Ring in 2023 in style at these local venues

Dec. 21—Amid the hustle and bustle of Christmas preparations this week, those who want to ring in the new year right must also start thinking about how they want to celebrate.

Although some venues are open to walk-in revelers, others will require tickets or reservations made in advance.

Here's a look at some spots ready to help you party into 2023. (If you know of any other events, send the details to sdias@bakersfield.com for inclusion in a story in next week's Californian.)

New Year's Eve Lunch: The Guild House will serve a special late lunch on the last day of the year. There are two menu options: winter greens with Jack's dressing and an entree of roasted sliced N.Y. strip steak with bluegrass sauce, au gratin potatoes and fresh green beans; or grilled salmon entree salad with a chef's holiday appetizer to start. Both menus include French onion soup and white chocolate raspberry cheesecake for dessert.

Lunch will be served from 4 to 6 p.m. Dec. 31 and reservations are required by calling Bobby at 661-399-0344. Cost is $30. Takeout meals will also be available.

The Guild House is located at 1905 18th St. Visit guildhousebakersfield.org or facebook.com/theguildhousebakersfield for more information.

Countdown to 2023: Madre Wise Cocktail Lounge, which is connected to the Bitwise Bakersfield building at 18th and H streets, is hosting a New Year's Eve party.

DJs from A/M Entertainment will play your favorite music starting at 8 p.m.

The evening will culminate in a midnight balloon drop and champagne toast.

Limited seating is available.

Tickets are $30 in advance at eventbrite.com or $40 at the door.

The lounge is located at 1701 18th St.

Gold & Black New Year's Eve: Party band Mento Buru is back again ready to ring in 2023 at Elements Venue.

Along for the ride are TCB Band, Mariachi Sol y Luna and DJ Danny P.

Doors open at 6 p.m. with cocktails before dinner and entertainment start at 6:30 p.m. with Mariachi Sol Y Luna performing until 8:30 p.m.

A couples' ticket ($159.95 plus fee) includes a buffet-style dinner for two with carved prime rib with all the fixings, chicken fettuccine Alfredo, grilled asparagus, apple salad with cranberries and candied walnuts with balsamic vinaigrette, garlic toast, a soft drink and dessert. Admission also includes a champagne toast, souvenir lanyard, party favors and chicken pozole with tortillas and toppings at 1 a.m.

Seating is family-style, available in three areas: upstairs, with tables for eight, and the lounge and main dining areas, each with tables to accommodate 10. (If your larger party wants to sit together, one person must buy the tickets.)

Those who just want to come for the dance party will be admitted at 8:30 p.m. in time for TCB Band's performance, which runs until 10 p.m.

Mento Buru will play into the new year with a set from 10:30 p.m. until 12:30 a.m.

DJ Danny P will play between sets and at the end of the night until 2 a.m.

There will be multiple screens for the 2023 countdown along with a $1,000 balloon drop with cash and prizes.

Dinner tickets for two are $159.95 plus fee. General admission is $35 in advance, $45 the day of the event, with seating first come, first served in the bar or patio area.

Visit nye2023goldandblackevent.eventbrite.com for tickets. Call 661-301-4681 for group reservations.

Elements Venue is located at the Ice House, 3401 Chester Ave., Suite H.

New Year's Eve Dinner: The Padre Hotel will offer dinner and dancing at its historic location at 1702 18th St.

Start with a NYE prix fixe dinner ($95) in the hotel's posh Belvedere Room that includes an amuse bouche of tuna tartar and appetizers of cornmeal-dusted oysters with smoked tomato beurre blanc, a tangerine and pomegranate salad, and wild mushroom bisque.

For the entree, guests can choose from a roasted beef tenderloin with a coffee and black garlic rub, served with braised oxtail, bone marrow potato croquettes, broccoli rabe, demi-glace and gremolata; scallops with seafood risotto, squid ink beurre fondue and Italian salsa verde; or Cornish game hen with apple-sage stuffing, root vegetable hash, Calvados and porcini demi-glace.

Dessert options consist of limoncello pots de creme and a salted caramel chocolate tart with raspberry Chantilly cream and candied hazelnuts.

Call 661-427-4900 for reservations, which are required.

The dance party starts at 9 p.m., with social vibe DJs at Brimstone and Prospect Lounge and a silent disco upstairs at Prairie Fire (100 spots available, first come first served) leading up to a midnight ball drop and champagne toast.

Tickets for the party are $20 in advance, available at thepadrehotel.com/play/events, or $30 at the door. (Dinner includes admission to the party.)

Guests can also opt to stay the night with room packages starting at $325 plus tax

that include party favors, champagne and admission to the party for two people.

Midnight at the Oasis: It will be a country-packed party for New Year's Eve at the Oasis Bar & Grill in Taft. Dancers will have room to move in the upstairs portion of the business where The Soda Crackers will perform from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m. and Vince Galindo and Country Deluxe will take over, performing until 12:30 a.m.

Cover is $10 and includes a kamikaze shot at the bar. The Oasis is located at 414 and 416 North St. in Taft.

Make it a tiki 2023: Celebrate New Year's Eve at Tiki-Ko and The Sinking Ship, 1919 and 1927 K St.

One ticket ($40) gets you access to both bars, which will be open from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., as well as two regular menu drinks and champagne at midnight.

DJs Fletch, Pat Solo, and El Oms will play all vinyl sets in The Sinking Ship while things will stay "buck mild" upstairs at Tiki-Ko.

The bars will serve new drink specials and outfit attendees with horns, hats and all the good stuff to ring in the new year.

Hot night in Kernville: Kern River Brewing Co. will host a NYE party in its original pub along with dinner specials there and its Backyard restaurant earlier in the evening.

From 5 to 10 p.m., the Original Pub will serve a skirt steak roll with mushroom, spinach and goat cheese with roasted potatoes, a seasonal salad and dessert. The Backyard will have its own special, which has not yet been announced from 5 to 8 p.m., when it closes for the night.

Eric & Friends will perform from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Original Pub, followed by music with DJ Cizmar and dancing from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. with a break at midnight for a "bubbly toast."

Stick around town for New Year's Day when both restaurants will serve mimosas with pineapple, cranberry or orange juice and black velvets (half porter, half sparkling wine) starting at 11 a.m.

KRBC is located at 13415 Sierra Way in Kernville.

The Botanist: Downtown's newest bar and restaurant is not missing a beat to bring in 2023 with its clientele.

Start your evening with the dinner celebration ($30), which runs from 5 to 7:30 p.m. where guests can order dinner or small bites and enjoy two signature cocktails, which are included with each ticket.

Those who want to be there at midnight can opt for the cocktail party ($44), which runs from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. Admission includes two cocktails, live music and a midnight champagne toast.

Tickets must be purchased in advance at exploretock.com/the-botanist-bakersfield.

The Botanist is located at 930 18th St.

Also on 18th Street: 18th Street Bar and Grill is ready to welcome in 2023 with performances by Jon Ranger and the Canyon River Band.

There will be a $32 prime rib specials as well as drink specials through the night.

Music starts at 7 p.m. at the restaurant, 816 18th St.

Cover is $10. Call 661-748-1368 for more information.

The Zama experience: Zama Latin American Cuisine is offering a "full venue NYE celebration and dinner" for $150 per person. That includes a four-course dinner with choice of appetizer (tiger shrimp or portobello bruschetta), soup or salad, choice of entree (rock Cornish game hen, Wellington steak or roasted cabbage, beet and chipotle hummus) and dessert plate.

Admission also includes a welcome cocktail (or glass of wine), pairing cocktail and sparkling wine for the toast at midnight.

A "celebratory chic" dress code is in place for the evening that runs from 8 p.m. to midnight at the downtown venue, 1623 19th St.

Call 661-432-7835 to RSVP. A deposit is required when making reservations.

Laughin' Eve: Avoid the unintentional humor this year and leave it to the professionals at The Well Comedy Club's comedy showcase.

Featuring "some of the best comedians in California," the show kicks off at 8 p.m. Following the comics is an exclusive after-party featuring live music that plays until 1 a.m. with a break to watch the ball drop.

The evening will also include food and drink specials.

Admission is $20 in advance at eventbrite.com, $30 at the door. A VIP preferred table is $90 and includes seating for two near the stage and four drink tickets redeemable for any beverage or signature cocktail. VIP booths ($80, seats two with four drink tickets) are also available.

Doors open at 7 p.m. at the club, 7401 White Lane, Suite 7.

Tribute time: Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame is ready to party with two of its best-rated tribute shows for a night of food, music and celebration.

Rolling Stones tribute band Hollywood Stones will play from 8 to 9:50 p.m. followed by ABBA LA, an ABBA tribute group, playing from 10:10 p.m. until midnight.

The evening starts with dinner, which will be served from 6 to 8 p.m.

Tickets are $150, $160 for VIP seating in front. Visit bakersfieldmusichalloffame.com/concert-events to purchase tickets or call 661-864-1701.

Bakersfield Music Hall of Fame is located at 2230 Q St.

New Year's Eve Party: Ring in 2022 with some country flair at Buck Owens' Crystal Palace with this event sponsored by Michelob Ultra. Enjoy performances by the Stampede Band, The Rivals and Cody Cates.

Guests will have reserved seating and be served a four-course meal, along with party favors and a champagne toast at midnight. (Dinner will be served until 8:45 p.m.)

Doors open at 7 p.m. at the venue, 2800 Buck Owens Blvd.

Tickets, ranging from $85 to $115, are available at buckowens.com/tickets or by calling 661-328-7560.

New Year's Eve Dinner Buffet: Make it an earlier night with this offer at the Petroleum Club at Sundale, 6218 Sundale Ave.

From 4 to 8:30 p.m., the restaurant will offer a buffet with a variety of offerings including lobster bisque, a prime rib carving station, shrimp cocktail and more.

Cost is $69, $29 for children 12 and under. Club members receive a discount.

Email Events@ThePetroleumClub.com or call 661-324-6561 for reservations.

New Year's Party: Rio Bravo Country Club is hosting an evening of festivities starting with a social hour with champagne and appetizers from 7 to 8 p.m. Dinner will be served at 8:15 p.m. followed by music with a DJ, photo booth and champagne toast at midnight.

There will be a midnight breakfast buffet to start off 2023 right.

Cost is $100 (plus tax and gratuity) per person, which includes dinner, toast, party favors and the buffet.

Call Harlan at 661-871-4900 or Margo at 661-520-7473 for menu options and to make reservations.

The club is located at 15200 Casa Club Drive.

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter at @realstefanidias.