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The 7 Best Places To Salsa Dance In NYC

Kevin Whipple / © Culture Trip
Kevin Whipple / © Culture Trip
Hailing originally from Latin America, salsa is an energetic form of dance that became popular in New York City during the 1970s, and it has since become integrated into local culture. On the weekends, salsa dance enthusiasts frequent lively and atmospheric clubs to show off their moves. There’s no better time to perfect your skill set than during the summer months when things heat up in NYC. We profile our ten favorite places to salsa dance in New York.

Gonzalez y Gonzalez
Music Venue

Dimly lit and atmospheric Gonzalez y Gonzalez brings the best of Miami’s energetic South Beach vibe to New York City. Whether you’re an amateur or an advanced salsa dancer, patrons of all skill sets flock to bust a move to Latin tunes is this club each week. If you’re new to salsa dancing, partake in an in-house lesson beforehand and get ready to show off.

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Accessibility & Audience:

Adults Only

Atmosphere:

Loud, Crowded

Club Cache
Music Venue
Club Cache is an elegant yet buzzing venue for salsa dancing at the southern tip of Midtown Manhattan. Club Cache gets particularly crowded on weekends at around midnight, when salsa enthusiasts from all over the city pour in to showcase their intricate moves. Offering salsa and bachata nights as well as free lessons for aspiring salsa dancers, this is a fantastic place to discover or celebrate your passion.
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Accessibility & Audience:

Adults Only

Atmosphere:

Loud, Crowded

Guantanamera
Restaurant, Bar, Cuban, $$$

Guantanamera is a Latin-inspired dance club where both salsa and cigar aficionados can savor an authentic Cuban meal before heading to the dance floor. The intense atmosphere attracts a diverse crowd of mixed ages and backgrounds, which makes this venue even more fun. ‘If it’s authentic Cuban music you’re looking for, the best starting point is probably Guantanamera’, raves the New York Times.

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Meal service:

Lunch, Dinner

Atmosphere:

Casual, Traditional

The Village Underground
Bar, American, $$$
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Thatdance

Come early to savor the live band performances at The Village Underground before heading down to the dance floor. Celebrity guests like Mariah Carey, Chaka Kahn, Prince, and Jamie Foxx have been known to frequent this trendy establishment, so come on over to see and be seen.

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Bembe
Bar, Nightclub, Pub Grub, $$$

Featuring a lively mix of DJ remixes and live bands with additional drummers for unbeatable rhythms, Bembe is a sexy, dimly-lit club that is perfect for salsa dancing. It’s small in size, so it gets crowded by midnight, but that’s all part of the Bembe experience. So cozy up to your fellow dancers and get down to the sounds of Latin America and the Caribbean all night long.

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SOB's
Nightclub, Bar, Restaurant, Brazilian, Pub Grub, $$$$
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David Zepeda - 2012 Montreal Salsa Convention - Pro-Am Libertad | © David and Paulina ./Flickr | David and Paulina ./Flickr

Hot salsa dancing and cold drinks characterize the SOB’s experience. An abbreviation of Sounds of Brazil, countless salsa professionals flock to SOB’s to showcase their impressive skills. The venue specializes in Latin, Haitian, Brazilian, Caribbean, R&B, hip-hop, and world music, so escape NYC for an evening.

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Mehanata Bulgarian Bar
Bar, Nightclub, Pub Grub, $$$
Lower East Side

Lower East Side | © Michael Raich/Flickr

Bulgarian bar and club Mehanata exudes an extraordinary ambiance with live bands and DJs. The bar itself is a remarkable experience with swinging seats, while patrons can also enjoy a dance floor and a subzero ice cage downstairs. Mehanata is always crowded on the weekends, but one visit here and you’ll see why.

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