Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
www.nuyoricancafepr.com
;
312 San Francisco, Old San Juan; 8pm-late)
If you
came to Puerto Rico in search of authentic salsa music, the legend still lives on at the Nuy-
orican Café. San Juan's hottest nightspot - stuffed into an alley off Fortaleza, opposite a
nameless drinking hole - is a congenial hub of live Latino sounds and hip-gyrating locals
that easily emulates its famous New York namesake. You get everything from poetry read-
ings to six-piece salsa bands that squish onto the stage here. And you'll meet people too -
the Nuyorican is refreshingly devoid of pretensions or dance snobbery. Things usually get
interesting around 11pm.
Nuestro Son
LIVE MUSIC
(259Tetuán,OldSanJuan; 6pm-late)
You'll hear it before you see it, so follow your
ears to this loud and proud dive bar and live-music-venue club concealed on a darkened
backstreet. The crowd's local, the cover's always cheap, and the fervent sounds of rock,
bossa nova,
bomba
and
trova
- '
anything
but reggaetón' - propel you through the door.
Coliseo de Puerto Rico
LIVE MUSIC
(
www.coliseodepuertorico.com
;
500 Arterial B, Hato Rey)
Across the street from the
Hato Rey Tren Urbano station, this 18,000-capacity arena books musical superstars from
Iron Maiden to Marc Anthony.
Dance Clubs
Latin Roots
DANCE HALL
(
www.thelatinroots.com
;
Comercio, Old San Juan; admission $5-10 Thu-Sat;
6pm-2amThu-Sat,6pm-midnightMon-Wed,2pm-midnightSun)
Salseros, need a fix?
The Latin Roots is the closest you'll get to 24/7 salsa, with free lessons from 6pm to 10pm
daily and live bands every night from 8pm (2pm and 6pm on Sundays). It's also a popu-
lar Puerto Rican restaurant; you'll find a lively mix of locals and tourists swiveling on the
dancefloor.
Club Brava
NIGHTCLUB
(
www.bravapr.com
;
ElSanJuanHotel&Casino,6063AvIslaVerde,IslaVerde;ad-
mission $10-20; 10pm-late Thu-Sat)
A swinging club inside the El San Juan Hotel,
Brava frequently get breathless reviews from celeb spotters and all-night dance fanat-
ics. The two-level interior is small, and the music a mix of dance, reggaetón and salsa.
The atmosphere's electric and the people- watching possibilities in the lobby beforehand
