Guillotine Cigar Lounge Review – Hummelstown, Pa.

When traveling to different locations for work or pleasure – or when work is pleasurable – I like to find unique places to spend any leisure time that may find its way into the schedule. We take our cigar stuff fairly seriously here at TSRs, but we don’t get stuffy about it. Recently we were covering the 2024 Great American Outdoor Show in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. After the first full day of attending the show, my colleagues and I had some down time in the evening. After supper, we found our way to a very unique location that’s nestled away not too far from the Keystone State’s capital city, and it’s the Guillotine Cigar Lounge.

A cozy, quaint, and unique location

Not knowing what to expect because we decided to head to the location on a whim, we were more than surprised by the quaint and cozy bar and lounge. We did have some difficulties finding the spot based on where our GPS took us, but once we meandered our way in, we were welcomed by the lead bartender, Mr. Benjamin James, who was running the show.

The small lounge was actually packed with people and my buddy Charlie gave me a sideways glance subliminally telling me, “There’s nowhere to sit. Are we actually going to stay?” I acted as if the exchange did not happen and headed into the humidor to pick out our selection for the evening. At that point, Charlie audibly said, “Pick something out for me.”

The humidor had a nice selection

The humidor was a small walk-in one, but actually had a fair selection. The entrance was flanked to the left by a library style ladder and the room was shaped like an offset “T.” I found for myself a fairly decently gauged Brick House cigar with a very slight maduro hue to it, like a Connecticut shade with a tan – an Ecuadorian wrapped cigar from their classic line.

I generally prefer 6 + inches in 60 ring when it comes to cigars, but that’s usually hard to come by in some shops. I’ve ordered more than one bundle of the Brick House “Mighty Mighty,” 6.25 x 60, cigars over the years in both classic and maduro offerings. That evening I ended up with a classic in Churchill.

For Charlie, who prefers more mild cigars, I found him a Nub. This was not one of the quintessential Nubs that you might think of with a massive ring, but one with a smaller gauge. The Nub I found was a Connecticut shade with a 54 ring by three inches long. When I think of a Nub, I generally think of those 60 or 64’s x 4. The smaller 54 x 3 was perfect for my companion, and I don’t think he even finished it all the way to the bitter end.

We were glad that Mr. James put us in the corner

I popped out of the humidor and Mr. James rang me up and got us clipped. I asked, pointing towards the end of the bar where two seats opened up, “Those free?” And as quickly as I asked, James noted, “No,” as the high back tall stools became occupied. “But those seats are open,” James said, pointing to leather chairs in the corner which just opened up. Totally my style and speed – close to the ground and comfortable.

The atmosphere was relaxed, yet there was a nice buzz in the joint. We took our seats and I massaged my cigar a little, lit up, and started to puff away. Stinky ashtrays on stands were in the corner where Charlie and I were, as well as ashtrays on every single horizontal surface.

Our other colleague and close friend, Tony, finally made his way to meet up with us. He was tied up in a number of business meetings after the Great American Outdoor Show closed up shop for the day. He sat down to join us in our small corner oasis.

Mr. James popped up to serve us a pair of complementary bottled waters and to take our drink order. Guillotine has a full selection of spirits, but I stuck with a trusty bottled carbonated water while Charlie had a brown liquor on the rocks.

“What can I get you?” James asked our newly arrived compatriot. Tony ended up ordering both his drink and cigar selection – kinda like a boss. James, the complete professional, gave a small bow and then returned with the drinks and Tony’s cigar.

Meet Mr. Benjamin James

Mr. Benjamin James is a total and complete professional. His spirit and complete attention to customer needs sets such a groovy vibe in Guillotine. James was smartly dressed wearing a long sleeved button up shirt adorned with the Guillotine logo embroidered on it. Black slacks hugged his waist and a black leather belt was attached to a nice sized fashionable belt buckle.

James kept his dark hair short and sported a Van Dyke. The traditional goatee portion of James’ beard was a bit longer. This gave the Van Dyke more personality than if it was cropped closely to his chin. Breaking a bit from the classic form of this beard, James maintained stubble on the rest of his face. The stubble blended neatly into his sideburns, with the length tapering up into the fade of his smart hair. His beard framed exhausted cigar smoke while it rolled out, only to linger for a beat or two before disappearing.

When does the bare knuckle boxing start?

James was a complete gentleman the whole time we were hanging out at the Guillotine Cigar Lounge. He’d converse with us and patrons while puffing on his own cigar as time permitted. I don’t know James’ full background, but he embraces what I’d call the Ritz-Carlton way of thinking when it comes to hospitality. He may not say it out loud, but his actions punctuated every request silently with a “It would be my pleasure.”

Perhaps I jest, but Mr. Benjamin James seems as if he comes from a bygone era where unruly patrons might meet in a secret room in the back to engage in bare knuckle boxing over disputes. The man is a complete anachronistic gem of a human being and kept a genuine and mellow vibe teaming through Guillotine.

The final verdict?

We worked on our cigars while discussing what ground we covered that day, as well as pontificating on plans we had in the future. The night rolled on lightly until midnight came around. By then, we were the only patrons left in Guillotine by at least a half hour. Tony and I finished our cigars by closing time, but James did not push us out. Rather, he chatted with us while he emptied ashtrays and tended to and cleaned up the lounge.

The Guillotine Cigar Lounge is a hidden gem just outside of the Keystone State’s capital. If you find yourself in Hummelstown, Harrisburg, or the surrounding area, this spot is a must to visit. The current posted hours of this slice of civilization are 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Noon to Midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, and Sunday from Noon to 10 p.m. You’ll be glad you stopped in! Hopefully you’ll be as lucky as us and find a seat!

You can find the Guillotine on social media at Facebook and Instagram.

The Guillotine Cigar Lounge is located at: 15 S Hanover St, Hummelstown, PA 17036