Cigar Aficionado

Las Vegas is a city where everything is done to excess. So why have only one Montecristo Cigar Bar when you can have two? The newest Montecristo Cigar Bar opened in Sin City on Thursday, November 2, in the Paris Las Vegas hotel and casino, just in time for the Las Vegas Big Smoke weekend and two weeks before Formula 1 roars through the Strip. The grand opening party of the posh cigar bar was attended by several of the cigar world’s biggest stars, including Jorge Padrón of Padrón Cigars, Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana, Pete Johnson of Tatuaje and Rafael Nodal of Aging Room and Montecristo.

This is the second Montecristo Cigar Bar in Sin City. The first, located in Caesars Palace, opened in 2016. Both Paris and Caesars Palace are part of Caesars Entertainment Inc.

The new cigar bar is posh and luxurious, decorated with stone accents and regal green walls meant to evoke the look and feel of Paris. The lounge measures 2,835 square feet, with seating for more than 70. There is a vast walk-in humidor featuring an array of high-end brands including Romeo y Julieta, Padrón, Arturo Fuente, La Flor Dominicana, My Father, Tatuaje, H. Upmann and—of course—no shortage of Montecristos.

Those who have been coming to Vegas for a long time will remember the space as Napoleon’s, a cigar-friendly lounge from many years ago. In its most recent incarnation, the space was a piano lounge. It has been completely remodeled. 

“It took us about four months to complete this project,” says Jason Gregorec, senior vice president and general manager of Paris Las Vegas. “We refreshed the space with new paint, installed new flooring and built an incredible walk-in, climate-controlled humidor. It was important for us to match the aesthetic of Paris, and we wanted to make sure it was distinctive from our other location at Caesars Palace.”

Installing a ventilation system able to handle a big crowd was the most challenging aspect of the build. “We had to lift the new HVAC unit onto the roof with a crane, which was set between two resorts, Paris and Horseshoe,” Gregorec explains. “It took a lot of planning to sort out logistics, but our team completed it without any interruptions.”

In addition to the selection of cigars, the Montecristo Cigar Bar has a full bar, including specialty cocktails with a Paris and cigar theme. The Parisian Paloma combines Maestro Dobel Diamante Tequila, Fever-Tree grapefruit soda, lime juice and simple syrup, while the Rolling Smoke has Maker’s Mark 46 Bourbon and Laphroaig Islay Scotch whisky, among other ingredients. Food can be ordered from several restaurants on property. 

“We have had incredible success with the Caesars Palace location, so it’s exciting to bring Montecristo Cigar Bar to Paris Las Vegas as well,” says partner Michael Frey. “The new lounge blends perfectly with the atmosphere of the Parisian resort, and we can’t wait for customers to experience it.” 

The new bar is open seven days a week, and closes at 1 a.m. 

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