Dbar
Want to sip craft cocktails? Dance? Chill out on a low-key patio? Enjoy all that, plus dishes from chef Chris Coombs. 1236 Dorchester Ave., Dorchester, MA 2125, dbarboston.com.
The Nautilus
With Fernet flowing from the tap, this new hot spot attracts an industry crowd. But really, anyone who appreciates a well-crafted drink will enjoy bar manager Clinton Terry’s creative takes on classic cocktails and inventive concoctions featuring house-made syrups, tinctures, and bitters. You’d be hard-pressed to find a libation like his "Pickled Pepino"—mezcal, pickled jalapeños, cukes, and smoky salt—anywhere else on ACK. 12 Cambridge St., Nantucket, MA 2554, nautilisnantucket.com.
Lord Hobo
To the pubs with rows and rows of taps: Quantity alone doesn't cut it anymore. Lord Hobo, by contrast, has all the variety and thrills suds geeks crave. Even if the bartenders don't have Cantillon or Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout (!) in house that day, they'll happily steer you through the oft-changing 40-strong draft list. 92 Hampshire St., Cambridge, MA 2139, lordhobo.com.
Les Zygomates
Gleaming, deep-cup Island Creek oysters. Salty-sweet Wellfleets. Fleshy shrimp and crab so tender, they go down in one gulp. This is the ocean's bounty as originally interpreted by way of French brasseries: an icy onslaught of shellfish that is mostly raw (of course), but occasionally cooked (as with the Jonah crab claws). Everything is so fresh, the sauces and mignonettes ought to be superfluous—and yet they're so damn tasty, you can't leave them alone. 129 South St., Boston, MA 2111, winebar.com.
Sunset Grill & Tap
With 112 drafts and 380 total beers to choose from, this just ain't much of a competition. Sure, other places offer great lists: The Publick House has a slate of about 35 beers on tap. But 35 is not 112. And where Lord Hobo—another bar with an admirable lineup—can come off as aggressively hip, friendliness rules the day at this Allston spot. The servers enthusiastically steer you through the menu in search of a pint that'll suit your mood. And that mood, more often than not, is a good one. 130 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 2134, allstonsfinest.com.
Neptune Oyster
It must be nice to be a pearl: just hang around inside an oyster for a while, getting shellacked until round and shiny. We feel similarly after a couple of hours at Neptune Oyster, quaffing glasses of chilled rose while surrounded by ridiculously fresh bivalves (plus a selection of just-off-the-boat crab claws and expertly dressed crudo). There's a reason this place is known as a gem. 63 Salem St., Boston, MA neptuneoyster.com.
Lolita
A good pickup bar needs two things: a classy atmosphere, and really strong drinks. At Lolita, bartenders pour more than 50 varieties of tequila in a setting more apropos of Dos Equis's Most Interesting Man in the World (as he says, he does not always drink beer) than frat boys. Try the margaritas—they'll make you feel both refined and, let's say, outgoing. 271 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA lolitatequilabars.com.
Neptune Oyster
To indulge in the enormous portion of oysters, crab claws, and lobster that seem to have emerged directly from the sea, you must first earn your place at the table: Add your name to the list. Throw cutthroat glances at the interlopers attempting to jump the line. Snuggle up to those beside you, since you'll soon be banging elbows while hoisting oysters to your lips. Once seated, go ahead and savor every briny slurp and satisfying crack of the claw, all while giving the folks still in line a supportive nod, that yes, it is worth waiting for. 63 Salem St., Boston, MA 2113, neptuneoyster.com.
CBS Scene
CBS Scene is perched above the north end zone at Gillette Stadium, allowing fans unrivaled (and yes, unticketed) access to the game-day action. Tailgate among the foam fingers and clouds of Italian sausage smoke, then step inside and watch the instant replay—on some 135 high-def TVs, including one in each booth. 200 Patriot Pl., Foxboro, MA 2035, .
Chez Henri
Slow-roasted pork, wafer-thin ham, and gooey Gruyère, pressed together between slices of buttery, crisp Portuguese bread and served skillet-hot with homemade plaintain chips—there may be other ways to end a workday, but Chez Henri's pressed Cuban sandwich is the best we've found, especially when combined with a minty rum mojito in a bar scene that's paradoxically both hip and unpretentious. It's rumored that there are other things on the menu here, too (grilled chorizo and empanadas among them), but why mess with perfection? One Shepard St., Cambridge, MA chezhenri.com.
Mistral
Fiery martinis, seductive lighting, chef Jamie Mammano's Mediterranean flavors, alluring bartenders—whatever drarws them there, the beautiful people who sidle up to Mistral's long, intimate bar wind up in the mood to shake and stir long after the last call. The barflies come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and present a decent cross section of the city's professional landscape along with well-heeled out-of-towners looking for a good drink and possibly a good time. The come-ons can be so smooth that on a recent night we actually overheard this imaginative opener: "Hi." And it worked. 223 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA mistralbistro.com.
Chopping Block
Neighborhood characters and bleary-eyed medical students meet beneath a permanent haze of smoke at this rough-at-edges Mission Hill haunt, where everyone seems to know everyone else's name. On one recent evening, we heard a debate about the roots of genocide in the Mexican-American War overlapping with speculation about the most recent tabloid child abduction. Topping it off, a panhandler was scamming change in the men's room. Now, if that doesn't say "dive"...? 724 Huntington Ave., Mission Hill, MA .
Game On! Sports Café
We expected nothing less than a perfect score when Patrick Lyons, owner of Kings, Avalon, and Sonsie, launched the new Game On! The hopped-up, multi-media Fenway bar brings Sox fans closer to the game than box seats, via 70-plus TVs. A video-gaming nook, brick-oven pizzas, and 22 beers are also available. Fantasy-football fans go wild for the WiFi Internet access. 82 Lansdowne St., Boston, MA gameonboston.com.
John Harvard's Brewhouse
The food is as good as the ale. Master brewer Tim Morse works hand in hand with chef Joe Kubik to ensure that the beers both complement and counterpoint the American country-fare cuisine, to the satisfaction of discriminating drinkers and diners. 33 Dunster St., Cambridge, MA .
Barney's Grill
A category found only in Eastie. Grills with wood fires; delicacies like roasted peppers, sausage, things you've never seen or tasted before. 299 Havre St., East Boston, MA .