Gran Havana Cigar & Hookah Lounge

This place is a surprise find while walking around downtown. The smell drew us in — a mixture of sweet gelato, coffee and good cigars. We got a hookah and the man who served us was incredibly helpful. He surprised us with a medley of great flavors. I had a Cuban coffee and it took me back to Miami. The service was really great and whenever I want a nice lounge to smoke I will definitely return there.

Really beautiful place nicely decorated also good prompt service, nice hot and cold drinks their hookah not the best and also pricey but the place it’s nice and they have a smoke cigar room I think they can do your own choice of cigar and also they a praying space for those who would like to perform Saleh I think that was really amazing and but I think they definitely have to work a little on prices other wise it’s is a very good place to go to they also have amazing desserts yummy

Great atmosphere to start or wind down the night. Very mellow, beautiful décor and seating. Every time we’ve come here the service has been awesome and everything is delicious! The gelato coffee and Turkish delight is our favorite.
Duc helped us last time. The place was busy but he did a great job taking care of us!

Cigars, gelato, crepes, Cuban coffee all of that is good !! But this guy here is Superman !! He was by himself and yet he made us feel like we were the only ones there. He had some connection with each table and person there. He was making crepes, lighting cigars, serving gelatos, preparing hookahs. He is just amazing!!!
Thank you! Will definitively come again.

Clean. Spacious. The owner & hostess are super nice! They have their own cigars and their own cigar roller — these are made on site! And they offer hookah and coffee/​tea/​dessert menu as well. I need this place in Phoenix! This is a place I will definitely return to…

By far my favorite hookah spot! I explore a lot of different hookah places and hesitate to leave a review because I don’t want to leave a negative review, but this place is unique and very special.
Décor: beautiful, chic, modern, clean, and relaxing. A lot of comfortable seating areas.
Service: on par with the décor. Polite servers who are knowledgable about what this place offers
Hookah is smooth. I don’t mind waiting a little extra time for it because it does take extra time and attention for quality.
They also have a decent collection of cigars and actually make some in-​house!
The owner Ahmed is kind, welcoming, warm, and takes pride in his products and service. He’s been in the business for 21 years and is very knowledgable about everything that’s offered here.
We tried the jasmine and peach tea that were brewed at the perfect temperature and time – the kind of attention to detail that’s hard to find for tea and is very much appreciated.
Unfortunately for me, I don’t live in the area, but I will always visit when I’m in town and bask in all this awesomeness

Wow! We had a GREAT time at this place! We love cigars and love great coffee. This place honestly has both. The atmosphere was great, not childish or too hip, just the right amount of tasteful music, and good seating. The cigar selection was great and seems like they roll their own, so the prices weren’t crazy, especially for the area it’s in. If you’re still reading this review… stop and just go! You’ll have a good time :)

Our friend who is a local recommended this establishment.
I am not a huge pain when it comes to cigars, I will smoke many types, as long as they are good and properly humidified. However, had I know that every single cigar in here was their own I would have asked to go elsewhere.
For the price I thought my cigar was dry, it did not burn properly at all, and since we had gone to smoke elsewhere I could not even finish it. For a maduro torpedo I was expecting more flavor but it was somewhat harsh. My out of town friends also were not huge fans of what they selected and did not finish theirs either.

This is an awesome place! Perfect to go, drink a cup of tea and hang out with friends! Also their gelato and deserts are just the best ones!
I highly recommend it.

We came here for coffee and tea after scrumptious TGIF dinner. Wow ! A relaxing atmosphere for coffee, tea, hookah and cigar. A Beautiful cigar lounge, chill and not one of those crazy hookah places.
We ordered café latte, Paris tea –fruity taste with vanilla & lemony bergamot. We shared this delicious cake called Gâteau Aileen-​a hot milk sponge cake filled with buttercream & lots of fresh berries! Yum! Deliciousness ! I want more lol! Ha! Fatty problems !
They also have gelato ice cream, waffles, crepes, cakes and flavored coffee and teas. And of course flavored Hookahs and hand rolled cigars.
CS was very friendly and attentive.
This is a must visit spot for anyone who likes cigars and hookah. Highly recommended of course definitely coming back here. Overall, Good vibes! Modern ambience ;) next time I’ll try their hookahs;)

Amazing atmosphere! Very relaxing place with superior service. We had two apple flavored hookahs and the white peach and then Paris tea everything was amazing. Definitely going back! Would highly recommend!
Update: finally made it back for the second time the experience was just as amazing. Duke was awesome he made us a custom flavor and explained some stuff about hookah that we never knew before.

Cigars + coffee + chocolate = brilliant
Concept 5 stars
Dessert 5 stars
Tea 5 stars
Service 5 stars
Ambiance 5 stars
In honor of ⁴⁄₂₀ we decided to stop here. Let me start by saying I did not know these things go together. But they do! And I ‘s brilliant.
I’ll also remind folks that follow or let those that are reading my reviews for the first time know I’m an ambiance snob. This place delivered on ambiance in every way. The music matched the appropriate vibe for a cigar /​coffee house –chill. The space was well thought through. It’s large but detailed and airy but cozy. By luck we sat near the entrance on the left (facing inside) where cigars are made. They actually have a press and a roll station (see my pics).
If I had one of these in LA I would so hang out here on the reg. This spot was a great cap to the night.
Pro tips:
–ask the manager to give you a walk thru. Her cigar iq is impressive and let’s face it who doesn’t want to learn about flavor profiles of smoke that comes from all over the world.
–have the Turkish delight desserts with a full bodied cigar
–try tea with a cigar
–don’t be lame and hookah. Get a cigar here!

SMALLEST gelato EVER– And I lived in Europe, so that’s saying something.
Almost 5.00 for this ‘one scoop’- ummm, yea it’s not even a full scoop. That would be a complete circle, Hun.
Gelato isn’t earth-​shatteringly good, either.
Points docked also because the girl behind the counter was one of the slowest humans I’ve ever met.

My friends and I decided to go on a whim one night. We wanted to check out a new cigar place but decided to opt out of the cigars and go with Hookahs. The manager, Jasmine, made a personal recommendation of mint and limoncello.
Along with the hookah, we ordered blood orange tea and cake. I had the urge to order affogato and Jasmine suggested a cappuccino affogato, and it was amazing!
Since our first visit, my friends and I have made it a point to stop by at least once a week after work. The ambiance in addition to the charismatic and energetic staff makes going to Gran Havana a grandiose experience.

A new discovery for me during my latest visit to San Diego. I arrived very late at night and was craving good pastries and strong coffee (yes, I can also after like nothing happened). I found it in this awesomely decorated location and liked the smell of various types of hookahs and the overall exotic ambiance. I am not into cigars but this place has everything.

Great service. excellent deserts.
Cigar smell can be strong in this place but if your OK with the aroma then this is a good place to check out. I would definitely recommend this place to friends

Almost brand new place in San Diego. A unique store concept I have never seen: a Cigar-​Hookah lounge with a beautiful café inside AND a full size room humidor AND a crew of rolling cigars men! This place is very classy/​trendy looking. Design furniture, couches, lights, everything is like a magazine picture. In the entrance, two men rolling cigars, yes. The store actually sells its own cigars and can make you smoke them inside or outside once purchased. You can also pay a «cut» fee and smoke your own cigar. No alcohol drinks are served, only coffee, teas, juices, and lots of cakes are served. They also have ice cream inside. This place is very relaxing, and cool you down a lot. It is very cosy, so cosy, this place could sit in the east coast it would be perfect for winter. I think this is one of the classiest, trendiest, coolest spot in San Diego I have found. Very very chill too. h

How do I even start to talk about how amazing this place is. I came in one day when I saw two gentlemen rolling cigars in the front and I don’t believe I have left yet (If I could sleep here, I would). They roll all of the cigars in house which are absolutely amazing. I have had the great pleasure and honor to meet these wonderful people including Ahmad, Ayse, Jasmine, Duc, and Christine. All of them are very helpful and knowledgable and will never steer you in the wrong direction whether you are looking for a great cigar to go with your amazing Americano or just looking for some great gelato. The relaxed atmosphere and music is a must have after a long day of work as well as a great place to sit down and talk. Date potential is very high at this place if you really want to get to know someone. It is much better than trying to yell at someone across a bar. I highly recommend this establishment to anyone in the market for an amazing relaxing place with great people and fantastic cigars. I’m more of a cigar fan than a hookah fan, so I did not speak much on the subject. My buddy only smokes the hookah here and I’ve never seen him smoke anywhere else, so that spoke highly to me. I hope to see many of you here and make new like minded friends.

DUC!!! Morning manager is the best!!! Super fun and chill guy, awesome host! Definitely recommend it here, =] modern and classy. Love it!

The manager Luc is wonder! very helpful and knowledgeable about cigars. He was very attentive to our needs, super recommended! I will be returning to this classy establishment very soon.

Great environment.
Great prices, great flavors, great experience. U do not know anything about cigars. But with a quick crash course with Jasmine, I was smoking cigars like DJ Khaled. The music and environments was very relaxed. A must visit when in downtown San Diego. I’m going to come here when I need to study. By the way, they have Gelato and hookah for a great price! Ask for Jasmine, she knows what’s up for sure. You won’t be disappointed!

Such a cool spot and idea. Have a crêpe while you shop for a hand-​rolled cigar while hanging out in one of the most awesome hipster coffee shop vibe lounges I’ve ever seen. They have wifi (not sure if you need to pay or not), great for studying, and yummy food. Kind staff, would revisit next time I’m in SD!

Owner is a sincere man who appreciates quality. Great place for conversation and top notch cigars. Delicious food and drink (teas & coffees). Great change of pace for downtown night life. I’m going to be a guaranteed regular.

Beautiful interior and great setting to enjoy a nice cigar and quiet conversation with friends. The cigars are smooth and smoke really well. I believe they also offer hookah but thats not my thing. I was a little turned off by the high price, especially since I ordered a glass of iced tap water with my cigar, but was given a bottle of water instead and asked to pay $ 5 for it. Kind of ridiculous. That said, I would go back but only for a special occasion.

Came in on a Saturday night with a couple of buds. Maybe we don’t fit the bill, or at least that’s the way we felt being here. The young lady running the place gave us the cold shoulder. I mean she didn’t even hide the fact that she didn’t want to help us. We asked her over and she looked at me and shook her head no. Literally looked at me and said no, like don’t even call me to help you.
Lol. Made me think of a comedy skit I saw by Bernie Mac. «I didn’t come here to work!»
Anyways, this girl was super stuck up.
It gave me the feeling you see in the movies of when an average guy goes to the upscale french restaurant and gets no respect.
Whatever…

Amazing coffee and exceptional service!

Awesome service. Had some gelato (hazelnut and vanilla bean), and a double apple hookah. Great way to end a Tuesday night! Love you San Diego!

The owner is cool guy and he is always around. He welcome us and had nice conversation with him while he was give us a touring idea about the cigar collation

When you want to do Something different from your ordinary café. This spot is a nice change of pace from the daily rush. Really relaxing hangout spot, great setting. BUT… They should consider adding chess or dominos for people sitting and chatting. Otherwise, great place.

This is the best cigar bar we have ever been to. It is beautiful, bright, sophisticated, well-​ventilated, and has a great selection of coffee, teas, and deserts. The owner, Ahmad, is a fantastic man. The cigars at Gran Havana are outstanding and are a staple of our humidor-​we mail order them from Ahmad regularly. Gran Havana rolls their own cigars in house and the tobacco and burn is outstanding. You can tell Ahmad is experienced and takes great pride in his cigars and lounge. No detail has been overlooked. If you are a cigar-​lover, definitely don’t miss this place!!!

I’ve had the pleasure of being a customer of the Gran Havana and Ahmad since the mid 90’s when the original Gran Havana opened up on 5^th Avenue. Here I am in 2015 and I am still enjoying their fantastic hookahs and delicious desserts and perfectly made Chai Tea Latte. But most of all the main reason why I continue to come here is because of their great customer service and the attention they give to each and every customers. Both Tina and Jasmine are sweethearts and always greet customers with warm smiles and they always pay attention to their customers to make sure their experience is enjoyable. I highly recommend the Gran Havana to anyone that is looking for a beautiful lounge to enjoy a hookah and spend quality time with friends.

Great cigars! Had one here and 4 to go. The gentleman asked if I wanted to trade in the 4 month old cigars for more fresh ones in the cabinet near the guy rolling them for the same price. The place is pricey, but Also the the young man brought me a hot tea pot and a pastry all complimentary. Next time I’m in Bayside area again I will stop by.

Truly an amazing cigar shop. Live pros rolling amazing cigars and the owner is awesome!
All around an amazing experience.
They serve any kind of coffee you want and walk the humidor with you to ensure you pick the perfect cigar.

Nice deocr however when I was ordering gelato there was a dead fly chillin in the peanut butter gelato :-X
The cigar room and display were impressive, however this place is overpriced and did not have a cozy feeling because it is the size of a banquet hall.
Would not return.

Hand rolled cigars, great location, nice décor and a relaxed environment. Definitely Five Stars!

Lord, I love this place! The girls who work there are super friendly and simply beautiful and helpful.
Besides nice hookah, they have great French crepes (they are cheap, something under $ 6, pretty good for Gaslamp). My favorite is with strawberry gelato.
My husband liked their cigars selection («house» cigars are $ 10 only).
They play nice music and I always see nice people there.

Had a date night the other night, and after dinner– I had a HUGE craving for an espresso and a cigar.
We saw this place and it looked beautiful!
There’s so much space with tons of seating! The décor is very modern, yet welcoming. Doesn’t feel cold or uninviting at all. Nor does it feel grimy and gross (as some hookah spots can be)
The staff was SO friendly and helpful.
They offer cigars, hookah, full coffee bar, and gelato.
We ordered a double espresso served over vanilla bean gelato and a cigar.
It was a perfect ending to a nice Friday night.
I will DEFINITELY be back!

Excellent cigar, shisha, and coffee café. They also have a large selection of gelato. A large, open space with plenty of tables, lounge chairs, and sofas. All the cigars for sale are from the Gran Havana factory. They are good cigars but not great. They allow customers to bring in their own cigars as long as they coffee or some other product from the café. No alcohol sold or allowed.
The woman working their this afternoon, Christina, is lovely. Very friendly and helpful.
If you don’t mind not being able to enjoy a glass of scotch or port while smoking, this is the nicest place to have a cigar in downtown San Diego.