When in Hudson on New Year’s Eve, do what the Hudsonites do, and move from the first freeway exit northward to catch those places over the river that stay open the latest. Tuesday timing makes it gone with the wind, for some.
When following that general rule of thumb, and go north a mile or two or even three, you may find destinations that are not closing per their usual time — with that being say around 9 p.m., bah humbug and aha grinch, with nothing special slated — but indeed are open until 3 or 4 a.m. With the more leinient rules in some Wisconsin cities.
As you head northward from I-94, in the first major building you will find, there is a trendy boutique that sports a sign saying “closing at 3 p.m. for inventory.” The big grill and bar also housed there, very typical in this south of heaven, has only its regular hours.
At the first major parking lot, a placard boasts a Thursday special, but again you have to wait past New Year’s Day, “large pizza for the price of a small.” The craft distillery on the south end of the parking lot only has their typical hours. For this night, being a Tuesday, and within normal delivery and takeout times, there is the option of the-several-year-consecutively-award-winning Green Mill specialty pizza and pasta. A Minnesota import comes through. Though their ad hawked the wonders of “Staying In Tonight,” and if that term fits, in one way of looking at it, depends on if you take delivery or choose to do takeout.
Yes Virginia, this is a Tuesday, and in these days of cutting costs, that makes it a day with complete closure of some grill and bars that offer mostly the grill end. (Only Monday is worse for that.) But as you inch toward the North Pole and Santa Approved, the (closed at 2 p.m.) Subhouse had on its doorstep a large box of free bread items that were individually bagged in small groups.
Most noteworthy of the places open late, The Smilin’ Moose being the farthest north in Hudson, and the Wild Badger in northwesternly New Richmond, each have massive balloon drops at midnight, to go with DJ music. Several dozen balloons or more, and extra hours, with sober cab. Also of note with some such things is the Village Inn, located in, you guessed it, North Hudson, and if you go a bit further toward Frosty, there is Big Guys BBQ Roadhouse, note that last word, also featuring their omnipresent shuttle bus, and not scuttlebutt. Other late-runners, in the two or three most non-residential north-end of Hudson blocks, include Dick’s Bar and Grill, and to a bit of a lesser degree with its last call, Hudson Tap closing at 3 a.m. You can get a ride from there too.
And although a place to hit earlier, there is right next to Dick’s, as one of four of those I normally do not give much ink …
— At Pier 500, “New Year’s Eve classical,” includes twin lobster tails or a single, steak filet, scallops and/or parmesan-crusted walleye. And that’s just for starters. And going forward past New Year’s, there’s the “limited Pier 500 single barrel select Sazerac bourbon.” But no, you don’t get the full barrel, it comes with a limit of two bottles per guest for a “Pier-fect” holiday gift.
— At Tattersall, a distillery and more that originated in Minnesota and has now added a large facility just north of River Falls, due to more advantageous Wisconsin rules, (theme here?), they in addition to their regular dinner menu, will offer a “special NYE menu including crab cakes, shrimp cocktail, walleye, New York Strip and delicious desserts. Plus, a complimentary pour of bubbles for those who choose to dine.”
— If you want to show off your singing as well as athletic as well as culinary tastes, suggested is karaoke to wrap it all up at the Hudson Bowling Center in Plaza 94, north of the freeway, on New Year’s Eve. Other than being on a day early in the week, the beauty of this is that unlike some, the singing, and they have some virtuosos, generally doesn’t get going until about 10 p.m. So you can dine and then bowl first. Then sing Hunger Strike, to imitate a rock supergroup.
— While there, consider dropping off a wrapped toy at the adjacent Jonesy’s Local, for all ages up to 17, although best are over 12. There are in-person and online options for delivery if you want to make like Santa. And the good news is that they accept donations, unlike some, through the 31st! Beer there, or be square.