13 top hotspots for nightlife in Boston and Cambridge

Boston Globe

09-07-2025

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The Beehive
The Beehive.
Kayana Szymczak for The Boston Globe
Stroll into The Beehive on any given night of the week and you'll be guided downstairs into a white-tablecloth lounge, complete with thick red curtains and chandeliers, serving up elevated bar food (smoked Turkish pepper wings, anyone?) and the latest sounds in jazz and world music. The events calendar is always full, so take a seat and get ready to tune your ears to anything from blues to reggae to Brazilian choro. And for those looking for a quieter summer evening, the Beehive also boasts a charming outdoor terrace.
Address:
541 Tremont Street, South End
Phone:
617-423-0069
Find online:
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The Cantab Lounge
The Cantab Lounge.
Long live the Cantab. Few spots attract as diverse a crowd as this Central Square mainstay, which boasts live music seven days a week on two stages, as well as open mic nights, poetry events, and more. The cheap beers don't hurt, either. Pro tip: Ask for the pistachio shot to muster up the courage to compete with Cantab's lively dance floor.
Address:
738 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
Phone:
617-714-4278
Find online:
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Club Café
Two hundred and nine Columbus Avenue is a distinguished address for two reasons: first, the Pledge of Allegiance was written there in 1892. Second, it has been home for 40 years to one of Boston's best nightclubs: Club Café, a restaurant, piano bar, and dance club, as well as legendary gathering space for LGBTQ+ Boston. The entrance line can be formidable (regulars know to get a yearly VIP pass to skip ahead). But whether you go for a drink or dance-off, you'll leave with sticky soles and a smile. We'll pledge allegiance to that.
Address:
209 Columbus Avenue, Bay Village
Phone:
617-536-0966
Find online:
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The Glitter Boys
The Glitter Boys.
Nathan Klima for The Boston Globe
Bubbles. Glitter. ABBA. And costumes galore. This all-vinyl disco — which takes place every Friday in the basement of The Sinclair — draws quite the crowd. Arrive early to secure a spot. DJs Kyle Buresh and Steve Maling, now in their 30s, have been going to concerts together since their high school days in Stoughton and they bring the party. Setlists span the '70s and '80s. And the records spin until 2am.
Address:
The Sinclair, 52 Church Street, Cambridge
Phone:
617-547-5200
Find online:
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Grace by Nia
Grace by Nia.
Josh Reynolds for The Boston Globe
Nia Grace brings Southern soul to the Seaport with her eponymous restaurant-meets-jazz-bar. Leather seats and intimate tables face the cabaret-style stage, giving patrons the opportunity to chat over signature cocktails and chargrilled oysters or just sit back and listen. Come with the family for brown butter beignets at brunch (or oxtail and grits at dinner) — or stop by later in the night to see guests transform the dining area into a dance floor, twinkling under the lights. (The venue is 21-plus after 10 p.m.)
Address:
60 Seaport Boulevard, Floor 3, Seaport
Phone:
617-927-9411
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Hava
Hava's layout — a large, oval bar with a ramp leading down to the dance floor — means more room to show off your moves and a shorter wait to get a drink. Despite the elegant interior, complete with chandeliers and a decorative fireplace, the atmosphere is the opposite of stuffy. The dance floor always remains high energy thanks to the club's stellar music selection, ranging from hip-hop and Top 40 artists to Latin hits. And special guests, which have previously included rappers Polo G and Fetty Wap, sporadically perform.
Address:
246 Tremont Street, Theater District
Phone:
617-695-2250
Find online:
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Havana Club
Havana Club.
Jared Charney
The rhythms of bachata and salsa echo through the door as you walk into Havana Club, one of the most established venues for Latin dance in Cambridge. The club hosts dance socials throughout the week — each one starting with a lesson for beginners. With an in-house bar (open Thursday through Saturday) and performances from local dance groups, this dance hall guarantees a fun time for movers of all levels.
Address:
288 Green Street, Cambridge
Phone:
617-312-5550
Find online:
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La Fábrica Central
La Fábrica Central.
Jonathas Mascarenhas
La Fábrica offers a seamless transition from day to night with a Latin American dining experience — complete with mofongo, maduros, and chicharrón — that gives way to Latin music at its nightclub on Fridays and Saturdays. But for a full experience, stop by on a Wednesday evening, when the restaurant offers dance lessons starting at 9 p.m. in partnership with Bachata Room, and a party that stretches into the early hours of the morning.
Address:
450 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge
Phone:
857-706-1125
Find online:
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ManRay
ManRay.
Carlin Stiehl for The Boston Globe
ManRay, the legendary Central Square club that shuttered in 2005,
Address:
40 Prospect Street, Cambridge
Phone:
617-864-0400
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Silk R&B Party at Big Night Live
The Silk R&B Party at Big Night Live.
Shamari Humphries
All R&B. All love. All night. That's the tagline of the Silk R&B Party. It only comes around once a month, but it's always worth the wait. Silk attracts people from all over New England in the hundreds, largely because it features some of the region's most talented DJs on the turntables. The outfits are immaculate, the dance moves are on point, and the music is always well mixed.
Address:
110 Causeway Street, West End
Phone:
617-896-5222
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Slade's Bar and Grill
Slade's Bar and Grille
Yoon S. Byun/Globe Staff
Slade's is a must stop for homesick Black Southerners, and lovers of a strong Hennessy punch. Once owned by
Address:
958 Tremont Street, Roxbury
Phone:
617-442-4600
Find online:
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Yvonne's
Yvonne's.
Erik Jacobs for the Boston Globe
While Yvonne's bills itself as a supper club, the craft cocktails are the main attraction. Hidden behind a mock hair salon, Yvonne's
Gatsby
-style bar or game of Clue. The decor is impeccably detailed, from the tin ceiling to the ornate mahogany bar, soft lighting, and secret bookcase that leads down to one of several dining spaces. As a final touch, your check comes in an old book.
Address:
2 Winter Place, Downtown Crossing
Phone:
617-267-0047
Find online:
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