Ten: 9, 8, 7... maybe 6.5

If expectations are debts, Ten owes me a sleek evening worthy of a James Bond movie. What it paid instead was a better than average college bar. Maybe I’m just old fashioned, but when I think “martini bar,” I think cigars, jazz, smooth, elegant; not alternative rock, stale cigarettes, and boring, effortless décor.

Don’t get me wrong, Ten is better than (and twice as expensive as) any college bar I ever went to, and the drinks are very good. The martini menu has over 50 concoctions ranging from traditional gin and vermouth to “Key Lime Pie” (which tasted like the real thing) and “Wedding Cake.” Our server, Pam, was also great. Pleasant and personable, she was unfazed by our indecisiveness and very gracious in helping us pick our poison.

Ten is tucked in an artsy strip of stores on Foch Street, across from Montgomery Plaza. Given the location, it will likely continue to do great business no matter what. Pam let us know that the name will be changing to "M Lounge" later this summer. My hope is that the management would take advantage of the re-branding and class up the joint a bit. Until then, go in to try out some interesting cocktails, but expect to see your frat buddy, not 007. $