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toasting in the New Year
Toast at Mister A’s.
Lucianna Mcintosh

Where to Celebrate New Year’s Eve in San Diego

Cheers to a 2023 filled with magnificent meals with family and friends.

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Toast at Mister A’s.
| Lucianna Mcintosh

As the end of 2022 draws near, it’s time to put on party clothes and prepare to usher in the new year in style After celebrating in more careful ways for the past couple of years, this go-round hopefully marks a return to mirth, merriment, and making memories. Read on to see what San Diego restaurants and bars have in store for New Year’s Eve festivities, from multi-course meals to champagne toasts to help you ring in 2023.

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Valle Guadalupe Valley Kitchen

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This Oceanside gem, helmed by Malva chef Roberto Alcocer, was recently recognized in the Michelin Guide California for his take on Baja cuisine. His New Year’s Eve menu features wagyu Wellington, King oysters, and black cod for $150. Choose from their vast range of tequilas and wines to close out the end of the year or head upstairs to the Rooftop Bar for the 21+ party with two DJs and passed hors d’oeuvres.

A dish from Valle.
A dish from Valle Guadalupe Valley Kitchen
Jordan Younis

Jeune et Jolie

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Once again, Executive chef Eric Bost has won accolades from the folks at Michelin for his elegant and modern French fare, which will be featured in a celebratory five-course menu for $175 per person. Opt for the wine pairing or a specialty cocktail; after all, it is New Year’s. 

Sliced radishes and small leafed greens on an ethereal puff of culinary foam. All plated on a white bowl, placed on a speckled white table.
A fresh dish from Jeune et Jolie.
Jeune et Jolie

Polo Steakhouse

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Executive chef Judd Canepari, who’s cooked at La Valencia and was formerly Jerry Seinfeld’s personal chef, is amping up the entrees at this contemporary Carlsbad steakhouse. For $125, diners will be lavished with a four-course menu with selections like prime filet and Australian lobster tail, ending with New Haven cheesecake based on the chef’s grandma’s recipe. 

seafood dish
Seafood dish at Polo Steakhouse.
Deanna Sandoval

Lakehouse Hotel and Golf Resort

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For a more cozy New Year’s Eve, snuggle up in a lakeside igloo with a delectable charcuterie board and bottles of wine. Afterward, frolic through the property’s first-ever Winter Wonderland with a 140-foot holiday light tunnel and festive stalls serving holiday drinks and bites like Amalfi’s wood-fired pizzas from their outdoor oven.

Charcuterie board as part of igloo dining
Charcuterie board as part of igloo dining.
Lakehouse Hotel and Golf Resort

Ember & Rye

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Helmed by chef Richard Blais, the steakhouse is hosting a “Roaring ’23” bash with all sorts of convivial touches. Accompanied by live entertainment, guests are feted with dinner, dessert, Cognac tastings, photobooths, casino tables, and a balloon drop. A dinner and after-party bundle is $375 per person or just come for the party for $225. Come earlier to check out their inaugural Cabana Christmas Village; each cabana is decorated in the holiday spirit and hosts a variety of activities like holiday food and drinks, cookie decorating, and ornament making. 

Valentina Restaurant

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Put a Spanish spin on New Year’s Eve with this bistro’s three-course prix fixe menu offered from noon to 9 p.m. for $90. Featuring popular favorites like paella and oysters, the menu will include seasonal dishes like lobster and crab txangurro (baked and stuffed), along with vegan and gluten-free alternatives. On New Year’s Day, guests can recover and commiserate about the holidays over a pop-up champagne bar with casual light bites, starting at 1 p.m. 

Spanish garlic shrimp at Valentina Restaurant
Spanish garlic shrimp at Valentina Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

The new coastal Italian restaurant is preparing an elegant five-course menu for $145 with an optional wine pairing add-on. Chef Chad Huff (Felix Trattoria in Venice, Broad Street Oysters in Malibu) will feature items like burrata from Puglia, house-made tagliatelle, and dry-aged wagyu.

Carpaccio with American wagyu, pine nuts, and horseradish.
Carpaccio with American wagyu, pine nuts, and scallions.
Jim Sullivan

The Fishery

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For a seafood-forward New Year’s Eve dinner, consider the five-course menu offered here for $180 along with a select number of a la carte dishes. Dish highlights include Pacific gold oysters, swordfish, and chocolate bisou. Up the celebration factor with a wine pairing for $60 or some of the bar’s excellent cocktails.

In the foreground, a multicolor cherry tomato and basil salad in a white bowl. In the background, a cocktail that resembles a martini and a small dish filled with olives.
A salad and cocktail from The Fishery.
The Fishery

Wormwood

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The absinthe bar and French bistro is featuring a seven-course prix fixe dinner with popular dishes from the past year. The Boho Parisian-styled restaurant is preparing dishes like smoked duck confit, wagyu tartare with roasted bone marrow, sea urchin custard, and a wide selection of French cheeses. 

Absinthe cocktail at Wormwood
Absinthe cocktail at Wormwood.
Wormwood

Madison

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For a romantic spot for New Year’s Eve, this University Heights stunner is offering a three-course menu and amuse bouche for $89 where the iconic crusted pork chop, along with tuna tartare starter, are among the menu’s choices. Upgrade with beverage options, like the mix-and-match cocktail pairings for $29 or a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for $69. 

The entrance to Madison. a pastel colored building, photographed at night. Four lights brighten the restaurant’s logo, in a minimal font. A bare tree is on thje right. Several people stand outside.
The entrance to Madison.
MadisonOnPark/Facebook

Bivouac Ciderworks

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Fast-forward to the ‘90s for a house party in North Park, complete with a welcome Jell-O shot and party like it’s 1999 when people really thought the world might end in Y2K. A limited menu of bites will be available all night long. As perhaps the only San Diego cider specialist, you gotta toast with a cider at midnight. Tickets can be purchased for $25 here

An array of cocktails
An array of cocktails.
Bivouac Ciderworks

Louisiana Purchase

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The North Park space will offer a 1940s New Orleans speakeasy experience with classic cocktails, live jazz performances, entertainment, and cigars on Friday, December 30 from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. as a precursor to its New Year’s Eve dinner party featuring a three-course dinner menu from chef Quintton “Q” Austin and chef de cuisine Phillip Humphrey along with cocktail pairings by Stefanie Berglund. With seatings at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., the dinner is $150 per person.

Cori Pastificio Trattoria

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Chef Accursio Lota greets every guest at his Sicilian trattoria as if they’re long-lost relatives. The warm, open atmosphere may be just the ticket for a more relaxed celebration with a four-course tasting menu, featuring favorite dishes revisited. The chef’s menu costs $82 per person with cocktails and champagne at midnight.

Triangle shaped pasta stackedon a plate, covered with sage and bacon, on a white plate with an ornate rim. The plate is on a wood table.
Pasta from Cori Pastificio Trattoria.
Cori Pastificio Trattoria

Mister A's

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In the newly redecorated dining space with 180-degree views of the city, 350-feet above sea level, chef Stephane Voitwinkler will host a five-course prix-fixe menu for $165 per person. Come dressed to impress and indulge in dishes like Maine lobster feuillete, Iberico pork belly, and cherries. The delightful Elf on the Twelfth cocktail experience will add a twinkle to your New Year’s Eve meal.

Lavish dinner spread at Mister A’s
Lavish dinner spread at Mister A’s.
Lucianna McIntosh

Wolfie's Carousel Bar

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The one-of-a-kind rotating carousel bar adds to the celebratory atmosphere at this Little Italy bar where the carnivalesque setting is a great backdrop for a menu featuring entrees like Parisian gnocchi, coq au vin, and moules frites. Grande and petite seafood plateaus are also offered for decadent diners prepping to ring in 2023 with a midnight champagne toast.  

oysters and festive dishes
Festive dishes at Wolfie’s Carousel Bar
Wolfie’s Carousel Bar

The Desmond

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If you’re looking to be in the thick of NYE Gaslamp celebrations, this handsome new restaurant at the Kimpton Alma San Diego is hosting a scrumptious five-course dinner for $125 per person with bread service included. Seatings run from 5 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. The menu, created by celebrated Los Angeles chef Jason Neroni (The Rose, Venice) kicks off with Baja oysters and spot prawns with other course options ranging from filet mignon and Hokkaido scallops to a mimosa parfait.

New Year’s Eve dinner with Baja oysters, apple salad, spot prawns, Hokkaido scallops, and champagne.
New Year’s Eve dinner with Baja oysters, apple salad, spot prawns, Hokkaido scallops, and champagne.
The Desmond

The Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

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The downtown hotel’s ballroom will be transformed into a glittering stage for a New Year’s Eve dinner party prepared by standout Baja chefs Ruffo Ibarra and Janina Garay. The night starts at 8 p.m. with a welcome cocktail and four-course dinner followed at 10:30 p.m. with live music, dancing, a midnight champagne toast, and a full cash bar that’ll be serving drinks until 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $199.

A hotel bar. James Tran

Kingfisher

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There may be some seats remaining for the end of 2022 celebration at Eater’s restaurant of the year. Guests who reserve tables starting at 8:30 p.m. will be able to keep their tables until midnight, and the $50 nonrefundable reservation will receive a swag bag that includes original artwork, pins, and a hat as well as a welcome drink and a champagne toast. The bar is also rolling out a tableside martini and whiskey cart for the occasion. The full menu will be available along with a special dish of Colorado lamb chops with roasted sunchokes, Vietnamese amaranth, and mint, lemongrass, and Thai chili gremolata.

Mirrors line the wall of a dining room. Kimberly Motos

LAVO Italian Restaurant

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This spacious and stylish Italian restaurant is offering two dinner seatings, plus the option of a bar and lounge experience with tray-passed brick oven pizzas for $99. The early seating from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. features the a la carte menu, featuring Angry Maria pizza and truffle ricotta cavatelli. After 9 p.m., guests can select options from Lavo’s greatest hits menu for $150. An add-on inclusive bar package costs $75 or drinks can be ordered separately. 

interior dining space
Interior dining space at LAVO Italian Restaurant.
Ryan Forbes

Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine

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Executive chef JoJo Ruiz is offering a surf-and-turf grand tasting prix fixe menu in his Gaslamp Quarter restaurant. Each of the four courses will feature sea and land components, along with elements of vegan fare for $160 per person. A limited a la carte menu is also available, along with a champagne toast. Upgrade for VIP entry into the Oxford Social Club.

Octopus dish at Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine
Octopus dish.
Lionfish Modern Coastal Cuisine

Provisional Kitchen

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Provisional’s turning into a party hub with a five-course menu, champagne, and live music for $150. Decadent choices include caviar and Dungeness crab, Hokkaido scallops, and Maine lobster tail with add-on wine and spirit pairings for an additional $50. Reservations run from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. with the option to move the party onto Fifth & Rose for craft cocktails, a complimentary token to the Moet Champagne vending machine, and a confetti countdown celebration for a $50 cover charge. 

dining space
Interior space.
Provisional Kitchen

Valle Guadalupe Valley Kitchen

This Oceanside gem, helmed by Malva chef Roberto Alcocer, was recently recognized in the Michelin Guide California for his take on Baja cuisine. His New Year’s Eve menu features wagyu Wellington, King oysters, and black cod for $150. Choose from their vast range of tequilas and wines to close out the end of the year or head upstairs to the Rooftop Bar for the 21+ party with two DJs and passed hors d’oeuvres.

A dish from Valle.
A dish from Valle Guadalupe Valley Kitchen
Jordan Younis

Jeune et Jolie

Once again, Executive chef Eric Bost has won accolades from the folks at Michelin for his elegant and modern French fare, which will be featured in a celebratory five-course menu for $175 per person. Opt for the wine pairing or a specialty cocktail; after all, it is New Year’s. 

Sliced radishes and small leafed greens on an ethereal puff of culinary foam. All plated on a white bowl, placed on a speckled white table.
A fresh dish from Jeune et Jolie.
Jeune et Jolie

Polo Steakhouse

Executive chef Judd Canepari, who’s cooked at La Valencia and was formerly Jerry Seinfeld’s personal chef, is amping up the entrees at this contemporary Carlsbad steakhouse. For $125, diners will be lavished with a four-course menu with selections like prime filet and Australian lobster tail, ending with New Haven cheesecake based on the chef’s grandma’s recipe. 

seafood dish
Seafood dish at Polo Steakhouse.
Deanna Sandoval

Lakehouse Hotel and Golf Resort

For a more cozy New Year’s Eve, snuggle up in a lakeside igloo with a delectable charcuterie board and bottles of wine. Afterward, frolic through the property’s first-ever Winter Wonderland with a 140-foot holiday light tunnel and festive stalls serving holiday drinks and bites like Amalfi’s wood-fired pizzas from their outdoor oven.

Charcuterie board as part of igloo dining
Charcuterie board as part of igloo dining.
Lakehouse Hotel and Golf Resort

Ember & Rye

Helmed by chef Richard Blais, the steakhouse is hosting a “Roaring ’23” bash with all sorts of convivial touches. Accompanied by live entertainment, guests are feted with dinner, dessert, Cognac tastings, photobooths, casino tables, and a balloon drop. A dinner and after-party bundle is $375 per person or just come for the party for $225. Come earlier to check out their inaugural Cabana Christmas Village; each cabana is decorated in the holiday spirit and hosts a variety of activities like holiday food and drinks, cookie decorating, and ornament making. 

Valentina Restaurant

Put a Spanish spin on New Year’s Eve with this bistro’s three-course prix fixe menu offered from noon to 9 p.m. for $90. Featuring popular favorites like paella and oysters, the menu will include seasonal dishes like lobster and crab txangurro (baked and stuffed), along with vegan and gluten-free alternatives. On New Year’s Day, guests can recover and commiserate about the holidays over a pop-up champagne bar with casual light bites, starting at 1 p.m. 

Spanish garlic shrimp at Valentina Restaurant
Spanish garlic shrimp at Valentina Restaurant.
Helen I. Hwang

Marisi

The new coastal Italian restaurant is preparing an elegant five-course menu for $145 with an optional wine pairing add-on. Chef Chad Huff (Felix Trattoria in Venice, Broad Street Oysters in Malibu) will feature items like burrata from Puglia, house-made tagliatelle, and dry-aged wagyu.

Carpaccio with American wagyu, pine nuts, and horseradish.
Carpaccio with American wagyu, pine nuts, and scallions.
Jim Sullivan

The Fishery

For a seafood-forward New Year’s Eve dinner, consider the five-course menu offered here for $180 along with a select number of a la carte dishes. Dish highlights include Pacific gold oysters, swordfish, and chocolate bisou. Up the celebration factor with a wine pairing for $60 or some of the bar’s excellent cocktails.

In the foreground, a multicolor cherry tomato and basil salad in a white bowl. In the background, a cocktail that resembles a martini and a small dish filled with olives.
A salad and cocktail from The Fishery.
The Fishery

Wormwood

The absinthe bar and French bistro is featuring a seven-course prix fixe dinner with popular dishes from the past year. The Boho Parisian-styled restaurant is preparing dishes like smoked duck confit, wagyu tartare with roasted bone marrow, sea urchin custard, and a wide selection of French cheeses. 

Absinthe cocktail at Wormwood
Absinthe cocktail at Wormwood.
Wormwood

Madison

For a romantic spot for New Year’s Eve, this University Heights stunner is offering a three-course menu and amuse bouche for $89 where the iconic crusted pork chop, along with tuna tartare starter, are among the menu’s choices. Upgrade with beverage options, like the mix-and-match cocktail pairings for $29 or a bottle of Veuve Clicquot champagne for $69. 

The entrance to Madison. a pastel colored building, photographed at night. Four lights brighten the restaurant’s logo, in a minimal font. A bare tree is on thje right. Several people stand outside.
The entrance to Madison.
MadisonOnPark/Facebook

Bivouac Ciderworks

Fast-forward to the ‘90s for a house party in North Park, complete with a welcome Jell-O shot and party like it’s 1999 when people really thought the world might end in Y2K. A limited menu of bites will be available all night long. As perhaps the only San Diego cider specialist, you gotta toast with a cider at midnight. Tickets can be purchased for $25 here

An array of cocktails
An array of cocktails.
Bivouac Ciderworks

Louisiana Purchase

The North Park space will offer a 1940s New Orleans speakeasy experience with classic cocktails, live jazz performances, entertainment, and cigars on Friday, December 30 from 10:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. as a precursor to its New Year’s Eve dinner party featuring a three-course dinner menu from chef Quintton “Q” Austin and chef de cuisine Phillip Humphrey along with cocktail pairings by Stefanie Berglund. With seatings at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m., the dinner is $150 per person.

Cori Pastificio Trattoria

Chef Accursio Lota greets every guest at his Sicilian trattoria as if they’re long-lost relatives. The warm, open atmosphere may be just the ticket for a more relaxed celebration with a four-course tasting menu, featuring favorite dishes revisited. The chef’s menu costs $82 per person with cocktails and champagne at midnight.

Triangle shaped pasta stackedon a plate, covered with sage and bacon, on a white plate with an ornate rim. The plate is on a wood table.
Pasta from Cori Pastificio Trattoria.
Cori Pastificio Trattoria

Mister A's

In the newly redecorated dining space with 180-degree views of the city, 350-feet above sea level, chef Stephane Voitwinkler will host a five-course prix-fixe menu for $165 per person. Come dressed to impress and indulge in dishes like Maine lobster feuillete, Iberico pork belly, and cherries. The delightful Elf on the Twelfth cocktail experience will add a twinkle to your New Year’s Eve meal.

Lavish dinner spread at Mister A’s
Lavish dinner spread at Mister A’s.
Lucianna McIntosh

Wolfie's Carousel Bar

The one-of-a-kind rotating carousel bar adds to the celebratory atmosphere at this Little Italy bar where the carnivalesque setting is a great backdrop for a menu featuring entrees like Parisian gnocchi, coq au vin, and moules frites. Grande and petite seafood plateaus are also offered for decadent diners prepping to ring in 2023 with a midnight champagne toast.  

oysters and festive dishes
Festive dishes at Wolfie’s Carousel Bar
Wolfie’s Carousel Bar

Related Maps

The Desmond

If you’re looking to be in the thick of NYE Gaslamp celebrations, this handsome new restaurant at the Kimpton Alma San Diego is hosting a scrumptious five-course dinner for $125 per person with bread service included. Seatings run from 5 p.m. to 10:45 p.m. The menu, created by celebrated Los Angeles chef Jason Neroni (The Rose, Venice) kicks off with Baja oysters and spot prawns with other course options ranging from filet mignon and Hokkaido scallops to a mimosa parfait.

New Year’s Eve dinner with Baja oysters, apple salad, spot prawns, Hokkaido scallops, and champagne.
New Year’s Eve dinner with Baja oysters, apple salad, spot prawns, Hokkaido scallops, and champagne.
The Desmond

The Guild Hotel, San Diego, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel

The downtown hotel’s ballroom will be transformed into a glittering stage for a New Year’s Eve dinner party prepared by standout Baja chefs Ruffo Ibarra and Janina Garay. The night starts at 8 p.m. with a welcome cocktail and four-course dinner followed at 10:30 p.m. with live music, dancing, a midnight champagne toast, and a full cash bar that’ll be serving drinks until 1:30 a.m. Tickets are $199.

A hotel bar. James Tran

Kingfisher

There may be some seats remaining for the end of 2022 celebration at Eater’s restaurant of the year. Guests who reserve tables starting at 8:30 p.m. will be able to keep their tables until midnight, and the $50 nonrefundable reservation will receive a swag bag that includes original artwork, pins, and a hat as well as a welcome drink and a champagne toast. The bar is also rolling out a tableside martini and whiskey cart for the occasion. The full menu will be available along with a special dish of Colorado lamb chops with roasted sunchokes, Vietnamese amaranth, and mint, lemongrass, and Thai chili gremolata.