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Shakin' your culi! Where to go fuel up ... and where to work it off
Our friends at Tu Ciudad Magazine LA have made the rounds and offer the best spots to check out!
ARENA NIGHTCLUB
This former ice factory is cavernous and often associated with the city’s biggest Latin gay nights, but it also features up-tempo DJ parties for mixed crowds, male-dance revues for women, and one-off concerts.
6655 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, 323-462-1291, www.arenanightclub.com.
AVALON
The area’s premier super club serves up house, techno, and trance DJs on Saturdays for Avaland and concerts many weeknights, not to mention dining at in-house restaurant Honey and celeb sightings at the adjacent Spider Club.
1735 N. Vine St. Hollywood, 323-462-8900, www.avalonhollywood.com.
BASQUE
At the site of defunct club Deep, Basque is in the same vein—a go-go-driven pick-up scene with mainstream musical sensibilities as part of the mix. Bring a camera and say cheese.
1707 N. Vine St. (at Hollywood Boulevard), Hollywood, 323-464-1654, www.basquehollywood.com. CAFÉ-CLUB FAIS DO-DO
This bohemian venue is a solid bet for up-and-coming Latin, Brazilian, indie hip-hop, funk and soul bands. Go early: They usually roll up the sidewalk by the a.m. It’s a tough neighborhood.
5257 W. Adams Blvd., Los Angeles, 323-954-8080,www.faisdodo.com.
CAFE SEVILLA
A bustling downtown San Diego tapas bar and dance club has opened a Long Beach location that has a Latin music policy and an upscale vibe. Overpriced bottle service gets you a table.
140 Pine Ave., Long Beach, 562-495-1111, www.cafesevilla.com.
CIRCUS DISCO
A warehouse of a club, Circus has been a longtime haunt for Saturday-night ravers who like their beats fast and their DJs European. On the same site as Arena, Circus also hosts Latino-flavored gay and lesbian on the same sight as Arena.
6655 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, 323-462-1291,www.circusdisco.com.
THE ECHO
This no-frills music box serves up leftfield, DJ-spun music somewhere between punk and electronic most weekends, with occasional hip-hop and live bands. It also hosts Dub Club on Wednesdays.
1822 Sunset Blvd., Echo Park, 213-413-8200, www.attheecho.com.
EL CID
Early in the evening, this eatery hosts flamenco shows, after which DJs take over, playing rockabilly, salsa, or house music.
4212 W. Sunset Blvd., Silverlake, 323-668-0318, www.elcidla.com.
EL FLORIDITA
This Cuban restaurant by day turns into a salsa Mecca at night, complete with Johnny Polanco’s Monday jam sessions and swinging Latin bands Saturdays.
1253 N. Vine St., Hollywood, 323-871-8612, www.elfloridita.com.
ELEMENT
An 8,000-square-foot, two-dance-floor spot smack dab in the middle of Hollwood club-land with the sizzling velvet ropes du jour.
1642 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood, 323-460-4632, www.elementhollywood.com.
FAÇADE
The venue formerly known as Ivar has one of the area’s cleanest, most modern interiors, and a new second-level VIP room. It has also received a marketing makeover.
6356 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-465-4827,www.facadehollywood.com.
FORBIDDEN CITY
The venue formerly known as Ivar has one of the area’s cleanest, most modern interiors, and a new second-level VIP room. It has also received a marketing makeover.
1718 N. Vine St., Hollywood, 323-461-2300.
KEY CLUB
Bright lights, a deep dance floor and a massive, Times Square-like marquee greet visitors to this Sunset Strip mainstay, which features diverse acts, from metal to hip-hop to electronic.
9039 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 310-274-5800, www.keyclub.com.
KING-KING
This Latino-owned dance club is a DJ-culture spot (techno star John Tejada spins there) as well as a Tuesday-night oasis for salsa fans.
6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-960-5765, www.kingkinghollywood.com.
LA CITA
This old downtown ranchero bar has been co-opted by hipsters who added indie DJs. They wisely left the plush red accoutrements in place, and you can still spot a few cowboy hats at happy hour. ¡Orale.!
336 S. Hill St., Downtown L.A., 213-687-7111.
LAX
The velvet-rope scene is certainly hotter than the salsa they used to serve when this was a Mexican restaurant. Our Latino on the scene, Matt Colon, helps organize Saturday nights for promoter-to-the-stars BoJesse Christopher.
1714 N. Las Palmas Ave., Hollywood, 323-464-0171, www.laxhollywood.com.
LITTLE TEMPLE
This cozy spin-off of Santa Monica’s Temple Bar brings jazzy and indie-leaning hip-hop DJs to Silver Lake. Wear your designer kicks. It’s like that.
6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-960-5765, www.littletemple.com.
MAMA JUANA´S
The stage is small, but Mama Juana’s thinks big—as in big bands. With local salsa luminary Johnny Polanco holding down a night and dance lessons available, this Latino-owned venue is the Valley’s premier place to tame your Afro-Cuban fever.
3707 Cahuenga Blvd., Studio City, 818-505-8636, www.mamajuanas.com.
THE MAYAN
It’s in need of an upgrade, but this 1927 deco classic done in high Mayan style is still one of the nicest big clubs in the city, and salsa nights, rock en espanol concerts, and superstar DJ appearances prove it.
6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-960-5765, www.clubmayan.com.
THE MOR BAR
Mor is a small room that’s decorated in a Moroccan style and has visionary DJ bookings. Go see the techno-crazed Moontribe spinners on $2 Tuesdays.
2941 Main St., Santa Monica, 310-455-6720, www.themorbar.com.
NACIONAL
One of the first New Hollywood hot-spots, Nacional is now passé if you’re a Hilton sister, but that just means that the debs, celebs and paparazzi have moved on, leaving you to enjoy the music, especially at its lauded, progressive-dance showcase, Monday Social.
1645 Wilcox Ave., Hollywood, 323-962-7712.
QC´S 20/20
This Eastside institution, which is housed at Montebello’s Quiet Cannon, is a proper big club with Vegas-style lighting and a massive dance floor. It’s also home of the iconic “cha-cha” girl.
901 N. Via San Clemente, Montebello, 323-724-4500, www.qcs2020.com.
VANGUARD
The owners transformed a one-time warehouse (and rave spot) into one of the city’s better big rooms, treating more than 1,000 club-goers to a Funktion One sound system and Zen-inspired outdoor patio. House-music legend Marques Wyatt goes Deep on Sundays.
6021 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, 323-463-3331, www.vanguardla.com.
V20
This 30,000-square-foot venue is one of Southern California’s shiniest, newest super-clubs. Too bad the music rarely strays from hip-hop and eighties.
81 Aquarium Way, Long Beach, 866-402-5828, www.v20longbeach.com.
ZANZIBAR
This Santa Monica dance box is one of the premier DJ-driven venues in the area. Afro Funke’s “Afroboogie ritual” happens Thursdays
1301 5th St, Santa Monica, 310-451-2221, www.zanzibarlive.com. 
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