18TH & VINE HISTORIC DISTRICT. Love jazz? If the answer's yes, then head over to this exciting club and catch some great live music. The club, located in the Jazz Museum, lets you bone up on jazz history while enjoying tunes and nursing drinks. Ready to satisfy any taste, the Blue Room features a full selection of beer, wine, liquor, and soft drinks.

WESTPORT. Guests of this out-of-the-way club can have a great dinner while relaxing and listening to live jazz. Noted performers have included Ida McBeth, Mike Metheny, and Tommy Ruskin. If you're in the mood for sustenance, try the highly recommended Mediterranean, whose savory tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, and feta cheese are spiced to perfection and tossed with angel hair pasta. Delicious!

DOWNTOWN. This establishment steps in as an ideal candidate when you want to enjoy excellent steaks and live jazz played nightly. Big, juicy cuts of beef satisfy any appetite, and perfectly prepared prime rib draws a strong contingent of loyal patrons. The dining room feels like a 19th-century, Old West saloon and offers appealing atmosphere. More than 700 wines are available, along with spirits, notably a good selection of single-malt scotches. A cigar club is located upstairs from the restaurant.

UM KANSAS CITY. A favorite with the UMKC student body, this collegiate joint has the looks and charm of a time-seasoned neighborhood hangout, which is pretty much what it is. Mike's virtues include big screen TVs, pool tables, a jukebox armed with classic tunes, and some of the coldest beer around. Live music is a frequent occurrence, and bands usually cater to the younger crowd. Adding to the experience, Mike's features terrific bar food, including grilled hamburgers, "real" hot wings, and brilliant fries. A special nod goes to their Thursday Funk Night, when DJs Super Wolf and Trotter cultivate and educate the college kids with new and classic funk tunes.

WESTPORT. Experience a small taste ­ or is it a sip? ­ of the Emerald Isle at this popular Westport pub. O'Dowd's offers an authentic Irish look and feel, thanks to its dark wood interior, antique bar, and tap o' Guinness. Live Irish folk music is featured weekly, and the place is a frequent lunch hangout with the downtown business crowd. A scrumptious pub-style menu features traditional favorites ­ fish and chips, potato pancake boxty, Irish stew, and, if you're so lucky, corned beef and cabbage. On a hot summer's day, few things could be finer than sipping a frosty mug of stout and hanging out on their open-air deck.