A-1 Smoke Shop

I live in this neighborhood and have been going to these guys since I first did my laundry here (they’re next door to a rockin’ laundromat that just put in new machines). So I usually show up every week or so for new vape juices, and I’m a big fan of the Native Nectar brand they have which is locally made. Staff’s always chill and helpful too.
I give them 4 stars for their staff and dependable juices. If you’re in this area and need to refill, it’s a good stop to hit up if you’re in a pinch. Only complaint is E-​cig /​vape selection is a little limited but whatever you buy will get the job done. If only they had my vape coils tho…

Just stopped in for my first time. Really friendly, knowledgeable and awesome service. Am kind of a newbie so she was really helpful, helped me pick out the right grinder and gave me some tips and tricks on how to use it. Also picked up a cool little tray. Am a happy camper =)

Shop was closed even when the sign says they should be open. Boo…

I bought a MiO water pipe about a few months ago. I thought the water pipe price was reasonable $ 125 for a diffused down stem and a hisi bowl. I bought it from the dude who always wears a San Jose sharks hat, he’s cool because he actually takes the time to answer your questions. The big problem that I have with this place is the price. There’s not a slide for $ 10. And their $ 10 dollar small pipes I could get for like $ 5. They have no discounts either. I wanted to buy a new down stem for my water pipe, but there were all at least $ 20. Not only were they expensive, but he didn’t even have my size. I ended up going to Haight where I thought it would be more expensive and bought a downstem and a slide for $ 25. Make sure you go expecting to spend a lot of money, and only go when the dude who wears the San Jose Sharks hat is there. The other guy acts like he doesn’t want to be there and just sits on his ass watching TV.

Went to shop 10.18.14. Had not been there in years. It was awesome! The young lady & I engaged in conversation, which was about the awesome weather, & the drought. I mentions something about Oregon. She said I am from Oregon, not surprised & we started talking. R connection? Coos Bay Oregon. She was not only friendly but was very knowledgeable on the products we talked about. She is keeper

I’m primarily a pipe smoker and I roll my own cigarettes from time to time. This smoke shop has a lot of bowls and bongs that are priced fairly good too.
I like their selection of cigars but there aren’t a lot but the ones they have a pretty good. Also they used to sell some cheap Italian made HIS tobacco pipes that were really really good and drew great and smoked great. But they don’t have those anymore.
A knock on them is their current tobacco pipes, whole they look great, are actually not that good and you can tell just by examining them. The draw hoes are badly placed and they aren’t brier wood so they won’t burn good.
However they have great pipe tobacco. Some of the best their is which is MacBaren. Also, everyone is up front, friendly and helpful which bumps them up a star.
A good place to check out if your in the area.

My go-​to smoke shop in the city, even if it’s out of my way. The prices are good (for bowls) and the owner is so friendly! I know if I ever need a hookah, a vape, or a bong, this will be the place to buy it.

Massively overpriced. Go to the smoke shop on Cole at Haight St. Everything they have at A-​1 and more for $ 20-​$ 50 less at least. The best vapor pipe they sell here is literally $ 50 cheaper at the Cole St. Smoke shop.
Don’t buy anything that’s not shrink wrapped. Bought something then went to return 20min. later when I found out you could get it cheaper online or on Haight St. Guy there said I had to come back. Went back a few days later. They opened the box and said it had been used. I had never even taken it out of the bag let alone out of the box it came in. The box wasn’t sealed or even taped shut when I bought it… but I’m S.O.L. cuz it had been used before I purchased it.
Don’t shop here. Not worth it. Go to Cole x Haight that dude’s a nice guy with better prices.

Thanks to Unilocal again… last minute search for a pipe shop yielded some great results including A1 smoke shop.
Thanks to long business hours (they are open till 10 pm!!!) I was able to rush in 10 minutes before they close.
The girl who works at the store was super nice and helpful. She showed me the good selection of nice and pricy butene lighters. And I quickly have picked one 1 which felt great and cost of 39 $ was very reasonable for a quality item.
A variety of pipes and smoking attributes. Great local and useful shop.

A-​l Smoke shop doesn’t have much in the way of cigars, just 10ish in all. they sell mostly other smoking items and smoking aids. items are stacked up in rows everywhere. the cashier is at the end of the aisle watching everything.
smoke: (3.99) nico, #2 cigar
–double what other stores sell. for
–at least it was a decent smoke
2 stars for the high price.
ashes:
–smoking aids is the main attraction here…

Worst customer service I have EVER encountered.
I bought a Hi Si water pipe ($ 150+) at A-​1 Smoke Shop, specifically asking about durability. It came in a sealed box so I asked if I would be able to return it on the off chance that something was wrong. I was told yes, as long as it wasn’t used/​obviously dropped/​etc. When I got home and opened it up, the bowl/​front was cracked and broken. I called the next day not necessarily expecting them to say, ‘COME ON IN AND TAKE WHATEVER YOU WANT’ but hoped to at least be listend to. Instead I:
1. Got yelled at.
2. Received implications that I’m a liar.
3. Got hung up on.
I’ve shopped here pretty consistently for over a year and while that doesn’t entitle me to much more than decent customer service, I didn’t even get that. Be aware that whatever you buy here will not be vouched for. A-​1 Smoke Shop does nothing to stand behind the products they sell at best and, at worst, are combative and confrontational. There isn’t another smoke shop near me for quite a few blocks but wherever it is, I’m spending my money there from now on.

I purchased a couple item knowing that they may not fit with my current setup. I ask the women who was selling me the items that if they don’t fit I could bring them back to be refunded and she said yes. A couple weeks later I brought the unused items with the receipt totalling $ 63 for a refund and she said we don’t refund… We only give store credit. I said that is not what you told me. She apologized for misspeaking but said nothing she can do. I will not shop at any place that lies to it customers and either will any of my friends. Do not shop here!

Nice little place, cool to have something in the Sunset! We would’ve appreciated it when we moved to SF in 2003, just about a block from here! (It opened just a few-​ish years ago.)
Still awesome to have something closer than Haight or Mission.
My husband’s American Spirit tobacco is a decent price here, they have the Zen-​brand cigarette filters he prefers, and if you need to make whipped cream and don’t have time to run a blender, they have cartridges
Pretty attractive glass selection, too. I was pleasantly surprised to meet a woman working behind the counter the other day.

«Hey, look, it’s a Hi-​Liter. Check it out.»
My friend removes the cap. «What the hell? it’s just a Hi-​Liter.»
«Why don’t you try the other end?» I suggest.
«What the fuck?!» Laughter ensues.
Yep. There’s a pipe in there.
It seems like smoking marijuana is some right of passage for all American college college-​aged kids. From Natalie Portman, to Michael Phelps, to Barack Obama. I, too, have smoked the pot in college. And even if I don’t hit the pipe these days, it’s kinda interesting to see what’s out there.
Irving Street is full of diversity, and it’s cool to see a variety of businesses thriving every time I’m out there. A-​1 Smoke Shop is no different.

This shop is under new management and the only thing that’s the same is the phone number.
THIS IS THE BEST SMOKE SHOP IN SAN FRANCISCO
(and I think I’ve been to.. .all of them).
The past owner was a nice guy but he kept irregular hours and there was little rotation of the inventory.
There is now:
a huge rotation of pipes and hookahs that take up 1.5 walls,
an entire section dedicated to hookah tobacco,
international cigars and cigarettes,
a decent collection of tobacco containers and grinders
cigar boxes, cases and other cigar things which I admittedly know nothing about,
even those new electronic cigarettes and alternative smokes,
It is a small space but this is a must see.
The freakishly good customer service (they greet you as you come in and will take the time to answer your questions), the reasonably priced items, (unlike overpriced Haight) and the variety should make anyone happy.
The location is in the outer sunset and it’s basically the only shop in the area but it also makes this a neighborhood gem.

The guy who runs this place is friendly. As soon as he saw me walk in he asked if I needed help (the couple of other smoke shops I’ve been too, they just act like you haven’t even walked in…). He suggested a couple of pipes and I wound up buying one. And it’s nice to know that he suggested using glass screens for a glass pipe. The last place I went to (in The Mission) sold me metal screens for a glass pipe. What an idiot. Anyway this place indeed has a ton of stuff to choose from over here.

pretty dope smoke shop for the size.
guys are always friendly and the price is right.
The Sunset Smoke Shop.

A-​1 Smoke Shop is almost half the size of my kitchen (which is fairly tiny), but they carry anything you could possibly want or need, if you’re looking to suit up your hookah pipe (mine proudly sits on my table as a constant reminder of Qatar)
The best part about this store is the quality of shisha goods which they cover, and their enthusiasm for their products. They carry Starbuzz shisha (one of the best brands you can get) in a plethora of yummy flavors like citrus mint, strawberry etc. They also carry amazing tiny donut holed coals — which light easily over the stove, and are extremely efficient at keeping a hookah pipe going.
I came here this past Sunday with some friends, and we ended up buying the Fuzzy Navel flavor of Starbuzz shisha — which smoked like a «Sex on the Beach» cocktail — fruity and smooth and will make any room smell like sugary hard candy.
I’m not a huge hookah smoker and I’m actually trying to not smoke it at all (despite my love for Cairo Nights and my love of the mellow social aspect of it), since I just don’t think it’s the healthiest of habits to pursue. And I’d rather sip on a nice cup of mint tea instead. But I love that there’s a helpful, friendly, and well stocked place, where you can get informed with cheerful laughs about the art of hookah.
I’ll say it again — the Inner Sunset/​Sunset — is the place to be.
Trust.

I am not sure the guy I met, but he was incredible… an honest, friendly guy and a class act. And he had some badass middle eastern electro playing. COOL. I might be wrong about the music style… sue me.
Community oriented, highlighting a local artist… and wanting to start a groovy little blower co-​op and solely sell real local artist’s stuff.
Rarely do you get a place like this… and rarely in the outer sunset. Fantastic.
Thanks man… and the deal was fantastic!!!

Yesterday I fell in love with my neighborhood, which I’ve never quite done before. The stretch of Irving between 19^th Ave and 26^th seemed monocultured when I first moved in, and I longed for non-​Starbucks coffee shop or a bookstore… but:
Ladies and Gentlepeople, we now have a Smoke Shop in our neighborhood!!! Oh yeah. Their hookahs are beautiful, the shop smells slightly of the different flavored Starbuzz tobaccos (in a good way), and they have everything a well stocked smoke shop should have.
I was so happy to find it I remembered a song a local band used to play and skipped down the street singing:
*And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall
Tell ‘em a hookah smoking caterpillar
Has given you the call
Recall Alice
When she was just small*