The Smoking Gnome Cigar Shop & Lounge — Local services in East Brunswick Township

Called ahead from Staten Island, explained to the day shift guy that my 2 friends, and I, weren't members but we wanted to watch the Redskins/Bucks playoff game. He told us if we bought 4 cigars each, we could watch the game in the members lounge in the back. Great. So we travel from Staten Island, and upon arrival, I buy 12 sticks at a cost of $247 (I bought cigars for both of my buddies fir their birthdays). DENNIS, the evening shift guy, obviously see's we're there to watch the game, as one of my friends is wearing his Redskins gear, so he obviously knows, beyond any doubt, that we're there to watch the game....the WHOLE game. So we're watching the game and enjoying our smokes, even ordering a pizza, then DENNIS approaches us at 10:05pm, and for the first time all night, he tells us we have to leave, that it was closing time, but the members were still there watching the game. The 4th quarter just started. First we tell him we thought because we bought 4 sticks each, and since we were allowed in the member lounge, that we could watch the game to its conclusion as tye dayshift guy told us we could, as long as there were members there, and there 6 guys there still watching the game. He said we can't stay. Then we point out that he never told us we would have to leave at 10pm, but he let me buy 12 sticks for myself and my friends, and now he's throwing us out. Mind you the 3 of us are retired guys, in our 50's and 60's, and we're not trouble makers. In fact we've been there many times before for private parties. He wasn't having any of it, and he made us leave at 10:20pm, with 10min left in the game. I couldn't believe it! First time in over 40yrs I was ever thrown out of a cigar lounge! So we got our stuff, and left without incident. I've been smoking cigars for over 40 years, and I have never been so humiliated, felt so disrespected, RIPPED OFF and disgusted, in my entire life at any of the 100+ cigar lounge's I've been too around the US, and abroad, like I was last night at the Smoking Gnome. (Sunday - Jan 12th 2025). DENNIS is a thief, and scammer. He allowed me to buy all those cigars, KNOWING he was making us leave at 10, but didn't say a word to us about it until 10pm. AND he was trying to talk me into buying a membership while I was there! 😂😂😂😂😂😂

DENNIS is a back-stabber, and a liar, with a smile on his face while he throws you out, who doesn't belong in the this kind of business....they made $247.00 off me last night, then threw me out. They'll never make another dime off me again...it was better when Adam was there....

Needless to say, the 3 of us, who WERE considering memberships, will never set foot in that place again....BUYERS BEWARE UPDATE: The owner, and other staff, saw my complaint, and probably saw the whole thing on his security camera's recordings, and answered me 57 minutes after I posted this. He was not happy at all about how we were treated. All I will say is, he made myself, and my friends, a pretty fair offer to make up for this horrible experience, and I was impressed. These days, you get treated badly at a business, you complain, and your complaint goes to the wind. The owner of THIS business addresed this issue immediately, and like I said, he made a very fair offer, so despite this experience, I feel the owner made a genuine effort to make us whole again. I'll be returning to the lounge, once again, for a smoke. I knew this boiled down to just one person whom I named in my review, and didn't reflect on the other staff members I've encountered there before, or the owner himself. It IS a nice, comfortable, neat and clean lounge, with great ventilation, where I have enjoyed smokes there before. As far as I'm concerned, the owner has done right by me, case...

I was treated very bad here. At first I wasn't sure but then it became obvious there was some kind of bad feelings toward me. First let me talk about the cigar quality. I bought several cigars that were ok but the infused cigars like the blueberry mint was worse than smoking leaves from the park. It had a burnt, flavorless taste and they were brittle. Anyway, I had a bunch of 100 dollars bills that the guy kept saying were fake. He ran I through his machine counterfeit machine and said it's not passing. I had about $3,000 in $100 bills and he said none of them passed. Another worker came and tested it and it worked the first time. That's when I realized I was right when I was detecting and attitude. I found those long sought infused cigars in Staten Island EDIT: (Responding to shop's response) It was definitely your shop about a year or year and a half ago. The reason I'm mentioning it now is because I found what I like,and was reminded of the situation. I wound up using a credit card. It was supposed to be a blueberry cigar. You 100% had that silly machine before, but that's neither here or there. I didn't write this to be mean, just to tell the truth. If it wasn't so long ago I'd provide a receipt...

I had the pleasure of visiting Smoking Gnome and Lounge in East Brunswick, NJ, and it exceeded all my expectations! From the moment I walked in, the ambiance was welcoming and cozy, with a great mix of modern style and a laid-back vibe. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, making recommendations that suited my preferences perfectly.

The selection of cigars is top-notch, with a wide variety of high-quality brands that cater to all tastes. Whether you're a cigar afficionado or a beginner, you'll find something you'll love. The lounge area is cozy and comfortable, offering a perfect place to relax and enjoy your cigar in peace.

What really sets this place apart is the attention to detail. The atmosphere is always clean and well-maintained, and the ventilation system ensures a comfortable experience for everyone.

Overall, Smoking Gnome and Lounge provides a fantastic experience, and I’ll definitely be returning soon. Highly recommend it to anyone looking for a top-tier cigar lounge...