The Samba Room restaurant, which offered Latin food in a tropical ambiance, has closed after a decade in business on Las Olas Boulevard in downtown Fort Lauderdale.

Although three other restaurants within two blocks have closed in the past year, experts said the moves were unrelated and Las Olas remains a viable restaurant district.

Samba Room, at 350 E. Las Olas Blvd., ceased operations effective Aug. 13, according to a notice posted on its doors.

General Manager Michael Levine said Tuesday the restaurant’s closure was permanent, but gave no further details.

Samba Room’s demise comes in the wake of parent company E-Brands Restaurants’ Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing on July 30.

The Orlando-based multi-concept restaurant group also operates the adjacent Timpano Chophouse & Martini Bar at 450 E. Las Olas Blvd., which remains open.

“It’s absolutely rocking,” Levine said of Timpano.

E-Brands owns and operates 13 restaurants including two other Samba Rooms in Orlando and Denver, according to its website.

Efforts to contact the company for comment were unsuccessful.

Tom Prakas of The Prakas Group real estate brokerage in Boca Raton said Samba Room’s closing could partly be driven by the economy and E-Brands’ efforts to pare down underperforming units.

Prakas, who specializes in restaurant and nightclub sales and leases said Samba Room’s concept had possibly “slowed” and grown “a bit tired” over the years.

“E-Brands may retrofit it,” he said, given its prime location.

The restaurant industry took a bashing in the recession as many consumers cut back on dining out or traded down to less expensive meals.

“It’s been tough, there’s no question about it, but things have started to pick up,” veteran restaurateur Tim Petrillo said Tuesday, noting recent sales upswings in some restaurants.

Petrillo’s outfit, The Restaurant People Inc. owns and operates YOLO and O Lounge on Las Olas Boulevard and Tarpon Bend eateries in Lauderdale and Coral Gables.

He said the company has enjoyed success on Las Olas and was set to open Vibe, a new live music lounge adjacent to YOLO in October.

The Samba Room in Fort Lauderdale was a popular lunchtime haunt, and a hotspot on Friday nights in its heydey.

The restaurant, which had about 30 to 35 employees, would have celebrated its 10th anniversary in September, Levine said.

About 10 employees will be relocated to Timpano, he said.

Those that aren’t placed will be given referrals to help find jobs at other restaurants opening soon on the strip such as Cafe Europa and Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar.

Rocco’s Tacos is slated to open by Oct. 28 and is looking to hire about 100 people, managing partner Rocco Mangel told the Sun Sentinel last month. The eatery is opening in the former Smith & Jones Bar and Grill site at 1313 E. Las Olas Blvd., which closed recently.

Rocco’s Tacos specializes in modern Mexican cuisine and has locations in West Palm Beach and Boca Raton.

“A lot of the people who come in the Rocco’s in Boca Raton come from Lauderdale,” said Mangel in July of the decision to open in Broward.

Prakas said Las Olas Boulevard is still a vibrant market restaurant market, as is Atlantic Avenue in Delray Beach, where several new eateries have recently opened.

Mexican restaurant Caliente Kitchen opened on the avenue last month in the old Taverna Eros space. Another, The Office opened early this year.

Still, Samba Room’s closure adds to the growing roster of empty Las Olas Boulevard restaurants and establishments.

Most notably, Bova Prime and Jackson’s Steakhouse, both with ties to disgraced attorney and Ponzi schemer Scott Rothstein, were shuttered in the past year.

“I’m sorry to see it [Samba] close,” said Paul Saglimbeni, an employee at nearby Wachovia Bank. “Many people in the office frequently dined there, sometimes with clients.”

Staff writer John Tanasychuk contributed to this report.

Arlene Satchell can be reached at or 954-356-4209. Follow her on Twitter.com @TheSatchreport.