Restaurant for large group dinner in NYC
April 12, 2019 7:03 AM Subscribe
I've been tasked with organising a large group dinner for some overseas visitors in mid-May. Which restaurants would you recommend that would take groups of around 30 in Manhattan? Our budget is as cheap as possible - definitely under $60 per head, around $40 is ideal.
We're trying to avoid booking out the whole place since that's usually very expensive, but if there are economical options please share! I know this is a long shot as all the restaurants I've checked are more like $100 per head for groups of this size... thanks!
Have you checked OpenTable? that will give you a list of restaurants that can accommodate larger groups of people, but odds are you'll need to call them anyways to confirm pricing etc.
but to be honest, Carmines (with a pre-set menu) was also my first guess; Manhattan restaurants are not known for being spacious- your average restaurant will probably sit 20-30 people at a time MAX, so you would need to make it worth it to them to basically book out their entire restaurant for 2-3hrs.
posted by larthegreat at 7:24 AM on April 12, 2019
but to be honest, Carmines (with a pre-set menu) was also my first guess; Manhattan restaurants are not known for being spacious- your average restaurant will probably sit 20-30 people at a time MAX, so you would need to make it worth it to them to basically book out their entire restaurant for 2-3hrs.
posted by larthegreat at 7:24 AM on April 12, 2019
Before tax and service you are looking at about $40 a head. That's pretty much impossible for anything that looks like a full-service restaurant given the revenue loss of they would have for reserving that many covers, and the fact that you'd have to make it a cash bar (or maybe a set and small number of bottles of cheap wine).
Here's what I would look at:
* a breakfast-and-lunch deli near your main hotel or other center of gravity which might be willing to stay open for a couple of hours longer than their typical 5 p.m. closing and would look at $1000 as a decent piece of revenue. It would be deli catering in chafing dishes and potentially no booze, but you would get it in your budget.
* a deal with one of your hotels to let you have one of the delis cater you in. You can probably get a good food spread for ~$500, and pay the hotel $750 for the room. Probably only works if the hotel ISN'T full service, i.e., Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn might be game, Hilton or Sheraton won't.
posted by MattD at 7:26 AM on April 12, 2019 [3 favorites]
Here's what I would look at:
* a breakfast-and-lunch deli near your main hotel or other center of gravity which might be willing to stay open for a couple of hours longer than their typical 5 p.m. closing and would look at $1000 as a decent piece of revenue. It would be deli catering in chafing dishes and potentially no booze, but you would get it in your budget.
* a deal with one of your hotels to let you have one of the delis cater you in. You can probably get a good food spread for ~$500, and pay the hotel $750 for the room. Probably only works if the hotel ISN'T full service, i.e., Hampton Inn or Fairfield Inn might be game, Hilton or Sheraton won't.
posted by MattD at 7:26 AM on April 12, 2019 [3 favorites]
Check with Sauce—I went to a big group dinner there (~20 people) with a prix fixe menu and it was pretty good. I believe it was about $50 per person without drinks, tax, or tip.
posted by sallybrown at 7:32 AM on April 12, 2019
posted by sallybrown at 7:32 AM on April 12, 2019
Id check chinatown - maybe Amazing 66 (we had a rehearsal dinner there a long while ago when faced with a similar dilemma) or maybe Golden Unicorn.
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:42 AM on April 12, 2019 [4 favorites]
posted by Exceptional_Hubris at 7:42 AM on April 12, 2019 [4 favorites]
The most modest buffet at Red Rooster is $40/head, but I don't know what their minimum is.
This is a tough one in Manhattan. Chinatown might indeed be your best bet. Nom Wah is very old-school; some people might find it charmingly so, others might find it dingy, but then again you're trying to pay about $40 before tax and tip, so you might need to go for "character."
posted by praemunire at 8:29 AM on April 12, 2019
This is a tough one in Manhattan. Chinatown might indeed be your best bet. Nom Wah is very old-school; some people might find it charmingly so, others might find it dingy, but then again you're trying to pay about $40 before tax and tip, so you might need to go for "character."
posted by praemunire at 8:29 AM on April 12, 2019
Five or six years ago, I was with a large group (more than 30 people, though a number were children) that reserved tables at a diner way east on the Upper East Side (on St. Patrick's Day, for added degree of difficulty). I do think that we were there at a somewhat off hour (maybe 5 or 6 instead or 7 or 8 for dinner). It also wasn't prie fix so there were individual checks for smaller groups but since it was a diner, the food was relatively cheap. I do think that the organizer had to put down some sort of deposit and guarantee a minimum spend.
Unfortunately, the place that accommodated us is out of business, but if you are more concerned about availability and price, you might consider reaching out to some of the larger diners, particularly those a bit further off the subway line.
posted by Caz721 at 9:06 AM on April 12, 2019
Unfortunately, the place that accommodated us is out of business, but if you are more concerned about availability and price, you might consider reaching out to some of the larger diners, particularly those a bit further off the subway line.
posted by Caz721 at 9:06 AM on April 12, 2019
My first thought was also Carmine’s. Vatan can accommodate large groups. It’s a Gujarati Indian restaurant and has options for a number of dietary restrictions. Their regular prix fixe price is $32 a person but I’m not sure if they have different pricing for large groups. It’s an experience...feels like you’re inside a Gujarati village.
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 9:32 AM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
posted by Waiting for Pierce Inverarity at 9:32 AM on April 12, 2019 [1 favorite]
There is a Buca di Beppo in Times Square. I cannot imagine it would impress overseas visitors (although maybe they'd enjoy the cheesiness?), but I think you could get in under budget.
posted by hoyland at 3:29 PM on April 12, 2019
posted by hoyland at 3:29 PM on April 12, 2019
A diner seems worth a shot. EJ's Luncheonette or JG Melon?
posted by sunflower16 at 4:18 PM on April 12, 2019
posted by sunflower16 at 4:18 PM on April 12, 2019
It's tough at that price in Manhattan - it can be done but you probably won't be getting great food or particularly evocative New York ambiance. But here are a few options I've heard of accommodating groups that big - a couple of them I've been to.
You might consider getting a room at a pub or tavern. Ulysses Folk House, on Stone Street in the Financial District, does large groups in your price range. Here are their group rates (scroll to the bottom for dinner packages). I've been here for brunch and also oysters & beer at happy hour - it's a pretty standard Irish pub, fun and not too bro-y.
I'll bet that Parm at one of their non-Mulberry Street locations could easily fit the bill. It's sort of semi-ironic suburban Italian American, but don't let that put you off - they do a good job of it.
The Smith in the East Village can do $55/head for dinner (their other locations are more expensive), but there's an unspecified drinks minimum on top of that. Otherwise, if brunch is an option it looks like that would definitely fit your budget. I haven't been here.
La Pecora Bianca has two locations that do large groups - you'll have to contact them for rates based on the size and location. I haven't been here but heard it was good for big groups.
I'll second Vatan - I was at a large birthday party there many years ago. I think we were in the basement, the food was ok, and that's all I can remember.
One of the big dim sum houses could probably accommodate you (sorry I can't give specific recommendations as I see that the Manhattan ones I like are now closed. If you can go outside Manhattan I can definitely give you other suggestions if you MeMail me.
If you're googling for other options, try including "private events" or "private dining" as one of your terms.
posted by theory at 10:20 PM on April 12, 2019
You might consider getting a room at a pub or tavern. Ulysses Folk House, on Stone Street in the Financial District, does large groups in your price range. Here are their group rates (scroll to the bottom for dinner packages). I've been here for brunch and also oysters & beer at happy hour - it's a pretty standard Irish pub, fun and not too bro-y.
I'll bet that Parm at one of their non-Mulberry Street locations could easily fit the bill. It's sort of semi-ironic suburban Italian American, but don't let that put you off - they do a good job of it.
The Smith in the East Village can do $55/head for dinner (their other locations are more expensive), but there's an unspecified drinks minimum on top of that. Otherwise, if brunch is an option it looks like that would definitely fit your budget. I haven't been here.
La Pecora Bianca has two locations that do large groups - you'll have to contact them for rates based on the size and location. I haven't been here but heard it was good for big groups.
I'll second Vatan - I was at a large birthday party there many years ago. I think we were in the basement, the food was ok, and that's all I can remember.
One of the big dim sum houses could probably accommodate you (sorry I can't give specific recommendations as I see that the Manhattan ones I like are now closed. If you can go outside Manhattan I can definitely give you other suggestions if you MeMail me.
If you're googling for other options, try including "private events" or "private dining" as one of your terms.
posted by theory at 10:20 PM on April 12, 2019
Crispo (Italian on 14th Street) is a huge place with lots of space for large parties, and they appear to offer a two-course set menu for $49/person (excluding drinks, tax, and tip). Not sure if you're looking for under $60/head including or excluding tax/tip though.
posted by sunflower16 at 1:41 AM on April 13, 2019
posted by sunflower16 at 1:41 AM on April 13, 2019
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posted by kimdog at 7:20 AM on April 12, 2019 [2 favorites]