New Year's Eve Guide

Mystery Café Marriott West Loop Hotel, 713-944-CLUE, www.mysterycafehouston.com
Enjoy a sumptuous dinner and a hilarious interactive mystery followed by a New Year's celebration as the ball drops in Times Square. $49.99 per person. Special inclusive room packages at Marriott available.

Numbers 300 Westheimer, 713-526-6551, www.numbersnightclub.com
Classic Numbers with Wes Wallace spinning with Shawn Morado, James and Robot. Enjoy a big ca$h balloon drop.

Proletariat 903 Richmond, 713-523-1199, www.theproletariathouston.com
Proletariat New Year's Eve party with Fatal Flying Guilloteens, Ume, Dead Roses and DJ Fred in between, before and after. Free giveaways until supplies run out, so get there early. This could be the craziest rockin' New Year's party in town. Drink specials all night. Starts at 9 p.m. $5.

Red Lion 2316 S. Shepherd Dr., 713-529-0321
Come on down; they'll have the fireplace roaring and the pub decorated with garland. You'll love the warm and cozy atmosphere while you sip a fantastic mistletoe martini chased with champagne pops with peppermint. They're having a Royal Treatment New Year's Eve Party with complimentary nibbles and a toast at midnight, party favors and balloon drop. No cover.

Red Star 2006 Fannin, 713-655-STAR
It's New Year's in New Orleans. Come hang out in the Voodoo Lounge with Mardi Gras decor taking you back to Bourbon St., the mystical part of the Big Easy. They'll have complimentary masks, beads and crazy drink specials.

E-mail info@redstarnightclub.com for reservations. $10.

Rhythm Room 1815 Washington Ave., 713-863-0943, www.rhythmroomhouston.com
Tonight enjoy a special MySpace.com-sponsored showcase. Meet and greet all those folks you've only ever known as goofy JPGs; maybe one of those hot chicks from Singapore who keep e-mailing you will show up.

Rudyard's 2010 Waugh Dr., 713-521-0521, www.rudyards.com
Party to the sounds of three of Houston's funnest bands. Clouseaux, Pale and Three Fantastic will rock you well into 2005. Champagne at midnight. 4 p.m.-2 a.m.

Sam Houston Hotel 1117 Prairie, 832-200-8800, www.samhoustonhotel.com
Greet 2005 in high style at the Sam Houston Hotel. Enjoy three great parties in one hot place. Chill out in the Sam Bar, mix in the hotel lobby and party the night away on the sexy rooftop veranda. Includes a champagne toast at midnight. $120 per couple; $65 for singles. 9:30 p.m. Another New Year's Eve package includes dinner in the critically acclaimed restaurant 17, full access to the party and two nights' accommodation in a deluxe king room for $700.

Sherlock's Pub 10001 Westheimer, 713-977-1857; 1997A W. Gray, 713-521-1881; Clear Lake, 2416 Bay Area Blvd., 281-461-4702; Humble, 228 West First St., 281-446-0407, www.sherlockspub.com
It's always a party at Sherlock's Pub. Tonight, enjoy live music at each of their Houston locations. At the Westheimer pub, see A-Rival; on West Gray, see Head First; in Clear Lake, see Madigan; and in Humble, see Nervous Rex.

South Beach 810 Pacific, 713-529-7488, www.southbeachnightclub.com
Tonight, join JD Arnold for the most out-of-this-world New Year's Eve party in Texas. Who will your New Year's kiss be?

Super Happy Fun Land 2610 Ashland, 713-880-2100, www.superhappyfunland.com
New Year's noise party, featuring Black Mayonaise (Akron, Ohio), Murderous Vision (Cleveland, Ohio), Rotten Piece (Houston), Rusted Shut (Houston), Oscillating Innards (California), Jason Crumer (North Carolina), A Fail Association (Fort Worth), Deadly Orifice (Dallas), Kairos (Houston), Chiasma (Houston), Rainbow Blanket (California), Bully Pulpit/Organ Failure (Houston), Concrete Violin (Houston) and Muzac.

Tila's Restaurant & Bar 1111 S. Shepherd, 713-522-7654
Make reservations now to celebrate the New Year with a three-course dinner including champagne, live music and a festive ambience with party favors. $65.

Under the Volcano 2349 Bissonnet, 713-526-5282
The New Birth Brass Band -- an offshoot of Rebirth Brass Band -- will turn this party out. The New Birth Brass Band is at the forefront of the current New Orleans brass band renaissance. The band fuses hip-hop, Mardi Gras Indian chants, funk and modern jazz with age-old traditional sounds. $15 cover includes party favors, champagne at midnight and breakfast at 1 a.m.

Undercurrent 3102 Seawall Blvd., Galveston, 409-750-8571
Hot male dancers will adorn the dance floor at this coastal New Year's Eve celebration location. Drink specials at midnight, DJs and a money balloon drop at midnight!

Union 202 Tuam, 713-529-5296, www.b2tf.com
Party like it's 1989 to tracks that take you back. Come celebrate the New Year along with your favorite Back 2 the Future DJs that always pack the dance floor. Baby Roo, Salucema and Matt & the Cheesy Cracka Collective will play all your favorite '80s and '90s hits, along with current remixes and old-school-influenced tracks.

Vito's 5810 Beverly Hill, 713-334-VITO
Vito's is available for a New Year's Eve private party! Call John Milam at 832-640-7596.

Walter's on Washington 4215 Washington Ave., 713-864-2727
Luxurious Panthers will make you dance to their high-energy rockabilly sounds. 8 p.m. $10.

New Year¹s Eve Big Apple Ball at the Rice Lofts

909 Texas Avenue, Friday, December 31, starting at 9 p.m.

The evening's entertainment includes live music from the Shape Shifters, DJ Sun and DJ Melodic, plus six fully flowing bars, party favors and champagne at midnight. Food includes early-evening appetizers and late-night Mexican breakfast. You can also watch The Main Event on Main Street from the balcony. Tickets are available for $75 advance pre-sale for the first 600 tickets sold, $85 pre-sale, and $95 at the door. Admission includes beer, wine, cocktails and food for the evening. Tickets are available at www.houstonpress.com or www.racecarclub.net.