Club Central LA - Bar / Club Reviews, Promotions: JC Fandango

JC Fandango

JC Fandango: 12361 Chapman Avenue

Garden Grove, CA 92840

Phone: 714.758.1057

Restaurant: Open for dinner @ 5pm, Monday through Saturday

NightClub: Thursday through Saturday

Age Requirement: 21 and over

Space : MySpace.com/newjcfandango

Site: http://www.jcf.com/

JC Fandango

Are you tired of going to the same nightclubs over and over again? Do you and your friends wish to find new venues that offer different environments and experiences than what you are normally used to, but the only thing stopping you from achieving this is that you have no idea of where to go? If that’s the case, Club Central LA is exactly what you’re looking for. Each week, Club Central LA heads out in search of all of today’s top nightclubs, bars, and lounges in order to not only bring you the best in all that is night time entertainment, but to give you a wide selection of venues as we know how diverse So Cal people can be. This week Club Central LA found itself in Garden Grove California to visit a venue that is sure to excite all you dance-aholics out there. This dance venue is JC Fandango, a 21 and over 9600 sq ft venue that lives and breathes by the beat of the Latin drum is one of the hottest attractions found in the Anaheim resort area and is becoming a popular location among the Orange County community.

History

JC Fandango began its journey in the night club scene long before it opened in Garden Grove in 2008. The beginning of the JC story actually starts and takes place in the year of 1974, when creator Jose Castellanos and his wife Ofelia realized after countless family gatherings, that they themselves should open their own venue as they knew they had the energy, the talent and most of all the determination to create an establishment that would succeed and run on all cylinders. Yet, this is not to say that Mr. and Mrs. Castellanos where not a bit hesitant to venture into unknown waters. However, after Mr. Jose Castellanos was passed up for a promotion in his then current job, he realized he had enough with his former employer and that would prove to be the push and spark that he and his wife would need for them to chase their dream of having their own business. The Castellanos first business venture was El Conejo Restaurant, a small fast food restaurant that offered tasty food at an affordable price. El Conejo Restaurant soon became a favorite as guests enjoyed the fast service and the tasty meals. This accomplishment encouraged Jose Castellanos to branch out and create another establishment. This creation would bare the Conejo name but would not be another fast food location as he and his wife wanted a traditional restaurant. In 1979, the Castellanos unveiled El Conejo Feliz. The restaurant was an instant success. It would seem that everything Jose and Ofelia did would have a positive outcome. El Conejo Feliz did so well under the management of Jose and Ofelia that in 1986, Jose got an offer for his restaurant and he gladly accepted to sell. This all lead to the creation of JC Fandango. After two successful ventures, the Castellanos where ready once again to take the plunge in a new establishment. What they wanted was to create a nightclub/restaurant so they could offer guests the best of both worlds. So in 1986, Jose bought a location that was perfect for what he and his wife had in mind. After months of designing, hiring and advertising, Jose and Ofelia introduced to Southern California JC Fandango. JC Fandango, just like all the other Castellanos’ creations was an instant success. This club quickly became known for being the perfect place for a night out as it offered live music, food and drinks. In 1992, JC Fandango would change forever as the passing of Jose Castellanos would rock this venue to its core. However, Hector Jose Castellanos and his brother, sons of the late Jose Castellanos would step in and ensure that their father’s creation would not fail. With strong work habits and determination instilled in them by both their mother and father, the Castellanos brothers took JC Fandango to new heights that would guarantee the success of their family owned venue and make their father proud. So far they have made their father proud JC Fandango has been in business for over 21 years and is still running strong as they have relocated to Garden Grove. The Castellanos are ready once again to embark on a new journey as they are in development of their second nightclub, the Mayazteca which will be located in Long Beach.

Parking

From the moment you arrive to this venue, you are treated with great customer service. JC Fandango offers guests the accommodation of valet parking at $5 per vehicle. This is definitely a plus for two reasons. One, the cost of valet parking is very affordable and two you don’t have to waste time looking for parking or walking a distance to arrive at the club’s doors. Moreover you don’t have to worry about their parking lot getting full as they are equipped with a huge parking lot that can easily hold more that 300 vehicles.

Entrance/Time of Operation

Doors open at 9:30 pm for all their nighttime entertainment. Currently, JC is hosting night club events every Thursday – Saturday but are soon going to add to their nighttime lineup. As of April 15 of this year JC Fandango will be hosting events on Wednesdays and Sundays as well. They hope with this five day line up, they can attract more clientele and gain more recognition among the OC night life community.

Once you arrive at the main entrance you will be greeted by security asking for identification to ensure that all patrons are at least the age of 21. If you forget your ID card or you are not at least 21 years of age, you will not be admitted, there are no exceptions. In addition to an age requirement, JC Fandango has a strict dress code that they will be enforced. The attire that can be found in the JC is either business casual or L.A. trendy. JC Fandango will not hesitate to reject you admission if you are dressed in athletic or gang attire. So to make sure clothing isn’t an issue, dress you’re finest as you will see many other club goers dressed up in semi formal clothing.

Cover charge to enter JC Fandango varies from night to night as they have different events that require different entry fees. The usual price range for admission is $10 - $20. However, JC Fandango does offer a guest list that will allow one to enter for free or at a discounted price. For more info on the guest list contact JC Fandango by phone or via email.

Venue

JC Fandango is a 9,600 sq ft night club and restaurant that is designed in a sophisticated Mexican décor that incorporates both that traditional and modern style of Hispanic/Latin architecture. Both the inside and outside of the venue is designed to have the look and feel of an authentic adobe house as is custom with many structures located in Latin America. In addition, its dim lighting gives a soothing relaxed atmosphere that is pleasant and enjoyable for all. The Hispanic architectural influence and beauty is also represented by the many portraits of Mexican art that are displayed alongside the many walls of the venue. Additionally to the lovely structural design, the lounge is equipped with a 1000 sq ft dance floor that is illuminated by state of the art lighting, multiple flat screens and seating areas for your enjoyment with two fully stocked bars with well mannered bartenders that are ready to serve you.

Music

Music for this particular night was very lively. Guests could not help but be drawn to the dance floor as they moved to the rhythm and beat of this venue as each DJ played a grand selection of music that consisted of Latin, 80’s and top 40. DJ Ghost started the night off on the ones and two’s, by playing a high tempo mix of today’s top hits. DJ Ghost fed the crowd the energy that would be needed for a night of fun and excitement as he added hard deep house bass to shake the crowd up. Up next, DJ Orlando kept the trend of electrifying the crowd as he played all the jams from the 80’s. With each successive track that DJ Orlando played, the crowd would scream and get wild as they heard the upcoming hit being played. Finally, DJ Chucky came on stage to finish the night off as he played the music that called to all dancers. Chucky started off by playing Salsa and Merenge. This led the JC crowd to pair up into couples and dance to the sensual sound of Latin music. To our surprise, the crowd was very diverse, as everyone was twirling and moving their hips to a song such as Suavamente by Elvis Crespo. In the end, each DJ did what was exactly needed to give the JC crowd a night of musical enjoyment.

In addition to DJ music, JC Fandango will soon have live band music in order to provide an even more energetic atmosphere. Furthermore, for those who wish to learn how to dance salsa music, JC Fandango offers classes with dance instructor Salamon Rivera.

VIP Bottle Service

For those of you who want a private section to celebrate a birthday or just have a secluded area for you and your friends, JC Fandango has VIP services to accommodate those wishes. Patrons are offered the opportunity to reserve V.I.P treatment by purchasing one of the many fine bottles they have to offer. Bottle service prices start at $200 and come with all the VIP essentials such as all the mixers needed and a personal waitress or waiter to serve you. Louis XIII de Remy Martin Cognac is JC Fandango’s most prestigious bottle at $150 a shot. The most requested VIP bottles are of course Grey Goose Vodka, Hennessey VOSP Cognac and Patron Silver Tequila. Regardless of the bottle you purchase you will be attended with the up most VIP standards. There are two main VIP areas to choose from and each is furnished with soft seating, comfortable spacing, accented lighting and a bird eyes view of all the action.

If you’re looking to shut the place down, JC Fandango is open to renting out the venue for private events. There is no set price, but JC Fandango is open to hear offers.

Restaurant/Drinks

Besides being a lively nightclub and lounge, JC Fandango is proud to present to the OC community Ofelia’s Mexican Cuisine; a delightful selection of traditional Mexican food that is made with the highest standards. Each dish is made with the finest and freshest ingredients around and is prepared by passionate cooks who enjoy what they do. Every meal is a Castellanos’ family recipe made by Mrs. Ofelia Castellanos herself and is traced back to the days of the El Conejo Feliz fast food restaurant. A dish we tried and recommend is the Paella, JC Fandango’s signature dish. This signature plate consists of rice, vegetables, chicken, crab, mussels, lobster and sauce and has a full amount of flavor as each bite we took was both delicious and filling; our complements to the chef.

If you are the type of person who enjoys a drink with a nice meal, JC Fandango has you covered as they make some of the most refreshing drink around. Just as their plates, the JC uses fresh ingredients to make their beverages. The drink of choice for many is the JC Margarita on the rocks. The JC Margarita has both a sour and sweet taste that will alert your senses and is perfect to have with a meal or by itself as you enjoy the music of the JC Fandango night club.

Last words

JC Fandango is much more that just you’re typical venue. It is a location that shows hard work and commitment of a loving dedicated family whose goal is to provide its clientele with a full experience of fine dinning and nightlife entertainment on any given night. So if you want to go to a place that will offer you an all day event, visit JC Fandango, you won’t be sorry.

Club Central LA would like to thank the entire JC Fandango staff for having us. Our stay was fun and pleasant. We hope to be back soon.

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