Best of Boston

There are men who prefer to have their locks styled while breathing purified air at a Newbury Street day spa, and there are men willing to roll the dice at the corner barbershop. Then there are the rest of us, and for Melanie Rokes, we are grateful. She charges $25 for a basic cut, and that includes a complimentary beverage. (Ask for the mint lemonade.) She’s chatty but not too chatty, doesn’t rush, and, like a good wedding DJ, goes out of her way to fulfill special requests. Even if all you’re asking for is a little off the top, you’ll still feel a bit cooler after basking in the atmosphere of Liquid’s neon walls and kitschy décor, which feels like it was acquired at a yard sale in South Beach—complete with a shrine to Elvis in the bathroom.