Chicago Area HolidayNews for New Years Eve/Day 2011-2012!
If you haven’t made your New Year’s Eve/Day plans (December 31st-January 1st, just in case you forgot!) yet, read on to find out about the MANY (and I mean MANY) events at Chicago-area restaurants this year!
D’Noche Latin American Kitchen & Bar has something for everyone on NYE! There will be three seatings 1 (5:00-7:00pm), 2 (7:00-9:00pm) and 3 (10:00pm-3:00am.) Seating 1 and 2 costs $45 per person (appetizer, entree, dessert, signature cocktail and champagne) and a kid’s menu (entree, drink and ice cream sundae) will be available for $15 per child. Seating 3 includes a three hour open bar, a midnight champagne toast, DJ and dancing for $65 per person. Make your (required) reservation by calling 773-289-4274 or click here!
If you’re in the mood for Mexican on New Year’s Eve, make your reservation at Salpicon! They will be offering a 5-course prix-fixe dinner. The menu will include a choice of appetizer, soup and salad and a choice of an entree and dessert! There will be three seatings: 5:30-600 ($65.00), 7:00-8:00 ($75.00) and 9:30-10:00 ($85.00). The late seating includes a champagne toast and party favors! Live music will be provided throughout the night by Los Duques. The menu will include items such as Crepa de Huitlacoche (earthy corn mushrooms), Pescado al Chipotle (walleye pike) or Langostinos Poc-Chu (grilled freshwater prawns) and many other choices! Call Salpicon today to reserve your spot at the table!
Barrio Urban Taqueria is featuring a special New Year’s Eve Taco menu! They include the Foie Gras Taco (Quince Paste, Truffle Shallots, Tempura Huitlacoche), Spicy Lobster Taco (Butter Ancho Poached Lobster, Morita Salsa, Avocado and Grapefruit) and Skate Wing Tacos with Salmon Roe (Champagne Sauce with Crispy Shallots and Chipotle Salmon Roe). The menu will be available from 4pm until Midnight! Each taco costs $7 or choose a trio flight for $18!
In the mood for some bocce on NYE? Stop by Pinstripes! Chef Cesar Gutierrez will be preparing some great food (Filet Mignon, Short Rib, Gnocchi and Yellowfin Tuna) and live music will be provided by Skinny Williams (Northbrook location) and Brother John (South Barrington). There will be two balloon drops at 8pm and 10pm and champagne toasts with with party favors! Pinstripes will be open from 10am to 12:30am and there is no cover charge for the event!
What better way to ring in 2012 than with good food and helping out others? Klay Oven will be teaming up with Apna Ghar for a special evening of Indian specialties and celebration! A three-course menu will be available (appetizer, entree and dessert) and also includes a glass of champagne! Dishes such as Lamb and Market Vegetable Samosas, Tamatar Shorba Soup, Palak Paneer, Channa Masala and Kheer are on the menu.The entire evening is a steal at only $35 per person and a portion of the proceeds will be donated to Apna Ghar. Apna Ghar provides holistic services to women and children across immigrant communities in the Chicagoland area to end the cycle of domestic violence.
Want to try something new? How about a Peruvian NYE party? Rio’s D’Sudamerica is offering a buffet from 8:00-10:00pm, featuring Rio’s signature dishes that are customary to serve on NYE. Music will be provided by Dino Latino and a champagne toast will be provided at midnight, along with party favors! The buffet will include items such as Tamal Verde, Lechon Asado, Paella de Mariscos, Lomo Saltado and others! The cost is $52 per person (includes dinner, champagne toast and two cocktails) and can be bought by calling 312-671-3466!
Michael Lachowicz and his team at Restaurant Michael want to celebrate NYE with you! Reservations will be taken beginning at 5pm at 15 minute intervals until 11:30pm. Live music will be provided (piano, stand-up bass and vocalist) from 7pm to midnight and there will be complimentary champagne and dessert of Grand Marnier Chocolate Truffles for all to enjoy. The menu includes items such as Chanterelle Mushroom & Artichoke Terrine, Filet of Beef Tenderloin, a Duo of Roasted Breast of Hen and Truffle Chicken Mousse Stuffed Leg and many more delicious dishes! The price is $75 per person! Restaurant Michael will also be open on New Year’s Day for brunch!
Sabor Saveur will be preparing a 4-course dinner (made by Chef Yanitzin Sanchez) using 100% Mexican ingredients with French techniques! The menu will include a soup appetizer, choice of three entrees, dessert and champagne toast! The cost is $75 per person.
3 Vines will be celebrating the start of 2012 from 5-10pm with open seating and scrumptious New Year’s Eve specials, including Rack of New Zealand lamb. The regular menu will also be available to order from. Reservations are recommended! Call 847-844-0567 for more information!
Le Titi De Paris will ring in 2012 with two seatings on Friday, December 31st! Chef/Owner Michael Maddox and Susan Maddox want to celebrate with you, French style! The first seating will begin at 4:00 and continue to 6:30pm The cost is $89 per person. The second seating is from 8:00-10:30pm. The cost is $95 per person plus beverages, tax and gratuity. There is a $50 deposit per person required for reservations, which will be deducted from your bill. The menu includes items such as Warm Provencal Brie with Cranberry-Pear Compote, Veloute of Wild Mushroom & Thyme, Crispy Strudel of Shredded Duck “Confit”, Norwegian Salmon en Croute, Seared New Zealand Venison au Poivre, and many others. Call 847-506-0222 and ask for Susan or Dei to make your reservations today!
Benny’s Chop House will welcome vocalist Greta Pope and her quintet for an evening of musical delights! The music will begin at 7pm and continue until 1am. The Greta Pope Ensemble will offer jazz standards, romantic ballads, Brazilian Bossa Nova classics and Broadway favorites.
Cyrano’s Bistrot & Wine Bar will also have two seatings to ring in 2012! The first seating will include four courses for $59 per person. This includes a glass of champagne with dessert. The second seating will include a four course Gastronomic Menu, party favors and a glass of champagne at midnight and live music by Mr. Jovan. The cost is $70 per person. In the lower level Cafe Simone during the second seating, you can enjoy a Parisian Cabaret with a five course Degustation, party favors and a glass of champagne at midnight. There will be live music by Claudia Hommel with Bob Moreen at the piano. The cost for this special second seating is $89.95 per person. Call 312-467-0546 to make your reservation!
Geja’s Cafe will feature fondue (of course) and champagne in a festive yet intimate atmosphere with classical/flamenco guitar music! There will be three special seating. Reservations are available for 5pm, 7:30pm and 10pm. Guests will enjoy a four-course fondue dinner, complete with cheese fondue appetizer, salad, lobster, shrimp and beef entree and Geja’s famous flaming chocolate dessert fondue. Guests will also receive champagne! Call 773-281-9101 between 9-4pm to make your reservations!
The Irish Oak on Clark will be celebrating NYE with the Robbie Gold band in the front room and DJ Johnny Rockets in the back. Food and drink are covered with access for partiers to a full meal buffet and call drink package, including any draft beer. There will be a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, party favors and the chance to take a picture with “Teo” the Irish Oak’s resident Leprechaun! Tickets are $80 per guest!
Jack’s Bar & Grill will be featuring a hearty buffet with a carving station and an extensive drink package! A complimentary champagne toast will be given at midnight. Tickets are $100 per guest.
A new restaurant to Chicago, Derby Bar & Grill, will feature a memorable bash! Ticket holders for Derby’s celebration will receive passed appetizers, draft beer, bottled beer and mixed drinks, as well as a champagne toast at midnight and party favors! Table reservations are available for a limited time. Contact Shawn at shawn@derbychicago.com. Tickets are $100 per guest.
Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse will be celebrating New Year’s for three nights! From Thursday, December 29th-Saturday, December 31st, the New Year’s Nights Menu will include items such as Filet Mignon & Prawns, Prime Ribeye Steak & King Crab or Lobster & Lobster. Champagne will also be available to welcome the new year! The cost is $69.95 per guest.
Guanajuato will be offering a family-friendly a la carte menu on New Year’s eve and is open until midnight! They are also featuring a prickly pear margarita for the holiday.
Prairie Fire and Prairie Grass Cafe will be open on NYE with an ala carte menu and kids are welcome as well! New Year’s Even hours are from 5pm-9pm.
ZED451 will be offering a multi-course dinner in the main dining room, along with a premium party package in the Fireside Lounge, followed by a brunch on New Year’s day! On NYE, the dinner experience will be offered for $75 per person, with items on the menu like a raw bar, chef’s entrees and mini pastries and complimentary champagne. Reservations will be accepted between 5pm and 11pm. Next, the party in the Fireside Lounge takes place from 9pm to 1am. Guests will enjoy passed hors d’oeuvres, a deluxe open bar, party favors, DJ and a midnight champagne toast! Tickets are $95 per guest. And lastly, the next morning from 10am to 2pm, brunch will be served! Brunch includes breakfast and lunch selections and is only $29 per guest. Mimosas and bloody Marys will be available for an additional cost. As a bonus, if you attended one of the NYE events at ZED451, you’ll receive bottomless bloody Marys at brunch! And of course, on New Year’s Day, the football game will be shown! From 10am to midnight, the Fireside Lounge will feature $5 ZED burgers and $3 pints of beer in addition to the full “Cravings” menu. Call 312-266-6691 to make your reservations for these events!
Park Grill will be featuring two dinner packages for New Year’s Eve! The first, the Wine & Dine package welcomes children as well! Seatings will take place between 6-9pm and feature a children’s menu ($5.95) complete with kids’ mocktails and gourmet hot chocolate (4 each). Adults can enjoy the three-course tasting menu ($50) with optional wine pairings ($35). Select bottles of wine will be available for 50% off. Entertainment will be provided by the Lizz & Rex Jazz Trio! The second is the Countdown Package! This takes places after 9pm and includes a 5-course tasting menu ($80) with optional wine pairings ($45). These seatings include live jazz music, a champagne toast, party favors and complimentary trolley rides home (within a 2 mile radius). Call 312-521-7275 to reserve your seat! Park Grill is also offering a New Year’s Day Hangover Buffet! Dishes like Ham & Cheese French Toast, Banana Nutella Pancakes and Spinach Benedict will be available to cure you! The brunch will be open from 10am to 4pm and costs $30 for adults and $12 for children 12 and under.
From 5pm to 3am, Nacional 27 will be hosting an evening of Latin eats and beats! The restaurant and lounge will be offering multi-course menus with optional cocktail pairings. There are two dinner packages available. The first is a three-course Latin menu for $55 per person ($80 w/cocktail pairings) between 5pm and 6:30pm. The second is a four-course Latin menu for $95 per person ($120 w/cocktail pairings) between 7 and 10pm. Those who eat at this seating will enjoy live music, a champagne toast and a complimentary cover charge for the club. The menus include items like various tapas, Argentenian mixed grill, Peruvian rock shrimp, and flan! Live Latin music will be performed in the bar from 7-10pm! Call 312-664-2727 today, as reservations are required!
III Forks Prime Steakhouse has created a special menu just for New Year’s Eve! Chef Tommy Nevill will be offering a la carte dinner selections that include items like Lobster Bisque, Filet Mignon with Lobster Tail, Chilean Seabass and many other items. Call III Forks at 312-938-4303 to make your reservation!
Has your wallet taken a beating from all the Christmas shopping but you still want to go out on NYE? Make plans to head to Timothy O’Toole’s Pub from 9pm-3am! For only $20 per person, you can enjoy a choice of “champagne of beers” (one 24-ounce Miller High Life tallboy) or a champagne split, along with a midnight appetizer buffet, a live DJ and party favors!! The live, televised countdown will be shown on over 75 screens throughout the pub! Then, in the morning, Timothy O’ Toole’s will be offering brunch to cure those post-party hangovers! But in case you haven’t had enough, a bottomless mimosa and bloody Mary bar will be available too!
Another great money-saving Due Lire Vino & Cucino will be offering a prix-fixe menu created by Chef Kevin Abshire that includes a glass of prosecco, amuse, salad, entree and dessert for $45 per person! The menu will include items such as Cotechino & Lenticchie, Ravioli Di Merluzzo, and Panettone Festivo. The regular menu will be offered in addition to the special menu. Call 773-275-7878 to reserve your table!
Chef Andy Motto of Quince has created a special menu for NYE! His four-course menu, paired with champagne will be offered from 5-10pm on the 31st. The dinner costs $70 per person and wine pairings are available for $20, as well as a full vegetarian menu for $70. The regular dinner menu will not be offered. Quince is also offering an overnight stay package that includes dinner for two with a complimentary champagne toast, a room at the Homestead Hotel, garage parking, wireless internet access and breakfast for two on Sunday! Call 847-570-8400 to reserve one of these packages!
Shiraz on the Water will be offering a multi-course menu on NYE from 5-10pm, created by Executive Chef Carol Buckantz. The prix fixe menu is only $45 per guest and includes a flute of champagne. The courses will include items such as Seafood Bisque, Pomegranate Sorbet, Atlantic Salmon, Chicken Greco, Lobster Ravioli and a Chef’s New Year’s Eve creation for dessert! Call 630-671-5013 to make your reservation!
Michael Diversey’s Tavern will offer two options for the NYE evening! You can either pay-as-you go cash bar service ($10 admission fee, starts at 9pm) or the Celebration Package, which includes hors d’oeuvres, Red Bull cocktails, all draft craft beers, premium wine, bottled beer and mixed drinks from 9pm to 2am ($75 per person). All guests will enjoy party favors, a live DJ and complimentary champagne at midnight! Call 773-327-7040 to purchase tickets!
Want to celebrate NYE in an extra-memorable way? Benjamin will be hosting a Frank Sinatra-themed, retro New Year’s Eve dinner party. For $99, you will receive champagne upon arrival and an appetizer, salad/soup, entree and dessert from Chef Benjamin Brittsan’s menu (includes items such as shrimp scampi, meatballs, lobster bisque, Waldorf salad, etc). If you prefer to have a more intimate dinner, you can request the love seat table (seats two) or the private booth with curtains and a chandelier (!) (seats four). For this special seating, the cost is $125 per person. Live entertainment will be provided by Robert “Baabe” Irvign III. He will play music from Frank Sinatra and 50′s jazz music during the evening! Benjamin will be accepting reservations between 6 and 7pm. Call 847-748-8737 to reserve a table!
Cantina Laredo will be offering a special three-course prix fixe menu crafted by Chef Lary Sinclair! The menu will be available from Friday, December 30th to Sunday, January 1st for $49 per guest. The menu will include items like Ensalada de Arandano, Halibut de Mango, Baya Mezclado and many more Mexican specialties! Then, the next morning from 11:30am to 3pm, Cantina Laredo will offer a complete brunch menu! Reservations are welcomed but not required. Call 312-955-0014!
Chef Michael Noll of Elate is offering two prix fixe dinner options for New Year’s Eve! There will be three and five course menus with optional wine pairings. Table reservations will be available from 5:30pm to 9:30pm on NYE. The three course menu costs $65 per person, with wine pairings for $30. The five course menu is $90 per person, with optional wine pairings for $50. Dishes such as Lobster & Caviar Soup, Roasted Quail and Angel Food Cake will be served. Also, complimentary midnight champagne toast will also be given to all guests! Call 312-202-9000 to make your reservation today!
BLT American Brasserie will be featuring a new Sunday brunch from 11:30am to 3pm on New Year’s Day! Chef Laurent Tourondel’s menu showcases items like salads, egg dishes, breakfast entrees, sushi rolls, pizzettas and more! Each guest will receive a warm-from-the-oven popover to start the meal! Bloody Mary’s and brunch cocktails will also be available!
The Chicago Firehouse will feature Chef Kendal Duque’s new winter a la carte brunch menu from 10:30am to 4pm! The menu will feature items like eggs benedicts, omelettes, scrambles and various sweets, as well as entree salads, soups, sandwiches and butcher offerings. There will also be several brunch cocktails available, like the BLT Bloody Mary and Hard Arnold Parmer, to the 5-Alarm Coffee Cocktail and the Spiked Sweet Tea!
Tozi Korean BBQ (see my review here!) will be featuring Tteok Mandoo Kuk, a rice cake and dumpling soup in a beef bone broth. This is a traditional Korean favorite for New Year’s Day celebrations! The dish will be available for $9.95 and Tozi will be open from 12:30pm to 12:30am!
The Kit Kat Lounge & Supper Club will also be serving brunch from 11am to 3pm. Bloody Mary’s, sangria and mimosas will only be $10 with any brunch entree! Chef Mark Kasper’s menu will feature contemporary classics and comfort foods. Kit Kat’s Madam X will also be doing live performances! Also, there will be half-price martinis from 11am-2am.
And lastly, The Hangover Brunch at the Red Canary will feature “The Hangover” entree! The dish consists of skillet potatoes with melted cheddar cheese, braised short ribs and a sunny-side egg on top for just $14! Bottomless mimosas ($18) or bottomless bloody Marys ($20) will receive a free entree from the weekend brunch menu! Brunch will be served from 10am to 3pm!
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