Caribbean Social Club

A Taste of Sunshine and Colombia at Patio Tropical in Williamsburg | Eater NY

"A neighboring Caribbean social club described as a long-standing signifier of resisting gentrification and the erasure of culture in the neighborhood; its proximity helps anchor the cafe within an existing diasporic community and contributes to the location’s sense of being part of a culturally rooted block." - Emma Orlow

Chez Ma Tante Returns After Announcing Closure for ‘Foreseeable Future’ | Eater NY

"Celebrating five decades in a changing neighborhood, Toñita’s is described as a last-of-its-kind Caribbean social club in Williamsburg." - Emma Orlow

‘Top Chef’ Star Kwame Onwuachi Is Cooking at the U.S. Open Food Court | Eater NY

"Operating in some form from 244 Grand Street in Williamsburg since the 1970s, Caribbean Social Club began as a members-only club and later became a bar where regulars gather in a one-room space with a pool table for $3 beers and food cooked in Maria Antonia Cay's upstairs apartment; Cay says she owns the building, has been offered millions to sell, and plans to stay despite recent inspector requests for repairs." - Luke Fortney

The Zabar Family Is Opening an Ice Cream Shop | Eater NY

"Protestors have gathered at the Manhattan courthouses today for Caribbean Social Club, also known as Toñita’s, which has been a community hub since the 1980s and was even a stop for Bad Bunny; owner Maria “Toñita” Cay is facing a legal summons, but the protest appears tied to broader gentrification concerns in South Williamsburg, with Toñita’s posting that “Our house is at risk” and warning that gentrification erases vibrant cultures and communal gathering spaces like theirs." - Emma Orlow

A living room for Williamsburg’s Puerto Rican community since the 1970s: dominoes, cheap beers, home‑style food, and classic tunes. Covered by NPR and local arts press, it remains a welcoming cultural sanctuary run by the legendary Toñita.