A toast to an iconic Brooklyn social club in the middle of Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl halftime show.
“As the album says, ‘Un shot de cañita en casa de Toñita,’ so I gave him a shot of rum,” said Maria Antonia Cay, better known as Toñita.
What You Need To Know
Maria Antonia Cay, better known as Toñita, opened the Caribbean Social Club more than 50 years ago, and it’s served as a home base for the Latino community ever since
She said Bad Bunny invited her to his Super Bowl halftime show a few months prior and said he wanted to include her in the performance
Toñita’s is one of the last Puerto Rican social clubs in the city and faces intense pressure to close, but she refuses, even rejecting multi-million dollar offers to buy the space
According to CUNY’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies, the Puerto Rican population in the city peaked in 1970 at close to 900,000. Now, 585,000 Puerto Ricans still live in the five boroughs
She handed Bad Bunny a shot while performing his song “NUEVAYoL” — a love letter to the city’s rich Latin history.
On the field, Toñita was standing inside a replica of her Caribbean Social Club in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
“I went to the Super Bowl because he invited me to watch it, saying he would be there and wanted to share a little bit with me too,” Toñita said.
She opened the Caribbean Social Club more than 50 years ago, and it’s served as a home base for the Latino community ever since.
“We just saw the Super Bowl halftime show, and we are obsessed. So good. Bad Bunny did such a good job. We love the representation. And we decided to come say hi to Miss Toñita and pay our respects,” said Janette, a Colorado resident who said the social club was at the top of her list of places to visit while in New York City.
Many Puerto Rican New Yorkers said they felt immense pride while watching Bad Bunny’s halftime performance.
“It was an incredible experience. I cried at halftime because, honestly, that kid is so humble. Representing Puerto Rico gives me goosebumps. It’s truly otherworldly,” Frank, a loyal social club patron, said.
Toñita said Bad Bunny first came to the social club years ago, and a friendship was born. He even held a listening party there in 2022 for his album “Un Verano Sin Ti.”
“One day, he came here, and we started a friendship. And he kept coming here many times, and that’s how we continued our friendship,” she said.
Toñita’s is one of the last Puerto Rican social clubs in the city.
According to CUNY’s Center for Latin American, Caribbean and Latino Studies, the Puerto Rican population in the city peaked in 1970 at close to 900,000. Now, 585,000 Puerto Ricans still live in the five boroughs.
The club faces intense pressure to close, but Toñita refuses, even rejecting multi-million dollar offers to buy the space.
“This space makes people feel at home. When people arrive, they feel happy. It doesn’t matter if they don’t know you. They make friends and feel very welcome,” she said.
At 85 years old, Toñita said she has no plans to go anywhere and she will keep serving $3 beers and cañitas to her loyal customers.
“These doors are open to the public, and everyone who comes here is welcome. It’s very important to share with our community,” she said.
In June, the community will hold its annual “Toñita Fest” — a block party that will coincide with the 52nd anniversary of the Caribbean Social Club and the woman at the heart of it.