Sangria Is Becoming Toast of the Town

As twilight hovers over Sangria, a restaurant and nightclub on the Pier Plaza in Hermosa Beach, two pairs of flamenco dancers click their castanets under a cloudy Tuesday night sky.

They move to the stop-and-go rhythmic beat of an acoustic guitar--the sound bouncing off the exposed brick walls of a new outdoor patio. The women twirl their ruffled polka dot dresses while the men cat around them in circles until it’s time to pull up someone from the audience to dance with them.

Those here for dinner look on from candle-lit tables where they drink carafes of Sangria with chopped apples that bob to the top. The passersby on the outdoor plaza where Sangria is anchored can’t help but notice the authentic performance and stop to watch.

Sangria is where the Spanish Riviera meets Baja--a nuevo Latino restaurant and nightclub that’s not quite traditional Spanish or Mexican, but combines the flavors and ambience of both to create a laid-back space that’s got some spice.

When it opened three years ago, the fledgling eatery had order-up service from the bar and served its food on paper plates. A year later, entertainment and full-scale restaurant service were added, and now Sangria is taking yet another new turn.

In the last six weeks, Sangria has nearly doubled in size. With the closure of Coast Drugs next door, Sangria’s owners renovated the site and created a banquet room with hardwood floors for private parties and a gorgeous outdoor patio with the look and feel of a hacienda.

A stone bar anchors the outdoor space along with rustic wood tables and wrought-iron chairs. Tiki torches sit among the plants that line the walls, and red lights in copper fixtures illuminate the bright-colored bougainvillea plants. A waterfall will be installed any day now so that water runs down the brick, and when it gets colder, heat lamps will be hung from wood rafters above the patio.

“Since we opened, we’ve really upgraded the place,” co-owner Kevin Barry said. “It’s not quite white tablecloths and gloves, but more a place where people can have a nice dinner and have some entertainment without spending $50 a head.”

As a result, Sangria is not only one of the most popular spots in Hermosa, it’s also among the most diverse. The moderately priced food and entertainment cater to a wide range of people, and so does the (not torn) denim, casual ambience.

On flamenco night it’s not uncommon to see Gen-Xers and retirees hobnobbing, nor is it unusual to see them dining together on weeknights. But when Thursday rolls around, Sangria goes from a restaurant to a jammin’ nightclub with a line of mostly young hip scenesters out the front door.

Live Latin jazz on Thursday nights draws a huge crowd that salsas away to the beat of conga drums, acoustic guitars and whatever other instruments the band brings. On Friday and Saturday, Sangria goes total club scene with deejay-ed tunes.

“It used to be a small and intimate restaurant where you could get a great lunch in the daytime and hear some great music at night,” said Lisa Sahakian of Redondo Beach, dancing the flamenco for the first time. “It’s much more vibrant now.”

BE THERE

Sangria, 68 Pier Ave., Hermosa Beach. (310) 376-4412. 21 and over after 9 p.m. Cover: Thursdays, $5; Friday and Saturday, $10. Closed Mondays. Full menu.