The best restaurants to rent for private dining in Manhattan

This hip French spot is famous for its viral cream-stuffed croissants that cost $10 each and warrant hour-long lines at peak times. But behind the initial cafe-like interior and their prestigious selection of pastries is the real bread and butter of the place. Lafayette is primarily known for their everyday French cooking and market-dictated bistro menu, which pays homage to the diversity of the country’s famously delicious cuisine. Housed inside a landmark NoHo building, the tiled floors, mahogany features, and arched windows certainly evoke that of a hidden Parisian gem, but with an added Manhattan flair.

Two spaces in the restaurant are dedicated to private dining: the Café Du Vin is in the atmospheric wine cellar and can fit up to 150 guests, and the intimate Salle Privée can hold smaller dinners for 8 to 20. Dishes are country classics done right, like fondue, French Onion Soup, and Steak au Poivre, and they boast a lengthy wine menu to choose a perfect pairing. Sure, it’s not the trip to Paris you’ve had planned since high school. But, well, c’est la vie.

A meal at The Meatball Shop will remind you of weeknight meals in your suburban kitchen: after-school spaghetti and meatballs, garlic bread, and a sneaky swig of wine when your parents turn their backs. The restaurant specializes in elevated casual dining, with an accessible, familiar menu and a light-filled interior.

There are three options for private dining. The Sidepiece dining room is a fully private space for up to 30 people for a seated dinner, with frosted glass windows and a bar with dedicated bartenders. For smaller groups of below 20, you can reserve the banquet table in the main dining room, or for larger parties, a full buyout is available for 130.

Cocktails are classic, featuring Negronis and Aperol Spritz, and the fare is far from Chef Boyardee: the dishes use responsibly and locally sourced ingredients. Buffet packages are available for private events, including a seasonal risotto, their signature mac & cheese, and – of course – a classic spag n’ balls.

If they could time travel, Louisa May Alcott’s characters would probably frequent this tavern-style restaurant. It would feel comforting and familiar, with early American cuisine and a rustic interior, where they could recover from seeing today’s…well, everything. Walk into Freeman’s and you’ll want to leave your iPhone at the door –reject modernity, embrace tradition.

Three private rooms are available to book, hosting anywhere from 10 to 200 guests. The Wine Room is a working wine cellar for an intimate gathering of 10. The Blue Room, the second-floor dining space full of antique armoires and historic prints, can host 10-20 guests, and the Red Room can accommodate 30 people banquet-style. The two rooms can be combined with the Drawing Room for an 80-person sit-down dinner, with an added 20 for a cocktail reception. If that’s not enough, a full buyout is available for 200.

Menu items include artichoke dip, oysters, and Half Amish chicken. Cocktails are classic with a twist, with whiskey, bourbon, and an intriguing fig vodka.

If you can’t make it to Flushing or Chinatown, this three-story spot in Midtown might be the next best option. The husband and wife duo opened Cafe China thirteen years ago in Murray Hill, and before its relocation and redesign in 2022, it was a pioneer of Sichuan cuisine in the area. The new spot is housed in a three-story 1930s brick building, with an inviting interior that is both stylish and culturally immersive.

There are five cozy enclaves to rent for private dining experiences, seating between 12 and 30, and a full buyout of the floor is available for up to 100. Since re-opening, the menu has expanded to include unique and traditional cuisine from other Chinese regions, including its highlights of Sichuan and Cantonese dishes. Cocktails incorporate oriental flavors such as lychee and plum, and the menu has everything from Dim Sun to seafood and braised pork. Oh, and be prepared for a lot of spice. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.