Best jazz club

Wally's Café, which sits inconspicuously at the intersection of Mass Ave and Columbus, abides by three tenets: jazz shall be heard every night of the year; a cover charge shall not be charged; and beer shall be served cold. This family-owned institution isn't glossy or glamorous. It's got a low-key cool, and heats up fast when the musicians take the stage at 9 p.m. Since 1947, Wally's has been a training ground for musicians to practice and perfect the art of jazz, and the best and brightest from nearby Berklee and the Boston and New England Conservatories often get their start here. Alums include jazz giants like Branford Marsalis, Danilo Perez, Greg Osby, and Roy Hargrove. These days, Jose Ramos plays Monday nights; various incarnations of Wally's Stepchildren play Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays; Francisco Mela plays on Thursdays; and on Fridays and Saturdays it's the Darren Barrett Quintet.

Unlike Wally's, where mostly local musicians focus on traditional American jazz, Ryles Jazz Club draws national names and international rhythms, a reflection of its Inman Square locale. Arturo Sandoval, Nestor Torres, and McCoy Tyner are a few recent performers. And the Ryles Jazz Orchestra, the 18-piece house band led by Frank Vardaros, holds court every Tuesday. The space is large without sacrificing intimacy, casual without sacrificing sophistication. It's got two floors, 40 beers, music six nights a week, a jazz brunch, and dance parties on the second floor every Thursday and Saturday (salsa and merengue on Thursdays; Latin, swing, and tango on Saturdays).

Wally's, 427 Mass Ave, Boston, (617) 424-1408; Ryles, 212 Hampshire Street, Cambridge, (617) 876-9330.