Fun, fancy, elegant bars

[headbroad]

Hi folks. I am out to dinner in Boston with a friend tomorrow. I have two young children and haven't been out much lately, so I've missed many of the new restaurants of the last 5 years.

We have a dinner reservation, but I am looking for a place to meet for drinks first. Maybe two places. Expensive is okay. As a frame of reference, here are some bars I have liked: Rialto and East Coast Grill in Camb, Pegu in NYC, Bix in San Francisco. I will probably try Drink. Any place else that 1) has great drinks - a must, 2) fun, 3) interesting interiors/architecture.

Suggestions?

[bluesjack]

If you are looking for sleek and sexy I'd say 28 Degrees

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28 Degrees
1 Appleton St., Boston, MA 02116

[MC Slim JB]

Nothing quite as sexy as Bix or Pegu Club, but comparable bartending to the latter at Drink, Eastern Standard (except the Sox spillover crowd is a negative), No. 9 Park, Clio, Craigie on Main, Green Street, and Deep Ellum.

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

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Eastern Standard
528 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215

Deep Ellum Bar
477 Cambridge St, Allston, MA 02134

Craigie on Main
853 Main Street, Cambridge, MA 02139

[headbroad]

Thanks MC Slim JB.

Sexy - yes. Looking for some urban luxe. Anything fun, sexy?

Also, we may start around Newbury St. Anything there?

[MC Slim JB]

Some places with pretty rooms or at least good patios and fair to decent drinks, nothing outstanding on the bartending front:

Newbury Street: Sonsie (the least awful of a very bad bunch, most of which coast on good patios and unwitting tourists); La Voile (a worthy restaurant, but not much of a bar, beer/wine only); Tapeo (good sangria, a decent Spanish wine list, and a good patio, beer/wine/cordials only).

Beacon Hill: Scampo (good bar and patio), Clink, Alibi (all in the Liberty Hotel).

Downtown / Theatre District / Park Square: Woodward (Ames Hotel), the lobby bar at the W, Bistro du Midi (downstairs bar), Jer-Ne (Ritz-Carlton), Via Matta, Bina Osteria.

Back Bay: Sorellina, Mistral, Asana (Mandarin), Douzo (small bar in a big Japanese restaurant), Lucca Back Bay, Poe's Kitchen at The Rattlesnake (cheesy, but a nice roof deck), Post 390 (cool atmosphere, lousy cocktails), Stanhope Grill (good below-sidewalk-level patio).

South End: Stella, Noche, 28 Degrees, The Beehive, Rocca (outstanding patio), Gaslight.

Hope that helps!

http://mcslimjb.blogspot.com/

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28 Degrees
1 Appleton St., Boston, MA 02116

Douzo
131 Dartmouth St, Boston, MA 02116

La Voile
261 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116

Lucca Restaurant
226 Hanover St., Boston, MA 02113

Scampo
215 Charles Street, Boston, MA 02114

Via Matta
79 Park Plaza, Boston, MA 02116

Bina Osteria
581 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02111

Asana
776 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02199

Park Square Cafe
31 Saint James Ave Ste L15, Boston, MA 02116

Sorellina
1 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02116

Jer-Ne Restaurant and Bar
10 Avery Street, Boston, MA 02111

Post 390
406 Stuart Street, Boston, MA 02116

Bistro du Midi
272 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02116

[pollystyrene]

Of all the gin joints in all the neighborhoods Slim lists above, in my opinion, Gaslight makes the best cocktails. Great atmosphere, too. But if you simply want the best cocktails in town, stick with Drink and No. 9 Park. The former is usually crowded, with a loft-like atmosphere, and the latter is cozy, charming, and elegant.