Boston Attractions and Things to Do

Bukowski Tavern

1281 Cambridge St, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-497-7077

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Bukowski's Tavern is one of those come-as-you-are, grungy sort of spots that have become popular with the local jet set crowd. The interior is diner-esque, complete with red booths and a checkered tile floor. This place takes pride in its extensive beer list and offers over 100 local and imported selections on tap and in the bottle. A hearty selection of good bar eats pay homage to poet Charles Bukowski. Try the bacon and blue burger, it's the stuff of legend.
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Cambridge Brewing Co.

1 Kendall Sq, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-494-1994

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Conveniently located in Kendall Square near a movie theater and restaurants, this brew pub offers an array of homemade ales and microbrews worth sampling. A limited food menu is available, and you'll want to stake out a seat on the outdoor patio during warm weather since. Even if you aren't successful there, you'll find plenty of room inside, and coming with a group is always a blast.
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Cambridge Common

1667 Mass Ave, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-1228

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Casual and comfortable, Cambridge Common's the place to come for a drink and a simple bite to eat (like a cheese-laden bacon burger!). The place boasts a friendly, unpretentious atmosphere that appeals to students and professionals alike, and everyone is welcome. For entertainment, head downstairs to catch live acts performing at the Lizard Lounge.
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Cantab Lounge

738 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-354-2685

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Lead performer Little Joe Cook keeps this lounge hopping while setting the pace with bluegrass and R&B favorites, like the house anthem, \"Down at the Cantab.\" Monday nights are open mic night, and Sundays are blues, jazz and rock jams. In addition, poetry readings are held downstairs in the Third Rail room.
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Grafton Street Pub & Grill

1230 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-497-0400

Description: CAMBRIDGE. This festive Irish pub offers, along with a full bar, an outstanding array of appetizers, including Blarney puffs and lobster-and-chive rangoons. A full dinner menu includes steaks, seafood, pastas, pizzas, and sandwiches. Plus, the place happily stocks Leffe, a fine Belgian beer that can be hard to find. An interior of dark woods, low lighting, and windows that open onto the street calls out to Harvard students, and the bar makes for a great place to watch the hustle and bustle of busy Massachusetts Avenue.
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Grendel's Den

89 Winthrop St, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-491-1160

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Grendel's gained notoriety in 1982, when it won an historic court case in the US Supreme Court that enabled them to use their liquor license and changed existing laws in 9 states. Now, it's a hot spot for the Harvard set, who flock here to hang out with friends and wile away the hours. Enjoy Grendel's happy hours, when the cost of the already reasonably priced menu items is cut in half. Selections are varied and interesting and cater to vegetarians and meat lovers alike. And the great selection of beer helps make Grendel's a keeper. Outside seating available as well.
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John Harvard's Brewery & Ale House

33 Dunster St, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-868-3585

Description: CAMBRIDGE. With an unwieldy moniker like this pub has, you'd think it would get lost in the crowd. But, just the opposite has happened in Cambridge--folks remember this spot and spread the word to friends and visitors. Maybe it's the reasonable prices, the tasty pub grub, or the outstanding selection of home-brewed beers. Who knows, but the young, mostly collegiate crowd returns time and again.
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Lizard Lounge

1667 Massachusetts Ave, Harvard Square, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-547-0759

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Folks pack out this below-ground music club for live concerts and weekly poetry nights. The space is cozy and inviting, embellished with Oriental rugs, red lighting and bar, where patrons flock for a luscious mai tai (Bacardi, Cointreau, pineapple and orange juice), margarita or beer. Dependable eats, such as nachos with chicken or chili, sweet potato fries, burgers and sandwiches, keep hunger at bay.
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Miracle of Science Bar & Grill

321 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-868-2866

Description: CAMBRIDGE. MIT students can't help but love Miracle, which depends on them for energy as much as they on it. In fact, some consider it a good luck charm to have one of their drinks (served in a beaker) as an assist to collegiate endeavors. The bar offers a large drink menu and, conversely, a small selection of food that's largely bar eats. Contemporary and fun, it's a place where ­ whether you know organic chemistry or not ­ you'll fit right in!
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Paradise Rock Club

969 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215 617-562-8800

Description: BRIGHTON. This notable Boston club has hosted a variety of big names in its past, including Van Halen, Coldplay, Phish, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers, AC / DC, Dire Straits, and the list goes on and on. If you're into alternative rock, pop, world music, and dancing, you will definitely appreciated the performers at Paradise Rock. This club features a dance floor and full bar, and next door you'll find the Paradise Lounge, a bar and restaurant featuring a full menu and decorated with the artwork of local artists.
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Phoenix Landing

512 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-576-6260

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Trying to find a place in Cambridge where you can wear jeans and a T-shirt and not get bounced from the dance floor? Head to Phoenix Landing, an Irish pub that's also one of the area's hottest weekend dance joints. Those who've discovered the place try to keep it close, because it's a rather small place with great atmosphere! Live performers and expert DJs take turns satisfying the need for tunes, and TVs keep visitors informed about the latest soccer scores.
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Plough & Stars

912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-576-0032

Description: CAMBRIDGE. This Cambridge pub, which has been in business since the 60s, hosts a diverse collection of regulars who enjoy Guinness on tap, along with other draft options. Bands play most nights ­ everything from Irish and bluegrass to country music ­ and crowds (often collegiate) are friendly and welcoming. TVs broadcast the latest soccer games when bands aren't playing.
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Regattabar

1 Bennett St, Charles Hotel, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-661-5000

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Elegant, fashionable Regattabar, tucked away inside the Charles Hotel, features a hushed ambience and low lighting, making it a perfect place for a quiet rendezvous. A variety of local, national, and international jazz and R&B acts can be found performing throughout the week, and a full bar helps guests unwind as well.
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River Gods

125 River St, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-576-1881

Description: CAMBRIDGE. The case can be made that River Gods is a neighborhood pub, at least when you're standing outside and considering only the exterior. Inside, though, the amped-up space's quirky sense of style and its affinity for alternative rock would seem to argue otherwise. Weird, local artwork adorns the walls, and the furniture looks as though it was randomly picked from several second-hand shops. But then, all of that is what helps make the place different ­ what allows it to appeal to so many types of people. And, if you watch close enough, you'll swear the namesake statues bob their heads in approval as the DJ pushes the volume higher.
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Ryles

212 Hampshire St, Inman Square, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-876-9330

Description: CAMBRIDGE. Each floor of this conveniently located jazz joint provides a different type of musical entertainment. As a result, you're sure to find something that suits your taste ­ perhaps a laid-back venue with live jazz, or maybe an electric atmosphere with lively dance music. Local and national acts both perform regularly, and Ryles also offers salsa and swing dancing on weekends. In addition, they feature brunch and dinner menus and a full bar.
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The Asgard

350 Massachusetts Ave, Central Square, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-577-9100

Description: CAMBRIDGE. A study in stone and wood, this Irish pub was designed in Ireland and has become a coveted local destination for live music and a good beer selection. The Central Square establishment also boasts traditional Irish eats like shepherd's pie, Guinness beef stew, and bangers 'n mash. Plenty of draft and bottled beers from around the world satisfy the thirsty MIT crowd, and a full bar is available too.
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The Middle East Restaurant & Nightclub

472 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139 617-492-9181

Description: CAMBRIDGE. "Eclectic" barely scratches the surface when attempting to describe this live music venue's week-to-week lineup of bands, which can include everything from bare-boned rock-n-roll and alternative bands to punk and rap acts. Indeed, the club is versatile to say the least. Aside from offering live music in three distinct settings (Upstairs, the Corner and Downstairs), the club also sports a bit of avant-garde edge by affording local artists space to display their work. In addition, the three performance rooms share space with a stylish restaurant that serves incredible Middle Eastern cuisine.
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Toad

1912 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02140 617-497-4950

Description: CAMBRIDGE. From blues to folk to bluegrass, live bands perform every night at this cozy neighborhood bar. So, if you're looking for a good time on the weekend or just need a spot to chill after work, join this congenial crowd for a pint of ale and the quirky lineup of musicians. On busy nights, patrons sit elbow to elbow, but you won't mind ­ there's not a stranger in the house. Helpful, efficient service.
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West Side Lounge

1680 Mass Ave, Porter Square, Cambridge, MA 02138 617-441-5566

Description: CAMBRIDGE. This chic, golden-hued establishment attracts a good contingent of upscale patrons within its comfortable environs. The clientele relish rustic, Mediterranean cuisine, which pays heed to texture as much as it does to flavor. You'll often see patrons perched at the bar with friends, nursing drinks and chatting into the evening. Many times, they come for the bar scene and end up hanging out for dinner, or vice versa. Terrific ambience and a great neighborhood mainstay.
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White Horse Tavern

116 Brighton Ave, Allston, MA 02134 617-254-6633

Description: BRIGHTON. The interior of this pub features a wide open space that's surrounded by exposed brick walls and dotted with lovely chandeliers. The exterior is painted vivid red and evokes the idea of a train station from days gone by. It's the perfect spot for groups, and the student crowd loves it as do area professionals who come for a drink or two after work. Entertainment can be found at one of the two pool tables. A diverse drink menu features gin, whiskey, rum, tequila, scotch, and bourbon. The White Horse also has some good pub grub as well, featuring appetizers, salads, flatbread pizzas, burgers, and several different grilled cheese sandwich options.
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