Club Cafe, in the South End

Perhaps no gay bar in Boston is more popular than Club Cafe Lounge & Video Bar (209 Columbus Ave., 617-536-0966), which consists of a loud, popular, cruise-y, and bustling gay club; a more relaxed video lounge; and an adjacent restaurant that's a favorite gay-date venue, serving commendable mod-American food. Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays tend to be the busiest nights in the video bar, which pulls in a generally preppy, professional bunch of guys; Wednesdays there's karaoke. In the lounge, which is open nightly, you'll find a much quieter ambience. If you're in town looking to meet locals, and you can stand the occasionally cliquey vibe in the video bar, Club Cafe is a must for gay-bar-hoppers. It's around the corner from the many gay-friendly establishments in the South End, such as Fritz gay sports bar at the Chandler Inn Hotel.