Shaken, Not Stirred (Martini Bars)
Martini connoisseurs take note: the chocolate martini at the Ritz-Carlton's Cà d'Zan Lounge will be the best $10 you've ever spent. Lounging on one of the couches in the lavishly appointed room (named for John Ringling's bayfront mansion) and sipping the heavenly liquid from a chocolate-dusted rim just might be enough to make you think Mr. John himself would stroll in and order a drink.

One of the newer and hottest restaurants to hit the downtown Sarasota nightlife scene is Zoria (that's pronounced Zo-rye-ah). Formerly located in Southside Village, Zoria not only serves up mouth-watering food but a mean martini. They'll make them as fancy as you like, but you can't go wrong with a classic.

Do I Know You? (See and Be Seen)
Horse Feathers Grill & Lounge attracts the professional after-work crowd with its clever horseshoe-shaped bar that seats 35, its lounge area that converts into a dance floor and its stellar drink menu. Guests can select from 22 beers; a substantial array of single malt scotch, cognac and tequila; nearly a dozen martinis, including a Lemon Drop and a Double Espresso; and innovative cocktails. A DJ spins requests on Thursday through Saturday nights.

It's Getting Hot in Here (Dance, Dance, Dance)
The Gator Club is a Sarasota institution. Downstairs, a live band plays while 40-something couples dance wildly and the sobriety-challenged hunker at the front bar beneath palm frond fans. Upstairs,

Martinis are always favorite nighttime libations

pool tables and deep leather couches draw a slightly younger crowd, but it's the live-and-let-live attitude here that makes this place a worthwhile stop.

You'll have to pay a cover, but a trip to the Beach Club in Siesta Key Village is worth it. If you're looking to cut a rug, head to the back of the bar, where there's often a live band playing to a packed dance floor.

Testing One, Two, Three... (Live Music)
Affectionately dubbed "The 5-O" by locals, the Five O'clock Club in Southside Village is Sarasota's definitive bar for live music. Billed as "the neighborhood club with a national sound," The 5-O has live music seven nights a week, making it the perfect spot to check out the best local bands as well as national acts that stop in to jam.

The live jazz music wafting down St. Armands Circle can usually be traced to 15 South Martini Bar upstairs at 15 South Ristorante Enoteca. Climb the narrow stairs to enjoy great (loud) live music nightly and funky, musician-inspired décor.

Tap your feet and sip a frozen drink while listening to island-style music on the outside deck of Sharky's on the Pier in Venice. Bring the kids; this is a great place for the whole family.

Score! (Sports Bars)
Join the rest of Sarasota's armchair quarterbacks at Bogey's Restaurant & Sports Pub in Venice (but even if your team is losing, please mind your p's and q's – this is a family place). The coolest thing? You can control the game's volume from your very own booth.

Findaddy's is a popular spot for watching the game – any game. It's close to Ed Smith Stadium, so it's a natural stop on the way home after the ninth inning, and it's just around the corner from Bobby Jones Golf Complex, making it the perfect 19th Hole.

The Sports Page Bar & Grille in downtown Sarasota is the place to be if you feel the need to be surrounded by numerous TVs during the big game. With a full liquor bar, good food and sports on the tube, what more do you need?

Native Rhythms (Local Favorites)
(Very) slowly gaining worldwide fame, The Bahi Hut at the Best Western Midtown on Tamiami Trail takes the moniker "local dive" to new extremes. The Hut's signature 1960s velvet painting-induced décor and famous knock-you-off-your-barstool mai tais (there's a limit of two per customer, if that gives you any indication of their potency) are the stuff legends are made of. Throw in a surly barmaid, and you'll never want to stumble home.

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Southside Village is the new place to be after dark. Upscale bars and restaurants make this a popular spot from the time the Early Bird Special starts until around 2 a.m. Over the bridge, Siesta Key Village's beach bars and dance clubs are popular with the slightly younger set. On upscale Longboat Key, The Monkey Room Bar at The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort is a great place to enjoy exotic tropical cocktails to the tune of live entertainment (their signature drink, the Screaming Yellow Monkey, is as dangerous as it sounds, but definitely worth a try).

If You Go
The Bahi Hut, 4675 N. Tamiami Trl., Sarasota, 941-355-5141
The Beach Club, 5151 Ocean Blvd., Siesta Key, 941-349-6311
Bogey’s Restaurant & Sports Pub, 652 E. Venice Ave., Venice, 941-488-9156
Cà d’Zan Lounge, 1111 Ritz-Carlton Dr., Sarasota, 941-309-2000
Findaddy’s, 935 N. Beneva Rd., Sarasota, 941-906-7795
Five O’Clock Club, 1930 Hillview St., Sarasota, 941-366-5555
The Gator Club, 1490 Main St., Sarasota, 941-366-5969
Horse Feathers Grill & Lounge, 1923 Ringling Blvd., Sarasota, 941-955-9179
The Monkey Room, 1620 Gulf of Mexico Dr., Longboat Key, 800-4COLONY
Sharky’s on the Pier, 1600 Harbor Dr. South, Venice, 941-488-1456
The Sports Page Bar & Grille, 1319 Main St., Sarasota, 941-365-0469
Zoria, 1991 Main St., Sarasota, 941-955-4457