Boston's Best Late Night Is Cambridge and Allston

Boston closes at 2 AM hard and nobody likes it. The best bars inside the city's short drinking window are across the river. Harvard Square has Charlie's Kitchen (burger dive, legit beer) and The Sinclair (music venue with a proper bar program). Allston is the student beer-bar belt — The Silhouette, O'Brien's Pub for punk shows.

Downtown, Drink in Fort Point is the serious cocktail-room-with-no-menu. Wink & Nod in the South End hides behind a walk-through. Brick & Mortar in Cambridge is the craft-cocktail spot above a burrito joint.

The T closes at 12:30 AM (seriously). Plan the ride out before the last drink, or walk — Boston's a smaller city than people think.