How to have a low-key New Year’s Eve in DFW

A roaring New Year’s Eve celebration isn’t for everyone. If you’d prefer to stray from the crowd and enjoy a more relaxed evening with your favorite people, consider ringing in 2018 at one of these low-key destinations.

Underscored with elegant wood, intimate couches, and a crackling fireplace, the Woolworth is a cozy, relaxing spot to celebrate the new year. The food and drinks are every bit as handsome as the decor, featuring beautifully plated modern cuisine and innovative cocktails served up by an expert wait staff. Hors-d’oeuvres will come around all night long, and a photo booth will be on hand to capture the evening. Live music from DJ Titan will keep things swinging into the wee hours of 2018.

When: Dec 31, 9:15pm

Where: 1520 Elm St, Ste 201

Off the beaten path and offering a generous, 5,000-square foot patio, T&P Tavern welcomes you to bring Spot and Fido to celebrate 2018. A tap wall with an eclectic assortment of beer invites you to try new things as you approach the new year, and you can order up some tasty goodies from the equally diverse food menu featuring sandwiches, pizzas, burgers, and street tacos.

When: Dec 31, 2pm – 2am

Where: 221 W Lancaster Ave, Fort Worth

Mmmm, ramen. Kick back with a big bowl on New Year’s Eve at Ramen Hakata, serving up ginormous helpings of noodles and fixin’s. The skinny ramen noodles are flown in fresh from California and tossed into a broth that’s simmered with pork bones for more than 12 hours. Fresh toppings include Chashu pork, hard- or soft-boiled eggs, black mushrooms, bean sprouts, and more. Round out your meal with a traditional toast to the new year—a warm cup of toso, or sake.

When: Dec 31, noon – 10pm

Where: 3714 Belt Line Rd, Addison

Get out your inner mod bohemian this New Year’s Eve, dress it up, and hit the Boho-A-Go-Go at the Midnight Rambler, located in the Joule. Dance to your favorite rock ‘n’ soul classics, spun by DJs Wanz Dover, Ben White, and Travis Box, and enjoy specialty cocktails, wine, and beer. Prizes go to the best-dressed attendees, and a complimentary champagne toast at midnight sends you into 2018 on an upbeat note.

When: Dec 31, 8:30pm – 2am

Where: 1530 Main St

Ancient brick walls; dark, polished wood; comfy booths; and miles of whiskey bottles lined up behind the bar set a mellow tone for a laid-back evening of food, drinks, and music at Armoury D.E. Start the evening with dinner from the diverse menu that includes delectable Hungarian dishes, sandwiches, and meats and cheeses. Then order up a house cocktail, such as the gin-soaked See No Evil or the mint, berry, and vodka Lone Gunman. Shimmy to the thrums of Shaquan Bivens, Children of Indigo, Monoculture, and Huss On the Beat; at midnight, a champagne toast will send you off into the new year in highfalutin style.

When: 9pm – 2am

Where: 2714 Elm St

Voted one of the best wine bars in Dallas, Checkered Past Winery is a funky, cozy spot for a pre-2018 wine-and-dine. The menu features cheese and charcuterie boards, small plates, and delicious flatbread pizzas that pair perfectly with a large selection of award-winning Checkered Past wines and hand-picked wines from other vineyards. Tickets to its NYE celebration are now available and include views to nearby Reunion Tower’s fireworks show.

When: Dec 31, 9pm – 1am

Where: 1409 S Lamar St, Ste 008

Make your laid-back New Year’s Eve extra special by spending it at the Joule, one of Dallas’ most fabulously luxurious hotels. Located in the business district, the Joule is a renovated 1920s neo-Gothic masterpiece brimming with elegance and offering all you need for an unforgettable last night of 2017. Enjoy dinner at CBD Provisions, an acclaimed restaurant known for its Berkshire pig head carnitas, among other classics-with-a-Texas-twist. Post-dinner, head over to the Midnight Rambler (see #4 above) for its smashing New Year’s Eve party. After that, go up to bed, then stumble down to an early breakfast on New Year’s Day. Now that you’re awake and fed, start the year out right with a swim, spa treatment, or yoga class before it’s time to check out.

When: Dec 31, check in according to your reservation

Where: 1530 Main St

St. Martin’s Wine Bistro is a handsomely appointed wine bar oozing with grandeur, from its classic wallpapers and ornate, gilded frames to the clothed tables and moody lighting. This New Year’s Eve, they’ve got a delightful 3-course celebratory dinner planned. The starter courses include lobster bisque and champagne brie soup, and for the entree you can choose from a variety of dishes, including surf-and-turf, steak Diane, and parmesan-crusted sea bass. Finish your meal with a slice of Godiva white chocolate cheesecake, chocolate terrine, or Grand Marnier crème brûlée.

When: Dec 31, 5pm – 12am

Where: 3020 Greenville Ave

On tap for New Year’s Eve at the subterranean Scat Jazz Lounge is Ricki Derek and his swell, swingin’ band, the Vegas Six, playing all your favorite standards from Dino, Sinatra, and the like. Classic cocktails like cosmopolitans and sidecars are served up in ice-cold martini glasses, and the velveteen curtains and candlelit tables will give the night a distinctive speakeasy vibe.

When: Dec 31, 9pm

Where: 111 West 4th, Ste 11, Fort Worth

This New Year’s Eve, you don’t have to go big to do it up right. If you take an understated approach, you can wake up in 2018 bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready to face whatever the new year has in store. Cheers!