Where to eat on New Year's Eve

Where to dine and drink in Houston on New Year's Eve

Ring in the New Year at Benjy's.

Photo by Shannon O’Hara

The debate might rage on about whether or not a new decade begins on January 1, 2020, but one thing is not up for debate at all: all over Houston, there are parties aplenty to ring in the new year.

Backstreet Cafe
The River Oaks restaurant has a four-course dinner, plus complimentary midnight sparkling cocktail toast, as well as live music by Bob Chadwick. Guests can choose from selections such as Gulf Coast Beignets with shrimp, crab, andouille sausage, corn, and roasted red pepper remoulade; red pear salad; lobster salad; New York Strip with truffled potatoes and mushroom stew; pan-seared grouper with charred Meyer lemon and leek puree; and lemon poppy seed cake.
Cost: $79 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Hours: 4 to 9 pm. Call 713-521-2239 to reserve a spot.

Benjy's
The Rice Village restaurant offers a social tasting menu for New Year's Eve, with five shareable plates, as well as a complimentary glass of champagne upon arrival. Selections include baked oysters with nori-chili butter, smashed cucumber salad with house pita, feta, and pecans; tuna poke with crispy shallots and coconut sauce; a crispy rice bowl with roasted vegetables and pickled mushrooms; and chess pie.
Cost: $50 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Hours: 5 to 10 pm. Reservations highly encouraged, although walk-ins are welcome

Bistro Provence
Put some French flair into New Year's Eve celebrations as the Memorial restaurant offers a four-course menu served across two hours. Selections include smoked salmon salad, lobster bisque, slow-roasted lamb shank, tournedos with potato gratin, and a chocolate and Bailey's mousse. Dessert comes with a complimentary glass of Champagne Voirin Jumel.
Cost: $85 per person, plus tax, drinks, and gratuity
Hours: 6 pm, 6:30 pm, 8 pm, and 8:30 pm. Call 713-827-8008 to reserve; a $40 deposit is required with reservation

Bosskat Kitchen and Libations
The Galleria-area bar and restaurant will serve a four-course dinner on New Year's Eve, and guests can select from appetizers, soups and salads, entrees, and desserts, along with a beverage. Options include Baja shrimp ceviche, Beyond Dirty Rice Cajun Arancini, bourbon butternut squash bisque, kale and radicchio salad, beef Wellington, blackened swordfish, and Mama Reed's Toffee Cake. Guests can select from Chardonnay, Cabernet, rosé, an Old Fashioned, a 38 Special, and Glenmorangie Original on the rocks or neat for a libation.
Cost: $75 for seatings between 5 and 9 pm; $100 for seatings between 9 and 11 pm (the late seating includes a Champagne toast).

Broken Barrel
A three-course dinner awaits guests looking for a way to ring in the new year. Start with a glass of bubbles, and choose from selections such as red cabbage carpaccio, roasted tomato soup, salmon al pastor, braised short ribs, and molten lava cake. Two seating options are available and reservations must be secured with a credit card.
Cost: $85 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Hours: 5 to 7 pm and 9 to 11pm. Call 713-389-5628 to reserve.

C. Baldwin Hotel
Downtown's newest boutique hotel makes New Year's Eve a one-stop shop for revelry. The Holiday Getaway Package offers guests a deluxe room (a complimentary upgrade will be provided if available), a $50 dining and beverage credit, a welcome amenity, complimentary valet parking for one car, and a 2 pm check-out on New Year's Day. Those wishing a more swish experience will love the "Suite" End to 2019 option, which comes with deluxe accommodations in one of the hotel's suites, an arrival amenity with a New Year's Eve theme, dinner for two at Rosalie Italian Soul, a reserved tabled in the lobby bar for up to four guests along with a bottle of Moet to ring in 2020, turndown service, complimentary valet parking for one car, and late checkout at 2 pm on New Year's Day.
Cost: The Holiday Getaway starts at $159 (To reserve, call 713-759-0202 and reference offer code P5)
"Suite" Ending to 2019 starts at $2,020 (NOTE: Only six are available; to reserve, call 713-351-5734)

Emmaline
Have a late dinner that include selections from a four-course prix fixe menu, a champagne toast at midnight, plus DJ, dancing, and party favors. Look for retro dishes such as Pigs in a Blanket, Waldorf Salad, chicken fried steak, and Spiced Cherries Jubilee reimagined with a modern touch. An early seating at 5:30 pm is also available for a reduced cost of $75.
Cost: $125 per person, excluding tax and gratuity
Hours: 8:30pm to midnight; to reserve call 713-523-3210

Eugene's
A three-course dinner is available, with selections such as a half dozen oysters on the half shell, a cup of gumbo, snapper meuniere, crab au gratin, pecan-crusted chicken, shrimp or chicken pasta, white chocolate bread pudding, or creme brulee. Complimentary beverages include a glass of Prosecco or Champagne, or non-alcoholic options such as iced tea, coffee, or soda.
Cost: $79 per person
Hours: 5 to 9 pm; for reservations call 713-807-8883

Harold's Restaurant and Tap Room
Get a complimentary glass of Prosecco on arrival to kick off this four-course dinner. Select from appetizers such as Burrata and heirloom tomato salad, lobster bisque with sherry, and a butterhead lettuce salad with cream cheese dressing, and entrees like peppercorn beef tenderloin, kimchi grits and scallops, or orzo pesto with zucchini, broccoli, and red bell peppers. Maple pana cotta and chocolate mousse are among the dessert options. After dinner, head down to the tap room for a night cap and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight.
Cost: $70 per person
Hours: Reservations available between 5pm and 9pm

Lei Low
Continuing its New Year's Eve tradition of paying homage to classic tiki bars, this year the Heights spot transforms itself into one of owner Russell Theode's favorites, Los Angeles' Tiki Ti. Look for recreations of Tiki Ti drinks on the menu for this Nectar of the Gods celebration. Aloha wear is highly encouraged.
Cost: No cover charge, drink prices vary
Hours: 8 pm to 2 am

Loch Bar
Live music highlights the elevated tavern experience at this new River Oaks District hotspot. Seafood selections from the raw bar, along with chef and cocktail specials are available all evening long. Guests also get party favors and there's a balloon drop at midnight, and a champagne toast. Anyone wearing a tiara can drink from the legendary Loch Bar hoof.
Cost: No cover charge
Reservations can be made online or by calling 832-430-6601

Miss Carousel
DJ Izzy spins tunes so guests show off their moves on the dance floor, and there's a photo booth to capture the last moments of 2020. The EaDo favorite will air the New York City ball drop airing live, and do a balloon drop at midnight.
Cost: $20 (For $60, guests can party admission and New Year's Day brunch at Indianola.
Hours: 8 pm to 2 am

Camerata at Paulie's
Begin an evening of celebrating with a Champagne flight. The Montrose spot known for its dedication to wine offers guests a tasting tour of five different Champagnes, starting north in Montagne de Reims and finishing down south in the Cote des Bar. Along the way, learn about the past, present, and future of Champagne production as well as the differences between Premier Cru and Grand Cru.
Cost: $75 per person, plus tax and gratuity
Hours: 5 - 6 pm

Tony's
One of Houston's swankiest restaurants offers one of the city's swankiest New Year's Eve parties, complete with dinner and dancing to live music from Nick and the Hits. The first seating offers a four-course dinner and a Prosecco toast. The second seating comes with a four-course dinner and ringing in the new year.
Cost: $95 per person, excluding tax and gratuity (first seating) and $195 per person, plus tax and gratuity (second seating)
Hours: 6 to 8:45 pm (first seating), 9 pm to midnight (second seating)
To reserve call 713-622-6778

UB Preserv
The theme for the restaurant's second-ever New Year's Eve party is a New Orleans Style Masquerade Ball. Dishes will be served family style and chef Nick Wong and his team offer selections such as caviar pani puri, crab egg foo yung, and wok-fried Szechuan gator. For dessert there's a Bananas Foster Surprise. Mysterious masks are highly encouraged and the soundtrack features tunes by Big Freedia and Preservation Hall Jazz Band. A champagne toast ushers in 2020.
Cost: $150 per person plus gratuity and alcohol purchases
Hours: Seatings available at 6 and 9:30 pm.

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Where to drink now

CultureMap's 11 favorite new bars that shook up Houston in 2025

Photo by Julie Soefer

Eclectic vintage finds populate the walk-up bar at Augustine Lounge in Hotel Saint Augustine.

This was a standout year for new bars in Houston, with elevated cocktail lounges opening alongside neighborhood hangouts. Whether you’re after a cold beer while watching the Texans on a Heights patio or a tiny martini inside an emerald-green, celestial-inspired hideaway near the Galleria, these 11 openings defined Houston’s bar scene in 2025.

Augustine Lounge
Hotel Saint Augustine has been racking up awards since it opened — receiving a Michelin Key and best new hotel honors from both Esquire and Travel + Leisure. Its bar, Augustine Lounge, matches that acclaim with a focused drinks program featuring highlights like the Coyote Call, a mix of mezcal, port, and Blackstrap rum accented with raspberry, lime, and nutmeg. The food menu leans elevated but unfussy, with offerings such as a charcuterie board with duck prosciutto and a wagyu hot dog tucked into a brioche bun. It also hosts vinyl nights featuring DJ sets from high profile Houstonians. Augustine Lounge is located at 4110 Loretto Drive and open daily from 11 am-12 am.

Bar Doko
Created by Duckstache Hospitality experts (Kokoro, Handies Douzo, Himari, and Aiko) as a companion to its sushi restaurant Doko, Bar Doko has an intimate, 16-seat atmosphere and an extensive selection of Japanese whisky. Small bites shine here, including a masu crudo topped with smoked trout roe and a Jidori egg salad toast. Beverage options range from highballs, martinis, sake, beer, and wine to inventive cocktails like the “Sora” Sky, made with sesame-infused tequila, Maven cold brew, toasted barley, coffee liqueur, and vanilla miso foam. Bar Doko is located at 3737 Cogdell Street, Suite 135, and is open daily from 4 pm-2 am.

Bar Madonna
One doesn’t need a room at the Marlene Inn — a grand neoclassical home turned nine-room hotel — to enjoy this elegant watering hole. Bar Madonna takes its name from a striking, 10-foot painting of the Virgin Mary, relocated from an 18th-century Italian church. Leading the beverage program is Tom Hardy, formerly of Hotel Saint Augustine, whose menu balances Old World influence with New Orleans flair.

This is a seated-only bar, offering 12 interior seats plus additional patio seating, and while reservations aren’t required, they’re often helpful. Signature libations include the Wild Ouest, a tequila-forward blend with poblano, lime, and mezcal inspired by “cowboy boots down the Champs-Élysées.” Bar Madonna is open Monday-Thursday from 3-10 pm, Friday from 3-11 pm, Saturday from 12-11 pm, and Sunday from 12-10 pm.

Berwick’s Bird of Paradise
A tropical escape awaits at Berwick’s Bird of Paradise, created by veteran bartender Robin Berwick of Midtown's beloved Double Trouble. The space was fully renovated to invoke a resort bar attached to an imaginary hotel, complete with playful design touches and a mythical “owner” depicted on the wall. Tropical drinks anchor the menu — think spicy, frozen tequila riffs and a coconut-infused Crocodile Tears Martini — alongside a selection of bar bites like smash burgers, chicken wings, and a Bikini sandwich. Known colloquially as "Be Bop," the bar has quickly attracted locals, industry regulars, and neighbors. Open Tuesday-Thursday from 4 pm-12 am, Friday-Saturday from 3 pm-1 am, and Sunday from 2 pm-10 pm, Berwick’s Bird of Paradise is at 2020 Studewood Street.

Donna’s
The newest cocktail destination on this list, Donna’s quickly built a following after opening Thanksgiving weekend in the former Ready Room space. Named after the grandmother of co-founder Jacki Schromm, the bar is a collaboration between the veteran bartender and Anvil owner Bobby Heugel. Together, the duo aims to create a house-party atmosphere, with energetic weekends balanced by more laid-back weeknights. A vintage stereo system — complete with a reel-to-reel and a turntable — sets the soundtrack, loud enough to entertain but low enough for conversations. The Jacki’s Martini, a 50-50 mix of gin with Cocchi Americano and Dolin Blanc vermouth, nods to both the “Bobby’s Martini” at Refuge and Squable’s “Terry’s Martini.” Donna's is open daily from 2 pm-2 am at 2626 White Oak Drive.

Endless Bummer
Walk the line between Houston and hell at Endless Bummer, the tiki bar next to Beteleguese Beteleguese’s Montrose location. Skeletons, imps, and tiki idols fill the 50-seat space, turning Endless Bummer into an immersive experience displaying works by local artists. The cocktail menu reimagines tropical standards like daiquiris, mai tais, and punches, while originals include the Banana Hammock — a banana-coffee vodka drink — and the Bitter Bird, made with Jamaican rum, Campari, pineapple, yuzu, and strawberry. Located at 4500 Montrose Boulevard, Endless Bummer is open Wednesday-Sunday, from 5 pm-12 am.

Good God, Nadine’s
Designed to feel like the home of “everyone’s favorite eccentric aunt,” Good God, Nadine’s delivers a warm, casual atmosphere paired with playful, comfort-forward drinks. The Washington Corridor bar offers 17 beers and wines on tap, along with cocktails like the Mango Sticky Rice, made with vodka, coconut milk, mango, and pandan. Food options range from po' boys to cast-iron cornbread and oysters on the half shell. Patrons can choose between three distinct areas: an indoor bar, an air-conditioned patio, and a garden patio. Good God, Nadine’s sits at 33 Waugh Drive, and is open Tuesday-Saturday from 4 pm-12 am, and Sunday from 12 pm-8 pm.

The Kid
With a comfortable bartop, moody-but-visible lighting, and ample seating — The Kid nails the feel of a classic neighborhood hang. Inside, charming baby goat figurines — aka “kids” — peek out from behind chicken wire room dividers, while an astroturfed patio outside offers a prime spot to catch a game. From the team behind Flying Fish, Flying Saucer, and Rodeo Goat, the bar continues the group’s tradition of approachable comfort food, including burgers and loaded tater tots. Drink options include the La Fresita, a refreshing creation of tequila, strawberry, peach, lemon, and prosecco. Happy hour is weekdays from 4 pm-7 pm, with $8 cocktails and wines, plus an all-day happy hour on Tuesdays. Located at 1815 N. Durham Drive, The Kid is open Monday-Thursday, 4 pm-12 am, and Friday and Saturday, 4 pm-2 am.

Photo by Julie Soefer

Eclectic vintage finds populate the walk-up bar at Augustine Lounge in Hotel Saint Augustine.

Moon
Perched above Tavola, Moon is an elegant cocktail lounge inspired by the cosmos. A joint concept from the Bastion Collection — the hospitality group behind Michelin-starred Le Jardinier at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston — and Cafe Natalie, Moon’s food options range from a black truffle croque monsieur to the Dark Side of the Moon, a chocolate moelleux with hazelnut crunch. House cocktails like the Nightfall, featuring spiced WhistlePig rye, dark rum, Oloroso sherry, and cherry, sit alongside classics such as French 75s, wines, mocktails, tiny martinis, and shots. For those craving something off-menu, head bartender Joao Diniz is known for crafting bespoke drinks on request. Moon is located at 1800 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 6110, and is open Tuesday-Thursday from 5 pm-12 am, and Friday and Saturday from 5 pm-2 am.

Starduster Lounge
There’s something both nostalgic and timeless about Starduster Lounge, a Heights neighborhood bar that puts a subtle cosmic spin on West Texas style. Will Thomas, co-founder of White Oak Music Hall and owner of Dan Electro’s, teamed up with Benjy Mason of Johnny’s Gold Brick and Winnie’s to transform the nearly 100-year-old building into a charming destination with a rustic yet refined interior of leather, vintage tile, and wood, and a spacious, tree-shaded backyard. The menu is constantly evolving, but standout drinks include the Pecan or Pecan?, with rye, bourbon, and Licor 43. Steak night is on Thursdays, with other food offerings announced via the bar’s Instagram. Happy hour is Monday-Friday, 4 pm-6 pm, with half-off cocktails. Starduster Lounge is located at 3921 N. Main and is open Monday-Friday from 4 pm-2 am, and Saturday and Sunday from 2 pm-2 am.

CultureMap editor Eric Sandler's Honorable Mention: Montrose Grocer
Building on her experience as the owner of Avondale Food & Wine and Heights Grocer, Houston entrepreneur Mary Clarkson opened this wine shop next to Catbirds. What distinguishes it from Heights Grocer is that MG also has a carefully-chosen selection of wines by-the-glass and bottle available for drinking on-site. Paired with snacks in the form of sandwiches and charcuterie boards and enhanced by a soundtrack of 4,000 records, Montrose Grocer has become a popular spot with hospitality workers and wine lovers who appreciate its low key atmosphere and affordable prices. (Full disclosure: Clarkson and Sandler are friends. She is a regular contributor to CultureMap's "What's Eric Eating" podcast.)

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