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Mon-Wed. 4:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Thu-Fri. 3:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 8:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
"Trendy, upscale bar in the W hotel. Great place to take a few friends or a date to hang out. Spacious, awesome bartenders and a DJ spinning…" read more »
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I'm dedicating my 200th review to you, Gallery.
Uhm happy hour till 9 anyone? Helloooo!
I've never had a bad experience here. The boys behind the bar know what's up and I may leave here lookin like a hot little mess but I always have a great time.
One thing I don't effing understand is why it can be super dead on weekends when there isn't a private party.
All in all, great place to mingle with friends (or make new ones), solid strong drinks, a block away from my apartment so I won't complain, and awesome bartenders. Do me a huge favor and go here. k thnx ;)
I came after work on a Thursday evening with friends. The happy hour here lasts until 9:00, with $5 peach cosmos (and other flavors) that AREN'T watered down! Parking was plentiful because it was after 6:00 - very convenient. They have some sort of artsy faux corpse hanging from the ceiling near the bathrooms which, by the way, were relatively clean for a bar.
Awesome place to just hang out and relax. Will be back!
based on a friend's positive experience in renting out the bar for the evening, i emailed gallery lounge to inquire about venue availability for a particular date.
no response.
i suppose that i could've called to follow up, but i shouldn't have to make a second attempt to get a hold of someone for venue rental.
still a cool place for happy hour, but i have to deduct a star for poor event planning management.
halloween happy hour.
i stood at the bar, waiting for an available bartender when...
guy: (looks at…
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This is quite the awesome place. The dim, swanky interior is just the right setting for a Saturday night Playerz Ball.
The art work on the walls were amazing. Not to mention, they were also for sale. Nice way to get your work of art on the market.
The lounge was kinda small. But then again it was packed with a bunch of people before the end of the night, I think that just adds to the feel of a good bar. The seating was OK. Enough places to sit down and chill out. There was a back patio area..but it was closed off that night, So standing in front of the place was a good alternative..fresh air is well needed when you are dancing in a small, hot, sweaty place.
The bar tender was very friendly and made the drinks with haste. The prices were not bad either. If I can recall, the drinks were at happy hour the whole night. All good because I didn't break the bank....I'd say because I bought drinks for some folks.
The vodka martini's were very good. Pomegranate and mango were the ones I tried. Also, the brews they had on tap weren't so bad either.Very good selection of liquor. Nothing rock gut here.
The music was awesome and loud..which bought in a lot of people, all thanks to my girl Alexandra. Her play-list was awesome and had the place jumpin for sure. Well of course..it was Playerz Ball after all. Big props! It all turned out for an awesome night!
Parking is pretty easy around here but be VERY careful of the midnight cut off of some of the spots near here. So you either have to move your car before that or just park somewhere better.
I had a great time here but the loud music was enough to make a conversation with 2 others impossible. You must talk in someone's ear most of the time. Happy hour til' 9? What a great place to unwind after a busy work week!
Went for a private event, so I can't speak to the crowd. The space is nice, and the bartenders were wonderful. Good prices.
this place is good for a quick drink but that's about it. It tries to be a cool spot but for some reason I can't pinpoint doesn't seem to hit the target. There's definitely something lacking, but what? The place seems "forced." not to say I haven't had a good time here but the draft beer selections is boring/ not that great and the drinks are either really good or really sucky depending on who's bartending which seems to be different every other week. The owner is super nice and I appreciate what he's trying to do but it needs something....maybe some promotion or how about better beer on tap and not having PBR for $3 as the "happy hour" special. Not a bad spot just not that great.
This place is a real bar. The interior is dark, the bar long, and the drinks strong. They've got an internet jukebox , a small back patio, and a cool vibe.
Happy hour is 4-9 with popcorn, $3 beers, and $5 martinis. When you're done drinking you can stumble to the Caltrain or back to your SOMA loft.
My only complaint is that sometimes they play the music a bit loud to try to attract passersby. The place is kind of easy to miss so make sure you veer off 4th and check it out.
Relaxxxxxxxx
A friend of mine just finished a midterm and was needing a glass of red wine in order to rejuvenate himself so I agreed to meet him in SOMA since I was already down there and The Gallery Lounge was an easy walk.
An establishment paying tribute to the new face of the lounge bar: incorporating several features into one pleasant bundle so that full immersion for the patron is inevitable. Warm. Comfortable. Anyone stressed would appreciate the casual vibes and energy here.
Once in, I located my friend against the wall ensconced on one of the wonderful cushioned chairs, glass of red on the table. This is the prime area to sit and observe others move about and mingle in this creative medium. Fantastic changing art spans the walls and leaving the table every once in a while to view a work of abstraction is an open invitation from the artist.
I've been feeling slightly stressed as well, most in due part to a technical failure (that you, my friends, would know all about) and the typical oppressive bouts of boredom, so to be in good company, I had a piquant Syrah. Amidst the candle lit tables emanating low light, it was easy to lean back against the wall and converse over many things as life took other forms in front of us.
There is a fantastic happy hour here from 4-9, which no doubt attracts the rest of the neighborhood and after an hour the entire middle space was packed and bustling with noise. This is also a good place for dates because of the casual yet inspiring atmosphere and if the first step is good, Fringale is nearby for lengthening that positivity a little bit longer.
Great space and conducive to relaxation and spontaneity, if one so requests.
Ash and I dropped in here after the San Francisco Online Community Report April Meetup to grab a quick drink before the "Lady K" was coming to pick us up. The meetup was great featuring Yelp staffers Nish and Michelle who talked about Yelp's successes and hurdles of growing, managing a community and about the many offline events.
There was a lot to digest so a drink and some of this city's best bar pop corn was to be had! We missed happy hour (4-8) but I still believe a $4 pint of a microbrew is a pretty great deal. The service has always been spot on here the numerous times I have dropped in after work, on the go or after a meeting. The atmosphere is very low key. The room is dark, a TV plays above the bar, music from a CD player skips in the background and a monthly art show hangs on the walls.
I heart the Gallery Lounge. Enjoy!
"My friends live a couple blocks away from this place..." - Tom Y. (From below).
I am one of those friends. And Gallery Lounge...I am a fan.
Not only is it 2 blocks from my apartment, but the drinks are cheap (esp. during happy hour M-F 4-8pm), the atmosphere is hip and relaxing, and the bartenders are extremely chill.
I've come here about 5 times now and each time I've had a solid time. The place is never too busy although sometimes a bit too empty. However, I usually get past that when I'm surrounded by good friends and I've got a few drinks in me.
Sometimes, the "hipper" and "classier" bars/clubs just don't do it for me. Sometimes, I just want to chillax and enjoy a beer or 2
...or 3
...or 4.
When that is all you need, then Gallery Lounge can be your salvation.
I went to the Gallery Lounge on a week night to catchup with a friend. It was around 10:30pm. When I got there, it was just me, my friend, his girlfriend, and an empty bar. Even the bartender was going in and out of the bar area. While I can see how this place is cool for a happy-hour type scenario, the experience I had was merely so-so. When I did order my drink, the bartender was very transactional and didn't say anything. Perhaps it was because of the time of day that I was here.
If I make it back here and have a different experience, I'll be sure to revise this review. Otherwise, I'd say don't come here after the happy hour time frame. Might as well just drink at home. By yourself.
You certainly won't see any "no diving" signs here. Kind of smallish, very dimly lit. My feeling on music: If its a club, loud is ok, you're not going to be discussing literary theory anyway. Anyplace else -- keep the volume low, you're there to converse. This place didn't quite understand the latter point.
A bit of a walking distance to other SOMA establishments, so if you're going to the Gallery you might get trapped in its gravitational field for the rest of the night.
My friends live a couple blocks away from this place and once we came here three nights in a row. Happy hour deals look great but I can never make it back in time from work for it. I think the paintings and art they display is very cool and the bartenders have always been great.
There was only one night where it was packed with a good sized crowd but usually it's been very quiet and empty. This last time we went they were playing a lot of very emo songs but it was still a fun drunken/buzzin night.
Maybe I just haven't gone on a good night?
Good service. Good music with a pretty laid back atmosphere. I give it the thumbs up.
Me and a friend stumbled into the Gallery a couple weeks ago completely lost.
Wow, I'm so glad I cannot read a map. We had too much fun here (from what I can remember) and Brenden the absolutely talented artist of a heavy handed drink maker bartender is AWESOME.
I cannot wait to get lost in the city again!
Gallery Lounge reminds me of Ricky Gervais' David Brent on The Office. GL takes itself far too seriously for a dark little dive bar and the results are hilarious. In a pathetic kind of way. It's laughable. I was actually told to keep my voice down in here on Friday. Dude, it's a BAR. It's Friday night. The place is packed. BITE ME. We showed up and there was some political agenda in place- some lady with a grating voice and thick accent shrieking into a mic that was spitting out all kinds of feedback and then some people dancing. You would have thought I killed someone's cat when I tried to walk around the "stage" to go to the restroom. Imagine! Having to pee after a few beers?!?! How vile. Oh yeah- did I mention the $10-$11 mediocre cocktails and the crazy long wait to order a drink or close out a tab?
I won't be back. And those two stars? They're for the doorman and the vodka shot girls- you guys are alright with me.
Full Disclosure: I took a job as a Bartender and now work here one night a week. (friday) but I stil love it, super fun place.
The gallery lounge gave me my first art show. I love them.
Thank you so much for giving me a chance…
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I first fell in love with the Gallery a couple years ago during a super-stressful streak at work. A friend and I would literally be at the bar every night, and were often the only ones there.
Since then, somewhat to my dismay, it has become a lot more popular! The staff is still what I consider to be the best in the city. Stiff drinks, super-attentive, and pretty good about keeping those popcorn bowls filled up.
Sometimes I wish I could go back to the days when the Gallery meant drunk bartenders, creepy art, and solitude at the bar, but I guess those days will just have to live on as happy memories. =)
This was a great space for a private party on a Saturday night.
It was intimate enough for our group of 30-40, and they poured a mean 16oz Long Island. The bartenders were super nice, and I think I even got my last round on the house. There's tons of parking around the corner on 5th street for the out-of-towners.
They swap out artwork every couple of weeks. It was nice, but definitely faux bar art; nothing too impressive.
The funniest / most interesting part of our party was that the hosts spread out a carton of Parliments out back on a party tray. They went like hotcakes.
My one neg was that the drinks, while stiff, were overpriced. $8 jager shots? That's really pushing the limits of what's reasonable.
Cool place otherwise.
And Max, if you're reading this the party got a clear 5+ stars in my book; the venue 4.
This probably the deadest, mellowest Saturday night bar experience I've had in the city. And that's how I like it. Great place to chill, drink, and chat.
This place is great for HH and even better for a private party! I just threw a private party for my bf's bday, and highly recommend renting the Gallery Lounge for a party. The staff was absolutely wonderful to work with - from my many emails with Mark in the month leading up to the event, to the great bartenders and friendly doorman/bartender - they really helped make the planning process seamless and our night was great.
A few things to note - the place is a nice, intimate size (good for about 100 people, maybe 120 max.), there is no space fee (only a bar tab minimum, which is AWESOME) and you can't have a DJ (but they're happy to play an iPod for you, which works for me). I'm not sure how the drinks are considered expensive? I thought they were very affordable (my drink of the night was blueberry stoli/soda, and I was definitely ok with my bill at the end). The bathrooms are super clean, which I also love.
When your group stays until closing, you know you picked the right place for a party. I will definitely throw another party at GL in the future.
Its a dark little dive bar which I love
the drinks are strong which I love (although they dont love me)
I was there for DYL last friday and met some great fellow yelpers although it was kind of mellow and dead (which i hear is unusual)
but there was a benefit for Burma going on and we were all kind of loud and boisterous when it was a more serious environment..
I would go back I just dont know if Id seek it out
Great happy hour spot in the SOMA/Mission Bay/Caltrain/Ballpark area.
Good drinks, great price, good music, and nice ambiance (dim lights). They also have a nice patio out back where people can chat better or have a smoke.
This place can get PACKED at night where you can't even find somewhere to sit.
I think on game nights, there is free food like hotdogs.
first things first. all you people wondering where the outdoor patio is...
go towards the bathrooms and make a left. its that door there. its super small and they keep the door closed to make sure the smell of smoke doesnt trinkle in....
ok now for the review.
came here for happy hour the other night with a couple of friends. really quaint and super intimate. not as much seating as i would like but i guess since its somewhat of an art gallery then you need to stand and observe ya know!
gosh i dont even remember the happy hour prices!!! hahahahaha! something like $3 beer of the day (mine was amstel...whatever), $4-$5 wells, and like $4 wines i think.
there were only about 3-4 groups including mine in there.
omg!!! AMAZING MUSIC! SO AWESOME!!!!!! i dont know the name of the bartender but i love him. he has cats and he said that this was one of his first days back from vacation or something like that. blazing saddles was on the tv but it was muted because his ipod was playing. such great songs. he played ESCAPADE by janet. AMAZING. he kept refilling our popcorn bowls. AMAZING. he kept asking us if we wanted refills. AMAZING. and my friend had a gin and tonic and trust, it was worth every penny. AMAZING.
come here for the happy hour if you wanna just have some good chats with your friends. whether it be large group or just a date. this place is great.
Neat little spot.
I enjoy the artwork and the friendly bartender, not so much the creepy zombie hanging above the bathrooms :|
It's slammed at happy hour, but it clears out later on -- nice for drinks and conversation. I just recently saw a sign that said something about a patio? How did I miss that? Will update if I find said mysterious place.
It's a nice dive bar. Good bumping music. Bartenders are sweet. If you are looking for a nice place to drink next to the ballpark. this is one.
Please note: I rarely give one star reviews, because rarely are there places where I am left completely disgusted by the experience.
But Gallery Lounge has some serious serious issues with customer service.
This is surprising because the owner (Mark) was wonderful to talk with on the phone. Seester was having her birthday and wanted somewhere cool but not uber-crowded on a Friday night. I know that Gallery Lounge is more of a happy hour destination, so we decided to go there. Mark said he would make sure that there was a section of seating for our group of 25-30 people, and if we wanted, we could bring in outside food or cake, and even bring in an iPod that they could hook up to their speaker system if we wanted. He was gracious, returned my calls quickly, was professional and I felt confident that we were going to have a good time.
We got there, and I'd been there before, so I wasn't surprised at the layout and everything started off without a hitch. We had ample seating, everyone is mingling, we are the only people in the bar, but we're 30 of us, so it's fine. There are two bartenders at the bar, one guy named Jeremy (wearing a hat, had tattoos) who had such a surly and unfriendly attitude that I felt like I had to have some horrendous BO or something. I mean, people just aren't like that, right? The other one, a shorter lady, Angie, pretty much stayed on the other side of the bar that night, again despite the fact that we were pretty much THE ONLY PEOPLE IN THE BAR. So really, I only blame her for being unattentive - not the worst trait in the world, but not the best either.
But this Jeremy guy. Jeremy is the reason for this ONE STAR REVIEW.
I'm at the bar with my cousin, who doesn't drink and is quite sober. I'm still doing Operation Be Good to Myself, although now I've renamed it Operation Be Good to Myself At Times and Behave Myself When I'm Not Good To Myself. I'm a pragmatist, you know. I order my drink.
Me: Can I get a double vodka collins?
Jeremy [bartender]: Sure. That's $14.
Me: Ok, cool, can you put it on my tab.
Cousin: Eddo, that drink was 14 bucks?
Me [thinking yes, that does seem pricy]: Excuse me, this drink was 14 bucks?
Jeremy [rolls eyes]: Uh, YES. You ordered a double.
Me: So a single vodka collins is 7 bucks?!
Jeremy [heaves audible sigh]: Well, you wanted Ketel One, right?
Me: Um, NO. I ordered a double vodka collins.
Jeremy: Well, what kind of vodka do you WANT?
Me: Um, Well.
With that, he took the drink he already made, looked like he was gonna throw it on me, gave me the most horrible look of pure disgust and hatred, and then walked away and made a well double vodka collins.
EXCUSE ME. I have been going to bars like every night of my life for the past 4 years, ok. WHEN YOU DON'T SPECIFY THE LIQUOR IT MEANS YOU WANT TO ORDER WELL. I am not a bartender. I should not be telling a bartender this. And DON'T FUCKING TRY TO UPSELL ME BECAUSE I AM DRUNK AND STUPID. Also, BE NICE TO US BECAUSE WE ARE YOUR ONLY CUSTOMERS ON A FRIDAY NIGHT AND WE'RE NOT MEAN OR RUDE OR OBNOXIOUS.
I really wish I were an angry person, because I really want to write a much harsher and angrier review. Because this review won't get any UFCs because I am just too upset to even think about anything creative to say. But believe me, my blood is boiling right now just thinking about my experience. GAH!!!!!
Mark - you seem like a great guy and the Gallery Lounge is a decent place, so I am sad about the plague this bartender has brought upon your business. He is immoral, disrespectful, rude, surly, and above all, EXPLOITATIVE AND A CHEATER TO YOUR CUSTOMERS. Everytime I've been to Gallery Lounge, there has *always* been an issue with service amongst my group, so I am scared that this might be a reflection of or endemic of the ownership. But really, PEOPLE DON'T LIKE GETTING OBVIOUSLY RIPPED OFF. And thanks to my sober cousin, YOUR BARTENDER JEREMY GOT CAUGHT DOING IT. And that's the fucking end of that.
===
Edit: I've changed it to two stars. The owner, Marc, contacted me, and the guy is a real professional and an honest man. I haven't been back yet, so my experience is still soured, but I still want to give kudos to a classy guy and a nice establishment that I unfortunately had a couple bad experiences at.
If the patio is opened, it's a great place to have a been outside on a rainy day... if it's not, then his place is sometimes fun, sometimes completely empty and cold. I'm on the fence.
Unwind post-work with a pint of Fat Tire or Stella. Super clean bathrooms, a bartender who's on top of it and my personal measure of a serious drinking establishment - hooks to hang your coat underneath the bar (I'm of the belief that every bar top should have coat hooks beneath it.)
I could easily become a regular at this SoMA spot.
Was just there for a small get-together of co-workers. The music was meh, the gallery part wasn't much of a gallery (although the paper mache of a person hanging from the ceiling was a neat touch). I wasn't there to drink, but was still completely unimpressed with my overpriced diet Coke, which was completely watered down, in a small paltry glass that was filled with ice. Three sips and it was pretty much gone. Not to mention my husband had his drink *in his hand* and someone who worked there actually stood with an open hand wanting to take it away. And he was *still drinking* and quite obviously so given he was holding the glass and drinking from a straw. WTF?
Anyway, the atmosphere wasn't bad and yeah, it's a place you go to drink not for not-drinking like I was doing tonight. I think Mars is a bit better.
Man, us guys are predictable creatures. I mean, it's not rocket science - if an establishment features a cute waitress/bartender, we're gonna take notice of that. And if said cute waitress/bartender is, in fact, drop-dead gorgeous, then everything else about the establishment would have to be damn near awful to prevent us from recalling the experience as enjoyable.
So having said that, The Gallery Lounge pretty much knocks it out of the park for being, aside from reasons above, comfortable, intimate, aesthetically pleasing (the art on the walls is very cool), and the drinks are muy bien. Plus, I like how it's kinda hidden deep in SOMA, and it's the kind of place you can go to on any occasion. The only reason I'm refraining from 5 stars is actually totally unfair - I went there for a work party and everything was paid for as we shut the bar down. So I can't give it a completely accurate review because of that. Screw it, it gets 5, this isn't life or death...
Returned this past week and happy hour actually runs from 4-8...still serving the popcorn and still good times after work.
Awesome bartenders and a happy hour that runs from 4 - 9! What's not to love about the extended… Read more »
Gallery Lounge is fantastic, located in SOMA without the SOMA nastiness that befalls such bars as Club Lux and Loft 11.
I've held two private parties at this location and both were fantastic. Gallery lounge has a wonderful ambiance that caters to all folks. There is so much room for everyone to sit if they want, stand around if they want, and the bar stretches the length of the building so everyone has room to stand and wait for a drink. In addition, the bartenders that they have are both nice and hot. :) We were allowed to bring our own music, decorations and/or food if we so desired.
GREAT place for after-work drinks and an even better place for private parties.
2 and 1/2 stars for offering Chimay and Duvel.
2 and 1/2 stars for the hot dogs.
Done and done.
My old job is located a block from The Gallery and I still have a lot of friends there so I've stopped by here for drinks. Drinks are cheap and the spot is very cool. It's definitely a cool place to stop by after work for a beer. I'm planning on going back again soon.
I'm so glad I found this place!! After literally spending half the day complaining about the Hotel-Restaurant-style bars in SOMA, Gallery Lounge comes along and proves me wrong.
Great, happy, service - no "too cool" attitude - in fact when I asked for some diet coke because my drink was too strong, our bartender served it up cheerfully. I love popcorn and they'll hook you up all night.
The crowd was great - maybe people who work in SOMA who want a nice drink without pretense, attitude or overpriced cocktails.
I'm a fan! And I'm bringing my friends!
I always have a good time at Gallery - it's never crowded, the bartenders are cool and attentive, the drinks are strong, the seats are comfortable, the music is great (last night's DJ was especially good), and the crowd is chill. Not to mention the art, which is usually interesting.
Great place to meet up before or after dinner in SOMA (it's on the same block as COCO 500, down the street from Bacar, Koh Samui & the Monkey, and the Brickhouse) or for a late-night gathering.
Tried the Daddy's Little Girl cocktail just for the name, instead of my usual gimlet. Tasted a bit like liquid jello. Felt it.
It's true that there is a disproportionate number of men to women here - why is that? Not that I'm complaining...
The shape of the place (long and lean) and the music gave me flashbacks to past nights at Liquid. Without the dancing. Girls, you may be just what this bar needs.
I was looking forward to checking out this happy hour spot not far from my office and headed there at 4pm with my guy on a recent Friday. They weren't open yet, even though I could see a chalkboard sign inside that said their happy hour was from 4pm-9pm. We waited out front and a few minutes later other patrons joined us. I understand that things happen and the person opening could have gotten held up. I think he eventually showed up at about 4:15. I'm glad that he ended up being a good bartender who poured a stiff drink and offered us popcorn. We were there for a little over an hour and it was pretty dead, but we enjoyed ourselves. Interesting art on the walls (both good and bad). A good place if you want to be able to talk to your companions and aren't looking for a scene.
P.S. I'm also a fan of the hooks under the bar- an extra half star for that (invisible but there in spirit).
Riddle me this: the art on the walls is not that great, if you took the art away, the space would be sort of a red version of a cheap office retrofit (uh, if your office has a fully stocked bar, that is), but on the whole, it all works to create a cozy, comfortable place that I really liked. I guess the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts.
Drinks were tasty and the service, friendly. The music is loud enough to be heard, but not too loud to talk over, and the space neither too crowded nor too empty-- call me old, but I like a place where I can get a seat (but I'm young enough to not want to be the only one in the place). Plus, they let us order in pizza and gave us the number to call. How nice is that? The location, while far from sexy, is very convenient for meeting people driving/Caltraining from the south bay.
It all works for me. I'll be back!
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