Rumba Night Club: Chicago Latin Night Club, Latin American Food, Merengue And Salsa Lessons

When people decide to go out for a night on the town, the two most common activities are dinner and dancing. But many restaurants do not have a dance floor, and food is typically not served with the alcoholic drinks at dance clubs. An ideal destination would be one where couples can sit down to an elegant dinner with drinks, then get up and cut a rug to some lively music.

One such place is Rumba in Chicago.

Many consider Rumba to be one of the best restaurants in Chicago, or at the least a premium dining venue. Rumba is a Latin night club as well as a restaurant, where people go for the dancing as much as for the excellent Latin American food. It is a perfect place for couples, groups of friends, large parties, major celebrations, and even business meetings. Every guest is certain to have a splendid time at Rumba.

Potential guests should have an idea of what is available on the menu in this Chicago restaurant. The photos of these menu items alone should convince even the pickiest eaters to try Rumba. Most of what is served is Latin American food, with a very strong Cuban influence overall. The selection is anything but boring. Havana crab cakes with nutmeg, coconut-crusted sea bass with plantains, rack of lamb with sangria glaze, a volcanic seafood mofongo, and chocolate luva are only a few of the exotic choices here. Overall, there are 14 appetizers, three salads, four soups, 17 entrees and nine desserts on the menu. However, these are only the cuisine Rumba's website listed; the actual menu may be much longer, and the drinks are not listed here.

The dancing at this Latin night club is also a big draw to Rumba. As with its cuisine, dancing at Rumba is Latin American in origin. In fact, the name Rumba is taken from a 16th-century African dance, which had a pervasive influence on the later development of Latin dance styles in the Caribbean. Professional dancers and musicians at Rumba treat the guests to spellbinding, theater-worthy performances as they dine. Rumba's website calendar lists special and regular events; each Thursday is a salsa night, Fridays feature Emily of Sexy Salsa with Salsa Viejita Pero Sabrosita, and on Saturdays Emily again performs, with DJ Alberto Escandalo Gomez.

Guests are also welcome to participate in the dance magic themselves in the sensual main room of Rumba. Here they will enter an odyssey of merengue, salsa, tango, cha-cha, and other unique, legendary dances. On Friday nights, Rumba offers free salsa lessons for anyone wanting and willing to learn. These salsa lessons are a great way to embrace the culture represented at this venue.

Although an evening of merengue dancing at Rumba is sure to be unforgettable, the idea of getting what is paid for certainly applies here. The typical entrée costs $25 dollars or more, and parking costs $8 for a valet, unless one parks in a nearby pay lot. There is a $10 cover for all guests after 9:30 on Fridays and Saturdays. Reservations are nearly always necessary here, and guests are encouraged to dress nicely; no sweatsuits, sneakers or anything too casual.

A Latin night club cannot get much better than Rumba. There are dinners, drinks, dancing and entertainment to suit everyone. The party at Rumba goes on into the wee hours of the night. This is no run-of-the-mill neighborhood hangout.

Sources:
"Chicago Restaurants: Rumba." MetroMix. MetroMix.com. 12 Sept. 2007. http://metromix.chicagotribune.com/dining/45964,0, 1998488.location.

"Rumba." Center Stage Chicago. 1995-2007. CenterStage. 12 Sept. 2007. http://centerstage.net/dance/clubs/rumba.html.

"Entertainment." Rumba. 12 Sept. 2007. http://63.134.220.8/.

"Menu." Rumba. 12 Sept. 2007. http://63.134.220.8/.

"Rumba Calendar." Rumba. 12 Sept. 2007. http://63.134.220.8/.