For those undecideds and late planners, here are six picks for New Year’s Eve
Las Vegas does a lot of things right, but two things it does better than most cities are New Year’s Eve and steakhouses. Now, combine the two, and think about your plans for December 31.
If your New Year’s Eve plans are starting with dinner, and even if you’re not a meat eater, you’re going to want to take advantage of the city’s stellar steakhouse lineup. You’re also going to want to make those plans fast, lest you be stuck ringing in 2022 at a chain buffet in the corner of a strip mall.
Don’t think it can’t happen.
For those undecideds and late planners, here are six picks (five steakhouses and one top of the world experience) for New Year’s Eve, based not just on their holiday menus, but what you can expect after you’ve finished dinner.
Barry’s Downtown Prime | Circa Las Vegas
Chef Barry Dakake and his team wasted no time in establishing a new steakhouse standard when the restaurant debuted at Circa Las Vegas in 2020. Barry’s Downtown Prime boasts a lineup of wet and dry steaks to pair with a cocktail menu that is proudly “designed to showcase movie and pop culture Americana” from the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. If you’re unable to score a dinner reservation on the 31st – the city is filling up as you’re reading this – you can, and should, look for a spot at the bar. Barry’s is an ideal starting spot for a downtown New Year’s celebration, a gateway to Fremont Street’s “80s and 90s Dance Party” starring Bobby Brown, Vanilla Ice, Village People, Tone Loc, and A Flock of Seagulls. If that’s not your thing, Barry’s can be your launchpad to an evening at Circa’s Legacy Club, where you’ll be able to see the fireworks at midnight. barrysdowntownprime.com
Bavette’s | Park MGM
Park MGM’s steakhouse is a classy old-school affair, and you almost don’t feel like you’re in Las Vegas when you’re in Bavette’s. For New Year’s Eve, the restaurant serves as a quiet, relaxing destination, with the really wild stuff going on right outside its doors. While you’re taking bites of bone-in filet mignon, New York Strip, or Chicago cut classic ribeye, crowds will be gathering in the casino for Bruno Mars at Dolby Live or On the Record’s New Year’s party. If you want to celebrate the stroke of midnight on the Strip, Park MGM is a good place to start. Reminder: the Strip will close to vehicular traffic starting at 7 p.m., so get out there and run around!
ONE Steakhouse | Virgin Hotels Las Vegas
With Lizzo in the Theater and Kehlani at the Money, Baby! club, Virgin Hotels Las Vegas is looking to make a big splash this New Year’s Eve. ONE Steakhouse will be a prime destination for pre-party diners, and Executive Chef Patrick Munster is doing a trio of surf-and-turf selections, including Snake River Farm Wagyu Strip and Alaskan King Crab Legs; 8-ounce Filet Mignon with Maine Lobster Tail; and New York Strip steak with grilled Tiger Shrimp. Chef Munster’s “Tomahawk Feast” – a 16-pound steak that can feed up to 12 people – is also available as part of
the full menu. onesteakhouselv.com
Read More: Steakhouses On The Strip »
Oscar’s | Plaza Hotel & Casino
Ex-mayor Oscar Goodman and current Las Vegas Mayor Carolyn Goodman are expected to make an appearance – as per usual – on Fremont Street this New Year’s Eve. Don’t be surprised if you also see them in the former mayor’s namesake steakhouse, where there will a midnight champagne toast and fireworks viewing under the Plaza dome. Elsewhere at the resort, comedian Doug Stanhope will be performing, and the Plaza is offering a special room package with two VIP tickets to a private fireworks show. oscarslv.com
STK | The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas
It’s not hyperbole to say The Cosmopolitan changed the game for New Year’s Eve on the Strip, that was evident the second Kanye West ran out on stage at the 2010 grand opening bash. So it’s no surprise that the resort’s steakhouse, STK, is carrying on the tradition with a prix-fixe menu ($325) that includes, among others, surf-and-turf and a Masami California Wagyu Strip. If you’re not seeing Maroon 5 at The Chelsea, you can get a ticket to STK’s Vibe Lounge pop-up, which includes a prix-fix menu ($275), DJ tunes, and a complimentary glass of champagne.
cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/restaurants/stk
Top of the World | The Strat
The Strat’s signature restaurant is not a steakhouse, but it’s getting a spot on this list for its location – above everything. Admit it, at least once in your life you’ve wanted to watch the fireworks from the top of the Strat. This could be your year. The restaurant will host an early dinner seating (4 p.m. to 7:45 p.m., $155) and a late seating (9:45 p.m., $360+) on New Year’s Eve, with a prix-fixe menu that includes smoked tenderloin, fume poached shellfish, and charred ancho tuna with whipped avocado mousse. From Top of the World, you’ll have one of the closest views of the fireworks, and if you can stand the cold, there are SkyPod party packages available, so you can ride the Big Shot at midnight. tickets.thestrat.com
