Chris' Jazz Cafe
1421 Sansom St., 215-568-3131

I have this rule that if a bar's name is written in cursive on the door, I can't afford it. But when I first laid eyes on the classy glass vestibule of Chris' Jazz Cafe, my "frugal sense tingling" was dead wrong.

Chris', which celebrated its 20th anniversary this year, is a jazz club's jazz club. It's a tad dim and smoky, and black-and-white performance photos dot the walls. Thankfully, the place isn't populated by goateed grad students snapping their fingers in lieu of applause. "When I look across the bar, I can see some 23-year-old kid with dreadlocks beside some slick old guy in a fedora," says bartender Chris Farrell.

He wasn't lying. Around 11 p.m. on a Thursday, Chris' looked like the waiting room outside an American Idol audition. Couples of varying ages peppered the perimeter, chatting intimately while musician Jason O'Mara coaxed some velvety runs out of his sax. A slew of college kids hunched over their drinks and puffed cigarettes like they'd just turned 18.

I enjoyed a lager and some Stellas, but the girlfriend wasn't sure what she wanted. Cue Farrell: "There's a throwback thing in cocktails right now," he explains. "People are back to ordering things like Fitzgeralds, Old Fashioneds and Tom Collinses." M'lady took a liking to Tommy, and had three in all.

Farrell also confirmed what I already knew: "[Chris'] is one of the best date spots in the city. The staff's friendly and gives great service, but we know when to leave you alone. And it's affordable, especially if you're the guy."