Puffs-n-Stuff Cigar Store and Pub

Puffs-n-Stuff Cigar Store and Pub is one of the increasingly rare finds in Pittsburgh: an honest-to-goodness cigar bar, where you can pick out a stick and settle in with a good drink without the place trying to be anything else. Ask anyone who shops here and they'll tell you the humidor and the full bar are the whole draw. Add in tobacco pipes and the usual smoking accessories, and you've got a spot built for taking your time. One traveler passing through from Chicago put it plainly: cigar bars are getting hard to find, and this is where they'll go next time they're in town.

The bar is a real point of pride around here. Regulars come for the rotating beers on tap, a solid list of bourbon and Scotch, and bartenders who know their way around cocktails. Angel has a loyal Friday-night following in the West Hills for her mixology, and folks speak just as warmly about Marcus, Oksama, and the rest of the crew, who get things done quickly and know their cigars. If you're just easing into cigars, the staff will happily walk you through the humidor and steer you toward the right stick.

Comfy seating inside, outdoor tables for warm evenings, plenty of parking, and hours that run late make it easy to linger. Being near the Pittsburgh airport, it's picked up a following among travelers on layovers as well as neighborhood regulars who admit they're in "way too often." We'll be straight with you: locals are a little split lately. Some have found the humidor thinner than it once was and think the lounge could use some sprucing up. Others swear the selection is expert and the atmosphere is exactly the relaxing kind they want.

Either way, it holds a strong reputation across Pittsburgh, and if a proper cigar and a good pour in one sitting is what you're after, it's worth a visit.