Amazing selection amazing staff Always have what I need. Excellent variety and parking spot out front read more

First I enter the store I'm looking at items The owner wants to follow me around even though I've played many to spend can't touch or look at the items and I decided to look it up on my phone and he demands that I'm taking too much of his time he has to stand there and watch as I look up every item I told him I'm only looking for items I'm interested in the store can't touch her to look at it Don't go there don't buy anything highly priced worst customer service read more

Hillcrest Smoke Shop - Don't go - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Diego, California

Rude owner beware. Also no quality brands. Will not do my shopping here there are so many options around. Good luck!

BEWARE!! I purchased a butane torch lighter in the afternoon, took it home and after a couple of uses it stopped working, I tried to refill, adjust the levers to no avail, I went back the very next morning when they opened and was told that I could not switch it out or get a refund. I asked the saleswoman, who sold me the original one the day before, and she could not get it to work either but still said there was nothing she could do, and I was asked out. read more

Not sure about the bad reviews but I went there today looking for 18mg Salt nic juice and he actually had them! Guy behind the plexi was super nice and helpful!! Prices were great and this will be my go to if ever I'm in the hillcrest area. Parking is easy which is a godsend in hillcrest! read more

I came in yesterday to buy a piece and a torch lighter. The owner was very nice and he showed me some if the bling blingy high end lighters. In the end, I decided to try a paint-by-numbers torch, being that I am a torch Novice. When I asked to see a few lighters I shoulda caught the omen... 3 lighters in a row would spark but not light. The owner explained it was bc they always have customers who come in and play with the lighters so the fluid runs out... i gave him the benefit of the doubt. Within 24 hrs and after having used the lighter 4 times, the damn $7 lighter stopped working completely. To make matters worse, I was visiting a friend so returning the defective lighter would cost me an hour round trip, to deal w a (fkn) lighter!!!). Still I work hard for my $$ so I had to at least Stick up for myself and SAY SOMETHING. Me: "Hi, my name is Jessica. I came into your shop yesterday. I purchased some glass and a torch lighter. While the piece has worked out fine, the torch lighter stopped working by the 4th time i used it". Employee on the phone immediately had a bad attitude with me- like a rebellious teenager who just got caught selling fake bud at his high school. I work with special ed kids SO I HAVE PATIENCE but this experience really angered me/upset me/made me sad for this business because I had just met the owner yesterday and had been really stoked to find a new smoke shop, with cool lights and setup. This immature, condescending fkhead told me that if I knew that the lighter was not working then I should have returned it same day otherwise how is he supposed to know whether or not I broke it. He ridiculed me for not testing the lighter before I bought it (even though we DID test it and it worked fine until I made the 30 min druve back to Poway. In the end, this guy Nick would not back down and I asked to speak to his brother (I'm guessing the owner of the store??). $7 for a $hitty lighter, esp when its your first torch lighter is a real bummer. But terrible customer service??? Inexcusable. I am a calm, classy dame but I feel my blood still boiling over how this guy was talking to me. I will be talking to the owner next time I am in Hillcrest. This experience was a huge disappointment because I love the setup of the store and the employee I met yesterday was very kind and helpful. This Nick guy, his brother, had ZERO etiquette and managed to make ne so irrate that I am not sure I will ever be back in this store again. Great store but maybe call ahead to make sure that you don't get the condescending a$$hole little brother. P.S. $7 for that torch light was too much and I noticed that many of their torch lighters were only half FULL of butane. When I pointed this out to the owner, he said "yes but we SELL huge cans of it for purchase!!" Ummm huh??? That's like buying a gallon of milk and then having to pay extra for the milk. Ridiculous. RUN. read more

I went in for a puff bar and when I asked to test it the cashier seemed skeptical but said yes and once I tried the puff bar it was already dead once I opened it . When I asked him to switch it out for one that worked he snatched my change from me and threw my money at me and said " you didn't buy anything get out" very disappointed ! I went to holy smoke by Ralph's down the street and got treated better and helped read more

I've been a loyal customer here for nearly 3 years. NOT ANYMORE! I purchased a disposable vape for 20 dollars (I've bought many from this place before and this same brand before). After getting to my car, I noticed immediately that it tasted burnt. I went back in to let the guy that sold it to me know and asked if I could get a replacement. The clerk and I have chatted many times and I come here a couple times a week so I figured he would replace it for me without an issue. I've also never asked for a replacement to any of their products after purchasing it until today. He said, "I didn't make it, I lose money if I give you a free one because you don't like flavor". (HE SOLD ME THE SAME BRAND AND FLAVOR 2 DAYS AGO) He refused to give me a replacement. Well congratulations, you did lose money. Not because you gave me a free replacement to the one I just spent 20 dollars on. You lost money cause you lost a LOYAL CUSTOMER who has given you reviews on multiple different brands and flavors you carry. Im NEVER COMING HERE AGAIN. Greedy business and GREEDY people that work here. A business that treats loyal customers like one time buyers is not a business I will continue buying from. read more

Awful customer service every time I go in, and yes it is covid and we are all trying to make money but when I come in with a coupon specifically for that store and the cashier says oh you need to show me first before I can scan it like what and then tried to keep my phone. Guess people will be rude regardless of times sad to see when it's a small business and if I had gone to the north park location his brother would have been a lot nicer! read more

They carry Koi CBD PRODUCTS! Wide selection! Tons of other great products for any smokers in the area, great ownership and excellent service

SUPER FUNNY! Came here today and met Mike and Nick and they hooked it up with help for my boyfriends vape and changing out our coil. I've come back here twice but usually get helped by Wally, it's nice to meet the other faces of the place! GREAT prices on vape juice and their hookahs are priced fairly too! We saw a KM that were probably coming back for when we're not short on time. Definitely a centerpiece smoke shop in Hillcrest ! read more

Awesome Smoke Shop for Vapes Juice & coils. Shout out to Owner Sam who is super helpful and really nice. Hillcrest Smoke Shop has Daily Deals on good vape juice too. Win. Win. For All. Highly recommended. read more

Great prices and selection! Very friendly and professional staff. Conveniently located and parking close by. This is definitely going to be my new go to spot. read more

This is one of the most incredible smoke shops first of all clean as a whistle every aspect every line every single piece of product is aligned perfectly Shelves are dusted inside of each of their display shelves are immaculate this is a prideful owner and his business I am impressed. The owner that takes this kind of meticulous care of their store tells me a lot about how meticulous they are when they buy their products. They have always been very good to me respect full and their customer service is stellar I will not shop at another smoke shop as a matter fact I can say not ever . Thank you for showing pride we appreciate you ! Johnny j read more

This head shop sold me a defective scorch torch for $29.99, the kind you screw onto the top of the butane cannister. It never sealed when I twisted it onto the top of the butane can and would only ignite when you held it down firmly with your hand at the same time which was very inconvenient since you also had to push the button on the gas valve inward and turn it as well. This expensive torch lighter made the activity of smoking very unpleasant since it already required manual ignition which is a total pain, and I was only able to light it with one hand because I had to hold the entire nozzle down with the other or it would keep popping up. My buddy was able to get it to screw on which only lasted about a day or two until it started popping up again. I used it while holding down the nozzle for a little bit but it was so annoying that I could no longer tolerate smoking with this torch lighter and it is now totally useless. I took it back to the Hillcrest Smoke Shop at 141 Third ave. & told them it was defective and asked if I could get another one that actually screwed on properly. I brought in the receipt that shows I paid $29.99, and the man at the register still wouldn't let me exchange it for another one or give me a refund because I had used it already. I told him that obviously I would have had to use it to know it was defective, and just because I used it doesn't change the fact that their store sold me defective merchandise that didn't work properly. He just kept talking over me in a gruff and aggressive tone of voice and holding his hand up in my face in a degrading manner, and shouting that it was "already used" and that I "know the rules". I will never again buy a torch lighter from any head shop, since this is not the first faulty torch lighter that has been sold to me by a smoke shop. Retail hellholes such as Hillcrest Smoke Shop sell poorly assembled, cheaply made torch lighters that are marked up way more than double what their worth. If you buy one of their torch lighters, I assure you it will not last long and be very difficult to refill. I highly recommend you buy a culinary torch from amazon which are very well-made and durable. It will last way longer than the crap at Hillcrest Smoke Shop and you won't have to constantly refill it as much as the bogus ones the smoke shops sell. After the horrible experience at Hillcrest Smoke Shop, I went on Amazon.com to browse the culinary torches they have for sale, which are way higher quality for the same price. I ended Up buying a Bram chef torch which is a nice sleek black design and completely automatic. No manual ignition required; I am able to light it quickly with ease and the strong flame stays on without having to hold the button down. When I'm done smoking I can shut the flame off just as easily with a flick of the lock switch to off. And the best part about it? I got it for only $29.99 with free shipping; the same amount of money I wasted at Hillcrest Smoke Shop on a defective torch lighter that I am gonna end up having to throw away because it doesn't function as it should. The mean old man standing behind the shop's cash register told me That If I wanted one that wasn't defective I should have bought one that cost $70. Little does he know that when I ordered the Bram Chef Torch, I also purchased the Blazer GT8000 Big Shot torch, which is the original brand of mini torches that hit the market and completely engineered with Japanese parts. This model can hold 35 grams of lighter fluid in its tank and produces a 5 inch flame that can burn continuously for 35 minutes. It only cost me $40 and the shipping was free. It is also covered by warranty and is guaranteed to last a few years at the very least. So to get a good quality torch I need to spend $70? That's a bold-faced lie. If you are thinking bout buying a torch lighter from Hillcrest Smoke shop, I highly suggest you rethink your strategy and check out all the culinary torches that Amazon has to offer at reduced prices instead. Unless you enjoy being sold defective products and lied to. I sure don't, I will never buy from Hillcrest Smoke Shop ever again and regret wasting time and spending my hard-earned money at Hillcrest Smoke Shop. read more

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This has become my go-to for pipes, screens, incense etc. There's always a lot of glassware for very reasonable prices and the staff is extremely nice and helpful! Also, the convenience of getting your pipes, snacks and incense in the same place is unparalleled! read more

Guy that worked there was cool, product I got didn't work and he upgraded it free of charge. Would go back again!

These guys have takes things back that have broken have given great deals and fucking amazing hook ups no BS I Seear. Guys come here save the money it's worth it read more

Worst customer service ever !! I will never purchase another thing from this store! It hasn't been a full week and my device completely stopped working and I didn't ask for a refund , just a simple exchange & was told that once you leave the store , there's nothing they can do to replace defective devices! I wish he would've told me this before he talked me into buying this bullshit merchandise !! read more

Great service and so many options for great piles and tools, def the place to stock up on all your goods.

Would give a negative star if possible. Came in here trying to get help with fixing my vape/mod problem and Muhammed was AWFUL. He poured out a completely full tank of my juice, put a used coil in my vape, and demanded I pay him. He reached over the counter to grab me as I was about to leave after thanking him for his half-a** "help". I will never, ever return to this dump and make sure I steer my friends in the opposite direction as well. He does not deserve your business. read more

Love it! Hookas are glamourous and go for about up to $150! Bongs and other glassware is reasonable. Good dude seems like, I will go back here. Medical 420 Community, You should Go here and see what else they have. read more

They have a good selection of glass. The owner was very patient and helpful while we made our decision.

Awesome customer service!!! Super friendly! Great prices and deals! Shop is nice, clean and well kept! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone! read more

Went in to make an exchange, and Wally was extremely helpful and accommodating! He helped me pick out exactly what I needed when what I had originally picked didn't work out. Thanks Wally and Hillcrest Smoke Shop!!!! read more

Beware!! Hillcrest Smoke Shop just sold me a FAKE ASPIRE ATLANTIS 2 ECIG TANK. Luckily on the back of all Aspire products there is a scratch of number where you can verify if your product is authentic or not through their website. I even had a conversation with Wally about having purchased a fake tank from somewhere else in the past. He assure me they were authentic and said "if its fake bring it back.. no problem man." The fact that he was willing to come down on the price below what Aspire sells them for concerned me. Also most of their Eliquids are unsealed. Even the ones that were sealed with a shrink wrap top Wally would open very softly to not tear the plastic so I could smell them. God knows whats in them or if they are authentic brands either. Buyer beware. If they don't return it tomorrow I will dispute it with my credit card company. I have a feeling that there are a lot of fake products in this store. read more

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Wally was the best. He was very helpful and friendly. I really liked that shop. Thanks!!!

I've been in many times. I love right down the street. Wally always goes the extra mile to help me out. It doesn't matter of its a big purchase or small. Wally is there to help. Thanks! read more

I don't know anything about vaping (yet) so I went to Hillcrest Smoke Shop to get some education and to buy a vape pen. I've bought two nice pipes from them in the past. I asked him to tell me about vape pens. He mumbled a little and showed me a $130 vaporizer. Since I'm a complete newbie, I went for a less expensive one. He showed me how to turn it on but didn't provide any additional information or instructions. When I took it home, I realized after watching some videos that there was more to it. Then I found a complete kit online for the same amount of money I spent on just the pen and charger. Within an hour, I went back to return my purchase. First he tried to sell me the $130 pen, then told me he couldn't open the register unless I bought something else, lastly he said I needed to come back when the owner was there. After a few minutes, another guy came in and told me they had a no returns policy. This wasn't my first time in there but it'll be the last. read more

My go to smoke shop for all my hookah needs. Ive been coming here for awhile now (years) and Wally and the owner Mike always hook it up. This store has an awesome selection of hookahs, shisha, coals, hookah accessories, pipes, water pipes (bongs), papers & wraps, vapes, vape juice, vape accessories and parts, stash cans, grinders, cleansing drinks, etc to fit every budget and need. The store is always clean, well kept and stocked. Wally, Kevin, or Mike are always friendly and very personable. Wally is usually the main guy who works there and is always willing to cut you a deal on the price as long as youre nice and not a dickhead trying to get champagne on a beer budget. Speaking of price, everything in the store is reasonably priced in my opinion. I really have no complaints about this place and would recommend them to anyone looking for smoking accessories, a new glass piece or hookah. 5 stars in my book! read more

Wally gave me and my husband the best customer service. He's a friendly family that really cares about his clients

AMAZING customer service.... always goes out of there way to make sure there customers are happy! Great selection in all categories hookahs.... pipes.... grinders... lighters... anything and everything these guys have! read more

Wally provides the BEST customer service and always gives me the best deals! I don't know anyone else that hooks it up like this guy.

Great and friendly customer service. I shopped at all the near by smoke shops before and will never go anywhere else again. This shop has the best prices by far. read more

great prices service and product -so happy to find this place. owner is so friendly and selection is huge!