Cafe Cocomo Bar Grill & Night   

Cafe Cocomo is a welcome escape for the claustrophobic rug cutter. This sprawling nightclub with a large patio -- capacity 1000 -- bases its reputation on energetic salsa parties. On Saturday and Thursday nights, the club host lessons beginning at 8PM and often, the entertainment is live, with band members doing those requisite salsa-style synchronized dance moves. On other nights, DJs sometimes throw non-salsa parties, often featuring international pop. Naturally the salsa nights attract impressive dancers. These range from college age to married couples in their later years, often Latino. Even on the most popular evenings, the club never gets oppressive -- and not because Cocomo is forcing people to wait outside to maintain the appearance of exclusivity. First of all, Cocomo stays low on pretension. The Lava Bar adjoining the main hall feels almost like a rec room, with mismatched wicker furniture and copper cutouts resembling Rorschach blobs. In the main room, the rustic dcor, like the fishing net with barnacles, makes one feel like a guest at a backyard Caribbean wedding. (Are those sheets hanging from the ceiling?) Secondly, unlike some dance places where the rhythmically challenged are forced to watch hungrily from a balcony above, Cocomo has enough space to provide many intimate sub-settings. There is still a balcony level but its little tables provide a good view without making someone look desperate, and the inviting outdoor patio goes Middle Eastern with hookahs, allowing the sweet inhalation of flavored tobacco. Overall, Cocomo provides options for many moods -- a good thing, too, because the neighborhood allows for few other options. Note: The dress code is dressy; no jeans or athletic apparel.