It’s easy to get a good table for two any night of the week (and even easier if you’re dining solo and willing to sit at the bar). But for a larger group, finding the perfect restaurant to celebrate a special occasion or spend time with a crowd of friends can be a serious challenge. Tailoring to varying food preferences, squeezing a big group into a small space, and handling demands on servers and bartenders — it’s a lot to ask from many restaurants. These spots provide the creative menu options, capable service staff, and flexible spaces you need to make your next big dinner memorable for all the right reasons.
Turntable Chicken Jazz: 314 5th Avenue
For piles of wings that are literally finger-licking good, served in a super-unfussy space, this second-floor Koreatown joint is perfect for a big, noisy, casual get-together. Order cucumber martinis by the pitcher and draft beers by the lava lamp (no, really–these funky dispensers bring a little psychedelic groove to your table). Share plates of hot wings drenched in spicy, sweet, or sour sauces. You might need to shout to be heard over the DJ at times, but it’s all part of the experience. https://turntablenyc.com/
The Smith – Lincoln Square: 1900 Broadway
For a fun, tasty, quirky feast, this American restaurant is an excellent location to take your group. Smack-dab in the middle of all the city’s goings-on, The Smith allows for booking private banquet rooms for anywhere from 30 to 100 people, so whether you’re in town for a meeting or a convention there is more than enough space for everybody. This, alongside a friendly staff and a killer upscale ambience, will definitely provide the memorable experience you want. Lincoln Square a little too far? The Smith has three other locations in New York City (Nomad, East Village, and Midtown), each capable of seating about 75 people and offering the same great service as their flagship location. https://thesmithrestaurant.com/
Mission Chinese Food: 171 E Broadway
Open up your fortune cookie, and it says: “Pleasant times are to be had by all at Mission Chinese Food!” With two New York branches (this one in Manhattan, the other in Brooklyn) and full restaurant buyout options for parties of 18 or greater, this sweet little restaurant is a great place to a celebration or get together. Bathed in charming ambience and right off the Grand Street itself, it certainly is not lacking in style. The menu consists of dishes from familiar staples like broccoli beef to adventurous specialties like beggar’s duck and drunken fish. Reservations required for parties of 8+, and buyout parties must order from a pre-selected menu, but with this much variety, nobody will be left wanting. https://www.missionchinesefood.com/
Rubirosa: 235 Mulberry Street
Mambo Italiano here at this Lower Manhattan restaurant, serving all sorts of delicacies from the Old World. Open for breakfast and lunch 11:30 – 4 on weekdays and dinner from 5 – 11 (with a special Pizza hour in between), the menu offers up an exquisite array of pastas, pizzas, panini, salads, and more (including some things I’d never seen before!) Offering dining for groups of 8 – 20, Rubirosa is an excellent and exciting place for a small gathering. And, as an added bonus, their website is well-designed and easy to make reservations for all groups. https://www.rubirosanyc.com/
Jeepney: 201 1st Avenue
While Jeepney boasts tons of wondrous Filipino dishes on the menu (chef Miguel Trinidad and creative director Nicole Ponseca co-authored the critically acclaimed I Am A Filipino: And This Is How We Cook), if you’re coming here with a group, the true experience is to be found in the Kamayan feast. Hosting groups of up to 46, starting at $45 per person on weekdays and $55 on weekends, the Kamayan feast is a truly communal dining experience. The table gets a course of food that everyone shares that can include ribs, lumpia, calamari, and dozens of other delicious treats (don’t worry, vegetarians, there are options for you as well). The crowning achievement, however, is the Lechon, a slow-roasted 25-lb pig stuffed with sausage and brought to the table for all to enjoy. Reservations must be made in advance, with the Lechon being ordered at least 4 days in ahead. http://www.jeepneynyc.com/
Red Rooster: 310 Malcolm X Boulevard
Red Rooster is basically the coolest restaurant you’ll ever go to. Featuring custom art collections by local and famous artists, the upstairs features live music every evening, while there’s a proper speakeasy in the basement: Ginny’s Supper Club. Serving wonderful upscale soul food (mmm, fried chicken and ribs), the entire speakeasy is available to rent out for large groups and is suitable for anything from small dinners of 40 to large celebrations of well over 200. If you want to get seats at the Sunday brunch (featuring singer Boncella Lewis), however, the rule is walk-ins only! https://www.redroosterharlem.com/
Uva: 1486 2nd Avenue
For an old-fashioned dining out experience, this Upper East Side joint is both affordable and positively dripping with cozy ambience. With the Private Dining located in an candlelit wine cellar seating up to 32, your party will feel like it’s been transported back to Italy in 1499. The star-studded dinner menu features classic Italian dishes such as gnocchi di ricotta (gnocchi with a house-made ricotta), penne gratinate (penne baked with mushrooms and tomatoes), and pollo alla partenopea (plum tomato sauce-stuffed-chicken breast). For an extra special treat, visit on Meatball Mondays (Polpetti Lunedì) for a whole other experience! http://www.uvanyc.com/
Kyma: 315 W 18th Street
Featuring an unparalleled selection of olive oil and fresh Mediterranean fish, this subterranean restaurant feels anything but underground. A large, open room makes up the majority of Kyma, with the architecture and décor harkening back to the Isles of Grecia, with the raw- and grill-heavy menu to match. The Mykonos room is available to rent or for private parties, capable of hosting up to 150 with a fully stocked bar, A/V and DJ setup, and private bathrooms, making it a perfect place for family and business functions. https://kymarestaurants.com/
EN Japanese Brasserie: 435 Hudson Street
This spacious West Village Japanese restaurant offers group-friendly seating and a tempting range of specialties: house-made tofu for kaiseki-style sushi and sashimi menus; stone-grilled lobster with miso butter, and vegan options like yasai kushiage (lightly fried vegetables with hacho miso sauce). For intimate groups, the Living Room seats up to 5 people, while the Library features shelves lined with books and pottery seating up to 8 and the Grand Dining Room seating up to 12. https://www.enjb.com/
Sadelle’s: 463 W Broadway
One simply does not go to New York without trying the bagels. And at Sadelle’s, they have the best. A full appetizing menu featuring everything from grilled salmon to fried chicken to blueberry pancakes is topped off with the adage that “Every selection comes with a bagel.” Sadelle’s also offers a multitude of group options. For smaller groups, the Communal Table will fit up to 16 guests. For larger gatherings, they offer renting out the 3rd floor for up to 40 guests, or the whole restaurant, for up to 80 (up to 200 for cocktail-style gatherings). Their reservation policies are strict, but absolutely more than worth the process. https://www.sadelles.com/
