The Continental Club

Went for a friend’s b-​day party. When we got to the gate there was a women w/​really bad hair poor her, [a guess w/​a job «guarding a gate» who can afford a good hairdresser] a guy with snake boots & another that all I can remember was that he rudely was going thru his phone right in front of us. After my sister said idk what to them they rudely looked at us 4rm head to toe. The only reason we got in was bcuz the b-​day girl paid for a table. The place is underground so you have no service, impossible to get in contact w/​your friends if they’re already inside. The place has a nice décor, barley lit. The one thing that I could not, seriously could not understand was the awful, disgusting smell. You would think that it being so hard to get in they would keep it well cleaned. I can’t even explain the smell but believe me it was bad. The more I tried to ignore the more I could smell it gross… the music was good. I did see a lot more men than I expected from the other reviews. I bought 3 drinks $ 39 [Avenue, Yacht Club] the Avenue reminded me of the hot lemon, citrus, tangy tea you drink when your sick, super sweet but w/​a kick. The Yacht Club had cucumber taste to it which I don’t like so don’t get it if you don’t like cucumber. Overall, the only good thing I can say was that the music was good.

On Thursday night 1÷14÷16 Doormen were racist! Claimed there was a dress code, and hats were not allowed. Stated we were under dressed, but at the same time letting people with hats and beanies in and dressed the same. Only difference is they were white. We put our hats away and when we went in every one was white and wearing hats, hoodies, sweats etc… BARTENDERS have horrible service and ignored us to flirt with girls. I did not tip because of this and at the end of the night they talked shit saying we needed to bring our glasses to them since we did not tip and were talking shit and disrespecting the girls we were with. But wouldn’t handle it like men outside. This place is Unprofessional! Too much stress and negativity to have a few beers! Fuck the Continental Club!!!

Ended up at this place completely on accident and got inside by completely bypassing the doorman and catching the door knob as someone was walking out. I haven’t read the other reviews extensively, but I get the feeling they can be pretty picky about who they let in, so maybe your best bet is pulling something similar to what I did.
Anyway, once you get past the door, you’ll have to get used to the very dim lighting and watch your step since you have to down down a flight or two. The bar is very impressive, probably the most lit part of the bar with lots of brown liquor. There are are few corners scattered around with different seating arrangements, so you could go in and find an intimate spot for you and a date, or bring a few friends and put some chairs around a table.
Unfortunately, my friends and I arrived closer to closing time than we thought, so I can only really report on the drinks (I ordered a double whiskey, so I can;t speak to the mixed stuff) and the ambiance, which was cool and kinda speak-​easy-​ish.

What a bad taste this place left for me. I was with two friends and we were going to join another friend who was already inside. We went into the line and noticed the women wearing barely anything got pulled out of the line to go in even if they were in the back. The bouncer had the nerve to say one of us could go in but not the rest and that we would need to wait. He had no intention to ever let us in. The worst part is he did a glance over at us before telling one of my friends that only she could go in. Who made you god to judge people. We were dressed fine and would have spent a lot of money but now if anyone asks me what bars i recommend this will NOT be on that list.

Every experience I have had here has been awesome. Getting in is never a problem, the guys out front are total gentlemen! The mixed drinks are delicious! I wish they had more beers on tap, their Pilsner is not that yummy, but considering this is a little more upscale venue, I shut up and drink the peroni. You can dress up or dress down here as a girl :) as a guy, you might want to look presentable. If you don’t want to, then go to a dive bar. Restrooms are clean, and this place has a way better ambiance after the remodel. The music is good and it’s funny when everyone gets sloppy at the end of the night. I recommend this place for parties. If you’re with an significant other, come here early to share a drink at the bar. It’s empty and pretty intimate. Overall, I like this place!

The doormen are some of the most pretentious people I have ever met. We had a 1:1 guy to girl ratio, so I anticipated waiting in a line — never did I imagine that the wait would last an HOUR. I tried explaining that our party is already inside with a table, but the dude told us our party reached capacity? When many of them already left the club because we got there slightly late??? Some parties with a better looking ratio were cherry picked to pass the line, while others slipped Benjamins to the bouncer to get an instant entrance. If we weren’t trying to meet our friend for his birthday inside, we would have left right away. Instead, we waited until the douchebag bouncer realized he wasn’t getting any cash from us, and then he reluctantly let us in when the line at this point was nearly 100% male. I had no problem with the drinks, music or décor inside but the entry situation made my entire night an exceedingly unpleasant experience here at the Continental Club. Never again.

ATTENTION WOMEN TRYING TO GET INTO THIS CLUB: You’re not going to find a man to mingle with here because the bouncer doesn’t let men inside.
Clubs are all the same when it comes to the bouncer: Girls get in easily, but if a guy shows up alone, he has to buy a table, or wait in line.
In my experience, I came here for a girl’s party. I absolutely had no problem buying a table because the girls who already arrived did not, and I understand that there are limitations to how many guys you can let in from a party if there is no table involved. Some of us came late, so we couldn’t get in all together.
The first group got in, which had a 3 female:1 male ratio. The second group, my group, who came in was all males. 7 guys waiting to get in the club, only to find out that they can’t let us in under any circumstances, and must wait in line if we chose not to buy a table.
Sarah comes out to the door to offer us a table. I speak with her and she mentions a table to me that’s $ 480, including 18% gratuity, that can allow 12 people to sit. In my head, I’m thinking it’s fair because everyone who’s waiting outside with me can split the bill, get a shot or two, and get into the club.
I let my party know if it was alright to split it evenly among each other, but that’s when I found out that she was under the impression that I was there alone and was deciding to buy a table for everyone already inside. Her, alongside the infamous bouncer at this club, both changed their mind about offering us a table for $ 480, and insisted that we get the $ 708 because the $ 480 option was not available to seat us.
Save yourself the hassle and go to a different club. The club is super dark. Staff is incredibly rude. They’ll try their best to milk money out of you.
Also, take their Unilocal rating into consideration and compare it to other clubs, like «The Edison» or «Next Door Lounge.»

Matt makes the most amazing cocktails!
A friend and I came here on a Sunday and Monday. The music that Matt played on Monday was fitting to the environment (Otis Redding, Ella Fitzgerald…) which I preferred to the Hip Hop that was played on Sunday.
The bar is beautifully decorated and the cocktails that Matt ‘surprised’ us with were exceptional.

You walk down a few steps and t’s a dark swanky place similar to the Association. Mirrors, plush seating and barstools. There’s a live DJ every other Tuesday. Non– DJ music was Usher and other R&B when I was there. Nice cocktail selection and ingredients visible on the bar and drinks were good.

Awesome 1920s speakeasy type club in DTLA. We walked by randomly and saw a bouncer outside which prompted the question, «What is this place?»
Downstairs the décor and ambiance is very nostalgic. The cocktails while pricey are outstanding and stiff! The bartenders are true mixologists.
My only complaint is that the music could be better. It’s generic top 40s hits which are fine after a couple drinks anyway but totally don’t fit the vibe of this hidden gem. I would expect some cool KCRW dance rock, not Flo-​Rida or whatever that crappy music was.

You find this bar by its big, blue door. The bar is actually located underground. But no worries, there is free wifi! It’s dark and got this classy 1920’s vibe going on. It’s pretty small and as the night passes, you will find yourself pressed against the wall. The music isn’t the best, basically top 40 hits so don’t expect too much.
There are no prices for the drinks on the menu but I’m here to let you know that every drink is $ 13. A bit pricey but then again, this is a bit of a specialty bar anyways.
The restrooms are nice and extremely clean, which is deeply appreciated.
It’s more of a one time event for me to come here since driving into DTLA at night is a bit of a hassle and it ends up feeling cramped a lot.

Went to this place for a game night with a meetup group. Dim, swanky and upscale. Which is surprising for a place that you enter through a DTLA alley. A pleasant surprise considering most alleys here lead to homeless encampments or people selling bacon — wrapped hot dogs (not that I’m opposed to either).
If you’re on a budget, get buzzed before you come here — drinks are pretty pricey (and petite). Bartenders do know what they’re doing, though. The cocktails are tasty.
There’s ample seating and plenty of room for dancing as well. So whether you want to lounge with a drink or dance your face off, this is the place for you.

Love this place.
Two of my friends have their birthday on the same day.
They decided to have friends meet here.
Excellent.
Very classy, very cool.
Comfortable and on the darker (dim light) side.
It’s not inexpensive but it’s not too pricey.
I was pleased with the quality to price ratio.
Wonderful place to have drinks with friends.

Very strange confluence of factors make The Continental Club a difficult venue to review. Seriously, the star chits could’ve gone to either end of the extreme, but given the circumstances of the night, I figure 3.5 stars is a pretty accurate representation of my experience. To wit:
We got there before 10pm for a buddy’s informal birthday shindig and had no problems getting in. I didn’t see the now infamous «douchebag» doorman manning the entrance, but the black guy who let us in was professional and courteous. I can’t speak to the veracity of other reviewers’ allegations of racist door policies, but perhaps in this isolated case, being Asian was a good thing. After all, «model minority» still has the word «minority» in it!
Traversed the stairs and quickly realized how darkly lit the place is… sure, your humble author invites murky atmospheres to better conceal the distressing pace of how quickly his face is morphing into that of an ajusshi’s (middle aged Korean man)… but damn, I could barely see three feet in front of me at the bar. Still, we did our best to sidle up to the well and were promptly assisted by the barkeep.
I suppose I should mention the very interesting pricing model at The Continental Club. For our first round of drinks, we ordered a pair of Blood and Sand cocktails. I noticed with some interest at how expertly the bartender crafted the drinks. He measured all ingredients with impressive precision, shook the shit out of cocktail mixer — ostensibly to better create more ice chips in the drink adding an additional element of flavor and texture — and took pains to incorporate citrus oil by flaming orange peels around the rim of the martini glasses. Impressive, right? The guy obviously knew what he was doing and the subsequent product was excellent. At $ 12 apiece, this wasn’t a cheap drink by any means, but considering the vibe of the spot and the skill with which the cocktail was made, I figured the cost/​benefit ratio to be very favorable.
For our second round, the dynamics of the interaction changed dramatically. Another friend increased the tally to three, and through a combination of blind brand loyalty to Diageo (and completely discounting the fact that The Continental Club is a cocktail bar) my friends insisted on three Black Labels on the rocks. The distressing tally of the three whiskies was $ 45… «What, really??» I asked to this new bartender who responded by giving me a world-​weary look that even the dim lighting couldn’t conceal.
«The other guy took 10 minutes mixing shit, lighting shit on fire, and making garnishes for our drinks and it was $ 12. How is an entry level blended whiskey on ice that took 5 seconds to pour $ 15?» I asked.
«You want ‘em or not?» he replied, his face even more nonplussed than before.
«Eh fuck it» I thought and reluctantly dropped $ 50 on the bar without waiting for change.
Author’s note: Normally, I try to tip a minimum of $ 2 per beverage or 25% on the total — whichever is higher — but I hope you can understand that I made a notable exception in this case. Still unsure of whether or not the bartender was just charging me variable market pricing, but if this is the legitimate cost of these drinks, it might behoove management to take another look at their bar-​costing policies… or just scrap their cocktail menu completely, clean house of all their mixologists and just have ridiculously hot girls pour jiggers of mass market whiskey at 850% markups. The invisible hand of the marketplace at work, neh?
TLDR Summary: Get there early, eat some beta-​carotene rich foods beforehand for that all-​important night vision and focus solely on their extremely reasonable cocktail pricing.

If you’re looking for a good time, this is your place! If I’m not at Honeycut or the Lash, you’ll find me here. I guess this place is now my go to bar if I want to have a good time in DTLA. It hasn’t disappointed me at all! The music is awesome and everyone’s always dancing. There are times it gets too crowded, but most of the time, it’s been a good amount of people. I will say that, on a busy night, you’ll want to get there before 11pm to beat the lines.
The only con is, there’s absolutely no reception because it’s a basement. Some might say the drinks are pricey too. It also gets pretty hot, so don’t plan on wearing too much, but it doesn’t mean dress slutty! (this goes for the boys too haha)
Some nights are busier than others, but the music will never disappoint. They have awesome DJs. So have fun and be safe! Don’t drink and drive!

TLC said it best, «Crazy. Sexy. Cool.»
I should warn you that I was here with a party on a Saturday night and we had our own little booth area, so I’m not sure what the experience is for someone just deciding to roll up in here on a Saturday night for some party time. What I can say is, this place is super freaking cool. Love the ambiance; love the vibe; love the décor, love, love, LOVE.
I hadn’t heard about this place until we arrived. Since we were here for a party, we had no problem at the door, but we also arrived before 11. There was no line. Headed in and the dj was already playing decent jams. Honestly, I loved the music the dj was playing. A mix of everything. I heard some James Brown, Beyonce, Cece Peniston, Michael Jackson, salsa music, El General… you really had no idea what this DJ was going to put on next and I LOVED THAT. Of course it sucks when you’re in a groove and he spoils it, but I have to say that I found myself dancing a lot more than sitting down and thinking, «I hate this music.»…but my music taste is eclectic. I don’t know if it’s the same DJ every weekend, but if you’re looking for Top 40, you won’t like this DJ.
The décor of this place is truly its best point. As soon as you stroll in, you feel like you just walked into an old 40’s nightclub. So freak cool. Lots of red and black. Whoever designed this place gets a gold star.
Drinks: They had moscow mules. That’s all I needed to know. Oh, and they were good. Don’t remember their cost, unfortunately. I’m sure they were around $ 15. That’s a guess.
Now, the bad. This place gets PACKED. And it’s HOT. There really isn’t much ventilation going on here. There’s a fan over by the dj, but that little fan ain’t doing much. As soon as I stepped out onto the dance floor, I felt icky. Luckily, again, I was with a party that had a booth, so I did a lot of my dancing on the steps leading up to the booth directly underneath an air vent.
More bad: only one bar in the middle of, what is essentially, just one room. Again, since I was with a party, we had our own waitress, but I’m assuming with only one bar and a ton of people, getting drinks is no easy feat.
I really did have an awesome time here and will most definitely be back, but I’m scared I won’t have as good of a time. I don’t know what the requirements are to reserve a booth, but if you can, DO IT. It will make your experience exponentially better.
I’ve been to a few lounges in LA and so far this is my fave. Hopefully that DJ is a regular…

I didn’t have expectations for this place and to be honest, I thought I was going to a lounge filled with Asians because of the name lol.
The entrance is difficult to find because it’s basically just a door with 2 security guards standing in front of it. It’s right next to «Barama» if you have any trouble!
The entire lounge is under ground and it’s actually pretttty nice! Lots of booths that you could reserve and a huge bar in the middle that serves from all 4 sides.
Their drinks are pretty good as well. They’re known for their speciality drinks which include Moscow mules, manhattans, old fashions… Etc.
The crowd is mixed, surprisingly! I really liked that.
My favorite thing about this lounge was the music! The music was AWESOME! It was a variety of literally my entire music library. The DJ mixed in some top 40 here and there, with some old school 90s like TLC, to some reggae… to mixes of chromeo… Like everything haha.
Anywho, if the music continues to be amazing, I would definitely come back!

Saturday at midnight and not a long line to get inside. Didn’t experience the douchebag doorman other people did. It’s a great space with plenty of booths if you want to spend a birthday party there. Music was great, playing everything from 90s to now. It is kind of dark there so be careful where you step, especially when you enter since you are walking downstairs.
You have to absolutely try the Clover. It takes a while to make, but it is well worth it.

We totally found this place on accident: This really hipster cool looking guy was standing outside next to Bar Ama when we went to Bar Ama, and when we left, I noticed he was still standing there. So being me, I approached him and asked him why he was still standing there. It was then that I learned that he was a bouncer to this bar, and so we decided to check it out!
After walking downstairs, we were greeted with a very modern, sleek bar that was the Continental Club. The space was massive; there were giant tables and a ton of space (that they closed off during the weekdays) in the back that could be used for the weekends for clubbing. The space itself was beautiful, and even the restrooms were really nice.
David, our bartender, helped us out, and he was very friendly and easy to talk to. We learned that this bar is owned by the Circa 93 group, and that this bar is only about a year old. We got the Continental, the Gordon’s Cup, and the Avenue. All drinks were made very well and tasted delicious, so no complaints there. Overall had a great time at the bar– good company and people, drinks, and atmosphere. Can’t wait to be back!
A small downside: no signal whatsoever because it is underground :(

Delicious drinks — check
Fun, diverse crowd — check
Good music — check
Prime DTLA location — check
Dark enough where you can’t tell I’m glowing like a fire engine — check
Free wifi because this place is underground and reception-​less — NO. AND WHY THE F*CK NOT?! You know how hard it is to find friends here?!
Unless you decide to wander off with a hot guy and don’t want to be found. Dear friend who shall not be named — DAYUM. Glad I got to see this side of you ;)
But this place should still offer free wifi.
— — — — — — — —
Turns out this place does offer free wifi! Connect to «continental guest» and there’s no password: D