Best NYC Venues to Host a Grown-Up Birthday Party
Grace Peisker
Contributor
It doesn’t matter whether you’re celebrating 25 or 45, the first time you decide to celebrate a birthday with a proper dress-to-impress birthday party calls for an equally suitable venue. Whether you’re planning a small, intimate dinner party or an all-out elegant rooftop affair, finding the perfect venue is half the battle. Which is exactly why we rounded up some of our favorites from each venue category:  cocktail bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs, just to name a few.
Scroll through this curated list of private and semi-private venues to find the perfect space for your celebration. Keep your guest list in mind when weighing the pros and cons for each space, such as staffing and cleaning, surround-sound systems, food and beverage services and security. Large list of attendees? Maybe you want to spring for the venue that includes extra chair rentals. Intimate A-list only? You may only need semi-private accommodations. Read on to find the best grown-up birthday party venues New York has to offer.
The Best Bar for a Birthday: The Well
Decked out from wall to wall with artwork, this venue is perfect for the art-minded adult looking to make their party as effortlessly cool as possible—which isn’t difficult, thanks to its in-house staff dedicated to special events. Oh, and the massive selection of drinks, featuring 200 beers, 10 champagnes and wall of liquor is a piece of art in itself.
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Price: from $1,200
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Cafe for a Birthday: Maman Soho
Besides Maman being one of the trendiest cafés in the city, its SoHo location is perfect for a more intimate (read: exclusive) birthday party. It offers total customization of a delicious, farm-fresh menu, a variety of drinks and a flexible floor plan.
Neighborhood: SoHo
Price: from $1,500
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Cantina for a Birthday: Cantina Royal
Inspired by traditional cantinas in Mexico City, Cantina Royal flaunts classic Mexican cuisine done right. This venue will impress everyone from your traditional abuela to the foodie of the family. Pro tip: Make use of the open performance space by hiring an entertainer.
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Price: from $1,500
Private or semi-private rental: semi-private
Best Cocktail Bar for a Birthday: Death and Company
Perfect for the more macabre of birthday celebrations, NYC’s Death & Co is a fixture of the East Village. Its cocktails are just as trendy as its Instagrammable interiors. If you need any further convincing, in 2010 Death & Co won best American Cocktail Bar and World’s Best Cocktail Menu awards at Tales of the Cocktail Spirited awards.
Neighborhood: East Village
Price: from $65
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Nightclub for a Birthday: Schimansky
Throw the ultimate birthday bash of your dreams with NYC nightclub Schimansky. Â You can have it all: top of the line AV systems, modular layout and full-service amenities.
This glamorous venue holds up to 750 guests and is located in north Williamsburg. What, you don’t have 750 of your closest friends ready to party? Don’t worry, there are two smaller private room options to accommodate a guest list of any size.
Neighborhood: North Williamsburg
Price: from $100
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Pub for a Birthday: Grace’s
Grace’s is modeled after a traditional Irish pub. The dinner and cocktail menu is deliciously authentic, and offers a variety of food and drink. Invite close friends and family; this intimate space is quite elegant for a pub. A dedicated and experienced event team will be by your side to help throw the most sophisticated birthday celebration you’ve ever had.
Neighborhood: West Village
Price: from $1,200
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Restaurant for a Birthday: Sarabeth’s (Skylight Room)
This was a tricky one…choosing the best NYC restaurant for a birthday party is no small feat, especially considering the variety of restaurants in the city. Sarabeth’s restaurant in Tribeca ultimately takes the (birthday) cake with their decadent Skylight Room, classic American cuisine and elegant local art. Natural lighting warms up the atmosphere for parties of up to 70 guests.
Neighborhood: Tribeca
Price: from $1,300
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Rooftop Bar for a Birthday: Monarch Rooftop
The Monarch is the perfect venue for the social butterfly. This indoor/outdoor rooftop bar is styled uniquely to provide a cozy-yet-spacious boutique vibe, perfect for a big lunch, cocktail hour or sunset dinner. At 5,000 square feet, this venue can take on up to 300 guests. Yeah, this space is pretty massive—if budget concerns you, consider teaming up with a birthday buddy or two to throw a combined birthday.
Neighborhood: Midtown
Price: from $6,000
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Wine Bar for a Birthday: Local and Vine
Local and Vine is for the trendiest of birthdays. Brands like Burberry, Rent the Runway and David Yurman have all hosted events at this hot wine-and-dine location, making use of the indoor and outdoor arrangements, vast array of drinks and meticulous planners and staff. This wine bar is the perfect upscale setting for your fabulous evening.
Neighborhood: West SoHo
Price: from $5,000
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Ballroom for a Birthday: The Wythe Hotel (Main Hall)
Dine and dance all night long in this charming and rustic ballroom. This is for the liveliest of parties, holding up to 140 guests. Indoors, beautiful historic detailing captivate guests, while outdoors, sweeping views of the city set the scene. This ballroom emulates the guest of the hour: elegant, chic and timeless. This ballroom is perfect for a milestone celebration, ready to accommodate a sit-down dinner and dancing late into the night.
Neighborhood: Williamsburg
Price: from $12,000
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Private Room for a Birthday: The Russian Tea Room
The Hearth Room, inside New York’s quintessential Russian Tea Room, is one of the most luxurious spaces you can book in all of Manhattan. Warm, elegant and baroque, this venue is described as a ‘hidden gem’ of the city. What do you get the person that has it all? An evening at the Russian Tea Room.
Neighborhood: Central Park South
Price: from $500
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Gallery for a Birthday: Lena (Lower Gallery)
For the quiet intellectual and outgoing artsy alike, the Lena Lower Gallery is a perfect venue for a small party. On the main level sits a delicious French restaurant, and below is a hidden art gallery. Eat among paintings and sculptures with your closest friends and family. This low-key, cultural spot can’t disappoint.
Neighborhood: LES
Price: from $1,050
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Museum for a Birthday: Onderdonk House
New York can get crowded! Why wouldn’t you want to escape to this dainty, charming cottage? The Onderdonk House is a Dutch colonial house turned museum that doubles as a private events venue. Host a birthday party here to experience the adorable quaint interiors, manicured gardens and cooperative event staff.
Neighborhood: Ridgewood Queens
Price: from $490
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Boat Rental for a Birthday: Hornblower (Infinity)
Set sail this summer around Manhattan, taking in breathtaking views and fresh air. Hornblower New York has been offering private event charters and public dinner cruises for years; so you know their pros. This state-of-the-art, elegant yacht rental shows up and shows off for up to 1,200 guests, but will work with you to create a unique package for the size of your party. This vessel is equipped with all the amenities under the sun, including a state of the art sound system, event services, set up and breakdown, food and drink services, a champagne bar, climate controlled decks, and five dance floors. Rent one room, or rent them all. The height of luxury is docked and ready for boarding.
Price: from $600
Private or semi-private rental: Both
Best Loft for a Birthday: the Love Shack
No words can describe how enchanting this loft is. If a fairy tale birthday were to happen anywhere, it would be here. Since it’s a private home-turned-event space, there is no cocktail bar, so BYOB or hire a bartender. Charming, boutiquey, and just maximal enough, The Love Shack will fit up to 50 guests and an infinite amount of good pictures.
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Price: from $750
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best Mansion for a Birthday: the Landmarked Mansion/Museum
The 1800’s is waiting for you in this Beaux-Arts mansion, with five lavish rooms, a 150 guest capacity, dozens of staffers and countless crystal chandeliers. Celebrate your birthday like Gatsby in this endlessly glamorous abode.
Neighborhood: Greenwich Village
Price: from $550
Best Townhouse for a Birthday: Alger House
The Alger House, sitting in the heart of the Village, is equally cozy and ornate, ideal for a birthday tea party, cocktails or dinner. The venue offers a great variety of amenities and services from food and beverage to set-up and breakdown, so you can focus on enjoying the company of your 75 guests and stunning backdrop.
Neighborhood: West Village
Price: from $600
Private or semi-private rental: Private
Best NYC Warehouse: The Bat Haus
For the birthday that needs a blank canvas, the Bat Haus in Brooklyn is an unrivaled venue. White walls, 2000 square feet and a backyard, this warehouse can be dressed up or down for any party theme or guest list. A dedicated staff will work to make your dream birthday become a reality.
Neighborhood: Bushwick
Price: from $2,000
Private or semi-private rental: Private
