A very long time ago, in times past, people lived a much more care free life. Folks would come together to celebrate life not afraid of a stranger, worried about six feet of distance or concerned with wearing a mask.
This is a story that took place during that time. Hopefully we can all get back to that life soon. In the meantime stay safe and be kind to others. We are all in this together.
I had been meaning to goto the Cannabis Cafe for a minute but wanted the buzz to die down a bit.
When they first opened a reservation was required as well as a deposit. The challenging part was there were very few available slots for reseverations. You would be lucky to get 9 am on Wednesday.
About a month or two after they opened I checked again and found it was much easier to find available reservation slots for the same day with no longer having to make a deposit.
So I made a reservation and went on a lunch date.
It was beautiful day in LA. Not a cloud in the sky and not too hot. Subjectively it is said Parts of LA have the best weather in the world as they have more 75 degree days there than anywhere else.
The traffic wasn’t too bad either and parking was easy to find. All the makings of a good day.
When arriving they offered me three different sections to sit at.
A very loungey outdoor area with a variety of different tables and chairs. An indoor bar area similar to an alcohol bar with stools and the such or a traditional cafe/restaurant indoor area with a mix of booths and traditional tables and chairs.
The place is quite large and they have done a pretty good job making each seating area feel like its own little chill area.
I choose to sit in the traditional cafe/restaurant indoor area with a mix of booths and traditional tables and chairs. We were sat in a cozy corner booth and we were handed the menus below.
It was a little bit past 11 am on a Saturday and the place was maybe half full. Usually the place is much busier with out as many seating options available. We had beaten the crowd and was able to get one of the more comfier seats the house.
We had great seats to be able to take in the place and people watch. The place was abuzz with energy as you saw a very diverse group of people enjoying cannabis is a very safe, friend and fun atmosphere.
As I took in the room I saw smokers of all types, some noobies and some OGs. I also saw some giddy cannatourists having the time of their life. We should embrace that spirit and replicate.
Smoking Cannabis in a Public Setting is not new to me. 20 Years ago BPG (Berkeleys Patient Group) use to have a smoke friendly lounge and you were able to bring guests in even if they did not have a recommendation as they had a separate room for dispensing medicine.
The Lounge in Berkeley at BPG lasted for about 4 or 5 years. It was amazing time in the infancy of medicinal cannabis. I was lucky enough to DJ there a few times and it was one of my favorite gigs as I was able to smoke behind the turntables.
There were a few other places to smoke in the hay-day of oaksterdam such as the Bulldog Cafe, The Montel Williams Club on Shattuck, the non-complaint club on San Pedro with the Good Reggae DJ but that is story for a different post.
Speaking of music, The Cannabis Cafe did a great job of setting a chill vibe with both ambiance and music. The music was a nice mix of lofi, familiar stoner music and semi-pop.
Not too long after being seated were we greeted by our server. She was friendly and outgoing excited to be a part of our experience there. She did a good job pitching both the cannabis and the food.
Not only am I a connoisseur of weed but I am also a connoisseur of good food and this food did not disappoint. I got the burger while my date got the cob salad. Both meals exceeded our expectations and satisfied our appetite and munchies.
So if you look closely at the picture you will see that I am using a N3rd Glass Bong. That is my personal bong. I asked for permission to use my own bong and was granted permission. I let them know the piece was clean.
They have a wide assortment of very high end bongs and water pipes available for rent for use on your visit. In addition they provided a grinding, papers, lighter, blunt wraps, a cone and tray for you to use.
When it comes to brining your own flower there is BYOF Fee similar to a corking fee if you brought a bottle of wine to a restaurant. Alternatively you could also buy some of the flowers they offer and discretely pack your own. They are not checking or packing your bowls….
When it comes to buying their flower, it was a bit on the pricier side. The flowers that interested me were under the Expert Section and were a $100 an Eighth. And I get it…It is a very large, very cool, very one of a kind, very expensive to maintain establishment.
But I cannot pay $100 for an eight on basic principles. Now with that being said we should go in there and spend lots of money, just in a way that is inline with decisions we can rest easy with as we should support businesses like this and ensure they continue to stay around.
I ended up purchasing the Strain Zelda they offered from the farm Pure Beauty. Look for the review soon.
In addition to the flowers I purchased some edibles in the form of drinks. Exotic Sodas…Sign Me Up. My date got the Orange Kush by the Keef Brand which was a Marijuana Infused Orange Soda while I got the Cherry Lime Cannabis Infused Soda Water by California Dreaming.
Both Sodas were great but I subjectively enjoyed Cherry Lime Soda Water a bit more. In general I am not a fan of the sugar syrup of sodas. I think there are a lot of great cannabis infused soda waters some of which have zero calories such as Lagunitas Hi-Fi Hops.
So a couple of Cannabis drinks, a couple joints and a few bong bowls later, I looked up and the place was packed. We had been there for 2 1/2-3 hours. That is my kind of resting bonged out brunch face.
As we left I noted the long line that had formed since we had arrived. I overheard folks without reservations trying to get in and being challenged. I would recommend if you plan on going to make reservations. It is easy to do on their website with your phone.
Visiting the Cannabis Cafe you go through a lot of different emotions and levels of consciousness. From a wave of excitement of being able to enjoy what you love in a public way to different levels of a food coma combined with edible highs and bong rips of your favorite flowers.
I would recommend a visit to the Cannabis Cafe to anyone and everyone. Go. Come find me at the bar. I am the one blogging on my laptop with a N3rd Glass or Sokol Beaker Bong.
During this time of transition they are selling food and flowers to go. Also they significantly lowered the prices of their flowers to a much competitive rate.
There are other Cannabis Cafes in LA as well as some in NorCal. One of my favorites in SF is the Barbary Coast.
