Au revoir, 2019. It's been real—too real, tbh.
The dawn of a new decade is just around the proverbial bend, and there are no shortage of ways to celebrate. We've rounded up the most decadent dinners, concerts, drag shows, and over-the-top dance parties for all your Champagne-fueled New Year's Eve shenanigans around the Bay Area. Cheers, gang.
Over-the-Top NYE Parties in the Bay Area
A Champagne-Fueled Disco Dance Party
9pm to 1am
The Riddler, 528 Laguna St. (Hayes Valley)
What would you expect from the city's poshest Champagne bar on New Year's Eve but bottomless bottles of bubbly? Don your sequins and get sparkly at The Riddler as DJ Patrick and Infinite Jess supply the tunes. Come midnight, jaws will drop over the the sabering a 3-liter bottle to ring in the New Year. // Tickets ($340/person) are available at eventbrite.com.
14th Annual Passport to the World
9pm to 2am
Westin St. Francis, 335 Powell St. (Union Square)
Five themed party rooms decked out with props and entertainment will transport dancers to weird and wild worlds, and we're here for it. Hold onto your hats for live bands, DJs, fashion shows, stilt walkers, taiko drummers, photo booths, and more. // Tickets ($125 and up) are available at Eventbrite.
An NYE Cocktail Experience
9pm to 2am
Alchemist Bar & Lounge, 679 3rd St. (SoMa), alchemistsf.com
Cocktail geeks looking to cheers the new year with a masterfully made drink can mix it up at a spirit-forward party at Alchemist. There will be music, dancing, and a full open bar featuring seasonal craft cocktails made with unique premium spirits, plus a Champagne toast at midnight. // Tickets ($88 and up) are available on Eventbrite.
New Year's Eve Cruise
8pm to 1am
Hornblower Cruises, Pier 3 (Embarcadero)
For the best view of the fireworks over San Francisco Bay, celebrate the next decade onboard a Hornblower Cruise. The party will have the works: DJs, dance floors, open cocktail bars, abd a full buffet. // Tickets ($275 and up) are available at hornblower.com.
Gatsby's House
9:30pm to 2am
W Hotel, 181 Third St. (Union Square), marriot.com
The W is known as a party central. They're ringing in 2020 with a roaring Gatsby-inspired bash featuring 10 DJs across five dance floors and an exclusive lounge sipping station should you opt for the VIP ticket. // Tickets ($135 and up) are available at Eventbrite.
A Roaring '20s Party in Sausalito
10pm to 1am
Cavallo Point, 601 Murray Circle (Sausalito)
The somewhat sleepy town of Sausalito will be waking up this New Year's Eve with a '20s-themed fete, and front row seat for the fireworks, at Cavallo Point Lodge. Don your flapper dress or gangster suit and enjoy small bites and bubbly, dancing, a midnight ballon drop, and complimentary valet parking. // Tickets ($100 and up) are available at Eventbrite
The Most Extravagant 20's Themed Party in SF
9pm to 2am
The Regency Center, 1300 Van Ness Ave. (Polk Gulch)
The team at MOANY—i.e. the Mother of All New Years—brings is blowing it out bigtime with three distinctly different dance floors, six DJs hailing from Los Angeles to New York, and a massive indoor confetti and ball drop. // Tickets ($55 and up) are available on Eventbrite.
A Burlesque Bash
9pm till late
The Uptown Nightclub, 1928 Telegraph Ave. (Oakland), uptownnightclub.com
Hubba Hubba Revue presents and hot and bothered bash tonight with acts including Lee Presson and The Nails, JonBenet Butterbuns, and more musical guests. // Tickets ($20/advance, $25/door) are available at eventbrite.com.
Bay Area Restaurants for New Year's Eve
If the big balloon drops and confetti-laden Champagne toasts aren't your jam, spend the evening eating and drinking at some of the Bay Area's best restaurants, where chefs are cooking up special meals along with live music and treats.
Ramen Shop
Seatings at 6:30pm, 7pm, 8:30pm, and 9pm
5812 College Ave. (Oakland), ramenshop.com
Slurp yourself silly into the New Year at Oakland's beloved Ramen Shop, where evening seatings bring special prix-fixe meals including matsutake mushroom galette, crab shio tonkatsu ramen, and lobster and duck dumplings in brodo. Shellfish-free and vegetarian options will also be available; price of seating include bubbles or special NYE cocktails. // Tickets ($115-$135/dinner; $40/all you can drink after 11pm) are available on Eventbrite.
One65
Reservations beginning at 6pm
165 O'Farrell St, (Union Square), one65sf.com
The six-story French culinary destination is hosting a très special feast at the location fine dining restaurant, O'. Make reservations for six-course ($250) and nine-course ($350) dinners with wine ($150) or Champagne ($250) pairings. // Reservations are available at sevenrooms.com.
9pm to 1am
Pedro Point Brewing Company, 55A Bill Drake Way (Pacifica), pedropointbrewing.com
All that Champagne too rich for your blood? Get down with bottomless craft beer and Sunset29 barbecue at this Pacifica brewery. Yes, there will be wine, too. // Tickets ($65) are available on Eventbrite.
Sam's Anchor Cafe
11:30am to 1am
27 Main St. (Tiburon), samscafe.com
Kick it bayside at Sam's with food specials, holiday drinks—think spiced cranberry hot toddies and pomegranate sparklers—and live music from The Stick Shifts. // No RSVP or tickets needed
August (1) Five
Dinnertime
542 Van Ness Ave., august1five.com
Chef Manish Tyagi is serving a special four-course tasting menu tonight influenced by the various culinary traditions of India, but with a California twist of course. Expect dishes lotus stem chaat; leek and potato soup with warming spices; tandoori quail or banana leaf wrapped black cod with coconut rice. Finish the night with a complimentary champagne toast and panna cotta with green cardamom, cashew, and pistachio. // $120/person, $45/wine pairing); reservations are available through Opentable.
Alexander's Steakhouse
Seatings at 5:30pm and 8:30pm
448 Brannan St. (SoMa), alexanderssteakhouse.com
Macerate on medium-rare red meat at Alexanders' six-course NYE prix-fixe. Dishes will include smoked sturgeon with caviar and Wagyu tortellini en brodo. // $195 per person; reservations are available at Tock.
The Commissary
Reservations starting at 5:30pm
101 Montgomery St. (The Presidio)
Pair your New Year's festivities with a bit of Spanish guitar and percussion (8pm till the ball drops) at The Commissary. Chef Eric Minnich is cooking up a five-course prix-fixe tasting menu—think Dungeness crab with seaweed rice puff; sunchoke veloute; and Snake River Farms New York steak—with optional wine pairings ($50/person). // $135/person or $100/person for reservations before 7:30pm; for the menu and reservations, go to thecommissarysf.com.
NYE Concerts from San Francisco to South Lake Tahoe
Seth MacFarlane
8pm
San Francisco Symphony, Davies Hall, 201 Van Ness Ave, sfsymphony.com
Laugh and sway in style with Grammy Award–nominated singer and actor Seth MacFarlane, who bringing his winning combination of crooning and cool to the Symphony stage this New Year's Eve. Expect a meeting of jazz standards with belly-aching laughs. // Tickets ($91 and up) are available at sfsymphony.com.
Cupcakke
9pm
Brick and Mortar Music Hall, 1710 Mission St. (Mission), brickandmortarmusic.com
If you missed the foul-mouthed, queer-positive rap goddess Cupcakke when she came through for Outside Lands, don't fret: She's returning to SF for NYE. Spring for the $85 VIP tix and get five drinks included. // Tickets ($33 and up) are available on ticketweb.com.
MTV's Snowglobe Music Festival
Dec. 29-31, 2019
South Lake Tahoe Community Playfields & Bijou Park, 1 College Way (South Lake Tahoe)
Werk some winter magic at MTV's three-day electro fest in Tahoe. The NYE lineup goes all day and features the likes of Skrillex, E-To, Zhu. Some say it's the most chill festival in the United States. Bundle up. // Tickets (starting at $129 for NYE day pass) are available at Eventbrite.
Hella Gay NYE Parties in San Francisco
Champagne My Dear, with Juanita & Glama
9pm
Powerhouse, 1347 Folsom St. (SoMa), powerhousebar.com
Expect plenty of NSFW gay hoopla and late-night cruising at Powerhouse tonight as mother/daughter drag legends Juanita MORE! and Glamamore join forces for a special midnight performance. There will be complimentary bow ties, snacks, and a Champagne toast. // More information on juanitamore.com
A Fierce Farewell to Heklina
9pm to 2am, performance at 10pm
Oasis, 298 11th Street (SoMa), sfoasis.com
It's been five years since drag icons Heklina and D'Arcy Drollinger opened their SoMa nightclub Oasis, where together they've raised new drag talent and brought queer artistry to the stage. Now that Heklina is retiring to Palm Springs, this NYE is last to celebrate with the two divas as they throw shade and spill the tea in the same room. // Tickets ($35, including champagne toast), are available at sfoasis.com.
