Mama Juana's

Ascend the steep staircase leading up to Mama Juana’s, and you may feel like you’re climbing toward a hole-in-the-wall dance hall in Havana. The strains of salsa music get louder as you approach the top. Turn the corner and you may find headliners Johnny Polanco y su Conjunto Amistad jamming onstage while couples whirl in a heated passion of salsa, merengue and mambo. It’s hard not to get swept right up into the dance frenzy, but the food deserves a turn as well. The pan-Latin specialties span the map from Spanish paella to Brazilian lula frita (calamari) to Guatemalan pupusas and Cuban ropa vieja (shredded beef). Terracotta walls, ironwork details, and tables all oriented toward the dance floor recall the elegance of Latin music’s “golden years” in the 1940s and 50s. If you need some lubrication before trying those reverse hammerlocks and cross-body leads, belly up to the bar for some of Mama’s Love Potion.