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Mon-Fri. 7:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 6:30 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 7:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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I LOVE this place...........I've been coming here for about 2 yrs.
Great place to salsa. Best nights are usually Thursdays.
Salsa classes from 7:45-9pm w/ walter. He is really good and has patience.
I don't really care for the food........but on the other hand there is a bartender (GIRL) there that makes a really good drink, which reminds me of a starburst. I believe it's called a raspberry lemon drop. It's tasty !!
Parking sucks but if you get there early enough, your most likely to find street parking.
For the most part everyone there is friendly.
judging from the other reviews, i'll continue to stick to MJ's for salsa & skip the food!
MJ's has proven to be pretty reliable as a salsa destination - the bands are almost always supahot & the dj plays a good mix of other latin music to dance to during breaks. my only complaint is the leader of one particular band, & i'm not naming names, makes some annoying, off-color jokes between songs. i mean the type of stuff drunken uncles say at family holiday gatherings that make everyone in the room uncomfortable.
the dancers mostly register in the intermediate-advanced range, but don't be afraid to drop in for lessons. i feel like the crowd is pretty casual - i typically show up in old jeans & a comfy tank. no way i'm sweating up my better rags! yes, *some* people here sport some fancier outfits but for guys, that could mean simply tossing on a fedora. girls, just show some skin.
this place used to be really packed on tuesdays & thursdays, but it's gotten better in the past few months. it makes me le sad to drive up & down cahuenga for 10 minutes looking for parking (to avoid the $7.50 valet), hike back to the club & pay the $10 cover only to find the small dance floor completely taken up.
the bar, along with several tables & chairs, are located well away from the dance floor. voila! lower probability that a renegade salsera will knock that drink right out of your hand. unlike other salsa clubs/restaurants that are broken up into different floors & rooms (or even have an outside patio if you're lucky), MJ's floor is the size of your living room & it's closely lined with tables for diners & spectators. watch your step!
People here dress classy. The women are good and dress great. They have a live Salsa band. I was here a about 3 years ago. and I am kinda working my way to go again once i take a few more salsa classes. The bar is decent and a good area just to watch people dance. Never tried the food but they do have sections to eat.
cant wait to come here again.
Since our move to Los Angeles, I have yet to find a place that reminds me of the salsa scene in Chicago. I'm thinking of the live bands, the unique, stylized dancing, the people, and of course, the dance floor. I found all these things here at Mama Juana's.
I have been there a few times now, and I must say, this beats all the places I have been to LA, hands down as far as the salsa/mambo scene is concerned. The DJ's know what songs to play in order to fill the dance floor up and the live full piece salsa bands are phenomenal!
Everyone knows that most salseros never really drink. It breaks-up the spins people! But if you were to have an actual drink, they are not too bad, plus the service staff is always friendly and very accommodating.
Overall, will I be back? Absolutely! Let's dance!
Seriously, the food here is AWFUL! The tamale was complete mush, the shrimp ceviche was chewy and I spit it out. My friends were horrified and just wanted to pay the bill and see the band. I argued with them to send back the ENTIRE meal, but they didn't want to make a scene since they wanted to stay and dance. We left our lazy-ass waitress exactly 10% tip and she's lucky she got anything. It's like she couldn't be bothered with working! There are SO many people looking for work right now and who aim to please. Do NOT expect this from Mama Juana's.
There is a $10 cover charge and I must say, I hope only the band gets every penny of that money, as this club/restaurant doesn't deserve a dime.
I went to this place on a Friday night for my friend's friend's bday get-together.
We came here specifically to dance salsa. And did we dance salsa...oh we did. It was TONS of fun! I heard some of the best salsa songs that night, with a mix of non-salsa songs such as Matador by Fabulosos Cadillacs and other variery of music I love. There is a huge dance floor and there is a live band. What more can you ask for? The place is kept dimly lit, which makes it even more comfortable to show off your creative dance moves. The atmosphere was fine. No cougars, no creepers, and no [insert new slang word that translates into creepy type of people].
My chick friend and I arrived almost at midnight and I didn't have to pay cover ;).
This place is the salsa shiznit.
Definitely would not mind coming back.
Just park on the street adjacent to the place. You'll be fine.
we went on a 'field trip' for my zumba class to Walter's tuesday night class. I have never been salsa dancing, nor to Mama Juana's and we got there about halfway through the lesson. Once we walked up, I saw people getting their groove on the dance floor and they looked amazing!! I was super jealous and way intimidated. It took us only a few seconds to realize that we were way over our heads.
we sat back and watched the dancing on the floor, and a couple of the girls had some salsa experience so they went and got their instruction on, but even they said that it was a rather advanced class.
after the lesson was over, Walter came up to us and invited us to come back on wednesday nights for his beginner class, which I am going to do. I explained to him that I have zero experience and need to build from the ground up, and he said that the wednesday night, or the friday night would be ideal.
anyway, the club was fantastic, the parking was good since we didn't get there too late and didn't have to valet, and the music fantastic. cover charge is only $10 to enter and covers your lesson, and the staff was super friendly and informative. I'll be back next week to give my reviews after I have actually gotten on the beginner's dance floor. needless to say that I didn't dance on the advanced floor!
Like Rumba Room up the road, I've been to Mama Juana's once before about 4-5 years ago before I was into salsa dancing. I remembered it being a small, romantic, intimate, classy venue; when I had the opportunity to re-visit this place the other night, 5 years of build-up and I was not disappointed.
This is perhaps the classiest place to go salsa dancing I've ever been to other than Top of the Mark in SF (but without the views here). It's tucked away on Cahuenga and it doesn't look like much from the street. Once you walk up the stairs and look at the white table-clothed tables up front, elegant dance floor, dimmed lighting, swanky bar area, and the grand stage, I couldn't help but reminisce upon my days at Top of the Mark.
The cover here is $10 and there are lessons offered before the band comes on. Salsa dancing is offered here Tuesday, Wednesdays and Thursdays (I think now Sundays as well, but just DJ). Tuesdays feature Johnny Polanco y Conjunto Amistad while other nights rotate bands.
This is such a great venue to go salsa dancing or even just sit down and watch the band and dancers perform. It's not too crowded, the music is not overly loud, the dancers are classy (both in terms of dress attire and dancing styles - great but not snobby or overly flashy). You can really get into the music and enjoy the company of your dance partner here without having to worry about getting in the way of others. I've never eaten here, but I'd recommend this place for a date spot any day.
If there is one place in LA I wish I could take back to SF, it'd be this place.
For more salsa recommendations:
http://www.yelp.com/li...
A Birthday NIGHTMARE! I had over 30 people come to this place for my birthday on a Saturday night and NO one had a place to sit. I spoke to the owner before and told him that I was going to have 30 guests and he told me there would be room for them. I had over 30 guests standing around looking for a place to sit that night. For dinner, the food was lame and the owner charged me 250 DOLLARS for guests who walked in but didn't pay. Yes, 250 dollars.He had three people guard the door but decided some people didn't pay and charged me for it. He had no proof. The owner is horrible. Don't have your birthday here, its not worth it.
Restaurant: 2 stars
On a Saturday night, the food was okay for the ambiance. But the service was not so hot. We came a bit late, got a table, and had to wait, even with a reservation. Our left over food was caked to the plate by the time the waitress remembered to clear our table. At least that time was shorter than it took for us to get food. :-/
Dancing: 4 stars
Good band, but not life changing. Nice floor, small and intimate, how I like it. I'd come back, but just to dance.
Why it's not 5 stars: You've got divas everywhere, so beware. Of course, dress up, my pretties. My favorite is the little guy with a big ego who chose to dance in front of our table. He basically dances with girls so they pale in comparison to his over-shined dance routines. You know he's good. He knows he's good. It's just a huge overstatement which makes the whole thing too ridiculous. I tried not to laugh, until I noticed one girl pissed off at him for completely ignoring her. I lost it then.
Maybe tip the waitress BEFORE eating? Then you'll get some service.
If I manage to make it back to Mama Juanas, there's a good chance I might re-visit this review with another star, but on my gal's birthday it didn't quite live up to the hype.
First I emailed the manager (Monique) explaining that it was the little lady's "being born" day, and that it'd be swell if she got a little VIP treatment. Two days later I still hadn't heard back, so I called and left a message. The next day, Monique did call back, confirmed the reservation and answered a few questions. Namely, would a couple of first-timers be able to hang in the intermediate salsa class. She replied that unless we had two left feet, it shouldn't be a problem at all...
We arrived for the 7:30 Tuesday class dressed to the nines and ready to cut a rug. We were seated, and a very nice server took our drink order and brought us some chips and salsa. Apparently she had been given the 411 on our situation, as she offered some encouragement about the dancing, and mentioned that Walter is a great teacher who really takes time with his classes.
He showed up about twenty minutes late, and split the men and women up into two groups. Showed us a few steps rather quickly, then started the music. I was a LITTLE behind, but managed to keep up for the most part. Then he had us partner up...
And proceeded to throw moves and combinations at us so fast that there was simply no way we could follow along. I understand that this was an intermediate course, but I'm a pretty quick study, and the birthday girl is a professional, trained dancer who later lamented that they don't even teach that fast at a Broadway dance call. It wasn't THAT big a deal, but we had to throw in the towel and head to our seats after about 45 minutes of incessant instructions to "Change Partners!" We were so flustered, there was no way we were about to trip and fall over someone else.
So we took a seat, and our server cheered us up by telling us that Walter always sticks around after the class to help the newbies with some basic steps, so that they can enjoy their evening. So we went ahead and ordered our food (which was pretty good) and were joined by some friends who had driven up to surprise the missus for the big night.
As the class drew to an end, the two ladies approached Walter about some quick instruction so that we could participate once the live band started up. I was gonna float the guy $20 for his time, but when the girls mentioned us (the guys), Walter said that he had to pass out some fliers first, but would find us a little later.
So we sat, and ate, and sat some more, and our ears bled because the music was SO loud. And then the lovely little server brought out a chocolate crepe with a candle in it, which I was thoroughly thankful for as I was fearing the evening a bust. And then the band started playing, and still no Walter (he was out dancing with just about every single girl in the joint), so I paid my bill and after a few more songs we got up to leave....
At which point Walter came over and apologized for not coming over sooner, but encouraged us to come back the next night or call him for a private lesson. Hmmm...
I guess it's not fair to review an establishment based on a "guest" instructor, but when the whole night is planned around dancing 'til 2 in the morning after learning some cool new steps in a "fun" salsa class, it kinda felt like a letdown. Mama Juana's did us right with the great service, decent food, and a very good live band. I did feel like they were trying to make it a special night for the birthday girl, but they really dropped the ball by not passing on that info to Walter who (unfortunately) played a big part in how our evening would go.
All that said, if you can already salsa dance, or manage to make it on another night, it's a pretty cool spot that's clearly a lot of fun. I would reckon I might've given it another star too if I were single...
One of my girlfriends had her 25th bday here. I had been here the year before and it was a lot of fun. I took the beginner salsa class with the black power ranger (yes, you read right). It was so much fun, and when the club started with the band, it was even better.
This time, we came early enough to eat dinner here..and it was a HUGE disappointment. Half of the problem was the waitress, and the other half was the food quality. The ropa vieja was the best dish there, but the rice was old. The shrimp ceviche was just bad tasting and my friend got kind of sick from it (mine was fine, but my stomach can handle pretty much anything). The tamales was MUSH so we sent it back and they still tried to put it in the bill! I stood my ground, and they finally took it off. The fajitas were a little tasteless and the meat was not tender.
I was kind of expecting mediocre food because it's a dance club, not a restaurant, but I still expected some good drinks!! The mojitos are too sweet and not enough alcohol, the food was just not good, and the waitress kept taking our beers away when there is still some left!! NEVER take my unfinished alcoholic drink away from me! I ended up sticking to beers instead of the mixed concoctions that the waitress swears by, and just stayed on the dance floor as much as I could. Thank god for my salsa dancing friends.
Our table was not the greatest. Last time, we were on the end right next to the dance floor, and I liked that much better because I can watch the dancers and learn. This time, we were in a corner in the back although we came early and had a large party.
I do have to say that the live band was amazing. I was really really impressed and the dancers that came for the club part were so much fun to watch. I would have given this place 2 stars, but the band pulled through and deserves a star of their own.
Saying I have two left feet would be a gross understatement. I spent my night here swearing profusely and trying not to trip over random people. Even so, I can still recognize Mama Juana's as one of the better places to learn salsa (sadly, I've tried before and failed). Lessons are only $10 and the beginners instructors are clear and totally foxxxy.
The small dance floor sits below a stage where the instructor does his thing. Later, a full band will come out and play along with the music. Finding this place is a somewhat difficult task. The entrance is this really nasty, poorly labeled looking door. Luckily, the interior is a heck of a lot nicer.
The food smells incredible. I didn't have a chance to try it, but you can get carnitas, nachos, and good drinks. They're on the expensive end (~$20 per entree, $10 for just nachos!) but this place was pretty packed with diners so it probably tastes as good as it smells.
What you need to know:
-Small dance floor (doesn't even matter, and it's much more fun than dancing in a studio)
-Great instructors (Alex, if you're doing advanced)
-Good music and abundant fun (get ready to SALSA!)
-You will work off half of that shrimp burrito you just ate at PM's (sweat, sweat, sweat... like Jennifer Beals in Flashdance)
Now do yourself a favor and do some justice to what your mama done gave ya.
A great place to dance salsa with a live band. The band is amazing, great music, the only thing I didn't like was the dance floor, it's small but you still can bust some moves. Great place to go to hear and dance to a live band.
I went here last night, late night. It was the perfect size crowd, lots of people just dancing having a great time but there were plenty of open tables. We had a couple strong mojitos and tore it up. We didn't order any food but judging by the other reviews I guess that was a good move. I really want to come back on a night when they have salsa lessons.
I came, I saw, I danced...salsa (pronounce it like you've got peanut butter on the roof of your mouth, makes it sound exotic!)!
Went to a benefit salsa party on a Wednesday night, right after my bible study. Who says you can't praise the Lord with dance?!
The space is intimate and kind of dark, but not sleazy dark. The live band that played was The Echo Park Project and they were good. If I had 2 more Diet Cokes, I would've had more energy for their marathon salsa numbers.
I'm not sure if it's because it was a Wednesday night, but it didn't feel at all like a meat market, and the guys I danced with were really good!
Just go already!
My thoughts on Fridays at Mama Juana's as I've only been there once on a Friday:
Come early enough, get a salsa lesson for free for $10 which includes admission to stay through the rest of the night. The instructors were very passionate so it motivated me more to learn, this being my first time... along with my two best friends. They had a live band play which made the salsa-ing so much better. Salsa-ing is probably the only time women may feel like a whore switching dance partners throughout the night and it is A-OK in everybody's book! haha.. no discrimination. The crowd is mixed and most had a very good vibe. Though I wished the dance floor was bigger... also I did not get a chance to try the food so for now I give Mama Juana's three stars for A-OK!
Went here with some friends last Friday and we had a pretty nice time. We had reservations so we had a table for the whole night which was cool. If you get reservations there is a two appetizer or one entree minimum per person. You basically end up spending $20-$25 per person on food. We ordered Chicken Marsala, mushroom empanadas, pupusas, ceviche, and ropa vieja. The chicken marsala was definitely my favorite dish of the night. The pupusas and empanadas were a little bland. The ceviche was decent and I liked the rice that came with the ropa vieja but I didn't eat the beef. One thing I didn't like was my cosmo I got. I couldn't taste the alcohol at all and it cost me $11.
For people like myself that aren't too good at the salsa dancing they have salsa lessons at 7 PM. The instructor has some good moves and a good sense of humor as well.
One highlight of the night was just watching these couples from Arthur Murray show off some serious salsa skills. If you're too shy to show off you're own moves theres plenty of people to watch and there is a live band there as well.
A majority of the people there seemed to be in their late 30's and up. I wish there good have been more young people and some eye candy to look at!
SUCH DRAMA!!! SUCH TRAUMA!!!
Mama Juana's valet sucks. Valet at your own risk.
My friend had her birthday party at Mama Juana's some time back. It was a cool dinner celebration with cocktails and salsa dancing. We all got down with our progressive, west-coast salsero moves. The Susie Hanson band played that night. Man, it was such a privilege to see Susie Hanson. Susie is a blond haired/blue eyed goddess of salsa music.
It was a fun night inside Mama Juana's and at the end, I collected my car from the valet and drove off with my friend. But as I drove away, I noticed something was odd with my car. The heater was on full blast and the car felt damp inside. I thought, "what did these valet a-holes do to my car?" "I didn't leave the heater running when I handed the car over to the valet."
I reached down to touch the carpets and found my entire floor soaking wet and filled with water. I returned to the valet and confronted the valet company. I asked what had happened to my car. The valet company denied damaging my car. They said, "We don't know what you're talking about." They blamed me for throwing water in my own car." The valet company were these two east-European guys (possibly Russian). They spoke in what sounded Russian and called me a stupid crazy for blaming them. I was levied by this point. Then, a guest from the club came to my aid and told me that several cars had been in a flooding, where the valet company had parked folk's vehicles. My car had been caught in a 2 1/2 ft. flood. I was super pissed off by this point. It became a Mexican stand off. Where I shot back with ever expletive in the book. How could these MoFo's lie to me? These valet fucks denied that my car had been in a flooding.
In the end, my insurance paid for the damages caused by the flooding. The insurance tried to go after those responsible, but could not, because the Russian bitches failed to cooperate. I was out $500 from my insurance deductible, my insurance rate went up from this incident, but my car got fixed.
I never returned to Mama Juana's after this. The owner from Mama Juana's offered to call the police on my behalf to handle the valet company, but could not correct the issue with the valet company, since the valet vendor was separate from Mama Juana's.
To this day, I don't valet. This freakin' experience traumatized me from valeting. I don't do valet. If valet is the only option, I pay for the valet but park my car myself and keep the keys. I know this one incident should not stop me from valet, but I prefer peace of mind.
Mama Juana's baby! I - had - the - time - of - my - life....and I never felt this way before....
So quoting that corny movie song lyric, just know I'm in a goofy mood, mildly hungover and BEAMING. I drank some great mojitos, margaritas and did a lot of bad-yet-heartfelt salsa dancing here at Mama J's last night.
My first attempt at salsa'ing - newbies will feel fine Fridays in the beginner's class as opposed to the more advanced Thursday as Michelle describes. Good instructor - Ken, I think.
Mission accomplished! Sort of. I still kinda suck but I SUCK A LOT LESS than when I first walked in the door.
Cozy, smallish - but doesn't feel cramped for dancing and dinner. It felt romantic, kind of sexy, yet vibrant and warm for just friends or a one-on-one date with a someone who likes to dance.
A couple of my friends and I went there on a Saturday - missed the class, which has an incredible salsa instructor - will have to get there early next time. Ended up having a good time - a night of dancing. It was $10 cover or dinner reservations. Quality of dancing levels on this particular night wasn't exactly up to par to other places we've been to. Also we noticed there was more of a variety of different music played - merengue, bachata, cha-cha - not just salsa.
Also - I strongly advise against ordering the crepe - it was the $8 dessert they offered which had the wrong cheese inside with a chocolate topping on the outside which equaled not very appetizing - also a minuscule portion.
Other patrons seemed to be ordering the dinner and just getting drinks from the bar - this will have to be the next avenue on our next trip.
Cozy ambience for dinner and dancing - the booth and semi-circle setup reminds me of a typical wedding reception venue - if it was a small family wedding. More casual and not on the swanky side.
Valet $7 when we went - but managed to find street parking. Would go here again just maybe earlier to spend less time parking and also to catch the class.
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Updated on 6/5/08
Went here last weekend on a Sunday night - definitely not the hotspot for salsa. I would definitely advise against the Sunday nights and instead opt for a Saturday. The place was dead and there were maybe 15 or so people on the dance floor the whole night, and only a handful of people hanging out by the bar and/or at tables.
It could've just been a hit or miss and we went on a bum night..but also kept rotating mixes with bachata and merengue, which my salsa friends and I weren't crazy about.
I ordered the cuban beef dish - shredded beef over Spanish rice which was okay. My friend ordered the tamales and a salad, both of which left for something much greater to be desired.
Will probably skip this joint in the future, since there are so many other salsa clubs out there.
Anyone have any suggestions for salsa for Sunday nights other than this place, Rumba, Vive, and Stevens Steakhouse?
i was surprised when i came to this place!
very nice staff and friendly. a classy place to go to. they played all my favorites form salsa, spanish rock, bachata etc etc.
i noticed that theres ppl that just like to seat down and watch!
i loved it. girls are very sexy without looking sluty. i was one of the few latinos at a salsa club for the first time and everyone there is just trying to have a good time very mature. im so used to going to those ghetto clubs that when i came here i dont want to go back to any of those.
i found parking on the street right in front of it so i dont have any complains.
I came here with a friend last year to have what I was told were great mojitos and a good place to listen to live salsa and dance "salsa" of course.... ... The mojito's were good. Not as good as the ones that I love to have Johnny make me at Memphis in Santa Ana. But, whatever.. They were tasty and the dancing well being that I am no salsa expert it was fun. It's more fun to just watch all the salsa nerds get crazy.... ..... It was packed and I was soon over the salsa nerds bumping into us.....
Mama Juana's on a Thursday night offers Salsa lessons by Alex de Silva, famous Brazilian Salsa dancer and so much fun. The class is not reccommened for beginners who need that extra attention. The crowd was diverse and fun to learn with. Floor is small and surrounded by booths of people eating dinner - looks like it could be a fun idea one night to do the entire package. They only take cash. Parking wasn't easy, there is valet for $8. Right next door is the best burrito place on earth, thinking about it makes my mouth water (can't remember the name).
Very nice place. Didn't get the chance to eat anything, my girlfriends I and got there at around 11pm. I totally felt like I was in the movie Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights..except this was definitely more upscale than the Rosa Negra club in that movie..haha. Great music; live band. Lots of people dancing salsa..all levels. I have it understood that one can attend classes before the club actually starts. Dimmed lights; good for groups. Make reservations in advance, I am told by my friend's family we met up there. 21+.
I went to Mama Juanas to see a Salsa Band I have been following for about 5-6 years ( La Makina Loca ). It's the first time seeing them here. Walking in remined me of the early 90s. Why? This is when Salsa was not so main stream. Before Ricky Martin Blew Up, Before Jenn. Lopez, and the market was saturated by Latin Artist. So seeing the small club, with a live band and full bar, with everyone dressed up, was refreshing. I did not eat there, but I say if your going to go, go after dinner. I did see the menu, and the food is expensive, so your not saving much on cover by eating there first. We paid the $10 dollar cover, went to the bar, and waited for the band to play. Once the band started the floor was filled, the room was sounding great with live Salsa Music. When the band stops the Dj plays modern cuts of Salsa, Merengue, Bacha-ta, and Cumbias. Depending on the Band they play two maybe three sets. I don't come here regularly, but if you going to see a Salsa band on the west coast, this is a good place to stop in from time to time, listen dance, and sing the night away!
um yeah.. don't forget to shave your armpits.
food is pretty good, salsa dance class is fun, no cover w/ dinner reservation or $10 salsa class… Read more »
Just visited Mama Juana's for a Birthday Dinner. They're really strict about the reservations and the attendance. You would get a "cover" penalty or each person that isn't present. However, the added value of the cover is being built in the dinner ($15 min/person).
Food:
Chips & Mango Spicy Salsa is standard. Very tasty.
Ropa Vieja turned out great. The meat is tender and tasty. Recommended.
Chicken al Carbo was dry for 3 of us. Not Recommended.
Pescado Ajillo: The fish is good accept the cooks makes it too "lemony" according to my two friends.
This is a fun place to enjoy with friends or with a date to salsa. I will say, observe the advanced dancers...they're impressive. There is this one Asian man who is P.I.M.P! The man has skills and will make all the women he dance with look good!
Que Bola! Este club esta buenisimo.
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