Hoffer’s Cigar Bar

Saturday afternoon was perfect to go relax and figure out the day from there. Smoke is at patio only. Willy Vanilly beer! And the Oatmeal Raisin beer. BOOM… perfect with a Drew Estate Java Latte. Phil There, very nice to welcome us. Did not try food but will next time. 1 restroom.

First time here at Hoffer’s. Pretty chill spot to unwind, especially after a hard day at work. I work at the hospital that’s near by, so it’s perfect for me. Phill is a nice guy and knowledgable about the cigars he sell. They have over 20 – 24 beers on tap, which is an added plus. I also like the fact that you can order something to eat, and have it delivered to you.
I have yet to see their live jazz acts that come through, but I’m sure I will. People are friendly, and will answer questions you have about paring your favorite smoke with a beer or wine… they look like regulars.
The humidors contain a lot of boutique brand cigars, some of which I haven’t heard of before. Although I smoked one of my faves (Undercrown by Drew Estate), I will be trying one of the MBombay Kesara that Hoffer’s sells… price looks pretty decent too! My only gripe is that they don’t sell my fave Arturo Fuente Don Carlos, but then again, I didn’t ask… maybe I should’ve.
All told, I’ll be coming back to this place in the near future, hell, maybe tomorrow.

First of all: I have no vested interest in this place… The owner and employees don’t know my name, and probably wouldn’t recognize me. Now you know this review is honest and unbiased.
I’ve lived in the area for almost three years now. My wife is not in to smoking or drinking, and I have two little boys, so I don’t make it out to bars too often. Luckily, I found Hoffer’s early on. I love this place!
The beer selection is top notch, and it rotates frequently. Every time I visit, not often enough, I’m excited by the prospect of the «new.» Their bartenders aren’t frat boys looking for a few bucks, or moonlighting strippers… They are fans and students of the art of liquid bread. The one’s I’ve interacted with really know their stuff (and I’m no slouch.) I’ve been drinking since well before I was legal, and brewing for about ten years (off and on.)
The back patio is the definition of «chill.» It reminds me of a European café surrounded by aged brick and vines. And in my experience, the customers who partake are happy to share their time and company. I’ve met a lot of interesting cats, and shared good conversation… The liquid courage may have something to do with that.
They have two humidors stacked, literally, to the roof with cigars. I am not a connoisseur, but I know what I do and don’t like to smoke. The staff is also well equipped to answer any cigar questions you may have, and they have a simple, color coded, system to help you make your own selection.
I’ve honestly never been to any of the live music events, but I get invites every week in my email. I don’t think I’d like it… I’m not really a crowd guy.
The only way this place could be made better, is if they served coffee. You know, in case you are the DD.
Give it a try.

Phil was the best. I wanted to grab a last min present for my dad who is an avid cigar smoker! So I found this place on Unilocal and again Unilocal was right. There was a great selection and he was very knowledgeable about his product. He let me know there is no smoking in the bar and they have over 25 craft beers on tap. It looks like a very chill bar. The best part though by far was the customer service. I had my three year old minion with me and she was not allowed inside of course so Phil came outside to us. He brought out various selections for us to choose from and he rang me up without even having to go inside. Talk about service! He went above and beyond what had to be done and I was more than thankful for his help!

I am not a regular cigar smoker however my buddy and I came in after a burger and beer at Johnny B’s. First off there are two humidors (on your right and left as you walk in) and the selection is amazing. Plus Phil (I think he’s the owner but definitely an employee with an encyclopedic knowledge of cigars) started helping us and we ended up getting 2 decent size cigars from the DR on his recommendation.
The next step is drinks and Hoffer’s hits it out of the park. Approximately 24 handles — mostly local although I ended up with a Pumpkin Ale from Shipyard. The selection of Alesmith and other phenomenal local breweries definitely meant I’ll have to be back.
After cigar selection and drinks time to go to the outside patio. It’s a nice space with approximately 10 – 12 tables and maybe 20 or so chairs. Plenty of ashtrays and people of all ages just sitting back, enjoying a killer cigar and an amazing beer.
I have to say I’m not a regular cigar smoker but between the phenomenal service, the outstanding selection of cigars, the amazing selection of beer, and an outstanding, relaxed, and fun environment to enjoy it all could seriously turn me into a regular.

This place is a secret gem in la mesa the hands down best collection of beers on tap and a laid back staff make it a nice way to watch a game.

Such a fun atmosphere for this place. Large selection of beers. I do not normally like beer but some were very smooth. Watch out because they can get a little strong… stay less than 5% if you don’t want to get drunk! Great back area and we really enjoyed Saturday night live music-​only during summer. They sell cigar boxes that make good coasters, trays or décor. Very clean and updated. Not a dive bar.

* That’s the sixth star. This place is THAT AWESOME.
Hoffer’s is our nexus point of all things craft and cigar in San Diego. As craft beer lovers, we find beer selections here that we simply do not find in any other craft beer pub in San Diego aside from going to the breweries themselves.
For example, you’ll find Society beers here. We have not seen these in any other pub or even in places like BevMo. We have learned more about craft beer by spending in afternoon here than we can anywhere else, more so since the beers are always rotating.
Same goes with cigars, the selection here is wide and varied and also always rotating. We make it an aim to try a different style, brand, type in order to educate ourselves. As with beer, when we leave Hoffer”s we always feel like we learned more about our tastes so when we venture out in the world we know what we like — and what other places are missing!
We have been regulars here for perhaps a few years and we will continue to be so. On Saturday nights they host great blues/​jazz musicians.

I’ve been coming here for nearly 8 years and the place never gets old. Phil, the owner, Ryan and the entire staff are top notch. The cigars, my main reason for coming to the shop, are always great. The choices of cigars change often and my go to cigars aways seem to be in stock. The beers, always 24 on tap, are awesome. Ryan changes the beer selections enough to temp almost every pallet. So get your asses in here. Enjoy a smoke on the patio and drink a frosty cold one. You wont be dissapointed!

Great selection of craft beer! Rotating beers and great service. Staff is super friendly! Great place to stop in for a craft beer. Also, great for the cigar lover!

My friend used to work for this place and was our spot after our exhausting finals week.
If you’re a beer lover, you are going to love this place. It’s a small spot where you can chillax and enjoy a cold brew with your friends. They always have different beers on tap so there’s always something new to try

Craft beer selection is always on point and with revolving taps, a great place to try something different every time you visit. The staff can be hit or miss. They tend to have their favorites and cater toward them a bit more than a walk in like myself.
If you have a women with you, get a beer and leave. It’s 98% male and they never stop looking at your lady.
As for cigars, they have plenty– from all the spots you want.
Their hours are horrible but that’s to be expected in La Mesa, where everything closes before it gets dark… Or so it seems. I think I saw their doors closed at 9pm on Sunday. Pretty typical though.

Tons of great craft beer. Mellow and comfortable atmosphere. Mature crowd. Friendly service. «We love this place!»

Great beer and music. Stopped by to enjoy a beer and the owner was so nice and helpful. Great beers on tap and if you want to enjoy a beverage you should come here. Highly recommend if you’re a beer lover.

Love this place! A friend and I actually went to downtown La Mesa to study at the coffee shop next door– which was closed due to some plumbing issues. Thankfully, Hoffer’s has WiFi! I know it’s a little odd to get some work done at a bar, but they aren’t crowded when it’s not peak hours, and they have a great selection of beer. The bartender is nice too, he remembers us even though we’ve only been a few times.
Best thing about drinking at Hoffer’s: inexpensive half-​pints! I don’t drink a lot of beer, so it’s great to be able to have 2 or 3 delicious craft beers in one trip, and not get too full or tipsy.
The only downfall is the pungent cigar smell. Most of the time it’s not too bad, but if people are smoking out on the porch and we’re hanging out for over an hour, it starts to get to me.

Bartender Scot, young yet very knowledgable about the craft beer. Outgoing and is very alert when it comes to new customers wanting to be served

Great place, very welcoming. Great live music, Philly and Jen are awesome. I look forward to coming back. Huge beer selection, and two power packed humidors to choose Cigars from.

Another great little gem here in my current town of La Mesa.
The bartenders stay alert, even on a busy Friday night.
The place can get pretty packed but somehow not feel too congested.
For a cigar bar, it doesn’t really smell like it. The people’s smoke on the back patio doesn’t carry into the bar which is really nice. They also sell somewhat vintage cigar boxes and some of them are pretty clever.
You can’t go wrong if you start or end here. You know you’ll get your beer quickly because of how attentive the staff is.
You can also order from Swami’s next door and they’ll bring it over to you.
Only downfall is that they have one bathroom for the entire bar so it can get a little intimate…

Hoffer’s, it’s the kind of bar that would make for a great film noir narrative. It’s dark, it has an old time feel to it, there’s an odd but tangible atmosphere to the place, yet it serves great beer and will keep you coming back.
In the heart of downtown La Mesa, this place fits in like it you would expect it to. You wouldn’t think twice walking by and you wouldn’t think twice once inside but a simple glance at their beer menu and you’ll gladly take a seat and order accordingly. Their craft beer selection is one that should be followed and perhaps even envied by any nearby, competing establishment.
It was Oktoberfest and it may have been disappointing outside but in here it was a different story. They have a fine selection of craft brew and our group ordered several selections off of their menu. I honestly don’t remember much of what was on it but I remember ordering a Belgian Trippel that really didn’t taste like a Belgian Trippel and some of my friends ordered a raspberry ale that actually was quite refreshing. They had Dogfish Head’s Pumpkin but I passed on that one. There were some solid offerings but I am a little blurry on what they were, I mean c’mon, it was an Oktoberfest kind of day!
Either way, this is a pretty unassuming bar that is actually a solid contender. I don’t know how many times I walked by it while in the area without giving it a thought but now after actually going inside, I can easily say that I’m impressed. The atmosphere can take a little getting used to but what do you expect in a cigar bar? Anyway, the staff is totally cool here and it is definitely one of your better stops in La Mesa.
I can easily recommend it.

I’d bookmarked this place ages ago after hearing a couple of guys talk about it at a Mexican restaurant (yes, that’s sometimes how I get recommendations). They made it sound so interesting that I knew we’d have to go check it out. Two years later we finally did.
It’s small inside, but was very mellow on a Tuesday evening. Their tap selection was impressive and if either of us smoked cigars, we’d probably be all over their cigar selection.
The place was clean and the service was friendly. And they were actually showing the soccer match on TV! Not many bars do that. My husband said that if we lived within walking distance of Hoffers he would be there every night. Maybe it’s good we’re not that close to it? Just kidding. I’d be there every night too.
Awesome spot. We will definitely be back again and again. Time after time? If you fall, I will catch you.