The History of Chicago Salsa Clubs

Throughout this site we featured many of the bands and musicians from back in the day. We also occasionally mentioned some of the night clubs from the past and even gave you a brief description of some of them so you could get the feel of what it was like. While topics on this blog are generally geared toward past and present salsa bands in Chicago it would only be fair to provide a brief history on some of the Night Clubs and people who also played a role in the development of salsa in Chicago. After all, without the clubs where would the bands play? The following is a brief historical summary of Chicago salsa clubs. Part of this summary was provided by Tony Irizarry, a local historian who operates a local Hispanic Museum in Chicago. This is from his publication, “Un Siglo De Hispanidad En Chicago.”

After the 1950s, Latin bands began to make occasional appearances in Chicago. A local promoter at the time, Rafael Cardona, in 1954 was one of the first to begin the practice when he first brought the popular “Cortijo Y Su Combo” to the Ashland Auditorium. Afterward, he continued to bring Latin attractions to local theaters and dances throughout Chicago. After the 50s, Vitin Santiago, a popular band leader opened one of the first Latin clubs, “La Sonora Night Club.” It was located on Madison Street near Ogden Avenue. Also around that time, local MC, Turin Acevedo, and his brother Mike opened the popular “Mocambo” night club, which was located on Madison and Loomis.

Another very popular club that was described as being much classier was “El Petite Lounge.” The headliner at this club was the ever popular Pellin Rodriguez. Pellin Rodriguez worked at this club until he eventually joined “El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico” as a vocalist. On Division Street another club, “Carmen’s Village,” featured bands regularly. The club was owned by Carmen Cristia (who later became Carmen Diaz).

A short distance away on Clybourn another club opened called, “El Tropicana Night Club.” The club did not last very long even though it was one of the more attractive clubs. Back on Division Street between Milwaukee Avenue and Ashland Avenue Charlie Gomez and his partners opened the “Casino Puerto Rico.” This club was the newest sensation but was quickly shut down when a patron was killed there. Other clubs and venues of note were the “Congreso Puertoriqueno” on North Avenue and Ogden Avenue, El “Puesto Boricua,” on Milwaukee and Elston, and “Club Los Nobles” at 17^th and Ashland.

Some local halls that featured Latin bands regularly were the Ashland Auditorium located at Ashland Avenue and Van Buren and the Temple Hall at Van Buren and Marshfield. Later on during the 1970s the Walsh Hall near Noble and Milwaukee Avenue hosted dances featuring Latin bands from Puerto Rico and New York. Local bands that played there regularly were bands like, “Felipe Y Su Gran Sonora,” “Los Humacaenos,” “El Trio Rio Platense” led by Justino Diaz, “Tarzan Y Su Orquesta,” and “Cayito Y Su Combo.”

Some of the local promoters of that era who deserve mention are; Tony Serrano, Emilio Cruz, Tony Irizarry and the ever popular Angel Lopez, who deserves special mention for taking salsa one step further. Tony Quintana was another popular promoter who hosted a local Spanish television program and opened a club called, “The Havana Madrid” located at Belmont and Sheffield.

Florentino (Junior) Mitchel was the first to promoter bring “El Gran Combo De Puerto Rico” to the Aragon Ballroom. Diego “El Cubano” Y Su Combo became very popular in the Latin club scene as well as Rafael “El Congo” Castro. “El Congo” was a very popular showman during these times. He was a great conga player and dancer. He was known as a one man show – very entertaining. Also around this time a Puerto Rican vocalist, Eddie Galarza, opened one of the most popular restaurant/ bars in the city known as, “Café Ole” located at Armitage and Sedgwick. Vitin Santiago, after his arrival to Chicago formed a band and quickly became the band that would alternate with many of the bands playing here from New York and Puerto Rico.  Later on, Vitin Santiago opened the “Sonora Night Club” and “El Coco Loco” in Lincoln Park. Several years later he opened the famous “Latin Village Night Club” on Lincoln Avenue.

During the late 70s and into the early 80s the popular clubs featuring slasa bands were, the “Tropical Magic” on Fullerton and Rockwell, the “Las Vegas Night Club” on Armitage Avenue, the “Night Life Night Club” on North Avenue, the “Nevada Night Club” on Kimball and Armitage, “La Concha” on North Avenue near Humbolt Park, the "Night and Day" on Sheridan, the “Chateau Latino,” and as previously mentioned, the “Latin Village” in Lincoln Park. “El Mirador” on North Avenue, billed as the most exclusive club of them all had Tito Puente and his Orchestra as the house band. Other halls that featured salsa bands during that time were, the “Northwest Hall” at North Avenue and Western, “Links Hall” at Sheffield and Cornelia, “D.A.N.K. Hall” located at Western and Lawrence, “El Club Ecuatoriano” at Broadway and Irving Park, the “Golden Tiara” located at Cicero near Belmont, and the ever famous Aragon Ballroom on Lawrence Avenue.  

Over the years I have heard many stories surrounding these clubs. They played an important role in the development of salsa in Chicago and as such deserved to be mentioned. Today, the “Rumba” on Hubbard, “Nacional 27” on Huron and “Tumbao" on Armitage Avenue are some of the clubs still featuring live salsa a few nights a week. I am sure we missed some but if anyone out there would like to give us an update or straighten us out with some of the details please feel free to post an update. Que Viva La Salsa!