This downtown nightspot stays thumping late with music every night and some of the most entertaining bartenders in town. Wednesdays start with open-mic poetry and comedy shows. Thursdays are 25 and older night. Fridays are college night. Saturdays are 21 and older night.

Top of the Tower’s City Lights Lounge will mix whatever you want, but the real selling point for this private club that opened in 1968 is the view. The classic lounge on the top floor of the Bank of America building in downtown Topeka offers a stunning panorama of the city – the perfect place to take in the sunset while sipping a martini or glass of wine.

Take a break from the turnpike and unwind with a visit to this historic gentleman's club. Located east of Topeka at the intersection of US-40 Highway and Shadden Rd., The Fantasy -- once the site of a popular restaurant -- is a laid-back, country getaway with cold drinks and hot dancers. It also was the birthplace of Baby Dolls, now located in South Topeka.

Once the most popular dining, drinking and dancing destination in the city, the Moose Lodge remains a vibrant social and service club with nearly 1,300 members. It offers full-service dining and live bands three nights a week, bingo three times a week and karaoke on Sundays. The Moose supports veterans activities and the JROTC program at Topeka High. And, yes, there's a moose head in the ballroom!

Located in Gage Center, New City Cafe has been a Topeka gem since 1997. Though the outside is unassuming, the inside of New City Cafe will make you feel like you've been transported to a different place with a unique decor. The bar offers a fabulous selection of wine. Sip your favorite or try a few during one of the monthly wine tastings. Great food, too.

For anyone who has wanted to try Japanese sake (a rice wine) or any other Japanese drink, go here. Of course, you might just love the sushi or something from the grill, but the bar also serves a variety of Japanese drinks. Look at the menu for descriptions. Sakura has a full bar, but the bar area is small -- just five chairs to pull up -- so you might want to plan on ordering drinks with dinner.

For a place that serves up gourmet burgers it should come as no surprise that Red Robin pours a lot of beers from the eight it keeps chilled on tap. Red Robin also mixes a fine margarita -- a top seller for the restaurant bar. Red Robin is a family joint, so the crowd stays tame. It's a fine place to catch a drink before a movie at the neighboring theater.

Paisano's Ristorante is a romantic eating establishment, featuring authentic Italian food and wines. The drink menu includes a dozen specialty drinks. This place is known for great pastas, shrimp, seafood, chicken, steak and lasagna, which is the house specialty. Listen to music by Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Il Divo. Dining outside on the patio is pleasant in good weather.

Kiku's has been the place for good Japanese dining -- with the meals prepared before your eyes on the hibachi -- for 20 years. There is a small bar at the entrance. If you're in the mood for a different style of Japanese food, enjoy sushi prepared by the talented sushi chefs. Enjoy one roll as part of your hibachi meal or fill your stomach with sushi alone.

Maddie's is a lounge serving your favorite drinks and is directly connected to the Madison Street Diner inside the Ramada Hotel and Convention Center. They serve the same great food that has made the Madison Street Diner a popular destination, as well as top-shelf cocktails in a quiet, friendly environment. The walls inside Maddie's are uniquely decorated with drawings of past hotel guests.