ISO adult birthday party ideas in the SF Bay Area
February 19, 2013 8:56 PM Subscribe
My birthday's coming up soon and I'd like to have a party-type thing with 10-15 of my closest friends. Previous years I've done group brunches, group dinners, and a picnic at Crissy Field, but I'm kinda stumped for ideas this year. Can you recommend any awesome birthday party venues in the SF Bay Area? Details of what I'm looking for below the fold.
Mostly I want to actually be able to talk to and hang out with my friends over tasty foods, so either a venue I can reserve in advance and bring my own food to, or a restaurant with a private or semi-private area so we can get up and move around and socialize would be ideal. If there's some sort of fun activity to do, that would be nice, too, as long as there's still space for people who just want to hang out and socialize to do so. (I've thought of House of Air, but that seems too forced-activity and there's not really anywhere else to hang out and share food.) Indoor or outdoor. It'll be all adults, but we're all kids at heart so somewhere that might be intended for kids could be lots of fun.
It would be extra-awesome if it were in the East Bay, but really anywhere in the SF Bay Area works.
Mostly I want to actually be able to talk to and hang out with my friends over tasty foods, so either a venue I can reserve in advance and bring my own food to, or a restaurant with a private or semi-private area so we can get up and move around and socialize would be ideal. If there's some sort of fun activity to do, that would be nice, too, as long as there's still space for people who just want to hang out and socialize to do so. (I've thought of House of Air, but that seems too forced-activity and there's not really anywhere else to hang out and share food.) Indoor or outdoor. It'll be all adults, but we're all kids at heart so somewhere that might be intended for kids could be lots of fun.
It would be extra-awesome if it were in the East Bay, but really anywhere in the SF Bay Area works.
You are in a target-rich environment, as they say. Old stand-bys such as Spengler's Fish Grotto. What you want to search for are "banquet" restaurant facilities.
posted by blob at 9:08 PM on February 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by blob at 9:08 PM on February 19, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Unfortunately many restaurants with dedicated banquet facilities, including Spenger's, tend to be kinda meh in the food department. If I'm going to do a restaurant rather than another type of venue, I definitely want good (not necessarily fancy or expensive, but good) food.
posted by rhiannonstone at 9:17 PM on February 19, 2013
posted by rhiannonstone at 9:17 PM on February 19, 2013
The Mint Karaoke Lounge on market do parties, and there's a sushi bar right next door that delivers to your table or stool at the bar in The Mint.
Excellent place for a birthday party. Cash only, no cards. Remember to tip your KJ and only sign up for one song at a time. No more than two repetitions of the same song a night and (I believe) only one Total Eclipse of the Heart. I'm not saying I've been comped a drink token by a bartender for singing a song they've never heard before, I'm just saying I know they hear the same songs over and over and over and over... and over. And it's a pretty damn thick song book.
Love this joint. ;-)
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:34 PM on February 19, 2013
Excellent place for a birthday party. Cash only, no cards. Remember to tip your KJ and only sign up for one song at a time. No more than two repetitions of the same song a night and (I believe) only one Total Eclipse of the Heart. I'm not saying I've been comped a drink token by a bartender for singing a song they've never heard before, I'm just saying I know they hear the same songs over and over and over and over... and over. And it's a pretty damn thick song book.
Love this joint. ;-)
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:34 PM on February 19, 2013
Note: Sushi delight takes cards.
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:36 PM on February 19, 2013
posted by Pirate-Bartender-Zombie-Monkey at 9:36 PM on February 19, 2013
Best answer: I believe Comal in Berkeley has a private dining room, and the food there is AMAZING.
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:13 PM on February 19, 2013
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:13 PM on February 19, 2013
Best answer: Pinball museum before or after food/ drinks
posted by ch3ch2oh at 10:15 PM on February 19, 2013
posted by ch3ch2oh at 10:15 PM on February 19, 2013
Skates on the Bay.
We started going there when it opened in the early eighties. It's a large place right on the water at the Berkeley Marina.
The menu has always been varied and fresh and the view is outstanding.
My mom hosted an evening for about 30 people there and they did a great job.
This was the first place that served Starbucks coffee back in the day, and I remember my mom shaking them down to sell her the beans, because you couldn't buy them retail.
Spenglers is old school, and if you want sand-dabs, kind of a hoot, but Skates is YUMMY!
(note, you might want to go for drinks and apps, it's been a while since I've been.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:45 AM on February 20, 2013
We started going there when it opened in the early eighties. It's a large place right on the water at the Berkeley Marina.
The menu has always been varied and fresh and the view is outstanding.
My mom hosted an evening for about 30 people there and they did a great job.
This was the first place that served Starbucks coffee back in the day, and I remember my mom shaking them down to sell her the beans, because you couldn't buy them retail.
Spenglers is old school, and if you want sand-dabs, kind of a hoot, but Skates is YUMMY!
(note, you might want to go for drinks and apps, it's been a while since I've been.)
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:45 AM on February 20, 2013
Best answer: I always like Ozumo in Oakland--the food is great and the layout of the restaurant is nice for groups. They have a special dining room that is surrounded by Saki bottles that would work for 10-15 people (I have been there with a group of 12-13).
posted by agatha_magatha at 8:52 AM on February 20, 2013
posted by agatha_magatha at 8:52 AM on February 20, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by rhiannonstone at 8:58 PM on February 19, 2013