Address: 3707 Cahuenga Blvd.Studio City, CA 91604
818.505.8636
The Basics: It’s good to switch things up every once in a while. After all, clubbing at the same joint or chillin’ at the same lounge every weekend can turn out to be a tad boring overtime. If you want to step away from your usual hangout and party hardy spots without compromising the fun, “Mama Juana’s Latin Lounge” is a great option. This joint at Studio City is the perfect spot to get your salsa fix, listen to live music, and eat and drink a todo dar.
El ambiente está de poca mother, very chill and fun… y lo mejor de todo es que there’s no pretentiousness at all, and ulike other salsa joints, the douche factor is extremely low, PLUS cougars and silver foxes are the minority.
Also you can call in advance to check out their schedule for salsa classes- you can make an evening out of your visit to this lounge: eat, drink, dance, and take a salsa lesson with some of the hottest salsa choreographers in El Lay.
What to drink: At “Mama Juana’s Latin Lounge” they have a fully stocked bar. Ahora sí que, al cliente, lo que pida. If you want to give Coronas a break, their specialty drinks son sumamente recomendables.
The Martini Mama is a nice way to start the night and get into tropical mood: it’s a concoction of peach, banana and melon vodka with a splash of cranberry juice. No está tan fuerte, but it sneaks up on you y te pega chido.
Otra buena bebida es Mama’s Love Potion- a mix of Bacardi Coco Rum, Bacardi “O” Rum, Bacardi Select, mixed with cranberry and pineapple juice and topped off with a splash of Chambord. This drink is not as sweet as the Martini Mama and its waaaay stronger. After one of these you’ll be spinning like a trompo on the dance floor.
What to eat: Even though they have a fully functioning kitchen and a quite decent menu, many of the regulars don’t really recommend eating at this joint, as it happens with lounge/ restaurant joints, most of the times the food is less than stellar.
However, if you want to chow down on a lil’ something, you MUST have the Appetizer Platter… que aunque está un poquito cariñoso, vale la pena. It comes with 2 empanadas de picadillo (the meat is tender and extremely well seasoned), 5 croquetas (filled with shrimp, crab meat, cheese, chopped jalapeños… all deep fried to a crisp), 2 tamales (filled with sweet corn and queso fresco), and half order of Lula Frita (fresh calamari dusted in an amazing blend of spices).
