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Boston is a Cinderella city, aglow with delights that for some end all too soon. With the T (subway and bus) making its final runs between midnight and 1 am and taxis sometimes scarce, most nightspots follow accordingly, with "last call" typically by 2 am. Though night owls may be disappointed by the meager late-night options, except in Chinatown, visitors find plenty of possibilities for stepping out on the early side. The martini set may stroll Newbury and Boylston streets in the Back Bay or Downtown, selecting from swank restaurants, lounges, and clubs. Coffee- and tea drinkers can find numerous cafés in Cambridge and Somerville, particularly Harvard and Davis squares. Microbrew enthusiasts find viable options at sports bars and brewpubs, especially near campuses and sports arenas. For dancing, Lansdowne and Boylston streets near Fenway Park have a stretch of student-friendly hangs, DJ rooms, and techno clubs. The thriving "lounge" scene in Downtown’s cooler hybrid bar-restaurant-clubs provides a mellower, more mature alternative to the collegiate indie clubs. Tourists crowd Faneuil Hall for its pubs, comedy spots, and dance scenes. The South and North ends, as well as Cambridge and Somerville, cater to the "dinner-and-drinks" set, while those seeking rock clubs should explore Allston and Cambridge, especially Central Square. College-owned concert halls regularly host homegrown and visiting ensembles. Prominent among these are Harvard University’s Sanders Theatre, New England Conservatory’s Jordan Hall, Berklee College of Music’s Performance Center, MIT's Kresge Auditorium, and Agganis Arena at Boston University.
More than 300 people per show can share a laugh with the local comics and national headliners who take the stage at one of Boston's favorite comedy clubs. Doors are open to anyone ages 16 and older because comedic material is typically R-rated. There's no food or drink minimum, and the bar opens one hour before showtime.
Riffing off its location not far from Boston's Logan International Airport, this tropical rooftop bar boasts a lush place to while away the hours with a tiki cocktail in hand. There are incredible panoramic views of Boston Harbor as well as planes soaring overhead. Patrons can order drinks and island-inspired bites to eat at a walk-up window.
This multistory complex has something for everyone. Home to Cheeky Monkey Brewing Co. on the first floor, 150 games of all kinds and a bar and restaurant on the second floor, and 25 pool tables, 12 plasma screens, 16 bowling lanes, and an 800-square-foot video wall on the third floor, it's impossible to be bored.
Going on two-and-a-half decades, this subterranean hangout called the Fort Point neighborhood home well before any other bar, restaurant, or venue. And like Gloria Gaynor, it has survived, although it gives off decidedly more Rat Pack--era vibes than disco. Lucky's is known for its live music and fantastic food without any of the splash. It's a solid bet for an evening out.
This cutting-edge performing arts venue, spread over four floors, can accommodate about 5,000 people. Acts have included everyone from Guster to the Black Crowes to Kevin Hart. Its unique triangle shape (due to its footprint) makes for great acoustics and sightlines---no seat is more than 110 feet from the stage. Depending on the act, the seats on the first floor can be removed to create a dance area.
This very popular Jamaica Plain café books a lively mix of rock bands, DJs, and noise artists. There's punk, soul, R&B, and on Thursday a raucous lesbian dance party and "queeraoke"—straights are welcome, too. Cover varies nightly; check for show age-restrictions.
Boston's oldest comedy club has been yukking it up since 1977 (Jay Leno reportedly got his start here). The smallish venue features a full bar and local and touring stand-up comedians; all shows are 18 and over.
Head down an alleyway to find the unmarked door to this place---c'mon, it's fun, not sketchy! Only about two dozen seats fill the place, and you might have to wait, although table service is limited to 90 minutes (reservations are essential, if you can get one). The espresso martini is what we'd call a specialty, but all the cocktails are tasty and incredibly unique.
It's all fun and games at Play Boston—or at least that's the idea. This 21st-century arcade geared toward adults has loads of redemption games including Willy Crash, Need for Speed, and Pop the Luck. Rack up points and win some prizes. You can order pizzas, burgers, and cocktails while you game, too.
This genuine Irish pub has doubled as a bohemian oasis since 1969. Drink Guinness and Bass on tap and many Irish whiskies; hear light rock, Irish, or country music nightly, usually by 10:30 pm; shows are 21-plus. Narrow and cozy, the Plough is a comfy, noisy den for locals and students, yet a fine place to have lunch alone. The cover charge varies, but the popular weekday beer and burger specials remain the same. Fun fact: literary magazine Ploughshares was founded here.
What's better than minigolf, snacks, and drinks? That combination at any time of the year! This bar features tech-forward 9-hole courses (and you don't need a pencil to keep score) complete with hazard traps. Before or after your (approximately) 30 minutes of play, nosh on some shareable apps, flatbreads, or sandwiches. Keep in mind that Puttshack is 21 and over after 8 pm.
By day a Berklee College coffee and snack bar, the Cafe by night opens its tidy, scarlet, 200-capacity concert space. Run, booked, and played by students, it's an ideal all-ages venue for aspiring student bands and indies on the rise; everyone from Hozier to Karmin has played here. Music is varied (think rock to jazz, hip-hop to bluegrass) while the refreshments are not (there aren't any). The cover charge also varies based on the event.
You don't have to be a hotel guest to enjoy skyline and harbor views at this seventh-story rooftop bar. The vibe is lively during warmer months, as you might expect, with people crowded on cabana-style bench seating and the occasional fire pit. Premium classic cocktails and seasonal sips (think a frozen lychee "frosee"), and really tasty food mean that you'll go home satisfied. Stop by in the winter for a "snow globe" experience inside heated, transparent geodesic domes.
Cocktails are the star of the show here, and not classic ones at that, but there's also a great selection of local draft beers and a few wines by the glass. There are also a handful of snacks to counteract the alcohol. This place is popular, so reservations are strongly recommended.
Follow the retro neon sign to the music scene you've been waiting for. Bringing a long-awaited sophisticated rock music and dining venue to Harvard Square, The Sinclair's adventurous, near-nightly lineup of indie rock—with enticing flings into world, electronica, and jazz—often sells out. Its adjacent but quite separate restaurant and bar, with wanderlusty train and highway decor, a serious beverage list, creative mixology, and cuisine inspired by regional Americana at on-site Brato, is proving to be a winning formula. Accommodating 500, here's a party made to order for transient, academic, and streetwise grown-ups.
The crowd spilling through French doors onto the sidewalk café in warm weather consists of trendy cosmopolitans, fun-loving professionals, local sports celebs, and scenesters who have flocked to the contemporary spot for decades. The sophisticated jazz-rock soundtrack remains at a civilized volume as you dine, sip, and people-watch. Order any of the martinis that earn a solid rep among the locals, and follow with a brick-oven pizza off their late-night menu.
This historic-style ship sidles up to an East Boston pier and features outdoor drinking, games like corn hole, live music, and more alfresco fun. You can also book a private lounge. The unique destination does offer food in the form of raw oysters, pizza, tacos, and fried seafood, plus there are a number of food trucks that park on-site. Drinks are slightly overpriced, but let's be honest: you're paying for the view. If you happen to be dining in the area, there's a free shuttle to the ship from local restaurants on the weekends.
At the end of your Charlestown trip, hit up this pub with a 50-plus beer list and classic pub fare with an Irish flare. With a backdrop of live music and traditional Irish seisiún (informal music sessions), it's the spot to grab a lager with a snack of curry fries or calamari or satisfy a huge hunger with a shepherd's pie and the perfect Guinness pour.
Inventive cocktails wash down Southern comfort grub at this hip, retro joint packed with a younger crowd. The original drinks are just that—original—with concoctions like the Rockin' Chair (black-tea-infused bourbon, canton ginger cognac, and lemon) and the Fallen Angel (a spicy mango margarita with a barbecue-dusted rim). Their buttermilk fried chicken is well loved, and the mac and cheese with Ritz crackers and hot dogs is your new guilty pleasure.
Tucked under the Staypineapple Boston inn, this gay bar is popular with the local after-work crowd, who enjoy live performances from local artists and apps like nachos and chicken fingers. Casually dressed locals drop by for the large beer list and classic breakfast dishes during the hopping weekend brunches starting at noon, which feature long, tall mimosas, and bloodies.
This new complex has live music, lit up bowling for $35--$45 per lane, TVs for the big game, and more. Drinks are social, including the four- to six-person cocktail "coolers," which is probably why the entire place is 21 and older after 7 pm. Snacks are fun noshes, such as waffle fries, grilled burgers, nachos, and a giant baked chocolate chip cookie.
Popular arcade games, pinball, and '80s pop culture provide the entertainment at this nightspot, but no one under 21 is allowed after 7 pm. The fun extends to weekly theme nights, including free play and Super Smash Bros. tournaments. The food is decent but nothing special—although there are milk shakes.
Recently named one of the most beautiful restaurants in America by People magazine, this hidden-away gem is all about escaping with a tropical tiki. Drinks include the Scorpion Bowl, made with Appleton estate rum, lemon, mango, orange, pineapple, and hibiscus grenadine, as well as the Jungle Bird, a marriage of two types of rum, Campari, pineapple and lime juices, and demerara syrup. The menu offers up Asian American bites, such as a pupu platter that can also be made vegan, short rib lo mein, and Aloha sliders.
This spacious, popular venue connected with Paradise offers bands nightly, some open to all ages, often double bills.
The upstairs pub–-dismantled in England, shipped to Boston, and reassembled–-later became the inspiration for the now-classic TV series Cheers. Enjoy a quality burger at the model bar of the Hollywood set and imagine Sam and Diane walking in the door and calling your name. You'll find many a tourist in Cheers, but locals tend to stay away to avoid the crowds.
Steeped in history and serving Yankee classics like roast beef rib and Indian pudding since 1828, Durgin-Park is mostly visited by tourists looking to see some old-time Boston character. Happy hour brings in Faneuil Hall 9-to-5ers looking for cheap beer and snacks, like the $3 hot dog and fries.
Crowds of cool Allston students and greater Boston music fans rock hard until closing at Great Scott, which books an impressive lineup of local and visiting indie rock bands (from 9 pm) in live double and triple bills on a varying rotation nearly every night.
