These Milwaukee restaurants are serving special New Year’s Eve dinners in 2023
Rachel Bernhard
Some people like to keep New Year’s Eve celebrations cozy at home, while others love to bring in the new year with a fancy, festive dinner. If you’re in that second camp, you’re in luck: A number of Milwaukee restaurants are offering special tasting menus or menu additions to give revelers one last big splurge before the new year.
1033
The Walker’s Point hotspot at 1033 S. First St. will serve a five-course "breakfast, lunch and dinner" tasting menu inspired by recipes from legendary rapper Snoop Dogg’s cookbook, “From Crook to Cook." Dishes on the menu include Ashford & Simpson miso eggs with billionaire pork belly, fried mortadella toast, lobster thermidor, twice-baked potato and banana pudding aebleskiver.
Seatings are available at 5:45 and 8 p.m. Pricing for the prix fixe menu is $150 per person and includes cocktail and wine pairings (tax and gratuity are not included). A $50 per-person deposit will be applied to the check.
Reservations can be made online at 1033mke.com or by calling (414) 226-5754.
Amilinda
The downtown restaurant, 315 E. Wisconsin Ave., specializing in Spanish and Portuguese cuisine will serve a five-course menu inspired by the flavors of the Iberian Peninsula. Beverage pairings are included.
Seatings are at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. Pricing for the prix fixe menu is $130 per person (tax and gratuity are not included).
Reservations can be made online at exploretock.com/amilinda or by calling (414) 369-3683.
Ardent
The East Side fine dining restaurant, 1751 N. Farwell Ave., will serve a 10-course tasting menu with seatings at 5 and 8 p.m. on Dec. 30 and 31. Pricing for the tasting menu is $225 per person with optional beverage pairings for an additional $165 per person (tax and gratuity are not included).
Reservations are required and can be made online at ardentmke.com or by calling (414) 897-7022.
ARIA
The upscale eatery inside the Saint Kate — The Arts Hotel, 139 E. Kilbourn St., will serve a five-course prix fixe dinner menu including a bacon and egg salad, seared scallops with creamy polenta, Mediterranean sea bass, ARIA trademark crispy chicken and New York strip steak, and a spin on Baked Alaska featuring a fruitcake base and eggnog ice cream.
ARIA will be open 5 to 11 p.m. Pricing for the prix fixe menu is $145 per person (tax and gratuity are not included).
Reservations are required and can be made online at ariasaintkate.com or by calling (414) 270-4422. For parties of six or more, email MaxNazabal@saintkatearts.com.
Avli
Avli Milwaukee, 1818 N. Hubbard St., will serve its regular dinner menu from 5 to 7 p.m. Dec. 31. Beginning at 9 p.m., the restaurant will offer reservations for a four-course menu from Executive Chef Babis Tsotras, featuring chestnut veloute served with toasted baguette crostini, tuna tataki with smoked eggplant cream and tomato confit, pan-fried lamb with artichoke cream, Greek custard dessert and melomakarona and kourabiedes (Greek cookies).
Pricing for the prix fixe menu is $100 per person, which includes a complimentary champagne toast at midnight, plus festive party favors and decor. Reservations close at 10:30 p.m. and Avli will remain open until 12:30 a.m. Reservations can be made online at avli.us/avli-milwaukee.
Birch
A celebratory chef’s tasting menu will be served beginning at 5 p.m., with dishes including farm egg crepes with caviar, fried oysters with beef tartare, steelhead trout with winter citrus, coal-roasted Koginut squash, grilled scallops with salt-toasted celery root, smoked duck pasta, lamb, and chocolate cake and mouse with parsnip ice cream.
Pricing for the tasting menu is $145 per person (tax and gratuity are not included), with seating available at the chef’s counter and dining room, 459 E. Pleasant St.
Reservations can be made online at birchonpleasant.com or by calling (414) 323-7372.
The Bridgewater Modern Grill
The riverfront restaurant at 2011 S. First St. in Milwaukee’s Harbor District will celebrate from 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. with drink specials, live music and a three-course dinner. Guests can choose from a lobster bisque or duck rillettes, grilled filet mignon or lobster tail, Australian lamb rack or seared scallops, and flourless chocolate cake or pumpkin cheesecake.
Reservations can be made online at bridgewatermke.com or by calling (414) 299-6556.
The Edison
The upscale Historic Third Ward restaurant at 322 N. Broadway will serve a three-course dinner special. For $55 per meal or $90 for two, guests can choose between lobster bisque, a house salad or Caesar salad; salmon Oscar, tenderloin medallions, pasta or roasted half chicken; and flourless chocolate cake or NY cheesecake. The restaurant will close at midnight, ending the evening with a complimentary champagne toast.
Reservations can be made online at edisonmke.com or by calling (414) 269-6306.
EsterEv
The New Year’s Eve celebration starts early at this intimate tasting-menu restaurant inside DanDan, 360 E. Erie St. On Dec. 28, 29 and 30 (Dec. 31 seatings are sold out), EsterEv will serve a seven-course tasting menu plus snacks with optional beverage pairings. Dishes on the menu include caviar with cauliflower, onion and kombu; tartare, Pinn-Oaks lamb, chickpea, dukkah, harissa and labneh; King crab with sweet potato, pistachio, pear, chanterelle; mackerel with dashi, leeks and sobacha; beef with oxtail, red wine, sunchoke and spinach; Rush Creek cheese, potato, white truffle and apple; and an entremet cake with pistachio, raspberry and chocolate.
Seatings are at 6, 7 and 8 p.m. Pricing for the tasting menu is $125 per person (tax and gratuity are not included).
Reservations can be made online at esterev.com or by calling (414) 488-8036. The $50 per-person deposit will be applied to the check.
Il Cervo
The rooftop Italian restaurant at The Trade Hotel will serve a five-course prix fixe menu including antipasti, house-made pastas, entrees and desserts. Optional wine pairings will be available.
Seatings are available from 4 to 11 p.m. Pricing for the prix fixe dinner is $195 per person plus $65 for optional wine pairings (tax and gratuity are not included).
Il Cervo will also host a late-night party in its four-seasons room beginning at 9:30 p.m. Tickets to the party include passed appetizers, Moët Champagne, Hennessy sidecars and music from DJ Travvy Trav. Pricing for the late-night party is $150 per person.Reservations for both the prix fixe dinner and the late-night party can be made online at ilcervorestaurant.com or by calling (414) 279.6660.
Lupi & Iris
The downtown French and Italian-inspired restaurant at 777 N. Van Buren St. will serve a four-course menu from Chef Adam Siegel with multiple options available for each course.
Pricing for the four-course menu is $135 per person (tax and gratuity are not included).
Dinner reservations are available between 5 and 9:45 p.m. and can be made online at lupiandiris.com or by calling (414) 293-9090.
Smoke Shack
The Third Ward barbecue joint, 332 N. Milwaukee St., will serve its standard menu plus a special 20-ounce smoked prime rib meal ($60 for two), an Elijah Craig Private Barrel Old Fashioned ($20) and $5 off any bourbon flights that night.
Smoke Shack will be open until 9 p.m. Reservations can be made online at smoke-shack.com or by calling (414) 431-1119.
Supermoon Beer Company
Bay View craft brewery Super Moon Beer Company, 3145 S. Howell Ave., is partnering with Bartlett Catering for a pop-up New Year’s Eve restaurant concept, featuring a five-course pairing dinner. Dishes on Chef Zach McFall’s menu include “seafood on the rocks” with mussels, oysters, scallops and chimichurri calamari; choice of poached pear salad or classic Caesar salad; choice of French onion soup or lobster bisque; choice of 5-ounce strip loin or celery root risotto; twice-baked potatoes; creamed spinach; choice of olive oil cake or brown butter semifreddo; and caviar with Cape Cod chips.
Four Super Moon beers will be paired with the courses, and don't miss the Saison champagne tower.
One seating is available at 5 p.m. Pricing for the prix fixe menu is $100 per person or $135 with a caviar-service upgrade. Reservations can be made online at supermoonbeer.com.