Gargoyles is one of my favorite places to eat at the bar, but I do acknowledge that the chef's love of whimsy started to get in the way of the food a couple years ago. The bar menu is more restrained, in a useful way.

There is an interesting-looking Italian restaurant called Grotto on Beacon Hill. And there's always The Good Life downtown, although that does get much more bar-and-music like later at night, so you might want to schedule accordingly.