Downtown

The beautiful people shake their thing at Gypsy Bar (116 Boylston St., 617/482-7799, www.gypsybarboston.com), a plush downtown dance club decked out in deep-brown leather, dark wood, and pulsing red lights. It draws an international crowd who mingle at the long wine bar before they take the plunge onto the dance floor to dance to house music as the night wears on.

At the other end of the spectrum, the fraternity brothers who frequent Liquor Store (25 Boylston St., 617/357-6800, www.liquorstoreboston.com) are more randy than the mechanical bull featured in a bikini bull-riding competition every Friday night. The club does have some standards, however—no sneakers or shorts are allowed.

The Roxy (279 Tremont St., 617/338-7699, www.roxyplex.com) used to be a grand ballroom, and the opulent decor sets the stage for its air of modern decadence. High-energy and heavily European crowds come here to dance to hip-hop and ’80s music. Occasionally the stage also hosts rock bands and Chippendale’s male reviews.

Fenway

Behind Fenway Park, it’s always Mardi Gras at Tequila Rain (3 Lansdowne St., 617/437-0300, www.tequilarainboston.com), a testosterone-filled dance club that features Top 40 music and periodic hormonal tomfoolery like wet T-shirt contests and dunk tanks. It caters to a post-game and suburban crowd.

Two different tastes can be found at the co-joined gay clubs Ramrod/Machine (1254 Boylston St., 617/266-2986; 1256 Boylston St., 617/536-1950; www.ramrod-boston.com, www.machine-boston.com). Ramrod is a cruisy leather bar with a back room open only to those wearing leather or not wearing a shirt. Next door, Machine is a more casual hangout with a large dance floor and a hot, hot Friday-night scene. The two mix over a pool table that connects the two spaces.

© Michael Blanding and Alexandra Hall from Moon New England, 2nd Edition