Quito's best salsa clubs
Below, our local experts have suggested the best of Quito's salsa clubs to include on your holiday itinerary. Don't forget, all of our trips to Ecuador are completely customisable: if you like the look of one itinerary but want to add a stop at any of the places listed below our local experts have it covered. Simply select the trip you'd like to take and modify the itinerary. Alternatively, get in touch with our local experts today to plan your holiday from scratch.
1. Azúcar El Portal de la Salsa
Budget: $$$$
Address: La Ronda, Quito, 170104
Opening hours: Tues-Sat: 16:00-02:00
A small restaurant-come-club with a cosy, intimate feel, cooly lit with white spotlights. This is a great venue to try local and Caribbean cuisine served by friendly staff, before the band starts playing classic and contemporary salsa tunes and singing on stage. The band encourage people to vacate their tables and take over the floor, spilling out around the dining tables, to salsa in style.
2. Salsoteca Lavoe
Budget: $$$
Address: Iñaquito, Quito, 170135
Opening hours: Weds-Sat: 21.00-03.00
Multicoloured disco lights flash across the vast dance floor, which is lined with hanging flags of countries from around the world. This club is undoubtedly one of the best places to salsa in Quito, with a mixture of music accompanying different salsa styles throughout the evenings. Themed nights are also held, from classic salsa to Cuban salsa to Rumba. A live band provides music and professional salsa dancers take centre stage performing choreographed shows. Even if you can’t salsa, you can sit at one of the tall bar tables enjoying a classic cocktail while watching the complete salsa experience.
3. La Bodeguita de Cuba
Budget: $$$
Address: La Pinta, Quito, 170150
Opening hours: Sun-Tues 12.00-22.00; Weds-Thurs 12.00-00.00; Fri-Sat 12.00-02.00
For Cuban salsa in Quito visit La Bodeguita de Cuba. This bar offers great cocktails, especially the classic Mojito, and fragrant tasting Cuban food. Many of the dishes are created around fresh seafood in true Cuban style. Live music is played on Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights in the relaxed environment, which is reinforced by the wood furniture and writing-scrawled walls. The terrace is perfect for cooling off after a long night of salsa dancing.
El Varadero offers the classic Mojito drink. Photo: Shutterstock
4. No bar
Budget: $$
Address: Juan León Mera, Quito, 170143
Opening Hours: Tues-Sat 22.00-02.00
Here you will find a nice balance of locals and tourists dancing a variety of salsa and Rumba throughout the evening as the DJs mix tunes from salsa, reggaeton and latin pop to western charts; they always keeping the crowd revelling. The vibe is energetic yet relaxed, generated by the young crowd, cheap cocktails and red lighting. The interior of the bar has an old school feel with disco balls, strip lights and western style drinks posters slapped-on the walls around the bar.
5. Bungalow 6
Budget: $$
Address: José Calama, Quito, 170143
Opening Hours: Weds-Sat 19.00-03.00
Large bars line the dance floor of this multi-level club. A restaurant occupies one floor, selling American-style food such as burgers and chicken wings. Ladies night on Wednesdays draws the biggest crowd, with free drinks for females until 22.00 when the men are allowed to join them on the dance floor to salsa the night away to the reggaeton and salsa music, which is played by DJs. Revellers here are mainly tourists attempting to salsa but there are enough locals to show them how it is done. If you need a break from all the dancing head to the football or pool tables or cool off on the outdoor terrace.
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