New Year's Eve 2009
Ring in 2010 with the original Chicago city guide to New Year's Eve
Centerstage has uncovered the best New Year's Eve parties all around Chicago.
273 New Year's Eve events matching your selection criteria.
Editor's Picks
The Omni Hotel's contemporary American restaurant offers a four-course menu with a complimentary glass of champagne. Enjoy live jazz from 9 p.m. onward.
Ring in the new year with Michael McDermott & The Full Band, as they play a special NYE show. Secondhand Serenade and Todd Carey open. Ticket price includes open bar and appetizer food buffet.
Ring in 2010 in style with a truly "distinctive" celebration that offers a lot of bang for (let's face it) a lot of buck. You'll get a five-course gourmet meal including a filet mignon and lobster tail entree, a five-hour premium open bar, a late-night buffet, music from The Hiline Band (Motown, '70s and '80s) and more. Buy your tickets before December 1 and you'll get $15 off.
The Wheaton fine-dining restaurant offers a special three-course menu, with complimentary champagne at midnight.
Do you really love sushi? Put that allegiance to the test with the two-and-a-half hour all-you-care-to-eat promotion at this River North sushi spot.
Chef Joshua Linton offers aja's regular dinner menu of shareable Asian dishes, along with a selection of champagnes for $99 a bottle.
Feel like going big this year? It doesn't get much bigger than this two-floor, five-room venue with 30-foot-high ceilings. And the partying is no small potatoes, either, with four hours of top-shelf open bar, a heavy appetizer buffet, live performances from DJs Ryan Pollano, Shawn Edwards, Tony Tone and more. Find out more at thepalace4nye.com.
Want it all in the new year? Angels offers an inclusive party package, which includes an all-you-can-eat taco bar loaded with vegetarian, ground beef and chicken tacos, sangria, Mexican and domestic beers, house margaritas, premium cocktails and a midnight champagne toast. Bottle service and booth reservations are available for an additional charge (tables range from $50-$100; bottle service ranges from $50-$300). Contact events@angleschicago.com for more information and table inquiries.
Chicago's favorite jam band, Umphrey's McGee, closes out a three-night stand (the first night is at the Vic) with this special show including opener Prefuse 73 (he'll also spin between sets). Want to hit up all three? You can get a package deal for $125.
Comedian Kevin Hart ("Soul Plane," Comedy Central's "Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire") performs a set at this McCormick Place theater.
You can get reservations at this always-packed West Loop restaurant for tonight only, and enjoy a special five-course surf 'n' turf-themed menu. Beverage pairings are available for an additional $25.
Local blues vet Jimmy Johnson does his thing at this special New Year's Eve show in Lincoln Park.
Punk favorites Pegboy and Shot Baker perform a special New Year's Eve show on New Year's Eve.
The Southern-inspired Andersonville restaurant offers a four-course Table d'hôte menu with optional beverage pairings and cocktail specials. There will be a champagne toast at midnight.
The Arlington Heights restaurant offers a special three-course menu, available all day and including lobster bisque, a surf & turf entree with filet mignon and jumbo shrimp, and triple chocolate mousse. You'll get a complimentary glass of champagne with your meal.
Toast the New Year along with those in France with a special complimentary toast at 5 p.m. Afterward, enjoy chef Dominique Tougne's menu of holiday specials, including a homemade foie gras terrine with fig jam, roasted quail with grapes and Riesling sauce, sauteed beef tenderloin with porcini mushrooms and roasted fingerling potatoes, and a gateu "Paradis au Chocolat" (chocolate cake with toffee and caramel). The a la carte menu will also be available.
Take on top-shelf open bar, an appetizer buffet, a midnight champagne toast and music at this Roscoe Village bar.
You'll have three meal choices at this Wicker Park sushi restaurant, each including miso soup, salad, mochi ice cream and champagne. Choose from the Blu Coral Special ($35), with tuna sampler, crab cake and four signature maki; the Blu Land Special ($40), with Maui Tartar, chicken kushiyaki, NY strip steak, sea bass and two signature maki; and the Blu Ocean Special ($40) with yuzu-seared tuna, shumai, six pieces of sashimi, six pieces of nigiri and two signature maki.
There will be two things to celebrate at Blue 13 on December 31: the New Year and the first anniversary of the restaurant. So the rock 'n' roll-inspired spot will offer two packages. First, there's a five-course prix-fixe dinner including everything from pan-seared scallops with Dijon mustard sauce, pickled cauliflower and fennel to pork belly with brioche toast, tomato bacon jam, bleu cheese mousse, avocado puree and herb salad. For the late-night partiers, the restaurant will clear out the dining room beginning at 10 p.m. for a bash including passed appetizers, a cash bar and a champagne toast at midnight.
Eat early (5:30 p.m.) with a three-course menu ($65) or enjoy a six-course menu latern on (8:30 p.m., $95) at this Lincoln Park contemporary American standout.
Hear any song you want (within reason) at this Division Street party that features an all-request DJ, plus all the beer, wine and top-shelf cocktails (no Red Bull or shots) you can drink. Champagne toast at midnight.
Todd Hembrook & The Hemispheres play a wide range of classic soul standards, while locals the Lowdown Brass Band warm up the crowd with a funk party. Admission includes a midnight champagne toast.
Eat a three-course menu early (5-6 p.m., $39) or a four-course menu later on (6-11 p.m.; $59) at this popular French restaurant. There will be live music, party favors and a midnight champagne toast as well.
Your ticket to this bash includes unlimited premium liquor, drafts and bottles, Red Bull, champagne and appetizers.
Coarse-piped vocalist/guitarist Magic Slim owes a debt to mentor and friend Magic Sam, who gave Slim his start – and nickname – as a bass player in the early '50s. He draws Hound Dog Taylor comparisons for his rock-centric, muscling fretwork; when paired with backing band The Teardrops. Harpist Matt Hendricks kicks off the night at 6 p.m., followed by the strong-armed guitar antics of John Primer at 9. A champagne toast caps things off at midnight. ABC-TV/Channel 7 is also filming, if that sweetens the deal. (Gavin Paul)
See and be seen at this party featuring six hours of premium open bar, a midnight champagne toast, heavy passed appetizers and entertainment from Jesse Seeley. If you want to keep the party going, you'll get complimentary admission all night at Stone Lotus. Oh yeah, and if you have the cash, $1200 gets you eight tickets plus a VIP booth complete with personal table tap, and one bottle of premium vodka and champagne.
Read our review of "In the Heights," and then see this Tony- and Grammy-winning musical filled with the characters of the Washington Heights neighborhood.
If you can't afford to dine upstairs like the Obamas, this slightly less expensive sister spot offers three- and four-course menus on New Year's Eve.
The price of admission gets you five hours of premium open bar (we assume this includes the titular cans), plus a dinner buffet and a midnight champagne toast.
Got a special someone? Treat him or her to a five-course Tuscan dinner with live music, dancing and a champagne toast at this Rosemont Italian restaurant. Reserve before December 20 and you'll get a complimentary bottle of wine or champagne.
The Moods offer live entertainment at this celebration that includes a four-hour open call bar, a full dinner buffet with appetizers, salads, pasta, carved prime rib, entrees and desserts, dancing, party favors, and a midnight champagne toast.
Celebrate across from Wrigley Field (2010 is "next year," after all) with five hours of open bar, a dinner buffet and a midnight champagne toast. Want to get away from the crowds? Private party rooms are available.
Got some cash to burn before the new year? It'll be easy at this lavish evening including a champagne and canape reception, multi-course tasting menu and midnight champagne toast.
Local soul singer Super Percy headlines this set at the famed Hyde Park blues club. The party includes appetizers and a champagne toast.
See a special performance of "It Came Upon a Midnight Queen" at this Uptown comedy theater, where you'll also enjoy dinner (cooked by the performers!), drinks, improv games, dancing, a champagne toast and more. No one under 13 will be admitted.
Enjoy an authentic Chinese buffet, open bar and party favors at midnight during this celebration. Regular dinner reservations are also available.
This sober extravaganza on the near South Side includes a red carpet entrance, dinner, mocktails, DJ'd music, a photo booth, an acrobatic performance and more. Register here.
Spend your last hours of '09 enjoying a special six-course tasting menu, plus a complimentary champagne toast and party favors at midnight. Add a glass of Pommery Apanage to wash it all down for an extra $15. The regular menu will also be available.
Executive chef Nicole Pederson serves up a four-course menu including your choice of clam chowder or warm spinach salad; sea scallops or seared foie gras; pan-seared John Dory or Swan Creek Farm ribeye; and pastry chef Toni Roberts's double chocolate sundae, lemon pudding cake and a selection of artisanal cheeses. Each guest gets a glass of champagne; DJ Sativa spins throughout the evening.
One of 2009's hottest new restaurants offers a special tasting menu during three seatings on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Eat and drink up high at this 70th-floor restaurant's NYE celebration. The early seating (5:30-7 p.m.) includes a six-course meal, while the late seating (9 p.m. on, $225) includes live entertainment, two fireworks shows and a midnight champagne toast.
You'll enjoy live jazz, disco, rock and pop (from Jin & Tonic), a bottle of champagne per couple, balloons, streamers, party favors and more at this Bucktown party. Food (including chef's special dinner menus and the regular menu) is available at an additional cost. Call for reservations.
Enjoy a special four-course menu followed by a Cotton Club-themed party beginning at 10 p.m. Hotel packages are available at the adjacent Hilton hotel.
Celebrate early or late at ComedySportz. At 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., the Family Show (appropriate for grade-school children and teens) provides hearty laughs and a special early countdown, while the regular show at 10 p.m. will be followed by an after-party with a champagne toast and retro dance party (the bar will stay open until 2 a.m.).
Mashup master Girl Talk will put on a party for the ages at the Congress Theater - while it'll be a bit less intimate than his last Chicago NYE show at the Empty Bottle, it'll be just as sweaty.
The later you sit, the bigger the celebration at this Willow Springs new American spot. The first seating features three courses at $55; the second seating includes four courses for $75, and the final seating offers five courses for $99. Expect live entertainment all evening and champagne at midnight.
You'll get four hours of premium open bar ('til 1 a.m.), a dinner buffet, passed hors d'oeuvres, a midnight champagne toast and more at this club bash. DJ Dante the Don performs a late-night set.
Take a trip around the world at this cosmopolitan bash than lets guests experience the culture, music and cuisine of Paris, Rio De Janeiro, Tokyo and Dubai. Each stop (where you can get your passport stamped) includes themed cocktails and culinary bites; your ticket includes four and a half hours of "ultra-premium" open bar, stationed and passed hors d'oeuvres, a champagne reception and midnight toast and more. Enjoy entertainment from DJ Jazzy Eyewear, Funky Couture, Greg Bauer, DJ Torio, DJ Kalendar, James Lauer, Dalton Finney and DJ Mwelwa. Go to crimsonchicago.com for tickets.
Party all night at this all-inclusive bash, featuring a four-hour premium open bar, a midnight champagne toast, party favors and a balloon drop.
Spend all night at Cuna, starting with an inclusive dinner ($65) from 7-8:30 p.m. that includes a cocktail hour starting at 6 p.m. The three-course, prix-fixe dinner menu will consist of an appetizer, main course and dessert. The regular bar package includes five hours of open bar (9 p.m.-2 a.m.) featuring all premium well liquor, draft and bottled beer and wine. The VIP package includes reserved seating in either the raised VIP seating area or the private party space dubbed "The Den", a high-end bottle of vodka and a bottle of champagne for your table, five hours of open bar and party favors. A DJ will spin throughout the night.
This Printers Row gem offers a special four-course menu with selections; eat early (5:30-7 p.m.; $75) or late (8:30-10 p.m.; $110). The late seating includes a champagne toast, live jazz and party favors.
Semi-formal attire is required at the James Bond-themed bash at one of Chicago's newest nightclubs. The ticket price includes four hours of open bar and "butler passed" hors d'oeuvres. Buy tickets at NewYears.com.
Head up to this 29th-floor indoor rooftop lounge for premium open bar 'til 1 a.m., passed hors d'oeuvres (including dessert canapes), a champagne toast and more.
The Polkaholics preside over this low-budget, cash-bar party at the German-American Cultural Center.
Yea! Man hosts this NYE bash which includes Rehab vs. Dark Wave Disco DJs, DJ Skyler and BBU (live).
Enjoy a decadent four-course menu at this modern steakhouse, beginning with a selection of shared appetizers (foie gras mousse, kobe beef sashimi, seared ahi tuna tacos, oysters on the half shell), then followed by your choice of an appetizer, soup or salad and a choice of entree (including South Side Filet, 40-day dry-aged bone-in ribeye, seared Alaskan King salmon and surf and turf) with two sides. Desert options include tiramisu creme brulee, cheesecake lollipops and caramel pain perdu.
Bar packages start at $65 at this dance-crazy Wicker Park club.
Who needs champagne when you can toast 2010 with a PBR? The unconventional celebration caps off a night of delicious food, as Lynne Wallack's Lakeview restaurant offers a four-course menu in addition to its regular menu. Guests will enjoy bolete mushroom soup; crisped lobster and cave-aged marissa ravioli with baby frisee and truffle brown butter sauce; your choice of braised pork shank with sweet potatoes dauphine, fried apples and sauteed spinach or bacon-wrapped halibut with rosemary shallot potaqtoes, wild mushrooms and fennel seed aioli or prime rib with mashed potatoes, braised carrots and roasted shallot blue cheese sauce; and your choice of chocolate bourbon pecan pie, Granny Smith apple pie, chocolate and cheese plate or chocolate mousse with bourbon-soaked cherries. If PBR doesn't sate you, add on an extra $15 for beer pairings.
DJ Tony spins Morrissey and The Smiths all night at this extravaganza, which also features $3 pints of Hobgoblin and $3 Bushmills whiskey.
Fuel up for your celebration with a four-course meal at this West Loop spot, featuring your choice of salad, entree (pan-seared scallops, short ribs, filet mignon) and a creme caramel dessert.
Swank in the New Year at District's cocktail bash. So, slip on your Sunday best and spend the evening sipping champagne with District's $90 open bar, which gets you top shelf beverages and a bubbly midnight toast.
Eat (a full dinner with prime rib), drink (four hours open bar) and bowl at this all-inclusive party at your favorite rock 'n' bowl spot. Reservations required.
Division Ale House features a five-hour call drink package, which includes wine, select beers and call liquor, plus the bar includes a bountiful buffet. No package would be complete without a midnight champagne toast, party favors and DJs.
Watch the master mixologists in action at this lounge below Mercadito in River North, where you can enjoy two hours of handcrafted cocktails and hors d'oeuvres (from Mercadito). If you've got a group of six or more (plus a lot of dough), you can reserve a table for $1,050, which includes a premium cocktail package, a select bottle and hors d'oeuvres.
Chicago favorites Local H headline a New Year's Eve show that also includes high-energy Detroit band Electric Six. Tickets include a hosted bar.
Chicago Scene again hosts an over-the-top bash in the Drake Hotel, featuring pretty much everything you could want in an NYE celebration. Within four ballrooms, there'll be a premium open bar from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., staffed by 45 bars and bartenders, gourmet hors d'oeuvres, a live cover-band performance, DJs spinning dance, house, hip-hop, disco and more (DJ JEM and drummer Marty Kane top the list), a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight and dessert and coffee after the ball drops. Spring for a VIP ticket and you'll get access to private areas in two ballrooms, with private seating areas and servers. Get more info and buy tickets here.
This Bucktown spot's four-course menu includes choices like a white pizza with lobster, trumpet mushrooms, taleggio, lemon zest and herb salad; a Thai bouillabaisse with Chilean sea bass, mussels and rock shrimp; artisanal cheese plate with fruit bread; and a caramelized lemon tart with strawberry-cardamom, cupcake and ice cream sandwich. The New Year's seating will be at 11 p.m.
The Rick Embach Duo kicks off this party, which features a three-course prime rib meal with champagne and party favors. The Nigel Mack Duo closes things out and helps the crowd count down to midnight.
Rock in 2010 with Chicago favorites The Smoking Popes, Makeshift Prodigy and Girl in a Coma.
It's safe to say you'll be, er, overjoyed about the options at this new contemporary spot in the Hotel Felix. Choose from an early seating (6-6:30 p.m.; $55, four courses) or late seating (9-9:30 p.m.; $75, five courses) with a champagne toast.
Model Stranger headlines this show which also includes Dan Tedesco and the Long Haul. LOUNGE will spin dance music all night long. Your ticket includes open bar 'til 1 a.m., plus party favors and champagne.
Enjoy an open bar, midnight champagne toast, and a DJ playing top 40, hip-hop, dance and '80s tracks at this Gold Coast bar. Buy tickets at NewYears.com.
Swedish pop sensation (not in the ABBA sense) Jens Lekman brings his charming ditties to the Empty Bottle for what should be a fun and funny New Year's Eve performance. Let's hope he brings the brass, too.
Fall into the rabbit hole at this Alice in Wonderland-themed NYE party featuring four and a half hours of premium open bar, an appetizer buffet and more. Find a white rabbit and you'll get a limo ride home - free!
Celebrate the beginning of the new year in style with a full premium bar, fully stocked buffets featuring elegant party fare and resident DJs spinning. The NYE package includes champagne service all night long. English will screen the Times Square ball drop on the bar's 10 flat-screen TVs and will also screen live local coverage at midnight. Contact Katrina at (312) 222-6200 for bottle service information and booth inquiries.
The Wicker Park Italian eatery offers a five-course meal with wine pairings, courtesy of chef Fabio Sorano.
You choose how much you want to spend at this bash, ranging from your basic $40 (admission and cash bar) to "Gold" ($59, open bar from 7-11 p.m., buffet from 7-9:30 p.m.) to premium ($99, premium open bar from 8 p.m.-midnight and access to private party rooms) to super premium ($125, just like premium except you get access to the VIP Penthouse).
The original Bucktown location of this eclectic restaurant offers a four-course menu including a glass of champagne. Not into commitment? A limited a la carte menu will be available at the bar.
The popular Lincoln Square neighborhood restaurant offers a three-course menu with options like broiled scallops with caramelized fennel & onion, mussel cream and aged Pecorino cheese; Peking duck breast with farro, pistachios, sweet potatoes, black mission fig and port wine sauce; and chocolate fudge ganache cake. Add on wine for $17/person.
Enjoy complimentary red beans 'n' rice, party favors and a midnight champagne toast as R&B boogie pianist Marcia Ball plays at this Berwyn nightclub.
Spend New Year's Eve with a view of the Chicago River as you enjoy a five-course meal (including a glass of champagne) at this Streeterville restaurant. Add on wine pairings for $50.
Read our review, then see Gomez (Nathan Lane), Morticia (Bebe Neuwirth) and the rest of the creepy clan at the pre-Broadway run of "The Addams Family."
Your ticket to this bash includes unlimited premium liquor, drafts and bottles, Red Bull, champagne and appetizers.
Chef Jason Paskewitz's new Lincoln Park restaurant offers three seatings for a three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The first two seatings are $55, while the last, at 10 p.m., will include a champagne toast at midnight and cost $65. The menu includes choices of winter salad, cream of mushroom soup or jumbo shrimp; stuffed cornish hen, pan-roasted sea bass or grilled filet of beef; and triple chocolate mousse or bananas foster trifle.
You'll get three courses (baby greens salad, surf and turf and chocolate and hazelnut cake) plus a glass of champagne if you choose to dine here for New Year's Eve. Want to make a night of it? Add on a stay at the adjacent Crowne Plaza Glen Ellyn-Lombard for just $69.
Go big or small at this inventive River North restaurant, which features an early (6-6:30 p.m. seatings) four-course menu ($79) and a late (8:30-9 p.m. seatings) eight-course menu. The later seating includes a sparkling cocktail and will get you out in time to hit a party before the ball drops.
Eat and drink all you want well into 2010 at this Lincoln Park favorite.
Legendary electronic duo The Crystal Method headlines a massive club event at Green Dolphin Street. Supporting them on the bill will be 13 other DJs, including Mario Florek and Just Joey. Pay $40 to get in the door, or double it for a VIP ticket, which includes open bar from 9 p.m.-midnight. Tickets available at www.clubtix.net.
Von Freeman and Ed Petersen participate in a "Battle of the Saxes" at this legendary Uptown jazz club; stick around from midnight-4 a.m. for a special late-night jam session (cover is $5 from midnight-2 a.m., and free afterward).
Thinking of going vegetarian in 2010? Prepare with a flavorful five-course menu at this West Town standout that goes light on the meat. Add on wine pairings for $45 per person.
Hang with your friends at this Viagra Triangle bar, where you can get all beer, wine, well and call cocktails in this package deal (no shots or Red Bull, unfortunately).
Lincoln Park Young Professionals and Lavish Magazine host this party including four hours of premium open bar with wine tastings, gourmet hors d'oeuvres (including a pizza bar) and desserts including a chocolate buffet. Tickets can be purchased at lavishmagazine.com.
You can enjoy the regular menu at this favorite Italian steakhouse, but for a real "Holy Cow!" experience, try the four-course prix-fixe including your choice of seared Chilean sea bass or filet mignon (add $20 for wine pairings). You'll get a complimentary noise-maker and champagne toast at midnight either way.
The Wrigleyville bar's An Evening With Bubbles includes a dinner buffet, call drinks, beer and a champagne toast - expect bubbles to be everywhere. DJ/VJ Rain provides the audiovisual entertainment.
Playboy throws its New Year's party with help from rapper Pitbull. If there were ever a place to get crunk (in formal attire, of course), this is it, with a four-hour premium open bar, hors d'oeuvres, live casino gambling and more in three ballrooms.
The Resort's Fire & Ice gala includes a cocktail reception with gourmet hors d'oeuvres, five-course dinner with choice of entree, six-and-a-half-hours of premium open bar, live music from "The Hat Guys," a midnight champagne toast, party favors and a balloon drop. Should you choose to spring for the overnight option, you'll get champagne and truffles delivered to your room, a lavish bruch for two in the morning, and late check-out at 2 p.m.
You'll get it all at this celebration, including a five-course mixed grill dinner with wine, five hours of open bar with a champagne toast at midnight, dancing to an The Michael Heaton Band and DJ, and deluxe overnight accomodations with a late 2 p.m. checkout. Buy tickets at NewYears.com.
You'll get it all at this celebration, including a four-course dinner with wine, five hours of open bar with a champagne toast at midnight, dancing to an eight-piece band and DJ, and deluxe overnight accomodations with a late 2 p.m. checkout. Buy tickets at NewYears.com.
Enjoy a special (and optional) four-course menu at this seafood spot in the Westin Lombard.
How's this for a one-two-three punch: grab a four-course dinner at CityGate Grille (8:30 p.m. seating) or, for $20 more, a five-course meal at SugarToad (8:30 p.m. seating), then enjoy open bar from 10:30 p.m.-2 a.m. at CityGate and overnight accommodations in a deluxe Hotel Arista room. Now that's a New Year's Eve celebration.
Take a trip around the world at this cosmopolitan bash than lets guests experience the culture, music and cuisine of Paris, Rio De Janeiro, Tokyo and Dubai. Each stop (where you can get your passport stamped) includes themed cocktails and culinary bites; your ticket includes four and a half hours of "ultra-premium" open bar, stationed and passed hors d'oeuvres, a champagne reception and midnight toast and more. Enjoy entertainment from DJ Jazzy Eyewear, Funky Couture, Greg Bauer, DJ Torio, DJ Kalendar, James Lauer, Dalton Finney and DJ Mwelwa. Go to crimsonchicago.com for tickets.
The HOB brings it back to the old school with a performance from '90s rockers Big Head Todd & the Monsters.
Alt-rockers Urge Overkill celebrate New Year's like it's the mid-'90s at the House of Blues' Back Porch Stage.
R&B specialist Professor John performs for a whopping eight hours (we're hoping he gets breaks) at this classic Rush Street eatery. There will be party favors and a champagne toast at midnight.
You get it all at this hotel party, including a dinner buffet, dancing to both a live band (the Lisa Rene Band) and a DJ (Dave Dieter), six hours of premium open bar, a champagne toast, balloon drop and a stay in a suite-sized room with late checkout.
The Hyatt hosts this bash along with JACK FM 104.3, with a lineup including live entertainment from cover band 7th Heaven, a DJ, premium open bar, buffet stations (open until 11 p.m.), party favors, prizes and more.
Eat early (5 p.m.) with the kids at this Hinsdale Italian restaurant; they'll get a special menu for just $10, while you'll enjoy three courses for $35 and then count down to 2010 at 6:30 p.m.. Later seatings include a four-course menu with champagne.
Chef John des Rosiers has created a three-course menu where guests have four selections in each course. A meal might include lobster agnolotti, marinated guinea hen breast with wild hedgehog mushrooms and dijon mustard pinot noir reduction, and tres leches cake with caramelized maple syrup sauce and spicy cashews.
Alt-rock favorites The Gin Blossoms ("Hey Jealousy," "Till I Hear It From You") headline this music-centric bash near the airport. Other performers in the multi-space party include old-school hip-hop band Too White Crew, '80s cover band The Breakfast Club and DJ Roland and others in the Tom Tom Room. General admission includes a four-hour open bar and party favors. Room packages are available starting from $139; call the hotel for info. For tickets only, call (800) 745-3000 or visit www.ticketmaster.com.
The Pub Theater Company presents a special New Year's Eve performance of "Bye Bye Liver: The Chicago Drinking Play," followed by a post-show party with drink specials, games and a midnight champagne toast. Get your tickets at byebyeliver.com.
Toast the return of this restaurant to the Evanston scene with a special five-course menu (available after 7 p.m.) including a complimentary cocktail and your choice of seafood dish (Maine lobster or sea bass) and land dish (free range capon or osso bucco). Add on wine pairings for $25.
Legendary jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove brings his quintet to the Jazz Showcase, continuing a six-night run with a special New Year's Eve show.
The boys at Joey's toast 2010 with an all-inclusive bash featuring prime meat, jumbo rock shrimp, New York pizza and, of course, plenty of booze. Reservations suggested.
John Barleycorn offers an inclusive New Year's Eve party package including a premium bar featuring wine, domestic and imported beers and premium liquor, plus an upscale buffet featuring appetizers and more substantial fare.
Two parties are more fun than one at John Barleycorn Schaumburg. In the club the venue offers an inclusive party package featuring a premium bar including wine, domestic and imported bottled beers and premium liquor, passed hors d'oeuvre and a buffet.Booth reservations are $250, which includes a bottle of champagne, a bottle of 4 Rebels Premium or Dragonfruit Vodka and a spacious booth for your group for the evening.The restaurant features dinner specials such as a $25.95 prime rib dinner and a $59.95 land and sea dinner-for-two.
The Wrigleyville outpost of this party bar offers an inclusive party package including a premium bar featuring wine, domestic and imported beers and premium liquor, plus a bountiful buffet featuring upscale appetizers and more from 9 p.m-1:30 a.m. Other amenities include a midnight champagne toast and party favors, plus Barleycorn's resident DJ spins. Booth reservations and bottle service are available for additional fees.
Not planning on binge drinking? This Maxwell Street lounge is your spot, where an Andrew Jackson gets you in for an appetizer buffet and a midnight champagne toast.
You can control your cost at this Mundelein Pan-Asian restaurant, where your choice of entree dictates the price of the three-course meal. Choose from grilled marinated lamb chops w/ purple plum chutney, anise sweet potatoes and wilted swiss chard ($36); 24-ounce Porterhouse w/ wasabi mashed potatoes, wok-tossed Brussels sprouts and Shanghai sauce ($40); fried whole fish with chilies and garlic, sweet potato straws, steamed baby bok choy, shiitake mushrooms and Napa cabbage ($32); and Five Spice Chicken with Jasmine rice, baby vegetables and crispy onions ($28).
Eclectic electronica group Future Rock leads a New Year's Eve concert that also includes Dark Party (Eliot Lipp & Leo123) and DJ Thibault.
Your ticket to this bash includes unlimited premium liquor, drafts and bottles, Red Bull, champagne and appetizers.
Chef Omar Rodriguez welcomes diners for a four-course dinner including your choice of appetizer, soup or salad; entree selections including pappardelle with lobster cream sauce, lobster meat, red and black tobiko caviar; and choice of dessert plus chocolate-covered grapes.
Head up to the 10th floor ballroom of the Fine Arts Building on Michigan Avenue for a night of yoga, meditation and vegetarian food in an alcohol/tobacco-free environment. Make sure to bring along your own mat. Walk-ins not accepted.
If 2009 left you in need of an uplifting performance experience, may the splendid rear of Michelle L'Amour, duchess of Chicago burlesque, preside over the dawn of your 2010. L'Amour and her Starlets are planning two NYE performances at La Mediterranee, and the striptease will be as French as the four-course meal (included). With a champagne toast, bien sur.
You'll find three floors of entertainment at this huge speakeasy-themed bash, including four and a half hours of open bar, a full catered buffet, bands, DJs and more. The pricier VIP tickets pretty much mean better food and access to a special area on the third floor.
Reservations at this upscale French-Vietnamese spot are available beginning at 5 p.m., as chef Chan Le offers a three-course menu including amuse bouche, appetizer, entree and dessert.
What does this bash have to offer that others don't? How about a gourmet dinner buffet from Drawing Room chef Nick Lacasse to go along with the four-hour premium open bar and champagne splits at midnight. You'll also get free admission to the after-party, which goes 'til 4 a.m.
Super-eclectic brother-sister duo The Fiery Furnaces play Lincoln Park's newest music venue for New Year's Eve. Though their latest album, I'm Going Away (and its alternate version, Take Me Round Again), have something of a '70s pop feel, expect a variety of styles, as these two have run the gamut from experimental psychedelia to soft indie pop (they have a lot of love for the Beatles, it seems). This is also something of a homecoming, as the Friedbergers hail from Oak Park.
"Don't Spit the Water," a giddy live game show that asks audience contestants to hold cheekfuls of water while withstanding assaults from bizarro gimmick comedians, headlines what might be Chicago's least pretentious New Year's bash. The Chuckle Bowl, held at dive bowling alley Lincoln Square Lanes, features open bowling, vid screens looping comedic found footage, free pizza and cheap booze. At midnight, toast the High Life with Miller.
Guests at this Lincoln Square French spot will enjoy a tasty meal (and a complimentary kir royale cocktail) regardless of when they sit down. Early arrivals (before 7 p.m.) will get a $55 four-course meal including a choice of appetizers (foie gras torchon, parsnip bisque, tuna carpaccio or baby arugula salad), entrees (roasted venison strip loin, pan-roasted poussin, braised beef cheeks or herbed crepe gratinee), a cheese plate and dessert (tarte Tatin, chocolate or creme brulee). After 7 p.m., a five-course menu ($85) is available, with an extra pre-entree course added: your choice of half lobster, diver scallops, pan-roasted whitefish and truffle risotto. There will also be a midnight champagne toast, should you care to join.
Chef Philip Foss offers a special selection of dishes, from which diners can choose two courses ($45), three courses ($55) or a Signature Tasting ($95). Selections include gingerman-crusted foie gras, spaghetti with eggplant 'bolognese' and duck breast and leg rillette.
Electro-pop duo Crystal Castles, known for its frenetic stage show, headlines this 17-plus event which also includes DJ Alex Zelenka, Midnight Conspiracy and Pretty Good Dance Moves.
The 75-year-old Bucktown bar offers its new thin-crust pizza as part of a full buffet spread. Your ticket also gets you access to a premium open bar and a midnight champagne toast.
Enjoy drink specials like $3 Marani vodka, $3 shots of Cazadores and Jameson, $3 Malibu and Bacardi flavors, $4 bottles of Grolsch and $10 Champagne splits while you bowl, play pool or watch Uncle Jesse's Hair play live in the Wine Room.
Guests at this party will enjoy top-shelf open bar (no shots or Red Bull), a buffet, midnight champagne toast and more.
You might lose all manners by the time the four hours of premium open bar is through, but don't stuff your face too much on the passed hors d'oeuvres or buffet fare, or you won't have room for the champagne toast at midnight.
Don't want to pay for your kid to pick at some gourmet food? At Marche, you don't have to; during the early evening (seatings at 5:30, 6 and 6:30 p.m.), kids eat free (one per dining parent) from a menu including chicken tenders, petit burgers, grilled cheese, pommes frites and more. A fake countdown takes place at 7:30 p.m. Adults will enjoy a special $45 menu, which they can also enjoy after 8 p.m. along with live entertainment - including burlesque dancers and a fire-eater. The meal includes surf and turf with seasonal vegetables and whipped potatoes.
The John Paluch Trio (featuring Nadine Karavidas, Cliff Gabor, Laury Shelley and Clifford Davis, Jr.) plays all night at this favorite Northwest Side pizza spot. Admission includes a champagne toast and party favors. Come early for the Gino Fontine Strolling Trio, which plays tableside beginning at 8 p.m.
Local tribute band Tributosaurus channels Tom Petty (and the Heartbreakers, presumably) for this special New Year's Eve show.
For the price of admission to this Lincoln Park bar, you'll get a premium open bar package, midnight champagne toast, balloon drop and more.
You'll get four courses for $45 at this Pilsen restaurant, with a menu including appetizer, soup or salad, a surf and turf special with filet mignon and tiger prawns, and a special dessert. The regular menu will also be available.
This Viagra Triangle staple keeps it simple: five hours of premium open bar and a dinner buffet. We're sure you will be pleased with the results.
Admission to this extravaganza includes a two-hour live tournament, a four-course meal, a tour of the Museum of Torture, DJs, dancing, a champagne toast and, of course, "medieval style" fireworks.
Enjoy a five-course menu from chef Patricio Sandoval at this upscale Mexican spot, inlcuding guacamoles, ceviches, tacos and more for $50 per person. Add another $50 if you want the drink package, which includes all cocktails under $11. You can also dine in the lounge, where the menu will run you $40 and the food/drink package is $80. The regular dinner menu will be available until 9 p.m.
Talk about bang for your buck. For the admission price, you'll get a six-hour party at this Wrigleyville staple, including open bar, food buffet, DJ'd tunes, a champagne toast, party favors and more.
You can eat early or late at this Spanish spot, with before-7 p.m. diners enjoying a four-course menu (kids eat free before 7). Eat later, and you'll select your $45 dinner from choices like empanadas, grilled sea scallops and more (a kids' menu will also be available). A guitarist and flamenco dancer will provide entertainment for the later guests.
If you saw The Jesus Lizard at the Pitchfork Music Festival over the summer, you know the alt-rockers know how to throw a party. At Metro, David Yow and company will get a dedicated crowd already looking to get crazy (instead of many indifferent Built to Spill fans), so watch out.
South-of-the-border flair awaits you at Moe's. Take advantage of a package including a premium bar package featuring margaritas, sangria, Mexican and domestic beers, premium liquor and an upscale Mexican buffet. Live it up big with a booth reservations ($250), which includes a bottle of champagne, a bottle of 4 Rebels Premium or Dragonfruit Vodka. Bottle service ranges from $100-$600.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Steak is the standout at this restaurant, which offers a special three-course menu on New Year's Eve. The regular menu will also be available.
Enjoy an interactive screening of the 1972 film "The Poseidon Adventure," about an ocean liner that capsizes on New Year's Eve. The Camp Midnight players will provide running commentary, and the film will be timed so that the characters on screen celebrate the new year at the same time the audience does. Admission includes a champagne toast.
Enjoy fireworks, a dinner buffet and premium open bar as part of this party on the lake. Each couple gets a boarding photo as well. The Blue After-Dark DJs will spin hip-hop, R&B and club mixes for dancing. Open seating.
A DJ plays while you enjoy five hours of premium open bar, an appetizer buffet, a midnight champagne toast and more in the Southport Corridor.
Enjoy three (early seating) or five (late) courses of modern Latin cuisine at this River North restaurant, with selections including a tapas platter, grilled seafood paella, chicken mole verde, Mexican chocolate cake and more. After dinner's done, DJ George will provide the beats for a night of dancing. If you weren't a dinner guest, you'll be welcomed in after 9:30 p.m. for a cover of $20. There will be a midnight champagne toast as well.
Celebrate the New Year a little early with the kids at Navy Pier - the all-ages Family New Year's Eve bash includes hip-hop dance performances, live music and double dutch jumpers as the Winter WonderStage (inside the Winter WonderFest). The performances will be followed by a special fireworks show at 8:15 p.m.
Navy Pier presents a special concert by Chicago's own DJ Madrid, who will spin pop and dance hits 'til just before a special midnight fireworks show.
Advance tickets are required for this New Year's Eve presentation of a classic Chicago favorite. Doors open at 9:30 p.m. for non-alcoholic refreshments and hors d'oeuvres provided by Whole Foods Market Sauganash. The all-ages performance of Too Much Light Makes The Baby Go Blind begins at 11 p.m. sharp - no admittance after 11 p.m. There will be a toast and pizza at midnight.
Theo Ubique, with its young, gutsy casts and atmospherically gunky venue, almost makes showtunes cool. Almost. For the Eve, this small company will help you get your geek on in the intimate dark of the No Exit Cafe. Start with selections from the current show, "Man of La Mancha," break for snacks, then come right back for a set of musical-theater favorites at 11 p.m. Your ticket comes with an open bar, party favors and a glass of the bubbly at midnight.
Executive chef Christophe David goes big with a five-course tasting menu including truffled beef consomme with foie gras and puff pastry; a choice of sushi and sashimi or Alaskan King Crab with sunchoke, celery and smoked caviar; choice of handmade pasta carbonara, prime beef tenderloin with black trump, roasted marrow and sauce Bourdelaise, or butter-poached Maine lobster; a cheese, chocolate and nuts course; and a trio of desserts. Wine pairings are available for an additional $80/person. The Lounge will be open for reservations after 10 p.m., with a $90/person minimum.
This New Year's, put yourself in the hands of a diva. Hometown heroine E. Faye Butler, who blasted audiences away with lead performances in "Ella" and "Caroline or Change," will sing out 2009 with verve and a jazz trio. Perfect for grownups who want to be in bed at a reasonable hour, this show will take you through the American songbook starting at 8 p.m.
Guests at this penthouse bash will get a premium open bar (including Red Bull drinks) from 9 p.m.-1 a.m., hors d'oeuvres throughout the night, including dessert at midnight, and plenty of party favors.
Sip on call cocktails, domestic bottles, draft beer and wine as you enjoy passed appetizers and diverse DJ'd music starting at 9 p.m. There'll be a champagne toast at midnight. Don't want to commit to a package? You can pay just $10 and get everything but the open bar.
Put some twang into your celebration with a concert featuring the Infamous Stringdusters and Uncle Earl.
Enjoy six hours of hosted bar, tapas and hors d'oeuvres, two floors of nonstop music, a midnight champagne toast and more at this Lakeview lounge.
End the year right with a decadent five-course menu courtesy of chef Michael McDonald, whose offerings include housemade saffron linguini, chilled Florida stone crab, seared foie gras, butter-poached wagyu beef and a bittersweet chocolate terrine.
Flash back to the disco era at this South Loop spot, where the retro four-course menu includes crab dip, liver and onions, lamb stroganoff and a Jello mold dessert.
The State Street Italian restaurant will serve up its popular Italian Dinner Party menu (unlimited antipasti and pasta, choice of entree and two sides) on New Year's Eve. The final seating will be at 9:45 p.m.
Start out your New Year's right with a scrumptious dinner. Chef Alain Njike will be serving a $40 three course, prix-fixe menu from 5 - 8 p.m. Stay after dinner for a New Year’s Eve soiree. A live band will entertain guests followed by DJ-spun music. Complimentary passed appetizers, mini desserts and a midnight champagne toast served in take-home keepsake flutes, as well as a cash bar and an appetizer menu for purchase will be available throughout the evening.
If you don't have the energy to hail a cab after a sumptuous three- or five-course meal at this Millennium Park restaurant, don't worry. After the complimentary champagne toast at midnight, you can get a free trolley ride home.
The Bandoleros provide live entertainment at this celebration, which includes a five-course menu and a complimentary glass of champagne for each guest.
Chef Ryan Poli offers a three-course menu at this Old Town restaurant.
You'll barely have time to finish the seven-course meal at this famed restaurant, which also offers a midnight champagne toast and dancing to the sounds of Nan Mason at its bash. Proper attire is required.
Enjoy $1 drinks all night (hey, you were gonna tip anyway, right?) and live music at this Wrigleyville craft-beer haven.
Classic ('70s) rockers Tight Phantomz headline a New Year's Eve show at this Logan Square beer haven.
Enjoy a five-course menu, plus a complimentary glass of Gruet sparkling wine, at this upscale Evanston restaurant.
You can bet that the special four-course menu here will include plenty of mole sauces, the specialty of chef Geno Bahena. Each guest will receive a complimentary cocktail and party favors, plus DJ entertainmetn after 9 p.m. The regular menu will be available, but only until 8 p.m.
Party with five friends at this "Rock Me Amadeus"-inspired evening at the Trump Hotel & Tower. Each group will receive table seating, a bottle of Dom Perignon champagne and a choice of a seafood tower (including sashimi, maki rolls, oysters and more) or a dessert tower. Each additional bottle/tower is $205.
Suck down beers and call liquor and enjoy a pizza buffet and a champagne toast at midnight at this Wrigleyville celebration. Add an additional $10 per person and you can get a table with your own server.
The storytellers of 2nd Story brings their tale-telling prowess to Red Kiva for a second annual party ("Stories and Bubbly") featuring four new original tales, live music from Seeking Wonderland, a champagne toast, snacks and a dessert bar. Themed cocktails (inspired by the evening's stories) and flatbread pizzas will be available. Storytellers Khanisha Foster, Larry Kerns, Julie Ganey and Deb Lewis (stories conclude at midnight).
This New Year's Eve show features the Rogers Park All-Stars - aka American/bluegrass artists from several local bands. They include Micki Croisant (Good Name Band), Justin Gillam (Mudflapps), James Weigel (Outlaw Family Band), Ian Broeker (Grizzly Sweets), Barb Hale (Super Mini Trio), Brian Koehler (Old No 8), Barrett Tasky (MWC) and Brettly Kawaguchi (The Reunion).
Seattle county-punk rockers Supersuckers ring in the new year at Reggie's.
Irish rockers The Tossers headline an eclectic night of upbeat music which also includes Yakuza (avant-garde metal), Teen Idols (punk) and Scott Lucas (of Local H) and the Married Men.
Dine early (5-8 p.m.) with a four-course menu or late (8-11 p.m.) with a five-course menu at this Winnetka French standout. Both meals include appetizer, fish, entree and dessert courses plus a glass of champagne, with the later diners getting an additional truffle course. After eating, dance to live music from a two-piece combo (music begins at 7:30 p.m.).
Enjoy live music (Spires That In The Sunset Rise, Loto Ball Show, Redemr, The Funeral and the Twilight, Grace Kulp, Stupid Dances), free food and drink 'til dawn (including breakfast and mimosas), aerial entertainment from Aloft and more at this Humboldt Park gallery.
Enjoy $1 drinks all night (hey, you were gonna tip anyway, right?) and live music at this Wrigleyville craft-beer haven.
Two guys, one huge blues revival sound. The Black Keys are a force of nature, and they're bringing their energy to the Riv for New Year's Eve. Prepare to have your ears ringing well into 2010.
Get a whopping six hours of premium open bar, plus passed hors d'oeuvres, a dinner buffet, a midnight champagne toast and more at this River North party.
Make a resolution to attend Rockwood's New Year's Eve party. The package includes a premium bar, a buffet, plus a midnight champagne toast and party favors. The bar's resident DJs spin all night. Watch the ball drop on one of Rockwood's 50-inch flat-screens.Booth reservations are available for parties of six or more.
Just because summer's long gone, it doesn't mean you can't party at one of the season's hottest rooftop lounges; it does have an indoor portion, after all. You will pay for the pleasure; the high-priced ticket includes five hours of premium open bar, a midnight champagne toast, small bites and music from four local DJs - plus access to the party at The Wit downstairs. Want to make a night of it? For $777/couple, you get all of that plus one night's stay in a deluxe guest room/suite.
Chicago's friendliest blues club gets even friendlier at the end of the year with an event including party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. And if you enjoy dancing all night to live blues band Melvin Taylor & the Slack Band, you're in luck; your admission gets you in free on your next visit.
As a special New Year's gift, get this famed steakhouse's Filet & Lobster combo (a six-ounce filet paired with an eight-ounce lobster tail) for $39.95.
The new Mexican-French fusion spot offers a five-course menu featuring dishes like black cod al pibil, chipotle and potato smooth cream soup with mussels custard, and a margarita parfait. Best of all, it's BYOB, so you can bring along your own champagne for the celebration.
The five-course menu at this upscale Mexican standout includes a choice of appetizer, soup and salad, a choice of entree (featuring rack of baby lamb in a pasilla-tomatillo sauce, grilled prawns marinated in orange juice and guajillo chiles and garlic-marinated quail in an ancho-chile honey sauce) and choice of dessert. There will be three seatings: 5:30-6 p.m. ($65), 7-8 p.m. ($75) and 9:30-10 p.m. ($85). Teh late seating includes a champagne toast at midnight. Los Duques will provide live music throughout the evening.
Enjoy five hours of premium open bar including Red Bull and specialty tequila cocktails, a dinner buffet, midnight champagne toast and more at this party in Wicker Park. Group discounts are available.
Sit down for a three-course meal (appetizer, pizza or panini and dessert; seatings from 5-9 p.m., $25), enjoy open bar (10 p.m.-2 a.m., $60 in advance, $70 at the door) with call brands and select wines, or combine the two for $75.
Your ticket to this bash includes unlimited premium liquor, drafts and bottles, Red Bull, champagne and appetizers.
Freewheeling rocker Bobby Bare Jr. headlines Schubas' New Year's Eve show, supported by Nashville '70s revivalist David Vandervelde and local psych-folk dude Ben Clarke.
Catch a special New Year's Eve showing of the Second City's new show, "Taming of the Flu."
"Studs Terkel's Not Working" continues its run on the Second City's ETC stage with two shows on New Year's Eve.
Beer lovers will enjoy the selection at this five-hour open bar event, as choices include Abita Purple Haze, Rogue Dead Guy and more (as well as house wines, Absolut, Tanqueray, Jameson and Captain Morgan). Soak it up with bar food like mini pulled pork sandwiches, tater tots, cheese curds, mini grilled cheese and more.
Your ticket to this bash includes unlimited premium liquor, drafts and bottles, Red Bull, champagne and appetizers.
Party like an old-time rock star with live music from Soda, The New Invaders and The Tony Calderisi Trio at this 95th floor bash. The event includes open bar and gourmet food and requires "cocktail attire."
DJs Intel and Pickel (who'll be celebrating his birthday) spin funk, soul, hip-hop and '80s all night at this no-cover bash in Wicker Park.
The beats will be banging all night long courtesy of Santiago, The Hood Internet, John Patterson, Sassmouth, Bald E. and Nate Manic.
Enjoy a premium open bar (8 p.m.-1 a.m.), party favors, a balloon drop, midnight champagne toast, live countdown on plasma TVs and more at this ticket-limited event in Lincoln Park. Table service is available, as is the full appetizer menu.
Fill up on sangria (and more from the premium open bar), food and more at this party in the Southport corridor.
Beausoleil will turn this Evanston venue into a Louisiana party with its Cajun tunes. Table reservations are available.
Jill Sobule and Julia Sweeney (whom you may have seen on Saturday Night Live) join forces for a night of songs and stories at SPACE. Reserved table seating is available.
Polished 20 and 30somethings will get down to top 40 tunes at this premium open-bar bash in Old Town.
Chef Dale Levitski (of "Top Chef" fame) and his crew offer one seating only for a special six-course menu along with two intermezzos, complimentary champagne and a mignardise (small sweet treats usually served with coffee). Add on $40 for wine pairings.
Tony-winning playwright Tracy Letts stars in "American Buffalo," a David Mamet play about three small-time crooks planning a heist at a rundown Chicago junk shop. Pre- and post-show packages including dinner, dancing and champagne at Vinci are available for $90-$120.
Enjoy $5 champagne and $5 Jager shots all night, plus a $7.95 special of sauerkraut and ribs with black-eyed peas (some sort of good luck thing) at this OTB emporium. There's no cover charge.
Local indie-rockers Margot and the Nuclear So and So's perform live at Subterranean on New Year's Eve.
Savor a four-course menu at this River North steakhouse, along with live entertainment after 5 p.m. Early diners (before 6 p.m.) pay just $49, while later diners will pay $69 and enjoy a champagne toast at midnight.
Enjoy a $50 four-course menu (sushi/appetizer, soup/salad, entree, dessert) beginning at 5:30 p.m., or choose the $100 Soiree in the upsatirs lounge, including a DJ, small passed appetizers and sushi and a premium open bar. If you just can't decide, you can get both for $125.
The four-course menu here includes caviar, lobster and beef tenderloin, but you can make your own choices when it comes to booze, as it's BYOB with no corkage fee.
Savor this moment - The Bristol is taking reservations for one night only. The special three-course dinner includes your choice of first course (roasted beets with housemade goat's milk ricotta and walnut bread, tuna conserva with beluga lentils and saba, or pork rillettes with toast and sauce ravigote) and second course (pistachio- and sausage-stuffed veal breast with Roman gnocchi, roasted cod with blood orange, Gaeta olive and Swiss chard, and celery root agnolotti with pear, Parmesan and balsamic. A selection of pastries, cookies and fudge will be available for dessert.
All drinks at this living-room-themed sports bar cost just $1 (that's including Grey Goose, Red Bull and all shots). There will also be a complimentary midnight champagne toast. DJ Risky Bizness spins. Get your tickets here.
Chef Nick Lacasse offers a custom five-course menu at this Gold Coast eatery. Guests will enjoy complimentary champagne along with dessert.
Pick your poison at this Division Street bar. The $50 package includes all beer and wine; the $75 package includes beer, wine, well and call cocktails; and the $100 package adds on top-shelf cocktails. No Red Bull or shots. If you're buying at the door, add $10 to your ticket price.
Saddle up for five hours of premium open bar, appetizers, a DJ, a midnight champagne toast and more at this Lakeview bar.
Enjoy an assortment of appetizers plus mixed drinks, domestic and import drafts and a midnight champagne toast at this Ravenswood bar. Call or email to RSVP.
You can go simple ($100 = premium open bar from 9 p.m.-2 a.m.), extravagant (an extra $50/person gets unlimited bottle service and a table for the night) or over-the-top (an additional $75/person gets you a five-course meal, early entry and a table) at this River West restaurant/lounge. DJ Justin Dahl provides the entertainment.
DJ Mark Fullaflava presides over the New Year's Eve party at the city's hottest new club. DJ 33 1/3 will also do a special music video set, as guests enjoy a complimentary midnight champagne toast and food all night. For $120, VIPs get express entry, special seating and a bottle of champagne. Specials include $150 bottles of Ciroc, Nuvo and Don Julio.
The Spot's third annual New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball includes a four-hour drink package, a full buffet (including prime rib sandwiches, pasta, a chocolate fountain and more), a midnight champagne toast and party favors.
Head back to the Roaring Twenties as the Tasting Room turns into a speakeasy for the night. The West Loop wine bar offers a full open bar (with independent bars serving up classic cocktails and champagne), passed hors d'oeuvres and DJ'd entertainment.
Party in 2009's biggest new boutique hotel - this five-hour party includes premium open bar, chef-inspired hors d'oeuvres stations, live music from the Spazmatics, two local DJs and a midnight champagne toast, plus access to the party at ROOF upstairs. Want to make a night of it? You can get all that (for two) plus one night's stay in a deluxe guest room or suite for $444.
Keep it cheap at this Streeterville favorite, where $15 gets you either a 24-ounce Miller High Life or a champagne split, plus an appetizer buffet at midnight, pool tables and party favors.
Pay the admission price and a world of call drinks, domestic drafts and bottles, dinner buffet, party favors, DJ'd entertainment and a midnight champagne toast is yours for the taking.
Celebrate the New Year Italian-style with a five-course meal including lobster, truffles and seafood salad with two antipasti, one primi, one secondi, one dolci and a glass of champagne for $65/person. If you prefer a liquid celebration, go for the $60 open bar package from 9 p.m.-2 a.m. Or - since it is New Year's Eve, after all - do both for $115.
You'll laugh, you'll dance, you'll stuff yourself silly at this Roaring '20s-style dinner theater, where the musical comedy comes with a full meal. Choose from prime rib, pork chops, salmon and boneless chicken breast entrees. For the holiday, add on a midnight champagne toast and DJs and dancing after da show.
Make it a classic Chicago New Year's Eve at this revamped tropical spot, which offers a four-course meal of baked Maui onion soup, mini surf & turf (crispy prawns and cherry-brandied short ribs), filet mignon or half-roasted chicken with asparagus or wasabi mashed potatoes, and a chocolate mousse bomb with blood orange for dessert. The meal comes iwth a bottle of Roderer Estate Champagne.
The Fatum Jazz Quintet comes to Uncommon Ground's Edgewater location for a special New Year's Eve performance. But that's not all; chef Brian Millman will also offer up a special holiday menu including items like braised pork belly with sage gnocchi and cider reduction, grilled NY strip steak with thyme butter and butternut squash rosti and chocolate "pot pie." If you're an early bird, you can be seated at 5 or 5:30 p.m. and get a special menu for a reduced price of $60.
Ring in the new year with the city's elite partiers at this subterranean club, whose party features a premium open bar and dinner package, plus a champagne toast at midnight. Head to tickets.com (keyword: The Underground) to get tickets.
Local band Magic Murder Bag (the name comes from The Venture Bros. animated series) will rock your face off at US Beer Company on New Year's Eve.
Take a chef's tour at this modern Indian restaurant in the West Loop. Add on a wine flight for as little as $12; there will also be specially prices bottles and pitchers.
Celebrated flutist and composer Nicole Mitchell brings her Black Earth Ensemble to Velvet Lounge for a night of improvised jazz.
Choose from three menu areas (meat, seafood and vegetarian) at this Indian fusion restaurant in River North. Options include a five-course, a ten-element and a tasting extravaganza.
Pretty Lights (producer Derek Vincent Smith and drummer Cory Eberhard) brings its electro-dance party to the Vic for a special NYE concert.
You choose how much you want to spend at this bash, ranging from your basic $40 (admission and cash bar) to "Gold" ($59, open bar from 7-11 p.m., buffet from 7-9:30 p.m.) to premium ($99, premium open bar from 8 p.m.-midnight and access to private party rooms) to super premium ($125, just like premium except you get access to the VIP Penthouse).
If you want to keep your money for the new year, this huge three-room bash could be for you. Over six hours, you'll enjoy a cash bar, DJs of all stripes, a champagne toast, gift bags, photography and more amid up to 1300 others.
Mix and mingle with 1000-plus singles at this Itasca hotel, which hosts two parties. Enjoy dancing and a cash bar for just $15, or add on a multi-course dinner in the Atrium for an extra $40. Visit thunderbirdsingles.com for more info.
CHICAGONYE.com and 103.5 Kiss FM aren't just hosting a typical New Year's Eve event. They're hosting an NYE SOIREE! Thousands of formally dressed partiers will descend on the Westin Michigan Avenue for this multiple-ballroom extravaganza that includes top-shelf open bar, a variety of hors d'oeuvres, specialized martinis, champagne all night, celebrity DJs, live video mixing, a midnight confetti storm and more. And to top it off they are including a complimentary pre-party and post-party in the admission price, not to mention discounted hotel rooms. Early bird special of only $125. For more info, visit www.chicagonye.com.
Enjoy dinner (a four-course meal with your choice of lobster tail, filet mignon, chicken or salmon - $70-$100 depending on entree), dancing (to the big-band sounds of the Teddy Lee Orchestra), a cash bar, snacks and more at this party in Willow Springs. The dance-only option costs $40 in advance, $50 at the door.
Prepare yourself for the 7th Annual New Year's Eve event hosted by Trilogy Productions at 'The Wyn.' This extravaganza includes multiple rooms of entertainment, a four-hour top shelf open bar, a buffet of hors d'oeuvres, bubbly (champagne) all night, live music by Chicago's hottest cover band and overstaffed bartenders ready to pour 'em. Plus, included in your ticket price is a free pre-party and post-party. That's right; you get three bashes for the admission price! Luxury hotel rooms at only $139/night. Tickets are only $125 right now, but will go up as this event sells out every year. Visit www.nye-chicago.com for more details.