12 Hawks New Year's Eve: Hours, Specials, and What to Expect

New Year's Eve hours: open 7am to midnight, with the kitchen open until 10:30pm and the bar serving until 11:45pm. Breakfast runs the normal 7 to 11am window, then lunch and dinner carry through the rest of the night. This year December 31 falls on a Wednesday, so the usual Tuesday closure doesn't apply and nothing changes about the regular schedule except the later closing time.

What's different about the hours

Most nights the doors close by 9 or 10pm depending on the crowd. On New Year's Eve the plan is to stay open through midnight so anyone who wants to be somewhere warm with a drink in hand at the countdown has a place to do it. Happy hour still runs 2 to 4pm like any weekday, same prices, same menu. If you want the rundown on why that window works the way it does, there's a full explainer on why locals choose 12 Hawks for happy hour.

Food and drink specials

The dinner menu stays mostly the same, but three things get added for the night:

• A prime rib special, served with potatoes and a vegetable, available after 4pm while supplies last.

• A champagne pour at midnight, one glass included with any dinner entree ordered after 8pm.

• A short list of seasonal cocktails built around sparkling wine and bourbon, priced the same as regular craft cocktails.

Outside of those additions, the regular menu is in full effect all night. If you want to see what's normally on offer before you decide what to order for the holiday, the full food and drink menu is online.

Games on the screens

New Year's Eve lands in the middle of bowl season, so college football will be on most of the screens through the afternoon and evening. Anyone who wants a specific game will want to call ahead and ask what's scheduled, since not every channel package covers every matchup. The bar side tends to fill up fast once games start, so arriving by 5 or 6pm gets you a seat without a wait. Sound stays on the main game unless there's a clear house favorite or a split crowd, in which case volume gets split between a couple of screens.

Is it family-friendly on New Year's Eve?

Yes, through 8pm. Kids are welcome at tables through dinner, and the kids menu runs the normal prices. After 8pm the crowd skews older and the room gets louder, so families with young kids usually plan to eat early and head out before the countdown crowd shows up. If you're bringing a group with mixed ages, booking a table for 5 or 5:30pm dinner is the easiest way to get the family meal without sitting through the later rush.

Reservations and groups

Walk-ins are fine most of the night, but tables of 6 or more should call ahead. Seating is first-come after 9pm once the crowd picks up, and there's no way to guarantee a table size that late without a reservation. If you're planning a group of 10 or more, it's worth asking about a reserved section in advance rather than hoping for open seating.

Takeout on New Year's Eve

Takeout orders run the same hours as dine-in, kitchen close at 10:30pm. Anyone ordering for a party at home should call in by 9pm to make sure the kitchen can get it out before close. The prime rib special and the kids menu are both available for takeout, though the champagne pour is dine-in only since it's tied to a table service pour at midnight.

What to expect if you've never been on a holiday night

It's busier than a normal Wednesday, but it's not a line-out-the-door scene. Expect a fuller bar, more noise after 8pm, and a kitchen running close to full capacity by 6 or 7pm. If quiet and low-key is the goal, earlier in the day is the better call. If the goal is a countdown with other people around, later is the move.

12 Hawks runs this the same way most years: regular hours stretched a little later, a few specials added, and the same kitchen and bar staff who know the regular crowd handling the holiday crowd too. For anyone curious about the rest of the regular schedule, including why the one weekly closure doesn't apply to every holiday, there's background on the weekly closure and how holiday exceptions work.