Salsa, with a side of steak, at Stevens Steak and Seafood House

April 5, 2010

LOS ANGELES, USA – A steakhouse in a post-industrial area of Los Angeles is probably the last place you’d think to look for the hottest salsa bands and dancers in town. But Stevens Steak and Seafood House, a restaurant-cum-banquet hall right off the 5 Freeway in Commerce (just southeast of downtown) is THE mecca for serious Southland salseros.

Some restaurant venues in LA, like the Warehouse in Marina del Rey or Monsoon in Santa Monica, dedicate maybe one or two nights in a week to Latin music and dance, but Stevens devotes a whopping seven nights a week to the clavé beats and sultry movements — unprecedented for an establishment that doesn’t even serve Latin cuisine. Bachata reigns on Mondays and Wednesdays, while on the remainder of the evenings, salsa dominates.

The dining room of the restaurant itself is sort of faux classy: dim lights, white table cloths, and dramatic chandeliers, but an anything-goes dress code. If you’re planning to dine, definitely reserve one of the generously sized booths. But though the steak is actually decent here, the food is really beside the point. Most patrons walk right through the dining room and beeline for one of two dance floors.

I’ve been going to Stevens for years now, so I forget what a sensory overload of music, motion, and sweaty hedonism it can be for newcomers until I happen to take along a friend who’s going for the first time. The main dance floor located behind the bar is usually so packed that couples spill out onto the surrounding carpet, literally “cutting a rug.” When there’s not some sort of private event (wedding reception, etc.) going on in the adjoining banquet space, it’s opened up for dancing, too. This is where some of the best live bands in town play (especially fun is the recurring “Battle of the Bands” event, where dancers decide the winner). You’d think that this second dance floor would alleviate some of the crowding, but especially on nights with bands, this floor is crammed-to-bursting, too.

Stevens is an ideal place for beginners to take a lesson, offered every night except Friday and Saturday. (An especially good deal is the Sunday afternoon lesson, which is two hours long [3:00pm-5:00pm] and followed by a free buffet before the band or DJ gets underway). But it’s also home turf for some of the slickest and most advanced dancers on the scene. You’ll see seriously death-defying lifts, dips, and turns out on the floor, not to mention cocky attitudes. Fly your feathers in a flirty dress or tight jeans with a strappy top.

On that fashion note, one of my favorite times to drop by Stevens is after a shopping trip at the Citadel Outlets (BCBG, Calvin Klein, etc.) just on the other side of the freeway. Now that’s the kind of “Commerce” I can get behind.

Stevens Steak and Seafood House
5332 Stevens Place
Commerce, CA
(1) 323-721-2874
Website
Map

Citadel Outlets
100 Citadel Dr., Suite 480
Los Angeles, CA
(1) 323-888-1724
Website
Map