Sanctuary Lounge

Just got here for the very first time and we’re already feeling right at home. Hendricks gin & tonic, comfy leather couches, UFC fight on tv, super friendly staff… Lovin’ it!

Great little cozy place to catch a stogie. Good beer and wine selection. Limited cigar selection. Smoking is outside under a covered patio with propane heaters, my wife didn’t even mind being out there. No food served, but take out place next store they will pick up for you and just add to your bill.

This is a high quality place, superb service and fantastic ambiance. Not your run-​of-​the mill club. High class without the pretense, great place to treat your better half for a fun night out. Adequate for both cigar smokers and non-​smokers alike. I make it a point to go there every time I am in the San Diego area.

This is probably one of the newest places I’ve found in the Scripps/​Poway area. That’s because I’ve never really had to visit the plaza it’s located in since most of the stores I go to around this area are on the plazas on the opposite side of Sanctuary. If I found this place earlier I would have been here more often. I usually come here a little later in the night to smoke a cigar and have a beer or two. I’ve never really gone crazy here since it’s a lounge vibes typa area. The bartenders are always nice and aren’t scared to entertain the guests and start a conversation. Sanctuary hasn’t been too busy the times I’ve been here. I feel like there’s regulars that usually go to this area during the weekdays so it’s not too packed and the atmosphere to just relax is always there. They have a huge selection of cigars to choose from, they have all the beer/​liquor you’d want at a club setting, there’s usually a dj, and they have a «vip» rooms where you can play pool and darts. For this small place you can do a lot of things with your friends. It’s always laid back here and the people who go here aren’t afraid to conversate.

Nice spot and good vibe. People here very chill, bring your own sticks selection here is limited but overall good spot

Exactly what my husband and I were looking for. We don’t get out a lot these days with three young kids at home, and we never want to travel too far. It was such a relief to find a great spot close to our neighborhood. The wine and beer selection was fantastic, and the service was spot on. Bonus points for super comfy couches, too.
We went on a Saturday for a date night, but will definitely be back to check out a football game in the future.

Nice décor, good whisky, wine and beer selection (if a bit on the spendy side). Cigar selection is a light, and smoking is only allowed on the outdoor (though covered and fenced in) patio. Food is available at the taco shop, Panda, Subway or MXN all in the same lot, and they’re cool about bringing outside food in. The location is great for Scripps and Poway residents. Locally owned and managed.

I had heard about Sanctuary Lounge from my friends so I thought I would stop in. Great place! Very relaxed atmosphere. Sean was the bartender and he was very personable. The beer selection is very good and I was fortunate to have stopped by the day they started serving CBC Orange Wit. It was Wings Wednesday, too, and the wings were very tasty. Not the standard Buffalo wings but a delicious salt-​and-​pepper-​like flavor. The owner of the restaurant that makes them came in with them and had a beer with us. The customers are all very friendly, too. If I lived closer to Scripps Ranch, I would definitely spend a lot of my time in this bar. I highly recommend it.
PS: They were setting up for karaōke that night, too. I am confident that was a fun event.

I came here for the first time on a Friday night around 6:00. There were a few locals sitting at the bar but at this time it was pretty empty. The décor is nice and cozy, dimmed lights, a glassed incased cigar room in the back. We sat on the comfortable couches and indulged in a couple glasses of the Melbec. They don’t serve food however the waitress handed us a menu from a restaurant next door, we ordered and she went to pick it up for us! Two Thumbs up! Around 8:00 the DJ set up near the door and started spinning Old School hip hop, by this time more people started filling in. The staff is very friendly and attentive… I’ll definitely be back!

Great little spot. Very good selection of beer and whiskey. Nice selection of cigars. Highly recommend to anyone looking for a chill spot.

We booked a party for my brother n law here at Sanctuary Lounge and had it last night April 18^th. The staff prior to the party helped me out a lot with tables, linen, ice, and getting the caterer to our location. We booked the private room in the back be during the party everyone working at any given time came back to check on us. We had no problems getting drinks or any other things we needed. The customer service was excellent I would recommend this place to everyone. Our guest also enjoyed their time there and were surprised with how awesome the place was. So thank you to everyone at Sanctuary Lounge for all your help and hospitality. Everytime I’ve been there I wasn’t disappointed. I hope that we cleaned up enough for and didn’t make too much of a mess

I am a fan of this place 1) because it is a chill atmosphere and 2) because it is tucked away and not crowded like most cigar bars. Went to this place to grab an afternoon drink and the place is very nicely put together. I gave it a 4 because I have not had a chance to try the cigars yet so once I do I will update the review. But the drinks were good, they do have a happy hour special and outside seating. Tons of lounge chairs and TV’s to relax in the afternoon sun and watch a sports game, drink a beer and even smoke a cigar if your into it. I also liked that the place was very clean when you walk in which often times can deter a customer. Keep it up and soon enough I will try one of the cigars!

Great upscale place to meet up with friends for a drink and cigar
VIP has lockers here too — a back room can be rented with pool tables and darts
Highly recommend a good place to relax and have a drink

Cool area to hang out however the cigars are overpriced and dried out. Go there for the cocktails and music but don’t buy the cigars.

A nice place. Not a cigar smoker, so can’t comment on that, but the beer and wines are pretty good. There was one occasion where the beer had spoiled. They had brought it over to me, so I was kind of not wanting to make a big deal of it but it was horrid, they switched it up and unhooked the whole thing straight away with apologies.
The servers are really nice as is the main guy. The décor is great and you can bring your own food in if you like.
I hope the locals make use of this place as the location is a bit tucked away and you would never see it if you were not looking for it. I usually just stop in for one with colleagues.

Impressive selection of wines with a comfortable menu to match. I had calamari with Calumet Chardonnay, very clever with panko breaded calamari.
I do not smoke but everyone who went in the humidor left with a smile and a cigar.
Good times and I will visit again.
Navy Pride, Hooyah!

We were looking for an upbeat nightcap with the parents and came to the right place! A non-​imposing cigar lounge and wine lounge with live music and really comfortable seating. The ambiance has ‘distinguished charm’ to it with the gorgeous leather couches and really cool photos of our history’s greatest on the wall. They also call themselves a champagne bar but that’s not the case by the glass. they only had two to choose from. Service was great tho!

I am a cigar smoker and was recommended to try Sanctuary Lounge from a coworker based on my love of a nice smoke. The décor is modern with many leather couches and ambient lighting with flat screen televisions throughout. They have a number of high quality craft beers on draft including Sculpin IPA by Ballast Point. This has the feel of a nice beer and wine bar inside.
Went there with a group of guys from my local cigar shop in San Marcos, we had a few bottles of wine on the patio and beer. They brought some of the Mexican food from next door which did not really match the feel of the inside of the lounge. It was plastic forks and paper plates which for a bill of $ 350 for five guys seemed high.
About the cigars and smoking:
They have a large walk in humidor (The humidor does NOT have a large selection of high end cigars though; they only have a few Padron 1926 and Ashton cigars which was a total shock) they keep it locked which means you have to ask the staff each time you want to purchase a cigar. This is an inconvenience if they are busy; they also have a number of cigar lockers outside the humidor. There also was a problem with the humidity in their humidor. Many of the cigars had dried out which is the kiss of death for a nice cigar. There was a box of 1964 Padrons that had been completely dried out and hard to the touch. All this would lead one to the conclusion that this is a cigar lounge with wine and beer; HOWEVER you cannot smoke inside the main building. Smokers are forced outside to the patio which is nice for sunset etc., but the place appears to be cigar focused. Two stars as you cannot smoke inside which makes it not really a cigar friendly lounge in my opinion. It felt super ironic all the pictues of cigar smoke yet you are banned from smoking there.

Sanctuary is the best place to enjoy a glass of wine in Scripps Ranch. Such a friendly, welcoming atmosphere, and frequent opportunities to listen to live music. How cool to have that right here in our neighborhood! The cigar patio and beer selection keeps the guys happy, and DJ nights and ladies night keeps me and my girlfriends coming back. A definite must try!

Update!!!
Sanctuary lounge has to be the best thing to happen to Scripps Ranch nightlife!
Get ready for football season as they will ramp up for all the San Diego Charger fans!
Taco Tuesdays have officially begun as well! Come down and check out the great wine list and draft beer selections while munching on tacos, chips and salsa! Thursday is always ladies night. Dance your way into the weekend and Friday nights enjoy live music with done of San Diego’s best vocalists!
The staff is the best!!! Adrienne and Sean keep the place rolling! Andra, Aimy and Tracey are there to pour you a great beer or glass of wine! Troy is there to lend a hand picking out a quality cigar!
Overall this place is nice to chill, kickback or dance the night away!