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All-purpose bar in Cambridge
I love to visit Paradise whenever I spend any time with my friends in Cambridge; it's practically on the MIT campus and is easy to get to on foot, on the subway, or by bus. Paradise is really two clubs in one: the basement is a dance club that's somewhat cramped but has always featured good music when I've been there; above that, on the main floor, is a cruisy (but still fairly classy) pub with go-go boys who are cute, friendly, and accessible. The crowd is almost all men and spread out in age, with the young ones tending to congregate downstairs on the dance floor. A couple of times I've hit on guys here and been told they were "married" -- it's fun to call their bluff and see if they actually are married, which of course is possible in Massachusetts. :) -
Nice place, diverse but attractive crowd
JR's is a fairly big, fairly friendly, fairly preppy bar (or complex of bars) on Pacific Street in Montrose. The main bar area features big crowds and cute go-go dancers; there are some tables where you can sit and talk to friends as well. Behind that is a billards area (the table is usually in great demand), and there's another large bar (formerly a separate place called Santa Fe) attached to that; this is where karaoke and other special events take place. There's also an outdoor bar and patio when the weather is nice, which is most of the time in Houston. The decor could use some updating, but this is a place where you can meet a lot of cool people... many of whom will end up next door at South Beach come the wee hours of the morning. -
Snazzy dance club
South Beach is one of a trio of clubs, owned by one Charles Armstrong, on the 800 block of Pacific Street in Montrose. This one is a shiny, ultra-modern, high-tech dance club, and the perpetual long lines of folks waiting to get in is a testament to its success in giving the people what they want. Inside, South Beach almost seems like a theater in the round, with the crowded dance floor sunk slightly below the bars that surround it; this set-up allows one to easily participate in the fun as a spectator or as a dancer. South Beach has a high cover charge ($15 as of December 2005), but if you arrive between 10 and 10:30 you get in for free -- that's much too early, of course, but if you're on a budget it's a good deal. Laser/fog shows and refreshing water jets are among South Beach's cooler features. -
Fun place!
Cobalt is a loud, crowded, and FUN place to be after midnight on a Friday or Saturday! Downstairs is a lounge area (called 30 Degrees because of the blast of chilly air that blows near the bar); upstairs has a small, but hopping, dance area that features some terrific techno DJs and hot, shirtless bartenders. Cobalt is 21+, and the crowd tends to be on the young side of that, but there's enough of an age mix that somewhat older folks (like me) still fit in. Friday and Saturday are the best nights, of course, but Cobalt has karaoke on Sunday nights; a very popular '80s music night on Tuesdays; and the "Best Package Contest" on Thursdays. Finally, you didn't hear this from me, but after 2 am on weekends, Cobalt is probably one of the better places in DC to meet cute guys for short-term relationships. -
My favorite place in the world
The first thing you need to know about JR's is that it's tiny and crowded, and this can be a bit intimidating at first. JR's also has a reputation for preppy snobbishness, but I don't think this is fair at all; almost anyone can find some friends at JR's if they give it half a chance. Yes, there's a large contingent of beautiful post-twinks, but in reality, you will find guys of all shapes and sizes (and ages, up to about 45 anyhow) at JR's on any given night. One warning: if you take great offense at guys "accidentally" touching your butt as you push your way through the crowd, JR's may not be for you. On weekends, start out at JR's and then follow the crowd to Cobalt or Apex... and don't miss the showtunes singalong on Monday nights! -
Grand Central (along with The Hippo) is one of the two major general-purpose bars in Baltimore, both located at the corner of Charles and Eager Streets. Grand Central has a nice, laid-back pub; a decent and inexpensive restaurant called Dizzy Izzie's; a video bar upstairs; and a fairly nice disco area, though the Hippo definitely has the better dancefloor. The crowd at Grand Central is generally in the 25-35 range, but the dance area is 18+ every night and attracts a lot of cute young guys, starting at about 11 pm. If you like playing pool, Grand Central has several tables, and it's much easier to get a table here than at The Hippo. If you're going out in Baltimore on a Friday or Saturday, start out at Grand Central to get things started; you'll probably end up following the crowd over to the dancefloor at The Hippo as the evening wears on.
