While not my favorite venue in the city, you can't deny the presence and history that the El Mo brings to the table. For one thing, you can definitely feel the years won layers of blood sweat and tears that have gone into the many amazing shows that have gone down here.
The time of year when I think this venue really shines is during NXNE or any other large scale musical happening. With two floors often running simultaneous shows (often of wildly varying genre or quality), you can find a whole lot of different people thrown together for the love of the music. Considering the surroundings, it would seem odd to have it any other way.
I can't say that the bar itself holds any special or totemic sway, but I will say that the staff here are always professional while still maintaining a genial air, as one would hope that working at a venue like this would at the very least be an interesting experience. I wouldn't pick a random show to check out the El Mocambo, but if a band you like or know is playing here, it is definitely worth checking out. For my own experience I have definitely spent some time in the wee hours of the morning dancing away, even while the band is getting ready to pack up and head out.