Club Viva!

We had a wonderful bachelorette party! The group had absolutely no clue how to salsa dance, and still managed to have the best night! We were asked to dance, and many of the men taught us a few basics! It was a great night!

Great place to dance. Went on Thursday night with some friends and had lots of fun. Everybody is ready to dance! Some people there really know how to dance! They were playing salsa, merenge and bachata.

Do they play Reggaeton at this club or just salsa? I’m trying to look for a Latin club that plays everything but I love my Reggaeton also

This used to be the best place in town for Salsa dancing. I’m talking packed on a Thursday night. The dance floor used to be so packed that you breathe without bumping into other dancers. But, the last few times I have been here, these place has seemed deserted.
Thursday nights used to be the best place here to go Salsa dancing. The music was great and the nights were always too short. However, the last four or five times I’ve been here, the Salsa has really gone downhill. They barely played any salsa songs, or latin dancing songs, for that matter. Most of them were from AT 40. Yes, I like pop music too. But, whenever I come here on Salsa night, I’d really like more than 10 of the songs to be Latin. I do want to re-​iterate that I had come here numerous times in the past and used to love this place. It’s just the last five/​six times I’ve been here, it really hasn’t been great. I’ve heard similar experiences from my friends that have gone recently. I really used to love this place and I hope they bring the old Viva back!

My husband has been taking salsa lessons in Omaha and was curious to check out the salsa scene in St. Louis. We decided to check out Club Viva this past weekend. Club Viva has salsa classes on Thursdays and Saturdays. All you have to do is pay the cover fee. For $ 6 each, my husband and I were able to take a salsa lesson, as well as a quick intro to bachata.
The club itself is relatively cool, which was nice. They also have couches spread throughout the space. We showed up right at 8 and easily grabbed a couch. Although the website indicates that the lesson starts at 8, don’t expect them to start until 8:15. The dance floor itself is pretty big and I really liked the man who taught the lesson. We learned several kinds of steps and he was pretty funny. I’d say the only downside is that they didn’t go over partner work. Following the lesson, which lasted just over an hour, there was open dancing until 1:30 AM (I believe).
In addition to lessons and an open dance floor, Club Viva has a full service bar. They serve your typical drinks, which run about $ 8 a cocktail. When we came this past Saturday, they had Sangrias for $ 5 and double Sangrias for $ 8. We got two doubles and they were pretty good.
Overall, a pretty fun way to spend a Saturday night in the CWE. They really walk you through the lesson so I think anyone (no matter the level of experience) would have a fun night here.

Lots of fun! A bigger space would be nice. Also, for those who come early — the price should be lower. It can be a bit pricey to get in, while adding the price of drinks.

Okay, so I went here on Saturday and the experience was okay. The instructor for the lessons was awesome and very friendly. The music was decent and pretty much what you’d expect. However, charging $ 10 for a mojito is kind of nuts. I spent $ 30 on 3 drinks total. It was one of the most expensive bars I have gone to. Also the lessons are from 8:30 to 10. And if you are under 30, you will be in the minority here from what I have seen.

I’ve been coming to Club Viva for about 7 years now, mostly on Thursdays and Saturdays. It’s always a lot of fun, the DJ is great and they have a nice selection of drinks. If you don’t know how to dance salsa, try their free lesson 8:30 — 9:30 on Thursdays and Saturdays. The club is very safe and friendly.

SALSA DANCING THURSDAY NIGHTS = FUN TIMES! Ladies free. oooh yeah.
When I was living in Saint Louis, I used to come here almost every Thursday night for salsa dancing with my friend. I have taken salsa classes in the past and come from a dance background, so it was easy to jump right in. But if you don’t have the experience, they often have free salsa classes before the night starts up.
Yes it is a little dingy. Yes it might seem a little dark. But I really didn’t feel skeezed out or anything.
I always left in a good mood with a little bit of a workout under my belt.

This club is a great place to get into the salsa dance scene. They have a decent DJ and plenty of dancers. The reason I’m giving this place a 3 is because of the smoking. After spending 2 years, 12+ hours a week, dancing in smoke-​free bars & clubs in Miami, it is difficult to find pleasure in a smoking atmosphere. I tried dancing here weekly for a year, but I just cannot handle the smoke any more. My clothes smell like an ash tray when I leave and I wake up with a headache the next day every time.
The newly revamped flooring is great and allows more people dancing at the same time (it was needed). If/​When they go smokeless — you can bet I will become a regular dancer there again.
Their drink prices were a little expensive, in my opinion — but with a $ 0 or $ 5 cover charge, I guess they have to make their money somehow.

The Latin version of the old Creepy Crawl. Dark. Dingy. Basementy. But with nicer staff. And no punx. That’s exactly what this is.
Keep in mind I went on a Wednesday night which is their Reggae night and not exactly what they’re known for. So maybe if I go on a bustling Friday night this review will change.
I’m fairly certain Club Viva charges five bucks to get in the door, regardless of what they’re promoting. After all, it’s a club right?
The staff there is PHENOMENAL. We’re talking free tastes of… whatever they’re slingin behind the bar, hilarious conversations, sassy awesome ladies behind the bar, big teddy bear bouncers who you just want to hug.
Their sangria tasted like death. It legit tasted like three buck chuck mixed with koolaid.
The reggae band was the type of band where it’s difficult to tell if they’ve switched songs or if they’ve been playing the same one for an hour. But let’s face it, I wasn’t actually there for the reggae. I was there to wish my friend a happy bday, then ignore her and watch the ball game for the rest of the night. So the reggae was just background music. But here’s a huge plus: despite having a large band, you could actually converse with your friends. Unless it’s a band I am dying to see, I can’t stand live bands in bars because most of them aren’t very good and then you can’t have conversation with your besties.
I give it three stars based on the fabulous staff the large dance floor, and the fair prices. But IMO, if you’re in the central west end and you’re going to compete for my business in that crazy ass neighborhood, you need to wow me, or at least make a sangria that doesn’t taste like a diabetic coma in a glass.

Went here on a fourth-​ish date last week and figured it would be fun, as I cut rugs with reckless abandon, but I had an even better time than I expected! A nice change of pace, for sure.
They had a free salsa lesson from rougly 8 to 9 (as they do every Thur and Sat) taught by this funny Cuban guy. While going through the motions and numbering off the steps we were supposed to be taking, he kept counting off «1, 2, 3…5, 6, 7» over and over again. Math was never my strongest subject, but still… :P Oh, and just before giving a demonstration with a female partner about half his age, he introduced her (a cute employee of the place) as «his friend for the weekend.» Her face was priceless!
Once the music started, there was a lot of energy and a real positive, fun vibe. And I agree with the other reviewers that women definitely do not sit on the sidelines in this place… you WILL be approached and asked to dance, ladies.
4 stars instead of 5 for the limited seating, although since I got there early (just before 8), I was able to snag primo real estate on some spruced up futons in an intimate back corner.

The Unilocal get-​together tonight was my first experience at Club Viva. Admittedly, I didn’t even know it existed until Aimee posted the event.
The club is in the basement of a building on Euclid, and has that dark, dive-​bar feel to it. The bartenders were really friendly and efficient. One bartender, a sweet hispanic lady who kept calling me baby (she pronounced it ba-​BEE), was particularly attentive to customers.
The salsa lesson was fun, but very crowded. I was stepped on and I stepped on others. Someone’s flailing arm made contact with my chin at one point. The crowd made it hard to see the instructor. But as long as you’re okay with being stepped on, and occasionally running into others, it’s a lot of fun. During the times that I couldn’t see or hear the instructor, I just kind of did my own thing. That worked okay. Sure, it didn’t look as good as the real dance, but I just wanted to keep moving.
The open dance floor was fun, but my husband was so nervous about dancing (did I mention that he has two left feet and an odd sense of rhythm?) that we didn’t stay on the floor long. But there were other, more
talented couples clearly enjoying themselves.

Went back tonight for some more salsa action.
I’m sad to say that Viva has gone down a bit in my opinion.
First of all, the Thursday salsa lesson went on a bit too long. 8pm until almost 10? Enough already — just turn on the real music and let us dance!
Once the dance music started, things got a little better. There was a nice mix of men and women, although around 11pm, it got too crowded to move comfortably on the dance floor.
But the biggest reason why I’m dropping this down to three stars is for the TERRIBLE bartenders. Both women were hands down, the RUDEST bartenders I’ve ever come across in my life. Just bitter, sour bitches. It was so bad that I only ordered one drink before I decided to close my tab and not deal with their nastiness anymore (and friends, I NEVER order just ONE drink).
I’ll be back, but Viva is definitely not what it used to be.

Do you own a pair of dancing shoes? Well if you’re going to Viva, make sure you wear those suckers. If you aren’t really the dancing type, I’m not so sure this is the place for you. There IS a little bit of seating but it’s usually taken up by the same crowd of rowdy men who I think are employees or friends of employees. They like to just drink and watch people dancing, which is okay, albeit a little creepy…
Most recently I went to Viva for a salsa class with a group after a birthday dinner at Herbie’s. We had a few cocktails at dinner but were still really sober and totally unsure of the experience ahead… Especially the guys in the group. Salsa dancing was not sounding like their cup of tea. We walked in and down the dark stairs, and the whole place was almost empty! The first order was a round of drinks, and word of warning, these were some strongly poured cocktails. We even got shots of tequila on the house! Did you know that tequila makes you a much better salsa dancer?
Soon other people started showing up and the class began. The instructor was really funny and the steps were REALLY simple. It lasted about 45 minutes or so and felt like the perfect length.
Best part of the night was up next… The open dance floor. Before I could take a sip of my drink a 67 year old ‘Spanish Stallion’ (his wording) grabbed my hand and literally twirled me around for about an hour. He even gave me some maracas to use! My fiancé claims he wasn’t jealous of Spanish Stallion but I am not so sure…
We were ready for BED after our night at Club Viva. I definitely want to get a group together soon and head back for a night of hilarious experiences!

Ok so now I know why I’ve not been here in a year. I’m not a salsera, I’m not a salsa snob, and well it’s not my first choice of music. However, the DJ thinks there is nothing in existence other than Salsa and maybe a dash of bachata. It also explains why there are more foreigners from other countries and Gringos than actual Latinos here. The music is boring. There is no diversity in the type of music, there is no mixing of the music. It was literally 98% salsa 1% bachata and 1% something else no one wants to hear.
If you want this to be a salsa club then call it «NOTHING BUT SALSA» not Viva. And for the record, we don’t really have any true salseros here like in other cities. If you think you are one you probably dance fabulous but thats it. If you think you deserve 10sq ft on a crowded dance floor and want to be rude if someone bumps into you… expect a slap in the face or a sarcastic remark telling you to shut up. There is so much fakeness in this lil community that it makes me ill but makes for a lovely mini novela.
On a lighter note, I do like some of the new décor and the cheap wood on the floor prevents you from falling on the previously sweaty concrete.
I’ll stick with Dantes and enjoying a variety of music at the festivals or when I travel porque no quiero a bailer con locos salseros.

Bailamos! Let the rhythm take you over, BAILAMOOOSSS!
Yeah, I went there.
The awesome thing about Club Viva is that you WILL dance. Even if you don’t want to. Even if you didn’t bring a partner. The culture of this place is that the men ALWAYS ask the women to dance. If you are standing there idle, you will be pounced on like a baby gazelle in the sahara. For a less predatory sounding anaology, it’s kind of like traditional 1950s high school prom. The girls stand against the wall, the guys come up and politely ask for a spin on the dance floor. Guys, even if you don’t know jackshizzle about dancing, you won’t look weird if you ask that cute girl to dance. It won’t be forward or out of place. I was kind of taken aback by this «ask stangers to dance» thing. And felt a little like sloppy seconds (thirds, fourths…) as the guys rotated through. Okay, not really. I thought it was awesome.
I’ve been known to whip out the salsa moves once or twice, and with a dance background, I wasn’t intimidated. So I had a lot of fun getting flung around on the dance floor. For some of the rhythms I wasn’t familiar with — bachata, merengue — the guys who danced with me were very patient teachers. I caught on pretty quickly and had a blast. But even for my friend (see Stephanie S’s review) who doesn’t have a dance background, she still had fun. The more experienced patrons really seem to enjoy teaching those who aren’t familiar with Latin dancing.
I danced with everyone from:
–A quiet elderly Caucasian gentleman who looked like he taught middle school history
— To an old Hispanic man not much taller than I am (I’m 5’2″) that I wanted to adopt as my grandpa that showed me a thing or two about shaking it like a saltshaker
— To a nearly 7 foot tall (it seemed) redheaded farm boy from Arkansas (who the heck taught you the bachata?!)
— To a skinny boy with gelled-​up hair with the top two buttons unbuttoned exposing his hairless chest and a gold chain that tried to grab the goods, who presented me with a priceless «Damn, I blew it!» face when I wouldn’t dance with him again
— To a buff, Cuban version of Fabio that literally spun me IN THE AIR (and I screamed).
Sweet baby Jesus (that’s HAY-​SOOS), I had a great time.
Downsides — not a classy place. Drinks are kinda pricey. It’s dirty. It’s smokey. It’s in a basement. But these people know how to GET DOWN.

You want more cowbell in your life? You got it! Viva is the place to be for salsa, bachata, and merengue on Thursday and Saturday nights. The DJs also play a bit of reggaeton, cumbia, and cha cha. The dance floor gets going around 10. You might see an older gentleman weaving his way through the crowd playing the cowbell or maracas to help get everyone into the groove. Ladies are free on Thursdays. Everyone pays $ 6 on Saturdays. Patrons are a diverse, international mix, and more than half are regulars who come every week. I’ve made a lot of friends here and at other events in the local salsa community.
Don’t feel intimated by the professional-​level dancing you will see here. It takes years of practice and dancing in the clubs to get to that level — you have to start somewhere! But out of respect for the dancers please do not drink, smoke, or chew gum on the dance floor; try to dance while wasted; or just stand in the middle of the floor taking up precious dance space. Good rules to follow at any club :-)
One sore spot: their water policy. You have to pay for water (in bottles), and don’t think about refilling it from the bathroom tap. They shut off the cold taps just for this purpose. Us serious dancers SWEAT and we need to rehydrate, but I understand the bar needs to make $ too. I usually don’t drink much here because I want to be in top form for dancing. Mojitos are pricey at $ 10; a small rum and coke runs $ 5. Beers are cheaper. Avoid that Latin Kiss drink — it is grossly sweet.
Bathrooms are grimy. This is not an elegant club. But you should still dress nice for Latin nights. Bring dance shoes if you have them. Have fun and watch out — this place can be addictive!

Salsa Salsa Salsa… I can dance. for sure. I actually good at salsa, but there are some people here that blow me outta the water. Amaze me actually. Check this place around 10pm Fridays is the hot night.

I can’t dance worth a crap, but get a sangria in my hand and I’ll salsa you senseless. Speaking of the sangria, it’s definitely not good, but the free salsa lessons on Thurs. and Sat. evenings along with a mostly international crowd make Viva a refreshing change of pace on a hot St. Louis night.

I always had aspirations to be a great dancer, aspirations that have never been realized in real life. I was shocked to see that my carpool of friends took us to Club Viva, as we were supposed to have finished drinking and were supposedly on our way back to a friend’s house to watch Robin Williams stand up on dvd. The fear rose up in me as I was forced to tag along with my friends. I do not dance. As stated, I’ve always wanted to, but as of yet don’t.
The people inside were so happy and looked so cool! There was a nice sized bar and some tables. My husband and I looked at each other, nonverbally communicating to dive for the bar and hide. Nearly successful, our friends caught up with us and pushed us out to dance. Perhaps it was the ‘deer in headlights’ stare we had, but another couple came up and started showing us moves, but not in a swinger or creepy way, just a very kind and helpful way. Within a few minutes we didn’t feel so stupid, and actually had a nice time.
I’m eager to go back for the free dance lessons, and encourage everyone else — even those who ‘do not dance’ like myself — to give this place a try. You’ll be warmly welcomed and won’t be laughed at… well at least we weren’t.

Club Viva, oh how that little Latin dance place has surprise this man with nothing but left feet. For one night you made me believe that I could feel the rhythm of the music and of the night, dance, dance, dance!
Club Viva is a fun place. The door is located at the front of an alley and the stairs go beneath another restaurant, so you are basically in a basement. Upon walking in there I wasn’t quite sure what to expect.
I was pleasantly surprised and enjoyed myself immensely. The bartender was great. I’m not sure if she knew exactly what she was doing because she poured the drink crazy strong, so at least I got my money’s worth in alcohol, so actually there are not real complaints.
I went there with a group of friends for a birthday night out. One of the nice things about this place is that the cover was only five dollars and everyone was extremely polite. Also they have free salsa lessons a couple of nights a week. I believe those nights are Thursday and Saturdays before the normal club hours start.
Club Viva is a great place to spend the night dancing, no matter how good or in my case, how bad you are.