DINING

Ring in 2019 with a decadent dining experience at one of these Des Moines eateries

Brian Taylor Carlson
The Des Moines Register

It's time to celebrate the past year and ring in the new one. Restaurants in Des Moines are gearing up to help you enjoy your New Year's Eve and New Year's Day with culinary creativity.

From an evening of locally sourced dishes to a French-style champagne and jazz brunch, Des Moines chefs are getting ready for New Year's dining events. 

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What will you be doing to celebrate New Year's?

Be sure to bookmark these frequently updated dining guides:

Here are the hot restaurant specials happening in Des Moines for New Year's. This list will grow as entries come in, so keep checking back. And be sure to make your reservations early as space fills up quickly.

More than 100 beers will be on tap at BeerStyles restaurant in the West Glen Town Center in West Des Moines.

BeerStyles Taproom & Gastropub and SALT

5513 Mills Civic Pkwy., West Des Moines; (515) 453-2337; (515) 457-7258

Ring in 2019 in West Glen with this New Year's Eve Bash dance party with DJ Tone Zone, Tony Galloro. The celebration runs from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. and includes a complimentary glass of bubbly at midnight (must be 21 or older). 

Party features:

  • Over 100 beers on tap - with special prices for Exile Brewing Company beers
  • Craft cocktails
  • Wine
  • Food specials like five small plates for $5 each
  • Menu favorites like 22-inch New York-style pizzas, sandwiches, burgers and appetizers

Tickets are free for general admission and can be reserved through Eventbrite.

Harbinger in Des Moines Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2017.

Harbinger

2724 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines; (515) 244-1314

Harbinger will feature a weekend of great food and wine offerings. On Sunday, enjoy the regular menu or get a preview of the 5-course menu offering for New Years. New Year's Eve will include two luxurious options — a Chef's Tasting menu for $65 with an optional $35 wine pairing and a Grand Tasting option filled with luxurious items for $95 with an optional $45 wine pairing.

New Year's Eve Grand Tasting tidbits:

  • Wagyu beef short ribs - braised for 24 hours and served with potato and kimchi waffle, bond marrow gochujang and aerated buttermilk
  • Gold king crab - served with crispy fried bao, chili and egg
  • Sweet Nantucket bay scallops - poached in bonito butter and served with celery root, honey crisp and pickled seaweed

Requests for the Grand Tasting menu by request only during reservation bookings. Vegan and vegetarian options will be available.

HoQ recently celebrated six years and expanded its farm-to-table space with the addition of a private party room. Chef and owner Suman Hoque showcases his dishes of Winter Squash Tortellini, Winter Slaw and Grass-fed Steak with roasted winter vegetables.

HoQ

303 E. 5th St., Des Moines; (515) 244-1213

HoQ, the farm-to-table restaurant in East Village, is featuring a four-course dinner for New Year's Eve. HoQ recently opened its private dining room in the adjacent building space.

First course (choice of one)

  • Shrimp bisque - Served with crème fraîche
  • New Year salad - Lees Greens, shaved butternut squash, organic poached beets, trio radish and micro greens

Second course (choice of one)

  • Bangladeshi samosa - Grass-fed beef heart and liver, organic potatoes, Mama’s spice and special sauce
  • Goat cheese flan - Local goat cheese and savory custard

Main course (choice of one)

  • Pork and beef - Grass-fed steak wrapped with Burkwood Farm bacon, spiced potatoes cutlet, winter greens and homemade ketchup
  • Crab cake - Barley risotto, roasted beets and carrots and beurre rouge
  • Vegetarian - Roasted local butternut squash curry, buttered basmati rice, potato cake stuffed with hard-boiled egg and greens

Dessert

  • Dessert sampler plate

The cost is $65 per person with an additional $35 per person for the optional wine pairing. Reservations are being accepted from 5 to 10:30 p.m.

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One of the dining areas in the Republic on Grand, a bar on the sixth floor of the AC Hotel in the East Village.

The Republic on Grand and AC Hotel by Marriott Des Moines

401 E. Grand Ave., Des Moines; (515) 518-6070

"Bubble into 2019" at the AC Hotel by Marriott in East Village — twice. A free-to-attend New Year's Eve Pre-Party will take place on the first floor at the AC Hotel Lounge from 5 to 8 p.m. with hors d'oevres and live music by Jordan Beem Music.

Then, the festivities move up to the sixth floor for a night of celebration, including:

  • A private, reserved table from 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m.
  • Live music from Jordan Beem beginning at 9 p.m.
  • New Year's party favors and a bottle of Freixenet Champagne
  • A champagne toast at midnight

Tickets are limited and vary in price and party size. Find them at ticketleap.com.

Table 128 Bistro & Bar serves up an appetizer of angry doughnuts, cheddar and jalapeno fritter with sweet corn, parmesan snow and sriracha aioli Friday, July 8, 2016 in Clive.

Table 128

12695 University Ave., #140, Clive; (515) 327-7427

Enjoy a special New Year's Celebration menu at Table 128 in Clive, created by chef Lynn Pritchard. But you can enjoy a full menu of restaurant favorites including appetizers, salads, soups, mains and desserts. And that means there will be plenty of the popular cheddar and jalapeño donuts with sweet corn, Parmesan and sriracha aïoli. 

The Chef's Menu includes:

  • Black Bass Crudo - paired with 2015 Au Bon Climat Chardonnay, Central Coast, California
  • Duck Confit - paired with 2012 Chateau Famaey "Cuvee X" Malbec, Cahors, France 
  • Opera Entermet - paired with 2017 Angelo Negro e Figli "Birbe" Brachetto - Roero/Piedmont, Italy

The special menu is $48 — $67 with the optional wine pairing. A hand-selected list of small production grower-producer champagnes will help make your occasion exceptional and unique. Reservations are being taken from 4 to 10 p.m.

Trostel's Dish is located at 12851 University Ave., #400, in Clive.

Trostel’s Dish

12851 University Ave., Clive; (515) 221-3474

Enjoy the full menu of small and large plates along with specials. The bar opens at 4 p.m. and dinner is served from 5:30 to 10 p.m. A DJ is spinning tunes and taking requests from 9 to 12:30 a.m. and there is complimentary champagne at midnight. Call for reservations — all party sizes are accepted.

Specials:

  • Appetizer - Seared scallop risotto with wilted spinach, Parmesan cheese, confit garlic
  • Entrée - Braised lamb shank with mustard grain mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, smoked bacon demi-glace
Trostel's Greenbriar is located at 5810 Merle Hay Road in Johnston.

Trostel’s Greenbriar

5810 Merle Hay Road, Johnston; (515) 221-3474

Enjoy the full menu of Greenbriar favorites, along with specials. Dinner is served from 5 to 10 p.m. Complimentary champagne is served from 10 p.m. to midnight. Call for reservations for parties of any size.

  • Appetizer - Seared Hawaiian swordfish with mango salsa
  • Entrée - Surf and turf with lobster tail and grilled Iowa beef tenderloin
Rigo Ochoa of Yanni's Grill and Vineyard in Ankeny fires a pan of Saganaki, a Greek appetizer, on Friday, April 17, 2015.

Yanni's Grill & Vineyard

410 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny; (515) 965-7802

Enjoy a New Year's Eve dinner for two for $34.99. Dinner includes a choice of ribeye steak or shrimp alfredo with a salad and a margarita cocktail.

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Chef David Baruthio of Baru 66 will create a decadent New Year's Day brunch to celebrate the beginning of 2019.

Baru 66

6587 University Ave., Windsor Heights; (515) 277-6627

Ring in the new year with a Champagne and Jazz Brunch at Baru 66 on Tuesday, Jan. 1. Master chef David Baruthio will showcase his favorite holiday cuisine for the one-time-only holiday brunch buffet from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. John Krantz and Steve Charlson will play live piano jazz and guests can indulge in a mimosa and craft cocktail bar featuring Champagne Lecomte Brut.

  • Enjoy oysters, smoked salmon, lobster, assorted pastries and more.
  • The feast will also include entrées available to order like filet mignon topped with Béarnaise sauce, poached egg and truffles, paired with a potato dauphin.

The New Year’s experience at Baru 66 is $80 per person plus tax and tip. Call for reservations or email dine@baru66.com.

Here's a list of other Des Moines metro restaurants that are open on New Year's Eve. Call ahead for reservations.

Is your restaurant featuring a special dining event for the New Year? Email Brian Carlson with details to have it added to the list.