OAK Long Bar + Kitchen

"This jazz age era bar and restaurant is one of the best places in the Hub to grab a really great cocktail, along with seafood bites like monkfish fritters and local oysters. If you get there at an off hour, grab one of the double bar seats with your person for a romantic throwback date." - Tanya Edwards

"The sophisticated spot inside the historic Fairmont Hotel will be serving a few special Christmas menu items from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Christmas Day. For a hearty classic, try the spiced Vermont maple glazed ham, served with a decadent duck fat biscuit, along with lyonnaise potatoes, citrus herbed creme fraiche, and cranberry and walnut roasted brussels sprouts. The restaurant’s regular menus will also be available, and a charitable cocktail, The Wishmaker (Beefeater gin, homemade cranberry syrup, lemon juice, ginger beer 19) will see $1 per order donated to Make-A-Wish Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Find table reservations here, or you can try to grab a walk-in at the bar." - Tanya Edwards

"Oak Long Bar + Kitchen, located inside the Fairmont Hotel across from Copley Plaza, will be serving its regular menu plus a couple of specials on the holiday: an Amish turkey roulade with braised greens, cranberry sauce, Robuchon potatoes and gravy, and stuffed delicata squash; a sweet potato mousse for dessert with Vermont maple syrup streusel and torched meringue; and a bar-only special of turkey and waffles. Oh, and there’s a Thanksgiving-themed cocktail involving vodka, pumpkin purée, and maple syrup. Find table reservations here, and the bar will be walk-in only throughout the day." - Erika Adams

"When the  Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel decided to shutter its iconic Oak Room in 2012 and revive it as OAK, a more contemporary bar, the area's staunchest traditionalists were skeptical. But ever since its reopening, this urbane hot spot has become a seamless part of the Back Bay bar scene. The cocktail list is cheeky, with fun options like the "How Do You Do?", a mix of Grey Goose, St. Germain, Aperol, and grapefruit. There are a couple of local brews on tap, as well, plus a nice selection of whiskey and Scotch. There's always a great energy here, especially in the warmer months on the patio overlooking Copley Square." - Todd Plummer

"Set the scene for us: What is this place? When the Fairmont Copley Plaza Hotel decided to shutter its iconic Oak Room in 2012 and revive it as OAK, a more contemporary bar, the area's staunchest traditionalists were skeptical. But ever since its reopening, this urbane hot spot has become a seamless part of the Back Bay bar scene. Nice. What's the crowd like? It's a mature bunch, and they don't mind burning through a little cash if it means getting a perfectly mixed cocktail. There's always a great energy here, especially in the warmer months on the patio overlooking Copley Square. Speaking of those perfectly mixed cocktails—tell us about the drinks. The cocktail list is cheeky, with fun options like the "How Do You Do?", a mix of Grey Goose, St. Germain, Aperol, and grapefruit. There are a couple of local brews on tap too, plus a nice selection of whiskey and Scotch. Sounds refreshing. How about eats—what's on offer, if anything? A brasserie menu combines the history of the space with global influences: merguez lamb meatballs, olive oil–poached octopus, Chatham mussels steamed in local cider and ginger, and to-die-for salt-and-vinegar fries. I guess I know where we'll be having dinner. Did the service show up for you, too? The bar staff can get stretched thin when the crowd heats up, which, it does more often than many hotel bars, but the quality of the drinks rarely falters. Wrap it up: what are we coming here for? This contemporary spin on a Bostonian institution has proven itself a winner. Come here with a group for a classy night out, or on an intimate date that makes an impression." - Todd Plummer