Conga Club

This was the best and most popular salsa dancing venue in Portland for Friday and Saturday nights. Sadly, it has «permanently closed» [at least for salsa nights; not sure about other events] as of March, 2015. Aztec Willie’s on NE Broadway, by 15^th has salsa dancing most Friday and Saturday nights, but I will miss the Conga Club. For a full list of weekly salsa dancing events in Portland check out
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Best Monday night tango in Portland.

I really want to be able to give this place a 5-​star review, I like what it is trying to do and the atmosphere is pretty good. We came down from Seattle for just one night, so I can’t speak to how the DJs and lessons are. Quality of dancing was high and there’s plenty of parking around. However, I have to take off 2 stars because the venue is missing a couple key ingredients for me to have a fun night out dancing.
1^st problem: the dance floor was AWFUL. I think it’s got potential (looks like nice hardwood) but it was dirty and seemed poorly maintained. My suede soles stuck to it and that’s a problem. A good dance floor should let suede soles spin easily — I’ve had an easier time dancing on cardboard laid over concrete. I don’t like finding trash and dirt stuck to my nice shoes.
2^nd problem: No bag/​coat check. For the ladies, this means either hanging on to your bag the whole time or being worried about it the rest of the time. I’d be willing to pay a couple bucks not to need to worry about my purse!

Don’t be intimidated to step into the Conga Club if you think you’re rhythmically challenged. This is a dance club where you can really have some fun while learning a new dance move or two.
I learned that on Saturdays there is a free beginner’s salsa lesson class from 9 – 9:45.pm. There’s a cover fee for that night which ranges from $ 10-​$ 13; I paid $ 12. I didn’t partake in the lessons, but they looked like fun, and I did learn some steps by just observing.
Once the salsa lesson is over, the live band comes out to perform — that’s when the fun begins and people start busting out their moves. Coming from Vegas where going to clubs requires watching out for sleazy dudes, I didn’t have to do that at Conga Club. The people I met were cool and just wanted to dance, and they don’t mind it if you can’t salsa to save your life.
Even though I’ve only been here once, I’d consider returning for the free dance lessons, good music, and cheap drinks. The only downside of this club is that the cover fee and the drinks are CA$H only.

Echoing some of the comments here – fantastic place to Salsa dance regardless of your skill level. The dance floor is busy without feeling cramped, the bartenders are friendly and quick (I’ve never waited more than 2 minutes to get a drink), the place is clean and very well maintained. Great mix of people and not a bad attitude to be found. Even if you show up by yourself, you won’t feel alone.

THE place to go in Portland for Salsa. My friend brought me here a year and a half ago for my first time salsa dancing (well, I don’t know if I’d call it dancing…) and it’s still my favorite place to be on a Saturday night. DJ Roger is awesome (never a bad song in all the time I’ve been going) and the live bands (every Saturday, usually starting around 11ish) are always great. Eric and Catherine from Salsa con Coco lead an excellent lesson at 9pm that is great for both beginners and intermediate dancers. I really enjoy the mix of people here — it was a great and comfortable place for me to start out as a beginner. The floor is big, the drinks are good, and the people are great. If you don’t want to dance, that’s not a problem. There are tables and an upstairs seating/​lounge area as well. They just started doing Wednesday night salsa, which is nice because it’s not as packed as Saturday night.
Tip: get there early (before 10) to grab a table, and bring your own water bottle. Dancers won’t spend their money on a lot of alcohol, which is why you have to pay for water. If you’re new to salsa, a small handkerchief or washcloth (for sweat) and chewing gum (your mouth gets dry) were great tips from a friend.
And yes, the parking and entrance are in the back — not off MLK. :)

Nice large floor — and both good music and good dancers to share it with. Parking and the entrance is on the opposite side of the building than the street address — so once you find it, go around the block to park and get in.

This a great place to dance. Roger usually has a great band playing, or else a dj that will knock your socks off. The dance floor is nice and big, and the lesson is top notch. Very inviting atmosphere, some fantastic dancers, but beginners are welcomed as well. One of my favorite places in town to dance.

I love this place! It is a fun, clean salsa club. It costs between $ 10 to $ 13 per person (depends on the live band they have) to get in but I willingly will pay that to stay away from the scuzzy environment at other salsa places. I love Salsa Con Coco, the instructors for the lesson each night. The bar is moderately priced and sells water for $ 2 per bottle. That is the only thing I’m not a huge fan of but not a deal breaker.
Overall, a great place to get down. Vamos!

Beautiful space. Great dance floor. Live band was excellent (went on a Saturday). The lesson was appropriate for beginners. Great teachers. Loved that the place felt full but wasn’t too crowded. People here seem pretty clean cut. Overall a great experience! One suggestion for CC: have water available (and not just bottled water). A lot of other places have a water cooler with a stack of cups. Works great. I think they’ll still make enough money off drinks. :)