Best Places For 2016 NYE Dinner In Orange County

10…9…8… So where will you be come midnight on New Year's Eve? Orange County is ready to welcome 2016 with open arms and starry eyes. Regardless of whether you plan on ringing in the new year dancing to dawn, or catching an early dinner and snuggling up with your date for the evening, The OC is offering a myriad of options for everyone. As Orange County steadily emerges as the west coast's next epicenter for culinary excellence, it should come as no surprise that restaurants offering carefully curated options for you to bid farewell to 2015.

Babette's
7962 East Coast Hwy
Newport Coast, CA 92657
(949) 715-9915
www.babettesnewportbeach.com

Babette's will be hosting a very special evening to bid 2015 farewell and to welcome 2016 in style. Join them on December 31 starting at 5pm at their picturesque Newport Coast location for a special New York New Year's Eve dinner. The price per person is $118 and includes a complimentary glass of Veuve Clicquot and an incredible 3-course meal representative of the principles put behind every one of their dishes- organic, local, seasonal and sustainable. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy a night full of delicious food, excellent champagne, music and dancing while they watch the ball drop live from Times Square.

EATS Kitchen & Bar
17900 Jamboree Rd
Irvine, CA 92614
(949) 225-6780
www.eatskitchen.com

Grab your favorite glitter-embellished dresses, and put on some dancing shoes because EATS Kitchen & Bar is ready to ring in 2016 with a bang! The end-of-the-year bash at EATS Kitchen & Bar will have you raising glasses of champagne while enjoying a hand-selected, five-course prix fixe menu by Chef Jason, accompanied by live music on the patio. The first seating begins at 7pm and will be $70 per person. The second seating begins at 9:30pm for $90 person which includes champagne toast and complimentary entry to Red Bar and Lounge's NYE Party.

FIG & OLIVE
FIG & OLIVE
151 Newport Center Dr.
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 877-3005
www.figandolive.com

Fashion Island's olive oil oasis, invites guests to raise a champagne flute to 2016 at their elegant White & Gold Party, which will celebrate the year's end with a four-course prix fixe fête. Throughout the evening, guests may entertain their taste buds with the event's two holiday menus, inspired by Owner/Founder, Laurent Halasz's passion for seasonal cuisine from the French Riviera. For dinner, the table will be set with four courses of provincial, wintertime fare, including butternut squash & chestnut soup and lamb chops accompanied by goat cheese gnocchi and braised eggplant with honey. Other menu items include: silky foie gras paired with a sweet fig chutney; crisply seared sea scallops served alongside braised endives and truffle dressing; and plump filet mignon accompanied by gratin Dauphinois and onion confit.

Haven Gastropub
190 S Glassell St
Orange, CA 92866
(714) 221-0680
www.havengastropub.com

If you're looking for a great spot to come ring in the New Year with your friends, Haven's Gastropub the place to be. No tickets, or fixed menu will be required. Just great food, craft beer and cocktails, and all your friends are the requirements thisyear! Haven's Gastropub will be open until 2am on New Year's Eve and serving their entire menu, while offering the option of a 3-course Chef's prix-fixe menu for those interested for $45 per guest. Craft beer or wine pairings can be added upon request. Reservations are strongly recommended.

LUCCA
6507 Quail Hill Parkway
Irvine, CA 92603
(949) 725-1773
www.luccacafe.com

It's your last meal of 2015 and LUCCA wants to make sure you end it on a high note. Chef Cathy Pavlos is offering a tantalizing menu filled with incredible specials like a mini black canyon beef wellington, lobster bisque, clams, the Bronx style, and so much more! The LUCCA celebration is starting early at 5pm so you can ring in 2015 with the New Yorkers in Time Square! It's perfect for those looking to turn in early or head to LUCCA for dinner and then paint the town.

Oak Grill
Island Hotel
690 Newport Center Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 760-4920
www.IslandHotel.com

Executive Chef Marc Johnson is creating an end-of-the-year memorable dining experience at Oak Grill. His elegant, celebratory four-course prix fixe menu includes dishes such as oysters Rockefeller with bacon lardoons, young spinach and parmesan; roasted turbot with braised savoy cabbage, persimmons and celery root puree; and braised wagyu cheeks with parmesan gnocchi, Swiss chard, forest mushrooms and bordelaise. All will be accompanied by a choice of cocktail or a bubbly glass of Veuve Clicquot champagne.

Provenance
2531 Eastbluff Dr
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 718-0477
www.provenanceoc.com

The garden-to-table team over at Provenance in Newport Beach is looking to host a no-nonsense, no-fuss, extremely delicious, straight up good time from 5 pm to 9 pm! Chef Cathy Pavlos is featuring her regular seasonal menu featuring hyper-local fare alongside incredible specials created just for NYE including a New Zealand wild John Dory "asada style" platter. Reserve your table before it's too late. Provenance is Orange County's hidden gem tucked away in Newport Beach's Eastbluff Village Center.

The Ritz Prime Seafood
2801 West Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92663
(949) 720-1800
www.ritzprimeseafood.com

In addition to their full dinner menu, The Ritz Prime Seafood will be offering a special 3-course prix fixe menu with wine pairings. Guests will begin with an amuse bouche from Chef Phil Kastel, then select from a number of appetizers and entrees, and for dessert select from indulgent options like passion fruit creme brulee, chocolate flourless cake and a Piper Heidsieck Champagne toast. In addition, a festive holiday-themed cocktail will be available for one night only. The prix fixe menu with wine pairings is $150 per person.

Sapphire Laguna
1200 S Coast Hwy #101
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9888
www.sapphirellc.com

Make your final meal of 2015 a memorable one with Sapphire Laguna by enjoying the picturesque sights and sounds of Laguna Beach. To commemorate their 9th year celebrating this momentous holiday, Chef Azmin Ghahreman and his culinary team will be hosting a very special New Year's Eve Dinner on Thursday, December 31 with seating from 5pm - 11pm. Dine on appetizers incluing a kale caesar salad, home-fried potato chips, a house cured gravlax with roasted beets, steak wraps and much more. For entree's, guests will have the pleasure of enjoying various options like a lobster paella, a roasted Scottish salmon, a Jamaican curried black cod and much more. Drink specials will also be available throughout the night and reservations are encouraged.

Selanne Steak Tavern
1464 South Coast Highway
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(949) 715-9881
www.selannesteaktavern.com

Executive Chef Joshua Severson has created a celebratory New Year's Eve prix fixe menu at Selanne Steak Tavern to include signature favorites such as scarlet beet "ravioli", Pacific diver scallops, filet mignon and brandt beef short ribs. Revelers will experience a live countdown as 2015 draws to a close with celebrations to mark the New Year in New York City at 9pm; Chicago at 10pm; Denver at 11pm; and Laguna Beach at midnight. The festive food and partying will be accompanied by live entertainment by Brazilian guitarist Marco Túlio and his Brazilian jazz musicians.

SOL Cocina
251 Pacific Coast Hwy
Newport Beach, CA 92660
(949) 675-9800
www.solcocina.com

Direct from Newport Harbor, ring in the New Year in true Baja style without the fuss of leaving Orange County! Paired with Chef Deborah Schneider's noted Baja-inspired menu. SOL signature cocktails are perfect for ringing in 2016, including many specialty margaritas, from the classic House Margarita to the more exotic specialty varieties. But whatever you do, don't pass up the warmed goat cheese crusted with roasted peanuts and drizzled spicy-sweet syrup; and 'el jefe' with grilled angus filet topped with two agave-chile shrimp, melted cheese, sliced avocado and side of spicy roasted green chile salsa.

Waterman's Harbor Restaurant
34661 Golden Lantern St
Dana Point, CA 92629
(949) 764-3474
www.watermandp.com

Located in the beautiful Dana Point Harbor with a menu designed by Award Winning Chef John Cuevas, Waterman's Harbor offers locally-sourced and sustainable dishes. The talented team of mixologists will be preparing incredible hand-crafted cocktails to help ring in the new year properly. Waterman's Harbor will remain open until 1am on New Year's Eve.

The Winery Restaurant & Wine Bar will be hosting a very special Black and White New Year's Eve Soiree where guests will enjoy an incredible 3-Course dinner courtesy of the one and only Chef Yvon Goetz along with drinks and music to make for a truly memorable night. Patrons will also have the pleasure of enjoying live music and dancing from 10 p.m. into the new year, but act now because reservations are going fast!