13 Ways to Celebrate New Year’s

New Years Eve is one of the busiest bar nights of the year, and most Milwaukee establishments embrace the occasion, offering special menus, decorations, midnight champagne toasts and more. With dozens of options — each flashier than the next — choosing the perfect spot to ring in the new year can be a daunting task.

The guide below groups establishments by geographic location and atmosphere for a convenient and customizable NYE experience. Whether you’re seeking an elegant evening, food-focused celebration or all-out party, there’s sure to be something for you.

Simply choose a category, plan accordingly and prepare to welcome 2023 your way.

Group Outing

For groups of six to 20, adventure awaits in the Brewery District. Kick off the evening at Central Waters Brewing Co., 1037 W. Juneau Ave. Settle in with a new release or a year-round favorite. And don’t forget the snacks — Troublemakers’ Cocina is now serving its creative Mexican shareables and entrees inside the taproom.

When Central Waters closes at 8 p.m., it’s time to head down the street for an evening of private suite karaoke at Amped, 910 W. Juneau Ave. Sessions are reservation only and run for 2.5 hours. For groups of up to 12, a standard suite is $199. For 13 to 20 people, a premiere suite costs $299. Each session includes microphones, props and food and drink deliveries.

Visit the Amped website to make a reservation online.

Looking to keep the party going? Water Street and its healthy selection of bars is just a 15-minute walk away.

Date Night

An elegant evening for two begins at Gloriosos Appetito, 1020 E. Brady St., for a surf-and-turf cooking class with Chef Michael Solovey. During the 90-minute class, attendees will prepare a celebratory meal of a six-ounce filet mignon with béarnaise, lobster tail with clarified butter, baked potato and broiled asparagus.

The meal is accompanied by a glass of prosecco. The bar opens at 5 p.m. and class begins at 5:30 p.m.

Registration is available online and is priced at $120 per person.

After the class, you can choose to turn in early, or head to SlyFox Cocktail Bar, 1692 N. Van Buren St., for a craft cocktail or mocktail ahead of the countdown to midnight.

Food-Focused

Birch is one of numerous Milwaukee restaurants offering a multi-course NYE tasting menu. The modern bistro, 459 E. Pleasant St., will serve a seafood-forward menu starring seasonal ingredients such as citrus and endive.

Throughout the five-course meal, guests can expect a toro and white truffle hand roll; endive salad with lump crab; smoked steelhead trout with parsnip, cider and toasted hazelnuts; polenta topped with wild chanterelle mushrooms, soft-poached egg and Wisconsin parmesan; Japanese charcoal-grilled beef; and warm chocolate cake with bourbon meringue.

The dinner is $135 per person. There will also be live music and a champagne toast for those who stay until midnight.

Reservations from 5 p.m. until 9:45 p.m. are available online.

Restaurants including Bacchus, Balzac Wine Bar, Bavette La Boucherie, Braise, Centraal Grand Café & Tappery, Chef’s Table, EsterEv, Lupi & Iris, Movida at Hotel Madrid, Old Town Serbian Gourmet House, Saffron, Sala Modern Sicilian, Third Coast Provisions and Tre Rivali will also offer special NYE menus. Reservations are strongly recommended.

Family-Friendly

Celebrate New Year’s at noon with a family dance party and 12 p.m. ball-drop ceremony at Betty Brinn Children’s Museum. Leading up to the countdown, families are invited to create DIY noisemakers in the museum’s Be A Maker space.

The museum will be open from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Dec. 31.

After the ball-drop, head over to the Milwaukee County Zoo to keep the excitement going. Enjoy a 1-mile hike through the zoo grounds and observe the animal-themed light displays and millions of shimmering lights.

The event runs from 5:30 p.m. until 9 p.m.

Purchase tickets in advance online. A family pack includes four tickets for $60. Parking is included in the ticket price.

Homebody

If staying on the couch is more your speed, liven up your big night in with vegan appetizers and bubbles from Strange Town, 2101 N. Prospect Ave. A party pack for two to four people includes hummus, tapenade and muhammara dips, plus crostini, pita bread and a bottle of sparkling wine. Non-alcoholic sparkling wine, regular wine and cider are available by request.

The NYE party pack is $75 and available for pre-order and pickup via the Strangetown Cashdrop website. Add on an extra bottle of natural wine for $30 or an entire chocolate cake for $75.

Stay connected with Milwaukee from the comfort of your living room by streaming “Small Town Wisconsin,” a 2020 film featuring cameos of The Pfister Hotel and American Family Field.

N/A NYE

The holidays often come with an increased emphasis on alcohol, which can be unpleasant for those wishing to abstain. An increasing number of establishments, however, are taking steps to offer unique and delicious non-alcoholic beverages that can hold their own against alcoholic counterparts.

One such establishment is HoneyBee Sage Apothecary & Herbal Beverage Lounge, 1819 N. Martin Luther King Jr. Dr. Stop in before 5 p.m. to enjoy an herbal beverage or zero-proof cocktail at the copper-topped bar.

Continue the evening with a relaxing experience at Float Milwaukee, 211 W. Freshwater Way, a Walker’s Point spa offering sensory deprivation pods and pools.

Sessions are $80 for one hour. Reserve a spot online.

Dinner and a Show

Enjoy an evening of fine dining and entertainment at The Social, 611 N. Broadway. The event begins at 6:30 p.m. with a three-course dinner.

Guests can choose between kale and sausage stew or butter lettuce salad with goat cheese mousse; followed by an entree of one of the following: herbed polenta with roasted vegetables; bourbon-glazed pork chop with roasted peach cornbread stuffing; citrus-marinated halibut with purple sweet potato puree; or beef short rib with garlic mashed potatoes, spiced carrots and Yorkshire pudding. Dessert is red velvet cake with cream cheese frosting, compressed strawberries and pistachio meringue.

After the meal, Deceptions will host a special, 90-minute NYE show, promising a combination of modern magic, mentalism and dry humor.

A post-show party will include hor d’oeuvres, party favors, DJ and dance floor, a photo booth and a midnight champagne toast.

Tickets are $135 including dinner or $80 for general admission without dinner. Tickets are available for purchase online.

Thrill-Seeker (New Year’s Day)

Whether you partied the night away or turned in early, what better way to greet the new year than with a dip in beautiful Lake Michigan? Join the masses of daring Milwaukeeans in storming the shores at Bradford Beach, 2400 N. Lincoln Memorial Dr., for the annual Polar Bear Plunge.

The official event starts at noon, but feel free to take the plunge at any time. The water (37 degrees Fahrenheit!) isn’t getting any warmer.

After your fingers and toes regain feeling, warm up from the inside out with Dim Sum brunch at DanDan from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m.

Enjoy specialty dishes such as turnip cakes, egg tart, shrimp toast and egg drop soup at the modern Chinese restaurant, 360 E. Erie St.

Reservations are required. Reserve a spot online.

Honorable Mentions

Landmark Lanes, 2220 N. Farwell Ave., will host a NYE bash featuring bowling, karaoke, giveaways and arcade games. A $75 VIP package includes select premium and rail cocktails, select craft and domestic taps, half-off bowling and an Ian’s Pizza buffet from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Tickets are available online.

The Rave, 2401 W. Wisconsin Ave. will once again pull out all the stops for its 20th annual Stellar Spark New Years Eve celebration. The “mega-party” is planned for Friday, Dec. 29 and Saturday, Dec. 30, featuring a lineup of dance and electronic artists and DJs including SVDDEN DEATH, Space Laces and Vampa. Purchase tickets online.

Art*Bar, 722 E. Burleigh St., will throw a NYE GlamDance Party from 11 p.m. until 2:30 a.m. DJ Salvatore will be spinning dance hits through the decades from 80s to present. The event will also include favors and a midnight champagne toast. Tickets are $10 and available for purchase online. Keep the party going with a 12-minute walk to Mad Planet, 533 E. Center St., which will remain open until 4 a.m.

Enlightened Brewing Company, 2020 S. Allis St., will host “The Get Down,” a funk and soul dance party. The event, set for 9 p.m., promises 1960s soul, 1970s funk, 1980s boogie and other selections — all from original 45 records. Entry is $5 at the door.

At the end of the night, get home safely with the 2022 Miller Lite Free Rides Program. Throughout the night and early morning, Molson Coors will sponsor free bus rides along Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) routes. Read Urban Milwaukee’s previous coverage to learn more.