Be sure and eat some black-eyed peas on the first day of the New Year. Not for luck, although we could all use some, but because we live in the South and it’s kind of our thing. As for where to find them around town, you’re on your own, but I will give you my top picks for other food and booze ideas for the NYE weekend.
1.) Music Awards nominees for best rock band and bassist, Freeze Sucka will play the Eighth Anniversary Show at Division Brewing (506 E Main St, Arlington, 682-259-7011) 8pm Sat with Crushpoint and Darstar. For $25, you can enjoy three pours of your favorite Division beer and a souvenir pint glass. In honor of the night’s entertainment, a special batch of a new collaboration called Freeze Sucka Blonde will also be available. There is no cost to attend.
2.) Ring in 2024 at Fort Brewery (2737 Tillar St, Fort Worth, 817-923-8000) with an all-night dance party featuring DJ Con the Baptist 8pm-1am. Admission is $15 starting at 8pm Sun, and reservations are recommended for guaranteed seating. However, the Fort opens at 10am, so feel free to come early and pre-party for lunch or dinner. As for late-night food, the kitchen closes at 10pm. A complimentary toast with Luc Belaire Champagne and party favors will be at midnight.
3.) For a five-course gourmet dinner on New Year’s Eve, head to La Onda at Hotel Revel (1165 8th Ave, Fort Worth, 817-928-3688) at 7pm. Tickets are $250 at Eventbrite.com and include dinner for two with wine pairings. Enjoy a first course of shaved yellow beet salad, homemade farmers’ cheese, pomegranate seeds, and Champagne vinaigrette; a second course of roasted heirloom pumpkin soup, garlic and thyme pistou, and charred mushrooms; a third course of scallop a la plancha, asparagus and cipollini onions, whipped crema agnolotti, and caviar butter with green onion; and a fourth course of grass-fed lamb T-bone chop, wilted greens, and white beans with a pinot noir reduction. The fifth course is a surprise dessert.
4.) Fort Worth’s Trinity River Ramblers will play a mix of originals and covers of American music from the 1950s to today at the NYE Party at The Londoner (5120 Hwy 121, Colleyville, 817-684-8810) 9pm-midnight. The pub opens at 11am and serves authentic British cuisine until 9pm, then late-night bites are available 9pm-11pm. Enjoy a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. No cover.
5.) If you’re a fan of “cello” — the instrument or the 15%-ABV beer series from Martin House Brewing — then Cello Fest at, well, Martin House (220 S Sylvania Av, Ste 209, Fort Worth, 817-222-0177) noon-5pm Sun is the place to be. For this festival, Martin House has brewed eight cello varieties, including limoncello, peaches and cream, pina colada, and Sriracha cello (on draft and in cans), plus birthday cake, Dr. Hopper, oyster mushroom, and strawberry (draft only). $53-per-person tickets at MartinHouseBrewing.com include an MHBC Sriracha dragon logo stem glass, four cello draft pours, and four cello cans to take home (mix and match). And Panther Cello, billed as “classically trained and unchained,” will play everything from Bach to punk rock accompanied by a guitarist.
6.) Omni Hotel (1300 Houston St, Fort Worth, 817-535-6664) has some great options for NYE. For starters, you will be welcomed in the lobby upon arrival with Champagne starting at 4pm. Both hotel restaurants, Bob’s Steak & Chop House and Cast Iron, have dinner experiences planned. Then, enjoy a nightcap at the hotel bar Whiskey & Rye. Live music will be performed throughout the building, including James Guilliland in the lobby 4pm-8pm, a harpist at Bob’s 5pm-10pm, and the Barcus Brothers Band at Whiskey & Rye 9pm-1am. For menu details, pricing, and reservations, visit OmniHotels.com/Hotels/Fort-Worth/Dining.
7.) How about a snowy patio experience for your NYE? That’s what Rogers Roundhouse (1616 Rogers Rd, Fort Worth) has in store at its NYE Winter Wonderland 8pm-2am. All evening, there will be live music, photo opportunities, raffle prizes, and a complimentary Champagne toast at midnight. Indoor and covered heated patio seating will be available. Must be 21+ after 11pm. The kitchen is open until 1:30am, with the regular menu available thru 11:30pm, followed by a late-night menu afterward. Attending is free, but you must reserve a spot on Eventbrite.com.
8.) If a dive bar is more your speed, don’t forget about Yupp’s Night Club (4111 Wedgway Dr, Fort Worth, 817-346-2449). This former Best Of winner for best karaoke night is predictably hosting a New Year’s Eve Karaoke Through the Decades Party, with the singing starting at 9:17pm. There will be complimentary black-eyed peas and cornbread — hey, I found some black-eyed peas, after all! — and a Champagne toast at midnight. Admission is $10.
