Home to many banquet-style celebrations, this family-owned institution is a household name after serving Vietnamese and Chinese cuisine to the Houston area for more than 30 years. Open daily for dim sum, lunch, and dinner, the extensive menu has grown alongside the restaurant’s legacy for group and special occasion dining. Vietnamese New Year, known as Tết, features must-have traditional dishes such as sticky rice and mung bean cakes, best enjoyed in tandem with a lion dance celebration and a glass of Rémy Martin V.S.O.P. Kim Son updates the schedule for all new year festivities on their Facebook page.

Tokyo-trained chef Yoshi Katsuyama — easily spotted in his hot pink apron — commands the sushi counter at this sleek Japanese restaurant in Bellaire. The recently opened Aya aims to delight diners by creating an experience that marries lighthearted ambience with a serious food and beverage program. The regular menu includes plenty of luxury with items like bone marrow slicked with shoyu butter, but it’s chef Katsuyama’s omakase, along with a beverage pairing option, that is recommended for a truly special meal. Look for a Lunar New Year special offering a Rémy Martin XO pairing with the Aya Roll, which includes salmon, cucumber, avocado, torched toro, caviar, and 24k gold flakes to top it off.

A good late-night dining spot is something of a unicorn, especially if the food and drinks live up to the lively atmosphere. GiAu Bar n Bites has managed to become a go-to for all three in its original location on Bellaire Boulevard and its newest iteration in Katy. Small plates such as black pepper whelk steamed with lemongrass and quail fried with butter are excellent with cocktails like the Rémy 1738 Sidecar. Go all out for Lunar New Year with a macaron pairing, 1738 bottle service, and Lion Dance celebration on January 20th and 22nd.

The charming Kau Ba, which boasts one of the city’s favorite shaded and colorful patios for year-round outdoor dining, offers a respite from the busy Montrose neighborhood. Chef Nikki Tran’s Viet-Cajun menu offers a new spin on classic dishes that are matched with an equally impressive beverage program. The start of Tết and the Lunar New Year means a traditional lion dance on January 28th, followed by Rémy Martin cocktails that make a perfect pairing with celebratory dishes such as the Mini Lobsta Bánh Mì and Grandma’s Subsidy, crispy fried rice topped with pork belly, anchovies, crispy rice, green onions, seaweed, and sesame seeds.

For late night celebrations with friends, SING Karaoke in Katy’s Asia Town is a hot spot for revelers that want to kick off the new year—and show off their vocal skills—until last call at 2 a.m. Although SING’s wings are a consistent favorite, the kitchen also turns out occasion-worthy seasonal small plates and entrees along with a premium liquor and cocktail list. For a spread worthy of an auspicious 2023, order a bottle of Rémy Martin 1738 for the table and pair it with the scallop on a halfshell or a platter of shaking beef, bò lúc lắc.

A meal at this reservation-only omakase restaurant in the Heights offers a new experience every time you take a seat at the hand-built wooden bar. Chef Billy Kin sources the majority of 5Kinokawa’s ingredients from Toyosu Market in Japan, which means the custom dishes he creates change according to seasonality and availability. With just two seatings available Thursday through Friday, reservations tend to get snapped up quickly. Ring in the Year of the Rabbit luxe-style by sipping on Rémy Martin XO, particularly decadent when paired with uni pasta and foie gras chawanmushi. 

Widely celebrated as Houston’s first Vietnamese restaurant, Mai’s Restaurant continues to draw crowds with its extensive menu featuring hundreds of dishes. Late-night hours and actual designated parking make the Midtown mainstay an obvious destination for celebrating in Central Houston, whether it’s in search of a warm meal or a nightcap sitting on a stool at the well-stocked bar. Put in an order of the spicy cánh gà chiên chicken wings and a platter of Vietnamese fajitas to enjoy alongside a round of Rémy Sours with Rémy Martin V.S.O.P..