If ever there was a year to get out and party with your peeps on New Year's Eve, this might be it (because the only thing left to happen is a giant meteor, amiright?) But if you've dawdled and are still on the hunt for your NYE plans, here’s a round up of options to help you end and begin the year with a happy heart and a warm gut. Let's DO this!
PARTY TIME
Viva MPLS / Downtown Mpls.
Get fancy and try on JB Hudson jewels for the night, as The Hotel Ivy is transformed into Retro Vegas, complete with late-night bites, and dancing. This year’s event also supports a great cause, with proceeds going to Be The Match. Cost: $150-250; tix required.
Candy Land at Union / Downtown Mpls.
This promises to be a spectacle, but it might have to be seen to be believed. All three levels of Union and Rev Ultalounge promise to be transformed into a real Wonka-level candy land. There's only one ticket price of $25 (though you can opt in for bottle service).
Psycho Suzi’s / Northeast Mpls.
Have a tropical vacation right here in the subzero North. By purchasing a Polynesian passport, you can go island-hopping in an indoor tropical oasis, snacking on appetizers and sipping four island cocktails. Plus there’s music, a photo booth, and obligatory champagne toast. Cost: $56 in advance, $62 at the door; tix required.
Betty Danger’s / Northeast Mpls.
Betty is getting all decked out for a classic masquerade party. Fuel up with hors d’oeuvres, cocktails, and champagne before shaking it at the 80s dance party. Then cap off your night with a romantic wheel ride in the sky amid the rooftop Winter Wonderland. Cost: $40; tix required.
Constantine / Downtown Mpls.
The subterranean cocktail bar will turn into a legit disco for NYE. Get out those platform shoes, ya dig? Bell bottoms and Halstons will be welcome while the DJ spins from the 70s all night. One complimentary drink with entry and a bubbs toast at midnight. Cost: $15 advance, $20 at the door; tix recommended.
Birch’s On The Lake / Wayzata
Why not get out of the city and celebrate alongside the lake with an appetizer buffet, champagne toast, party favors, a raffle, and live music? Plus, s’mores around a fire pit and a vodka ice bar on the deck overlooking small and peaceful Long Lake. Cost: $35 advance, $40 at the door; tix required.
Travail / Robbinsdale
You've already missed the boat on the seated dinners up in Birdtown, but you can still opt in for the crazy party time actions that happen starting at 9:30. It's $100 for cocktail party style shenanigans that include small plates and food stations plus unlimited bubbles and beer. And the tomfoolery, don't forget that special brand of tomfoolery. Cost $100, tix required.
Saint Dinette
DINING TIME
Pig Ate My Pizza / Robbinsdale
You can still get the eats at PAMP where they are throwing an all-you-can-eat PORK & PIZZA PARTY! This is a massive food situation, plus unlimited bubbles, beer, & wine. Really it's two parties, the first from 6-9pm and a second, looser and crazier one, from 9:30-? Cost: 6pm $45, 9:30pm $70, tix required.
Red Wagon Pizza / South Mpls.
This pizza joint turns it up a notch with a five-course prix fixe tasting menu offered at two seatings. You can stay and ring in the New Year with their Bubbles & the Ball party, or just pop in for that when it starts at 11 p.m. Space is filling up, so nab those tix. Cost: $80 dinner, $15 for Bubbles & the Ball; tix required.
Spoon and Stable / North Loop
This one has limited rezzie slots left, as you can imagine. Gavin Kaysen and his crew are pulling out two multi-course menus, a five-course during the first seating and an eight-course during the second seating. We can imagine the cotton candy machine will be working overtime as well. Cost: $125 five-course menu, $180 eight-course menu; tix required.
Cooper / West End
End the year in style when Cooper goes French for NYE in an homage to chef Vincent Francoual. A pop-up menu will serve some of Vincent’s signature dishes, such as the Vincent burger, duck burger sliders, roasted red beet carpaccio, or braised wild boar in Lambic beer. Top it all off with a Louis VX chocolate cake for dessert. RSVP strongly recommended.
The Brewer’s Table / University
Raise a last glass with executive chef Jorge Guzman and the Surly bunch. Expect a five-course dinner with beer pairings, including limited anniversary beers and a newly minted rose champagne-style beer called Frisson that the brewers crafted especially for NYE. Think pickles, chilled seafood, tableside Caesar salad, steak, and banana cream pie all turned with the creative eye that Guzman is becoming known for. Cost: $125/person, RSVP required.
Basil’s / Downtown Mpls.
Stay fancy in downtown Minny with a four-course dinner at The Marquette Hotel. Dishes include black tiger shrimp, lobster bisque cappuccino, and pan-seared sea bass with lingonberry gastrique, half-roasted Cornish hen, and pistachio crème brulee. As a bonus, there’s complimentary parking. And there's a hotel above you. Cost: $49, RSVP required.
Fogo de Chão / Downtown Mpls.
Even more of an all-you-can-eat food-fest: In addition to the usual 16 fire-roasted meats you can say YES to at Fogo, you can green light special holiday items such as a seasonal beef roast, sweet potato casserole, butternut and sweet potato soup, roasted butternut squash and pear and endive salads. Fogo is also offering a chilled seafood tower of lobster tails and claws, jumbo shrimp, sweet snow crab clusters, and mussels. NYE hours expand, with your pants, to 11:30 PM. Cost: Varies, $51.95 for full experience, RSVP recommended.
Handsome Hog / Lowertown
Hit up this Mears Park hot spot for a French five-course meal with a southern twist, with fish and, of course, lots of pork. With a bar that stocked, you'll want to up the ante with the wine and cocktail pairings. See if you can score some pimento cheese and crackers for the ride home. Cost: $60 dinner, $95 with drink pairings; RSVP recommended.
Six15 Room at Grand Hotel / Downtown Mpls.
This hidden gem in the lobby of the Grand Hotel is playing to the Spanish tradition of eating 12 grapes at midnight on NYE to ensure good luck. They'll have regular menu options, but also some grape laden specials and thematic drinks like the Doce Uvas with green grapes, Pisco, and basil. Cost: Varies; walk-ins preferred.
Parlour / North Loop
In the chaos of the night, maybe you need something to count on, an ace in your pocket, a double pattied cheesy pal to kiss at the stroke of 12. Who's your pal? Who's your friend? The Parlour burger, that's who. Do it up in the basement bar with such a deal: 2 Old Fashioneds, 2 burgers, fries, and 2 glasses of bubbs for $75. It’s first come, first served, so plot that night accordingly. Cost: $75/two people or one really hungry, lonely human who is done with the whole night; first come first get.
Saint Dinette / Lowertown
Hang out with the cool kids of St. Paul for a five-course tasting menu of new dishes from chef Adam Eaton, accompanied by with optional wine pairings. We hear rumors of baked Alaska and caviar service ... but don't worry, the regular menu will be there for you, your burger and crinkle fries will carry you on to 2017. Reservations recommended.
Meritage / Rice Park
Oysters at midnight bode well for 2017. Meritage gets a glittery and glowy Parisian makeover for NYE dinner. Expect complimentary party favors, hats, and bubbles. Seating is available through 11 p.m. The regular menu will be available, with some holiday specials sprinkled in here and there. Cost: Varies; Reservations recommended
PinKU / E. Hennepin
Japanophiles will want to get cozy up in this charmer on NYE. There will be two seatings featuring a set menu of gion-style potstickers, Alaskan king crab roll, crispy chicken with pickles, shrimp with rice. Plus three drinks of sake, elixir, champagne, wine, or beer to grease your attempts at shouting Arigato! Cost: $40, RSVP recommended.
photo by Kevin J Miyazaki
Birchwood Best Restaurants 2016
FAMILY/HOME TIME
Birchwood Cafe / Longfellow
If you've got the whole family in tow, you can still celebrate! Get over to Birchwood starting at 5 p.m. when kids 10 & under eat half price, and they'll start showing kooky movies on the big screen. Cost: Varies; first come first served.
Chef Shack Ranch / Seward
Head over to the Ranch for a feed! The ladies are hosting an all-you-can-eat taco bar for $20 (which includes a drink) and kids can eat for $5. Also, bringing good luck into your new year, mini-donuts from 5 - 10 p.m. Cost: $20 all-you-can-eat, $5 kids; first come first served.
Brasa Rotisserie / Northeast and Grand Ave.
Maybe heading out into the chaos isn’t your thing? No worries, stay home, Brasa has your back. Holiday meals are available for pick-up, and range from items including rotisserie chicken or cider and mustard-glazed ham, mashed potatoes, dinner rolls, and butterscotch pudding. Another neat incentive is all meal packages include a $25 gift card. Cost: $120/package, order at least 7 days in advance.
