From Bar Snacks to Ballrooms: Where to Host Your Holiday Party
Whether you’re planning a holiday celebration for your close friends or your co-workers this season, you have to consider how different venues emit different vibes. The following options range from seriously swanky to the grease-and-beer variety. Now it’s time to match the friend/office group to the best fitting bar.
The Summit Bar
Plenty of people look to Summit Bar as the place to celebrate birthdays, graduations and other special occasions, so why not head over with your friends or coworkers for the holidays? The venue’s not the biggest, but there are two adequately ample hangout spots on either end of the bar itself; One situated by the window for people watching, the other in a cozy back corner. Above all, people come here for the cocktails. They’re on the pricier side but for a good reason—the creators put a lot of thought into them, and they’ll be sure to impress the guests at your holiday event. (133 Avenue C; 347-465-7911)
Common Ground
Also in Alphabet City, Common Ground hosts groups on the regular. It’s complete with a cozy, cold weather setting (think red cushions, wooden bookshelf) and the seats form an L shape in one corner so everyone at your party can see more than just the person they’re sitting next to/across from during group conversations. A solid collection of bar snacks accompany the standard (but definitely complete) beer and wine selection, and the specialty cocktails all go for $11, which is on the cheap end for New York. (206 Avenue A; 212-228-6231)
HILO
Deemed “the least douchey club in the Meatpacking district,” HILO will serve your purpose if the crowd you’re entertaining has more of a get-up-and-dance attitude. You can book your own event on either just the upper floor (capacity: 75 people) or the whole club (capacity: 200) if you’re organizing a holiday bash for a bigger office (or if you have 200 close friends). HILO’s on the fancier end, too (no hats, hoodies, etc.), so you’ll get to see all your co-workers wearing their evening best, which can always be interesting to witness. The party atmosphere might even get them to dance! (26 9th Ave.; 212-837-4700)
EVR
The whole upstairs/downstairs division always works well when it comes to bars as event spaces. You can rent out the top part for a party, which has its own bar and is separate enough from the downstairs to feel like you’ve got a whole venue to just you and your guests. The size of the upstairs isn’t overwhelmingly huge or too tight—it’s perfect for about 20+ people. Also, the staff members here are exceptionally friendly, to help put you all in the holiday spirit. (54 W 39th St.; 212-961-7507)
501 Union
Specifically fashioned to hold private events, 501 Union is located within easy reach of Park Slope, Carroll Gardens, Cobble Hill, Boerum Hill, and Gowanus. The atmosphere is classy, festive and on the fancier side. If you feel like going all out for the holidays, this is your spot. Taking the upscale aspect into account, the variety of bar packages 501 Union offers are quite reasonably priced. (501 Union St., Brooklyn; 347-529-6486)
No.8
This venue, located in Chelsea, includes both a Ballroom and a REC Room, both of which can host crowds (200 and 125 people’s worth, respectively). The REC Room, filled with shelves stocked with records, has a more casual, hip vibe, while the Ballroom boasts more of a glam appeal. The place feels fashionable without going too over the top. (357 W 16th St.; 212-206-1096)
Rosamunde Sausage Grill
Bringing this back down to the realm of the incredibly laid back, Rosamunde begs you to wear jeans and a backward (yes, backward) baseball cap. It’s a great casual restaurant/bar to go with smaller groups of close friends or in the case of a more intimate office situation (maybe you work at a startup). There’s a hearty beer selection, it’s not going to put a dent in your bank account, and, most importantly, there’s an impressive variety of delicious sausages, a food that’s always reminiscent of the holiday season. The whole sausage grill aspect puts a fun twist on what would otherwise be just another night out at the bar. (285 Bedford Ave.; 718-388-2170)
Photo via 501 Union
