Looking for something to do to celebrate New Year’s? Lots of Maine restaurants are hosting special dinners, parties and other events both New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

 

BACK BAY GRILL, 65 Portland St., Portland, will have a four-course dinner NYE for $85 per person. 772-8833; backbaygrill.com

BAR LOLA, 100 Congress St., Portland, will offer a seven-course prix fixe dinner for $55 per person. Seating is limited, but there is a waiting list. 775-5652; barlola.net

BIBO’S MAD APPLE CAFE, 23 Forest Ave., Portland, will have a three-course NYE dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. There will be five appetizer choices, six entree choices and five dessert choices. 774-9698; bibosportland.com

BRESCA, 111 Middle St., Portland, is celebrating the “Year of the Bumble Bee” Hong Kong-style with a dinner that chef Krista Desjarlais is calling “A Voyage to China.” The five-course meal costs $85 per person, plus $35 for pairings of wine, beer or tea. The menu will be available both Dec. 30 and 31. 772-1004; restaurantbresca.com

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CINQUE TERRE, 36 Wharf St., will serve a four-course dinner 5 to 10:30 p.m. NYE for $50 a person. Courses include a winter squash ravioli with duck and porcini mushroom ragu, and grilled lamb loin and braised lamb shoulder with crispy polenta and buttered radishes and leeks. 347-6154; cinqueterremaine.com

DAVID’S 388, 388 Cottage Road, South Portland, will serve two prix fixe menus at different times on NYE. Details to be announced. 347-7388; davids388.com

DIMILLO’S ON THE WATER, 25 Long Wharf, will serve some special entrees along with its regular menu. There will be a DJ, dancing and party favors. The restaurant is not taking reservations, but plans to have all of its dining areas open to accommodate guests.772-2216; dimillos.com/restaurant/index.html

FIGA, 249 Congress St., Portland, will serve four courses with a complimentary glass of sparkling wine NYE. There will be two seatings, at 6 and 8:30 p.m., and the cost is $85 per person. Reservations are required. 518-9400; figarestaurant.com

FIVE FIFTY-FIVE, 555 Congress St., Portland, will offer three options for NYE dining. In the bar, there will be a three-course, $60 menu. The dining room will have a choice of a $90 five-course menu or a supplemental $120 five-course menu. Wine pairings will also be available. There will be a balloon drop and complimentary Champagne tasting at midnight. The restaurant will be open for brunch New Year’s Day beginning at 9:30 a.m. 761-0555; fivefifty-five.com

THE FROG AND TURTLE, 3 Bridge St. Westbrook, will start with a 5 p.m. seating NYE that offers a three-course menu for $35. From 8 p.m. to 12:15 a.m., there will be a NYE Extravaganza with a five-course tasting menu for $75. There will be a raw bar, a cheese table, passed appetizers, and Champagne and chocolate at midnight. Live music will be provided by Velourosaurus. The restaurant will be offering its usual brunch menu on New Year’s Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. 591-4185; thefrogandturtle.com

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GRACE, 15 Chestnut St., Portland, will offer a five-course dinner for $70 per person, with seatings at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. NYE. The restaurant’s annual NYE dance begins at 10 p.m. and features hors d’oeuvres, a toast, party favors and a DJ. Tickets are $20 for restaurant diners and $25 for non-diners. Tickets and seats are limited. 828-4422; restaurantgrace.com

THE GRILL ROOM & BAR, 84 Exchange St., Portland, will offer specials and seats until 11 p.m. NYE. A complimentary glass of sparkling wine and party favors are included. The Front Room and The Corner Room will also offer specials and seating until 11 p.m. 774-2333; hardingleesmith.com

HAVANA SOUTH, 44-50 Wharf St., Portland, will offer a $55 prix fixe menu (wine pairings extra) on NYE starting at 4:30 p.m. Dinner will be served until 10 p.m., followed by a late-night menu until midnight. The bar will be open until 2 a.m. Primo Cubano wll play from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. There is a $5 cover after 8 p.m. for bar guests. 772-9988; havanamaine.com

HUGO’S, 88 Middle St., Portland, will serve a five-course menu NYE for $95 per person. Wine is not included. Hugo’s opens at 5:30 p.m., and reservations are being taken until 10:15 p.m. 774-8538; hugos.net

LOCAL 188, 685 Congress St., Portland, will be serving a multi-course prix fixe NYE menu as well as its regular menu. It will also be open for brunch on New Year’s Day. 761-7909; local188.com

PAI MEN MIYAKE, 188 State St., Portland, will offer a NYE prix fixe three-course meal for $35 consisting of choice of appetizer, ramen and dessert. Meat, seafood and veggie options will be available. 541-9204

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MARIA’S CLASSIC ITALIAN RESTAURANT, 337 Cumberland Ave., Portland, is offering a four-course NYE dinner and proseci cocktail specials from 5 to 10 p.m. for $45 per person. 772-9232; mariasrestaurant.com

PETITE JACQUELINE, 190 State St., Portland, will offer a four-course chef’s tasting menu with optional additions, wine pairings, Champagne flights, and a midnight Champagne toast. The restaurant will open at 5 p.m. NYE; no brunch will be served that day. 553-7044; bistropj.com

PROFENNO’S PIZZERIA & PUB, 934 Main St., Westbrook, will have two buffets, party favors, and a Champagne toast at midnight NYE, all for free. DJ Bob Libby will be there from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., and there will be a dart shoot. 856-0033; profennos.biz

SEA GLASS, Inn by the Sea, 40 Bowery Beach Road, Cape Elizabeth, will offer four courses for $75 per person on NYE. 799-3134; innbythesea.com

SEA GRASS BISTRO, 305 Route 1, Yarmouth, will serve four courses on NYE for $65 per person. Reservations start at 6 p.m. 846-3885; seagrassbistro.com

SEASONS GRILLE, 155 Riverside St., Portland, will have a “New England Favorites” buffet dinner from 5 to 9 p.m. NYE for $15.95 per person, or $8.95 for ages 4 to 10. A special pub menu will be offered throughout the night in the bar and restaurant from 4 to 11 p.m. Music and dancing will begin in the Seasons Events and Conference Center at 9 p.m. and continue until 1 a.m. There will be a “Best ’80s Costume Contest,” a balloon drop and a Champagne toast. Tickets are $20 in advance or $25 at the door. 775-6536.

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SONNY’S, 83 Exchange St., Portland, will be serving a multi-course prix fixe NYE menu as well as its regular menu. On New Year’s Day, the restaurant will hold its annual Paella Fest starting at 5:30 p.m. Bottomless bowls of meat, chicken and vegetarian paellas will be available for $12. No reservation is needed for the Paella Fest. 772-7774; sonnysportland.com

VAL HALLA BANQUET CENTER, 58 Val Halla Road, Cumberland, will host a benefit for breast cancer awareness from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. NYE. The buffet begins at 8 p.m. and costs $25 per person; get $5 off if you’re wearing pink. Live music from Dan Merrill and Brian Johnson. 604-0970; email nantz@maine.rr.com

VIGNOLA, 10 Dana St., Portland, will be open from 5 p.m. to midnight NYE, serving a $39 four-course dinner that includes baccala brandade with artichoke and potato sauce, and rigatoni carbonara with black truffle. The restaurant will also be open for brunch New Year’s Day, serving house-cured ham, beef brisket hash and egg, fontina cheese and white truffle pizza. 772-1330; vignolamaine.com

ZAPOTECA, 505 Fore St., Portland, will open for seating at 6 and 9 p.m. NYE, serving a $65 five-course dinner. Wine and tequila pairings will also be offered for $25. The 9 p.m. seating will include a Champagne toast. 772-8242; zapotecarestaurant.com

 


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