My first encounter with Mission Pipe shop was in 1999 at their original Town and Country location. Great selection of cigars and welcoming staff. When they moved to The Alameda, I still enjoyed the selection and the staff but I never felt comfortable hanging out in the lounge area. Donna always made me feel welcome in her shop, though. At the latest location, under Craig's ownership, I feel truly welcome and comfortable. It's such a nice store with an impressive selection. Then you add the comfortable outdoor lounge and the spacious indoor lounge and it is like a paradise! We only visit San Jose a few times a year and when we do, we try to find time to enjoy the space. This weekend, we visited on a Saturday. They had my favorite cigar (Tabernacle broadleaf double corona) and my husband and I secured comfortable chairs in the indoor lounge. It was a smaller crowd but just like last time, everyone said hi to us and as new regular customers arrived, they also greeted us. We met some new people, including Craig the owner, and had a lovely time reading (me) and watching sports. You think this place couldn't get any better but wait! They also have a sparkling clean bathroom. I'm already looking for another reason to travel to San Jose. read more

Great service and selection, I am smoking a Jaime Garcia toro. Great prices. Carry all my favorite cigars. Smoked here for years. Owner is a great person. Watching Onpatrollive. read more

See all

Nice local cigar and pipe shop. They moved from their original location over a year ago and the new store has a lot more room as well as both in door and outdoor seating. Same staff here have always been helpful to me. I am not a cigar smoker, but my husband is an aficionado and having help picking out a good cigar is always appreciated. While we no longer live in San Jose or the Bay Area, while in town we will often stop in here to grab a stick. Unlike some of my favorite cigar bars, this location is a shop and smoke but does not include a bar or BYOB where I can sit and enjoy some quiet time with my man. I know this so no expectation, but that would be my reason for a lower star review. read more

Mission Pipe Shop - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

This place is cool. I've been there several times, and they always have something I like. I was recently in there to buy some pipe tobacco. They have some good prices, and they are super helpful. Check them out if you are looking for some good tobacco products. read more

Mission Pipe Shop - This is what I purchased. I like my pipe. - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Jose, California

My classmate Ray invited me to the mission Pipe Shop for this event with taco and beer... No beer for me sir, try to keep my weight down here :) law school 1L already got me extra 10 lbs HA! But cigar, I'm all for it! Suiting next to Ray at law school, I often noticed he smelled like cigar :-) because I'm a sommelier, my sense of smell is super sensitive, with that said, I often heard him talking about his fav spot, the Mission Pipe Shop. He even studied here, reading his casebooks, and does his homework here. So glad I Che Ricky out, super cool people here, especially the owner, Michelle, she's beautiful, classy, and cool AF. So her hubby, he's such a gent. Nice shop, spacious, plenty of choices, no Cuban cigar though! It's variety and budget for all! A nice outdoor patio to chill... I'll definitely come back for more. Thank you everyone here that I met today and those that work here. Thank you for warmest hospitality and kindness. Putting up with me for the first time we met, is definitely not easy :-) but surely, good time had by all. read more

See all

I've been wanting to come to this cigar lounge for a while now. I came last Tuesday and had a pleasant experience. First off, the place is cozy and is technically a 1-story home that's been converted into a cigar shop. They have lots to offer from a huge collection of Davidoff, top shelf premiums like Fuente Fuente OpusX, to Tatuaje. Of course my go-to is Padron in which they carry a good selection. There is no fee to sit and smoke; of course it's proper and only right that you smoke their cigars. The lounge isn't anything eye-catching; just a big screen tv and some scattered seats around. If you're looking for a classy upscale lounge, this isn't the place and isn't the crowd. But if you want to avoid the big crowd and snobbish personalities, come here for a good alone time and a great place to unwind peacefully. I smoked my favorite which is the Padron 1926 #2 in Maduro for $30. I took about maybe 1-1.5 hrs to smoke but definitely could've been longer. One of the customers ended up playing jazz music station from the tv and made the whole experience that much better. I look forward to coming back and definitely want to have a smoke outside at the front of the shop. I'm a huge fan of this lounge and their prestigious variety of cigars. I will be back! read more

I love this place. I've been coming here on and off for years and every time I've enjoyed great cigar and fantastic conversations. The owner Craig is awesome and the staff are very knowledgeable. Great job guys. read more

They've got a decent selection of cigars, when they are not out. Which is often. Whoever is in control of inventory should be replaced immediately. They have an indoor and outdoor lounge which is very nice on a beautiful Northern California day. Do not go for any pipes, pipe tobacco, or pipe supplies as this is no longer a pipe supply store. And yes, their customer service is atrocious. If you show any signs of weakness in knowledge and/or presence, the will ignore you, or speak down to you. It's unfortunate. If you know what you want, it's a good place to check out. read more

I ordered two of their two ounce bags of Java at $11 per + shipping, but only received one in my order. I was charged for two. When I attempted to contact the store via the email the store provided (on two occasions) and state my case, I received no response. I understand mistakes can be made, but it could at least be acknowledged. I love the Java blend, but at this point am hesitant to and will likely not order via website from the store again. Small cost to pay to find out how online business is done. As far as giving a rating I'd give a 5 for the product (Two thumbs up to the Java blender) but a solid 2 for inattentiveness to whoever does packaging and shipping. I could be wrong, but I am hard pressed to see the two as the same person. I'm sure the store is nice to visit, but difficult for someone residing in the mid Atlantic. Just sharing my experience. Hopefully others are fairing or have faired better - good pipe tobacco at a reasonable price is not always easy to get these days.* * Adjustment to the above: The shop has since completely redone my order and added a very gracious sample of Bob's Best to boot! Bob's is a little higher on the nicotine for me, but greatly appreciated just the same! Thank you to all involved! Definitely a five star recovery! read more

I would not recommend this spot to anyone who appreciates good customer service. Today I had what I would qualify as probably one of the most horrific customer service experiences at any establishment in the US. I wish i was able to reply to the words used when I merely asked about cigars, cuban cigars and the current standing in the US - i was expecting to be shown what is available, how it compares, what should I buy and which ones are better ones if available. Instead, I got lectured with words like "f@ck, piece of sh1t" about my taste for a particular cigar. And that was just ONE question I was able to ask. I am a person that respects other people's opinions and likes to learn, what is enjoyed locally, what cigars to try. The little bearded white sales guy didn't even getup from his lazy bum to help or offer anything. The rest was just put downs and a nigh hostile environment. Hands down, because of my experience today this is a place I wouldn't recommend to any of my apple co-workers or acquaintances. read more

Went here three times, high quality tobacco, but all the employees have negative morals, basically they look at you like your dumb, clueless, and homeless. I rather have out with the devil. read more

A sanctuary in a sea of craziness. A place where you can lounge and taste. A place where you can be educated. A place to relax. A place to rub elbows with gentlemen today refinement and class. And women, but hey, not really too many women. A place to share food and stories. A place where they'll treat you like one of them as soon as you arrive. Indoor and outdoor seating. Beautiful inside and out. Comfortable lounge furniture. You can bring your laptop and conduct business here. I cannot say enough. This is a place that you should try out. I stumbled across them by accident while running errands. read more

See all

Visited here yesterday for the first time and had a great experience. Location is clean, very well organized, and not too smokey despite being busy. My friend who is a bit newer to cigars was assisted by the staff is who are very knowledgeable, friendly, and helpful. I was expecting some sticker shock as I normally buy cigars online, but pricing was very good. The selection was amazing, all of your basic stuff, as well as premium and ultra premium plus lots of things I can never find online. There is an indoor and outdoor lounge areas. Inside has comfy seating, big TVs and plenty of ashtrays. Outside had more comfy seating, and heaters for cold/nights. The crowd there was very laid back, great vibes, and lots of conversations between friends and strangers. My friend and I will be back soon! read more

3rd time this year, and final time I'll be in this shop. As much as I want to support Brick and Mortar shops, I just can't support this store anymore. For a shop who calls itself Mission PIPE shop, there's barely anything there to substantiate the name. Cigars, yes.. plenty. Very limited selection of pipes and very limited ( almost all limited number of jars empty) bulk tobacco. They do not have any tins of tobacco and the kid running the shop seemed offended I asked. Of the 6-10 people whom were hanging out, all younger cigar smokers, I got the feeling I was not welcome there. NOT the kind of environment I wanted to sit and smoke a pipe in and try to enjoy some comeraderie in.. not happening here. Not the kind of environment you would expect when brick and mortar stores are rapidly dwindling. I suppose this one will be added to the list soon unfortunately. I'll continue to purchase my tobacco and supplies online from other states as their website is dreadful and can't find the tobacco I've purchased for years in store, on their site. Sorry guys.. Mission Pipe had a great multi decade run.. sad to see what it's become read more

This review has been a long time coming... The people who work here are RUDE. Instead of being helpful to paying customers, they make you feel less than if you don't know everything about cigars, tobacco and everything that goes along with it. I am a woman that smokes cigars. Unfortunately, I'm not as familiar with unflavored cigars. I went in hoping to get some help with things I could try. The bigger dude at the counter was deep in conversation with a regular and even though I was standing in front of him STARING at him, he refused to acknowledge my existence. Finally I said "excuse me" and he looked taken back and annoyed. I actually had to look around to make sure he was in fact the only person working the front counter. He proceeded to act less than interested in me asking questions and gave the impression that he didn't care if I bought anything or even came back. I bought some terrible stale cigar anyway. My roommate went in a couple weeks later to pick some cigars out for a get together at our house and came home defeated because they were rude to her. If you aren't a complete cigar know-it-all snob or a total bro, don't bother here. They do not care. read more

Second time visiting this location, third time since moving from previous location. My husband and I went to buy cigars again for our boys who are active military in the Navy, this day we decided to ride our bikes, didn't even have them locked up yet and a guy who apparently works there came out to tell us we had to move our bikes, which were not in the way. The place is deserted, not a customer in site and we were in the store for a grand total of 2 minutes and spent $40. Needless to say this will be the last time I will shop for cigars at this rude cigar store. read more

Excellent. I was in San Jose on an early flight with a couple hours to kill before a meeting. From the airport, I took a shot and Googled local tobacconists; a ten minute Uber ride brought me to Mission Pipe Shop, where AJ, the in-house master blender happily guided me through his impressive selection. A lot of brick and mortars rely on a few jars or generic, overly sweet aromatics, but by my count there were at least three dozen unique labels here. Once he understood my palate, he guided me to the ample selection of English and Balkan blends that this Latakia lover dreams about. I regret that I only came home with a couple ounces of Black Watch. Next time I'm in town, I've got to leave some extra space in my suitcase for a wider variety. Can't wait! read more

Stopped in to buy some cigars and when I walked into this shop...not a lounge at all. It was more like a barbershop and the colorful foul language coming out of their sitting area helped expedited my purchasing efforts! My lady went and sat in the car because she's an African American woman and one guy made it a point to say the N word like it was "hey what's up". It was on a Wednesday (poker night as they called it) early evening and the sitting room was filled with out of control individuals. Sad that it has that vibe. Seems like they were low on inventory do to whatever the guys working there said. I couldn't wait to get out of the place do to the low level thinking /conversations going on. Truly sad that this establishment like this has folks like that taking up space. Outside was not an option as the seating looked terrible, dirty and disheveled. Seems like they have a good selection of cigars when they have them! Definitely not a place I would return to especially with my lady or any business associates. One employee seemed embarrassed with the foul language spewing out of the sitting area and tried to apologize for it. Don't know if it's an absentee ownership or what but it's out of control. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're desperate for cigars. I'm sure there's other places in this area . I don't live in the area and where I'm from, cigar lounges have a conduct code and this place was terrible and loud!!! It has potential however, ownership needs to step up and clean it up a bit. Sad, I used to live in the area and this place used to be good about 8-10 years ago and didn't have this level of clientele. It was far more respectful, clean and not so vulgar. read more

A nice little shop tucked away in what seems like a house converted into a business. I bought my first pipe from these guys back when they were still at the old Town and Country Center. They still have a great selection of cigars but the pipe and tobacco selection is a bit lacking (few pipes I see and no tinned tobacco- only bulk). Friendly staff and the smell of the cigars being smoked in the shop is heavenly. I only deducted one star for the slim pipe-related selection although I realize that in the 21st Century this likely isn't their biggest seller. Recommend if you're in the South Bay. read more

UPDATE: We've been informed Mission Pipe has New Owners! Former owners of Mission Pipe neglected to pass on the question and background of the mural. Not at all surprising of former ownership. Thank you Michelle and Craig, new owners, for the clearity and welcome their eagerness towards embracing the community. read more

I've never set foot in Mission Pipe Shop, still, I have been smoking and enjoying their pipe tobacco for years. I live in Honolulu and some years ago my wife was on a business trip to San Jose. She decided to bring home some pipe tobacco for me as a surprise gift. I already smoked a blend from one of the local shops and wondered how the'Bob's Best' that she brought me would compare. It was the best-tasting pipe tobacco I had ever smoked. When it ran low, I phoned the shop and ordered more, and I've been doing that ever since. Over the years I've gotten to know several of the Mission Pipe Shop folks, but only on the phone. Still, I consider them friends. Mahalo nui loa (thank you very much) everyone at Mission Pipe Shop. Ray Lovell Honolulu, Hawaii read more

Great shop, great staff and great selection! Selection covers a wide variety of cigars with different strengths and complexity, and the staff can point you in the right direction.Excellent shop! read more

Staff is super friendly. I don't really sm cigars but my boyfriend loves them. We show up and I tell them I'll do a tiny cigarello. There so judgement. Just super friendly. Give up free wares. Watching footballs and super friendly atmosphere. Not even a big smoker but a big fan of this place read more

Mission Pipe Shop - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Jose, California

Knowledgeable staff, great selection of cigars pipes and tobacco for pipes. There is a seating area inside that is well ventilated. you can also sit outside in the open or under a patio. read more

See all

First time at the pipe shop. Chill atmosphere and cool employees. Everyone seemed to have a good time. I really liked the outdoor seating area. Had some comfy chairs and heat lamps. Will definitely go back! read more

Hands down my fav shop for a good cigar ! The guys a great and the selection outstanding !

In town for a convention and decided to check it out. Good as advertised, has a really good selection of cigars, pipe tobacco, and anything else you might be looking for for a relaxing night. Almost overwhelming but staff was willing to guide and make recommendations. Front patio available to smoke on site and the place is in a really nice neighborhood. You could take a nice walk, grab something to eat and make a second trip if you wanted to. read more

I've been here a few times and wish to make more time to visit. Everyone is very knowledgeable and on two occasions they really went out of there way to help me. First time I took in some vintage tobacco pipes and they cleaned the mouth piece for me for free. 2nd Time recent they helped me with some vintage lighters by changing flint and putting fuel. And took time to explain and get them working. Love my lighters. Almost threw or gave them away. read more

Mission Pipe Shop - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Excellent selection. The tobacco-ist knows his trade and gave us historical facts, current EU details and knowledgeably shared details about his blends. I took a friend who smokes a pipe and we both learned a lot! Plus, he found " English" blends similar to what he bought in Italy, where he is from. read more

It was a friend's birthday and we needed a present. Cue Mission Pipe. We walked in and suddenly realized we had no idea what we were doing or looking for. Enter in nice older gentleman from the back who recommend several different brands and styles and told us a bit about them. We left with three very well received cigars for our friend. Great service, great prices. We'll come back for other cigar needing gifts! read more

I don't smoke. However, I have a theme going for an upcoming Christmas party that requires me to buy a wooden pipe. Came here hoping to find something cheap. Cheapest wooden pipe was $39.95 for something that was in a disposable type of basket. Really? Wasn't really offered any service beyond the entrance hello that I didn't hear. My gf did. Still, they have a huge selection. Went on on Ebay and bought something for $6 bucks that looked even nicer than the I ones I saw in the basket. It is what it is. Still, if you're a smoking pro, then I guess this place might make a lot more sense than it did for me. read more

Great and helpful staff that are super knowledgeable of their stock. Outstanding prices and a comfortable patio to relax and smoke. This has been my favorite South Bay tobacconist for years. read more

This place is great. I had the pleasure of speaking with the young man working at the front desk (I'm sorry I forgot his name) and he was extremely helpful with picking out a few of his favorites for a new cigar smoker like myself. I was going on a trip and wanted to pick up a few for myself and family, and the way he explained the different flavors, styles, and brands was very helpful. The employees here are top notch and his recommendations led to a very enjoyable cigar smoking experience. Highly highly recommend this place. read more

If you're going to offer curbside service and phone orders during the shut down, then you should have someone answer the phone who knows what you have in stock and doesn't answer every question with "I don't know, it's my first day back today" and replies with "what do u want?" When you ask if you can place an order. Super rude, under-informed, and severely lacking customer service. Will not be back. read more

Great tobacco shop! Been in business a long time. If you're a pipe smoker, bring your pipe. You can sample the different blends. Art & AJ know everything about pipe smoking. They also know much about cigars, Art has several note book on cigars. There's a lounge inside the store with DTV, soda machine, and free coffee. In the back, there's an outside, covered patio. Great place to find a great cigar or pipe tobacco, hang out, and shoot the shit! read more

Always a fun time during tasting events here at the Mission Pipe Shop. I usually find myself having a much lighter wallet... but walking out with a box of cigars during tasting events. I'd say the coolest one I've been to was sometime last October when Sam Leccia from Nub cigars had an event here during his Nub Live tour. Sam was an awesome guy, and even rolled out a few cigars throughout the day for people to watch. The last one I went to was just last week, where I was able to taste the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor.. a relatively new cigar out there that has gotten a lot of rave and hype recently. Fun, relaxing event with rum, chocolate, almonds.. and a nice smoke. read more

Excellent customer service!!! Very helpful in locating and ordering products I was having difficulty in finding now that most places no longer sell it. read more

Visited this place recently. The two employees I met were incredibly rude - for no discernible reason. This shop isn't good for folks who may have a question or two. You'll be met with eye rolls and snarky comments from the people that work here (or at least the two I met- guy with a white beard/ponytail, and younger guy with blonde hair). It usually doesn't bother me much if people are rude to me- but I'd rather not put up with it and go elsewhere given that this shop is nothing special. It's fine if the guys that work here want to revel in their 'infinite' knowledge of cigars and treat potential customers with rude behavior. But that's a really stupid practice if they want to welcome new customers and expand their business... read more

I've been here twice and never had a pleasant interaction. Seems like pontification is more important to the employees than making a sale.

Whether you are a professional smoker or a clueless one, Mission Pipe Shop can definitely help you out. I fall into the latter category, as I do not smoke cigarettes, cigars, or from a pipe. Now if a bong was put into the equation, I am sure my arm could be twisted to take a puff or five. Sarcasm aside, I came here during Father's Day weekend with La Novia. She was hoping to find a quick, classy gift for my dad before his Father's Day dinner (since he likes cigars every so often and has smoked from a pipe a few times in his life). Unfortunately, neither one of has a clue about cigars. The guy running the store let us look around and offered to help out if needed. It's a good sized shop with plenty of space. They have a smoking lounge in the back, but I did not go back. The smell was pretty thick. But it was much more inviting than stinky cigarette smoke. Eventually, we started asking questions to the guy running the place. I was able to learn that MIssion Pipe Shop does not carry machine-made cigars. Everything here is handmade and clearly of high quality (as they list the "rating" of each cigar near the box and many them are in the 90s). They have prices for every budget. I saw cigars for $8 and I also some for $38. They also carry cool accessories, lighters, and flavored tobaccos. The guy running the place made suggestions her and there, and never tried to "upsell" us. In the end, La Novia just found a couple cigars with my father's last name on them and a neat cigar holding accessory and called it a day. We would return the following day later and she would use the same method for selecting cigars for her boss. La Novia may be clueless with cigars like I am, but she has very expensive taste when it comes to giving gifts. I look forward to the holidays with her. Anyway, as for my father, he really liked his gift when presented with it at dinner. My younger sister looked at the cigars, then looked at mom and dad, then looked over at La Novia, and then finally looked over at me and said: "Wow, those are nice cigars. I am disappointed they do not say 'It's a girl' on them." Apparently, my sister wants to throw away her Masters degree and be a stand up comedian now. read more