NYE FTW

30 best New Year's Eve parties and events in Houston to toast 2024

Four Season Houston throws two chic soirees.

Four Seasons Houston/Facebook

Houston, we made it. As we bid farewell to an eventful 2023, myriad spots around the city are ready to ring in the new year with chic, fun, cocktail-and-Champagne-fueled soirees. Many hotels are offering staycation packages for a fun — and convenient — way to celebrate and chill.

As always ridesharing and responsible partying is advised. Stay safe, and here's to a happy 2024.

Four Seasons Houston, lovingly known as "Houston’s living room," will throw two big bashes. Bayou & Bottle, the bustling downstairs Bourbon and Whiskey bar, will host a New Year’s Eve party will BELLOSOUND DJ, a midnight Champagne toast, party favors, and a photo area for those first 2024 IG pics. The fun runs from 9 pm to 1 am. Tables and booths start at 1 am; private event rooms are also available. Reserve seats here.

Meanwhile, Bandista, the swanky Four Seasons’ 1920s-style speakeasy hidden behind a bookcase, will host an intimate party. Guests who score one of the 20 coveted seats can enjoy the artistry and attention of some of Houston’s best bartenders — plus a whole new cocktail menu. The a la carte evening includes party favors and a midnight Champagne toast. 9 pm to 1 am; seats start at $50; reserve here.

Bandista Four Seasons Houston Steal away to an intimate party at Bandista in Four Seasons Houston. Photo courtesy of Four Seasons Houston

Berg Hospitality’s New Year bashes

All Berg Hospitality’s New Year’s Eve celebrations include live music, Dom Perignon Champagne specials ($75/glass or $295/bottle), food and drink specials, a complimentary glass of Telmont Champagne with an entertainment fee, festive décor, and party favors. Call ahead or book online at the these hot spots:

The Annie Café & Bar will be open on New Year’s Eve from 11 am-3 pm for brunch service followed by three seatings that evening for a spectacular celebration featuring The Richard Brown Band from 7 pm-midnight.

Turner’s is hosting its fourth annual New Year’s Eve bash in true New York City style with live music by Thomas Cokinos, with two seatings at 6 pm and 9:15pm. Black tie attire is encouraged as you ring in 2024 under a sea of gold balloons.

Emilia’s Havana is hosting its second annual Havana-style New Year’s extravaganza. Enjoy a bossa nova-style house band from 8-11 pm followed by a live DJ who will spin tunes until 2:30 am.

Annabelle Brasserie will be open all day on New Year’s Eve for a festive brunch or fab evening featuring a DJ plus strings combo performing from 7 pm-1 am. Or join in the next day for the inaugural New Year’s Day Hangover Cure brunch.

B&B Butchers & Restaurant is back for the New Year’s Eve celebration where a DJ and strings combo will be spinning tunes upstairs from 10 pm-1 am, leaving plenty of time to dance the night away after dinner.

Benny Chows is hosting its first New Year’s Eve to ring in 2024. Enjoy a festive lunch from 11 am-4 pm or dinner featuring a DJ and sax combo playing from 8:30 pm-1 am.

B.B. Lemon will be open all day New Year's Eve, so stop in for brunch or dinner service. No need to get all dressed up — come in for dinner or a late-night snack and enjoy a laid-back evening of celebrating with DJ Mohawk Steve spinning tunes.

Trattoria Sofia is set to be open all day for a festive brunch or evening featuring Houston's favorite piano player and singer, Bubba McNeely, who will be performing on the patio from 9 pm-1 am. Recover with the New Year’s Day Hangover Cure Brunches, available at the above restaurants except Turner’s, Emilia’s Havana, and Benny Chows, on Monday, January 1, 2024.

More New Year’s Eve fun

Children’s Museum Houston’s Rockin’ New Year’s Noon rings in the New Year at the stroke of noon with ball drops, just like in Times Square! Artistic talents will spotlight this celebration complete with noon countdowns, activities, and DJ dance parties. 10 am.

Lawless, the downstairs hot spot in the historic downtown Rice Hotel, will host a chic party where guests can enjoy a premium bar, chef appetizers, a live DJ spinning throughout the night, and a midnight Champagne toast. Stroll the grand Rice space and snap pics under the chandelier or on the terrace overlooking the downtown skyline. Reserve tickets here.

Break the rules at Lawless. Photo via Lawless Houston

True Anomaly brewery will be closed to the public for its special New Year's Eve celebration. Admission include a five-hour open bar with a premium selection of draft beer, exquisite wines, refreshing champagne, and handcrafted specialty cocktails. Nosh on heavy hors d'oeuvres, have fun with the party favors, hit the dance floor, enter for a chance to win door prizes, and toast 2024 with the midnight toast. Dress to impress with cocktail or party attire.

La Colombe d’Or, the majestic Montrose mansion hotel and tower, invites revelers to the mansion’s big Centennial with an elegant New Year’s Eve fete. Ring in the 2024 with specialty cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, cigars and scotch, a live DJ, dancing, and more! Don't miss the Telmont Champagne toast at midnight. Make it a staycation with a New Year’s Eve package starting at $599 per night plus tax and including two general admission tickets. Ask about other specialty New Year’s Eve packages.

La Colombe d'Or Hotel - Bar No.3 interior Bar No. 3 at La Colombe d'Or is a stylish place to celebrate. Courtesy of La Colombe d'Or

C. Baldwin Hotel will take the part back to the Prohibition days with Prohibition Nights. Look for fully stocked bars, gourmet light bites, party favors, burlesque performances, and a live DJ playing classic and current hits. Party guests who also stay at the hotel will enjoy express entry, exit, and re-entry to the event, and more. Tickets start at $110.

Traveler’s Table, the globally inspired restaurant, will serve up a sumptuous, four-course New Year's Eve dinner — think Viet oysters, salmon tartare, crispy pork belly, and more. Reservations are highly encouraged.

The Decoy will have a NYE celebration with $100 bottles of premium spirits, along with $5 Blue Lagoon and Branch Water signature cocktails, all day long. Dance into the night with a live DJ at 9 pm, and a complimentary champagne toast at the stroke of midnight. 11 am.

Chapman & Kirby’s throwdown will include four rooms of entertainment with heated, covered patios, a 360-degree photo booth, three bars, noisemakers, party favors, tiaras, hats, foil horns, hookah service and cigars, a laser show, hors d'oeuvres and light bites, and a midnight toast.

Hilton Americas Houston will throw a Gatsby-inspired soiree dubbed Gatsby's House New Year's Eve. Expect four hours of complimentary drinks, four areas to mingle, three top-rated Texas DJs, two VIP areas, party favors, and a casino night with prizes.

J-Bar-M Barbecue's New Year's Eve Whole Hog Party, an exclusive ticketed culinary journey, is limited to 100 guests at $40 each. The festivities will be enhanced by live music, including a performance by The Mighty Org. 11 am.

Albi Houston's unforgettable NYE party rings in the New Year with sophistication and style. It will be an evening of exquisite dining, champagne toasts, and entertainment that will set the tone for a memorable start to 2024. 5 pm.

Flying Saucer Draught Emporium will have a NYE Murder Mystery. Kicking off with a complimentary welcome beverage, the two-hour, interactive murder-mystery will wrap up at 10pm, so you will have plenty of time to ring in the New Year. 7 pm.

MB Speakeasy’s NYE celebration will have a ‘70s disco theme. A fantastic DJ will spin the best disco hits of the 70's and 80's. There will also be a complimentary champagne toast, where you can take home a commemorative champagne flute. 7 pm.

Redemption Square will host their annual New Year's Eve party on the lawn. This event will feature live music, entertainment, and fireworks at midnight to ring in the new year. 7 pm.

Numbers Nightclub will have the biggest and best NYE party in town with a $2024.00 cash balloon drop at midnight. And don’t forget about the complimentary party favors and champagne toast, also at midnight. 9 pm.

POST Houston’s NYE celebration will be a live one. Experience panoramic skyline views, multiple cirque performers, complimentary caricature drawings, live DJs, a live band, and a fireworks show at midnight by one of the best pyrotechnic companies in Texas. 9 pm.

Southside Sporting Club’s New Year’s Eve Party will kick off with free entry until 10 pm, accompanied by a complimentary drink for those who RSVP in advance. DJ Stevo will be curating an unforgettable New Year's Eve experience that promises to keep the energy high well after midnight. 9 pm.

Bar Louie is hosting a can’t-miss, 24K gold celebration. Indulge in a food and drink package for two that includes two appetizers, six drink tickets and midnight champagne toast. Tickets for the late-night celebrations are $100 and can be purchased online or at the door. 10 pm.

Hotel ZaZa Memorial City and Museum District always throw a raucous NYE bash. Guests are encouraged to dress to impress in their finest cocktail attire to enjoy live entertainment and photo-ops throughout the evening. Wine, beer, and cocktails will be served, along with hors d’oeuvres. 10 pm.

MaKiin invites you to a sensational New Year's Eve Glam Gatsby Party. Immerse yourself in an unforgettable evening filled with live entertainment, the beats of a talented DJ, and a complimentary champagne toast as the clock strikes midnight. 10 pm.

Awards Season

CultureMap critic's guide to the 2026 Oscar Best Picture nominees

Michael B. Jordan and Miles Caton in Sinners

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Sinners leads all films at the 2026 Academy Awards with a stunning 16 nominations.

The nominations for the 2026 Academy Awards have been announced, with 10 films vying for Best Picture. Leading the way is Sinners with an astonishing 16 nominations, the most in Oscars history.

The other top films include One Battle After Another, which earned 13 nominations, and Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, and Sentimental Value, which each got 9 nominations.

As a refresher, below are links to the full reviews for each of the nominees covered by CultureMap in the past year, as well as brief thoughts on the films and their various nominations.

Movie fans will have plenty of time to catch up with each of the nominees, as this year's Oscars ceremony will not take place until Sunday, March 15.

Here's the list of Best Picture nominees, in alphabetical order:

Bugonia
Yet another off-the-wall film from director Yorgos Lanthimos features two great performances by Emma Stone (nominated for Best Actress) and Jesse Plemons at its center. Written by Will Tracy (nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay), the conspiracy theory film is alternately brutal and funny as the characters played by Stone and Plemons use their form of power to try to manipulate the other. With a fair amount of intrigue and two great actors going head-to-head for much of its running time, it gives even more Oscar pedigree to its filmmakers and stars.

F1
The biggest surprise among the Best Picture nominees has to be the racing movie F1. It was a technical marvel, to be sure, as its nominations in Film Editing, Sound, and Visual Affects attest. But the fact that it has no other nominations in any of the above the fold categories indicates that its other qualities are lacking. As a showcase (aka advertisement) for the sport it depicts, the film works relatively well. As a complete movie, though, there’s not much to recommend, to the point that it almost negates any of the positives that come from the racing scenes.

Frankenstein (not reviewed)
Writer/director Guillermo del Toro (nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay) loves himself a monster movie, and he takes on one of the classics with his new version of Frankenstein (now streaming on Netflix). Oscar Isaac plays Victor Frankenstein, who brings to life The Creature, played by Jacob Elordi (nominated for Best Supporting Actor). With a slew of nominations in technical categories, there's a chance this film goes home with a lot of awards at this year's ceremony.

Hamnet (not reviewed)
Writer/director Chloé Zhao (nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay alongside co-writer Maggie O'Farrell) gets back to her Oscar-worthy skills for the first time since 2020's Nomadland (after the unfortunate detour into the MCU with Eternals). A story about love, loss, and grief involving William Shakespeare and his wife, Agnes, the film is most notable for the performances of its two leads, Jessie Buckley (nominated for Best Actress) and Paul Mescal.

Marty Supreme
There was no other movie this year, or maybe even this century, like Marty Supreme. Directed and co-written by Josh Safdie (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay alongside co-writer Ronald Bronstein), the film is an almost continuous blast of pure energy for 2 ½ hours. So many different things happen over the course of the film that the story defies conventional narratives. At its center is the fast-talking, powerhouse performance by star Timothée Chalamet (nominated for Best Actor), who cements his status as his generation’s movie star one year after playing the polar opposite role of Bob Dylan in A Complete Unknown. Look for the film to be a strong contender in the inaugural Best Casting category, as Safdie fills the film with non-actors who are crucial to the film's success.

One Battle After Another
Writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson (nominated for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay) has an acclaimed career going back 30 years, but has yet to actually win an Oscar. That will change this year, as One Battle After Another is one of the favorites to win Best Picture thanks to Anderson's stellar filmmaking, as well as multiple great performances that earned the film four acting nominations (Leonardo DiCaprio for Best Actor, Teyana Taylor for Best Supporting Actress, and Benicio Del Toro and Sean Penn for Best Supporting Actor). Add in a story with a very timely political critique (that's getting more relevant by the day) and you have the recipe for a big winner on Oscar night.

The Secret Agent (not reviewed)
No foreign country has quite the influence on the Oscars as Brazil, which for the second straight year has gotten one of its films nominated for both Best International Feature Film and Best Picture. Written and directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho, the film is anchored by the performance of Wagner Moura (nominated for Best Actor) as a technology expert in the late 1970s who flees from a mysterious past to try to find peace in his hometown.

Sentimental Value (not reviewed)
For the third year in a row, two international films made the cut in the Best Picture race (but whither It Was Just an Accident?). Directed and co-written by Joachim Trier (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay alongside co-writer Eskil Vogt), the film is tied for the most acting nominations this year, earning nods for Renate Reinsve for Best Actress, Elle Fanning and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas for Best Supporting Actress, and Stellan Skarsgård for Best Supporting Actor.

Sinners
It takes a special kind of filmmaker to make movies that are both popular and Oscar-worthy, and writer/director Ryan Coogler (nominated for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay) has done it again, seven years after helming the Oscar-winning Black Panther. Both a tribute to Black music history and a gnarly vampire movie, the film is led by Michael B. Jordan (nominated for Best Actor) in dual roles as twins Smoke and Stack. With a story infused with all manner of subtext and a bunch of great supporting performances, including Best Supporting Actress nominee Wunmi Mosaku, the film demonstrates Coogler's great filmmaking abilities that should keep him in demand for years to come. Amazingly, there was only one category for which it was eligible in which it did not receive a nomination.

Train Dreams (not reviewed)
The second Netflix movie this year to be nominated, Train Dreams is a contemplative film about a logger (played by Joel Edgerton) in early 20th century America who tries to adapt to a rapidly-changing world. Nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay for the script by director Clint Bentley and co-writer Greg Kwedar, the film is most notable for the work done by Adolpho Veloso (nominated for Best Cinematography), who showcases the Pacific Northwest in all its glory.

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