Just two Things: Why did you change the menu!? I thought the Granada Burger was a hit?! dinner was disappointing. Second: I wasn't too happy with the Salsa 2 class - Its supposed to be fun. Some one should let the so-call Regulars know that its a class to learn not to let people know how talented and advance one is...?! read more

In Short: Great Dancers, Awful Staff I'm a salsa dancer and this place attracts the best dancers but almost everyone who works here, especially the goons at the door, are rude or indifferent. I saw them reject a girl at the door who came with a bunch of friends because she had a (intentional) hole in her designer jeans. I've never met the owner, but a friend of mine got in an argument with him and the owner guy was like "Do you know who I am?" Honestly I'll probably go back to this place because the dancing is great and I've met some awesome people here but I'll never support it by buying drinks or taking classes. If you want great salsa teachers, try people like Cristian Oviedo, DJ Zonik, Liz Lira, Dave Lea etc... instead read more

For the novice salsa dancer, this place is a bit intimidating. You've heard of the phrase "Bring your dancing shoes", right...well this place take that to a whole nother level! The girls seriously walked with a separate little shoe bag for their Latin ballroom shoes. They even sell dancing shoes in the front lobby. Granted, they have a sign up front and strictly enforce the "no lifts, no dips" rule, everyone there was all partnered up and knew what they were doing. Not too many single groups. $12 before 11pm. I'd go back only if I had a dance partner and after I took a few more lessons. read more

Had a wonderful date night with my husband at this spot and went on a Friday night. We love to dance and have been looking for a place to get into the salsa dance culture. I would say we are more of the "self taught" dancer and out to have fun and learn something new. This place is a good starting point. It's not overcrowded like your typical club environment, no lines, very well-kept and classy. The staff as well as patrons are very friendly too. The main floor had plenty of space, not too dark, played a combination of salsa and bachata. There are reserved booths and a small stage. 2nd floor appeared to be the restaurant portion with a balcony where you could watch people dance, didn't get to check out the 3rd floor and the outdoor patio also had another DJ playing more modern top 40 music. We loved hanging out at the patio, plenty of seats to rest your feet and take a break from dancing or try a different pace, nothing too fancy and not a lot of cigarette smoke. I loved that the people at this place, overall know how to dance, no drunks, classy well dressed and no drinks on the floor. This place definitely inspired my husband and I to try our hand at salsa dancing and start taking classes. Great way to spend quality time and spice up the marriage! We will definitely be returning to this place. read more

Attended a Friday night salsa beginner's class held at 8:30 on Friday nights. $15. pays for your class and the remainder of the night. You make friends in the salsa class, so find them and viola dance buddies during the night. The dance floor is huge and lots of good dancers everyewhere. I was so inimidated to be around so many good dancers, I went to the bar to order a Cadiallic margarita. Yikes, was that Cuevo the bartender just poured in my Cadiallic? I drank it anyways for liquid courage. My saying is that "I don't dance with Mr. Cuevo" but I did that night, regretably. So beware, i.e., better tequila should be requested. read more

I would rate this a 5 however this location needs structural repairs, owner should look into this as he can have a lawsuit on his hands if someone gets injured. I've been to their Saturday dance, love the vibe, I've eaten here, food is ok. I guess this place is just good to dance the night away. read more

I love this place. It is quite a bit of a drive for me - but well worth it. I enjoy the crowd that goes - not too many beginners, lots intermediate and decently advanced. I'm a lower-intermediate dancer, and get asked to dance by a range of dancers. Some salsa places have a click that is pretty advanced and are picky about who they dance with - that isn't the case here. The live music is always amazing (although there have been times when I've wished the songs weren't so long as Senor Hurts Me A Lot chucks me around the dance floor). I feel safe going on my own for two reasons: I haven't had any trouble with the guys there, and the neighborhood isn't sketchy and there's plenty of people walking about. Bottom line: I highly recommend La Granada for dancing. read more

I used to be a regular at the Granada. Not for the Salsa dancing, but specifically when they have social ballroom nights on Sunday from 5:30 - 9:00pm. The dancers come from all levels. From beginners to those who compete locally. Don't be afraid to be asked or to ask anyone from any table to dance. The crowd (regular or new) is very friendly. I like the ambiance during these nights, with live music from Two's Company and some ballroom music played by DJ Steve during breaks. Food is ok, and they have a good selection of drinks at the bar. On Sundays, the music range from salsa, swing, waltzes, foxtrots, chacha, rumbas, nightclub two step, tango, a line dance or two, vienesse... among a few. Requests can also be made. There is a cover of $10 for those going in just to dance and $5 for those who want to grab dinner. Dinner costs between $8 - $21, depending on the plate. Service can sometimes be a hit or miss depending on the size of the crowd, and depends if you're an active dancer. You might miss the servers from taking orders if you're always on the dance floor. So be sure to order early. read more

All Salsa dancers - come here on Saturday night. Johnny Polanco and his band played here when I went for the first time last Saturday and it was amazing music. But the dancers were stylin! Great atmosphere and very friendly people and good dancers.. The night we went there was a private party on the top floor, so the salsa took place on the first floor and outside - which was nice - i love hot la nights. We also found parking nearby for free. link: http://www.thegranadaalhambra.com/noflash.php read more

great place for salsa. $16 for beginner lessons or intermediate. Friday class was 8pm to 9:30-ish. If you're not in the class don't show up any earlier, unless you want to watch us stumble through the new moves. I've taken quite a few 'first lessons' back east but I'd have to say this was the best and most advanced I've taken. Starting with the basics, teaching me stuff I've never been taught before, and still a beginning class. nice. People overall were friendly and polite, I didn't even get groped once :( Maybe next time At least for tonight, layout was 1st floor - disco(70s style). 2nd floor - restaurant 3rd floor - two salsa rooms and bar. With the wrist band you were figuratively bound to the salsa or disco room, not both. read more

I LOVE LOVE THE GRANADA LA~This hot off the chart Latin American dance club, whose abbreviation stands for flare of Spain is located just on the fringe of South Pasadena and the Alhambra, Ca . A popular place to shake your money maker, Granada School and Night Club is also a good place to hear great live music ranging from Bachata Rumba and Afropop to Samba and Latin R & B. Hell event Ballroom. I saw the teacher from "Dancing with The Stars" and I danced with Carson Kresley OMG love him. Recent act have included Kiko Rodriguez. Patrons love to spend all night here, and who could blame them? The tasty island drinks, the beautiful scenery and the great music make this place hard to leave -- even if it is early in the morning read more

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I went early on Saturday for the beginners salsa class (I needed a refresher), and it was by far the best FREE salsa class I've ever taken, granted I've taken private lessons before. So here's why, 1) To my surprise, there were more male to female ratio during the class, which works to our advantage! 2) I loved that the instructor had us rotate with over 10 different guys to get use to dancing with different partners/styles. 3) It was very diverse and people were so nice. Other things to highlight, - Even though it's open to all ages, with a wristband you can purchase alcoholic drinks at the bar! - The live band plays great music - Ladies, men are not afraid to ask you to dance! - Men were very respectful on and off the dance floor (with the exception of one man who got a little too excited to dance with me...) Things I wasn't so excited about, - $3 for water (bottled only) - $15 cover read more

Let's say 4.5 stars. Came to the Granada to celebrate a friend's birthday. Parking in the structure across the street is easy, but it was pretty dark in there. The place has seen better days, and needs renovations. It was also going through a change in ownership, and there was a problem for the new owners to get credit card service. I trust that problem has cleared up. The Granada is all about dancing, and we didn't expect much from the restaurant. The servers were good and had good recommendations. The menu is not extensive, but it is imaginative and broad enough to satisfy most. My wife and I ordered chicken empanadas and Potatoes Bravas as appetizers, chicken Marsala, and the salmon. The empanadas are the Mexican-style fried, rather than the Argentinian baked. The chicken was finely minced, and mixed with spices. It was very good. I would highly recommend this dish. The potato wedges were coated in smoked pimento, and were reminiscent of BBQ chips. Quite good. The chicken Marsala was tender, with an excellent creamy sauce. The salmon was perfectly cooked, not over done, and tasted very good. We were impressed and pleasantly surprised. Our friend's Paella Valenciana looked very good, as did the crab ravioli. I didn't hear any complaints. The salsa lessons are fun. The instructors are real pros. They are funny, entertaining, and helpful. We had other issues, and had to leave early, but we had a great evening. read more

Went on a Friday night and cover was $10. That day, they only took cash (apparently the credit card machine was down?). There was a class going on when I showed up at 7pm for dinner. Originally, the place looked like a dance studio with no dinner to be had but we went up the stairs and voila! A restaurant! I didn't attend the class but my friends did and said it was fun and helpful though more strenuous than originally anticipated. After 9pm(?) the classes ended and it was just open dancing. It was a lot of fun to watch the dancers and there were really all skill levels there, including the instructors who just looked amazing. Overall a fun time, even for someone like me with no rhythm or dance ability. PS Parking is across the street in a multi-level parking structure. Totally free. :) read more

This is my default club when I need to get my Salsa fix. I been coming to The Granada for years. It's great for the following reasons: 1) Fri & Sat nights have live bands 2) They accept credit card 3) You can always find the usual Salsa dancers there 4) Always some great dancers showing off (great for me to watch when I'm taking a break) 5) HUGE dance floors 6) parking structure right across the street 7) Many restaurants nearby However, it's not a 5 stars for the following reasons: 1) Get very crowded after 11:30pm 2) It's not usual to get kick or step on (But if you Salsa dance, you already know it's a contact sport) 3) Every song here seem to be much much longer than elsewhere 4) Some dancers can be cliquey (not the friendliest place) read more

I went here on Saturday 11/03/07. I'll just say right off the bat that this place was a really cool salsa club. Still having trouble leaving the crib early, I arrived here close to midnight. The cover was $15, dress shoes code was definitely in effect. Since arriving "sooo late" (12 am) I opted for only one drink, Bombay Tonic ($7), before getting to the dance floor. This place is very airy and almost feels like you're walking into a Salsa Ballroom or something because, the lights are only slightly dim and you basically look across the whole room, so that was a nice change from the dark, smokey feel at The Mayan. I enjoyed the live band and there was actually enough room to move around pretty freely on the dance floor. No sardine-can action here contrary to The Mayan. There were plenty of dancers with skillz doing their thang which is always fun to watch. And the ladies, of course, will not have a lack of dance partners here. One of the really good things about The Mayan is that even though there are more guys than girls, at least there's plenty of chicas to keep the fellas dancing. I guess 'cause the place is like 2-3 times as big. Because of the combination of "late arrival" / size / maybe I needed to cruise the perimeter more for girls to dance with, felt like I basically paid $7.50 per dance partner ($7.50 x 2 dances = $15 cover). And it was funny because the first one was not even a full dance. Keep in mind that my skillz/confidence on the floor are still in the early stages, but the first had "spaghetti arms" and it seemed kinda hard to get her to follow me, so half way through the song she was like, "I'm going to stop now " and so I chuckled when she said that. However on the flipside the second/last girl followed really well and it was a lot of fun. So that made up for it. I'll definitely come back here...earlier in the evening no doubt. I consider this spot a good alternative to The Mayan, for a change of pace especially for the less crowded dance floor. The End read more

If you love salsa, ballroom, rumba, merenque, anything with some latin flair, you must come here! I used to take salsa lessons here w/ my Mexican coworker (who can shake his bon bon like no other!), and it was always so fun. You can buy a dance-lessons punch card, which averages to about $10/lesson for an hour long. I'm a n00b, so I took beginner classes, but it was still fun and challenging. There's quite a diverse group of students of all ages so you never feel out of place. The instructors are a married couple (the husband is cuban) who make fun of each other while instructing, making it very laid back. After lessons, you can stay inside the huge restaurant/club and dance the night away with a live band. It's also fun to get there early to check out the other dance lessons going on. Even if you don't dance, you can grab a mojito and just watch on the sidelines. I might start coming back here in the summer to find my future husband. Hah, kidding :) read more

So to get it straight my review is for Friday nights, so if you come here other nights and you no like it, dont blame my review, cuz to quote Smokey from Friday - "its Friday"! Anyhow, ive come here in the past to take lessons and such, but wanted to come back again, because honestly I suck at dancing, Im latino and have no rhythm at all, cant feel or hear the music, have no idea of beats, nothing... Thus because of that I can get self conscious. However, going here I dont embarrased due to my sucky dancing skills and such, especially since I can tell there are other people in the same boat as well as people who are more horrible than me. The instructors are quite professional and really knowledgable, this is probably one of the best if not the best places to learn salsa. Also another great thing about coming here for salsa lessons, is after taking a lesson you can stay and thus dont have to pay the cover charge, thus if you came with your friends you can dance with them or practice salsa with your classmates. Also they offer guest passes to your friends who want to take salsa lessons and thus can come in for free. Didnt have any food here, but drinks are reasonable priced. Thus will most likely come again for more lessons. read more

I've been to this place twice. I took a beginner's salsa lesson on a Friday. The instructors were good and even with my two left feet, I was able to follow along and even got the elementary moves down (sort of). After the hour and half lesson, I was able to practice my moves on the dance floor, opting for a place near the side, so I won't look like a dork amidst all the salsa pros. The music was great and everyone appeared to be having fun. This place does not seem to be your typical pick up joint. These people actually came to dance...what a new concept! I came again on a Saturday. Again, they had a crash course for us beginners. After that, the dance floor was opened to everyone. This night was more crowded than Friday. I felt sandwiched in and was bumping into people, but they didn't seem to notice my klutziness, thank goodness. We had a few tapas on the second floor restaurant, which were at best, mediocre. The shrimp lacked flavor, and the chicken wings were too spicy. The fried calamari was greasy. We left half of the food untouched. Also, I asked for a glass of water at the first floor bar, but the bartender said they don't have filtered water, just bottled water, which costs $3! A bit steep, if you ask me. All in all, this is a fun place to spend a Friday or Saturday night if you want to burn calories without having to visit the gym, hike, or run. read more

As a salsa lover, this is a fantastic place for me! Great live music and such a big dancing pool! Even though, there are always so many people and get super packed around midnight. However, there are enough amazing dancers to spend the whole night. This is definetly a pro! Just far from where I live. Wish I could come more often. read more

Went on a thursday night and it was fuuuun! we got there around 12 and salsa was playing but i guess at that time it ends cus after that all they played was pretty much bachata, still very fun. I had never danced bachata ever but went with some friends that are really really good so they tought me the basics and that was more than enough! the people that go there really go to dance (not like regular clubs where everybody's just trying to hook up) everyone dances with everyone and the only thing they worry about is having fun :D As far as age range is mostly late 20s and up i would say but didnt bump into any creepers lol plus it is very affordable, just 5$ the cover. Im going again today see what saturday nights bring, totally recommend it ;) read more

So i don't have much to compare but this is a definite spot for dinner and dancing! Usually not a lot of people till after 9pm. Dinner is not amazing but it's more about the experience of sitting upstairs listening to live band and enjoying the ambiance. With a group of friends, your dancing shoes, and a fan cause it gets stuffy you'll dance the night away. salsa lessons are earlier in the night, never done them but they look helpful. Bathrooms are ok. Floor is big. and not too many weirdos, usually attracts more classy people. I guess cause its not free! but definitely worth checking out if you like dancing and live salsa bands. read more

Visited this place for a birthday party. I enjoyed myself. Lots of dance space and friendly people looking to have a good time.

The place to be when you wanna salsa... and i mean salsa! When i wanna burn som shoes i just grab my girlfriends and go party with the nice classy dancers at Granada. It's a verry nice atmosfre, people seem to just wanna have fun. Never been there for salsa lessond but i'll think my skills need some upgrade i might just giv it a try. I went the a few times and i've gotten pretty confortable with this place, but i rememberd at first the staff seemed kinda cold. But then again, tell me a place where the bodyguards are gonna smile at you and invite you in if u seem 'fishy' to them. Plus, they say no dress code, but that doesn't mean absolutely no dress code... you gotta be presentable. read more

Thurs, Sept 22nd Spanish Harlem Concert 9pm - 2am This place is AMAZING for the level of dancers and energy. I went for a friends' birthday and the event started at 9 but the Grammy Award winning band didn't actually come on till later. Incrediblly skilled dancers - what a show. It was great! If you are looking to talk about decor, etc. don't bother. I met 3 people from the South Bay and Culver City ...it was great. Lotsa regulars I was told. There was a $25 cover for most people I think. read more

(This review is for the Salsa classes) The dancing classes are different from those other dance studios like Murry Arthur. The teachers actually teach you how to dance and not look like a beginner. I started the beginning salsa classes just last month and I can now actually dance. Honestly, I am a person with 2 left feet and am not graceful or rhythmic in movement. But I can actually dance and look normal. The teachers for this class is a husband and wife team, Terryl & Enio. They are very patience and excellent teachers. They throw in some jokes (sometimes a little less funny hearing that more than once though) and are good at what they do. They have won numerous awards and are recognized in the salsa and ballroom dancing world. As for the Saturday classes, I am surprised that there are a lot of people here for a Saturday afternoon. There is also a pretty good male to female ratio. On Tuesday nights, there is a good number of people there as well and a fair male to female ratio as well. Each week, you learn a few steps and build upon whatever you learned last week (make sure you practice). The first half of the class, you do the warm up routine and learn the new steps to add to your already learned routine. Then after that you dance w/ the male (or female) you happen to be standing in front of and then rotate. At first, I thought dancing with other people would be scary. I really am intimidated by dancing. But you actually learn to dance better and feel more comfortable dancing w/ someone else. In this class, there are a lot of students that are more experienced and so you dance better w/ them (well holds true for me since I am a female. The female just has to follow. I feel sorry for the guys who have to learn all the moves). Everyone of the students I've danced with have been very nice and patience. I look forward to this new month of more salsa dancing class. Every month, the classes start fresh again. After the salsa class on Saturdays, students are welcomed to stay to practice and dance to salsa music. On Tuesday nights, you can stay and watch the dancing class after and then stay for the practice dancing as well. This place offers other dance classes as well (ballroom, cha cha, bachata, tango, etc) and I'm sure I would learn to dance those styles as well. If I can learn to dance, so can you. So don't be intimidated like me, what are you waiting for? Grab your dancing shoes (preferable real dancing shoes that you buy at a dance store... will be easier on your knees and easier for you to spin) and go for it! read more

Had a great time at Granada. Showed up a little late to the free lesson before hand but was easily able to join in. The instructor is great and very easy to hear through the speaker system. We went on Salsa night and in watching other people was able to pick up a new move. Although I am still a beginner. lol. The only think is I wish the kitchen was open a little later. We got a little hungry and went to buy some local tacos at 12:30am. read more

This place is cool. An actual dance hall with a great diversity of people - seriously, I once had the privilege of dancing with the genuine article - a Cuban old timer (who looked classic in his fedora and suit) that gave me a run for my money on the dance floor. It was refreshing to visit a place where people's interest is to dance and not necessarily pick up - imagine that! Another great thing about this place is that they close very late/early on Sats. Parking structure is across the street and I believe it's free. Can it get any better? read more

I love going hear for the awesome Salsa music...pricey and sometimes very packed on the weekends! but well worth it!! read more

Very nice place has a big dance floor, that has room not only for those that are experience salsa dancer but also for those learning and the ones who just feel like "dancing by them self". GOOD live salsa music, the band plays music full of energy and the songs had different salsa bit, very fun, I didn't want them to stop playing. However the songs that the DJ plays sound all the same, sounded like he just play a very extend version of a song that last the entire set, there was not variety on the kind of Salsa music. read more

This place is awesome. I happen to hear the music walking down main street so i checked it out an i was an awwwww. It seemed like i was in a movie the music was going everybody was dancing having a great time and the vibe was right all around. if you havent been here yet you have to pass by you will get hooked an want to come back over and over again. read more

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This is my weekend spot. Everyone is cool and very respectful. The dance classes are perfect for beginners.

Great..love ittttt Love live music!!# will go back anytime#!! I highly recommend The live band is amazing read more

So this is a three storied previous church renovated to be a now dance club/ restaurant. If you are a salsa/merengue lover this is the place for you! On Saturday nights it's 20 dollars cover per person for the club. It has a lot of open space to dance and most people are formally trained, however there's always room to learn:) the drinks are fairly priced and there's a bar on every floor. The best part is the outside area where the DJ switches up the music to all types of American style music in case the salsa gets a bit much for you. There's a restaurant on the second floor, and if you reserve you can get dinner earlier by the first floor dance floor. They also teach dance lessons earlier in the evenings. Check the schedule since every night has a different theme!:) read more

This place is awesome. I have been wanting to take Salsa lessons for a long time. Well I tried to take them in college by some club teaching it for an expensive fee in a hot humid basement where everyone started to stink and everyone's palms were really sweaty. After two times, I couldnt take it anymore. And my coworkers are all Salsa fanatics but most arent beginners, but two of them really got me going on it and I finally went. I took the Intro to Salsa and it was very nice. A nice place, free admission to club after your class, good teachers. Talented. Intro to Salsa isnt even Salsa 1 and they go at a good pace but still fast. Miss one class and the next one gets real hot. They have deals for students and bulk classes If you have a friend who went there, they can get you free 1st/2nd week classes! Their classes are all 4 weeks long, every month they start over. read more

This place looks small from the outside but it's very roomy. I went on a Saturday night salsa room was packed but when you go to the 3rd floor in the "Bachata" Room it was very spacious mainly because there wasn't a lot of people in there so dancing was awesome. Sucks that you have to walk up three flights of stairs in heels but worth it. also the second floor had a lil eating area which smelled good, I didn't get to try it. Downstairs salsa is open until 3am, Bachata ends at 2. I loved that random people ask you to dance, so you don't have to go in a group I'm sure you will be asked to danced. Overall enjoyed my night woke up sore the next morning! read more

I'm down with The Granada. It wasn't crowded on a Thursday Bachata night low key chillin with my girls. Would come again.

I went here for a Salsa night,and it was great! This place had great music ,nice ambience and it was pretty spacious and there were a lot of professional salsa dancers which left me open-mouthed all night.It's a great place to go learn new salsa steps and meet new people and have a good time. La Bamba i say!!!.....:) -Smriti read more

Great environment and music. I showed up alone and had plenty of opportunities to dance with people. The vibe is amazing and the pure bachata/salsa room on the third floor was spectacular! Will definitely come again! read more

I was a regular for over 10 years.... Recently they started to use magnetic wands to search for weapons. I understand using wands for hip_ hop clubs.... But it's insane when it's used at a salsa club. Security told me that if I don't like it I can leave... So I took my money back and left. They lost my business. They are going to lose lots of regulars. There are so many other places to dance. Look luck with your new harassment code. read more