The Lower East Side might not be the center of the universe on New Year’s Eve, but it’s a safe bet our nightlife-centric neighborhood will be plenty packed on Monday night. It would be impossible to run through every bar, club and restaurant celebrating the dawn of 2013, but here are a few options that have been brought to our attention. We’ve broken this mini-guide up into two parts. Here’s part 1:
- A few bars and clubs on the Lower East Side got all-night permits, including The Box, Experimental Cocktail Club, the Hotel on Rivington, Motor City, The DL and Grey Lady.
- It’s the Rico Suave New Year’s Eve party at Fontana’s. There’s an open vodka bar from 10:30-11:30 p.m. plus free champagne at midnight.
- At the Parkside Lounge, you’ll be treated to “Corn Mo’s New Year’s Eve Extravaganza with Magic,” DJ Mas, an open bar and dinner. You get top shelf liquor for $75; beer and wine for $50.
- Sons of Essex will have three seatings, a DJ plus a live feed from Times Square. Menu options include skirt steak, lobster pot pie and baby short ribs. Prices start at $65 with the option of adding a premium open bar. The late seating is already sold out but earlier times are available. The restaurant will also be open New Year’s Day for brunch starting at 1 p.m.
- Libation is hosting a triple-decker New Year’s Eve celebration with dj’s, a five-hour open bar, party favors and balloons. Tickets cost $125.
- For $175, Beauty & Essex has a premium open bar, passed appetizers, party favors and DJ Neil Jackson and DJ Cheapshot. There are limited tables available. Sister restaurant Stanton Social is offering a family-style meal, a champagne toast, DJ’s and party favors for $125.
- Jazzy rockers Great Cesar will be at Arlene’s Grocery at 10 p.m. Your $40 ticket also gets you an open bar for two hours.
- Family Recipe, the homey Japanese spot at 231 Eldridge Street is featuring a $65 pre fixe menu starting at 9:30 p.m. It includes vegetarian options. There will be traditional soba noodles as midnight approaches, a sparkling sake toast and entrees such as arctic char with an umeboshi sauce, lamb meatballs and lamb chop and a cauliflower steak with olive relish.
- Fatta Cuckoo, the sliver of a restaurant at 63 Clinton Street, is offering two seatings, at 7 and 9:30. Owner Leah Tinari tells us there will be a special menu, priced at $65. The evening begins with passed appetizers, you’ll get two glasses of champagne and entrees such as a mustard crusted pork chop, a rib eye steak or lobster claw and tail tempura over squid ink pastina. Check out Fatta Cucko’s web site for more details.
- Still need more inspiration? Quite a few restaurants still have availability on Open Table, including: Tre, the Fat Radish, Bacaro, Antibes, Alias, Schiller’s (8 p.m. only), Salt Bar and SakaMai.
