COVER STORY
Club Boston
Harvard/Porter squares
HOUSE OF BLUES
96 Winthrop St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. 617-497-2229. (Get directions).
Food Southern American cuisine with Cajun accent. Gospel brunch on Sun.
Music Nightly, spanning top-notch blues, R&B, New Orleans funk, world music, reggae, classic rock. Some local bands.
Cover Lesser known bands $6-$12; national acts higher.
Age Sun.-Wed. generally 18+; Thur.-Sat.: 21+
Atmosphere An intimate second-floor concert room with an improved sound system and Southern folkloric art on the walls. Feels like a cross between a juke-joint and a museum. The first-floor restaurant has cozy booths; and a small but cool bar is in the basement.
- S.M.
THE HONG KONG
1238 Mass. Ave., Harvard Square, Cambridge. 617-864-5311.
Food Asian mix. Kitchen closes 1:30 a.m. weekdays, 3 a.m. weekends.
Drink The "scorpion bowls" (a behemoth bucket-size libation that is a panoply of alcohol) are legendary and not just among the Harvard crowd. You'll need three or four friends to finish it; if you do, they'll post your mug in the Rogues Gallery.
Music/comedy Wed.: salsa (lessons at 7 p.m.). Thur.: "Thursday Night Fights," pitting comedian against comedian. Fri.-Sat.: comedy followed by live reggae or hip-hop.
Cover Varies, usually $7
Age 21+ after 10 p.m.; Wed. salsa lessons all ages
Atmosphere Is it a club or is it a restaurant? No one - not even the owners - knows.
- C.B.
LIZARD LOUNGE
1667 Mass. Ave., Cambridge (near Harvard Square). 617-547-0759. (Get directions).
Food Cambridge Common upstairs serves varied fare until midnight.
Music Sun.: poetry jam. Mon.: "The Fringe," jazz. Tue.-Wed.: local bands. Thur.: "Club d'Elf," trance, hip-hop, electronica, you name it. Fri.-Sat.: rock.
Cover Varies
Age 21+
Atmosphere So the insufferable "Real World" jerks hung out here a few seasons back - the Lizard really is pretty groovy, all red gloom and vague cheesiness. Arrive early, get a table in front, and check out the dental work of whoever's singing.
- A.F.
CLUB PASSIM
47 Palmer St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. 617-492-7679. (Get directions).
Food Middle Eastern, roll-ups, vegetarian options, burgers, and snacks daily 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Non-alcoholic beverages.
Music Weekdays: mostly folk, but also storytelling, poetry. Weekends: national headliners and local favorites. Open mikes on Tue. and occasionally Mon.
Cover $5-$15
Age All ages
Atmosphere: Casual, welcoming. Very popular with college crowd, but audiences are of all ages. The basement coffeehouse is close but comfortable, with tables and chairs, some row-seating and a front room where people can socialize while the show is on. Perhaps the hippest and hottest folk club in the country.
- S.A.
REGATTABAR
Charles Hotel, 1 Bennett St., Harvard Square, Cambridge. 617-876-7777 (reservations), 617-864-1200 (hotel). (Get directions).
Food Substantial snacks.
Music Tue.-Sat.: national and local jazz acts; occasional blues, comedy, cabaret.
Cover $8-$32
Age All ages
Atmosphere A sleek room on the Charles Hotel's third floor, with birdcage elevators on one wall and a corner picture window that looks onto the street (not the best seats in the house). Dress is casual in this serious listening room, which is popular with student musicians.
- B.B.
TOAD
1912 Mass. Ave., Porter Square, Cambridge. 617-497-4950. (Get directions).
Music Nightly: rock, country, African juju, rockabilly.
Cover None
Age 21+
Atmosphere Petite and homey, maybe because of all those squat little toads perched here and there.
- A.F.
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