Regattabar

With all that energy and spontaneity rippling off the stage, hearing jazz live is always best. Less clear-cut is the choice between the atmospheric, loosey-goosey neighborhood haunt or the more polished concert venue, with the Hub having sterling examples of both. Inman Square's Ryles excels at being that corner joint, and its jazz brunch and weekly salsa lessons are bona fide fun. But show for show, set for set, it's the Charles Hotel's upscale yet intimate Regattabar—with its unparalleled roster of talent, from young bloods like Joshua Redman to legends like Coltrane pianist McCoy Tyner—that consistently hits the high note. RUNNER-UP: Ryles LAST YEAR: Wally's Café Friday