The Continental
Bar · San Jose
About The Continental
At The Continental, we're all about creating a warm haven for friends and neighbors to gather 'round. Our spacious bar deck, adorned with plush sofas and reclaimed wood accents, is the perfect spot to unwind over specialty cocktails and craft beer. We've heard from our loyal customers that our menu...
At The Continental, we're all about creating a warm haven for friends and neighbors to gather 'round. Our spacious bar deck, adorned with plush sofas and reclaimed wood accents, is the perfect spot to unwind over specialty cocktails and craft beer. We've heard from our loyal customers that our menu items live up to their expectations - from perfectly balanced pub fare to innovative twists on classic favorites. Plus, our attentive staff always seem to be in the right place at the right time, ensuring every guest feels seen and cared for. Come see what's brewing on our patio!
What Customers Say About The Continental
The Continental is a popular bar known for its great vibes, good drinks, and chill atmosphere. Customers rave about the music and friendly staff, especially bartenders like Benny and servers like Kerry. Some dislike the cover charge and dress code.
Best For
Tip: Go early in the night if you're looking to decompress in a less busy environment. Be prepared for a cover charge at times.
Features
What to see nearby
Data from Wikidata
Explore the area around The Continental
The Continental is located in San Jose, surrounded by cultural and historical points of interest. Here are some of the most notable places nearby.
Historical Heritage
- Dohrmann Building (A 113m) — building in San Jose, United States of America Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
- Twohy Building (A 281m) — historic building in San Jose, California Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
- 27–29 Fountain Alley (A 668m) — Historic commercial building located in San Jose, California, USA. Lugar inscrito en el Registro Nacional de Lugares Históricos
Museums
- Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies (A 566m) — museum and research institute in California
- Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose (A 621m) — non-profit organization in the USA
Parks & Gardens
- Plaza Park (A 293m) — park in Santa Clara County, California, United States of America
- Parque De Los Pobladores (A 311m) — park in the United States of America
- Plaza de César Chávez (A 313m) — plaza mayor de San José, California
Other Points of Interest
- San Jose Civic (A 280m) — building in California, United States
- Monopoly in the Park (A 611m) — giant board game set in San Jose, California
Data from Wikidata
Frequently asked questions about The Continental
The Continental San Jose Reviews
Great GREAT sound. Front room. Back room needs _something_ perhaps bass. Great environment/vibe. Good drinks.
All good vibes, except the smell on Bollywood nights. Continental should implement a strict anti-stink policy so if the patrons smell bad, they either have to wear the cologne (provided by bar) at the entrance, or they have to leave. The dance floor becomes unbearable with all the strong pungent sweaty smell 🤢
Drinks were beautiful and delicious, Kerry really took care of the group and checked in regularly, vibe was relaxed then more pumped. Great space and there's even a private area upstairs and a patio in the back. Will be back!
I recently did a full evening buyout of the Continental for a corporate happy hour event. We had an incredible experience working with Vee and the team. From start to finish, they were super easy to work with, ensuring a seamless planning process. They provided a wide range of branding opportunities, allowing us to fully customize the experience to match our event theme. They even collaborated with us to create fun, themed cocktails that were a perfect fit for our event. Their attention to detail and commitment to making our vision a reality truly set them apart. Special shoutout to the amazing taco cart vendor they brought in - delicious food that our guests absolutely loved! If you're looking for a vendor that’s organized, creative, and genuinely invested in your event’s success, I highly recommend The Continental Bar Lounge & Patio.
Not super busy early in the night, which makes it an ideal place for someone fress off an opening shift looking to decompress. The music is fire and the ambiance is great. There is plenty of seating for a spot that wants to cater to the clubing crowd. The servers are wonderful and friendly. Drinks are priced averagely, and they are strong to boot. You can easily fit a wheelchair through the door and I to the bathrooms.
We showed up after a concert on saturday. Originally we were headed to Aura, but with the line outside we just decided to check out other spots. We came across this dope spot, overall I give it a 10/10. Bar tenders were super cool, you just have to be human and interact a little/have a good laugh. First time and wont be my last whenever in town
The best place I've been in years. I've been in the hospitality industry for decades. I went the previous Tuesday evening and was blown away by the professional staff the ambience which is a larger version of my bedroom living room etc same color scheme same art scheme. The fellow patrons were so cool. The music was spot on. I'm a light person as well, and the lighting was just perfect especially on the dance floor. I have nothing but excellent reviews for every aspect of this little gem.
Showed up on a Sunday night for a friends birthday evening. It was dead, which in a bar isnt a bad thing. This bar has some class and original artwork and definitive atmosphere. The crowd was very pleasant as well as the staff and struck up intelligent and friendly conversation. The bartender actually knew how to make a drink too.
Music is pretty good also the security are nice
Coming here for years. They are alright. Sometimes perfect, sometimes not. Overall - Try it. 🍻
Showed up at 10pm on a Friday. The place looked hopping. The bouncer at the front was talking to someone, took one look at me and my husband and told us the bar was closed then went back to his important conversation. It was very disrespectful and I was honestly quite offended. I’ve never been treated that way before. Take your service elsewhere, they obviously don’t want it Edit: IF it was a private event (there were no signs signaling that it was) maybe the bouncer should have enough tact and courtesy to say more than 2 words before turning around to continue talking to a friend. Unprofessional.
The only good thing was the reggaeton music. It was way too hot in there even though it was not fully packed. We were told there was a fee to get in, but when we began to walk away, they changed their mind and said it was free. Then I tried to get some water, but the service was not the best and they said I can only buy a water bottle, and once I did, I saw other people were given free cups of water. Nothing seemed consistent except the DJ.
Banning all Bay Area sports attire is certainly a choice. Enjoy your empty bar. Please move back to Dallas or Seattle, owner. Despite ownerships reply, Bay Area sports specifically were banned. Non Bay Area was fine (?!). Confirmed by man at the entrance. Attire for a bar is fine - but this policy is prejudicial and, well, just plain dumb.
Sign in to leave a review
Sign inRemove ads and manage your menu
Explore Your Area
Boba Bar
China Chen
Kukar’s House of Pizza
Paper Plane
Scott’s Seafood
Hoagie Steak Out
Spoonfish Poke
Lee's Sandwiches
Morton’s The Steakhouse
Campus Burgers
21 Photos
Explore The Continental's photos
About The Continental
How to get there
349 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113
Highlights
Services
Dining Options
Restaurant Info
Amenities
The Neighborhood
Location
349 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113
📍 Explore the Neighborhood
Upcoming Events
Ron Taylor
09 Jul. 2026, 20:00
San Jose Improv
Atomic: New/Darkwave, Synth-Pop, Post-Punk Dance Night
09 Jul. 2026, 21:00
The Ritz
Young Dubliners, Ockham’s Razor
10 Jul. 2026, 19:00
The Ritz
Donnell Rawlings
10 Jul. 2026, 19:30
San Jose Improv
building in San Jose, United States of America
building in California, United States
historic building in San Jose, California
park in Santa Clara County, California, United States of America
park in the United States of America
plaza mayor de San José, California
museum and research institute in California
giant board game set in San Jose, California
Gaming
🎮 Earn Points While You Explore!
Play Find Me and redeem points for discounts at The Continental and other restaurants
Earn Points at The Continental!
Play Find Me and redeem rewards here
Earn extra points and redeem them for rewards at The Continental
🏆 Rewards at The Continental
10% Discount
At The Continental
Free Appetizer
On your next visit
VIP Table
Premium experience
to redeem rewards and earn points
📋 How Do Rewards Work?
Play Find Me
Every 100 score points = 1 reward point
Collect Points
Workers earn 2x points per game
Redeem Rewards
Discounts, free food and VIP experiences
Is it yours? Claim it FREE!
Remove ads and manage your menu