Location: 528 Commonwealth Ave., Boston
Ambiance: Out with friends
Price: Keep 'em coming

This early 20th-century throwback has the allure of a chorus line of can-can dancers. The staff is dashing - the men dressed in white button-down shirts and black vests and females in ruffled skirts and fishnet stockings. The ruby red-accented decor, cozy banquettes and artwork invite slow sipping of specialty martinis and hours-long meals.

The bar crowd on the early Saturday evening we were there was outnumbered by the hurried staff, who was prompt and courteous. Scattered twosomes chatted over specialty cocktails and European and New England-inspired dishes. Though the clank of a lemon presser and clatter of dishes at times drowned out the lull of jazzy music, the vibe was undoubtedly intimate.

Come Red Sox season, this is the place to go if you're looking to enjoy a refined cocktail and cheese plate rather than chicken wings and a pint of beer. Arrive early during warm months to snag a seat in the open air Ann Corio Lounge & Porch, named for the 1940's burlesque dancer, famous for her titillating performances at Boston's Howard Theater.

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