Fun, Delicious, Not Too Pricy, Good For a Crowd?

[coughy]

I am throwing a small dinner party for a friend's birthday on a Saturday evening. I would love a private room in an elegant restaurant for 20 - 25 people. Any suggestions? Thanks

[Jesikka]

I am throwing a small dinner party for a friend's birthday on a Saturday evening.  I would love a private room in an elegant restaurant for 20 - 25 people.  Any suggestions?  Thanks

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Bite Club. I think it would help if you gave some information about your price range, taste, etc. "Elegant" isn't really a sufficient descriptor to be very helpful.

[paulraphael]

... and preferably downtown.

I'm planning a birthday dinner next saturday, and the guest list has swelled to about 12.

Landmarc couldn't take us at one table. Otto insists on a special group tasting menu for parties of 12 or more, which might not be to everyone's liking. And I don't know what will happen if people bale.

Any recommendations? I'd better make the reservation today ...

[Fat Guy]

There are a whole lot of options in Chinatown. For what you'd pay at Otto or Landmarc you can eat like kings at Congee Village. They even have some private rooms downstairs that I'm pretty sure are appropriate for that size group.

[Nathan]

second chinatown...or a bo ssam at ssam bar.

pretty much every other restaurant will require a set menu. that's just the way it is.

[oakapple]

It always helps to say what "not too pricy" means to you. Some people think $100 is pricy, and some don't.

[paulraphael]

It always helps to say what "not too pricy" means to you. Some people think $100 is pricy, and some don't.

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For these purposes, if starving artists could get a full belly for under $40 (not including wine).

[paulraphael]

I just remembered Kampuchea ... there was a thread about the place a while back. I liked the food when I went, and liked the atmosphere more than the standard chinatown, mass chaos experience.

We went as a party of two and I didn't get a sense of the seating. Can anyone recall if they had room for a big crowd?

[daisy17]

I think Ssam is 10 people max.

Chinatown is a great idea. Chinatown Brasserie isn't too expensive and good for groups too, if you want something a little more upscale.

Also, and I realize that food-wise this is not up there, but john's on 12th is decent (red sauce italian) and does large parties very easily, with copious amounts of food for not a lot of money.

[Nathan]

you can fit 12 at a ssam table...it's just a little tight but doable...

[daisy17]

you can fit 12 at a ssam table...it's just a little tight but doable...

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that's really good to know - am trying to plan one right now!

[weinoo]

you can fit 12 at a ssam table...it's just a little tight but doable...

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Yes, but you can expect to spend a good deal more than $40 per person.

Chinatown Brasserie may also put you over that limit, especially if people are drinking.

Per FG, eat, and drink, like a king at Congee Village and your budget will remain intact. They'll do a serving and a half of dishes, they know how to feed a crowd...it is indeed a zoo, however.

I don't think you'd be comfortable in a group that size at Kampuchea.

[raji]

In my experience, for a group that size, Korean BBQ, shabu-shabu, or Chinese hotpot are all perfect for, and all fit into your budget. Shabu-tatsu is still perfectly fine, on 10th street. Maybe someone on here can tell us which Korean BBQ is currently using charcoal, and which chinese hotpot place is good.

Anyway, those 3 ups the fun and interaction because everyone is participating in the cooking... and Jinro and shoukoshu are cheap and get you blotto

[Katie Meadow]

My mother has decided to throw herself a 90th birthday party and would like to do it in a restaurant. She lives midtown and is hoping not to travel too far for the party, but that's a secondary consideration. We're talkin' 25 people.

I have checked out some other threads, and Becco sounds good. Has anyone had a party there recently? I don't know what her price range per person is, but I am guessing that Grammercy, Blue Hill, etc. isn't in it. I have eaten at Craft and liked it, but that may also turn out to be too pricey for her. She likes the idea of a limited choice menu rather than the full restaurant menu.

I am not sure she has yet considered there is usually an extra price boost when you have a private room. Are there any restaurants that would work that don't have private rooms? Most of the guests are younger than she is, but I am guessing she still has a few older friends left who might need a quieter space to hear eachother, so perhaps the private room idea is a good one.

Any other suggestions? I'm in CA, so my experience dining out in NY is pretty limited, as you can imagine.

[Nathan]

it sounds like Chinatown is out and frankly, a private room anywhere (as well as having a large group) is going to be pricy.

maybe Craftbar?

[kathryn]

What about Jane, The Smith, or The Neptune Room? Their prices are listed on their web site, $55pp for Dinner.

http://www.ctrnyc.com/CTR/ctr_html/ctr_privateparties.html

I also believe 'inoteca's private room is in the same range. Large parties do the chef's tasting menu (3 courses).

[SaltySnack]

I had dinner at The Smith recently and their private room is downstairs. I think Jane may be the same way. I don't know about 90 year olds walking down the stairs and the Smith attracts a young crowd and was very loud. Perhaps it is quieter in the private room.

[paulraphael]

Some cancellations knocked the group down to 8, so we stuck with Kampuchea. It was great. The long tables worked well for a big group. We would have been fine with 10, too. 12 would have been pushing it, but that's a lot of people for any table.

We ate off each other's plates and ended up ordering about half the menu. Food was great all around. Though we wish they served dessert. Service wasn't so hot. Our waiter was a bit pushy, and brought us a couple of things we didn't order (and left off a couple of things that we did). The place wasn't busy; we sat down at 6:30, and it didn't start hopping til near the end of the meal.

I'll definitely be going back. The food more than made up for any rough patches. Total came to around $50 per person, including tips but not drinks.

[weinoo]

That's great to know, paul, and glad you had a good meal. Too bad about the service, which I think has been duly noted before...it's a shame when good food is marred by loser service, which is all too common these days.

I'd love to know how they bring dishes you don't order and don't bring dishes you order in a relatively uncrowded restaurant...a little bit of training might go a long way here.