Live music, authentic Mexican food at Santa Rosa’s Casa del Mar

By day, Santa Rosa's Casa del Mar is a relaxed and comfortable restaurant serving big plates of authentic Mexican food. But later on weekend nights, it turns into one of the busiest live music venues and gathering spots in Sonoma County.

While Casa del Mar flies beneath the radar of many Sonoma County residents, it's the hub of a busy social life for hundreds of loyal patrons.

On a recent Saturday night, the place held roughly 400 people, the men dressed in plaid shirts, jeans, boots and cowboy hats, and the women decked out in colorful blouses, short skirts and high heels.

The evening drew mostly couples, from young to middle-aged, but they were joined by groups of young men and women hoping to meet dance partners.

“Sometimes I do take a date, but I usually go with a group,” said Daniel Pulido, 23, of Santa Rosa, a regular. “Basically, it's the only club I go to. I like the environment, and I like the music. Every chance I get, I go.”

While the Rohnert Park-based quintet Escolta05 played traditional Mexican Banda music, with a lively blend of guitars and accordion, patrons filled the restaurant's roomy ballroom and danced across its shiny wooden floor.

“They have the best of the music we like from Mexico,” said Fernando Mercado, 24, of Windsor, who has been frequenting Casa del Mar for the past several years. “We mainly go to dance.”

With two bars, one in the ballroom and another off the dining room, this night's drink of choice was Mexican beer, with a brisk demand for little red buckets filled with chilled bottles of Corona, Tecate and Dos Equis.

Formerly an Italian restaurant on a quiet corner at Todd and Stony Point roads, Casa del Mar has a deceptively understated exterior that masks a surprisingly large nightclub as well as a spacious dining room.

“We totally remodeled it, almost 100 percent,” said Casa del Mar's general manager, Alma Navarette, who works for a partnership of mostly local owners. “It took almost two years. Then we opened up.”

Casa del Mar has been open under her management since 2010, serving lunch and dinner every Thursday through Sunday, with dance lessons and music on Thursdays, and live entertainment every Friday and Saturday nights, as well as an occasional Sunday. Starting this month, Navarette plans to open the restaurant on Wednesdays, too.

She said she is proud of both sides of the operation, the nightclub and the restaurant.

“I think the quality of the food is really good, with authentic Mexican dishes,” Navarette said. “I believe in what we're doing in the kitchen.” Specialties include pork ribs with tortillas, mole enchiladas, and grilled chicken and shrimp in creamy chipotle sauce.

The nightclub books bands that include some of the biggest names in Latino music, such as New York-born Puerto Rican salsa star Maelo Ruiz, who recently played a special Sunday night show.

“I like to listen to salsa music,” said Arturo Montero, 49, of Petaluma, another regular. “And all of the people there are my friends.”

Navarette said she emphasizes security at the club, quickly and quietly escorting out any unruly patrons.

“That is why everybody behaves well, and we never have issues,” she said, “because they know if they go there to cause trouble, they are going to miss the party.”

Her customers said they appreciate the atmosphere.

“It's safe and comfortable.” Mercado said. “I've never seen a fight there - ever.”

Casa Del Mar is located at 3660 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa. 707-541-6140, casadelmarsantarosa.com.