2512 L St. NW; 202-625-2444

A DJ (dance music), one beverage, appetizer buffet, midnight toast and $5 drink specials all night. $20.

Finn Mac Cool's

713 Eighth St. SE; 202-547-7100

The Ballistiks (rock and '80s covers), open bar, buffet, champagne toast. $60 in advance, $65 at the door.

Flanagan's Harp and Fiddle

4844 Cordell Ave., Bethesda; 301-951-0115

Tommy Lepson Band (blues, rock). $75 for a five-course dinner, private table and midnight champagne toast; $10 for general admission and the midnight toast. (Menu available in the bar.)

Gazuza

1629 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-667-5500

DJ Ivan (international), appetizers, sushi and a champagne toast. Tented, heated patio is open. $40. VIP reservations available.

Gua-Rapo

2039 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-528-6500

DJs 007 (house) and Ruben (international) on two floors, an upscale Latin buffet, a champagne toast and party favors. $40. Group seating available.

Helix Lounge

1430 Rhode Island Ave. NW; 202-462-9001

No DJ, but Helix has half-price burgers and Bud Light all night, plus giveaways and special cocktails. $10.

Indebleu

707 G St. NW; 202-333-2538

DJ Neekola (house) in the Tantra Lounge. $35. $100 for a premium open bar from 9 to midnight; $125 for a premium open bar from 11 to 3.

The Improv

1140 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-296-7008

Stand-up comedy with Jeff Caldwell. $35 for show at 8 plus a free pass to a future show ($65 ticket includes dinner, tax, gratuity and the free pass). $75 for show at 10:15, including champagne toast, hors d'oeuvres and free pass to future show.

Ireland's Four Fields

3412 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-244-0860

The Sean Fleming Band (Irish) returns for its annual gig, complete with a midnight toast. $40. Seating is limited; doors open at 7.

JV's

6666 Arlington Blvd., Falls Church; 703-241-9504

J.P. McDermott and Western Bop (rockabilly) starting at 9. $15; $25 couples.

kstreet Lounge

1301 K St. NW 202-962-3933

DJ Nesta (Top 40, hip-hop, house, '80s), open bar from 9 to 10. $50. Couples package ($200) includes admission for two people and a bottle of Moet champagne; VIP couples package ($250) includes Veuve Clicquot champagne. Table reservations start at $1,000 for a group of six. "Elegant attire" requested.

Lotus Lounge

1420 K St. NW; 202-289-4222

There are a number of options, all of which include a DJ, hors d'oeuvres and a midnight toast. General admission is $45; add an open bar (9 to midnight) for $125. Bottle service, which includes seating and a bottle of champagne, starts at $150 per person. More information at http://www.lotusloungedc.com.

Lucky Bar

1221 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-331-3733

The "Lucky Champagne Gala" features DJs (rock, hip-hop, retro), an open bar from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., a buffet and a midnight toast. $80.

Madam's Organ

2461 18th St. NW; 202-667-5370

Johnny Artis Band (blues). $95 for an open bar from 9 p.m. to 2:30 a.m., appetizer buffet, champagne toast and non-reserved bar seating; $105 includes a seat on the mezzanine. If you don't want to see the band, a $70 package includes a DJ on the second and third floors, an open bar from 10 p.m. to 2:30 a.m. and an appetizer buffet for the first hour.

MCCXXIII and Spank

1223 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-822-1800

DJs Ed the Bruce (hip-hop, '80s, old-school) on the main floor and Theresa (house) upstairs in the Spank lounge, and a midnight champagne toast. $35 general admission, $50 VIP tickets allow access to Spank. $80 VIP tickets for couples. Table reservations with bottle service start at $100 a person for groups of five on the first floor, and $1,000 for seven people in the VIP room. Dress is semi-formal. Tickets from http://www.dcnites.com.

McFadden's

2401 Pennsylvania Ave. NW; 202-223-2338

DJ (hip-hop, Top 40, rock, retro), top-shelf open bar from 8 to midnight, champagne toast, Irish breakfast buffet. $120 in advance, $130 at the door.

McGinty's Irish Pub

911 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring; 301-587-1270

Ten Feet Tall (rock, funk) in the main room and Irish music in the bar. $20, includes hors d'oeuvres and a champagne toast.

Modern

3287 M St. NW; 202-338-7027

Champion turntablist DJ Quixotic (hip-hop, rock, mash-ups) spins. Drinks are half-price from 8:30 to 10:30. A champagne toast is included, and cocktail attire is requested. $45.

The Palace of Wonders

1210 H St. NE; 202-398-7469

"The Lucky Daredevil Thrillshow" with Tyler Fyre and Thrill Kill Jill (fire breathing, sword swallowing, daredevil acrobatics and other sideshow fun). $15. Doors open at 7.

Play

1219 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-466-7529

Arrive early for hors d'oeuvres (8 to 10), sushi (9 to 10) and an open Belvedere vodka bar (9 to 10); stick around until 12:30 for a drawing featuring Louis Vuitton merchandise. Throughout the night, DJs spin hip-hop, Top 40 and international music. $50, or $90 for couples. $1,000 VIP tables include seating for eight, champagne and two bottles of liquor.

The Reef

2446 18th St. NW; 202-518-3800

DJs (hip-hop, rock, old-school), open bar from 9 until close, dinner buffet until midnight, dessert bar from midnight to 2, free coat check, champagne toast. No sneakers, hats or jeans. $150; 10 percent discount for residents of the 20008, 20009 and 20010 Zip codes.

Rocket Bar

714 Seventh St. NW; 202-628-7665

A low-key evening with light snacks, music from the jukebox and midnight toast with Miller High Life pony bottles. $10.

Strike Bethesda

5353 Westbard Ave., Bethesda; 301-652-0955

Unlimited bowling, an open bar from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., full buffet and a midnight toast. $95 per person or $450 for a private lane with up to six people. $75 without bowling.

Tommy Joe's

4714 Montgomery Lane, Bethesda; 301-654-3801

DJ (general dance music), buffet from 8 to 10, midnight champagne toast and happy-hour drink prices all night ($3.50 pints, rail drinks, house wines and domestic bottles). $20 in advance, $25 at the door.

Town Hall

2218 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-333-5641

The party features an open bar from 9 to close and a holiday buffet until 11. $75.

Whitlow's on Wilson

2854 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-276-9693

Back to Zero (rock, funk and covers), appetizer buffet, midnight toast and free coat check. Business casual dress suggested. $40 until Christmas, then $45.

Free . . . or Almost

Sometimes you'd rather not worry about wearing a tux, huge crowds or high-priced open bars. That's why the following places will be open for business as usual on New Year's Eve. Caveat: Arrive early.

Adams Mill Bar and Grill

1813 Adams Mill Rd. NW; 202-332-9577

No cover for the first-floor bar. (The second and third floors are only for people who've paid the $50 cover for a buffet, champagne toast, DJ, etc.)

Aroma

3417 Connecticut Ave. NW; 202-244-7995

It's business as usual at the Cleveland Park lounge.

Austin Grill

919 Ellsworth Dr., Silver Spring; 240-247-8969

Honky-tonk singer Ty Braddock performs at 9, and the first beer of 2008 is on the house.

Bar Pilar

1833 14th St. NW; 202-265-1751

The coolest Hemingway-themed bar in Washington will be open as usual, with music from the staff's iPods.

Buffalo Billiards

1330 19th St. NW; 202-331-7665

It pays to arrive early: The first 100 people get hats and noisemakers, and the first 200 get champagne toasts at midnight.

Cafe Saint-Ex

1847 14th St. NW; 202-265-7839

DJ DK plays dance music in the basement Gate 54 Lounge.

Cobalt

1639 R St. NW; 202-462-6569

DJs Jason Royce (disco, '80s retro) and Chris Combs ('90s, contemporary) spin from 9 to 3. The lounge opens at 5, the club level opens at 9. Admission is free until 9, then $5. A midnight toast is included.

Continental Pool Lounge

1911 N. Fort Myer Dr., Arlington; 703-465-7675

A DJ starts at 9.

Galaxy Hut

2711 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-525-8646

The annual "Low Key New Year's Eve" features music from the jukebox and champagne available for purchase at midnight.

Ireland's Four Courts

2051 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-525-3600

Ronan Kavanagh (Irish) performs starting at 9; midnight champagne toast. No cover charge before 8, then $10.

Jimmy's Old Town Tavern

697 Spring St., Herndon; 703-435-5467

DJs and a midnight champagne toast. Five-course dinner is optional.

Kirkpatrick's Irish Pub

5351 Merchants View Sq., Haymarket; 571-248-6635

Karaoke, DJ, food and drink specials and a midnight champagne toast.

Mackey's Public House

320 S. 23rd St., Arlington; 703-412-1113

Free midnight champagne toast.

Murphy's of D.C.

2609 24th St. NW; 202-462-7171

Live music (Irish) and a midnight champagne toast.

Rhodeside Grill

1836 Wilson Blvd., Arlington; 703-243-0145

A DJ, midnight toast and party favors.

Ri-Ra

4931 Elm St., Bethesda; 301-657-1122

Local band Rome in a Day performs.

Rock Bottom Brewery

4238 Wilson Blvd., at Ballston Common Mall, Arlington; 703-516-7688

A special dinner menu, discount drinks, a champagne toast and DJ Rusty Griswald. Purchase advance tickets for $5 at the bar or pay $10 at the door.

Rock Bottom Brewery

7900 Norfolk Ave., Bethesda; 301-652-1311

The night includes live music, dinner specials and a champagne toast. Admission is free until 9; $10 after.

Stetson's

1610 U St. NW; 202-667-6295

Party favors and a champagne toast.

Topaz Bar

1733 N St. NW; 202-393-3000

Topaz offers 50 percent off its house cocktail, the Blue Nirvana, from 9 to close and half-price appetizers from 11 to close.

The Wonderland Ballroom

1101 Kenyon St. NW; 202-232-5263

Hip-hop and reggae from DJ Meistro and a Miller High Life toast at midnight.