Space for Rent

A friend of mine is turning 30 and wants to find a space to throw a party. Do you know of any bars/clubs in the city or Brooklyn that are relatively cheap to rent out for a night and will let her have her own DJ? A backroom or downstairs would be ideal. Any suggestions would be great.

Sadly, all we do for birthdays is gather people at a bar, not rent out a room. While we've heard that Lolita will let you reserve the downstairs for free, we don't know enough people to warrant renting out a room at a bar. We'll open this one up to the masses. Gothamist readers, do you have any experience renting a bar out for a birthday?

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By Christina Piluso in Miscellaneous on April 13, 2007 2:47 PM

Comments [rss]

smitty

my company in the past has rented out Winnie's in Chinatown, for karaoke and fun.

awesome.

Leon

How about BLVD down by Chinatown? A friend of mine booked the whole backroom and had a hell of a time. Checkit out!!!

Brooklyn Book Worm

No matter what venue you want, use common sense: Monday is the slowest night, when almost any place is available with lots of perks. To the club owner, it's found money. Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest, so availabilities are often nonexistent. Choose your date with care, and the party will be much more fun

mexico

The upstairs lounge at Pianos is always a good spot.

hacknsack

the brooklyn burger bar rents out their lounge for parties and events. i've been to a b-day party there before and it was rockin! ask for the manager eric.

AnonIdiot

I have rented out the second floor of Slattery's Midtown Pub 8 East 36th Street between 5th and Madison (in Manhattan). I had 40 people there on a Saturday night in January. Great staff, good food avalable, great pricing, and they do have a separate sound system upstairs for an ipod or full dj setup. Definitely worth considering. Irish Pub style. Ask for Justin.

Noname

Well, since the photo accompanying this post looks like it's of the bar at Red Hook Bait & Tackle, why not suggest there? Give them a call, It’ll probably be free (at least, it was when a friend had his there last month) and you’ll essentially get to take over the entire bar.

Charles Grlock

Coppersmiths at 9th and 53rd has a private space you can rent. Rented it once with a group (20 or so) for a poker tournament. Not sure about having your own DJ, you'd have to call them. The same people that own Coppersmiths also own Off the Wagon and a few other places around town, they are pretty good people to work with.

dee

Bar Reis on 5th Ave (at 4th-ish street) in Park Slope is great. They have a downstairs with juke box and pool table and an outside area accessible to the downstairs.

Barbara

My husband and I was able to rent out the downstairs of Southpaw for a party for about $450. Completely private plus they threw in a bouncer to check names at the door! I think it held about 100 people.

eefers

Try Beauty Bar. They have a back room you can rent out on week nights and early on the weekends. You can bring in your own DJ and if you have enough people you can get your own bartender back there.

ElegantSlim

Shebeen on Mott Street at Spring. Across from Lombardi's. Will rent you the whole joint. Great people, great drinks. Everyone from my dad to my father-in-law to my hipster friends had a blast.

Cara

Bulls Head Tavern on 23rd and 3rd will let you have the back room for free AND you get a drink special for all your friends. Get there early like I did on my b-day and bring 15 dollars. The Jukebox will be yours all night!

Mike

Check out the company Eat, Drink & Be Merry---that's who my girlfriend used for my surprise 30th. She raved about them.

pizappas

check out Soda Bar on vanderbilt and st marks place. they have a big room with couches you can rent, but i'm not sure of the cost.

dubarry

ukranian national home. 2nd ave b/t 8 and 9. right next to veselka. gigantic backroom.

Friend of Bill W

Off the Wagon on at 109 MacDougal St lets you rent out the whole space. There's a lofted area toward the rear that lets you see over the whole crowd.

ling

John Street Bar and Grill on John St. between Broadway and Nassau Street. They have the space to rent and are very easy and friendly to deal with.

Stacey

I know the perfect place. Mercbar. It's on Mercer st in SoHo. They get super packed on weekends but have a private back room that hold 40+. You get your own sound system and can bring your iPod, maybe they'll do dj's. Talk to Mike Goldberg, the owner, super nice guy.

akh

I rented the Loft at Professor Thoms on 2nd Ave (13th/14th) for my friends birthday and it was great. They did food too and there is an open air terrace.

MH

We reserved a space at Stout on W. 33rd - they have several areas which you can reserve but we got the lofty space above the main bar. It was free but it felt like our own private party. The staff was very accomodating and friends commented how unassuming but great the place was. Probably best for parties of 50 or less. They also have private rooms for a charge with menus for catering.

Crystal

Luca Lounge on B btwn 13th & 14th has a beautiful lounge area in the back and their prices are very reasonable. Very cool people to work with too.

ZK

I rented out Proof for my birthday and it was great! They were accomadating and the scene was really cool. It's perfect if you're looking to get 100-150 people in there...I loved it. Plus they gave us an open bar.