A-1 Smoke Shop

by Michelle A.

The prices are mediocre at best but it's a great place to go if you need something really quick and don't have time to order it online. I'd much rather go here than to any of the overpriced head shops in the Haight. The guy who was working there seemed stoned as he kept changing the price of things I asked about. Maybe he owns it and didn't care, maybe not, either way it doesn't matter.

by Paula C.

I saw A-1 Smoke Shop on yelp and decided to check it out one day.  It was ALOT smaller than i thought it was going to be but the friendly informative staff made up for it.

by Ryan D.

good friendly kind and informative service. priced to move. easy parking. and scotty is expanding with a proper entrance and about 5 times as much space. if it is this good now, can't wait to see where he takes it.

by Tora E.

So my boyfriend and I park in this tiny lot over off of Irving to get a sandwich and I see this sign that says "Smoke Shop" with an arrow pointing to the back entrance of a laundromat. Curious, we walk through the laundromat and find the smallest smoke shop we've ever seen. And yet, despite its size, the selection is comparable, if not superior, to most of the smoke shops on Haight. Every inch of this place is packed with beautiful glass, a wide variety of tobacco (cigarettes and for hookahs), as well as other smoking accessories. The chick working was very nice and incredibly helpful, chatting away with us while we browsed and taking down anything we wanted to see. But what really sold us (literally) were the prices. About a month ago I purchased a water pipe over on Haight for $50, and at A-1 I found a piece similar in size, design and quality for $30. In the end, though, we ended up getting a hookah. Over on Haight you can occasionally get tiny, cheaply made, unattractive hookahs for $20-$30 if you hunt around, but at A-1 we found a beautiful green hookah the perfect medium-ish size for us- only $35. As if that wasn't sweet enough, the girl through in: tongs with poker, charcoal, a pack of free tobacco (we were having a hard time choosing between brands), and changed out the bowl color to that of our choice, all for free. She also gave us a discount on the tobacco we did purchase. After getting home we realized we had forgotten to get a dish for our hookah, but a quick trip back and they gave us one for free. Another trip for a different flavor of tobacco and they didn't have the flavor we wanted in the size we wanted, but the guy who owns the shop offered to special order it for us. This place has earned every single one of their stars in my book: great selection, convenient location, friendly staff, amazing prices and an overall customer service experience that goes above and beyond the over-priced smoke shops of Haight. We are quickly becoming regulars at this place!

by Gabe R.Michelle A.John M.jessica t.Mr. Fishbits X.

It was late at night and it was my friend's 18th birthday. You can't turn 18 without buying a pipe or a cigar. So she begged me to pick her up and take her to a shop that was open at 10:30p.m.Thank god this place was open. There were a great selection of pipes here and the guy who ran the place was really nice. He even gave my friend and her friend a discount on their pipes, both priced at 20 dollars. they only had to pay 30 for both, which meant a $5 discount... and he didn't even tax them! Such a friendly place. I only wish that it had more variety than what it held, because their selection of pipes were rather girly. I would've bought one myself, but none called to me. Oh well. Great experience though.The prices are mediocre at best but it's a great place to go if you need something really quick and don't have time to order it online. I'd much rather go here than to any of the overpriced head shops in the Haight. The guy who was working there seemed stoned as he kept changing the price of things I asked about. Maybe he owns it and didn't care, maybe not, either way it doesn't matter.It was actually the laundrymat inside that had the issue. I turned a washer toHOT which gave me COLD water. I dumped my whites in there before realizing this. I addressed this to him to which e said I must bring this to the attention of the lady who works the laundrymat. She told me to move my whites to another washer I already had running (with soap specifically for that load of colors) with cold water. This was enough of a pain but I understand things dont always work. I turned the washer knob back to COLD on the first one. Well come rinse time my colors were rinsed hot, which could have damaged them. Thankfully it did not. Heres where it gets good:When I ask the lady for my $2 for inconvenience because that washers hoses were not connected right he comes out of his smoke shop telling me not to 'harrass' the lady and I can go somehwere else. First it was not his problem but now it was? I was asking politely and he was telling me I should have had enough sense to keep the knob on HOT since th water was backwards or something. Point is, he said I was making it a big deal, I was not getting my money back and was being VERY rude. He even threw a chair on his way back to the smoke shop. Mind you I was still being civil and just wanted my money back but knew I wasnt gonna get it so whatever. I go out to have a smoke while clothes were drying (and slightly shrinking) and even offered a handshake and white flag. He grudgingly took it but said I was being dramamtic, and 'we dont do that sh*t here in 'Frisco; and that he'd been there his whole life (in Frisco) and 'never seen me.' I threatened to give this review on Yelp and tell people not to come to which he boasts 'we have all kinds of good reviews, I dont care what you write!'  Then he even called me out by saying where you from? We dont dye our hair in FRISCO! Now, can anyone see the orony and oxymoron here?  a)Dyeing hair is something many people do everywhere, especially in a freaky ecclectic fasion sense city like ours. b) A man who claims to be born and raised here called it FRISCO; the one term locals hate with a passion and is only used by tourists. I call this guys bluff. he can have a decent smoke shop with 'wholesale' hookahs and pipes, etc. Fine. Even the laundrymat isnt that bad despite a small malfunction. But this man is a freaking lunatic know-it-all-got-it-figured-out kinda person who is narrow minded, short sighted, a goon, wanna be tough guy who tries to act like he's cool with everyone but trust me, if he even thinks your not 'his type of person' a little bit he has the attitude to physically hurt someone (since he stood outside and glared at me while I quitely smoked). I support all my local sunset businesses and have mentioned this issue and they all say he is prone to being this way. Just go somewhere else to wash clothes or buy papers (which I feel bad for the laundrymat that he doesnt own but does but doesnt...?)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!!!

by Meegs P.

yay! small but got all you need. nice selection of stuff. and the people who work there are very friendly!

by jessica t.

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.

by Gabe R.

It was late at night and it was my friend's 18th birthday. You can't turn 18 without buying a pipe or a cigar. So she begged me to pick her up and take her to a shop that was open at 10:30p.m.Thank god this place was open. There were a great selection of pipes here and the guy who ran the place was really nice. He even gave my friend and her friend a discount on their pipes, both priced at 20 dollars. they only had to pay 30 for both, which meant a $5 discount... and he didn't even tax them! Such a friendly place. I only wish that it had more variety than what it held, because their selection of pipes were rather girly. I would've bought one myself, but none called to me. Oh well. Great experience though.

by Alex K.

one night i was making the rounds through my neighborhood, probably going to the bank or just in search of adventure, and i noticed that the laundromat across the street was blaring 'The End' by 'The Doors'.  i thought that was pretty interesting and i moved on.the next week i was walking down the other side of the street and i could hear Peter Tosh from down the block and then i noticed the well-lit display inside the laundromat was full of shiny hookahs and pipes and it hit me: there is a smoke shop INSIDE the laundromat!  that's right, this place shares a space with the laundromat on Irving and 21st.no longer do i have to go down to haight and compete with the tourists for service; this place is small but they have everything you need and the dudes that work there are extremely friendly and helpful.  nowadays if you walk down Irving on any given night you can hear the jams blaring out of the laundromat and then you know that everything is alright . . .

by Alan B.

I've been living in the Sunset for two years now. I bike along Irving street most days on the commute to work and noticed this place a few months ago. It's rad, they're blasting reggae out their little head shop. The selection looks as good as any Haight shop, prices look good. The staff are very friendly. Sweeet!