Avalon 15 Lansdowne St tel 617/262-2424. An anchor on the Lansdowne St club scene, Avalon is a local favorite for late-night dancing with different themes on different nights (Saturday is techno night) and a live concert venue. Dress tends to be casual.
The Black Rose 160 State St tel 617/742-2286. Large Irish pub beside Faneuil Hall, with traditional music every night and Guinness galore.
Bull and Finch Pub 84 Beacon St, Beacon Hill tel 617/227-9605. Its status as the original setting of TV's Cheers makes this place totally touristy, but at least it's central and lively.
Chaps 100 Warrenton St, off Stuart St tel 617/266-7778. Glitzy gay club filled with lots of decked-out young men.
Commonwealth Brewery Company 138 Portland St tel 617/523-8383. Brewpub right by the Fleet Center near North Station, serving good pub food and its own ales.
J J Foley's 21 Kingston St tel 617/338-7713. A blue-collar Irish bar in the heart of downtown, with decent food, sports on TV and a great jukebox. Around since 1909.
Other Side Cosmic Café 407 Newbury St tel 617/536-9477. Popular and trendy café with great salads, sandwiches, beer, wine, coffee and tea. Across from Tower Records and the Mass Turnpike, and open late.
Sevens Ale House 77 Charles St, Beacon Hill tel 617/523-9074. It may not look like much, but that's the point at this centrally located neighborhood watering hole.
The Cellar 991 Massachusetts Ave tel 617/876-2580. An eclectic mix of students and locals gather in this laid-back niche between Harvard and Central squares. Two stories, two bars and some live entertainment on weekends.
Club Passim 47 Palmer St, Harvard Square tel 617/492-5300. A four-decades-old, intimate "coffee house" that has been a noted folk/blues venue since Joan Baez performed here as an unknown 17-year-old.
House of Blues 96 Winthrop St, Harvard Square tel 617/497-2229. The original, surprisingly small branch of this popular chain of live music venues features high-quality blues nightly. There's also a decent Cajun-themed restaurant and a heaving bar.
Man Ray 21 Brookline Ave, Central Square tel 617/864-0400. Nightly themes draw very different crowds to Cambridge's most popular dance club. Wed is gothic/industrial, Thurs and Sat (when the club is known as Campus ) draw a lively gay crowd, and Fri is reserved for the fetish/bondage scene.
Middle East 472/480 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square tel 617/864-EAST. Cambridge's best alternative music venue with three stages and a good, inexpensive Arabic restaurant. Cover usually $3-10 in the main rooms with free music in the restaurant - acts to have played here gratis include Morphine, Buffalo Tom and Tracy Bonham.
Phoenix Landing 512 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square tel 617/576-6260. Affable neighborhood bar and restaurant with soccer beamed in from Europe and a down-to-earth mix of music at weekends.
Ryles Jazz Club 212 Hampshire St tel 617/876-9330. Eclectic jazz and world music club charging $10-20 covers.
Plough & Stars 912 Massachusetts Ave, between Harvard and Central squares tel 617/441-3455. Time-worn Irish pub with music most nights. Cover free or up to $8.
Western Front 343 Western Ave, Central Square tel 617/492-7772. This former jazz and blues club is now dedicated to reggae, with live music Fri and Sat nights, and Jamaican food Thurs-Sat.
