The Rhythm Is Going to Get You : Latin beat makes it hard not to dance at El Patio in Anaheim.
The peppy beat of Latin music will grab you the moment you enter El Patio Night Club in Anaheim. It’s cheaper than a trip south of the border, but everything is relative.
Through the doors, you’ll be greeted by a scantily clad cocktail waitress to whom you’ll have to fork out as much as $6 for a drink. Domestic bottled beers are a whopping $4--Mexican imports such as Dos Equis and Corona are $5--margaritas are $4-$5. Of course, hypnotic music may prevent you from doing anything but dancing, and you may prefer to stay dry for the evening.
Elegantly mirrored walls and mood-setting green and purple lighting create the perfect atmosphere para bailar. Though there is no patio at El Patio, there’s a lovely mural of flora and fauna, creating at least the feeling of being outdoors.
The club offers a variety of Latin entertainment nightly (except Tuesday) starting at 8 p.m. A predominately middle-aged Latino clientele frequents El Patio, but that doesn’t stop all sorts from coming.
Plenty of men show up decked out in cowboy hats (baseball caps aren’t allowed) and boots, jeans and fancy vests or dress shirts. Most women, however, don’t stray from typical nightclub attire such as dresses, or slacks with blouses. In any case, hombres y mujeres exhibit complementary styles.
With sounds from many points on the Latin music spectrum, a good time is practically a sure thing. Monday nights, the western band Los Broncos del Norte (the Broncos of the North) gets the crowd going with traditional Mexican tunes.
Wednesday nights feature the band Sonido Latino (Latin Sound) playing cumbia, merengue and salsa. Dance lessons are offered from 7 to 8:30 p.m. If you’re especially good, try your luck in the cumbia dance contest--first place takes home a hundred bucks!
Rock en espanol blasts when El Patio becomes Club Amisia on Thursdays. This addition to the club’s itinerary brings a younger crowd, as well as those new to the Latin-music circuit.
The cover band Los Pobres (The Poor) and western band Conjunto Gemenis play Friday through Sunday. The $5 weeknight cover charge rises to $7 on weekends, and people pour in. It seems virtually everyone likes the bands. It’s refreshing to watch an enormous swarm of dancers applaud and clear the floor at a song’s conclusion, only to return immediately for the next song.
There’s plenty of seating, so taking a breather is no problem, and visible security may make some relax even further.
Don’t wait until nightfall to check out El Patio. The club’s Mexican restaurant, with complete bar service, opens at 11 a.m. daily. Menu items ($4-$10) include enchiladas, tacos, burritos and more, and they’re available all night.
Andale. Don’t let the merengue, cumbia or salsa in your blood go to waste. Who knows, you might even win some dinero.
BE THERE
El Patio, 1750 La Palma Ave., Anaheim; (714) 758-1649. 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Wednesday through Monday. Entertainment begins at 8 p.m. Cover: $5 weekdays, $7 weekends. 21 and over.