The best restaurants in town shine gold and gorgeous on New Year’s Eve, boasting celebratory multi-course holiday menus with complimentary champagne toasts. Forget rules and responsibility; New Year’s Eve is the night to toast to the past and look forward to the future. When counting down to the midnight hour, plan how you’ll be feasting at these San Diego restaurants.
Discover our picks for New Year’s Eve dinner in San Diego
Roppongi: Toast to 2013 with Roppongi’s four course prix-fixe menu. Guests will choose from various, fish-forward options on the specialty menu, including a Mt. Cook Salmon, Dungeness Crab, Kona Kampachi, Caramelized Maui Onion Bisque, Main Lobster Arugula Salad, Petite Prime Beef Tenderloin & Sesame Crusted Tiger Shrimp, Wild Sea Bass Fillet and Main Diver Sea Scallops. For dessert, choose between either a Coconut Brulee or Morello Cherry and Chocolate. The La Jolla restaurant will also host live music and a midnight champagne toast. Dinner starts at 5pm; the menu is priced at $72 per person. Details
Gaijin Sake + Noodle House: Their inaugural New Year’s Eve feast is going down “procrastinator style.” No reservations are necessary at Gaijin, just an open mind ready to party from 5pm to 11pm. Gaijin Sake + Noodle House will have their full menu available for guests, plus specialty chalkboard items, a gluten-free menu, hosted sake on the hour and a complimentary glass of champagne with dinner. Details
Café Sevilla: Take your New Year’s Eve plans to Spain – or at least, the next best thing here in San Diego. Options for the evening include a prix-fixe menu or the regular Sevilla menu, along with lively Flamenco Dinner Shows at each seating. The seatings begin at 6:30pm and end at 9pm. If you choose the 9pm seating, your night will include a champagne toast, midnight tapas bar celebration and festive party favors. Entertainment will spice up the scene from 10pm to close. The New Year’s Eve menu starts at $49.95. Details
Blue Point Coastal Cuisine: If you’re craving fresh seafood in a hot setting, choose Blue Point Coastal Cuisine for New Year’s Eve dinner in San Diego. Blue Point is serving a unique four-course menu on New Year’s Eve night. Round out your year with a memorable dinner including Fresh Assorted Oysters, Broiled Chesapeake Bay Crab Cake, Braised Filet Mignon Ravioli, Blue Point Lobster Bisque, Seared Skuna Bay Salmon, Pan Roasted Pacific Black Cod and 12 oz Grilled Prime NY Strip. Conclude your festive dinner with one of four flavorful desserts - Apple Strudel, Warm Chocolate Truffle Cake, Vanilla Crème Brulee or Housemade Sorbet. The menu is priced at $75 per person. Details
Burlap: Up in Del Mar, dine in style with Burlap’s four course prix-fixe menu. Start with one of the hearty salads followed by an appetizer of Lamb Pot Stickers or Hamachi Sashimi. Then choose from favorite main plates such as Tandoori Chicken or Smoked Sturgeon. Finish off the evening with your choice of Chocolate Mousse or Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta from pastry chef Rachel King. The dinner is complete with a complimentary glass of bubbly. Seatings will take place from 5pm to 11pm. The menu is priced at $65 per person. Details
Flavor Del Mar: There are few finer places to welcome in the New Year than right by the sea. Flavor Del Mar is hosting a specialty four course meal celebration with plenty of pizzazz. Start off with a Schraener Farm Scrambled Egg for your amuse bouche. Then, move onto options of Chicken Coconut Soup or Kale Salad; second course options of Tuna Tataki, Wagyu Beef Sashimi and 63 Degree Egg; and third course options of Prime Beef Short Rib Vindaloo, Tai Red Snapper Bouillabaisse or Japanese Hot Pot. Dessert will offer the beloved Budino, Chocolate Cake or Mochio Donut Holes. This Del Mar restaurant will also host music by DJ Mike White from 7:30pm to 1am. Dinner starts at 5pm; the menu is priced at $92 per person. Add $35 for optional wine pairings. Details
Toscana Café & Wine Bar: Downtown, dig into a massive three course meal at Toscana Café & Wine Bar. This seated dinner will feature the flavors of Baby Arugula Salad, Tomato Basil Soup and Stuffed Tiger Shrimp to start. Entrees will offer up a Petite Filet Mignon, Fresh Herb Roasted Chicken Toscana and Local Sea Bass. For dessert, indulge in Decadent Chocolate Lava Cake, Traditional Tiramisu or Carrot Cake. Toast to the night with a glass of Prosecco and a fresh strawberry garnish. Toscana Café’s full dinner menu will be available as well. Seatings will occur at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. The menu is priced at only $39 per person. Details
Searsucker: Downtown, this three course dinner will treat guests to the flavors of California’s finest. If the prix-fixe menu isn’t enough, they will also be offering limited appetizers in the bar and lounge area. Guests will have a bite of everything from Pumpkin Bisque, Whiskey Short Rib and Dungeness Crab Cake to Bone Marrow, Savory Waffles, Rack of Lamb, Salmon, Wild Mushroom Risotto and Jidori Chicken Breast. For dessert, taste Rachel King’s Maple Pecan Tart, Vanilla Bean Panna Cotta or Chocolate Mousse. Seatings will take place from 5:30pmn to 10:45pm. The menu is prices at $75. Details
Café Japengo at Aventine: For award-winning sushi and Asian fusion foods, head to Café Japengo located in the Aventine lifestyle complex of La Jolla. For New Year’s Eve, Executive Chef Jay Payne and Executive Sushi Chef Jerry Warner will create a prix fixe dinner with a choice of starter, entrée and dessert. On the menu, guests can find Curry Calamari in Thai Lime Vinaigrette, Braised Pork Belly in a Steamed Bao Bun and Grilled Flat Iron Steak. To end on a sweet note, the menu will offer Chocolate Lava Cake or Tempura Banana with Vanilla Gelato. Guests can opt for the “Japengo Dine and Stay” package for $299 that will grant a hotel room at the Hyatt Regency La Jolla through the night of December 31. Additional perks include admission to the New Year’s countdown party at Michael’s Lounge, located inside the hotel. The New Year’s Eve menu alone is priced at $59 per person. Details
Uptown Tavern: Head in to feast on a tasting menu that steers away from traditional Christmas flavors. Get a bite of Goat Cheese Stuffed Sweet Medjool Dates, Douglas Fir Smoked Bacon Wrapped Shrimp, Chicken Pot Pie Spring Rolls, Steak and Potatoes, Pears Two Ways and more. Guests can enjoy the tasting menu a la carte for $10/item; three items for $27 or the full tasting menu for $45. Add a champagne toast for $5 per person. Details
Gingham: At the barbeque-boasting restaurant of East County, guests will find a comfort food-filled three course prix-fixe menu complete with an amuse bouche and a complimentary glass of champagne. Plus, enjoy the live music of San Diego based-band The Ballad Mongers. Dishes to note include Smoked Butternut Squash Soup, Stuffed Piquillo Peppers, Brisket “Bourbon BBQ”, Paella, Short Rib Fettuccini, Smoked Pork Loin and BBQ Chicken. The dessert will feature Candy Bar Cake, Pumpkin Meringue Cake and Maple Pecan Tart. Dinner seatings will take place from 6pm to 10pm. Details
Cosmopolitan Restaurant & Hotel: Celebrate your New Year’s Eve in Old Town at the historic Cosmopolitan. They’ll be serving up a mouthwatering three course meal with the tastes of Cajun Swordfish, Jumbo Shrimp, Slow Roasted Angus Prime Rib, Roasted Black Pepper Gnocchi and more. If you’re ready to bust a move, they’ll also be offering dancing under the stars to Chet & The Committee until 12:30am. Seatings for dinner will take place from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. The New Year’s Eve menu is priced at $39.95. Details
Flagship Cruises & Events: Sail into the New Year (literally) aboard one of Flagship Cruises & Events cruising vessels. The New Year’s Eve all-inclusive cruise lets you and visiting friends and family take in the sights of the San Diego Harbor as the clock strikes midnight. Dine and dance the night away with breathtaking views of the lit up downtown San Diego city skyline. Dishes such as Grilled Angus Filet and Lobster Manicotti in the three-course menu will satisfy as live music entertains. The cruise includes complimentary boarding champagne and a midnight toast. $130 per adult; $69.50 per child. Details
Truluck’s at Aventine: Satisfy your seafood cravings and steakhouse dreams at Truluck’s New Year’s Eve dinner. The pre-fixe menu will feature the rich tastes of Prime Ribeye Oscar with Three Medium Florida Stone Crab Claws, a 16-Ounce South African Cold Water Lobster Tail and Sweet and Spicy Halibut. Let your sweet-tooth rejoice to the tastes of dessert, including the famed Carrot Cake, Chocolate Malt Cake and Sugar-Free Coconut Cream Pie. The menu is priced at $125 per person. Details
Herringbone: After being greeted by a complimentary Cured Salmon Tartar, guests will start making their decisions for the remaining four courses at La Jolla’s Herringbone. Appetizers include Roasted Beets, Scallop Crudo, Butternut Squash Ravioli and a Maine Lobster Bisque. Entrees will feature Filet Mignon “Oscar Style”, Mary’s Chicken Breast and a White Sea Bass with farro, roasted mushroom, Meyer lemon and hazelnut. Dessert will spotlight a Dark Chocolate Mousse or a Maple Pecan Tart. The dinner is priced at $75. Guests can also order full caviar service for $95 or $185 per ounce. Details
Cusp Dining & Drinks: Celebrate the New Year with a 280-degree ocean view at the new Cusp Dining & Drinks on the 11th floor of Hotel La Jolla. Their four course prix-fixe dinner will feature rich, flavorful dishes such as Golden Potato and Leek Soup, Lobster Ravioli, Milk Braised Veal, Bone-in Pork Chop, Duck Confit, and a Turkish Affogato or Brandied Cherry and Chocolate Chip Rice Pudding to finish. The first seating will take place at 5pm; the second at 8pm. Enjoy a champagne toast during the second dinner seating while live bands provide a vibrant soundtrack for the night. The menu is priced at $65 per person. Details
Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa: Take your New Year’s Eve dinner to La Jolla where Estancia hosts a feast to remember in their Adobe El Restaurante. The menu features Filet of Beef Tenderloin with Truffled Peruvian Potato Coins, Black Cod or European Turbot with Pancetta and Chestnut Risotto Champagne Sauce and a Chocolate Hazelnut Torte. The first seating is at 6pm; the second seating is at 9pm. While spoiling yourself with extravagant dishes, relish in the sounds of live music from a local guitarist and toast with a complimentary glass of champagne at 9pm and midnight. The menu is priced at $60 per person. Details
Gabardine: In Point Loma, three courses will fuel guests who are celebrating the New Year. Along with the main dishes, diners can look forward to two amuse-bouches to compliment the menu. Featured dishes include Lobster Ravioli, Lobster Tail and New York Steak with rosemary potato gratin, king trumpet mushrooms and lobster cognac sauce. Stick around for a dessert from Pastry Chef Rachel King. Seatings will take place from 5pm to 9:30pm. The dinner is priced at $65 before 7pm and $75 after. Details
Grant Grill: There’s several options at Grant Grill, featuring both savory dishes and sultry music. The pre-celebration dinner will offer a three course tasting menu by Chef Chris Kurth from 5:30pm to 7pm for $60. The featured dinner experience presents a lavish six course menu with live entertainment, a midnight countdown and a hosted champagne toast with seatings from 8:15pm to 9:30pm for $115. Guests can also opt for the Lounge Package, reserving tables to couples for the live entertainment, a bottle of house champagne and a shared charcuterie of artisan cheese and cured meats for $90 per couple. Details
Marriott Gaslamp Quarter: As the Bottoms Up New Year’s Eve bash takes over the entire downtown hotel, Marriott Gaslamp party goers will have their fair share of feasting to do. Begin by fueling up at Soleil @k, which will feature an assortment of buffet-style options. On the Patio, grab some grub from the seafood bar like King Crab Legs, Snow Crab Claws, Poached Shrimp, Lobster, Calamari Salad and Steamed Clams with Garlic Butter. From the street taco bar, snag some Carne Asada, Achiole Shrimp, Grilled Vegetables and tons of salsas. Up at ALTITUDE Sky Lounge, munch on sushi rolls as well as Nigiri and Sashimi; a carving station with Roasted Tenderloin, Diestal Turkey Breast and more; and a dessert station complete with a Chocolate Fountain, Truffles, Cookies and more! The food stations will be served from 8pm to 12:30am. Tickets are $150 per person. Details
Fleming’s at Aventine: Rather than offer a prix-fixe menu, Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse will offer three mouthwatering entrees for New Year’s Eve guests. Feast on the Delmonico Steak with Blue Crab and Gruyere Glassage, Filet Mignon and Lobster-Brioche Bread Pudding or the Lobster Tail with Mac and Cheese. For dessert, guests can opt for a special Chocolate Budino made of rich chocolate tartlet, chevre-salted whipped cream and cocoa nibs. Wash it all down with two holiday themed cocktails available to make it a merry night. The three entrée options for New Year’s Eve start at $69.96. Details
West Coast Tavern: On New Year’s Eve, West Coast Tavern will host two seatings within the grand evening of celebration. The first seating will take place from 5:30pm to 6:30pm and feature a festive menu priced at $69.95. The second seating, taking place from 8:30pm to 9:30pm includes party favors and champagne toast for $79.95. Details
Glass Door: What better way to welcome in the New Year than with a stunning fourth-story view of the San Diego skyline? Glass Door will be hosting a four course dinner available at three separate seatings. First course will offer tastes of Roasted Squash Rings, Coconut Curry Mussels and French Onion Soup; Second course options include Crispy Duck Caesar, Shaved Brussels Sprout and Spinach Salad; Third course will feature Lobster & Prime Black Angus Short Rib, Chicken and Waffles and Fall Vegetarian. For dessert, indulge in either a Pumpkin Chai Crème Brulee or Chocolate Bread Pudding. The three seatings will take place at 5pm, 7pm and 9pm. The menu is priced at $75-$85 with $14 additional wine pairings. Details
Anthology: For an elegant New Year’s Eve celebration with just the right amount of rock, head to Anthology for a special dinner show featuring a four-course menu and entertainment by classic rock cover band The Trip. Your meal begins with a choice of Maine Lobster Bisque or Sugar Pie Pumpkin Salad. For your main entrée, choose from the Grilled Filet Mignon, Pan-Seared Local Sea Bass or Crow’s Pass Tahitian Squash Raviolis. As The Trip brings down the house, you’ll indulge in the Valrhona Chocolate Cheesecake for dessert. Anthology offers two seating options at 6:30pm and 9:30pm. Pricing ranges from $15 to $185. Details
barleymash: If you make it to New Year’s Day, barleymash will give you the ultimate hangover cure with their Survivor brunch. Starting at 9am, head in for NCAA Bowl games, music by Sleeping Giant and dinner specials satisfying all night. Details
**Check back for more 2013 New Year’s Eve dining options added daily.
Discover more entertainment ideas in our 2013 San Diego New Year's Eve Party Guide
