Tim's Bar & Grill
This brick-walled South End hole in the wall reminiscent of an Alabama dive bar serves up the perfect antidote for a hot, sticky day: cool shade, cheap beer, and a cheeseburger the size of a small cow. Trust us; you won't be asking, "Where's the beef?" Oozing with fatty juices, these burgers taste as if Dad just flipped them off the backyard grill onto the not-big-enough Kaiser roll. The steak fries may be like lead paperweights, but Tim's friendly devil-may-care atmosphere, brewery mirrors, boom box funk music, and gap-toothed regulars make up for any feeling of weightiness. 329 Columbus Ave., Boston, MA .
Bay State Lobster Company
The freshest fish in the city, and fair prices to boot. Given the pressure to gentrify the waterfront, how long can it last? 395 Commercial St., Boston, MA .
Back Bay Framery
Even the prettiest picture becomes an eyesore when confined to an ugly frame. A cure for such unsightliness can be found at this Back Bay fixture, where owner Kerrie Thomas frames preschoolers' doodlings, World War II medals, and everything in between. Choose from thousands of moldings in such hard-to-find materials as 24-karat gold, sterling silver leaf, and Peruvian leather. Also available are a range of albums to store those photos tagged for-your-eyes-only. Like the ones from that night at Whiskey Park. 303 Newbury St., Boston, MA 2116, backbayframery.com.
Grill 23 & Bar
It's hard to root for a champ, but when it comes to steakhouses Grill 23 has an overwhelming advantage. Why? Because this is not your traditional steakhouse: There isn't sawdust on the floor, worn-out Laz-E-Boys for chairs, or sirloins so big they fall off the plates. Replacing those beef temple staples is restrained, refined elegance courtesy of a large, airy dining room, an extravagant wine list, and fastidious service. At Grill 23, the experience is as important as the steak: The prime-aged beef is reliably excellent, and the ambiance takes the steakhouse experience to an opulent level. 161 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA grill23.com.
Belly Wine Bar
The regions, the varietals, the vintages—the world of wine can be intimidating. Not at Belly, where the eclectic by-the-glass list is organized around lighthearted headings (like the Grease-themed "Pink Ladies" for rose, and "Beauty School Dropout" for chilled reds) that belie expertly chosen selections from co-owner and wine director Liz Vilardi. Here, you learn, wine can be fun—and anything but fussy. One Kendall Sq., Cambridge, MA bellywinebar.com.
Island Creek Oyster Bar
The homemade rosemary roll and a touch of crème fraîche dress up this classic, while the lobster is as fresh as it gets. 500 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, MA islandcreekoysterbar.com.
Met Back Bay
In a sea of nondescript restaurants catering to shoppers and office workers, Met Back Bay consistently impresses with its comfort-food-with-a-twist fare (think: rotisserie jerk chicken and head-on trout with shaved zucchini). Then there's the ham-and-cheese bar, where a multitude of potential pairings—prosciutto with Great Hill Blue, or hickory-smoked ham with Cabot clothbound cheddar?—support lingering at the bar with a glass of rosé. 279 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, metbackbay.com.
Met Back Bay
The first downtown outpost of the suburban Met chain provides a something-for-everyone experience with an expansive menu, excellent drinks, and just a bit of sparkle. The kitchen doesn't break many rules, gastronomically speaking, but delivers basics—clam chowder, mac and cheese—done well, along with a few twists (think cedar-miso salmon or Scituate-lobster-and-cheddar dip). And did we mention the ham and cheese bar? 279 Dartmouth St., Boston, MA 2116, metbackbay.com.
Champion's Sports Bar
When you go to a sports bar, you should feel like a sport. Such is the feeling at Champion's, where table hockey, free-throwing hoop toss, and a full roster of other games help work up an appetite for the better-than-average food. 110 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA .
Bay State Lobster Company
Low prices and very fresh. 379 Commercial St., Boston, MA .
Red Rock Bistro & Bar
The sweeping view of the Boston skyline is nice (especially at sunset), but when it comes down to the matter at hand, Red Rock delivers the delicious goods: great food. Chef Allen Bohnert sticks to a primarily seafood menu with such traditional choices as a creamy clam chowder teeming with freshly shucked clams, as well as contemporary takes like roasted salmon with tamarind glaze and carrot flan. He also has an admirable touch with pork—don't miss the "Pig Out," a spread of pork served three ways. 141 Humphrey St., Swampscott, MA redrockbistro.com.
Arnold's Lobster & Clam Bar
The long lines don't lie: Arnold's serves fried clams at their messy best alongside the fluffiest, tastiest onion rings we've ever eaten. The location doesn't hurt either: It's right on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, with picnic tables in the shade of tall pines where you can pitch your kickstand and enjoy surprisingly reasonably priced seafood on a cafeteria-style tray. As a gesture to gourmets, there's even a raw bar. But stick to the specialties: fried clams, steamers, lobster, and corn on the cob. Rte. 6, Eastham, MA arnoldsrestaurant.com.
Red Rock Bistro & Bar
The food at Red Rock Bistro & Bar is a bonus. The beautiful view of the pounding Atlantic surf and Boston skyline is filling enough. On the other hand, we would never give up chef Allen Bohnert's brunch menu of fluffy mushroom-, cheese-, and spinach-stuffed omelets; challah French toast with ruby-red strawberries; or blueberry flapjacks with cassis butter. It's worth setting the alarm clock on a Sunday. Ease out of your postbrunch food coma with a long walk along the soft sand beach below the restaurant. 141 Humphrey St., Swampscott, MA redrockbistro.com.
City Bar, The Lenox
It has overcome the hotel bar stereotype—that of the elevator music-themed nightcap—and regularly packs in a crush of yuppies and guests. Dim lighting and Azure chef Robert Fathman's specialty liquors provide all the courage you need to sidle up to the eye candy from room 202. 61 Exeter St., Boston, MA 2116, citybarboston.com.
F.J. Doyle's Bar
Could there be any other? Doyle's is to Boston what the Elaine's is to New York. Good eats, great atmosphere, and a who's who of Bostonians both proper and not. 3484 Washington St., Jamaica Plain, MA .