In a city where square footage is scarce and competition for elbow space with fellow diners is commonplace, it’s crucial to know where you can have a civil, comfortable meal with a large group. CEO of your company tasked you with organizing the holiday party? Your sister’s bridal shower is suddenly a month away and you haven’t made a reservation? Planning your best friend’s birthday and need to make up for last year when you forgot it? Sounds like a Private Dining Problem to us.
Here’s the complete guide to our favorite restaurants with private rooms that can hold anywhere from 10 to over 100 of your closest friends, family, colleagues, and whomever else you choose to spend a few hours of your life with. Follow our advice and you’re not going to end up with a mediocre meal, or even close to one. Better get on that reservation before someone else does.
Groups of 10-15ish
American Cut
American Cut is a very good and very huge Tribeca steakhouse – one so big that even when it’s busy it seems sort of empty. That’s a good thing when it comes to the party you’re planning, because there’s plenty of space for you to take over, including a big bar where you can gather and wait for your crew to arrive.
Private room seats up to 16.
363 Greenwich St., Tribeca
Bacaro
Bacaro group dinners happen in one of their three large rooms downstairs. You won’t be completely isolated from civilians, but it’s dark enough down there that it won’t really matter. If you’re planning a cool party for your cool downtown company, consider it strongly.
Private room seats up to 14.
136 Division St., Lower East Side
Bar Boulud
Bar Boulud has so many private rooms under the restaurant that the restaurant itself is basically just a front – all the action is going on below the surface. There are several event spaces available for your choosing, the smallest of which seats 16.
Private room seats 16.
1900 Broadway, Upper West Side
Barbuto
Barbuto is closing soon, so this may be your last chance to eat that famous roast chicken in the small private room at the front of the restaurant.
Private room seats up to 10.
775 Washington St., West Village
BLT Prime
Planning an event for a group of people that wear suits but don’t consider themselves “suits?” BLT Prime is your move. The food and service exceed the usual business steakhouse standards – so even though this place may be perfect for a big group of coworkers, it’s also good for a crew of friends or family members.
Meat room seats up to 12.
111 E 22nd St., Gramercy
Blue Hill New York
Ben Aslop
Blue Hill is definitely an upscale restaurant, but the garden restaurant is actually a step down in formality from the main dining room. The food is the exact same farm-focused experience you’ve come to expect.
Garden room seats up to 16.
75 Washington Pl., Greenwich Village
Blue Ribbon Bakery Kitchen
The underground room in the Blue Ribbon on Downing feels like sitting in a private cave, and who doesn’t want to sit in a private cave and eat a pork chop?
Private room seats up to 10.
35 Downing St., West Village
Charlie Bird
Noah Fecks
Charlie Bird has a small private room just behind the bar, and it’s one of the best setups in town for a small group. The table is great and conducive to conversation, there’s a private restroom, and you can even plug in your phone and bump your own music. Just know that your jams probably won’t be better than the ones on the restaurant’s own playlist. Charlie Bird knows how to put together a playlist.
Private room seats up to 14.
5 King St., Soho
Fedora
Henry Hargreaves
Little did you know, Fedora has an awesome little private room hiding under the main dining room. The space has been there since the original Fedora restaurant opened fifty years ago, and it’s got a classic New York, candlelit vibe.
Private room below restaurant seats up to 10.
239 W. 4th St., West Village
FreemansThe smaller of the two private rooms at Freemans, the wine room is on the ground floor and has a pleasant vibe, almost like you’re in someone’s house, rather than a moderately successful hunter’s cabin.
Wine room seats 10-12.
End of Freeman Alley, Lower East Side
Hudson Clearwater
Hudson Clearwater is hard enough to find behind its unmarked, nondescript door, so its subterranean room feels especially secluded. Once inside, you’ll find the same rustic, intimate vibe as the main restaurant that makes it a great choice for a private dinner with friends.
Private room seats up to 12.
447 Hudson St., West Village
L’Artusi
We’re usually strong advocates of sitting at the bar at L’Artusi rather than at a table, but the upstairs wine cellar is the exception to this rule. It’s a great room, complete with glass doors that close around you so everyone else can see how awesome you are.
Private wine cellar seats up to 16.
228 W. 10th St., West Village
Narcissa
If you’ve ever been to Narcissa, you won’t be surprised to learn that the private room is almost absurdly pleasant. This place puts nearly as high a value on aesthetics as it does on cooking with vegetables. We fully endorse the approach, and the result is an excellent spot to host a small private dinner.
Private room seats up to 12.
21 Cooper Sq., East Village
The Ribbon
The new Upper West Side notch in the Blue Ribbon belt has a great private room for ten called Arnold’s Whiskey Room. We like it because it’s one of the few places you can find in town with one big, round table. Just in case you’re hosting a meeting of the Joint Chiefs or a poker game.
Arnold’s Whisky Room seats up to 10.
20 W 72nd St., Upper West Side
Vaucluse
Michael White’s newest restaurant just took over the room that used to house Park Avenue (insert season) on 63rd Street. It’s not as stuffy a place as the previous tenant, and yes you can eat pasta there. The private room in the main restaurant seats up to 12 around a large round table. There’s also a separate dining room for larger groups. More on that below.
Private room seats up to 12.
100 E 63rd St., Upper East Side
Vinegar Hill House
If you don’t mind dragging your group to the dark, remote end of DUMBO, Vinegar Hill House will be worth the trip. Their private dining setup is a small room below the restaurant, which we’ll just call cozy. Great food makes up for low ceilings, right? Right.
Subterranean private room seats 10-12.
72 Hudson Ave.
Groups of 15-25ish
Bar Bolonat
This modern Israeli restaurant is always a party, and if your party is big, consider renting out their wine cellar room, which seats up to 24. Your crew will be eating fancy fatoush and things like lamb and branzino, and they’ll be damn happy about it.
Downstairs private room seats up to 24.
611 Hudson St., West Village
Bar Boulud
The next size up in Bar Boulud’s private dining mini-chain seats up to 20, all around one large rectangular table. Bar Boulud may be a “casual bistro,” but the atmosphere in the private room is without a doubt upscale, if not semi-formal.
Private room seats 20.
1900 Broadway #2, Upper West Side
Freemans
The Blue Room is part of the second floor at Freemans, and it’s a bit more spacious than the downstairs wine cellar. More rustic, too.
Blue room seats 13-20 (capacity for 30 standing).
End of Freeman Alley, Lower East Side
Gramercy Tavern
Alice Gao
You don’t need us to tell you that Gramercy Tavern is a good restaurant. You might need us to tell you that their private dining set up is surprisingly flexible, considering how formal the main dining room of the restaurant is. There’s lots of variable pricing depending on how you want to build your meal, and there is no flat room fee, as long as you spend a certain amount. We said “flexible.” Not cheap.
Private room seats up to 22.
42 E 20th St., Gramercy
Il Buco
Il Buco’s 200-year-old wine cellar might be the single best private dining room in New York City, especially when you consider that Edgar Allen Poe used to hang out down there. Book in advance, because everybody wants to eat pasta with dead poets. Il Buco fills up fast.
Private wine cellar seats up to 26.
47 Bond St., Noho
Lafayette
Paul Wagtouicz
Lafayette isn’t just a place to pick up a croissant or eat a chicken salad for lunch. It’s a place to host either a small private get together or a giant party for 100 of your closest friends. More on the latter below, but know that the smaller of their big group setups is a good one. Just look at all that wood.
Private room seats 8-20.
380 Lafayette St., Noho
Maialino
Ever go to Maialino and wish you could order every single pasta on the menu? That dream can become a reality in Maialino’s private room, which seats up to 24 and overlooks Gramercy Park. Your group can order from a variety of exclusive family style menus to ensure that no one is forced to choose between the Tonnarelli and Bucatini, which is good because nobody really knows the difference anyway.
Private room seats up to 24.
2 Lexington Ave., Gramercy
Marea
Marea’s below-decks private dining room is covered in dark wood, which helps give it an intimate, secluded vibe. You’ll feel like you’re enjoying your very fancy seafood meal on a very fancy yacht. Congrats on being good at business.
Private room seats up to 24.
240 Central Park S., Midtown
Market Table
At the corner of two of the West Village’s “quaintest” streets is one of its “quaintest” restaurants, Market Table. Its private subterranean dining room continues that theme, with exposed brick, vaulted ceilings, and lots of candlelight.
Private room seats up to 24.
54 Carmine St., West Village
Maysville
Part Southern-inspired American restaurant, part whiskey temple, Maysville is a casual yet upscale spot with a private room that can accommodate a lot of different types of events, from casual brunches to tasting menus. You can even host a whiskey tasting, should your group be most interested in an alcohol-oriented activity.
Private room seats up to 24 (or a 35 person reception).
17 W 26th St., Flatiron
Quality Meats
Quality Meats is a multi-level temple of steak that was practically built for huge parties, with four private dining options. The smallest of the group is the Butcher Room, which is covered in butcher block and vintage cleavers. Because who doesn’t want to throw an office holiday party surrounded by knives? Might want to keep an eye on Mark from IT.
Butcher Room seats up to 24 (or a 30 person reception).
57 W 58th., Midtown
Raoul’s
A Soho institution since the 70’s, Raoul’s is a great bet when you want to go full-on classic NYC. Its private dining room features a three-course prix fixe, so if you’re looking for ultimate flexibility this may not be your best choice. If you’re looking for style points, it is.
Private room seats up to 24.
180 Prince St., Soho
The Black Ant
Consider The Black Ant for any Mexican-food appreciating group (i.e. everyone). This is definitely not your typical Tuesday night “chips and guac” spot – it’s a fun, upbeat destination with inventive food that’s fitting for a special occasion. The back room seats up to 24, and it’s a guaranteed party. Just know that it will get loud when fully seated. So probably don’t host a book reading here.
Private room seats up to 24.
60 2nd Ave., West Village
The Dutch
Noah Fecks
The Dutch’s below-ground private room includes its own bar, which helps maintain the feel-good vibes that start on the main floor. The menu pretty much reads like all-American greatest hits, so there’s going to be something for everyone.
Private room seats up to 20.
131 Sullivan St., Soho
The East Pole
The East Pole has some of the Upper East Side’s best private dining options: Its Map Room, with seating for up to 22 around one big table, has large windows overlooking 65th Street as well as a private restroom, while the Copper Bar Room includes a fully stocked bar along with lounge seating for up to 30. If you’re looking for downtown vibes in a comfortable uptown location, The East Pole is your spot.
The Map Room seats up to 22.
The Copper Bar Room seats up to 30.
Rooms combined have capacity for up to 75.
133 E. 65th St., Upper East Side
Groups of 25-50
Añejo (Tribeca)
The private room under this modern Mexican restaurant in Tribeca is a good bet if your gang is into tequila – they age barrels of it down there. Again, keep an eye on Mark from IT.
Private room seats 40 (capacity for 65 standing).
301 Church St., Tribeca
Aria Wine Bar
Below this little West Village Italian date night staple, there’s a very small but comfortable room with a wine cellar feel. If you want to party around one table, and don’t mind being in close quarters, you’re guaranteed a good time.
Private room seats 28.
117 Perry St., West Village
Bar Boulud
Completing the Bar Boulud private dining trifecta is its largest space, which seats up to 40 (around five round tables) for a full meal or up to 60 for a reception.
Private room seats 40 (capacity for 60 standing).
1900 Broadway #2, Upper West Side
Betony
Betony is a serious restaurant that doesn’t take itself too seriously, which is why we like it so much. You have two options here: a private dining room or the semi-private mezzanine, both of which can fit around 30 people.
Private dining room & mezzanine both seat 30 (capacity for 50 standing).
41 W. 57th St., Midtown
Bowery Meat Company
Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce’s private party definitely would have been held at Bowery Meat Company. The 60’s-inspired room feels like a place where very good bad decisions happen, and the food is excellent and excessive.
Private room seats 35 (capacity for 50 standing).
9 E. 1st St., East Village
Brooklyn Winery
One of best wine bars in the city also happens to be one of the best private dining spots in Brooklyn, with several options for different party sizes. Their smallest is the Parlor room, which has seating for up to 30 and overlooks the Barrel Room, where all the wine making happens.
Parlor room seats 30 (capacity for 45 standing).
213 N 8th St., Williamsburg
City Hall Restaurant
Despite its massive size, no one outside of Tribeca seems to know about City Hall Restaurant, or the fact that it’s a solid place for private dining, with 32 and 110-person rooms. City Hall’s FiDi-adjacent location makes it ideal for corporate functions, but it will work for a birthday or a rehearsal dinner too.
Rose room seats 32 (capacity for 45 standing)
131 Duane St., Tribeca
Little Owl
Little Owl takes private dining so seriously that they own a dedicated events space, The Venue, about a ten-minute walk from the main restaurant in the West Village. Despite the separate location, you can expect the same “cute” vibes and pork-chop-centric menu as the original.
The Venue seats 40 (capacity for 70 standing).
93 Greenwich Ave., West Village
Lure Fishbar
Is your boat in dry dock for the winter? Or at least is that what you tell people because you want them to think you have a boat? Lure Fishbar’s private wine vault is the space for you. The whole restaurant has the look and feel of dining at sea, but the vault feels even more exclusive, and is equally fitting for a 25th birthday party as it is for a downtown company event.
Wine Vault seats 28.
142 Mercer St., Soho
Montmartre
A good restaurant with private dining is hard to find. But a good restaurant with outdoor private dining? That’s something to hold on to. Our apologies if you are just now learning about Montmartre’s back garden when it’s 40 degrees, but you’ll be a hero when you remember it in May.
Back garden seats 44 (capacity for 80 standing).
158 8th Ave., Chelsea
Quality Meats
For a mid-sized private event, Quality Meats offers The Fireplace room, which has an industrial vibe anchored by a steel fireplace. It feels a bit serious, but sometimes a large group dinner is a serious affair.
Fireplace Room seats 40 (capacity for 65 standing).
57 W 58th., Midtown
The Lambs Club
The Lambs Club is proof that expense accounts and Midtown Suits are alive and well, and its private rooms are the things that large company budgets are made for. The smallest is The Stanford White Room, which used to be the club’s library. And if you can’t close a deal in “The Stanford White Room” what are you even doing?
Stanford White Room seats 36 (capacity for 50 standing).
130 W. 44th St., Midtown
The Smith (Lincoln Center)
The Smith is Perfect For many, many things – and you can go ahead and add Private Dining to that list. With different options across its three locations, they’ve pretty much got a monopoly on large-scale, casual dining. The Lincoln Center location has two rooms – one seats 30, the other up to 100.
Private room seats up to 30.
1900 Broadway, Upper West Side
Vaucluse
The “Townhouse” is the larger of the two private dining options at Vaucluse, and it’s about as private an experience as you can get outside of your own apartment – it has its own separate entrance, so your Instagram celebrity friends don’t have to worry about not getting spotted on their way in. The room can be set up with either four round tables or two long ones.
Private room seats up to 12.
100 E 63rd St., Upper East Side
Groups of 50-100
American Cut
American Cut’s larger private room basically feels like its own separate restaurant, but it still maintains the big fancy steakhouse feel.
Morrison Room seats 55 (capacity for 100 standing).
363 Greenwich St., Tribeca
BLT Prime
BLT Prime has two larger space options – the private room has a more formal, sit-down feel, while the Mezzanine overlooks the main restaurant for more of a casual cocktail vibe. We can pretty much guarantee your boss will be pleased either way.
Private room seats up to 50 (capacity for 75 standing).
Mezzanine seats up to 65 (capacity for 75 standing).
111 E 22nd St., Gramercy
Brooklyn Winery
Brooklyn Winery’s Atrium accommodates larger groups of up to 80 in a space that feels grand but not over-the-top, with high glass ceilings and wood walls.
Atrium seats 50-80.
213 N 8th St., Williamsburg
Crave Fishbar
Crave Fishbar is an excellent go-to restaurant for any Midtown East occasion and they do group dining right. The private upstairs room includes tables, big booths, a raw bar, as well as a private outdoor space and restroom. It’s basically a private seafood oasis.
Private upstairs room seats up to 50 standing (capacity for 90 standing).
945 2nd Ave., Midtown East
Daniel
Daniel’s private dining is most perfect for the most special occasions (good for weddings, probably not good for an odd-year birthday party). Its Bellecoure Room faces East 65th street and gets lots of natural light, which is a rare find amongst most of the the other Manhattan spots on this list that are hidden beneath restaurants.
Bellecoure Room seats up to 90 (capacity for 150 standing).
60 E. 65th St., Upper East Side
FreemansFreemans private second level is very much an extension of the taxidermy-covered main floor, which makes it perfect for your downtown creative company holiday party, or a gathering of your Civil War reenactment group. Check your muskets at the door.
Second floor seats up to 80 (capacity for 100 standing).
End of Freeman Alley, Lower East Side
Il Buco Alimentari e Vineria
Il Buco Alimentari’s private loft sits above the main dining room, and we would totally live there if given the opportunity (money). This is one of our favorite restaurants in the city, thanks to both the lively vibe and the excellent California-meets-Italian food.
Loft seats up to 60 (capacity for 80 standing).
53 Great Jonest St., Noho East Village
Little Park
Noah Fecks
The private space below Andrew Carmellini’s vegetable-heavy restaurant in the Smyth Hotel not only has its own floor, but also its own bar and seating area. You can spread out, but it still feels intimate.
Private room seats up to 70 (capacity for 125 standing).
85 W. Broadway, Tribeca
Locanda VerdeNoah Fecks
Locanda Verde’s private space for 60 is impressive, from its working fireplace to its arched windows to its ceiling constructed from 90,000 wine corks. It’s a very good place for a very large group to enjoy an Italian feast and maybe try and contribute some corks to the decor.
Private room seats 60 (capacity for 100 standing).
377 Greenwich St., Tribeca
The Modern
Like The Modern’s main dining room, the private space overlooks the MoMA’s sculpture garden. The room is clean and simple, and though it is certainly a fine dining restaurant, it’s one with personality. Also, the wine list is unbeatable.
Private room seats 64 (capacity for 80 standing).
9 W. 53rd St., Midtown
The National
You probably know you can count on the The National for a solid Midtown experience near Grand Central – but you probably don’t know that there’s a spiral brass staircase that leads from the restaurant up to five private dining rooms in the Benjamin Hotel above.
Five private rooms combined seat up to 80 (capacity for 200 standing).
557 Lexington Ave., Midtown
The Smith (East Village)
The next holding in The Smith’s private dining monopoly is its East Village location, which has a downstairs room that seats up to 79. Plus, there’s a photo booth down there.
Private room seats up to 79.
53 3rd Ave., East Village
The Smith (Midtown)
Now on to The Smith’s Midtown location, whose private dining room that can seat up to 75.
Private room seats up to 75.
956 2nd Ave., Midtown East
The Smith (Lincoln Center)And for one last victory lap, we’re bringing it back to the Lincoln Center location, which in addition to its 30-person room also has a larger room for up to 100.
Private room seats up to 100.
1900 Broadway, Upper West Side
Toloache (Midtown)
An upscale Mexican restaurant in a food desert, Toloache further solidifies itself as an indispensable Midtown spot with its private outdoor balcony.
Balcony seats up to 60.
251 W. 50th St., Midtown
Groups Over 100
Catch
Catch remains the most ridiculously over-the-top restaurant in the Meatpacking District, with a 1000-person private dining capacity (across its multiple rooms, floors, and roof) to prove it. We don’t normally endorse restaurant-club hybrids, but this one’s food and service are actually quite solid.
Various private options can seat up to 1000.
21 9th Ave., Meatpacking
City Hall Restaurant
City Hall is one of the few restaurants in Manhattan with capacity for over 200, which makes it popular for weddings and other large-scale occasions. The Granite Room feels almost like an event space, complete with an L-shaped bar, grand piano, big leather booths, and iron columns throughout.
Granite room seats 110 (220 for reception).
131 Duane St., Tribeca
Glasserie
Remy Amezcua
Glasserie may very well have the best restaurant vibes in all of Brooklyn, with incredible outdoor spaces made for huge groups. The food is also excellent and interesting, which should hopefully help convince your friends or coworkers to put up with the difficult process of actually getting there. Maybe rent a van.
The Galley (pictured above) has capacity for up to 300.
The Courtyard has capacity for up to 300.
The Penthouse has capacity for up to 200.
131 Duane St., Tribeca
Lafayette
Paul Wagtouicz
Did you know there is a giant private restaurant underneath Lafayette? We’ve been there countless times, and until recently had absolutely no idea there is a second Lafayette you can rent out for every person you’ve ever talked to. It even comes complete with its own bar, coat check, and private restroom.
Cellar room seats 30-150.
380 Lafayette St., Noho
The Lambs Club
Opulence. I has it. The larger Lambs Club private rooms are over the top. The Club Room has its own foyer (you know, for “receiving guests”) and the space also comes with a dedicated bar, private restrooms, and coat check. The Dining Room has an old Hollywood vibe, with shiny chrome fixtures, black and white photos, and plush red leather booths. The Lambs Club Bar is a lounge space with more laid-back seating options.
Club Room: seats up to 120 (125 for reception).
Dining Room: seats up to 100 (150 for reception).
Lambs Club Bar: capacity for up to 175.
130 W. 44th St., Midtown