The sole U.S. outpost of this European chain of Irish bars benefits from its heavily-trafficked location between the Financial District and Quincy Market. Daytime brings a trickle of tourists and area workers, while a young local crowd fills up the space at night. The bar drips with character, thanks to pine floors imported from Belfast and stained glass windows depicting historical Irish scenes.

After a few pints of beer and some hearty pub food, you may think you've taken a wrong turn and ended up in Dublin. On weeknights, Kitty's is a relaxed, reasonably-priced place to catch a game on TV or enjoy live Irish music. But on weekends, it's packed day and night, thanks to the thousands of students and locals that descend on the Quincy Market area looking for love in all the wrong places

This is the perfect spot for a Paddy's day celebration, but be warned: It's a very popular destination. Expect a raucous scene