New Year’s Eve in Hell’s Kitchen is a true choose-your-own adventure. Want a low-key, luxe dinner? No problem! Interested in a sociable craft cocktail party where someone else takes care of the bartending? There are plenty! Looking to dance into 2023? Put on your favorite “going out” shirt! And yes, obviously, you could head for Times Square. But really, why leave the neighborhood? We’ve curated the best West Side options for you.
LAID BACK DINNERS
Toast to good health and happiness with a luxurious prix fixe, three-course menu from Blue Seafood Bar (856 9th Avenue between W55th and W56th Streets). The Hell’s Kitchen favorite is offering up special-occasion dishes like Lobster Thermidor and Pan-Roasted Veal Loin for $105 per person.
For additional Mediterranean options, try the newly reopened Manhattan Plaza Molyvos (402 W43rd Street and 9th Avenue), where the $95 prix fixe menu includes their famous Grilled Octopus, Branzino, and sweet selections like Baklava (perfect to pair with their extensive wine program!).
Forget to book your ticket to Paris this year? There’s plenty of fine French cuisine around Hell’s Kitchen, including perennial favorite Chez Josephine (414 W42nd Street between 9th and Dyer Avenue), with a $100 prix fixe offering Chilean Sea Bass, Herb Crusted Rack of Lamb, and two seatings for both early birds and night owls. Over at fan-favorite Le Rivage (340 W46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue) Chef Paul Denamiel and team are busy preparing a soon-to-be announced special New Year’s menu, but if it’s anything like their Christmas offerings of Confit Duck and Osso Buco, it’s sure to be spectacular. For a more casual French meal, try 9th Avenue newcomer Steak Frites (496 9th Avenue between W37th and W38th Street) who plan to provide dinner until 11pm, a champagne toast at midnight, and “vibes until late.”
Longing for la dolce vita? Classic Italian joint Giardino 54 (400 1/2 W54th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue) is preparing a mouth-watering $85 menu of options like Tagliolini al Tartufo Bianco, Red Beet Ravioli and Dulce de Leche Tiramisu. Is vino your favorite course? Try Medi Wine Bar (811 9th Avenue between W53rd and W54th Street), whose $85 price fixe Mediterranean cuisine is supplemented by a carefully curated wine program and a free glass of prosecco with every reservation!
Ready for a true feast? Try a five-course $225 festival of Cuban food from Havana Central (151 W46th St between 6th and 7th Avenue), serving up tasty traditional fare like Pollo al Ajillo, Mano Glazed Salmon and Pernil, as well as access to a three hour open bar with live music, if you’d like to turn it up a bit after dinner!
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Italian-Asian fusion Sesamo is also providing a $150, five-course prix fixe menu with Rabbit confit Bucatini and crab Parpadelle as well as Chef Sandy Hall’s seasonal à la carte options. Count us in for the cardamom pumpkin cheesecake!
Can’t decide what you want? Try a little bit of everything at KF Seetoh’s culinary wonderland, Urban Hawker (135 W50th Street between 6th and 7th Avenue).The New Year’s Eve celebration will feature unlimited small bites from all vendors such as Hell’s Kitchen’s own Tradisyon, plus an open bar of unlimited cocktails, beer and wine for $150 per person.
And if you’re looking to ring in the new year with your regular order, fear not — several Hell’s Kitchen favorites like Don Giovanni (358 W44th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue) and Tavola (488 9th Avenue between W37th and W38th Street) will be serving their regular à la carte menus. As Nick from Tavola told us, Tavola will be “…a place to dine before your party!”
BARS AND BAR-RESTAURANT HYBRIDS
Go-to Hell’s Kitchen cocktail house Dolly Varden (302 W51st Street between 8th and 9th Avenue), already known for their award-winning mixes, will offer a three hour premium open bar and passed appetizers starting at $89 a person.
Down the way at Dutch Fred’s (307 W47th Street between 8th And 9th Avenue), you can book a New Year’s reservation for $20 a person which includes a complimentary glass of prosecco and the chance to enjoy their small bites like Dry Rub Chicken Wings and Pork Belly Bao Buns.
Groovy Peachy Keen (321 W44th Street New York, NY 10036 between 8th and 9th Avenue) has planned their own party where you can get funky to the tune of passed appetizers, a premium open bar, live DJ and a midnight toast!
Want to go to a bar that feels like your best friend’s house party? Book now with the fun-loving, W42ST award-winning crew at Pocket Bar (455 W48th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue), who are hosting a $140 open bar and NYE ball drop viewing party from a secret rooftop location! The mystery!!!
Speaking of rooftops, if you want to toast the city skyline, why not head to The Press Lounge (653 11th Avenue and W48th Street) for their top-level soiree featuring an open bar, DJ and passed appetizers. And if you’d like to fuel up beforehand, try a farm-to-table dinner at the ground level PRINT restaurant for tasty, seasonal fare.
For a rooftop not far from Times Square but close enough to hear the party, speakeasy Serafina in the Sky (400 W42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenue) hosts a premium open bar and passed appetizer affair in the swanky, velvet curtained space.
Is your New Year’s resolution to eat more veggies? Kick off the year in style at PS Kitchen’s party (246 W48th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue ) where the West Side favorite will be serving passed vegan appetizers, an open bar and bumping beats via a live DJ for $100 a person.
You won’t be singing the blues at Restaurant Row’s newest craft cocktail bar, Lady Blue (363 W46th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue) where the bar will offer premium beverages and bites both for one-off reservations as well as the citywide party-hopping Ball Drop pass.
The Civilian Hotel’s resident restaurant, cocktail bar and rooftop trio Rosevale Kitchen, Rosevale Cocktail Room and Starchild Rooftop Bar & Lounge (218 W50th Street between 8th and 9th Avenue) have built an evening-long menu of party options. Start with a prix fixe dinner of shrimp cocktail and Steak Au Poivre at Rosevale Kitchen, followed by drinks at the Rosevale cocktail room for a $150 ticket (reservations for small and large groups here) before dancing the night away at the Starchild Rooftop Bar & Lounge, which boasts skyline views and bottle service. Want to snag a 3 for 1? They also have VIP packages to give you access to the entire swanky scene!
CLUBS
Music and passion are still in fashion at the revived Copacabana (625 W51st Street between 11/12th Avenue) who plan to host a “Glitz and Glam” two hour dinner plus open bar, live music and aerialist performers and a champagne toast. Who could ask for more!
Multi-floor queer nightlife space The Dickens (783 8th Avenue, between 47th and 48th Streets)nmakes its Hell’s Kitchen New Year’s Eve debut with a no-ticket-required dance party featuring cocktails, bites and a champagne toast at midnight. Perfect for the last-minute party-goer!
Massive MUSICA (637 W50th Street and 12th Avenue) provides a large-scale dance floor with a DJ and open bar (note that the open bar ends at 10pm so drink early and often) for this year’s new year’s fete!
And if you’re keen to time travel back to 1923 rather than 2023, head to Sony Hall’s Great Gatsby bash (235 W46th Street between Broadway and 8th Avenue) where you can Charleston your way to the New Year with a five-hour open bar!
Finally, there’s always Times Square as a fall back to bring in 2023. Whatever you do, all at W42ST wish you a very Happy New Year!
