Highland Grounds

Palm trees and a real-life fire pit highlight the open-air half of this coffeehouse cum bar cum music venue. Inside, a stage with microphones and a decent sound system attracts live music six nights per week and an unpretentious crowd to boot. The folks here wear faded leather jackets because they feel like it, not because they saw some celebrity with one on at Spago.

Originally a pure coffeehouse, management first added a kitchen and then started selling alcohol. There can be a one-drink (any sort, coffee to beer to lemonade) minimum for events, and understand that to get that drink, you may be required to buy some (real cheap) nachos as well.