â
A bunch of men, ranging in age from late 20's to 50's, decked out in either business or mob attire, smoking cigars and drinking cognac or port. Â
And then there's me, dressed in jeans, my chucks and a long boyfriend sweater and ordering a hookah and pomegranate martini. Â Which one of these is not like the other?
People watching was fantastic, the music was pretty rockin', the waitresses decolletage were all in my face and the hookah was perfect. Â
In addition to the faux pas of smoking a hookah and not a cigar, I also mistakenly walked into the "comfort room" thinking I would find the bathrooms. Â Note to self: ask first. Â It's clearly some secret room where you have to be part of a club in order to enter. Â
I love the atmosphere of this place. Â I'm a sucker for basement locales and this one's got the extra perks of being dark and manly and cozy.
Maybe it's time I brush up on my cigar lingo.
Open a place like this anywhere else in the city, and you'd have a license to print money. Why we don't have more of these places is a mystery to me.
Start with the experience of ducking off a crowded North End street...and I do mean "ducking"...into a doorway, down a narrow staircase, off through a weird side door, and whammo: the place hits you like a nicely-scented house fire. Â The smell of rich tobacco smoke is everywhere, bold and heady. You sit down somewhere, anywhere you can find a seat, free tables are usually few and far between-y. Select a lovely dominican, or maybe a macanudo...get yourself a smoky glass of blended american whiskey, or single malt...and immerse yourself in the relaxing experience.
The ceilings are low; when you're sitting down the room has a cozy, snug feel. Puffing a stogey in public while sipping malt has a deliciously decadent and naughty feel to it. Just be careful who you talk to. As I've said before, Boston has gentrified and urban-renewed the sh*t out of itself, but the old-school guys are still around...and they go here a lot.
A manager had to ask a friend of mine to get me out of the place before I got knifed for talking to the wrong person. I won't elaborate much more, but let's say I found out later whose moll I had been (innocently) chatting up, and he wouldn't have had a problem painting the dumpster with my insides.
That fabulous experience aside, I've been there a number of times, and besides the relaxing experience, the atmosphere, the great stogeys and the booze, the one thing that remains consistent is the atrocious service. They just don't care about you. You can't make them. Oh well. Fire the angry eastern European chicks, Stanza, and you'll get my elusive 5th star. Till then....
Home of the cigar, the hookah, and the $70 glass of scotch... how can you not feel like a gangsta?! I love this place!
You go down into a dark basement that feels like it should be filled with mafia men cutting shady deals, piles of cash of the tables, and each with a ho on his arm. The tables are intimate. Did I mention it's super dark? I like that. You feel classy, even if you are acting utterly un-classy.
I am not much for cigars, but I love to get a hookah and a beer or a glass of port wine after dinner in the North End. Really hits the spot. They also have an amazing list of bourbons, scotches, cognacs, champagnes, grappas... you name it. This is the place to come, chill, smoke, and splurge on the good shit.
Try it.
I looooove this place. Let's forget for a moment that it's basement-level(tres cool) below Caffe Vittoria, which has arguably the best cappuccino in the city, and pretend this bar is not situated in the heart of the North End. You will walk into a plush, split-level style space, complete with those thick leather chairs your great grandfather sat in smoking his cigars. Factor in the dim lighting, solid(and stiff) drinks, and the selection of cigars-- okay, I know NOTHING about cigars, but hey, this place seems impressive-- and you've got yourself a good time. And, yes, they do have your basic hookah and will sell you packs of cigarettes to take you back to the early nineties.
Maybe I'm biased because I saw Clay Buchholz's no-hitter while puffing an orange creamsicle cigar there, but I'd call this the best smoking bar in Boston.
I'd heard so much about this place, I really had to drag my ass up to the North End and check it out.
I was not disappointed. Walking into Stanza dei Sigari was like walking straight into Prohibition Era Boston. I half expected an Italian mobster to walk up to me and make me give up my table.
I was somewhat put off by how the waitress initially ignored my friend and I, even though the place was not at all packed. She also overcharged my friend for her glass of port.
I deduct a star for the lacking service and for the brood of generic guys in their early thirties all wearing jeans and polo shirts.
This is the tightest place on earth.
Huqqa! Â (Hookah, if you please.) Â Any flavor works. Â All flavors are tight.
Martinis. Â Bad olives, lots of Grey Goose. Â
The feeling of being inside a smoker's lung.
Tight waitresses and bartenders. Â
Have a smoke.
Leather chairs. Â
Drink a lot.
Amazing pop and soft rock soundtrack.
Cringe at the bill. Â
It is tight. Â Again, the tightest place on earth.
I fell in love with this place the moment I set foot in here. The deep whiff of different smoke aromas seduces me into a lazy calm, and all I want to do is lull away the hours in a soft and creaky leather chair, with a great drink in hand. My companion and I were so excited to see shisha pipes (twenty-five flavours, too!) when we walked in that we literally jumped around squealing like a bunch of tweens catching sight of their favourite boyband.
I love the warm, mellow lighting, and the relaxed vibe all around the place that just oozes the feeling of a glossy, somewhat sexy, secret hideaway. The "comfort room" looks like the kind of place I'd want to get to the utmost level of chill in, dozing and just enjoying until they close and kick me out. The different leather chairs and low, dark-wood tables tempt you to sink in and order a cognac, but they have an excellent selection of wines and martinis here that you won't want to miss out on. The old-school leather barbershop chair in one corner, and the cabinets full of knick-knacks just add to it's charm, and the staff is superlatively friendly in a wonderfully laid-back way.
The fact that there is barely anywhere in Boston where you can smoke indoors just makes this den all the better - I'd give it 5.5 stars if I could! I truly love this place.
We've smoked hookah in a number of places across the country, and both felt like our smoke here was too mellow. I don't know enough about hookah to know what went wrong, but I felt like we weren't able to draw out enough smoke. Our server didn't seem to know even as much as we did.
Otherwise...I really liked the atmosphere. Bartender did a good job with the mixed drink. It's fairly expensive but not unreasonable. This seems like a great place to hang out and chat or read.
Very cool place...
The service is exceptionally friendly and the set up is super old school - place defines the term "grandfathered".
The staff recommended 'Double Apple' and "Peaches and ___" for the hookah.... Â I had both, but it all kind of tasted the same to me as I was a few sidecars deep in the night.
Attention all Yelpers: I'm severely biased: I work here.
That being said, this place rocks. Â The Stanza is one of the only Cigar Bars in the city, and the ONLY one with a full liquor license. Â We have a wide array of cigars, tons of yummy drinks,and my favorite: Huqqas!
I don't smoke, but I definitely enjoy a delicious Mango/Peach flavored Huqqa from time to time (ok who am I kidding I share one every shift I work)
This bar has great personality - all the bartenders are hot, again, I'm biased :) - and you'll run into a gamut of interesting characters here: old North End mobsters, Boston 'power players', assorted celebrities (Mike O'Malley, former Patriot and Giant Steve DeOssie, Dan Akroid, etc).
If you don't mind the place getting a teensy bit smokey I definitely recommend coming down to the Stanza for a drink and or a smoke, just ask for Korri and I'll be sure to pour you a strong one :)
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