For those who like trees, Paul's Club at 212 State St. is the place to go. The arboreal atmosphere is supplemented by a friendly vibe, and patrons are always talkative.

Secret-ingredient house specials like the Firefighter (a sweet, reddish concoction, which is Paul's only blended drink) and the Vulcan Mindmeld (aqua-colored with a lime and sure to have you divulging your deepest secrets to complete strangers) are sure to keep those with a hankering for the hard stuff happy.

For the rest of us, Paul's offers more than 50 bottled beer varieties and 15 taps — all of which lean toward import or microbrew. Guinness drinkers will find their favorite substance on tap, as will New Glarus fans.

Specials change day to day, without any set pattern. One day, it's a choice bottle of wine; the next it's a little-known crowd pleaser. Everybody gets something they've been hoping for eventually.

House favorites lean heavily toward the hard side. Jamison gets the most serves, straight up and unadulterated, and the Watt Lang (a Stoli and Sprite blend) takes local notability honors, deriving its name from a favorite bartender.

Supplementing the tasteful earth tones is a jukebox laden with gold. Everything from Soul Coughing to Stevie Wonder to Ween gets a spin. For the hipster into mood-music, there's Bjork and the Flaming Lips to keep your horn-rimmed date entertained.

Paul's is also a worthy venture during the day, when regulars can be found perusing a text with one hand and tipping a drink with the other.