About Boogaloo

In the late 1960s, a new music craze hit the scene. English lyrics and a unique fusion of rhythm and blues with Cuban stylings helped the boogaloo quickly capture the attention of audiences across the country. And though Boogaloo—the restaurant—isn’t known for its music, it’s not hard to see the logic behind its name. Just as the fusion of musical styles engaged listeners, Chef Dan Powers engrosses diners with his menu of Cuban specialties laced with Caribbean and creole elements.

Pressed Cuban sandwiches layered with pork, ham, and swiss cheese vie for attention with Jamaican jerk chicken—smoked in-house—and shrimp po’ boys buried in housemade rémoulade. Elegantly plated tapas, such as crispy crab empanadas and Jamaican beef patties, make for lighter, shareable meals.

Those who want to forgo food in favor of specialty cocktails can grab a mojito or glass of sangria and race to one of the bar’s popular swing seats, so named because of their refusal to vote predictably.