It’s easy to find a bar in Atlantic City — spots to grab a drink, hear live music, and hang with friends are everywhere. In a few short weeks, cannabis lounges will offer a similar vibe, but for weed.

On Tuesday, July 15, the New Jersey Cannabis Regulatory Commission voted to approve the state’s first cannabis consumption lounges. The four lounges — which include two in Atlantic City — can open as soon as they pass site inspections. Most are already through that stage.

“This is a long time coming. I know a lot of people were eager to see cannabis consumption areas open up here in New Jersey,” said Commission Chair Dianna Houenou before announcing the endorsement of four cannabis lounges.

High Rollers and SunnyTien in Atlantic City, along with Gynsyng Dispensary in Merchantville — about 10 miles from Center City — are among the first cannabis lounges approved to open in New Jersey. All three expect to open by the end of July. Newark’s URB’N Dispensary also received approval and can open once it clears final inspections.

The Atlantic City lounges aim to deliver elevated cannabis experiences similar to upscale bars, while Gynsyng offers a more laid-back vibe — “like your best friend’s finished basement,” said manager Sam Quinlan. Each lounge will serve a wide menu of cannabis products for smoking, vaping, or eating.

“This is a huge weight off of all of our shoulders. We’ve had the construction on our lounge done for almost two years now,” SunnyTien manager Spencer Belz said. “Now, it’s 100 miles an hour, full pedal to the metal, until we get the doors open.”

Once open, the lounges will function more like bars than dispensaries. Adults 21 and older can enter, typically with a small cover charge and a purchase from the lounge. Outside cannabis isn’t allowed, except for registered medical patients with properly labeled New Jersey products.

“The minute we get the license, we’ll open,” Belz said. “Now, when will our grand opening party be? Probably a month down the road.”

Each lounge will provide access to cannabis accessories, from rolling trays and grinders to high-end gadgets like the $500 Volcano vaporizer or $600 Stündenglass Gravity Infuser.

“When you sit down, one of our lounge budtenders is going to come over and they’re going to figure out what accessory would be the best fit for what you’re looking for,” Belz said. “So, if someone comes into the lounge and they buy an eighth of flower, they’ll be asked, ‘Would you like a rolling tray with papers and grinder? Would you like a hand pipe, a water pipe, or a bong?’ Or we will have some higher-end products available for rent.”

For lounge owners, this is more than just an access point. Public cannabis use is still illegal in New Jersey, so these lounges are also intended to serve as welcoming community spaces — a place to learn about products, gather with friends, and unwind.

Belz hopes the space will become a regular hangout, complete with live music, comedy nights, and yes, Mario Kart tournaments.

“We all love sitting on the couch, getting high, playing Mario Kart. And on our 120-inch TV screen in here, we’re going to have a full Mario Kart tournament for people to come in, play the game, and compete — all getting high while they’re doing so."

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