17 Best NYC Restaurants And Bars To Celebrate NYE In 2022

New York City on New Year's Eve can overwhelm even the most ardent of locals with all the different options. We believe there's no one right way to celebrate another turn around the sun. But, embracing the glitz or cutting it up on the dance floor can help shake up the start of a new year. After all, who doesn't love a clean slate? We find going out on New Year's Eve might also deliver a bit of cheese (even if it's just in the form of a charcuterie plate) — and expectations sometimes run a little high. We've taken out some of the guesswork with a roster of options across the boroughs for a range of vibes and tastes.

Yes, celebrating the ball drop might mean glitter falls from the sky (and don't forget about a Champagne toast!). We also appreciate a decadent, comforting meal without the need for a hefty entry fee. This city is known for the Times Square ball drop, but you don't have to be out in the cold to celebrate the clock striking midnight. Take a peek at some of the best N.Y.C. restaurants and bars to celebrate New Year's Eve.

The Pink Affair New Years Eve Gala at Wynwood in Staten Island

Staten Island is now home to global street eats by way of one of Miami's hippest arts-centric neighborhoods. The Wynwood restaurant and lounge is true to its name in that it delivers Miami vibes with its teal walls, geometric tiled floors, and palm fronds. Expect more than a handful of neon lights, DJ sets, and bottle service. You can also grab brunch or dinner, then prepare for a late night.

On New Year's Eve, The Wynwood will host The Pink Affair, a ticketed event with a premium open bar. Two tiers of packages start at either 8 p.m. with a wedding-style cocktail hour, or at 9:30 p.m. with a complimentary buffet. The festivities continue through the ball drop thanks to a Champagne toast and whatever party favors the venue offers. Staten Island might just have the party you're after.

Disco dancing at Ponyboy in Greenpoint

Ring in the new year in Greenpoint's Ponyboy – it is a strange and alluring sort of restaurant and dance space. It feels part bar, part chic living room, part fishbowl until bodies gather to dance — the elevated booths that surround the dance floor in the back are available to reserve if you'd rather start as a watcher than be an early adopter. You can also arrive for dinner before 10 p.m., just make sure to secure a reservation and know the eclectic menu is not the main draw here. The bar will very likely keep you elbow-to-elbow with fellow revelers.

This New Year's Eve at Ponyboy will feature "disco-infused" DJ sets from 10 p.m. until they kick you out. Music will be curated by Martín Y Corazón, known for bending genres and rhythmic, heart-pounding beats. Feel free to get a chuckle out of the disco ball (guilty!), but once the DJ gets started, you won't be alone in keeping in step with the beat. Ponyboy is known for its signature cocktails, including a stylized take on a margarita called the Forgetmenot, as well as $5 canned beers. Translation, expect a good time — and a line at the door.

Bar vibes without the club kids at Citrico Cafe in Astoria

Citrico Cafe crafts modern Mexican cuisine near the iconic Kaufman Studios in Queens. This restaurant gives off elevated bar vibes thanks to cane-webbing globe lights and a centralized bar with bottles reaching up the high ceilings. On a regular night, you'll find tacos in the moist birria style by way of Tijuana, which has spread across the city. The menu brings a luxe take to Los Angeles street tacos with filet mignon asada, pollo adobado, butternut squash, and pork belly char siu versions.

To celebrate NYE 2023 with Citrico Cafe, Chef Steven Londono is crafting a pre-fixed menu at $85 per person or $125 with an open bar. The menu hasn't been released yet, but all indications point to delicious. You can also enjoy a late-night meal with reservations as late as 11 p.m., or start the day with the regular Citrico brunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. before evening festivities.

Long Island City bar crawl to Fifth Hammer Brewing

Not all New Year's Eve festivities need to involve shots and bottle service. Sampling craft beer from some of the best brewers in the boroughs might be more our speed. We recommend a class bar crawl in Long Island City to ring in another year with friends and loved ones. Start at Transmitter Brewing at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for a gold ale, mango sour, or spruce tip saison. Transmitter has an outdoor garden (weather permitting) and is open until 8 p.m., so it's the perfect taproom to start the evening.

From there, head to Big Alice Brewing — one of the best breweries in the state — for an autumn rye or Queensbridge IPA. The Queens brewery is open until 10 p.m. on Saturdays for a pint or two in the barrel room. Finish the evening at Fifth Hammer Brewing with a New Year's Eve toast and jam session — in the form of watching the ball drop and noshing on a jam and toast buffet without the need for a cover or tickets. Live music will help keep the vibes right, as will a 1 a.m. closing time.

Family-owned eatery with dancing at Winona's in Bed-Stuy

With so many ticketed events and steep cover charges, we appreciate a restaurant that can deliver on the feeling of a decadent meal that embraces lingering conversation and sobremesa. Winona's started in an apartment (next door to its current location) in the long lineage of a supper club. Today, the all-day cafe in north Bed-Stuy is bright, modern, and cozy with white brick walls, natural woods, and booth seating. Seasonally-driven dishes from Chef Kirstyn Brewer are curated alongside community events with guest chefs, wine experts, and food activists.

Winona's is keeping it casual this year serving its a la carte menu with some special items on deck, including ribeye for two, oysters Rockefeller, and a classic caviar plate with optional shaved truffles. You can also enjoy natural wines plus grower Champagne by the glass. Winona's reservations are available until 9 p.m., while walk-ins and dancing thanks to a DJ begins at 11 p.m. followed by a midnight balloon drop. You can also join the brunch party in the backroom for dreamy skylight breakfast energy on New Year's Day.

One-of-a-kind intimate omakase in Sushi Suite 1001 in Midtown

Treat yourself to a 17-course omakase sushi dinner located inside an unmarked hotel suite in Hotel 32|32 in NoMad. That's right, Sushi Suite 1001 offers what is likely the world's first hotel room turned restaurant experience with a simple four-seat sushi counter and chef Takeshi Sato for a 60-minute meal. When you arrive at Hotel 3232, you'll check in at the front desk and receive your room key to unlock one of the more unique dining options in the city. Arrive early to enjoy cocktails at the suite's private terrace bar.

Chef Takeshi's sushi features a signature ratio of rice to fish taught him by his old Master, Chef Yasuda. He focuses on hyper-seasonal selections of Japanese fish. Options could include anago sea eel, which is cooked in a broth made from its own bones, a Hokkaido scallop that is topped with uni sourced from the same waters, and firefly squid in a sweet miso sauce. Reserve a slot at Sushi Suite 1001 on NYE at $150 per person.

Six-course vegan dinner at Eterea in the East Village

Plant-based cuisine isn't reserved for just people living on a vegan diet. Instead, you can partake in vegan bites and cozy vibes to please all diets thanks to chef Xila Caudillo at Eterea in the East Village. The lush atmosphere is only matched by the six-course tasting menu with contemporary interpretations of classic Mexican dishes. Does anything sound more magical than a canopy of suspended flowers and glowing lace-lined umbrellas under which to sip on mezcal cocktails? We didn't think so. The Eterea NYE event is taking reservations for seatings at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. for $75 per person. Keep in mind, taxes, drinks and the service fee are not included.

The Eterea party can continue after your meal — if you're willing to head to the sister restaurant Ladybird for its midnight celebration. For a separate two-for-one page at $100 per person, you can enjoy three hours of passed hors d'oeuvres at the vegan-friendly Ladybird and Eterea NYE bashes from 10 p.m. onward. The locations are within a block or so from one another, which is convenient.

Caribbean cocktails and brunch at Kokomo in Williamsburg

Kokomo in NYC is a Caribbean restaurant and bar that exudes decadence through dark wood detailing, crushed velvet seating, a winding raw-edge bar, and an exciting and modern approach to dining. The attention to detail, such as a sculptural chandelier to draw the eye up toward the high ceilings, is enough to feel festive on any given visit. We highly recommend arriving hungry due to the menu's ability to please a range of diets and offer a welcome spin on craft cocktails. Plus, we find that it's hard to choose which of the signature dishes sounds the best: Highlights include plantain pancakes with berry compote, yardie shrimp flatbread, slow-braised oxtail from New Zealand, and caviar lentil meatballs in a Trinidadian coconut curry sauce.

The location is near Hurricane Point in Williamsburg but will easily transport you to the tropics. The restaurant also offers a full brunch service on weekends. Kokomo will be open on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day for brunch and a special dinner menu will be in the mix. Can't wait? Kokomo's holiday pop-up menu on Tuesday to Friday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. will keep you satiated now through January 13 — whiskey decanter for two included.

Bingo night at The Standard in the Meatpacking District

The Standard Biergarten is hosting a bingo night in the Meatpacking District to commemorate the annual ball drop. The German beer garden is located in a space known for beers, pretzels, and ping pong tables on the ground floor of the hotel. The ticketed event running from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. will include five games of bingo, as well as small snacks, one drink, and a glass of Champagne at midnight. We don't imagine the vibes will be the stuffy stereotype of geriatric bingo hall (although, we can appreciate that aesthetic, too).

The Standard is a brand known for upping the sauciness of an evening out. You should expect pop-up performances and a cash bar for additional drinks. The alternative onsite event in The Standard Plaza is sold out online, so we don't recommend waiting on grabbing tickets if you're so inclined. If you can't make it to the sold-out plaza for the ball drop, then head to the Grill (another outlet on the property) on New Year's Day for a drag brunch with hosts Nicky Ottav and Essa Noche.

Disco with premium bar at Rumpus Room in the Bowery

The Rumpus Room is the ideal spot for true club kids to dance the night away. This Bowery nightclub is a media darling for its DJ sets and '80s aesthetic with palm wallpaper, zebra accents, and plenty of neon to help smooth out the details on any new acquaintances. For New Year's Eve, the bar and lounge is hosting a ticketed event with upwards of five hours of an open bar.

If five hours of premium booze sounds like too much of a good thing, you can also purchase a two-hour open bar ticket for $99 or $49 for after-midnight admission. The evening festivities will start at 9 p.m. and include the obligatory Champagne toast at midnight. Dancing all night away can take on new meaning thanks to the 4 a.m. closing time.

Michelin-starred tasting menu at The Musket Room in Soho

Executive chef Mary Attea leads a Soho-based restaurant known for its minimal yet rustic dining room, al fresco garden seating, and a weekend tasting menu recognized by Michelin for the contemporary American style (think quail with za'atar and fennel or uni toast). Chef Attea is presenting two special seatings for New Year's Eve at The Musket Room to celebrate the arrival of 2023 with refined dishes and elegant platings.

The first of The Musket Room's NYE seatings starts at 5 p.m. with a six-course vegan tasting menu or omnivore selections for $250 a person. The second seating begins at 7:45 p.m. with the six-course tasting paired with a Champagne toast for $300 a person. Keep in mind, each seating lasts for an hour and 45 minutes. You can also anticipate some of the chef's signature techniques in the holiday menu, including langoustine with ankimo and ponzu, sinter sticky toffee pudding, and Kristal caviar with egg confit and potato espuma.

Galactic dinner and show at Fandi Mata in Williamsburg

Events produced by House of Yes are basically a nightlife must if you live in New York City. The company hosts themed events year-round (costume lewks are highly encouraged) as a queer and inclusive venue and event company. This year's NYE Garden of Cosmic Delights presents extraterrestrial extravagance through a pre-fixed menu and live performance of circus acts and cabaret for $200 per ticket. This a collaboration between House of Yes and Fandi Mata, the popular Williamsburg Mediterranean restaurant where the event will take place. 

If you're more of an early riser — or don't feel like going home — Seize the Day at House of Yes starts at 5 a.m. on January 1 with bubbles, bass, and a come-as-you-are dress code. The New Year's Day separate celebration will be at House of Yes in Bushwick. Keep in mind, the event starts serving alcohol at 10 a.m. (blame local liquor laws) and will run until 5:30 p.m. that evening.

Bites and Open Bar at AperiBar's New Year's Eve in Midtown

Toast the new year at the newly opened AperiBar. The space inside the Luma Hotel is close to Times Square, so there's potential for outdoor viewing access to the iconic Ball Drop from a courtyard across from the hotel. The restaurant showcases Italian small bites and plates with freshly extruded pasta, as well as 23 different Proseccos and rare Italian sparkling wines.

AperiBar's NYE ticketed event will include passed snacks like classic beef sliders, mushroom focaccia, and mozzarella Arancini. For $165 (before fees), each guest is also given stationary bites of house-made pasta and hand-tossed pizza from chef Charlie Palmer, access to an open bar, and a chic ambiance away from the hustle. This new restaurant just might be the festive vibes your after.

Discover performance art at the McKittrick in Chelsea

The McKittrick Hotel can always be counted on for an elaborate and theatrical event. We can attest that the multi-level dance party delivers multiple performances on the main stage, as well as in nooks found by wandering through the winding hotel-turned-event space. If you love to dance and have appreciated the voyeuristic Sleep No More show inspired by Shakespeare and the 1920s (or have always wanted to do so), the epic annual McKittrick New Year's Eve celebration is likely to impress.

This year's theme is sort of golden decadence, paying tribute to dapper dans and Golden Age starlets. Dress accordingly in fringe, plumes, and diamonds, if you're so inclined. Ticket prices are also decadent, but do include an open bar.

Two-for-one cocktail lounge: The Ivory Peacock and Ploume in Flatiron

The Ivory Peacock bar and new cocktail lounge, Ploume, are some of the latest entries to the city's bar scene. The Flatiron spaces offer some art deco glamor in a building with a 136-year-old history. Antique chandeliers have been relocated from the Waldorf Astoria New York and The NoMad Hotel. The cocktail and bar program serves sophisticated French-inspired concoctions with Japanese touches, which include small bites. You'll also find one of the most expansive collections of gin in the city.

We recommend The Ivory Peacock for inventive cocktails (the Flower Sour made with Dorothy Parker rose petal, Calvados, floral cordial, lemon, and egg white is a crowd pleaser). The menu is seafood-driven and crafted by a French Laundry alum. The bonus is heading downstairs to Ploume, a moodier space with plenty of couches to lounge.

Luxury rooftop views at The Knickerbocker in Times Square

The Knickerbocker Hotel, a five-star property in Times Square, celebrates with another New Year's Eve experience on the St. Cloud rooftop. Instead of standing shoulder to shoulder in streets, you can stand shoulder to shoulder on an outdoor terrace a mere 150 feet below the famous sphere itself. St. Cloud at 6 Times Square offers unparalleled views of the skyline from one of the venue's sky pod booths. Plus, you can enjoy a seasonal small bites menu and a full bar.

This is truly a premium event with tickets starting at four figures per person. You'll gain access to a communal seating buffet at Charlie Palmer at The Knick restaurant, an open bar, passed hors d'oeuvres, and a DJ. This isn't your ordinary event, but just might be the kind of opulence you're looking for to ring in 2023.

Casual bites and confetti at Time Out Market in Dumbo

Looking for low-key yet indulgent New Year's Eve plans? For New Year's Eve 2023 at Time Out Market New York, the Dumbo food hall will present a full evening of dining and drinks. The market's 15 purveyors will be open on the fifth floor, which opens to a terrace with sweeping views of the Brooklyn Bridge and Manhattan skyline. The all-inclusive drink packages run from 9:30 p.m. to midnight, including two floors of entertainment. The dance floor will start early with DJ Price is Right from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m., then continue into 2023 with Ronnie Roc until 1 a.m.

The $150 per person tickets include $50 toward food at the eateries, as well as access to an open bar and Champagne toast. Upgrade to $250 tickets to guarantee reserved seating in the rooftop lounge and $75 toward food. We recommend eating at Bark Barbecue for brisket, pulled pork, ribs, and plenty of sides. You'll also find Indian food, ramen, pasta, pizza, and pastries.