Since we were two doors down from the Continental Club Gallery, we decided to pop in. This feels like one of Austin's best kept secrets. We discovered the Continental Club Gallery tonight! Nope, it is not an art gallery as the name implies. It is located upstairs above the Continental Club on S. Congress (a tattoo parlor separates the two venues). You literally have to look on the opposite side of the building to see the club's name. This small, intimate upstairs room offers a completely different experience from the Continental club. It has space for approximately 40 people. It feels like you are sitting in your living room listening to a concert as there are three sofas at the venue with high bar table and chairs in the background. The Gallery features jazz, soul, and R&B music genres. Tonight's headliner was Miles Zuniga, an Austin based singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known as a founding member of the rock band Fastball. The band achieved major commercial success in the late 1990s with platinum selling albums and hit songs such as "The Way" and "Out of My Head," and received Grammy nominations. Zuniga and his guitarist played for Continental Club Gallery guests. He had Bruce Springsten sound to me. We enjoyed his music. read more

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Yo, I come here every fucking week and I do #LOVE this place N so obviously they get five stars, but I do have to say... Never have I ever been to the bathroom here and the toilet seat be DOWN for me... In the olden days, allegedly a dude used to throw his coat over a puddle of water so i could pass by..... These days they don't even be hitting the bare MINIMUM... like basic respect lol, putting the fucking seat down. I'm not even a hater. It's just time and time again and I'm fuckin sick of it . If you have a d**k, consider having some thoughtfulness as well. Anyways, love the gallery!!. Love James McMurtry every wed !!! *smiley face emoticon read more

The Continental Club Gallery - T seats up as usual - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

Church on Sunday band on Monday night 8:30 to 10 pm is great. Small space but great view of the skyline. It's tricky to find because there is no sign for the staircase to the second floor. Very chill vibe and great live music if you like jazz. read more

Beautiful music. The tasteful lighting, comfortable couches and friendly, professional staff. 5 stars.

Great place overall, and they really impressed me tonight. Very music focused vibe and you can trust that whoever is performing has been well selected. Great local Austin crowd and feel. The place is small enough that all shows feel intimate. This is definitely an intimate feeling performance venue. If you go, plan to listen to music, not chitchat too much. Was really impressed tonight as a party came in that clearly didn't know what the place was about and was loudly talking over the musician. Bartender went over and very firmly told them to pipe down. Much appreciated! read more

The worst experience ever don't try to overcharge me as a foreigner on an $11 beer God we are completely unfriendly and ridiculous service Don't go there and stop this very bad place read more

Love that The Continental has this smaller space on SoCo. Kinda reminds me of the old CBGB set up.. I like that you can check out live music here as well as the main club. Neat space and the cover charge is usually a tad cheaper. Performers here like 99% of other performers in ATX are so talented and put on amazing shows. read more

The Continental Club Gallery - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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The Continental Club Gallery is most definitely one of, if not the most conducive spots south of the river to enjoy quality local music over a nice glass of Chardonnay. One is apt to catch Gary Clark Jr live up here when he's not off on world tour in Holland, Australia or Japan. Otherwise, there have been occasions when I've 'run into' Robert Plant upstairs at the Gallery. That was quite a surprise, (Though I had heard he and Alison Krauss I've been living in the neighborhood). Generally speaking, I think most would agree that the Gallery Continental Club is an especially conducive spot to come unwind & enjoy some good music after work, meet friends for a little jazz or saying by for last call at the end of the evening. read more

The Continental Club Gallery - Enjoying an evening of especially good jazz with my besties at the Gallery Continental Club - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

We traveled to Austin in feb 2018 and this was the number one experience we recommend to friends on our trip. It's a cute little dive bar with live music upstairs with interesting art on the wall and cool vibes. 100% recommend read more

Love this second story dive that sits very close to the actual Continental Club, separated only by a tattoo shop. Full bar, a few tables, a dance floor, and nice people, most of whom seem to know each other - at least on Friday nights. Why Friday nights? That's when you can usually catch the Robert Kraft Trio belting out jazz, sprinkled in with a little bit of old country, motown and originals. The regulars are great dancers and this bar brings in some really tight bands. I'll be back. read more

In terms of musical excellence, this review should rate as 5-stars for anyone looking for Austin's best jazz and blues performances. Elias and Dr. Polk sizzled tonight and the band sounded phenomenal as always. That all being stated, I think the bartenders at this establishment should refrain from loudly and rudely demanding tips while I am in the process of walking around the corner where the tip jar is located. I find her interpretation of the situation to be as desperate and insecure as the borderline-lingerie she chose to wear to work in an otherwise sophisticated environment, and the fact that she initially demanded that I only order on the other side of the bar, tip jar out of reach, was impressively stupid. To satisfy her entitled, assumptive negativity I threw a dollar into her tip jar. It would have been a larger tip had she not been so rude and tacky. That being said, in the future, if this cumbersome wanna-be diva demands tips from me in the future she will not receive any. She also insinuated that I should have tipped the band when I had in fact tipped the band, as had my entire group. Hopefully management finds someone who is a little more classy and appropriate for the venue to bartender on Mondays eventually, as this bartender seems more suited for a strip club or breastaurant than Austin's premiere jazz venue. read more

So it was birthed, then went away, and now it's back again: welcome back, Continental Gallery, nice to see you come around. For the hiatus it seems precious little has changed, really: the bar itself is a little bigger, I'm sure there are some various local appointments which have evolved, but the overall aesthetic of the room and corresponding experience is pretty similar to what it has been previously. They seem to be booking better acts now: we caught an Ephraim Owens set here not long ago, and jazz plays quite well in this room. There's a solid brew selection, always some art at the ready, and the ambient lighting plays well when you want to ease into your night, whether that's the beginning, or, like in our case, when you're winding down. It can be the kind of experience that lends itself to that siren in the distance, smoke rising from pavement, and memories of yesterday. read more

I'm in love. Not with my date. That was meh. But the Continental Club Gallery stole my heart. Close to the Continental Club is a staircase that leads up to the Continental Club Gallery. It was two doors down and worlds away from what I was expecting. For me, it was just like being back in a Memphis bar, minus the smoke. It was charming and I felt so at home. Small couches line the dimly lit room. People were dancing while a trio played old timey hits. When the singer broke into "La Vie En Rose" in beautiful French I almost died. It was absolutely wonderful. read more

If you do not love this little gallery-cum-bar then I seriously doubt any place would please you. I happen to like places that are and aren't what they are. This place is a gallery that happens to serve alcohol. It's a bar, but not a bar. It has all the rock 'n' roll tattoo the world vibe of it's bigger brother - The Continental Club - but is less crowded and not as loud. I highly recommend checking it out. read more

Came here on a Friday evening to watch Emily Gimble perform with a $5 cover charge. Was pleasantly surprise with the place. Nice and intimate with comfy sofas around the dance floor with people doing elaborate ballroom/salsa dancing. We got there early and was able to get good seats. The place filled up pretty fast! Would return if I have a chance! read more

It's a nice dive bar. You can have to look closely for it, because it's on the second floor and the entrance is tiny. But it's a fun loft sort of area. They play a lot of jazz there. There's even an extra level above that with parlor games and stuff. Quieter area to get away from the noise. as good as it is. read more

As Shannon says, "hidden in plain sight". What we love about this part of the Continental Club is that's its much less crowed than downstairs and has a much lighter atmosphere, you can hear each other talk and relax with a perfectly mixed cocktail. When you're through you can hit the original club and rock it out. This is a great place to take close friends or clients that you want to impress. read more

The Continental Club is pretty damn iconic in the grand scheme of things. But the Continental Club Gallery should be right up there with it. Somehow I ended up here twice in one week. Once to see the greyhounds in action and once to see the inimitable Tameca Jones. It's a shotgun style bar that can get hot, packed and rowdy -- especially when the blues are gnarly or the jazz is pumping. You never know who you're going to see play here or sit in but you can be assured it will make you want to dance. This space is upstairs next to the continental club and never has a cover (as far as I know.) It's got a small bar that's a little too pricey for my taste -- but then I'm cheap. The one off shows and the regular folks don't skip on the soul. It's not indie, it's not americana, it's not heavy metal or 80s rock. It's a bunch of incredibly talented musicians playing their asses off. It's like that great beating musical heart of Austin's jazz & blues scene found its way here and never left. read more

I was in Austin for a professional conference, and after a long day my friend and I went out to catch some live music. I'd heard about the Continental Club Gallery (from Yelp, of course), and after seeing the bats under the Congress bridge and catching some jazz at the Elephant Room, we wound up at the Continental Club. It was around 11:00 PM. (Note: everything serving food in that stretch of SoCo closes by 11:00!) I convinced her to go in with me for "one drink." Two and a half hours later we closed the bar, after having the time of our lives! Awesome thing #1: I went on a Thursday and saw Tameca Jones with no cover. She and her band did all cover songs, but they're one of the coolest cover bands I've heard. And it's great to groove along to funky, live renditions of music you already know and love! She's there every Thursday: http://www.austinchronicle.com/blogs/chrontourage/2012-06-05/tameca-jones-at-continental-club-gallery/. Check it out! Awesome thing #2: I ordered my stand-by whiskey sour, and the bartender poured me one of the strongest whiskey sours I've ever had. I couldn't hear her when she told me how much, so I handed her a $20 and hoped for the best. She gave me $16.25 in change! Amazing! *No where* in L.A. are drinks that cheap. Austin rocks! Strange thing #1: I had several whiskey sours over the course of the evening. Somehow each one cost a slightly different price? No matter, it was all (genuinely) cheap. Awesome thing #3: The crowd is chill and really cool. Definitely no hotter-than-thou L.A. types there. A diverse mix of people -- different ages, backgrounds, and body types, and no one is too "clubby." By the end of the night, everyone was dancing on the (tiny!) dance floor. Awesome thing #4: There's a pool table on the second floor above the bar, with a kick-ass mural of the Virgen de Guadalupe flanked by guitar-wielding rockers. Awesome thing #5/Strange thing #2: My friend and I met this dude with a ridiculous waxed hipster mustache who (claims that he) has worked with (the real) Patch Adams and works as an "ontological counselor" in Mexico City. His two (alleged?) brothers were with him. Each of the three was born in different countries (missionary parents!) They were hilarious and awesome and definitely *weird*, just like everything in Austin. Keep Austin Weird and check out the Continental Club Gallery! If you see the mustachioed wonder there tell him I say hi . . . Tip: you don't enter from the main Continental Club venue. A door or two north of the main venue is the entrance for the gallery, up a staircase. read more

What a great little spot. If there was a space quite like this near me, I'd be here at least a night a week. After a big event, my Austin hosts Allison and Kevin took me here to wind down, listen to some great music, and have a nightcap. I loved the art -- I'm embarrassed I didn't get the artist's name, but the paintings had a playful, Basquiat-ish feeling to them. The physical space was set up well to show off the art and also leave an intimate area for the musicians and crowd. Ephraim Owens and his band are some startlingly talented performers. I'm sure that their performance alone added a whole other star to the night's experience. Bravo to the Continental Gallery for booking such a great act. The bartender was friendly, quick and sweet... there wasn't one negative thing I can think of about the place. read more

After having the doorman check our id's we ducked in the door and up the narrow stairway to the second story space of this cool dingy club. The sister property, the Continental Club, was in between sets and we were trying to decide if we wanted to pay the cover charge to enter. There is no cover charge for the Continental Club Gallery and on this evening a cool modern bluesy style rock and roll group was performing. They had a really hip and unique sound that was very easy to listen to. The guys grabbed a few beers and we took up a nook to take the scene and the music in. I made myself comfortable on the upper level of the property on a beat up leather couch and had a quiet little spot to check out all the action from. One of the locals came over to converse and as he was a transplant, he declared other transplants to Austin as "kinda douchy." Funny because I found this guy kinda douchy myself. It was interesting to converse with him and learn about the gentrification of Austin and how big businesses and tech is expanding in the city. The Continental Club Gallery is a cool spot where locals come and enjoy a bit of that old school Austin scene. Apparently, you better enjoy it while you can. read more

First and foremost, I feel like you should take this review with a grain of salt. A) I'm not a huge jazz fan. B) I can't stand creepy old guys (over 50!!) hitting on young ladies. C) It was a Wednesday night. I just felt like the crowd was pretty dismal with the exception of a few yelpers who trickled in after the elite event. The ping pong table would almost score them another star but it was a very sad example of one. Creepy, PERSISTENT, old men, average drink prices and lackluster jazz tunes will probably keep me from revisiting anytime soon. read more

I finally made it into the Continental Gallery, and I agree with everyone else on making it your hangout before everyone else finds out about it. It's so cool! And great music, of course. Super laid back with all of the same charm as the Continental Club. It's upstairs, so it gets damn hot in the summer. So I suggest getting an ice cold beer to cool yourself off! read more

Chill bar, cool patrons, quiet setting, even with the jazz band playing 20 feet away. I ordered bottled beer (I didn't see anything on draft) since the mixed drinks looked kinda tiny. Artwork is bountiful but not all in-your-face. Chairs are comfy. Snuck into the almost immaculate boys room to grab some TP since the girls room was out of it. The cleanliness was impressive. I'll be back. To the bar, that is (not the boys room). read more

One of my favorite locations in Austin to see great live music. It's always a great time & I highly recommend visiting here to everyone

Hidden in plain sight, the Gallery is a welcomed respite from the often crowded hipster joints along SoCo. I had a wonderful time with new friends on a Wednesday evening after 8pm, drinking well-poured cocktails while listening to a jazzy 3-piece combo with a hot chick percussionist - no cover charge. Parking was easy on the street behind the bar, but know this -- the fire escape stairs' door will not be opened for you; you must enter via the corner door facing Congress at street level. read more

After reading up on the Continental Club - upon a few recommendations from locals - I decided to go to the Continental Club Gallery or The Gallery next door (upstairs). Those who aren't from the ATX area should know that both the Continental Club and The Gallery are located in SoCo - aka South Congress Street. This is a hotspot for great nightlife and eateries. Cool thing about The Gallery is that its typically cheaper or no fee cover to get in versus the Continental Club. Either seem to have a not-so-pricey cover but if you are interested in the cheapest deal The Gallery is a nice alternative. It reminds me of a house-party vibe, very intimate atmosphere. The bands are local and quality - I saw a good jazz band with an awesome lead vocalist who makes Jennifer Hudson look like a chump. I didn't drink but they do have a full bar and free water. read more

Since it was my only night in Austin, wanted to soak up as much live music as I could, and had time after work for a few more songs. The Continental Club next door was charging $10 cover for some drum-intensive acts, and I was in the mood for something more mellow, so headed upstairs to the Continental Club Gallery. Felt like a mix between a dive bar, a coffee shop, and someone's well lived-in living room. The musician/guitarist up on stage, James Bullard, was really phenomenal. Mix of all sorts of people in there. No cover, and got a good cocktail for just $5. There's even a nice view of the Austin skyline from the bar and a ping pong table! A great laid-back place for some seriously good live music. read more

The Continental Gallery is a high class dive bar, if that's not an oxymoron. A tinly little place where the band is right there in front of you, and the atmosphere is laid back yet interesting. A $5 cover charge on a Saturday night is no big deal in my book, despite what some of the other reviewers said. Could they be talking about the Continental Club instead? Anyway, Mike Flanigin's trio blew us away with an organ based funk that was first rate. I would have thought we were back in a downtown bar in a rust belt city in the '60s, the music was so soulful. Guitar and drums were excellent as well. These guys were so in the zone that just a glance would signal a turn in the arrangment or a stop on a dime. Of course with that going on the crowd couldn't stand still and there was dancing despite the room being so small. The mix was eclectic, which is something I love about SoCo. Suburbanies on date nite, grad students, hippie chicks and creatures of the night. Great place to hang out. True to its reputation for unannounced guests, a guy got up and sang a few blues with the band. I'm not talking about some wannabe or part timer, this man owned the stage and obviously has done so many times before. Again, no arm waving or hollering to create an arrangement on the spot, just an almost imperceptble nod or raised eybrow to signal a change in the tune. Sorry I can't remember the name of the vocalists or other band members, but it was a heck of a night. So if you're looking for a place to pop in after dinner or a show at a larger venue, the Continental Gallery is worth a try. We will definitely be back. read more

When you walk up the stairs to the gallery its easy to feel like you just entered a secret music loving society. Almost every weeknight you can find great music for a good price in an intimate space. On Fridays and Saturdays Mike Flannigan always provides some great blues, with well known guitar players sitting in. Recently it has been Denny Freeman, who was touring with Bob Dylan. The capacity is limited to around 50 so if there is someone you really want to see, I suggest you get there early. Also, Don't forget to play ping-pong with an a great view of the skyline! read more

Intimate space, with seating for 20-25 people. Saw a great show tonight - One Up featuring musicians from Mingo Fish Trap. Very talented musicians. Show began about 30 minutes late, at 11 PM. It is permissible to bring in outside food, so we picked up a pie from Home Slice, and made sure to offer some to the bouncer and bartender. Cover is a steal at $5. A must-stop for music fans. read more

The Continental Club is an Austin destination for great music of every genre. Welcome to the worlds live music capital of the world!!! The downstairs can fit larger acts and more people, but my favorite is the upstairs and I'll get into that below. They don't have a crazy drink menu which is great as the drinks remain well priced for such a classic Austin joint. Best show: Tameca Jones every Thursday night and it's totally worth a late work night. Tameca play in the tiny romantic Continental Club gallery (upstairs) and she's perfect for the room. Ms. Jones should be coined Austin's Beyonce with her amazing voice and crazy energy that she brings the room. I highly recommend this for a date night. read more

My air bnb host showed me this spot. Great soulful jazz musician playing the night we went.

The Continental Club is one of Austin's classic live music venues. I'm actually a major fan of the small Continental Club gallery more than the official joint which provides a cozy small atmosphere with displaying top local acts. The drinks are decently priced and the entry is usually free. Insiders tip: Go on a Thursday when Tamika Jones is there. She's Austin's Beyonce with more spunk and jazz. read more

Stumbled upon this hidden treasure on a Saturday night...so pleasantly surprised. A true little SoCo hidden gem. Shhhhh don't tell anyone

If you love to dance, appreciate great music and good atmosphere, you can't miss Tameca Jones every Thursday night. I hear the bartenders are super awesome too ;) read more

The Continental Club Gallery - Bars Near Me - Austin, Texas

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This has the potential of being a decent bar but the last few times I've been there I'm almost totally turned off to it. This bar is located upstairs and is two levels. The best part of this bar was the ping pong table. I realize this is a bar and that by no means is the ping pong meant to be anything serious in the context of the bar but the great part of this was that there were some pretty talented people playing here a few months back. The space where the table is in is very tight though with some tables bordering the play space and walls pretty close to the side of the table. This worked out ok though as people were courteous and waited in line and drank while music played downstairs. It had the potential of being some cool little sub bar in the upstairs area. The last couple times I've been there though the upstairs has turned into khaki and button up shirt wearing dudes and their "look at my tits" girlfriends and they don't really care where they stand in relation to courtesy to anyone playing. The amount of people packed in there also added to a general noise din where in order to talk you'd have to lean over to the other persons ear. I like bars where you can hear without yelling or leaning unless it's in the context of live music (which CC Gallery has) but this was at a time when the band was on a break. The crowd in the entire bar never really appealed to me as I'm more of a dive bar person but it seems like it's getting more and more thick with the khaki wearing crowd. I guess this is somewhat a shallow review as it is ping pong related in nature but the bar about 9 months ago had more of a chill laid back vibe with a less predictable crowd. That said - there are some talented musicians playing there. On the weekends there is - I believe the name is the Mike Flannagan trio where the main guy plays a Hammond B3 organ. Guests come in and play with him and solos abound. read more

This is a cool small venue. It is very intimate and feels a lot like you are sitting in someone's house if you happen to get one of the couches. It feels very representative of the Austin music scene. It was fun listening to live entertainment in such a casual atmosphere - we had a wonderful evening there. I thought it was a bonus that it had a nice view of the city through the window by the bar. read more

Awesome intimate venue on South Congress. I saw James McMurtry, an amazing, legendary talent. To see him in such a great venue was a memory I'll always treasure. Check it out! read more

Hidden above the famous Continental Club, the Gallery is an intimate little gem. A great loungey atmosphere creates cozy little shows that often feature names and acts that you'd expect to find only in larger venues. Head through the glass door to the left of Continental Club and up the stairs to find it. There is usually a cover for the shows, and there are usually shows going on, so keep that in mind when stopping by. Sometimes the bouncers are nice enough to cut you a deal if you arrive toward the end of a set. You'll enter to find local art on the walls, comfy couches along the wall, and an awesome musician on stage. There is one bar, and there are friendly bartenders who will remember you each time you come back up. Gotta love that! Even better, go further up the stairs in the back to find a loft with retro diner tables, ping pong, and a window with a view of downtown. Where better to enjoy a scotch or a cocktail and some great live music. This is a must-visit bar for some local flavor, relaxed divey atmosphere, and great music. It's a great place when you want to head out for a nip but don't want to battle downtown. read more