Top spots for Latin sounds

Great Latin music is always playing somewhere in Miami, and this guide has your best bets. Beware - the rhythm really is gonna get'cha.

By Rayme Samuels

Ricky Martin tried to explain it in “Living La Vida Loca.” Shakira shook her hips and brought everyone’s attention to it with “Whenever, Wherever.”

Si, caridad, they were singing about Miami, a true crossroads for Latin music where salsa, merengue, bachata, rock en Espanol and reggaeton mix, mingle and spawn new styles. Here are some of the hottest places to get your Latin fix:

Macarena: The upscale nightclub and restaurant is not only a great place to dance, but is a primo location for celebrity sightings, as it is the host to countless CD release and awards show afterparties thrown by the likes of Sony BMG and Universal Music Latino. Hobnob during the week at intimate concerts with the likes of Julieta Venegas, Café Quijano, Gonzalo Real and Aterciopelados, or shake what you’ve got on Fridays and Saturdays, when DJs spin the latest reggaeton, salsa, and merengue.
1334 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-531-3440.

Hoy Como Ayer: Drive too fast down Calle Ocho and you might just miss this unassuming home of authentic Cuban grooves. This cozy spot sports low ceilings, stained glass and modest wooden accents – and, best of all, a weekly lineup of live acts including bolero singers, traditional Cuban roots, guitar jam sessions and weekly Afro-Cuban-funk fixes with Miami's current house band, the Spam All-Stars.
2212 SW Eighth St., Miami 305-541-2631.

Bongos Cuban Café: Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s tribute to 1950’s Cuban decadence, Bongos might just be the only nightclub where you can get a piece of delicious roasted Cuban pork at the bar at 2 a.m. When it gets too hot inside, grab your dance partner and enjoy a cool breeze under the giant neon pineapple sculpture on the outdoor patio and dance floor. Fridays and Saturdays are the most popular, with a combination of reggaeton, salsa, and merengue spun by Miami’s top Latin DJs.
American Airlines Arena, 601 Biscayne Blvd., Miami, 786-777-2100.

La Covacha: This massive Doral nightspot is a popular stop for touring acts from Latin America and the Caribbean, such as Calle 13 and Los Amigos Invisibles, and DJs hold forth with nights devoted to rumba, world music, merengue, salsa, reggae and even techno. The Horario restaurant serves Latin favorites until 7:30 p.m.
10730 NW 25th St., Miami, 305-594-3717.

Jazid: Nestled between a tattoo parlor and Macarena on Washington Avenue, Jazid provides a nest for local alternative Latino acts such as Feneiva, Xperimento, Suenalo Sound System and others, while open-mic nights, techno, funk, jazz and soul are also on the eclectic menu. Brightly painted walls by graffiti muralist LEBO, lush leather couches and eclectic paintings provide a cozy atmosphere for chilling or dancing.
1342 Washington Ave., Miami Beach, 305-673-9372.

Café Mystique: An oasis of Latin sounds in the Medley area near the airport, Café Mystique offers a huge wooden dance floor, delightfully imposing bar and vaulted ceilings, creating an open atmosphere that demands daring antics. Thursdays attract the city’s top salsa dancers as well as beginners and everyone in between, since free rueda (the salsa version of square dancing) classes are offered all night. Reggaeton, salsa and cumbia dominate the playlists on weekends.
Inside Days Inn Hotel, 7250 NW 11th St., Miami, 305-262-9500.

Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club: Don’t forget Latin jazz. Your best bet to hear the likes of Cachao, Danilo Perez, The Latin Jazz All Stars and many other prestigious jazz acts is in this cavernous Miami hotspot, opened in 2006. The club’s namesake owner also has been known to hop on stage and jam, to the delight of the audience. Order dinner or take in the music a la carte.
Inside the Deauville Hotel, 6701 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-403-7565.

Club Típico Dominicano: It may take some time finding this place located in the heart of Allapattah, but it’s worth it. Brush up on your Spanish and your bachata moves before stepping into this authentic Dominican restaurant-cum-nightclub, open till 5 a.m. on weekends.
1344 NW 36th St., Miami, 305-634-7819.

In the groove at Jazid on South Beach. Photo: Miami Herald staff.