Fat Buddha Cigar Club

Fat Buddha Cigar Club is a members' cigar spot in Scottsdale, Arizona, and it helps to know going in that this is a private club rather than a walk-in tobacco shop. The people who belong here are what make it. Ask anyone who has spent time inside and you'll hear about a genuinely mixed crowd, folks from all kinds of backgrounds who share one thing in common: they like to sit back and enjoy a good cigar with friends.

One longtime member put it as a place where the comradery is the whole point, and that comes through. The word around town from those who are part of it is warm. Regulars call it the best place in town for cigars and company both, and more than one traveler passing through the West has counted an evening here as a highlight of the trip.

"Great people and great cigars" is about as clean a summary as you'll get. The atmosphere and the crowd draw steady praise from the people who belong, and it stays open 24/7, so members can drop in and settle in whenever the mood strikes. Here's the honest part, and it's worth knowing before you show up: this is a private club, and guests are charged a fee at the door.

A few people who weren't members have left feeling turned away, so if you're just curious and want to browse, this isn't a casual retail stop. For those who are part of the club, or looking to become part of it, Fat Buddha Cigar Club is exactly what it sets out to be, a laid-back room full of characters who take their cigars and their company seriously.