Holiday Dining

These Dallas restaurants are open for New Year's Eve 2020 dining

Stock photo of friends toasting champagne

Little bubbly, and it's a happy New Year's Eve.

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It's hard to say whether this New Year's Eve merits a celebration, but this roundup is perfect if you're on the fence. Do you strictly follow the advice of professionals who encourage you to stay home, stay home, stay home? Or do you go with those who say that restaurants are your least likely place to catch COVID-19 and support your local business?

The good thing about this list is that it includes only venues that are still accepting reservations. (Some other places have already cut it off.) This list only shows you what's available. We're saving you time!

Here are the options available if you want to ring in the New Year someplace besides your couch. (If you're looking for New Year's Eve events, that list is here. For New Year's Day brunches, click here.)

Al Biernat's will host a celebration at both Oak Lawn and North Dallas locations with reservations for three seatings: 5/5:30 pm, 7/7:30 pm, or 9 pm and later. Oak Lawn 214-219-2201, Al Biernat’s North 972-239-3400.

Big Al’s. Buy One Get One Free Rack of Rib Special for $28 available December 31 and Jan 1, and every Saturday through January. The restaurant is also featuring Hoppin' John for $10 Quart/$35 Gallon and Cornbread $5 a Quarter Pan. Big Al’s will close at 4pm on New Year’s Eve and Day -- regular operating hours are Monday-Saturday from 10:30am-8pm. The restaurant also offers online ordering through chownow, curbside pick-up and delivery (within 3 miles of the restaurant); order online www.bigalsbbq.com or by calling 214-350-2649.

Bulla Gastrobar at Legacy West in Plano. Four-course New Year's Eve dinner menu and complimentary toast at midnight for those that dine in. Guests can also enjoy 25% off select sparkling wine bottles. Course include Tartar de Atun, Serrano Manchego, Carpaccio de Salmon, Albondigas, Canelones, Montaditos, Gambas al Ajillo, Short Ribs, Pescado Panaderas, Arroz Caldoso, Churros, Flan, or Cheesecake. $60. 972-805-4590.

City Works at The Star in Frisco hosts a Brew's Eve special dinner with filet medallions with bleu cheese mashed potatoes, short rib with creamy grits, Cajun linguine with blackened chicken and Andouille sausage, or steak sandwich with French onion soup-style grilled onions and smoked provolone. Brew Year’s Eve specials along with the entire a la carte menu are available for takeout. Reservations online or call 469-850-1850.

Commons Club. Restaurant at Virgin Hotel features three-course meal with amuse bouche and mignardises for $100 per person, reservations from 6-7:30 pm; or a four-course meal with amuse bouche, mignardises, and a Moet & Chandon champagne toast, for $150 per person, reservations from 8:30-10 pm. Wine pairings are also available for each seating, with DJ from 6 pm-1 am.

Davio's Northern Italian Steakhouse. The Colony restaurant has a special four-course meal with tuna carpaccio, saffron tagliatelle with slow braised duck, petite filet mignon with crab and shrimp, blueberry cheesecake. 5 pm-12 am. $85 per person. Regular meu also available. Reservations 469-772-4810.

Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse. Special dishes for New Year's Eve include Stone Crab Claws and Bone In Filet with choice of Alaskan King Crab Truffle Butter or Petit Cold Water Lobster Tail with Yuzu Hollandaise. Starts at $95. Special dessert of Godiva Chocolate Cheesecake. Dallas, Frisco, and Fort Worth.

Division Brewing celebrates its 5th anniversary on New Year's Eve with two special beers: Rickety Thicket, a barrel aged sour beer; and Excuse to Celebrate, a triple hazy IPA. They have three packages combining beer with a 5th anniversary camp mug, for $25-$50. They'll have limited on-site consumption with a camp mug, chili, and 4 pours for $25.

Draft Sports Bar & Lounge at Sheraton Dallas Hotel will be open New Year's Eve with delicious eats and special holiday cocktails.

Elm & Good. New Year’s Eve “Maskquerade Dinner” Menu with choices from Lobster Bisque, Red Kuri Squash Agnolotti, warm Goat Cheese, Demases Farms Black-Eyed Peas, 44 Farms Beef Tenderloin, Pumpkin Seed Crusted Halibut, Lion’s Mane Mushroom Paella, Raspberry Crème Brulee, warm Fudgy Brownie. $150 per person.

Encina. Four-course special menu with a complimentary champagne toast for $75. 5–11 pm. Reservations can be made online.

Fearing's Restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton. Four-course menu includes cognac scented lobster bisque, surf & turf carpaccio, mustard and herb-crusted lamb chops, prime beef “Wellington,” and a “Dessert Symphony” of three delectable sweet treats. 5-10 pm. $225 for adults, $125 for vegetarian, and $35 for children, and includes a glass of champagne and caviar. Reserve on Open Table or call 214-922-4848.

Holy Grail Pub. Four-course meal includes smoked salmon crotini, oyster rockefeller soup, pork Wellington, champagne cake with candied raspberries. 7 pm. $50 includes drink pairing. 972-377-6633 or mgr@holygrailpub.com.

Ida Claire. Five-course dinner paired with a spirit or craft cocktail from Lockwood Distillery includes steak, scallops, duck, chocolate, and champagne. 7-9:30 pm. $90 per person. Guests are invited to stay and enjoy a live DJ and sip on cocktail specials from 9:30 pm-midnight. Call 214-377-8227 or email the restaurant at idaclaire@ida-claire.com.

Knife Dallas. Steakhouse will offer both dine in and take out with a menu of steaks, charcuterie, bacon and ham tastings, sausages, sandwiches, salads, and pasta dishes. Meal will eature Bollinger Champagne's R.D. Brut 2004. 5-10 pm.

LAW at Four Seasons. Six-course menu features choices from Beef Tenderloin Carpaccio, Duck Raviolo, Chilean Seabass, Bacon Wrapped Pheasant Breast, vegan option, Champagne Mousse Cake, or Boozy Fudge Brownie with Guinness Ganache, Bailey's Chantilly and Bourbon Caramel. $120 per person, includes complimentary glass of champagne. Add wine pairings for $60. 972 717 2420.

Manhattan Project hosts a party from 7 pm-12 am with food specials and a Trinitite toast at midnight. DJ Danny Cutlass kicks off at 8 pm.

Mansion Restaurant at Rosewood Mansion on Turtle Creek. Five-course menu features choices from hirame, chestnut veloute, Main lobster fagattini, black cod cioppino, A Bar N Ranch Wagyu beef culotte with black truffle potato, champagne sorbet, chocolate orte, hazelnut creme brulee. 6–9:30 pm. $165 per person and $60 per child (ages 4-12). Wine pairing is $125. 214-443-4747.

Mercat Bistro. New Year’s Eve dinner created by Executive Chef Taylor Kearney. Reserve at: www.mercatbistro.com.

North Italia. Festive three-course menu features house favorites and holiday specials. Choice from crab risotto with melted leek and English peas, Butternut Squash Agnolotti , Lobster Fra Diavolo with shrimp and mafaldine pasta. Cocktail include “Spritz D’Oro” with Crop Meyer lemon vodka, Salerno blood orange, limoncello, Moet & Chandon champagne; and “Apericena” with Raspberry infused select, Nonino aperitivo, and sparkling rosé. $60 per person. Menu also available for takeout and delivery orders via DoorDash and Olo.

Nova. Oak Cliff restuarant will be open 4 pm-2 am with full menu and New Year's specials until 10 pm, followed by a late-night menu until 12 am. For reservations, call 214-484-7123.

Palmer's Hot Chicken. “Haul it Home” menu includes tenders, cluckers, catfish, cole slaw, collard greens, and mac n cheese. $10-$65. Order by 12/30 at 6 pm. Pickup 12/30 by 9 pm. 972-863-9366.

Perry's has a three-course menu with soup or salad, entrée, and dessert, available for dine-in or to go, from 11 am to close for $60. A "Rare + Well Done Experience" in the restaurant, menu here, starts at $60. End with a champagne toast at midnight in Perry's Bar 79. Downtown Dallas, Frisco, and Grapevine; make reservation online.

Sloane's Corner. Special decadent menu for dine-in or to-go with caviar, Prime Ribeye, and Roasted Halibut. $98 per person, champagne toast and gifts included. 5 pm-12 am. Call 214-484-1395 or reserve online.

Truluck's. Four-course menu includes Prime Ribeye, Chateaubriand, and South African Lobster Tail. $150 per person. 4-11 pm. Reservations required. Curbside service will not be available. Uptown 214-220-2401, Southlake 817-912-0500.

Uchi. Omakase with bonito truffle, toyosu selection, seared scallop butternut, turnip, pepitas, bluefin crudo, intermezzo yuzu, lamb loin kinoko ragout, lobster tomato curry, a-5 miyazaki nigiri black truffle. $225 dinner for two available in-restaurant only; optional $30 white truffles supplement.

Uchibā. Omakase with pomegranate sorbet, oyster ikura, madai crudo japanese bream, pork rib with smoked parsnip purée, toyosu selection a5 tartare, fennel apple salad endive, avokatsu avocado katsu, sashimi selection otoro, wagyu ribeye. $150 dinner for two available in-restaurant only.

Up on Knox. New Year's Eve dinner features a menu from chef Bruno Davaillon with choices from crab butternut squash bisque, hampachi carpaccio, artichoke terrine, oyster-spinach gratin, lobster agnolotti, mushroom risotto, grilled tuna, Prime beef filet, chocolate souffle, and mulled wine poached pear. 5-11 pm. Call 469-250-4007.

Yardbird. Southern restaurant downtown is open all day New Year's Eve with a limited-edition holiday menu for dinner, plus regular menu available to-go. Dining in menu includes Charleston she-crab soup, Wagyu beef carpaccio, prime rib with pimento cheese grits, halibut, truffled gnocchi with mushrooms, and red velvet cake. 10 am-9 pm. Order online or call 469-208-2441.

holidays

Closure News

Mexican bar and restaurant on Dallas' Ross Ave closes after only 4 months

dallas.culturemap.com

A Mexican hangout from San Diego has departed Dallas: El Chingon, which served Mexican food, cocktails, and a clubby atmosphere near downtown at 3404 Ross Ave., closed on Sunday, September 6, after a mere four months.

The venue, which opened its doors on May 1, blamed the closure on the city of Dallas' code compliance department, citing repeated procedural issues that ultimately persuaded the operators that closing was the only option.

The short lifespan has to be a record, especially given the extensive investment made on the space — an abrupt ending to what was a prolonged birthing by GBOD Hospitality Group, the San Diego owners, who invested more than four years and millions of dollars to get it open.

"Our goal was simple: give Dallas the best, most Chingón experience we possibly could," their statement said. "And Dallas showed up for us…. Unfortunately, almost from the beginning, operating that vision became a constant fight with the City."

"We dealt with repeated Code Compliance visits, citations, and ongoing challenges to our Certificate of Occupancy and restaurant use," their post said. "Over time, it became increasingly clear that El Chingón simply was not what the City wanted us to be. Events, programming, dancing, the way we used our space — nearly every part of the experience became another opportunity to find fault with our identity."

El Chingon operated as a high-energy restaurant, bar, and nightlife destination known for its “Bad Ass Mexican” cuisine. The concept was founded in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter in 2017, where it built a following for its lively programming and street-food menu of tacos, burritos, and shareable bites.

It's part of GBOD Hospitality Group, a San Diego outfit founded by brothers Raymond and Patrick Davoudi, with third partner Joe Santos, who owns San Diego bars such as Havana and Prohibition Lounge. Dallas was the third El Chingon, following San Diego and Fort Worth, where a location opened in 2020 and has not experienced the issues that befell the Dallas outpost.

The company first acquired the Dallas location in 2022, and began what felt like a never-ending period of reconstruction and renovation of the rundown brick structure, first built in 1945, which years ago had been home to a wholesale floral shop.

"We made changes," they said. "We worked with City officials. We worked with the neighborhood. We hired consultants and attorneys. We met with elected officials. We repeatedly tried to find a reasonable path forward while continuing to operate the restaurant we spent millions of dollars building. Instead, the scrutiny intensified."

"Eventually, there comes a point where fighting City Hall becomes a bigger part of running the business than serving the people who came through our doors. So, City Hall wins this round."

They've since put the property up for sale but did hint that they might reopen, stating that "we have not given up on Dallas."

"We still believe in this city. We still believe there is a place here for what El Chingón does. And we hope that in the coming years, we will have the opportunity to invest in Dallas again and once more be part of this community," they said. 'For now, thank you, Dallas. For every taco. Every tequila. Every celebration. Every packed night. Every memory. Stay Chingón. This isn’t goodbye forever."

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