Many people look for festive ways to end the year, either celebrating amazing achievements or greeting 2025 after having a dumpster fire of a 2024. Here, I list what a lot of Chicagoland spots have to offer on New Year’s Eve—which is on a Tuesday this year—alphabetized by venue (and I’m discounting the word “The” if it’s in front of a name). There will be everything from upscale events to a disco cowboy bash; in short, they’ll be something for everyone.
By the way, if you’re looking for something altogether different, comedian Kathy Griffin will hold court at the Chicago Theatre on New Year’s Eve. Read an (unfiltered) interview I had with her earlier this month. You can get tickets at her official website.
—Acanto, the authentic Italian restaurant located across from Millenium Park, will host a celebratory $140 four-course prix-fixe menu on New Year’s Eve. Created by new Executive Chef Troy Jorge (formerly of Michelin-starred Temporis,) the menu will include offerings such as barolo-braised wagyu beef cheek; truffle risotto with Vin Santo reduction, parmesan and burgundy truffles; and hamachi crudo with Calabrian chili aioli, basil oil and citrusy Calamansi vinaigrette. Master Sommelier Torrence O’Haire will present optional wine pairings for each course as well as complimentary bubbles toast.
—At Adorn Bar & Restaurant, ring in the New Year at the Four Seasons spot with an opulent dining experience led by Executive Chef Richie Farina. Indulge in a five-course journey for $225 per person. Savor every moment with decadent canapés, artfully prepared appetizers and a choice of entrée, culminating in a show-stopping dessert. RSVP here.
—One of the top restaurants in Chicago (and the world), Alinea will present “New Year’s Eve @ The Gallery.” With a multi-sensory tasting menu during New Year’s Eve—combining fine dining with experimental moments—there will only be two showings, um, seatings: at 5:30 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. The price is $495–$535 per person, plus add-ons. Don’t be late!
—Streeterville restaurant the Albert will hold its “Rockin’ Italian Early New Year’s Eve Bash” at 4-7 p.m. for those who are either early birds or just starting the evening. Located at the lauded Hotel EMC2 in Streeterville, enjoy an open pizza bar, pasta bar, cocktails and wine and sweets for $55 per person. Highlights will include prosecco and espresso martinis; Sicilian-Style pizzas; casareccia pasta with shrimp, spinach, lobster cream sauce; and tiramisu.
—The Lincoln Park spot Briny Swine—which specializes in cuisine representative of the South—is holding its first-ever New Year’s Eve All-You-Can-Eat Lowcountry Shrimp Boil. The price for taking part is $49.99/person, and the experience Includes glass of Moët & Chandon Champagne, $1 oysters and 1/2 off bubbly all night. (The a la carte menu will also be available.)
—Things will not be casual at Bronzeville Winery, as it will hold a Champagne & Caviar End-of-Year Celebration. Explore the world of wine with celebrated sommelier Derrick C. Westbrook, who will guide you through an exclusive tasting of past Wine Club exclusives, as bites will include deviled eggs with caviar, truffle fries, and fried chicken strips with trout roe—and each will be paired with a premium wine. Tickets are $60-$100 each; Wine Club members get complimentary entry.
—Ring in the new year with a family-style feast at Chef Joe Flamm’s newest Roman-inspired restaurant, il Carciofo (The Artichoke), located in Fulton Market. For $150 per person, people can enjoy a four-course Roman-Italian dining experience with specials including gnocco fritto with prosciutto di parma, parmigiano fonduta and balsamico; tortellini In Brodo with mortadella and parmigiano reggiano; or the Trota with apples, black truffle and fennel, just to name a few. RSVP here.
—Celebrate New Year’s Eve at Casa Chi, in the InterContinental Magnificent Mile, with an event sponsored by Cincoro Tequila. From 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., enjoy an elevated DJ experience while sipping agave-forward spirits—including mezcal and tequila from Latin America, alongside traditional sake from Japan. The back bar features more than 140 unique selections available for flights, tastings and mixed cocktails. At midnight, toast with Veuve Clicquot and enter to win giveaways, including a bottle of Cincoro Cristalino Añejo Tequila (retail value: $179) and other prizes. RSVP here.
—The Cajun spot CheSa’s Restaurant & Bistro, located in Avondale, will be open on NYE at 11 a.m.-11:59 p.m.—just before the new year starts. The standard and impressive menu will be available, including items such as lamb meatball sliders, crawfish or lobster cornbread, five-cheese alligator dip, fried catfish and jambalaya, tomato Creole penne pasta, truffle mac ’n cheese, collard green gumbo and many other delectable-sounding offerings.
—Set against stunning views of Millennium Park and Lake Michigan, Cindy’s Rooftop will feature a seasonally inspired menu with elevated takes on classic holiday dishes, led by Executive Chef Kaleena Bliss. NYE dinner specials will include 12-ounce prime rib ($55) with garlic potato puree and roasted root vegetables; caviar (with blinis, house potato chips, crème fraiche, chives and smoked salmon); and bananas Foster. RSVP here.
—The Dearborn is planning a New Year’s Eve celebration that starts at 4 p.m. Guests can experience creations like uni mousse, peekytoe crab and Osetra caviar; or poached turbot with shrimp-and-lobster dumplings. For dessert, guests can also enjoy the Bubbly Bliss Bomb ($15)—a champagne-infused dessert with fresh berries and meringue—paired with Moscato d’Asti. Suggested wine pairings are available at $35/person. RSVP here.
—Get ready to ring in the New Year in style at the River North spot Dearly Beloved for a New Year’s Eve Gala. Wear your best suits and cocktail dresses, and be ready to dance the night away. General admission includes two drinks and a champagne toast. VIP tickets include appetizers until 10 p.m. and an open bar from 9 p.m. to midnight (including mixed drinks, select signatures and a champagne toast). For tickets, visit this link.
—Easy Bar, 1944 W. Division St., will ring in 2025 in the newly revamped back room. Guests will enjoy an all-inclusive package from 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. with top-shelf liquors, beers, wines, seltzers and house cocktails, along with complimentary light bites and a champagne toast (shots not included). For midnight cravings, there will be complimentary pizza served after the ball drops. Tickets are $100 each.
—The new spot Fat Rosie’s Rosemont will host the “No Time to Siesta, Get Ready to Fiesta” event at 9 p.m.-1 a.m. Tickets are $69.95 per person (non-refundable), plus tax and gratuity. The evening will feature a prix fixe dinner, including two drink tickets for any margarita from the menu, party favors, a balloon drop at midnight, a complimentary champagne toast and a complimentary tequila shot to ring in the New Year.
—West Town restaurant Frontier will host “A Taste of the New Year,” complete with four courses and four cocktails for $99/person. Courses will include sweet potato soup or smoked beet salad; crispy lamb rib or crab cake; crab-crusted branzino (with whipped grits) or smoked goat loin; and dark chocolate creme brûlée (with pecan praline and whipped eggnog). Course cocktails (starting with the first) are Oaxacan blueberry smash, Flor de Jamaica, the Sorel Sling (Sorel, bourbon and citrus) and a peanut butter espresso martini.
—Gene & Georgetti will have New Year’s Eve specials, with seatings from 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Just a few of the offerings will include traditional meatballs in pomodoro sauce served with creamy polenta ($17); house-made tagliolini, truffle and parmigiano-reggiano sauce with shaved fresh black truffles from Marinello Tartufi ($46); and seasonal gelato ($9).
—Heritage Restaurant & Caviar Bar will host its “Good Luck New Year’s Eve Dinner,” a prix fixe event at 4-11 p.m. A five-course tasting menu is $100/person, and vegan/gluten-free options are available; also, there’s an optional beverage pairing for $75/person. And I love what Chef Guy Meikle had to say: “We invite our guests to eat with abandon and intention, celebrate all our triumphs of 2024 and look forward to the changes we want to manifest in ourselves.”
—Like events at many other venues, I|O Godfrey’s New Year’s Eve party aims to have great food and cocktails as well as a festive atmosphere. What’s different (and may be worth the price of admission) are the various seating options: A giant waterfall booth starts at $1,750 (maximum 15 guests) and there are event igloos (starting at $750 for eight guests, max). Doors open at 8 p.m.; tickets are available here.
—One of my favorite chefs—Jonathan Sawyer—will help people ring in the New Year with the ultimate live-fire prix fixe dinner at Kindling (in the Willis Tower) from a James Beard Award winning chef. Sawyer has crafted a four-course menu featuring some of his fan favorites. For $115 per person, start your meal with wood-fired or raw oysters followed by a selection of appetizers and entrees like lobster bisque, surf & turf, seared scallops or horchata budino. RSVP here.
—Lake Zurich’s LAGO by Fabio Viviani, a modern Italian steakhouse, will present a decadent four-course meal priced at $150 per person. Highlights will include burrata with black garlic puree, quince paste, huckleberry gastrique and toast points; 24-hour braised kobe short rib with pistachio cassoulet and onion gremolata; and Chilean sea bass with butternut squash-and-shishito pepper risotto, braised leek, and a champagne + caviar reduction. (Also, the regular a la carte menu will be available.)
—The Boystown (ahem, Northalsted) restaurant Lark will hold its “NYE 2025 House Party” starting at 8:30 p.m. It’s an annual house party-style NYE celebration that will be hosted by a drag performer; other highlights will include an open bar (with basic or VIP admission), a dessert bar and a Moet Chandon toast to the new year. Admission is $75-$120 per person.
—LondonHouse Chicago invites guests to ring in 2025 with a night of glamour, cool views and luxury at its highly anticipated New Year’s Eve celebration. Set on the 21st floor, the event features a four-hour premium open bar, passed hors d’oeuvres and top Chicago DJs. Guests will enjoy panoramic views of the city’s iconic skyline and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, complete with party favors and confetti to mark the occasion. Doors open at 8:30 p.m., with VIP table packages available for those seeking an elevated experience. Tickets are $200–$2,200 per person; RSVP here.
—On Dec. 31, the acclaimed spot The Loyalist will offer a menu that will be $195 per person, exclusive of beverage, tax and gratuity. The menu consists of four courses plus canapés. Your $100/person deposit will be applied to your bill at the conclusion of the meal. RSVP here.
—Medi Kitchen & Cocktail will host a five-course ticketed event featuring a family-style tasting menu with the option of wine pairings. How cool is the menu? The amuse bouche is slated to be a mini borek bite with bourbon smoked caviar tuna tartare tartlet with etrog shatta “foie”lafel croquette with mango amba and pistachio butter. (Other courses will include items such as Lebanese pearl couscous stew and Middle Eastern tiramisu.) Seatings—$150/person or $225/person with the wine pairings—are at 6 and 9 p.m. (And there’s complimentary champagne for the midnight toast.) RSVP here.
—Moody Tongue will feature a special 15-course tasting menu on NYE. Executive Chef James Bingham’s signature fare will intersect with innovative beers, highlighting both the culinary ingredients used in creating each dish as well as Moody Tongue’s culinary brewing techniques. Seatings will be at 5 and 8 p.m.
—This holiday season, Oaken Bistro & Bar Executive Chef Christian Alejandro has prepared a special dish in celebration of the occasion for those spending the holiday on the North Shore. Open on New Year’s Eve, Alejandro has prepared a fennel, lobster and oyster risotto—an indulgent dish featuring fennel purée, lobster carpaccio, fennel air, and edible flowers—for $48. Other items will be available as well. RSVP here.
—Before it closes for good early next year, Old Town Pour House invites guests to ring in 2025 with a high-energy New Year’s Eve celebration. The event features appetizers (southern brisket crostini, pesto bruschetta, chicken and waffles, margherita flatbread, mini burgers and peanut butter Snicker shooters), music all night and—you guessed it—a champagne toast at midnight. Guests can capture memories at the photo booth and enjoy bottles of champagne served with sparklers for $20.25 (get it?). Tickets are $45 for early birds before Dec. 25 and $55 after; RSVP here.
—Ring in the New Year at Omakase Shoji, where legendary sushi chef Takashi Iida joins Chef Takahashi Shoji in West Town. At the intimate 10-seat sushi counter, Shoji serves his signature edomae-style omakase, featuring the finest fish and ingredients sourced directly from Japan and perfectly aged for peak flavor. Guests can enhance their experience with a curated selection of sake, wine, beer, Japanese whiskies, and exclusive chilled Japanese tea. A special pairing option offers a rotating selection of dynamic sakes from various Japanese prefectures for a truly adventurous dining experience.
—The speakeasy-style cocktail bar Revolver will host an elegant soirée where guests are invited to dress to impress as they ring in 2025. Tickets are $90 per person and include an open bar powered by Remy Martin from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., bar snacks and a champagne toast at midnight. Live entertainment from two DJs (Bank$ and Toure) will keep the party going strong. Guests who wish to forgo the open bar can purchase general admission tickets for $40 per person.
—Ring in 2025 at Sepia with a special tasting menu designed by Executive Chef Andrew Zimmerman and Chef de Cuisine Kyle Cottle. The first seating, at 5-7 p.m., features a four-course menu; the second seating, 8-10 p.m., offers a six-course menu and a champagne toast. Both options will feature dishes such as white truffle toast, king crab, grilled beef short rib and apple tarte tatin. Optional wine pairings, selected by Wine Director Jake Bennie, are available for an additional charge. The first seating is $125 per person with a $65 wine pairing, and the second is $175 per person with a $95 wine pairing. RSVP here.
—Celebrate New Year’s Eve with flavor at Sifr with an exclusive four-course tasting menu designed by chefs Sujan Sarkar and Sahil Sethi and inspired by the essence of the Middle East. The meal will be complemented by hand-selected wine pairings and festive cocktails. Early seating is available for $75 at 5-7:15 p.m., or indulge in late seating for $95 from 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Late night seating includes party favors and a Champagne toast at midnight.
—At Sunda New Asian, each guest will receive a complimentary glass of bubbly upon arrival to kick off the evening. Starting at 9 p.m., enjoy live music from a DJ and a vibrant countdown to midnight—and closing time will be extended to 1 a.m. Of course, Sunda has a pretty cool menu, with items such as arroz caldo (sweet rice porridge with pulled chicken, soft-boiled egg, bok choy, crispy garlic, scallions, crushed pork rind and chili oil; $22), Hokkaido snow beef (A5 New York strip, umami salt, fleur de sel and popcorn shoots; $14) and sesame cake (with plum jam, peanut brittle and vanilla ice cream; $15).
—The Andersonville spot Uvae Kitchen & Bar invites Chicagoans to ring in 2025 with an early New Year’s Eve happy hour at 3-6 p.m. featuring $2 oysters, $2 shrimp cocktail and $5 draft bubbles. Guests can also enjoy a New Year’s Eve dinner with optional wine pairings expertly picked by owner/sommelier Lindsey Anderson. The six-course menu is $135 per person and optional wine pairings are $50 per person; highlights include a seafood trio (crab claw, jumbo shrimp cocktail, oyster and garlic aioli), a truffle and white bean bisque, and lobster ravioli with tomato saffron broth. RSVP at this link. (Uvae’s New Year’s Eve prix fixe menu will also be available Dec. 27-29.)
—Welcome to the Farm, a spot in River North that’s 10,000 square feet, will be ringing in 2025 with the ultimate Rhinestone Disco Cowboy Bash this New Year’s Eve. General admission tickets begin at $85 each and include gourmet passed bites provided by The Farm’s ground level Drinking Pig BBQ, a premium drink package curated set lists from top DJs, and a champagne toast at midnight; upgraded table options are also available.
—If you’re looking for something that’s more family-friendly, WhirlyBall (in Chicago, Naperville and Vernon Hills) invites the entire family to ring in 2025 with the return of their popular Noon Year’s Eve Bash. This year’s Noon Year’s Eve Bash ($35 per child under 16 + $40 per adult) will include open WhirlyBall, LaserTag, bowling and pop-up games until 5 p.m. Tickets are currently available only at whirlyball.eventbrite.com.
—And for a more casual spot, try Zia’s Trattoria. Located in Chicago’s Norwood Park area, the Italian spot (which has everything from classic staples to grape-and-goat cheese pizza) will be open until 9:30 p.m.—giving you plenty of time to go to another venue or to go home to count down to 2025 with Ryan Seacrest.
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