When dinner comes with a side of live music

Enjoy that brief, inexplicable respite from the cold? The January that felt more like April? Yes, global warming is upon us, no matter what you heard in the GOP debates. But it’s not yet absolute. February has made that clear.

So where to hunker down, without getting all hygge? Well, if you’re like us, you like a little culture with your cozy. The live music at these five venues will get the juices flowing.

Supper Club at Capo,443 W. Broadway, South Boston

Capo’s brand-new Supper Club is all swank, and all swing — and the food ain’t bad, either. This Metro writer can personally recommend the meatballs and the rigatoni Bolognese to be, unequivocally, very, very good. The Capo Old Fashioned is a fresh take on, well, an old fashioned. And if the music is any indication, this is the spot where if you’re feeling particularly like Don Draper on a given evening, you can say, “Give me something big and brown,” and they’ll actually know what you’re talking about. (We saw that weird look you gave us, Bell in Hand.) The well-dressed brass ensemble Beantown Swing Orchestra is no stranger to the Supper Club, and if you want to spin a spritely pseudo-acquaintance to “Strangers in the Night,” or get spun, well, you can do that here.

Upcoming acts: Conscious Reggae and Alex MacDougal

The Beehive, 541 Tremont St.

You can’t yet call yourself a jazz aficionado, or even a sensual person, if you haven’t patronized this South End staple. Whether you’re stopping in for brunch, dinner or just a drink, the jazz acts here are consistently evocative, and the live blues is some of the best around. For a cocktail, try their signature: the Queen Bee.

Upcoming acts: Kevin Harris Trio, Michael Mayo Band,
Noah Preminger

Wally’s Cafe, 427 Massachusetts Ave.

Don’t let the, shall we say, inauspicious exterior fool you — Wally’s is a gem. The sole holdover from an intersection — Mass. Avenue and Columbus — once famous for its jazz offerings, Wally’s still brings the heat, from a hole in the wall. You just missed Billie Holiday, but up-and-comers from Berklee and the New England Conservatory fill the void nicely.

Upcoming acts: A series of anonymous jam sessions (not a Lemony Snicket spin-off)

Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen, 604 Columbus Ave.

On a South End-heavy list, choose Darryl’s for their Southern-style comfort, spice, soul — all that jazz. The jambalaya is highly esteemed, but don’t sleep on the Sunday jazz-brunch-buffet.

Upcoming acts: Souldelica, Sympli Whitney, Ashley Lewis

The Harp, 85 Causeway St.

If you don’t frequent The Harp, it’s probably because you’re in a relationship with someone you met there, and if so, we think that’s wonderful. But for those still looking to “meet” someone, or some-two (three, four … we don’t judge), and who value the role live music plays in facilitating that process, this is a great place for singles.

Upcoming acts: JJ Rupp, 7 Day Weekend, Never in Vegas