Besha RodellIf ever there was a year to celebrate putting behind us, it's 2016. To make sure you celebrate properly, in the way that works best for your style and budget, we've put together a list of New Year's Eve dinners refined by attribute. Want live music? We've got that. Want an insane blowout? There are plenty of those. We even have some picks for the economically minded. We even have a section for non–meat eaters. Check out the options below, and look forward to a new year that hopefully doesn't suck as bad as this one.
$65 AND UNDER
In previous years, there have been plenty of good budget options for New Year's Eve, but this year those cheaper deals have been way harder to find. We did come up with a few good deals, though, and they just happen to be at some of our favorite restaurants.
Momed Atwater Village
Atwater Village’s modern Mediterranean restaurant will be celebrating the New Year with a lamb and bird roast over an open fire on the patio, from chef David Wilcox. For early seatings from, 5 to 6.30 p.m., there’s a $65 prix fixe menu of three courses, plus an amuse-bouche, and an optional dessert course. Later seatings are more expensive ($85) but include more food and also a DJ. atmomed.com
Hinoki and the Bird
Hinoki & the Bird in Century City will host a Vietnam-themed New Year's Eve dinner, complete with a Vietnamese menu, decorations and live entertainment. The three-course prix fixe menu being offered from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. is $65 per person. A later seating, which includes a Champagne toast, is $95. hinokiandthebird.com
Salt's Cure in Hollywood; Credit: Anne Fishbein
Salt’s Cure
The $50 three-course New Year’s Eve dinner offering at Salt's Cure in Hollywood is one of the better deals in town, and unlike the two above it doesn't have a time limit. The restaurant also will have a $75 five-course option, plus optional wine pairings and supplements for either menu. saltscure.com
Paley
Paley in Hollywood will offer a four-course dinner menu for $65 per person. A five-piece jazz band will play until 11 p.m., when guests can turn their attention to a stream of the impending ball drop screened on the restaurant’s dining room wall. Complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. paleyhollywood.com
BLOWOUT
Looking for something a little more spendy? There's plenty of fancy options to choose from. (Also see the Live Music section, below, for more ways to blow a wad of cash on a good time.)
The view from 71Above is included in the New Year's Eve $250 price tag.; Credit: Anne Fishbein
71Above
At L.A.'s newest sky-high destination downtown, $250 will get you free flowing Billecart-Salmon Champagne, a complimentary selection of red and white wines, tray-passed hors d’oeuvres and food stations. Menu items include poached oysters with uni and caviar, prime New York steak, poached lobster with creamed celery root, and foie gras macarons. 71above.com/newyear
Norah
Norah's executive chef Mike Williams has put together a New Year's Eve tasting menu full of luxury ingredients, such as caviar, truffles and foie gras. Parties of two to eight can choose from 6 or 9 p.m. seatings. Reservations are available through online ticketing platform Tock for $200 per person, which includes a wine or beverage pairing. norahrestaurant.com
Two views of Spago; Credit: Anne Fishbein
Spago
On New Year's Eve, Spago in Beverly Hills will have two seatings to ring in 2017. From 5:30 to 6:30, it's offering a three-course menu for $98 per guest, but if you really want to blow it out, wait for the 9 to 10:30, $280-per-person slot, which includes a three-course menu, a Champagne toast, a live DJ (to dance to — you don't actually get the DJ as part of the deal) and a 1 a.m. breakfast buffet. wolfgangpuck.com
LIVE MUSIC
Live music is the thing I get asked about more than any other for New Year's Eve celebrations. Luckily, there are a bunch of places offering that particular amenity this year. (See also Paley in the $65-and-under category, above.)
Mr. C's Beverly Hills
Mr. C Beverly Hills' New Year’s Eve Bash features dancing, with live entertainment by Shawn Amos, the hotel’s resident American blues and jazz musician. For $219 per person, you get a five-course dinner at the Restaurant at Mr. C, plus a midnight Champagne toast in the Lobby Lounge. mrchotels.com
The cheese cart at Mélisse; Credit: Anne Fishbein
Mélisse
Mélisse in Santa Monica will be offering music and dancing along with its later (8:30 to 9:30) seating, which costs $295 per person. An earlier seating, which does not include live music, is available for $150 per person. melisse.com
The Peninsula
The Peninsula's New Year's Eve dinner will be followed by a live band and dancing starting at 9 p.m. There are two seatings, at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. The earlier seating is four courses and $150 per person, the second six courses for $275. beverlyhills.peninsula.com
Lucques
Lucques is hosting a Spanish- and Andalusian-themed New Year's Eve, and the later seating ($150 per person) includes live music and flamenco dancing. There's also an earlier, flamenco-free seating for $110 per person. You can see the menu here. lucques.com
Patina
Patina is scheduling its New Year’s Eve dinner seatings based on performances by a live jazz band. There are many options, beginning at 4:30 p.m., with seatings available throughout the night until 11:30 p.m., and menus that range from à la carte (during the 10 to 11:30 p.m. seatings) on up to $180 per person (for the “gala” seating from 7:30 to 8 p.m.). Details and menus can be found on its website. patinagroup.com/patina-restaurant
RETRO FUN
If you're in the mood to break out your finest vintage attire, there are a couple of events catering to your needs.
Cliff’s Edge
For New Year's Eve, Cliff’s Edge in Silver Lake will be celebrating with an Old Hollywood theme. Executive chef Michael Bryant has created a menu of reimagined classic dishes, including lobster thermidor, prime rib-eye au poivre and Cornish game hen coq au vin. The four-course dinner at $95 includes a glass of sparkling wine, and there will be an optional wine pairing available for $35. Glamorous attire is encouraged. cliffsedgecafe.com
Doheny Room
The Doheny Room is throwing a New Year's Eve 1920s/Gatsby-themed party. The first seating, from 7 to 9:30 pm., is $75 per person. The second seating, from 9:30 pm. on, is $100 per person but comes with some pretty spendy table minimums, starting at $1,000 for tables of two to four people and going up to $2,000 for crowds of more than 15. sbe.com
The dining room and the kale salad at Crossroads, which is hosting a meat-free New Year's Eve dinner; Credit: Anne Fishbein
VEGETARIAN
Special occasions can be hard for folks with dietary restrictions. But these spots have New Year's Eve dinners with vegetarians and vegans in mind.
Crossroads
Crossroads, the swank West Hollywood plant-based restaurant, will host two seatings on New Year's Eve. At 6 p.m., $75 will get you a five-course dinner, and at 8:30 p.m., $95 will get you six courses, a Champagne toast and a ball drop. crossroadskitchen.com
Plant Food & Wine
Plant Food & Wine is offering a plant-based, six-course meal for $75 per person during both lunch and dinner hours on New Year's Eve. Hours for the special meal are noon to 4 p.m. and 5 to 10 p.m. Wine pairings are offered at an additional cost. matthewkenneycuisine.com
MEAT LOVERS
I'm sure the vegetarians out there will argue that the entire restaurant industry is pretty much built for meat lovers, but since we included a vegetable section, I made a special section for the meatiest dinners available this year.
Bourbon Steak
Bourbon Steak in Glendale is offering a four-course, $98 New Year's Eve dinner with an optional $45 wine pairing. The meal is based on ingredients from around the world that are associated with good luck. Entrees include the 14-oz. New York “Ball Drop” steak. michaelmina.net
Bone marrow at Love & Salt; Credit: Anne Fishbein
Love & Salt
Here's a sentiment we can't argue with: Love & Salt in Manhattan Beach has dubbed its New Year's Eve celebration the “Forgetta ’bout 2016” dinner, with an Italian steakhouse theme. To ring in 2017, chef Michael Fiorelli will offer Italian steakhouse classics in addition to the à la carte menu. Specials will include Flannery Beef prime, rib-eye and New York steaks with choice of accoutrements. No prix fixe pricing; regular à la carte menu plus steakhouse specials available. loveandsaltla.com
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