Best pick-up spot
Thanks in no small part to the grande dames of Sex and the City, the stigma of singledom has been stripped as vigorously as the clothes from a freshly matched couple in heat. To indulge in the freedom of meeting new people and the giddy hope that there will be someone likable, folks in Boston flock to the Rack in droves. There are plenty of spots to visit if you want to narrow your search to sports fans, dance-floor booty shakers, or high-minded foodies, but the Rack seamlessly integrates all those factions with a dance floor, simulcasts of pro sports, and 14 pool tables within a sleek, roomy club. The spaciousness ensures that you won't have to scream over the DJ's dubs if you find yourself striking up a conversation at the slick marble bar, and you're not at risk of getting poked with a pool cue if you and the hottie you've been eyeing all night end up face to face on the dance floor.

The Rack, 24 Clinton Street, Boston, (617) 725-1051, www.therackboston.com.