The best things to do in Boston this week: August 3-7

Everyone has that running list of Boston restaurants they've been meaning to try. Dine Out Boston is usually the excuse to stop putting it off. For two weeks, restaurants across the city roll out special prix fixe menus, making it a little easier to book the places you've been eyeing or revisit an old favorite without committing to the full menu. Some spots use the occasion to showcase signature dishes, while others see it as a chance to surprise first-time diners who'll inevitably come back. The fun is figuring out where to go before everyone else has the same idea. If there's a restaurant that's been sitting in your bookmarks for months, consider this your sign to finally book the table.

Kendall Square isn't known for slowing down, which is exactly why these lunchtime concerts feel like such a treat. Every Wednesday from noon to 1 p.m., Club Passim's Kendall Square Series transforms the Urban Park Roof Garden into a free outdoor stage, where New England musicians fill the lunch hour with folk, Americana, indie, and acoustic sets. Office workers drift upstairs with lunch, friends spread out on the lawn, and curious passersby often stay longer than they planned. The artists change each week, so every concert has its own personality, but the atmosphere stays the same: relaxed, welcoming, and a welcome excuse to step away from the screen. It's one of those small Cambridge traditions that makes the middle of the workweek feel a little less ordinary.

Boston isn't exactly known for its country music scene, which is exactly why Live Band Line Dancing at Loretta's Last Call feels like such a fun surprise. Every Wednesday, the Lansdowne Street bar swaps the usual playlist for a live country band, turning the dance floor into the city's only weekly live band line dancing party. Beginners are just as welcome as seasoned two-steppers, and before long the room is moving in sync to songs that are even better with a band than a DJ. It's an easy way to shake up your midweek routine, and a reminder that one of Boston's liveliest nights out is happening just steps from Fenway.

There are museums you visit once, and then there's the Gardner. On Thursday nights, Boston's most enchanting museum opens its doors for free, giving you every reason to wander its famously eclectic galleries after work. One minute you're standing beneath the museum's glass-covered courtyard, the next you're ducking into dimly lit rooms filled with Venetian paintings, ancient sculptures, and objects Isabella Stewart Gardner collected simply because she loved them. Creative activities add another layer to the evening, while the first Thursday of each month brings live music, performances, and art making into the mix. Café G stays open for drinks and light bites, making it easy to stretch a museum visit into a full night out. Even if you've been before, the Gardner has a way of making every visit feel like you're discovering it for the first time.

Some of Boston's best summer concerts happen behind museum walls, or in this case, inside one of the city's most beautiful courtyards. The Museum of Fine Arts' annual Concerts in the Courtyard series brings artists from Boston and around the world to the Calderwood Courtyard for Thursday night performances that span everything from Afro-fusion and Arabic psychedelic rock to Puerto Rican folk, blues rock, indie folk, and jazz. The intimate setting keeps the focus on the music, with blankets and low chairs replacing rows of traditional seats. Food, beer, wine, and cocktails are available once the doors open, making it easy to settle in before the first notes. Each week features a different artist, so the series rewards repeat visits throughout the summer. It's one of those rare concerts where the venue is every bit as memorable as the performers.

The Esplanade is at its best as the sun begins to set, and River Fit's Sunset Yoga makes the most of the view. Held on Fiedler Field, the free weekly class pairs a one-hour CorePower Yoga C2 flow with the Charles River at golden hour. The vinyasa-style session is open to all experience levels, whether you're looking to build a sweat or simply unwind outdoors after work. Participants are encouraged to bring a yoga mat and water bottle, with pre-registration recommended for updates and weather cancellations. Part of the Esplanade Association's River Fit series, the class offers a simple way to spend an evening outside without straying far from the city. Sometimes all you need is a patch of grass, a river breeze, and an hour to reset.

Thursday nights in the Seaport take on a distinctly Andalusian flavor at Marcelino's. Noches de Andalucía pairs harbor views with handcrafted cocktails, Mediterranean-inspired dishes, and a late-night atmosphere shaped by live DJs and belly dance performances. Dinner begins at 4pm, but the energy shifts after 8:30pm when the music picks up and performers weave through the dining room. The menu is built for sharing, with everything from caviar service and artisanal dips to tuna ceviche, kebabs, and other coastal-inspired plates. Rather than a formal dinner or a dance party, the evening lands somewhere in between, encouraging guests to linger over drinks as the night unfolds. It's an easy way to slip into vacation mode without leaving Boston.

There are plenty of ways to spend a summer evening in The Fenway, but few are as easy as claiming a spot on the lawn for a movie. Movie Night on The Green turns 401 Park into the neighborhood's outdoor living room, where friends arrive with picnic blankets, grab dinner from Time Out Market, and settle in as the sun goes down. On July 13, the screen lights up with How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the endlessly quotable rom-com starring Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey that somehow never gets old. It's casual, it's free, and it captures exactly what summer in Boston should feel like: good food, fresh air, and a movie that's even better with a crowd.

Mondays don't usually have much going for them, unless you happen to wander past The Anchor. That's when the waterfront fills with salsa, bachata, and people who showed up saying they "don't dance." The evening starts with a free lesson before the music takes over and the dance floor opens to everyone, from first-timers counting their steps to regulars who barely seem to touch the ground. No partner is required, and nobody seems too concerned about getting it perfect. Between the harbor views, the live music, and the easygoing crowd, it's the kind of night that makes you forget you're standing in Boston on a Monday.

Art galleries don't usually come with a side of cheese, but the Liberty Hotel has its own way of doing things. Every Tuesday, Gallery Night transforms the hotel's dramatic lobby into a rotating exhibition featuring work by Boston artists, photographers, and local galleries. The featured artist changes each week, making every visit a little different from the last. Guests are invited to wander through the displays while enjoying complimentary local artisan cheeses, with cocktails and wine available from the bar. Set inside one of Boston's most distinctive historic buildings, the evening feels more like a relaxed art opening than a traditional gallery visit. It's an easy excuse to swap happy hour for something a little more cultured, without giving up the drink afterward.