Where To Go On New Year's Eve In Miami 2016

So you live in, or are visiting, one of the top holiday/winter/New Year's Eve destinations in the world, and you have no plans yet for the big night. Worry not; the options are limitless. Peruse the list below and find your favorite. We've broken the list down according to price/commitment, so you can gauge your mood and go from there. Reservations are strongly suggested for all offerings.

 

Low Key/Local:

These options may not include a full, sit-down dinner (or if they do, the prices are reasonable), but they do have an official NYE program so your night will still feel special.

 

The Anderson
Super cool local favorite The Anderson will be hosting a New Year's Eve dance party with music by DJ Elle and amazing drink specials. The '80s-inspired party is offering $75 bottles of Perrier Jouet all night as well as specials on Absolut cocktails. They also have an array of bites from wunderkind Alex Chang.

 

Bird & Bone
Bird & Bone is the new restaurant from chef Richard Hales at The Confidante Miami Beach Hotel. Indulge in his famous Nashville Hot Chicken paired with Champagnes to ring in the New Year. Dinner starts at $85 per person, which borders on our mid-range, but if you upgrade to the Denim and Diamonds package ($155), which includes entrance to the afterparty and open bar at Nina's House, your evening is a pretty good deal. The afterparty, from event producer Susanne Bartsch, will include over-the-top visuals, music by One-Half Nelson, Adora, and surprise performances throughout the night.

 

Radio Bar
Celebrate NYE for only $75 at the fun local bar/dance party (read: not club), Radio Bar. The price includes an unlimited open bar from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., and a special Jäger shot toast at midnight. Also, enjoy bites from Bakehouse Brasserie from 8 to 10 p.m. (Private tables also available if you want to step it up).

 

The Sarsaparilla Club
Top Chef alums and current partners Jeff McInnis and Janine Booth have selected an excellent menu for their celebration at The Sarsaparilla Club. A 10-dish mix of American Dim Sum and unique entrées will be offered in two seatings. The early seating is priced at $49 and the late seating is $75. Each menu includes an optional drink pairing for $29.

 

Macchialina
Beloved Miami Beach Italian eatery Macchialina is offering a special four-course Chef's Tasting Menu to ring in 2017. The feast will feature a variety of dishes in each course — served family-style — for $55 per person, with an additional wine pairing for $28. The restaurant also be offering specials like whole roasted fish with white wine and cherry tomatoes.

 

La FERIA by Mercado de San Miguel
For the lowest-key offering of all, head over to the pop-up Spanish market La FERIA by Mercado de San Miguel. Located in the heart of downtown, its New Year's offering follows a Spanish tradition: 12 grapes at midnight with a complimentary glass of Champagne. The festive atmosphere will also feature props, dancers, live entertainment, and 12 chimes at midnight. A variety of food stations offer artisanal bites, big to small. No cover charge or reservations needed.

 

Izzy's Fish & Oyster
For a simply great meal with little commitment and a festive atmosphere, head to Izzy's Fish & Oyster. From noon until close, enjoy New Year's Eve specials like Maryland crab-stuffed lobster; Florida stone crab claws; and foie gras stuffies; while sipping on Nicolas Feuillatte Champagne offerings.

 

A Snazzy Night Out:

These dinners certainly clock in pricier than what you'd pay on a "regular" night out, but not by a ton, and they come with a side of amazing atmosphere and high-quality service.

 

db Bistro Moderne Miami
Daniel Boulud's refined db Bistro Moderne Miami at the JW Marriott downtown is offering an early, three-course prix fixe with additional options like seafood and charcuterie platters, as well as a six-course gala dinner. The early seating, from 5 to 8 p.m. is $85 per person, while the gala dinner, starting at 9 p.m., is $195 per person and includes Champagne at midnight, party favors, and a live DJ in the lounge.

 

KYU
Wynwood hotspot KYU, from two Zuma veterans, has been impressing locals and visitors alike since it opened less than a year ago. Its NYE celebration features an eight- or 10-course tasting menu that includes wood-fired specialties, new sashimi-style dishes, and show-stopping veggies. The first seating, before 8 p.m., costs $125 per person and includes a glass of Taittinger Brut Champagne. The second seating includes one bottle of Taittinger Brut Champagne plus one 300-milliliter bottle of Soto Junmai Daiginjo sake and costs $175 per person. Party favors and midnight toasts round out the evening. For reservations, call (786) 577-0150.

 

Mondrian South Beach
Hands down, the Mondrian South Beach offers some of the best views in the city — a bayside location and perfect downtown skyline. The NYE celebration includes a four-hour premium open bar (8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.), DJs, dinner, and a fabulous fireworks display over Biscayne Bay. Prices range from $179 to $350, depending what you want to include (drinks only, dinner, VIP Cabanas, etc.) with a couple of four-digit platinum packages. They're also offering a special post-midnight ticket for $59.

 

The Shore Club
The Shore Club is a staid South Beach classic. Its New Year's Eve celebration features a decadent four-course meal at Terrazza at Shore Club with a complimentary glass of prosecco upon arrival. Menu options include Wagyu carpaccio, lobster ravioli, Chilean seabass, or the beef tenderloin for $125 per person. If you want to take things up a notch after dinner, DJ Spider will be playing outside, and the first 200 guests before 11 p.m. get free entrance with a complimentary Champagne toast. Table reservations are also available. For tickets, click here.

 

PB Station in Downtown's Langford Hotel
Local hit-makers the Pubbelly Boys have been enjoying their latest success at PB Station in Downtown's Langford Hotel. The extensive NYE menu has been carefully crafted by South Florida star chef Jose Mendin and will be accompanied by a bottle of Moët & Chandon Imperial Champagne. The first of two sittings will commence at 7 p.m. and costs $175 per person; the later sitting is at 9:30 p.m. for $225 per person. This also includes VIP access to the rooftop lounge, Pawn Broker. For reservations, call (305) 420-2205.

 

SUSHISAMBA
SUSHISAMBA Miami Beach has been hosting a raucous New Year's party since it was one of the only games in town. Its annual celebration is inspired by the Brazilian tradition of Réveillon, where revelers dress in all white. DJs will be spinning, Carnaval-style samba dancers and drummers will be playing, and chef-curated omakase will be served in addition to an à la carte menu. Highlights include lobster ravioli with house-made red beet-infused pasta, smoked trout eggs, and creamy black truffle sauce; and Japanese A5 Wagyu with bone marrow croquette and cilantro purée. The early seating is from 7 to 9:30 p.m. and has a $85 minimum spend per person. The Premium Celebration Seating, starting at 9:30 p.m., includes the chef-curated five-course menu and live entertainment, and has a $135 minimum spend per person (including a glass of Taittinger Brut Cuvee Prestige Champagne). 

 

Matador Room
Toast the New Year at Jean-Georges' iconic Matador Room at the Miami Beach EDITION hotel, with an exclusive dinner menu created by Top Chef winner Jeremy Ford. The New Year's Eve dinner will be served at 7:30, 8:30, 9:30, or 10:30 p.m. and feature hors d'oeuvres followed by a five-course menu, including roasted Maine lobster with black truffle and garlic-ginger butter and caviar. A selection of Champagne, red, and white wines will be available as well. Pricing ranges from $115 for the early sitting (6/6:30 p.m.) and a four-course menu up to $495 for "premium package," which includes the five-course dinner menu and a choice of Dom Perignon 2006 or three red wines. Follow up dinner with a party at the hotel's club, Basement, hosted by Instagram star The Fat Jewish, Josh Ostrovsky, with sounds from Kanye West's creative director, Virgil Abloh. Open bar package is from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m., and can be purchased online here.

 

High Rollers:

Hey, you're in Miami, you're on vacation, and 2016 was rough. Ggo big or go home, right?

 

Deck at Island Gardens
Head over to the beautiful new Deck at Island Gardens for a "St. Barths in Miami" party, co-sponsored by InList. The night will feature fantastic light performances on the bay with Miami's skyline as a backdrop, a Champagne toast at midnight, and an extravagant buffet. Packages range from general admission for $150 to waterfront tables or cabanas with bottles of Champagne. For reservations, call (786) 479-3443 or email thedeck@islandgardens.com.

 

The Delano South Beach
The Delano South Beach is still doing it right, and Bianca, its chic Italian-inspired restaurant, is offering a lavish four-course NYE menu for $250 at 7 p.m. or $400 at 9 p.m. Guests may dine in Bianca's main dining room or alfresco on the veranda overlooking the whimsical courtyard. Following dinner, guests will take part in a Moët & Chandon Champagne toast. For a post-dinner party, the hotel is also hosting a "winter wonderland" with aquatic performances, whimsical installations, and a live performance by DJ Smeejay. General admission tickets begin at $150. Reservations must be booked and pre-paid in advance. To reserve, call (305) 674-5752 or go online here.

 

Juvia
Offering a different kind of geography, Juvia, South Beach's glamorous penthouse restaurant on Lincoln Road, provides a swanky scene with a magnificent view of Miami Beach. Ring in the New Year with a special four-course meal and a choice of two dinner seatings. Highlights include Maine lobster, blue fin toro and tuna, and a chocolate Feuilletine caramel dessert shot. The first seating is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. and costs $200 per person; second seating starts at 9 p.m., costs $475 per person, and includes an extra course as well as a half bottle of Dom Perignon per person.

 

Prime 112
There are those who will settle for nothing less than the most-celebrity-visited restaurant in Miami (and famous steaks to boot). If this is you, head to Prime 112. Beginning at 10 p.m., Prime will host a dinner dance party in the main dining room, priced at $300 per person. Perks include a bottle of Cristal Champagne per couple, party favors, and music spun by DJ Vertigo. Call (305) 532-8112 for reservations.

 

The Setai
Celebrate New Year's Eve the Great Gatsby way at South Beach's the glam-zen hotel, The Setai, Miami Beach. The 1930s theme is in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Vanderbilt Hotel, which opened Jan. 1, 1937. Festivities will include a French horn collective, DJ Marcello, NYE dancers, a balloon drop, and free-flowing Champagne from 11:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Dinner at its Asian fusion restaurant, Jaya, will be served at two seating times: 6:30 p.m. ($175 per adult/$90 per child), and 8:45 p.m. ($395 per person/$210 per child). The 8:45 seating will include a special Champagne toast at midnight. For a more extravagant dining experience, enjoy a six-course prix fixe at Chef's Kitchen, priced at $695 per person and $360 per child.

 

Mandarin Oriental
We're back to dramatic views, and these come with some of the most sophisticated food and atmosphere in town. The triple five-star Mandarin Oriental, Miami is home to three restaurants hosting New Year's celebrations. AZUL has two seatings, both cooked by chef Benjamin Murray. The first, at $125, is a three-course menu featuring items such as yellowfin tuna and escolar carpaccio, Wagyu beef, and yuzu custard bar. The second seating, for $395, is seven-courses featuring oysters, truffle chawanmushi, warm Alaskan king crab, and Wagyu beef. At Peruvian hotspot La Mar by Gaston Acurio, executive chef Diego Oka will offer a buffet including oysters and lobster, one entrée, and Chaufa Aeropuerto for the table. Pricing ranges from $240 (with unlimited cocktails and prosecco) to $300 (including unlimited cocktails and Champagne). La Mar also has a truly unbelievable brunch buffet, which it'll serve on New Year's Day. The hotel's MO Bar + Lounge is also hosting beginning at 9 p.m. For $75 per person, enjoy two glasses of Champagne, and for $250 per couple, receive a bottle of Piper-Heidsieck Champagne and a lavish seafood platter.

 

Bazaar Mar
The new SLS Brickell has made quite a splash, and its most recent dining option, chef José Andrés' Bazaar Mar, is offering two packages to ring in the new year. The first, from 6 to 7 p.m., is a 10-course tasting menu for $150 per person. Highlights include Hokkaido sea urchin nori cone with kewpie yuzu kosho mayo, and oyster ceviche leche de tigre with corn nuts. For the second seating, starting at 9 p.m., tickets are $250 per person and guests will receive the same menu plus a celebratory glass of Champagne, NYE party favors, and a discount to the SAAM lounge (normally $100), with one drink included.

 

Fontainebleau

Although you likely won't be attending Justin Bieber's concert for $10,000, the Fontainebleau Miami Beach is still one of the best places to head for New Year's. Each of its award-winning restaurants is offering exclusive dinner menus. StripSteak by Michael Mina is cooking up a four-course prix fixe for $195. From 6 to 7:30 p.m., diners can enjoy pan-seared scallops with kabocha squash gnocchi, parsnip, ginger, chive. and mimolette cappuccino; wood-grilled six-ounce filet mignon with polenta, wild mushrooms, shishito pepper, and green peppercorn sauce; and manjari chocolate mousse with rum-ginger cremeux and yuzu sorbet. The second seating is from 8:30 to 10 p.m. with an elevated prix fixe for $295. Scott Conant's AAA Four Diamond Italian restaurant Scarpetta will offer a delectable four-course prix fixe priced at $195 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Standouts include smoked tuna tartare with lemon, avocado, and radish; creamy polenta with fricassee of wild mushrooms, and duck and foie gras ravioli with marsala reduction; and a filet of beef with truffled potato purée, wild mushrooms, and caramelized pearl red onion. The second seating, from 8 to 10 p.m., offers an elevated prix fixe at $295. Fontainebleau's modern Chinese restaurant, Hakkasan, will also offer an early and late option for diners. A four-course prix fixe priced at $195 per person is available from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The feast begins with roasted duck with micro green salad and seared scallops with lotus root in sweet chile sauce (served individually) and a family-style dim sum platter, plus entrées like charcoal grill honey wine Chilean sea bass with black truffle and dessert. The second seating is from 8 to 10 p.m. with a prix fixe for $295. If buffets are your jam, head to Vida from 5 to 11 p.m. for $85 (walk-in only). Salad bars, charcuterie, cheeses, sushi, tapas, pasta, carving stations, pizza, dessert, and more will be there for the taking. Probably one of the best deals in town.

For New Year's Eve reservations, email NYEdining@fontainebleau.com or call (305) 695-2414.

 

InterContinental Miami
If you're planning to be downtown, head to the waterfront InterContinental Miami where a myriad of options await. At fine-dining establishment Toro Toro, from acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval, enjoy an array of pan-Latin dishes. Dinner includes one bottle of Champagne per couple. Early seating is from 6 to 8:30 p.m. for $175 per person with second seating from 9 p.m. to midnight for $250. At Olé, the "flavors of Miami" will be on display at the modern buffet for $220 per person. Dinner includes one bottle of Champagne per couple. Executive chef Klaus Happel is taking guests on a "global tour" at Bluewater with a six-course meal. When the clock strikes midnight, enjoy the fireworks show from the comfort of your seat with breathtaking views of Biscayne Bay. Dinner starts at 8:30 p.m. and includes one bottle of Taittinger Champagne and one bottle of red or white wine per couple ($400 per person). For some excitement and a bite, hit the rooftop for a fireworks toast. Ring in the New Year with a bottle of Taittinger Champagne, a delicious raw seafood tower, and a view the Miami fireworks. Seating available from 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. for $325 per person. Defy Prohibition and join the "The New Year's Eve Speakeasy" in the Bayfront Ballroom. Dress in your best '20s-style clothes and indulge in a buffet with live music in the background. This deal includes of one bottle of Champagne per couple. Seating starts at 8:30 p.m. for $280.

 

EAST
Head to the Brickell City Centre hotspot and flagship hotel, EAST, Miami and start the evening with dinner at Quinto La Huella, the first outpost of the award-winning beachfront concept Parador La Huella. First seating is at 6 to 9 p.m. for a three-course dinner and Champagne for $125. Second seating features a four-course dinner priced at $200 per person and begins at 9:30 p.m. After dinner take a magical elevator ride up to the 40th floor for Questlove at 10:30 p.m. at rooftop bar, Sugar. Priced at $500, tickets include open bar and light bites. The party continues until 4 a.m. with additional sounds by New York-based DJ Elle Dee. To purchase a ticket or inquire about a table, contact NYE@Sugar-Miami.com

 

New Year's Day Bonus:

If you want to keep the party going, head to local Greek favorite Mina's Mediterraneo for a New Year's Day jazz brunch featuring award-winning vocalist Zoe Fromer. Come with family and friends to enjoy delicious food and the spirited sounds of live jazz, complete with bottomless mimosas and sangria. Menu highlights include a Croque Madame served with greens; and mascarpone pancakes with homemade strawberry compote.