Café Cocomo Bar Grill & Night Club

EDIT: RIP COCOMOS, make way for rich people condos! This too shall pass.
(Space 550 has the old party salsa crowd, while the dancers go to El Valenciano, SF Mambo, and IHeartMambo nowadays.)
Also check out
(that’s the salsa aggregator site).

I went here with my husband back in August when they were still in the dog patch. It had to be the highlight of my trip to San Francisco! We loved the live music, and the happy atmosphere. Everybody danced weather they were beginners or professionals. I will definitely return when I come back to San Francisco! The new address is 2801 Leavenworth street. I checked on their website!

Haikus:
Last Friday night, wow.
Julio Bravo was hot.
Evan — no more hair!
Salsa floor was packed.
Hot, sweaty bachata room.
«Finish the booze, please!»
Cocomo, you’re king.
Top SF salsa palace.
You’ll be greatly missed.

I am so sad this is closing soon! Definitely hope they find another location for this.
We had a great time here at one of their Saturday salsa nights. Pretty much missed the lesson but there are a lot of great leads around so it didn’t matter for most of my group (sorry guys!). Loved the live band, which just made the whole night so much better.
My one qualm was with the door guy. Because it was for my birthday, I wanted to get even people who usually wouldn’t salsa to come, so I found a foursquare deal that gave free entrance to first fingers timers. The guy collecting admission kept on mumbling about it and was super unhappy to let us use the deal. When one of my friends came in separately later, he denied knowing the deal and made him pay. Sleaze.

I went salsa dancing with some girlfriends here a Saturday night. I don’t know much about salsa dancing but I had a good time.
The first guy I danced with was this darling older gentleman who was so sweet and patient teaching me, and was just so much fun to dance with! I did get a few partners who were kind of gropey or kind of awkward, but it was a great time and I learned so much!
The band that played that night was great too! I can’t remember the name, but apparently they’re a famous salsa band from Cuba Café Cocomo brought in to celebrate their move to a new location.
This is a fun spot but I’d go with friends!

My salsa addiction started here. I love the instructors, bands, and staff. We go just about every Friday night. There’s a different pattern to learn every week. I love that we can head upstairs to the balcony to practice (breathing room and stumbling room needed) and people-​watch. There are some really great dancers that show up later but we never feel out of place.
I’m also going to attribute my loss of 2 dress sizes over the last 5 months to them. Love me a good Friday night drinking workout :)

Honestly I have no idea why this place is so popular has been for a long time. It’s a dump. The sound system is horrible. It’s the only salsa venue where guys are lewd and actually hit on you. They stand at the bar and around with their drinks and stare. Yek. Just never had good times at Cocomo’s as with other dance venues, like the Glas Kat, way back. Now that was a fantastic venue!
I suppose the location is convenient for many people, but not if you’re coming from the North Bay.

Café Cocomo IS a premier place to learn to salsa. We went on a Saturday with my Groupon (which was valid for one salsa lesson for two people on Tuesday or Saturday night). You have to go onto their website to see what time the lessons are. It turns out to be $ 5 for admission for two for a salsa lesson, and you get to stay for the party afterward. The bar & the drinks they serve are minimal and the dance floor is spacious. The restrooms aren’t janky like most nightclubs. There is an upstairs sitting area and downstairs you’ve got countertops with tall chairs. The ceiling lights make the place look fun and professional. They really know what they’re doing. You might need to leave your belongings in the car or wear a sling bag/​purse since there isn’t a coat check. The instructors were very professional and the group classes are large with both experienced and inexperienced dancers meshed into an hour-​long class. We formed a circle around the instructors and the guys would rotate every so often, so that you can learn from others and teach others. Jake is serious about teaching you not to step on others on the dance floor, and I’m sorry if i stepped on you a couple times! He said they provide «couples therapy» for couples that need it, LOL. No worries though, people here are more or less there to learn, classy, and professional about it. Well, I can vouch and NOT vouch for that o_​o. One girl in particular had other motives, but I’ll stop there before it gets personal. This about to be a – GIRL FIGHT.
What happens afterward (during the live band & club portion) is another level up. New attendees fill the dance floor. People bust out with drinks and bachata moves. It becomes more crowded, more intimate and cozy. No restrictions on how to dance! The place becomes a club and you’ll find some people waiting on the perimeter of the dance floor waiting to dance. The atmosphere gives the sense of a salsa club, and it was a good first pick for being a first-​time learner! I’d definitely come back to do some serious training with my partner. Dat one-​on-​one doe.

«…We’ll get there fast
And then we’ll take it slow
That’s where we wanna go
Way down to Kokomo…»
Ok I know I know, it’s not the same spelling but hey close enough!
It took me about 5 years to come back here. Last time I came here it was first Fridays and it was hip hop. Now that I dance way more bachata and salsa I decided to come here with my dance instructors on a Thursday night and I had a blast!
The turnout was great for a Thursday night! Live salsa band, drinks were average price and bartenders were attentive. I had Coronas since I had been drinking beforehand so I was ‘red to get my dance on. People there were there to have a good time. Spent the whole night dancing and though I don’t go to clubs or places to pick up women, everyone was friendly enough to dance with everyone. No denials!
Music was great! Dancers from Beginners, intermediate or even ones that can put on a show everyone is there to have fun. I’m definitely coming back ASAP and getting my dance on. I wish they played a little more bachata though. Bachatero mami!
Cover charge was $ 10. Parking was pretty easy to find. No fights, no «ratchets», no stuck up people, no people passing out and no need to be shy! Get your dance on here. «But hey… Don’t take my word for it!» (Reading rainbow reference)

A night at Cocomo’s is always a hit… whether you are here to salsa or hang out with friends in the lounge section. As far as salsa goes, I hear that this is the place to be in SF. And I can believe it. I can salsa, but I am definitely not a pro by any means. But the leads are fantastic, meaning that if you aren’t a pro, they will make you look like one. Seriously! And there are no creeper vibes: everyone dances with everyone… and as long as you look like you want to dance, you won’t go without a partner.
One caveat: they can be really stingy on deals here. If you check into Unilocal,it doesn’t work for Friday nights. My friend had a Groupon that also couldn’t be used on Friday nights… these rules weren’t well defined before purchasing said deal/​checking in on Unilocal.Its not enough to turn me away, but its a bit annoying since its only a $ 5 discount… really, Cocomo’s?

Hosted an event here! It was awesome and all the guests had fun!
A lot of people don’t know about this location as a spot to shake their hips! It’s nice because the instructor teaches you basic steps first and then you’re off to the dance for to test out the new moves you’ve learned.
The place is huge with lots of space which is great. Also, drinks are reasonably priced.
One thing I would say is that they need to plan on better timing for classes to start. Also, that the instructor doesn’t jump from basic steps to advanced all of a sudden.
At night is when the true dancers come out. It is quite a sight to see how good some people are with their salsa, bachata, etc moves!
It is a great place to host an event like a birthday, for those who love to dance and especially salsa!

I had never been to a salsa club before this one, and I have to say that I had a blast!
I came here with my boyfriend and his coworker Greg. Greg loved to dance and was in search of a place he could come to regularly. Entrance was $ 15 for the night, which included group and private lessons. Everyone was in a circle, men on the outside, women on the inside. After a couple of steps, the instructor would tell everyone to rotate partners.
Greg introduced me to the owner, Drew who was a great guy! He bought us our first rounds, hung out with us, and talked about how much he loved this place.
Ladies, if you have a jealous boyfriend, and they aren’t sure how the whole «salsa club» atmosphere goes down, DO NOT BRING HIM. It’s not like a «regular» night club where guys are constantly trying to feel on your butt, but most every gentlemen just wants to dance with you respectively. My boyfriend didn’t get the memo and our evening was cut short in my fear of him losing his temper. It really was an awesome atmosphere where everyone wanted to have fun and meant no disrespect.
I do plan on coming back one evening very soon! With the girls next time. I’ll leave Mr. Hothead at home.

Update!
So I’ve been dancing salsa for awhile now and Fridays are the night to go to Cocomo. Thursdays and Saturdays are regularly known as dancer’s night but nobody good goes there anymore on those days. Maybe a few, but most of them definitely go on Friday for Taste Fridays. The owner of the place I’m not much a big fan of. Sometimes he’s a little rude. Sound check guy is horrible as of recent, and also bring earplugs if you want to save your hearing later on.
Note: If you’re an aspiring salsa dancer, there is something that might be interesting to know about this place. There are dancer ‘sections’! not physical, lined up sections but if you go often enough you will notice. Front bar: Show offs. Back bar: most often people who are practicing/​learning. Middle of the dance floor: Beginners, non-​dancers. Front section closest to the front of the stage: On2 dancers, team dancers, occasional snoots maybe. In front of the sound check system/​near the bathrooms: Intermediates.
Of course this is not exact exact, but the descriptions are close. Not much cuban dancers here also. Maybe 2 or 3 sometimes, except when a cuban band or a timba DJ is playing.
Also if you’re just starting to learn, don’t get intimidated by this place. If you go often enough, there are regulars. People will recognize you and it will feel like home.

I was in last Friday night with a great friend and Salsa dancer and we enjoyed: parking spots, Live music performed by a fantastic band, large stage, lot’s of room to move on the dance floor, plenty of partners to choose from and a bonus Bachata room. Where a great lead learned me some Bachata moves…
Cocomo’s is great Salsa spot, haven’t been in several years, and it seems like it has cleaned up a bit. $ 15.00 at the door, coat check, two floors both with bars… Decent drinks, although on the small side. All the ‘regular’ salsa dancers seem to converge here, which is nice when you need a good partner to get your rusty butt back into Salsa shape!

I LOVE COCOMO! It was everything I thought it would be and more! Lots of space out on the dance floor and it could get packed at times but not too bad! Great live music everyday. Bachata room in the back. Went last night (Saturday) when cover is $ 15. There’s a lounge upstairs! Free parking on the street :-)
Great music, amazing dancers, and they sell tacos! It’s a great place to expose yourself to new dancers and learn from talented salseros! I will be coming back very soon and will have to try it on a Thursday night too.

Not a bad place to spend a Sunday afternoon. The drinks are stiff and plenty of dance room. I thought it would be like Mission Rock where it just got crazy packed but it did not. It did get packed but still had plenty of space to get your dance on. The outside had more people than inside, but what can you really blame them? It was a perfect day outside.
Sunshine, Bay weather, and good music. Definitely a return trip sometime again.
Bathroom was nasty though.

Had my first visit here last month (June 2012) for a 2^nd Sunday party. The promoters moved the party from Mission Kelly Rock to Café Cocomo. To a lot of my friends, it was a disappointment. I guess their use to having 2^nd Sunday at Kelly, that they are not willing to give this new venue a chance. Without taking my friends opinion or thoughts about the new move as a consideration, I scoped out the spot with an open mind.
Convieniently, Café Cocomo is located right off 101 North freeway on Indiana (awesome). We drive down a couple of blocks and realize parking on the street is the only option (so what’s new in SF?). We made our own parking at our own risk. Luckily my Mentor’s car was small enough to park there. Or I think we might’ve gotten our car towed.
We sat in the car and carbar a little bit (my favorite pre-​party). I checked out my surroundings a bit. It’s pretty hidden, under the freeway overpass, lots of cars on uneven pavement. Lets just say, I don’t really trust parking in that area; it felt like his car had a large percentage of having it broken in. However, I try to think positively so that that would not happen (it didn’t).
After an hour or so of drinking and socializing with oncoming lookers, we headed in. Thank goodness for our SF connections, our entry was smooth and without trouble. Also, was greeted by many familiars =]
We found our SF photographer (Coleman) and he walked us through the area a little bit. Than, I do what I usually do, split from the group and walk through the crowd and areas by myself.
It’s incredibly spacious in the patio. It’s actually the largest one floor spacious patio I’ve ever been. Theirs tables on the right hand side for table service, burgers (crappy and limited I have to say, no lettuce, tomatoes nothing… really dudes? I guess protein burger is out of the question), bar straight ahead, a cover area for DJs and other entertainment can set up at and this place has what other lacks are plant life decorated the patio (yes!).
On your left, is the inside and upstairs patio. I went upstairs first, because our people knew the bartender up there on the patio. It’s small, hidden by trees which over look the garbage area. Not a pretty sight, but it was a nice spot to over look the main patio (took a pretty nice photo).
Inside, quite humid. No ventilation really, but the music was good enough for me to stay inside enough to have a few drinks and socialize with a few familiars. Again, spacious. The inside 1^st floor has a large area for you to dance, twist and if you want to do the robot and break. They have a little upstairs loft for you to over look the first floor.
What I like most about this place is that it’s incredibly spacious. However, the view surround this venue aren’t so great. Streets, run down equipment on the side, not so great. Would I come back here again. Yes, I would =]
(I wouldn’t eat the food here though)

Café Cocomo
SF: Dogpatch (whatever that means)
Friday March 2, 2012
Four Stars
[SF#2]
After a mediocre dinner at Katia’s, we head down to Café Cocomo for a wild night of funk-​tastic music with PLANET BOOTY and RONKAT SPEARMAN’S KATDELIC. There was a $ 15 cover, but it was gladly paid for two entertaining bands. The venue is huge and really fun: Full Bar, Plenty of Seating, Huge Dance Floor, Pizza for Sale, and an enormous outdoor patio where you can drink, smoke, and be merry.
The Crowd was composed of really drunk old people wearing costume-​like clothing: I saw at least 8 women rocking cat ears and at least one woman wearing a solid white nylon one piece (straight out of Saturday Night Fever). There were three long hair headbanging biker guys wearing motorcycle cuts and a guy dancing with a pediatric cane. I mean these people were freaky for SF standards.
Planet Booty had so much energy that I was panting by end of their set. The Lead Singer did not wear shirt but did sport a horseshoe mustache and Gold Nylon pants. The Booty Dancer was mesmerizing with her facial expressions and strategic poses. She ranged from booty-​shaking sexy to what I would call Violent Contemporary Air Guitar. My favorite song would have be «Sweat on Me.» Note: I hate funk but I was thoroughly entertained. I even bought a Planet Booty Sweat Band for $ 5.
Ronkat Spearman’s Katdelic was a trip and half. Their music was funk, rock, and whole bunch of interesting. The song «Dance on the Mothership» was a great song as was «ruff, ruff, MEEOOW.» This band had talent and plenty of entertainment value.
*All song titles are purely guesses.

We came here on a Saturday night and cover was $ 15 for the salsa lesson and the salsa club afterwards with live music. If you check in on Unilocal,there’s a $ 5 off coupon admission so it’s only $ 10.
Class was supposed to start at 8p but instead it started around 8:15p. There were more women than men but it evened out at the end. It’s like speed dating since you switch partners every 3 – 5 minutes. If you’re a woman, it’s ok if you are a beginner if your partner is a strong dancer since he’ll lead you. If he’s not and looks like an engineer, then you are in trouble! Jake, the instructor, was good at teaching the crowd. He expects a lot and you learn fast.
The ambiance is very casual. It smells like Chuck e Cheese in there because of the pizza. Most girls were in clubbing gear or jeans with a nice top. I was wearing five inch platform heels so spinning around was a bit tricky, but I managed.
I recommend this experience to everyone! Plenty of parking at 8p, right in front of the club.

Club Cocomo is a classic SF spot. The interior is large and has a nice stage for larger shows. The exterior is tropical with lots of seating and areas to talk. I’ve been to many different events here from the days of hip hop, to the salsa club and now… Madhouse on Fridays.
I love to see a live shows of all kind. but got into going to metal shows through my Hellametal Jenn. Madhouse is a metal show with various bands. Often on Fridays, you get to see about 4 bands for anywhere between $ 10 to 20.00 per person. It’s always a good time. The line up is always a good diverse mix of local bands. \m/​
Shows are posted here:
Cocomo’s is the perfect venue for larger shows. They have drink specials and even sell slices of pizza, which I have to get every time I’m there. :)