The Boston area is prime for night life with popular places lining the streets of all Boston neighborhoods and popping up in hotels. Enjoy libations at Legal's Harborside where you can enjoy your drinks with breathtaking views from their rooftop bar or join the masses on Landsdowne Street where it is always hopping when the lights get dim and "play" at Jillian's. Club seekers won't want to leave the dance floor of the wildly popular Tunnel where young, well dressed twenty-somethings gyrate to beats well into the evening. While for those seeking the excitement of an old-fashioned speakeasy, Drink allows you to watch your mixologist put on a show. Music lovers should not skip the Middle East where performers draw crowds on a regular basis. And hotel bars often have people lined up to get in like at Oak Long Bar and Kitchen and the popular Bond.
Many people unfamiliar with Boston think that Lansdowne Street near Kenmore Square is the beginning and end of nightlife in the city. However, although Lansdowne does offer a number of bars and clubs the location has begun a change away from being the premier nightlife spot of its heydays. There are now plenty of other places in Boston to check out if you’re looking for something to do after dark.
Those in the Theatre District can easily wander over to the Alley off of Boylston Street for drinks and dancing. The Alley includes the Estate, Sweetwater Cafe, Stage Vaudeville Nightclub, and other establishments which contribute to the spilling out onto Boylston Street. Nearby Whisky Saigon is also a hot spot for a 'see-and-be-seen' hip crowd with a great DJ, but expect to wait in line for a while and pay a cover. On the corner of Washington and Stuart is Emerald Lounge, which has a great after-work crowd and keeps the party going late into the night. Many clubs have steep cover charges and long lines in this neighborhood, so consider getting a VIP table. Savvy Bostonians use TableList to book their tables instantly, which is like the OpenTable for nightlife, and you can even split the tab.
Boylston Street between Mass Ave and the Common boasts a variety of bars catering to every kind of partier. For the beer swilling types or college crowd, stop into The Pour House for half-priced burgers on Saturday night and watch the game, or pop into Whiskey's, McGreevy's, or Lir for a similar scene just down the road. Grab a Cactus bowl at The Cactus Club or try one of their famous margaritas which is voted Best in Town for a number of years. Those looking for the epitome of a hole-in-the-wall bar, look no further than Bukowski's which offers a good selection of beers and an attitude-less. Across from City-Bar on Exeter Street is Storyville, another trendy, fun nightclub/lounge hybrid, where young professionals party hard.
South Boston is an up-and-coming neighborhood that has seen an influx of younger professionals over the past several years. As a result, new bars and restaurants have continued to pop up. You wouldn’t target "Southie" as a clubbing destination, but there are plenty of local haunts to grab a few beers and watch the game. On Broadway, check out the Boston Beer Garden or Playwright. Around the corner from the Beer Garden and Playwright is Murphy’s Law. Murphy’s Law is a "dive" that doesn’t see a ton of traffic until after 1am on most weekends. Murphy’s Law can stay open until 2am while the other bars close at 1am. If you’re a fan of Good Will Hunting, head over to the L Street Tavern and toss back a Guinness in the same bar where some of the movie was filmed. You won’t recognize much from the film when you see the L Street Tavern, they’ve remodeled it since the movie and have taken away a lot of the "edge."
Allston is home to a whole slew of bars and pseudo-nightclubs where you can get your drink on or dance the night away. Catch live bands at Harper's Ferry, listen to live jazz at Wonderbar or see how many different beers you can try at The Sunset Grill & Tap, where they have over 500 microbrews. O’Brien’s is another popular spot for live bands, although it's much more of a dive than Harper's. Whitehorse Tavern and OurHouse attract large groups of college students, specifically BU and BC students due to location.
Harvard Square is another area not to be overlooked when you're out searching for a good time. Sure, it may not be as club-y as some of the downtown areas, but you can still have plenty of fun and who says Hah-vahd kids don't know how to have a good time? Beer enthusiasts will love places like Brew Moon and John Harvard's Brew House where you can get specialty brews, along with good eats. If beer isn't your thing and deadly Scorpion bowls mixed with high-energy dancing is what you're after, place the Hong Kong atop your list. Harvard Square is also home to a number of more low-key, upscale venues great for impressing a date such as Grafton Street, the Regattabar or Alden + Harlow.