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Alberto's Night Club
Categories: Nightlife Dance Clubs Arts & Entertainment Performing Arts Dance Clubs, Performing Arts [Edit]
736 W Dana StMountain View, CA 94041
(650) 567-9670
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- Yes
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ages Allowed:
- 21+
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
49 reviews for Alberto's Night Club
Review Highlights
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"thursday night salsa lessons are da bomb." In 10 reviews -
"The instructor, Pantea, was great." In 17 reviews -
"on live band evenings." In 8 reviews
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49 reviews in English
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Review from Amy C.
Newark, CA
5/24/2012 3 Check-ins Here
Mi nuevo amor......is....... Alberto's!! :D
I've been here three times so far- Salsa on Thurs nights which is amazingly fun! Then I went to the Bachata last night for the first time. I got a taste of Bachata last Thursday with this one dude & it got me intrigued to go to a Bachata night to really learn it.
$10 cover which is definitely worth it cause you get the lesson & dancing the night away~
Parking is pretty easy. There's two parking lots nearby & street- free.
I'm going to try to come once a week or once every two wks. Just soo much fun & I JUST FREAKIN LOVE IT. :)
Everyone's pretty friendly. It does get pretty crowded & sometimes end up wacking someone while dancing. But that's just how it is.
(Thanks to Chris K. for taking me to this place; Otherwise, I would have never known about Alberto's. So kudos to you! Muchas gracias~) -
Review from Angie I.
4/6/2012
Pros:
Pantea's dances are fun and they look so professional
You can drop in any week, since the classes don't build upon one another
Cons:
The class is very crowded in the middle and very empty at the beginning and end.
The classes always start late
It's club dancing so the bachata is pretty touchy!
They charge a LOT for water!! -
Review from Leslie S.
Mountain View, CA
12/24/2011
I LOVE Alberto's. I go here at least once a week. Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays are salsa nights, Wednesdays are bachata nights, Sundays and Mondays are tango nights, and Saturdays are "rock en espanol."
I've only been Tues-Fri. My favorite night is bachata night, but the salsa nights are AWESOME too. Great crowd, great dancers, friendly bartenders. I've been to the bachata class and the Thurs night salsa class. Both were great (Pantea's a great teacher), but they're pretty much the same every week, so I recommend going once, getting the basics, and then practice, practice, practice the rest of the night with the amazing dancers, and you'll get really good really fast.
$10 cover, which I think is totally worth it. Drinks are average prices. Music is always good, and they are great about focusing the music on whatever type that night is, but then sprinkling in some other stuff (but not TOO much, so if it's Weds and you want to practice bachata, you will). There are a lot of regulars here, so if you come often, you'll make more friends who you can go dancing with!
A+. Recommended. Period. -
Review from Joe M.
Palo Alto, CA
3/21/2012
nice music
killer place -
Review from Xue H.
Updated - 6/8/2011
Ok, I really don't know now. They teased me with some nice songs one night and now it's back to romantica 24/7--it's not even good romantica.
I don't know how they managed to do it, but they probably put all my most hated salsa songs onto one playlist yesterday, and I could feel myself regressing and getting worse with each step. And possibly others too, since at least 4 people I danced with were not on any particular timing. Sorry, but the music really affects my dancing and while I envy those who can look great and dance to anything, I really have to feel the music. When I don't, it's just bad times for all. I understand some people really like romantica, but really you have to cater to everyone and at least put a few good latin jazzy songs in there, or at least good romantica. My friend loves romantica and didn't even like the songs.
I don't know what trend the music is, but if it's anything like last night again, I probably won't try again even though I love love love the people there :( It just makes me so sad. Although the group I usually go with acknowledges that whenever I don't go, the music is decent. So by not going, I will sacrifice myself and bestow good music upon all, so ignore this review.4 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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4/10/2011
Pantea started playing some new stuff from her music collection that is not the usual romantica they… Read more »
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Review from Kai Y.
Cupertino, CA
5/17/2011
I've been there for Tango classes only. I liked the beginning class initially, since the teacher Marcello was engaging, passionate and patient. I really like him as a teacher. I fell in love with Tango instantly because of him. You can feel his passion for the music, the dance and the essence of Tango.
However, pretty much the same content is covered every week for the beginner class. It might be good for drop-in students, since they won't feel overwhelmed if it's their first class. It might not be good for regular students who want to advance.
The people there in the classes are mostly friendly. Occasionally you will run into people who're arrogant, manipulative or even rude against the etiquette of dancing. Even that doesn't seem to spoil the enjoyment of Tango for me. :)
I will probably drop by once in while just to tango and see Marcello, since he is such a respectable Tango teacher. -
Review from Megan O.
Cupertino, CA
1/15/2011
I am 100% gringa, and I had a blast here.
My husband and I went on a Friday night for the salsa lessons starting at 8pm. The cover charge was $10. We paid cash, but I'm not sure if that's the ONLY form of payment they take.
The club was clean and arranged to create very intimate spaces around the large dance floor.
The lesson was very fun! The beginner lesson at 8:00 started a little more like 8:15pm. My husband and I were able to pick up on the moves pretty well. The instructor, Pantea, was great! The dance floor wasn't too crowded, which was nice, but still enough people to feel comfortable.
You rotate partners every 30 seconds or so, which I think would be a little hard. My husband and I did not participate in the rotating. I feel like we're still trying to learn each other's steps!
Yes, you have to pay for bottled water, but we had read about that on the reviews here, and so we brought money for that.
The intermediate class was much harder (for us). We eventually decided to sit it out, and then when the social dancing started, we joined in and just did our basic moves, while more experienced dancers WOWed us!!! It was super fun, though.
Parking felt pretty limited on a Friday night, but we were able to find a nearby parking structure. Pretty packed, though, so be aware, it might take you a little bit to find parking.
The neighborhood around the club was also very fun: lots of restaurants, musicians...a very downtown feel, without sketchiness. -
Review from Juan A.
San Mateo, CA
11/13/2010
Albertos has changed a lot since I visited it for Rock En Espanol about 2-3 years ago! It looks great, the bar is nice and spacious BUT the bathrooms need some help.
The salsa scene there is mostly of an middle age/older crowd ranging from late 20's to late 40's. I felt a bit young along side my girlfriend, but people seemed to be really respectful and welcoming.
I don't expect a lot from a salsa club really.. just a good dj and friendly people who love to dance and Albertos Night Club has exactly that!
Lastly, if you want to learn.. pay 10 bucks and get 2 salsa classes and dance the night away after 10pm.
I would go again, soon... -
Review from J C.
Palo Alto, CA
2/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
This review is for the SALSA options ONLY -- Tuesdays ($6 student/$10 else I think), Thursdays ($10), and Fridays ($15).
Friendliness: 5/5
Skill level: 2/5 (lower is not bad, just means there's more beginner/intermediates).
Music: heavily Salsa Romantica, with 1/3-1/4 of songs being Bachata and Merengue
Gender balance: feels 55-45 men-women... it can get a li'l bit sausage-y at times. :-/
I love, Love, LOVE the dancer community here. With super regulars like David Bistry who actively promote a social experience by dancing with EVERYONE around the club, newcomers don't feel left out and old vets who have outgrown the skill level of the place still come back just for the warmth. Speaking of which...
This is generally a beginner-intermediate level spot. Pantea teaches some nice moves for learners and is good at keeping it at a pace where most of the class can absorb it well. Tu/Th lessons are 715-815 (beginner), 815-930 (intermediate), with social dancing that typically goes till midnight (later on Fridays).
If David's around, you'll find the signature "electric slide" being danced by the regulars around midnight. FUN!Listed in: Salsa options from a…
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Review from Farrah F.
Updated - 4/23/2011
We returned! :O For my birthday. I feel like a dinosaur.
Just kiddin'.
We got here at around 8 p.m. this time and stayed til around 2. Apparently, the student discount only applies on Tuesdays. The beginner lessons started at 7:30, I think, but we managed to catch the tail end of it, as well as the intermediate lesson, which started at 8:30(?). The instructors are pretty awesome, and make everything look completely effortless and graceful. I think it's harder to learn if you're not in the rotating circle, if only because it's just really hard to see the instructors when there are so many people. But man, they have impressive moves.
I'm not sure if there is an actual official closing time, because they seem to continue playing music until everyone's gone, or done dancing and about to leave. The people there are friendly and other than what I hope to be an accidental butt-graze, there was no one sleazy. People seem to be there to really actually dance, instead of to meat-market someone off the floor. (Whatta relief. :O )
I had a whole lotta fun here, and would definitely recommend this place to others. :] They have a bunch of chairs and really comfortable couches to sink into if your feet happen to be killing you (guess who isn't used to wearing heels? :[ it's the only piece of information I took away from my biomechanics class, haha). The bathrooms are also clean, which is always a plus. :OListed in: Outside/Going Places
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/26/2011
Due to a couple complications, we got here at 11 p.m. on a Tuesday night and effectively missed both… Read more »
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Review from Edgar N.
11/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
So, I had a conversation with my parents recently and I mentioned how there were so few Latinos in Sunnyvale & Mountain View, in stark comparison to my hometown (San Diego).
Well, I recanted that statement the next day, because I found where they hang out at on weekends: Alberto's Night Club.
This isn't a bad club experience if you're into Latin music. The DJ mixed it up and threw down plenty of latin pop, merengue, and even some Top 40 for good measure. It sounded like every wedding & "quinceañera" I'd ever been to, which always makes for a great party vibe. The people indeed were having a great time. Working class folks and engineer types were mixing it up and partying together. Drink prices weren't bad at all, either.
What made this a two star place? Why wouldn't this be a three star review, you ask? I'll tell ya. A $15 cover on a Saturday night.
Seriously.
I'd have expected that if they had a touring DJ that night or it was a special occasion. Speaking as a sometimes-club promoter, even I acknowledge that's high. -
Review from Kathy S.
1/14/2010
PeiPei... you summarized this place in 1 word: CREEPY
I dropped by on a Thursday evening as a friend told me she'd be here and I was always curious about the Thurs. night Salsa lessons.
Lame Mountain View crowd full of Engineers? Check
Disproportionate male to female ratio? Check
Switching partners every 20 seconds and highly disorganized? Check
I have never met so many nervous guys in my life! I mostly came here to break my commute up and skip the traffic. I would have been much better off enduring the commute.
*pats self on back* I am so proud of myself for giving this a shot. Unfortunately it lived up to my expectations but I still feel like a better person for trying it out before judging it! -
Review from Sunil R.
3/19/2010
Dozens of trapped men yearningly looking at the door and freedom. Women triumphant in getting their boyfriends and husbands over to a Salsa class as part of their plans to make them their perfect partner. I lie...there were a few guys who looked happy to be there... the single guys who were probably there with other intentions. ;-)
Pantea was good, I am sure she has done this many times and was very enthusiastic and engaging. The down side was that they make you change partners every minute. It is hard enough to learn when you are with 1 partner through out and it makes it harder when you have to adjust to a new partner every minute. Other things I noticed...the fans seemed to be swinging pretty fast above our head and reminded me of a potential scene from Final Destination. Coat check was $2 and they don't have tap water and bottled water is $2.50.
All jokes aside, this place is good. They have a good mix of patrons who seemed friendly and this is a good place to Salsa. -
Review from Lise B.
Mountain View, CA
3/22/2008
I've gone to the Tuesday and Thursday beginning salsa lessons, and it's always a lot of fun. You learn a lot, too. I have two left feet, but can still keep up and always have a great time.
Pantea, the energetic teacher, usually arrives about half an hour late, but if you know that, you just relax and have a drink first, or come a little late yourself. The lesson runs long, so you really get your money's worth ($10.- on regular nights, $15.- on live band evenings...though the band doesn't show up till later). You can even stay for the intermediate level class. I stayed once but it was waayy too challenging for me. I'll have to go to only the beginning classes for a while first... -
Review from Peipei P.
Menlo Park, CA
4/17/2009
If you're looking to learn Latin dance and don't want to drive to the city, Alberto's is a good place to go. Pantea is a great instructor for those who have some light knowledge of a Latin dance and want to progress quickly in the lesson. She's clear, succinct and offers a fun routine for various levels.
However, the people -- men and women -- at Alberto's can be a bit sketchy. Actually, a better word might be sleazy. While there are great dancers and fun people looking to make new friends and dance together, there are also a handful of people that make you feel creepy enough to demote this place to 3 stars.
If you want to go, just bring a couple of friends and shrug off the creepiness factor. Consider it part of the cover. -
Review from Trudy H.
7/16/2010 1 Check-in Here
I danced salsa prior to moving to California so I wanted to try somewhere here. To be honest, most salsa venues are clouded with immaturity, cliques and drama. Read any online salsa forum to confirm.
Bad news first. The class structure is ridiculous. One instructor with greater than 20 couples on the floor is outrageous. Someone needs to actually be watching the students and make sure that they are getting the steps correct. That, plus practice is the only way to improve. The atmosphere felt cliquish and sophomoric, but most salsa venues feel that way so no problem there. I didn't bother participating in classes but just watched and talked with a friend since I've already learned how to dance.
The good news. The cover was $10 which was not too bad and covers the beginner and intermediate classes as well as social dancing afterwards. The DJ is superb. I love a salsa venue that actually plays salsa and not reggaeton, bachata and merengue the entire time. Salsa played a good 90% of the time I was there and great cuts like Lavoe's El Cantante.
I give it an average rating of a 3 as the bad and good weighed each other out. I am not dying to go there again unless I have a partner I go with to dance to great cuts from a good DJ and pretty much ignore everything else. -
Review from Karen Y.
Seattle, WA
4/3/2008
Just went with a couple of friends to Thursday nights beginning salsa lesson. It's a good thing I've already taken a couple of salsa lessons or I think I may have been lost.
The teacher was pretty upbeat and kept the rhythm going but she didn't stop too long before moving on to the next move. She just verbally instructed, showed the step by herself, demonstrated it a second time with her partner and it was onto the move with music. It's comprehensive but very fast paced and leaves all the leaders (men) kind of fumbling about believing they're leading correctly.
I also thought there was a bit too much switching of the partners. I believe the intention is so the men aren't left dancing too long without a female partner due to the uneven ratio but having to switch every 45 seconds can be quite annoying. All the 'switching' time could have been spent on dancing!
There are better places to learn if you're looking for more guidance and open space to practice but a good place overall if you're just looking for a place to dance with friends. -
Review from Mona W.
3/4/2010 2 photos
Came here for Friday Salsa night with a group. $13 dollar cover charge included 2 hours of lessons (1hr Beginner + 1 hr Intermediate) and live band music afterward.
The beginner lesson was good. It is a bit strange to have to switch partner every 30 seconds. When we got to the intermediate lesson I was quite lost. The instructor was teaching some pretty advanced moves.
To my surprise there seem to be no shortage of male partners at this place. It got quite crowded after a while though. I wish the venue is bigger. There were quite a few advanced dancers which is nice. I enjoy watching even I can't really dance. I will probably go back there again on a less crowded weekday.Listed in: Let's Dance!
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Review from Crystal L.
Sunnyvale, CA
5/27/2009
Albertos is the closest reputable salsa club to my house. Whenever I come down with some latin dance fever (or, should I say, cuando me entra la fiebre de bailar (?) ) I dance it out here. For you more experienced dancers, there is some quality dancing to be had here, but you will have to wait for the folks from the beginner's lesson to peter out. I'd say the dancing really picks up at about 9:30-10pm and starts to die out at about 11:30 or so. The club actually has a fair-sized crowd of regulars, some of whom I have also seen at other venues like Starlite and Club Kokomo.
Pantea is great if you have already taken a few classes or are at an intermediate level. She teaches a fast lesson, which is exhilarating if you are tired of learning at a beginner's pace, and intimidating if you are not. If you feel frustrated, don't give up! You may feel like you aren't getting much from her lessons, but it pays off in the end. I learned a lot about from her about how the dance feels and, after a few lessons, I was keeping up with her more than I ever though possible.
Now, to address the points of some other reviewers: I've never been to a salsa club that didn't have a few sketchy folk. Likewise, I've found pedantic dance partners everywhere. But I can almost always find a good time here, especially when I'm in the mood to ask a few strangers to dance. :)
For full disclosure purposes, this place gets docked to 4 stars for the following:
- They charge 2 or 3 $ for bottled water but don't serve water on tap. (This place is a bar - Is that legal?)
- The employees are sometimes rude.
But I don't really come for the service or the alcohol, so whatevs. :)
Note: If you are truly a beginner, I would recommend trying to find a series of classes taught at a local community center or dance studio. Trying to learn from a one-night lesson at a club can be very frustrating. -
Review from Aida V.
Half Moon Bay, CA
9/21/2010
Went last Wednesday - a couple of my friend's are regulars at Pantea's Bachata class...so I was "forced" into going ;)
I've never danced Bachata before - but did ok. It was a lot of fun and Pantea is a great instructor, but I don't think I would go again without a dance partner - the class structure with the men rotating just doesn't work for me. -
Review from Eamonn G.
San Francisco, CA
12/13/2009
I first came to this place in 2001. It was a bit spartan inside in those days. The lessons were pretty good, but the crowd would disappear very quickly after the lesson, it wasn't exactly the kind of place you'd want to hang out in. Gabriel was the teacher then, he would annoy me sometimes by not rotating partners in the intermediate lesson for goodness knows what reason, so if you didn't have a partner at the start of the lesson, you were screwed. I was so hacked off with it that I didn't come back for years.
I've returned lately and I now go there regularly. Gabriel has gone and his silent partner, Pantea, has taken over. She has really come into her own and grown a lot as a teacher. She injects a lot of fun into the proceedings, so even if you mess up it's still fun. The decor has improved and it now actually feels like a club inside. The crowd sticks around after the lesson nowadays, a lot of regulars have started arriving after the lesson, it peaks at around 10:30 and dissipates at about midnight. If the dance floor is too crowded for you, just give it half an hour and a bit of room will appear.
The atmosphere is great and it's very friendly. The male:female ratio is still about 2:1 but we guys get used to that. At least in this place the girls will dance with you and very few of them brush you off like some of the more snooty girls do in some places in the city. I remember some girls in Cocomo being downright rude to me at times while girls in Rocapulco would turn me down for a dance simply because they could, but that would never happen here.
Right now it's salsa on Tues, Thurs and Fri, with Bachata on Wednesday, all taught by Pantea. If you haven't gotten into bachata, you have to! Everyone is doing it and it's a lot of fun. -
Review from Jeff K.
Mountain View, CA
1/3/2008
I've only been to Alberto's on Monday nights (now the 2nd Sunday of each month) for R.A. Blues, a great blues dance night from 8pm to midnight. They have a good dance floor and stage for any live bands, along with a small seating area that overlooks the floor. Of course, it may be difficult to see when crowded. Sometimes the smoke from outside can snake its way in.
I haven't yet been on a salsa night. But, they're supposed to be good. A number of friends really enjoyed them several years ago. Someday.
Maybe 3.5 stars.
For R.A. Blues on 2nd Sunday nights, check out:
http://www.yelp.com/bi... -
Review from Liezl C.
Mountain View, CA
3/6/2009
Only reviewing the salsa lessons on Thursdays.
Pros:
-Pantea is a great and fun instructor: keeps the audience engaged and entertained, also includes styling so you don't look dumb and awkward
-She uses a mic, which makes things easier to hear since the room can fill up with nervous laughter (like my own)
-Enough males partners to go around!
-The place is spacious enough so you don't bump into other people
-When you need a break, you can drink a beer at the bar
Cons:
-I'm still a beginner so the class is a bit fast paced for me
-$10 cover...that can easily burn a hole in my wallet if I want to keep taking lessons
-Some of my partners made me feel pretty self-conscious, and correcting my mistakes. Maybe they were just trying to help me, but I'm vulnerable as a beginner!
Bottom Line: I've been here for the lessons 3 times already, but I never feel confident enough to join in on the free dance afterwards. Once I get better (by learning at another place), then I'll go back to Alberto's. It'll be more fun for more "advanced" people. -
Review from Jimmy B.
San Jose, CA
12/25/2005
Located just off the main strip of downtown Mountain View, Alberto's Nightclub offers salsa, swing, and spanish rock on a few nights within the week. Salsa instruction is offered on Thursday and Tuesdays.
The dance floor is fairly small, and is shaped like a triangle with the stage placement. The decor is standard, not too flashy and does not stand out.
Dance instruction for salsa is with some really good salsa dancers however the speed at which they teach can be overwhelming and discouraging to a lot of people just trying to start out.
Admission is $6.00 - $12.00. This review was provided by J Smooth Salsa. -
Review from Zain K.
3/23/2010
The 3* rating is sort of an average between what would have been 5* from 1999-2002 and what is only 2* since.
During the dot-com bubble years this was a second home to me and a lot of other dancers. I would buy a $50 monthly pass and come here after work (which was around 9 pm at the time) on Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, and Sunday for salsa (Wednesday was Lindy Hop, and Saturday was 'Rock en Espanol'). Alberto's was very popular at the time, and would have a packed house of good (and otherwise) dancers on those nights.
These days things are very different. There is still salsa on a couple of nights a week, but it's more or less a beginner's scene, where about 50-100 people show up for classes, dance a few songs after that, and leave the place effectively dead by 11p.
As for why this happened, I think it has less to do with the dot-com bust than with the management at the time (I believe there has since been a change or two), but that's another story for another time... -
Review from Kes D.
6/16/2009
This place has a nice variety of different things going on different nights of the week. Went on a Saturday and it was dance and then live Spanish-language rock.
Had a great time inebriated-ly pretending I knew the words. Decent drinks too, though they come in plastic cups (I guess that makes sense if you're dancing and such, no broken glass on the ground).
Cover was $10 last time I went, not too bad. -
Review from Oren P.
San Diego, CA
11/30/2011
Very popular local venue for salsa on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays and for bachata on Wednesdays. Some people only come on certain days while others come regular every chance they get. Either way, the place has a semi-family feel - which may be either desirable or not depending upon whether or not you are part of the "in" crowd. Either way, the people are basically friendly. There are a few very good dancers, but most people seem to be beginners. The first week I came was more fun than the second and I liked the salsa there more than the bachata. The music is mainly chosen and played by the woman who teaches classes there. It is not what I would choose - and one evening there was not a single song I liked. This was a great disappointment since I came back a third time specifically to dance with a woman I had met the week before and had fun with at other places. I'm not sure how I feel about going back. If I am in the area, I probably will, but would not go out of my way to do so if another place was an alternative.
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Review from Kari T.
San Jose, CA
3/10/2011
In my opinion, there aren't enough places to do social dancing in the bay area. I was greatly appreciative to find Alberto's. They even have tango nights which is even harder to find. I went for the salsa lesson and dancing on a Thursday night. The interior is beautiful. The hardwood dance floors are quality. I didn't once feel cracks or bends. The art work and furniture adds to the Latin flair of the place.
For the actual dance lesson, the beginner class was a lot of fun. It started with about 10 couples and grew into 30 couples as the night progressed. The moves that the instructor showed were fun and impressive looking without being too challenging. The instructor knew what she was doing and had a lively way of teaching. Unfortunately, teaching 60 people with a variety of levels is a daunting task and there were very few people who actually got the combination. The class was more about getting through the routine than actually teaching someone how to dance. As someone who has danced for many years, I had a wonderful time and really enjoyed learning some new moves for my repertoire. My review of the intermediate class is the same but it was even more challenging because the number of people doubled so it became difficult to see. Despite that I had a lot of fun and will definitely be going back.Listed in: Mountain View Date Nights
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Review from Parham A.
Santa Monica, CA
5/31/2006
located in downtown Mountain View. they have salsa nights on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have been there 6 or 7 times and each time, there were at least 20% more men than women! that really means that men have to wait for their turn for a long time.
the teacher, Pantea, is good. she teaches beginner and intermediate salsa there. I believe they have advance sessions as well once in awhile. what I have noticed at Alberto's is that many first timers and beginners take intermediate classes. it's just not good! there is something else that should be improved and that's the rotation time. right now is around 20 seconds before you change your partner. that's too short. the average age is around 30-35. I can't be sure about this, but there are about 60 people on Tuesdays (approx. 35 women, 25 men).
cover is $10. drink is a bit expensive and watered down. the floor is not good either. and the restroom (men's) is just dirty and smelly.
if you want to learn salsa, you should try "san jose dance sport center" or club cocomo's in the city. -
Review from Marianna E.
San Francisco, CA
11/5/2008
Hello Fellow Yelpers,
This is my first post so please don't judge too harshly.
As a rock en espanol junkie I truly love this place. That I know of its the only place in the area (including SF) that plays rock en espanol. The venue by its self is okay nothing great but the music and live band make up for it. I've meet really cool people here that share my love for this music. I come here as often as I can with my housemates and we always have a great and drunk night. I will say that if you do not enjoy spanish rock then this is not the place for you to be on a Saturday night. -
Review from Ashley L.
San Jose, CA
12/21/2009
Celebrated my 21st bday here on Saturday, and man oh man i got to say that it was a good choice!
First of all, I called up the day before letting the owner know (some lady) that I would be celebrating my bday there, and would like to reserve a table. She ended up giving us 4 tables for my guest for free!
The live band along with the mellow crowd make this place so comfortable to let go and have fun. All of my guests have given me props for deciding to spend my party here.
Drinks are great and there is this tall african american man walking around making sure everyone is having a good time and cleaning up all the drinks.
Over all? Worth the $10 bucks to get in
PS ladies come before 1030 to get in free -
Review from Jyoti S.
Sunnyvale, CA
6/26/2008
Was fun to learn some salsa for a change on Friday night - good exercise. The instructors were pretty good themselves. And the admission fee was just $6. But the people were not as shady as I thought.
Not sure why they called it Bollywood Salsa. Didn't like their choice of Bollywood music. There was random, supposedly 'bollywood' dancing towards the end. -
Review from Eileen L.
San Diego, CA
2/23/2011
If I could give this place a zero star I would. Im on vacation and obviously do not know this area. Me and a few friends heard of this place through the vines and wanted to check it out. The place is nice, but the people that work there are terrible. The door woman greeted us and told us it was $10 cover for salsa only to be mislead it was a salsa class going on and I wanted to dance not watch people dance. She told one of our friends that it was a class but how would she have known we even came together. I confronted her that I wanted my money back and to leave. She said they dont give refunds and she walked away and sat at the bar. I mean who drinks on the job, not classy. She did nothing but blame us and lied. Im still gonna call the manager today and let them know of my expereince. If you want to dance with tourists and creepy guys this is where you should go.
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Review from Cathy M.
Los Gatos, CA
9/6/2008
It has been over a year since I went to Alberto's and vowed at that time to write a review. And in spite of being a salsa addict, it will be when hell freezes over before I return.
I had read on the Internet that if you gave them a business card at the door then the entry fee was $6. Easily done, I thought. I am a professor at San Jose State, so I tucked one of my cards and a $10 bill into my purse, not wanting to leave it on the table with a lot of cash. That would give me money for admission and a bottle of water, I figured. However, at the door they informed me they had no idea what I was talking about with the business card discount, and not wanting to argue, I forked over my $10. Since I had to park six blocks away, I also was not going to return to my car for more money, so I just went in.
I frequent salsa clubs from Marin to Monterrey, and they all offer their patrons free ice water, so it never occurred to me that these tightwads would be any different. But I would soon find out otherwise. After dancing for about an hour, I went up to the bar and asked for a glass of water. The bartender informed me that they only serve bottled water. I explained my situation and she looked me up and down like I was some miscreant who had crawled in off the street to escape the elements, sneaking past security to come in and sully their VIP establishment. "I can't help you," she replied and walked away.
I stood there in shock, but not wanting to let her rude behavior ruin my night, I went back to dancing. This was a mistake, as I have mitral valve prolapse, a heart condition that is exacerbated by dehydration.
I returned to the bar and said, "Listen, I'm not feeling well, and I really need a glass of water. I feel like I might pass out." To this she repeated their bottled water only policy and I repeated that I would gladly buy a bottle of water if I had any cash, only I was in no shape to walk six blocks back to my car.
"This is not a charity organization," she replied, "we are in business to make money.
"I just paid $10 to get in here! If I go into any restaurant or bar in this frigging town they are going to give me a free glass of water! I want to speak to the manager."
She folded her arms across her chest and with a smug grin, said, "I AM the manager." Now I knew I was in trouble, because any establishment that would hire this rude ignoramus to run the joint was not the place for me.
"Well, you're not managing very well. There's something you should understand about the liability laws: if I keel over in here because you have refused to give me a glass of water, then you are liable."
At this she ran tap water into a small plastic cup the size of a shot glass, slammed it down in front of me and--I swear I am not making this up--said, "And don't steal it." The only reason this bimbo is still breathing and I am not writing this from jail is because I was too ill to leap over the bar.
Naturally at this juncture I left, after telling her that she was an idiot because she had just driven away a customer who dances several times a week. Later I wrote a letter to the owner of Alberto's telling him what had happened in his nightclub. I never heard from him. I also wrote the city of Mountain View asking if this was a health and safety violation to deny a patron a glass of water under the circumstances. They never responded either.
The truth is folks, in spite of this incident, I doubt that I would have returned. The place is physically a dump, and the entry fee of $10 on a weeknight to listen to DJ music is the highest in the Bay Area, higher than posh nightclubs in San Francisco like Cocomo or Agenda in San Jose, both of which offer excellent instruction. These people at Alberto's may have developed their smug attitude because they were the only salsa show in town, but now with all the new venues springing up they have competition. I, for one, would not shed a tear if I heard they had closed their doors. -
Review from diana r.
4/2/2008
Great Place for Rock en español lovers... I went there after a year of not going. They really worked on the place and they took the tacky green trees away and the music they play is really good. The DJs are the sameones from Havanas Night Club in downtown SJ, they focus on spanish rock. The live band is great. drinks are oky, not the best but not bad. I would go back any day, well Saturdays for sure!
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Review from Seva S.
San Francisco, CA
2/2/2008
I've been dropping in to the Salsa lessons at both Alberto's and Cocomo's (in San Francisco) for over a year, and I've gotta say that Alberto's has always been my favorite. I think that it is largely due to Pantea. Her lessons on Tues and Thurs are just so entertaining, and she is incredibly patient and sweet. The other students that tend to drop in for the lesson are helpful as well, so it is a good environment for both newbies and pros. Plenty of parking on the street , or in the free garages. Plus, bars like Molly MCgees on Castro street await your business for the afterparty. Besides, where else can you get 2 great lessons for $10?
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Review from Lisa C.
San Francisco, CA
9/11/2008
Yeah, I have to agree with previous posters here. I have been salsa dancing here on Thursdays, and their no tap water policy is awful. Furthermore, their management is rude. And who charges $10 for DJed music anyway? As an add-on, personally I don't find the music that they play here very inspiring to dance to--most of it is too slow. On Thursdays, you can find salsa dancing at the Green Lantern, which is also in Mountain View, for only $5.
To be fair, their dance floor is pretty nice, and I've heard Pantea is a good instructor. -
Review from brooklyn c.
Mountain View, CA
1/7/2011
i love this place with all my heart. i only go on salsa/bachata nights and the salsa is fantastic, the bachata lessons are surprisingly good--much more fun than i would have guessed. the people are super nice and the atmosphere is great. the crowd is a little bit nerdy and older at times, but i like that--more serious about dancing and less meat-market.
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Review from May v.
San Jose, CA
6/14/2008
I've only ever gone on a Tuesday or Thursday night for the salsa lessons . . . it's a fun way to start a night out, with plenty on Castro to round out the evening. I wouldn't say I'm a regular, but I do like to go a couple times a year. Note that the lessons NEVER start on time, and there is a $10 cover.
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Review from Jeannette S.
Santa Clara, CA
2/6/2006
It's been a couple of years since I've been here, but the salsa is lots of fun! They offer classes on various days so you can go when it fits your schedule! The dance floor is small, so if there are a lot of people it can get crowded. The instructors are good, and they are consistent, so if you missed the beginning class, they will take the time to review before moving on to the intermediate steps. The only thing is that they charge a cover... even for lessons!
