The Cave in my opinion is not a head shop, it's a Glass gallery. The selection varies from novice beginner chillums to hightech scientific & art pieces for the glass enthusiasts and if you as a shopper are not entirely sure what you are looking for then the staff on hand will be glad to give a helping hand. I have only had good experiences there and it's the only place i recommend to my friends when they are looking for a new piece. Yes this place is considered pricey but in reality you got to pay the price for high end glass, if you dont want to pay the price for a heady piece then they have other pieces there that will meet your standards. I moved away from the bay and I must say that it is worth the drive to get a new piece, they have earned my loyalty. read more

I love this place! They have an enormous selection and some really amazing glass pieces -- if I had 10g to spend, I'd go nuts in here. The employees are always extremely friendly, they remember me when I come back and are impressively knowledgeable about all their products. They sell everything from papers, to vapes, to water pipes, dimebag products... They have a parking lot and an ATM inside. read more

OOOOOooooooHHHHHHHH!!!!!! Pret-ty! Most girls would be this way at a jewelry store. I acted this way at a head shop. I am all for herbally enhancing one's life (particularly when one's life includes a stressful day at work) and upon setting foot in here, I was faced with wall to wall pipes, pieces and papers. All the inventory was reasonably priced (lower than nearby competitor Magic Theater). One could easily get away with a quality piece for under $20. But really there were lots of sparkly pieces that caught my eye. And my judgement was yet impaired so that should say a lot about the quality right there. Update 5/08: Ok I've lagged on putting this into my review but this place has now expanded into to two rooms of almost all glass. Check out their various specials and the new art pieces they've been getting in. The pieces resemble coffee table art as opposed to their true intention *cough cough*. Truly a standout on the peninsula. Oh yeah their true address is 116B I think but it doesn't match with the continuity of the street addresses near by. read more

This place screws me over way to often. I used to go here for everything from papers to glass n vape for years. Last week I bought a part for my box mod so I can dab. After about 3-5 days of light use the following happened. 1. Threading completely stripped off the atomizer although it was never forced or dropped. No abuse and it strips? 2. After three coils it still hits inconsistently sometimes it heats up sometimes partially and then others not at all 3. Atomizer won't screw on any mod or battery but all other atomizers do. I went in thinking the would be cool and just swap the base...not the wick and top but the base. Nope basically got told as was stupid by some mascara wearing guy trying to say a 510 thread doesn't fit a 510 thread device. He tried to get his coworker to confirm his story but his coworker sided with me and offered to do the swap. Mascara guy comes back over and threatens the guy that if does that he'll get fired. I then get offered 50% off a new unit of the same kind after they admit that the issue I am experiencing is common and that they are aware of it. I ask for half off the broken one and that they could keep it, but no only possible solution was to continue to offer me 50% off know defective merchandise. Over the years I've spent close to 8k in this shop. Because of a stupid 25 dollar annoyance I will actively steer people away from this shop and it's ridiculous staff. To the young man who understands what customer service means thank you and sorry your job was put on the line for 25 dollars read more

Customer service was not helpful. Went in to get a health stone refill. The guy quoted me 22 but I wanted a better price but he could not do it. I asked if that was after tax and everything and he said yes. I paid 25 and got $1 and some change and I asked him, "I thought 22 was after tax?" He said he made a mistake. From that point on I know I'm not coming back. Keep in mind the products are overpriced so I can see there are rarely any customer. read more

Out of all of my visits to all the various headshops in my life, including the ones in my home-neighborhood of Haight; this is by far the biggest and most plentiful I have set foot upon. They. Have. Everything. Including discounted pieces and paraphernalia I thought you could only find online. A thorough check from one end to the other confirmed that they even have naked lady pieces. Yup, they got 'em you pervs! One advice? They need a better location. They would benefit more by setting up shop in a county that doesn't restrict medical marijuana clubs from operating. Shame on you San Mateo! read more

I stumbled upon this place as I was looking for other paraphernalia. Their website doesn't do it justice unless you actually walk-in to the store. Once inside, the place truly looks like a cave full of colorful crystals and shiny metal pieces. All shapes and sizes of glass, hookahs, and interesting accessories. Service is friendly. I was observing the salesperson behind the counter and he was definitely wheeling and dealing good pricing. My only gripe is the lack of parking spaces and the busy corner the store is located. If I was in the market for these goods, I would definitely come back. read more

By far the best glass in the bay area. They have everything from darby.inner fire.salt.zack.aaron.the list goes on. So today my man and I went to the city to check out glass shops we went to 6 shops only one had good shit. Puff puff pass go figure lol. Anyways this is the best shop. The people are great the owner chuck is a super nice guy blake is the man to chat it up about glass. This place I give an A++ one for knowledge 2 for great selection and 3 for customer service. read more

The Cave - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Mateo, California

WOW! I called inquiring about a specific piece location, was told it was in the Walnut Creek store, but may be able to delivered to San Mateo location by the next day. Said thanks, I need to think about it but I'm interested. I ordered my piece at around 10:30 pm for in store delivery, and 5 minutes later I get a call (sorry forgot your name, that piece is excellent) asking me where I want it delivered, we got to talk about some interesting bongs, artists, and had a pleasant conversation. Next morning he calls that he picked up the piece from Walnut Creek store and is will have it in store in 30 min. What personal and awesome customer service is that!! The store support American business and artists and a delight to walk through. I shouldn't really write this because this hurts my chances but they have amazing sovereignty glass, I know I'm gonna regret posting this review because honestly you guys will steal all the amazing pieces available. Thank you Cave Team!! read more

The Cave - Tobacco Shops Near Me - San Mateo, California

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Great place for quality product. Not always the cheapest, but no good quality usually is right. Ben going here since it opened.

The Cave is sick as f***. I mean wall to wall pieces in here and everywhere you look there is nothing but good quality and even better prices. I am a 12 year vet so iam always on the lookout for different things I can use to make my sessions that much more enjoyable. The staff is hella cool the don't rush you and or try to sell you what they want.....you can look and ask as many questions as you want....The PURP brand stuff is so sick......I asked them and they said it was blown specifficaly blown and designed for them so that was sick. Defintley worth checking out, forget all the other spots on the peninsula and most of the spots in the city the Cave has it all read more

My quest for a new piece (or two) brought me here and let me tell you, The Cave has it all! Hookahs, vaporizers, water pipes *cough cough*, accessories and more! Fantastic selection of glass as well. Best of all, the service is excellent and welcoming! Chuck knows his stuff, answered all of our questions and had great recommendations. We were in here for a while just looking around and weighing our options and not once did he seem pushy or annoyed. I Highly (pun intended) recommend this place to anyone looking to add some unique glass to their collection. This joint can't be beat! read more

I've been to The Cave twice now. Both times I talked to really knowledgeable employees who were very helpful. I definitely had to seek out their help after wandering the shop first though. There's a huge glass assortment which sort of amazes me, but in general they have pretty much anything you could be looking for. If they don't, they can help you find it. read more

WILLY NELSON would be proud!!! HIGH TIMES at the Cave! What can be said about the cave? It's not fill with wombat's like some places. (cough cough Magic Theater). There so items to look at, from Hookahs, Vaporizers, Water Pipes, Blunt Wraps, and others. So many items I thought Cheech and Chong own this place. No it's just Chuck. The staff are kinda iffy- they are nice one minute, but I think they second guess themselves. They kinda hiding something. They seem like the ones willing to talk with you and be nice, but once you leave they make fun of you. There is a lot of paraphernalia, from t-shirts to accessories. The weird item of the store is the jars of PISS. Yes, they sell piss. Hmmm... Odd. The places cover with glass items: pretty much, everything is glass. Expensive. Nothing is hand on, as most of the items are in glass casing. The best time to come is night, where the shop looks like a weird acid trip because of the lights and mutli colors of the crystals shiny metals. Hints the name. Over all: Semi Friendly staff, cool at night. Smoke them if you got them. read more

Rip off!!! Hella overpriced! Glass tips up to $50 y'all may be foolin these tourist and exploiting the unknowing but try again!

Came here to buy my first water pipe. It was one of those random days. And it happened that they put a bunch of glass on the counter and they were all half off. So I had to buy one. Being me, I go hard or go home so I picked the most expensive on they had for sale which was a $400+ tax water pipe for a flat $200 which was awesome. They didn't hassle me and gave me a discount. If they gave me a free bag it would have been a 5 star because I know in the past they given out bags to expensive purchases. But I usually come here once every two weeks to pick up paper or just to check it out. Happy shopping. Oh also for all you don't know. The cave is trying to become the nation's largest glass pipes shipping group. read more

The glassware is a veritable cornucopia of colors and designs. Though when looking for a new down-stem for a glass on glass water pipe it got a bit silly. I asked the guy there and he started to get this look like I was stupid saying "Do you know what glass on glass is?" Yeah dummy is a self descriptive title! Between that and not having any incense, specifically nag champa, it get three stars from me. read more

All the staff here are phenomenal. Marco goes the extra mile in regard to excellent customer service. He is always willing to answer questions and if he doesn't know the answer (which is rare) he is more than willing to do what he can to discover the answer to any question customers might have, I have visited several Smoke Shops in the Bay Area and The Cave is by far the best! read more

BEST SAN MATEO SMOKE SHOP EVAR (: A TON of selection, even though products are bait pricey I believe it's worth the look at least. They get new stuff in about every week I think. The owner is a sweetheart and his employees love working there too. read more

The Cave is the ONLY place to shop for high quality hand blown glass in the bay area. I come here for all my Scientific or Heady glass needs. They are also always well equipped with any attachments, tools, or accessories I might need. & Lastly, love the staff! All very friendly, educated and helpful! read more

Superb service. love coming here because the employees are always super polite and the shop itself is always tidy. Really recommend you swinging by! read more

My husband and I went in here after looking for a glass store in the area. He wasnt 100% sure what he wanted , but had an idea. We were greeted and helped by an associate named Eric who was super friendly. He walked us thru the different options , we must of looked at over 30 things - but he was never impatient or annoyed. He showed and explained everything to us with a smile. We ended up purchasing two nice pieces for my husband and will definitely go back for any of his needs - THANK YOU Eric for taking the time to help my husband get what he really wanted / needed !! read more

Great selection of all sorts of pipes (water or the traditional glass types) and all the accessories to go along with them and even a couple of vaporizers. This shop kind of puts some of the smoke shops in SF to shame in terms of selection.. They carry locally blown glass and brand names like phx, roor, HiSi, etc. The young man behind the counter was helpful in answering some questions I had about some of the accessories they had. Everything is neatly laid out too. Kind of reminded me of an old comic book shop where I would step back and look at everything against the wall that's on display. They have a small parking lot right in front, but I didn't have trouble finding part on a side street. read more

THIS review is based on the wonderful guy who helped me get my first hookah, JOE. HE is very cool because he told me to write good things about him on yelp.. hhaa jk... he reminds me of liam kyle sullivan (kelly, shoes).. lol Well lets see. The location is nice...it's just off of el camino and near 101. The store is small but soo nice. The interior is hella nice and the exterior has some cool ass painting art thingy goin on..."the cave.." real nice. I didn't get to go inside the pipe/bong room because I was apprehensive....I'm not sure why. I should have because i saw some beautiful ass bongs in there.. hhaha... Well JOE gave me a pretty cool discount... like another yelper mentioned, the prices of their items can satisfy a customer with a low budget and a high budget... i think i was right in between...got everything i needed ( and a large sized hookah) for a good price. soo good it'll make you squeal. I won't ruined the surprise but you should go check it out if you want to get something new soon. They have cool glowstick thingies and incense too =) UMMM oh yea, they have a HUGE COLLECTION of hookah tobacco .. high quality ass stuff too btw.. I've smoked my brand new hookah already and it's pretty amazing.. YEP.. read more

These guys go out of their way to help a customer out. Exceptional customer service by the dude Eric. It's nice that they stand behind the products they sell. Hands down the best shop on the peninsula. The Swishers and Dutches are always fresh there. So much to chose from at really good deals. Not to mention the crew there is always very accommodating. read more

I have been going to this shop since 2015 when I moved to the Bay Area. I've always had a good time there and have even recommended this place to friends and gone here to buy gifts. Today was the last time I will visit. At 11:27 this morning I went to purchase a glass piece. When I got home, I put water in it; used it, and then poured the water out for storage. I wiped the bottom of the stand while holding the large glass and the two pieces broke apart. Clean break. My left hand was holding a donut like disk and my right was still holding glass. So I drove back to the shop. The time is now 2:35 pm. I explained to the same person who I bought from what happened. He was the manager of the store I learned. I did not want a refund, just an exchange for the faulty glass. The manager told me he could do nothing for me because it was used. I again expressed that it had been a few hours and it broke by no fault of my own. I didn't hit it or drop it or bang it on a anything. Another clerk agree that it was a completely clean cut and didn't look dropped. However the manager told me he couldn't do anything. I told him it wasn't me, but his product. This is where it really got me. Rather than accept the blame and try to keep a customer he tried to mansplain to me that it wasn't there product, but China glass and they just sold it. In response to this I was floored. Sorry, this is YOUR product, you sell this here. It may not be your brand or made by you but it is your product. If I go to Home Depot and I buy something there, it is product of Home Depot even if it is Duracell batteries. The manager tried to continue to tell me that it wasn't their product they just sold it and nothing he could do. I walked out of the store. I will never be back. Not only would they not help me replace their product, but he doesn't even understand how business works. read more

The guys were extremely helpful and chill. Answered all of our questions, including the noob ones :P Prices were cool too. Would definitely make the trip up here again. read more

I wanted to like this place, but my last visit there out of three visits total will keep me from going again. They sell glass nails for $30 and quartz nails for $70, and we're talking the small, simple kind of nails. I understand price gouging is everywhere, but the explanation I received about the price was some garbage about the markets, supply and demand, and so on. Hell, I can even understand aggressive sales pitches like this, EXCEPT for the fact that they market themselves as a store where you can get the straight talk and honest answers. My guess is that they mistook my nerdy appearance for someone who was born yesterday. This same store had nails for much cheaper than that in the past, and I never felt like I was talking to a used car salesman until that last time. The employees themselves were alright, but the management needs to re-think their business strategy. I went to another store down the road and bought three nails for $5 (yes, three for 5 total, not 30 each) and a nice quartz one for $30. read more

For sure, the best glass shop on the peninsula. I am not the most experience connoisseur, but they have a really huge selection for a wide range of prices. If you want to sell your BMW and trade it in for some blown glass, this is the place that can match the value. The staff here is all very friendly and helpful, and the three to four pieces I have purchased have functioned exactly as they were described. I will continue buying my high end glass here. read more

At one time I appreciated this place and customer experience, and now it has changed! First off, this is an expensive shop. SF has cheaper prices. You can get the same stuff. I purchased 2 bongs from here ( one for $40 and another for $200) and both bowl pieces cracked or broke. Bad sign already! I took it back and they replaced it no problem. The second bong was cracked when I took it home and used it once, when I took the piece back I had to basically beg the manager to take a look and replace it (seeing as I paid top dollar) and he would not even come out onto the floor to speak to me. Instead, they offered me a discount (basically waive the sales tax) to replace the faulty piece. After this experience I wonder why ANYONE would or should pay a high amount for pieces they can get about anywhere. End of the day: Pay less, GO ELSEWHERE, and you will get the same customer service as what you pay for, not for what the cave can offer. P.s. Some of the sales people were happy to help and very knowledgable so its really management and owner who pretty much sucks (and of course pricing!) read more

Every time I go into The Cave I have an excellent customer experience. The last time I was there the staff person that worked with me was helpful, informative, and an enjoyable conversationalist. He helped me pick out exactly what I needed, (two "wind-proof" lighters and a glass pipe for my medicine.) He gave me a free case for the pipe, (of my choosing,) and a free can of butane. There is no other place I go for the tools I need for my medicinal needs. read more

Walked in last Tuesday to browse and see what they had in stock but the younger guy wouldn't let me go and check around the shop. He said that they had just washed their carpets when they had another guy checking a few pieces. Absurd. He kept breathing down my neck and I felt really uncomfortable and left. Maybe it was because I told him that I wasnt buying anything that day and just browsing to see what my next piece would be. Extremely disappointed by the way they treated me, a would-be customer. They are the reason that I got a yelp account. Other businesses beware on how you treat your customers!!!! read more

I've been coming to The Cave since they were that little hole in the wall by the Dollar Store down the street, call it 5+ years ago. I bought my first piece here, a 2ft. Zong, and about 75% of my glass collection is attributable to The Cave as well; they've always had such a dope selection of pieces and accessories that I never needed to go anywhere else! Chuck (the owner) is one of the most friendly people I know. Over the years he has literally bent over backwards to make sure I have what I was looking for. On the very rare occasion that Chuck didn't have something in stock, he'd come back to me, phone in hand, and tell me "I'll have some in a week" and sure enough he always did. A couple years ago, before dabbing really hit the scene, me n my friend came in and asked Chuck if he planned on getting some oil rigs in and he told us next week. Sure enough, he had a solid selection right out of the gate and now you wont find a better dab section in the entire bay area. Needless to say, The Cave needs an award for "Best Head Shop in the Bay"; everyone is helpful and laid back, they have the widest selection of glass art with some of the biggest names (ask them about their DARBY pieces, fuckin' BOSS) and all the little bells and whistles that'll keep you feelin' Irie! And don't forget about their store, Puff Puff Pass, on Haight St. too! read more

When I saw this head shop, i knew it was going to be something amazing. Way better than any head shop in san jose by far. This one has 10 x the variety especially with great name brand glass. Except Medi cali glass :(. But, i was impressed nevertheless. Loved it. Customer service was great. If i was into hookahs they had a huge variety of everything!! read more

The Cave used to be a little hole-in-the-wall spot next to the Dollar Warehouse. Nevertheless, their selection was varied, to say the least, and customer service was top notch. Then they moved. Now, there is more glass than ever, more hookahs, more bongs, more cases, more stash boxes, more everything! Chuck is funny, he is helpful, he is friendly. I went with my boyfriend to look at bongs, and Chuck answered all of our questions without making us feel stupid or pressured to buy anything! He even asked us questions to better gauge which pieces would be best suited for our smoking needs. Every experience I've had here has been a good one, I got my last piece here, and I LOVE it. It's blown by a local guy, it looks awesome, and hits better than most pipes I've smoked. Best part: HUGE range of prices! It ranges from the bucket of pipes that are $10 or something, up to PURPs and ROORs for $100+. Hands down, The Cave is the head shop I would recommend to anyone, no matter what kind of piece they are looking for, how long they've been smoking, or their price range. read more

located next door to the "dollar warehouse" this small smoke shop offers a range of products for all customers ...for those who are on a strict budget to those who have an unlimited budget! but even if u dont have a cap for what u spend, the cave still offers better prices than their pennisula competitors. i strolled in on valentines lookin for a new pipe for J. and drooled over the beautiful pieces they had in stock. the one that caught my eye was the glass on glass, frosted percolator type filter PURP pipe...it was simply beautiful and i knew j would love me more for making his smoking sessions so much more smoother and enjoyable. so the clerk is really sweet, and hooks me up with the purchase of pipe and carry bag...he also proceeds to give an additional discount so what could of been almost 300 comes down to 225.... as borat would say "verdy naheece" the clerk even took me to their storage room where i could pick which items i wanted. anyways, they also offer hookah, a shitload of different rolling paper, vaporizers, grinders, whip cannisters, masks....etc, etc. all for good prices. the staff very knowlegeable, friendly, and cute...(hehe) i am definitly coming back here for any of my smoke shop needs.... i recommend you do so too! and by the way, j loved his gift....totally flipped out and smoked from it immediatly.....he was like a lil kid on xmas morning so giddy and excited.... enjoy shopping at the cave!!! read more

I'm a E-cig vaper a really hard one and I always bounce back into analogs becuase due to the fact that a lot of stores haven't considered e cigarettes a factor in the tobacco world I always order online and its annoying!!!! But I ran into this dude at my barber shop and he had ever single barber on a vaporizer lol so i asked him where can i get top knotch e juice and he told me about the cave and the sister store puff puff pass so I checked it out today because my stupid 3ml tank broke so when I walked in this dude eric helped me out and when I shot out words that make people run to the back and ask managers like cortomizers tanks ego kits 510 he understood every word! I was juiced! Even better you can try all the juices they havr before you buy! Excellent choices and service! One thing though be ready to spend a little money but tje quality is amazing! read more

The Cave is a GREAT smoke shop I would say top 5 in Northern California and I have been to smoke shops in Sonoma County, San Francisco, Mendocino and Humboldt. The Cave is up there with my favorite smoke shop Big Al's in Berkeley. They have a great selection and carry pretty much all of the top name brands including Roor, Toro, Soverignty, Illadelph, Luke Wilson, Arts, HiSi, US Tubes, and more. Chuck is an awesome guy and he knows glass better than any other smoke shop owner or employee in the area ( i wish the same could be said about all his employees), and he is a nice guy I have been shopping with Chuck for 5 years+ and he' always down to hook it up and cut down tax and even throw in a free bag or some cleaner, for good customers. On he downside, The Cave's glass cases that contain the high end tubes and bowls are WAY too packed theres like 3 700-900$ tubes blocking other tubes the same price completely from view and they are in the cuts of the store, makes it hard to enjoy the quality of those great tubes, I dislike. Also some of the employees do not know jack shit about glass, calling splash guards percs, and fixed stem tubes random names, I mean I understand not everyone cares and not everyone is obsessed but if your going to try to sell something you should know what its called who made it how thick the glass is etc. which is why I only visit the cave when Chuck is working lol. about overall The Cave is dope I have gotten some GREAT glass from there as well as some great prices and the atmosphere is great and service is pretty much immediate. read more

I love this place , and I have a big love for glass but I shouldn't be treated and followed by a tall guy like imma steal something when I got hundreds of dollars visible on me read more

I have always supported the cave and only wish the best for their business. Sometimes business gets the best of good people and its sad to say today it may have gotten the best of me. I apologize for yelling over a few bucks but if yu could only fit in my shoes you would know how it feels to be marked up over and over again by a friend for a simple easy valve replacement bag. All i needed was 10 out the door but i compromised my integrity and apologize to the staff personally. Nonetheless opening up a shop like chuck has takes years of discipline passion and I respect and thank him for that. The man is a good man he just has a cut throat business to run and I can't blame him. After all I'm just a kid buying vapor bags hes a business Man. Wish chuck and the cave good business and health always. Come support this store ! All your needs met for real read more