Bembe

WILLIAMSBURG, NEW YORK –

The beat is hot and the dancing is hotter at Bembe, a lively but intimate bi-level nightspot that’s become a prime place for Latin dance fans to have a few and get feisty.

Upstairs, the ethnically diverse crowd of curvy party girls and athletic hunks bump and grind between the backlit bar and the exposed brick walls hung with vintage photos and relics from the tropics, while singles lean back and eye the competition from the open area by the antique sink hidden behind a beaded curtain.

The large Latino presence at Bembe instills the club with an authentic sense of sexy and spontaneous fun, so that even as dancing breaks out everywhere – including in the seats, in line for the bathroom, and while buying someone a drink at the bar – the sweaty salsa-ing patrons can brush shoulders and pop hips without worrying about being bombarded by pick-up lines.

Those who need a break can head to the spacious lounge downstairs, where danced-out crews of club-hoppers sprawl on couches and overstuffed chairs to schmooze and flirt over tropical drinks and what may be the best mojitos in Williamsburg.

A glowing booth by the door is home to a different DJ every night, who drives the playful crowd wild with mixes of reggae, afro-beat, salsa, and house.

The beat goes live on the weekends when local drummers and traditional Brazilian percussionists pound along to the thumping bass of the PA, while Sundays feature live bands playing dub and Latin jazz.

A night at Bembe doesn’t really get going until midnight, but those late-night booty-shakers looking for a fun and sultry dance experience without the overwhelming club crowds need look no further than this delicious Brooklyn hotspot.