Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge

Tuesday: The Hawthorne
This early in the week, you really should be at home. But since you can’t resist, why not go somewhere that feels like a glamorous penthouse? Reborn as The Hawthorne, the former Foundation Lounge was made-over by designers Alison and Stephen Sheffield, who filled the space with high-end furnishings (Philippe Starck’s Masters chairs in bold orange, ArneJacobsen’s Series 7 chair) typically reserved for the home. Original ar work and curio-filled shelves enhance the effect, as do the painstakingly handcrafted cocktails. (No surprise, given that bar director and co-owner Jackson Cannon, co-owner Garrett Harker, and executive chef Jeremy Sewall are also connected to cocktail destination Eastern Standard a few steps away.) At just 88 seats, it’s private-feeling, more loungey than clubby, and intimate; 30-something couples nuzzle on plush settees, high-tech venture capitalists reserve the Stone Room, while local cocktail connoisseurs and restaurant industry veterans can be spotted frequently at the bar. 500A Commonwealth Ave., 617-532-9150

Prime prowl hours: 9 pm to close
Go-to goodies: Deviled eggs with crispy prosciutto and cornichons or house-made cocktail-flavored French macarons, like the Dark and Stormy and Old Fashioned
Posh pour: Krug Clos du Mesnil ($1,175/bottle)
Behind the curtain: Reserve the Stone Room, with a dedicated bar and bartender
VIP speed dial: Sarah Kate Ragsdale, Guest Relations manager

Wednesday: Legal Harborside Rooftop Bar
What better way to get over the hump than with the city’s best waterfront bar? On weekdays, the open-air rooftop of Legal Sea Foods’ flagship restaurant, designed by Atlanta-based The Johnson Studio (which also conceived the instantly popular rooftop bar at Chicago’s Wit hotel), teems with a post-work, 30s and 40s crowd rather than the noisier weekend revelers. Where the run-down restaurant Jimmy’s Harborside once dished out “traditional” fare to tourists, financiers from State Street now trade suit jackets for glasses of Grenache and mingle with architects and decorators shaking off a long day at the nearby Boston Design Center. They linger into dinner time and beyond, and no one blames them. It’s hard to pry yourself away from the copper-clad fireplace, the plates of über-fresh sashimi and maki, and the chance to talk yachts with owners who dock on Liberty Wharf for seafood and Champagne. 270 Northern Avenue, 617-477- 2900

Prime prowl hours: 6:30 pm to 10 pm
Go-to goodies: 124-piece sushi boat with chef’s choice of maki, nigiri, sashimi, and hand rolls
Posh pour: 2000 Dom Pérignon ($145)
Behind the curtain: Reserve the East Deck for a bird’s-eye view when your favorite acts are at the Bank of America Pavilion
VIP speed dial: General manager Justin Lisonbee

Thursday: Empire Asian Restaurant & Lounge
Empire, Fan Pier’s newest and biggest destination, brilliantly bridges the gap between work week and weekend. Seaport convention-goers come early, but quickly give way to hordes of well-heeled, well-dressed groups of young marketing executives and fashion industry types in their late 20s and 30s; Hervé Léger bandage dresses, peep-toe platforms, and lash extensions, while not mandatory, are de rigueur. With a giant menu of shareable plates and cocktails inspired by China, Hong Kong, and Southeast Asia (Think Red Lantern Restaurant & Lounge meets Myers + Chang), the hotspot delivers a decidedly girl’s night out vibe, with prime people-watching and the occasional local celeb thrown in for entertainment. Sox baron John Henry and his wife, Linda Pizzuti Henry, for example, were spotted at the Empire opening, as were pitcher Josh Beckett and the Bruins’ Shawn Thornton. While Empire is still waiting on its DJ license at press time, expect to see stiletto-wearing crowds bouncing in the restaurant’s expansive bar soon. One Marina Park Drive, 617-295-0001

Prime prowl hours: Between 7 and 9 pm for dinner and 10 pm for the lounge
Go-to goodies: Tuna tartare
Posh pour: Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Pinot Noir, $445
Behind the curtain: Three private dining rooms can be divided or combined to accommodate intimate dinners and large events with a dedicated bar
VIP speed dial: Johnny Cammarata, Director of VIP Services

Friday: Emerald Lounge
Blame state blue laws for Boston clubs’ generally crummy bottle-service experience: Patrons aren’t permitted to pour their own drinks in the Hub, forcing staffers to shuttle magnums back and forth to tables for every top-off. To preserve the ritual glitz, this glowing ultralounge in the Theater District’s new Revere Hotel delivers the goods to patrons in gorgeous custom-made silver lockers, which servers graciously tend throughout the night. That’s hardly the most glam touch, however. The club’s pricey LED lighting system can change into 16 million (yes, million) combinations and pulse in concert with the $500,000 sound system by Infinite, which has outfitted hot properties by Gansevoort, Morgans Hotel Group, and the Palms Casino Resort. Clad in black patent leather, mirrors, and neon LED lights, the club’s vibe is a late- ’80s party, attended by fedora-wearing aspiring actresses from nearby Emerson and young Middle Eastern magnates living at The Ritz-Carlton or nearby The Residences at the W with cash to burn. From Wednesday to Sunday, a rotating lineup of hot, local DJs keep the energy extra high. Revere Hotel, 200 Stuart St., 800-395-7046

Prime prowl hours: 9 pm to 2 am
Go-to goodie: Orange-glazed duck confit spring rolls with chiligarlic sauce
Posh pour: Table service with a magnum each of Belvedere Unfiltered and Armand de Brignac Champagne ($1,600)
Behind the curtain: Reserve the “secret” interior bar Ruby for groups of up to 30. It’s also open to guests in the know...
VIP speed dial: General manager Aggelos Panagopoulos

Saturday: Gem Restaurant & Lounge
Taking inspiration exclusive English supper clubs, this sister restaurant to Empire, Shrine, High Rollers, Scorpion Bar, The Estate, and Red Lantern has an entirely different look and feel: a little racy, a little gothic, with fringed lampshades, rich damask upholstery, and carved quatrefoil patterns on the doors. The crowd skews younger than at Gem’s siblings, and it’s at its lively best on Saturday nights, when beautiful, twenty-something internationals and slicked-back Financial District movers and shakers pour in to hear local star DJs (the stunning Liz Ladoux, the ever-popular DJ Uptown) spin in the Club Room. You might spot a celeb or two—Corinne Grousbeck threw a party here for husband Wyc, a Celtics VIP, not long ago—but then again, it’s hard to tell who’s who among the dressed-to-kill crowd in the sexy, moody lighting. Mystery, it seems, is part of Gem’s intrigue. 42 Province St., 617-482-1213

Prime prowl hours: 11 pm to close
Go-to goodie: Tater tots with green onion and Russian dressing
Posh pour: ’08 bottle of Opus One ($350)
Behind the curtain: Book a table in the Club Room to enjoy the incredible sound system
VIP speed dial: Christie Leigh Bellany for private dining; Johnny Cammarata for VIP service