Ten Best Restaurants for New Year's Eve in Palm Beach County

New Year's Eve is one of those days you either love or hate with a passion.

You may not want to deal with the traffic; you may hate the crowds; you might not have anyone to kiss; midnight could be well past your granny bedtime; or you may just think the whole holiday encourages amateurs to get drunk and act like idiots.

But you don't have to find a wild, debauched party to ring in the new year right. After all, this night is supposed to be about new beginnings and a fresh start, and what better way than with the perfect meal to set the tone for all the meals to come in 2014?

Whether you're planning to indulge in a decadent meal, are looking for a good deal on dinner after all the holiday shopping, or just want something to soak up the liquid portion of the evening, we've got a spot for that.

See Also: The Ten Best Places To Celebrate New Year's Eve in Broward County

10. III Forks Prime Steakhouse

III Forks Steakhouse is Palm Beach Gardens sophisticated, club-like steakhouse, a contemporary evolution from the classical. You'll still find upscale selections, including a bar and lounge offering an array of fine wines -- over 300 bottles total. The real focus here, however: the food. From thick signature cuts of USDA prime beef, to wild-caught fish and fresh lobster, everything is made-to-order. And the III Forks steakhouse festive New Year's Eve celebration is no exception. The a la carte menu features appetizers including shrimp cocktail, a seafood medley, seared scallops and lobster bisque. The featured dinner selections is priced at $79.95, and includes a USDA prime filet mignon with a cold water lobster tail. Craving beef? From filet and bone-in ribeye, to prime rib and tomahawk ribeye, you can have your choice of literally any cut of meat. But don't stop there -- steak toppers are available, as well, including an Oscar style, blue cheese crown or parmesan crust. III Forks will be seating until 11 p.m.

9. Cantina Laredo Modern Mexican

This Mexican mecca has a special New Year Celebracion menu with enough specialty dishes and pairing cocktails to keep you going all night long. The menu begins with ensalada de arandano, died cranberries, green apples, candied pecans and blue cheese crumbles on field greens with cranberry vinaigrette or soap de Calabaza, pumpkin soup topped with cranberry-apple pico and roasted pumpkin seeds. The suggested pairing is a hibiscus margarita made with 1800 Silver Tequila, housemade hibiscus syrup and Cointreau orange liquor. Entrée choices include ribeye con hongos, a 16-ounce cut of certified Angus beef, or halibut de mango sautéed with mango-ginger salsa. Team that dish up with a cran-ginger margarita made with Cazadores Reposado tequila with Domaine de Canton ginger liquor, cranberry and fresh lime juices. Dessert choices include a trio de sorbet, lemon, mango and raspberry sorbets or churros with chocolate raspberry sauce and Grand Marnier cajeta. Finish the night with the seasonal spice margarita -- it's finished with bitters and a touch of nutmeg and cinnamon. The New Year Celebracion menu is $35 per person. The cocktail pairings are $15. The New Year Celebration menu will be available, along with the full menu, from Saturday, December 28th to Wednesday, January 1st.

8. PGA National Resort & Spa

The New Year's Eve Gala at PGA National Resort is set to start Tuesday, December 24th at 8:30 p.m., where you can drink, eat and dance the night away. Enjoy a complimentary glass of wine upon arrival, and listen to live entertainment with passed h'ors d'oeuvres and dinner a 9 p.m. The four-course dinner will be held in the British Ballroom for $110 per person. Plates including seared crab cakes, beef tenderloin, and warm molten chocolate lave cake are just a few of the selections.

7. Deck 84

Why not celebrate New Year's with Burt Rapoport's waterfront Delray Beach restaurant. One place you can be sure to always find a good party: Deck 84, where the New Year's Eve celebration is not to be missed. Starting at 7 p.m., get ready to ring in the New Year island-style at Deck 84 with their tropical oasis themed party, and celebrate 2014 in true Florida fashion. Enjoy spectacular waterfront views, refreshing cocktails and dine from the restaurant's exclusive New Year's Eve menu. Then, dance your way into the New Year with hot beats provided by a special guest DJ.

6. The Backyard Bar

Looking for something a little more laid-back than an all-out party, black-tie dress up dinner dance or fighting the crowds downtown? Try the Backyard Bar off Evernia St. is West Palm Beach, a hidden tropical oasis centrally located just a few blocks south of downtown West Palm Beach and just east of City Place. Otherwise known as the Palm Beach Hibiscus, a boutique bed and breakfast, the space offers an outdoor bar and dining space, an intimate setting for a casual, peaceful New Year's Eve celebration. Sip tropical cocktails or boutique wines by the glass and nibble at tasty tapas and signature small plates under the glow and twinkle of fairy lights. There's also a dance floor and stage where live entertainment will set the mood for the night. This year a three-course dinner for $79 per person will keep you merry from 8:30 p.m. to midnight.

5.The Pavilion Grille

At the Pavilion Grille in Boca Raton you'll find not only the city's -- but also much of Palm Beach County's -- biggest dance floor, a 2,000-square-foot setup where you can have a romantic dinner and/or shake your booty all night long. The American bistro-style menu focuses on steaks, fish, and unique salad combinations. Signature dishes include the Sonoma salad, mustard-crusted rack of lamb, and the grilled filet mignon. Fish lovers rave about the ahi tuna, salmon, and mahi-mahi. All this you'll find during the restaurant's annual New Year's Eve Party, one that's not to be missed. The deluxe dinner buffet will feature prime rib, a turkey carving station and do-it-yourself pasta. Dance into the New Year at with their sell-out extravaganza where you can enjoy a never-ending dinner buffet, drinks and dancing into 2014.

4. Max's Harvest

This year, Max's Harvest will be offering a divine five-course New Year's Eve dinner for $78 per person. The dinner, with seatings starting at 5 p.m., includes a champagne toast at midnight and live music compliments of a special guest DJ starting at 10 p.m. Kick things off with an amuse bouche course of grilled octopus with falafel croutons, charred eggplant and harrisa yogurt. The salad course includes the farmer's harvest salad, Florida burrata and caviar, Nancy's kale with toasted quinoa, grana padana and crispy white anchovy. Appetizer choices include a crudo tasting of citrus cured wahoo, Kumomoto oyster champagne granite, tuna tartar, or heritage pork belly. Entree choices include the Harvest surf and turf ($7 supplement) for a Wagyu flat iron, diver scallops and a winter squash risotto. Dessert course options include a donut trio, a chocolate bomb with caramel sauce, bruleed banana and hazelnuts, and carrot cake napoleon with cream cheese, pineapple and toasted coconut. Feeling extra fancy? Get caviar service is $99 per ounce; it includes one ounce of Mote caviar with corn blinis, crème fraiche, chives, egg whites and yolks and shallots.

3. Sundy House

The Sundy House is brimming with holiday cheer this time of year. And New Year's Eve is no exception as this Delray Beach's historic, boutique inn and restaurant transforms into a nature-inspired wonderland of nostalgic beauty throughout its lush, tropical gardens. The New Years Eve party will have two seatings beginning at 5:30 p.m. For $75 per person choose from an a la carte menu with seasonal menu offerings and traditional Sundy House fare, or a four-course chef's tasting menu featuring festive holiday themed menu offerings. Second seating starts at 8:30 p.m., and for $125 per person you'll receive a five-course chef's tasting menu which includes a champagne toast, party favors, live entertainment and dancing.

2. Off The Hookah

This downtown West Palm Beach club and restaurant will be offering its third annual Masquerade Ball this New Year's Eve, where you can truly get your groove on. Dinner is optional at $50 per person, and includes a three-course selection. As for the party: Dressing up in mask and costume is totally optional, but the club's dress code will be strongly enforced. Then just drink and dance the night away. Entry is $25 per person, or $50 for open bar all night long. For VIP premium open bar, $100 per person will also get you a spot at the reserved seating area to watch the Clematis Street mayhem in full swing. To reserve a table or buy tickets 562-837-8577.

1. The 500 Block of Clematis Street

Can't decide what to do on New Year's Eve -- or simply can't afford a pricy restaurant? Head to Clematis Street in downtown West Palm Beach. Each year the 500 block of the city's newly revamped downtown is the site of a free block party beginning at 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 31, and continuing until everyone is so smashed there's nothing left to do but stagger home and sleep it off. Always on the menu: live concerts, food vendors, a thousand bucks' worth of cash and prizes and, in a low-rent sort of salute to Times Square, a ping-pong ball drop at midnight. Hungry? Each of the Clematis St. restaurants will be offering their own NYE parties to help you drink and dance the night away.

Follow Nicole Danna on Twitter, @SoFloNicole.