Where to Book a Private Dining Room in Philly

Booking a group dinner in Philly used to mean choosing between a drafty back corner of a dining room or an outdated banquet hall. But as our restaurant scene grows into an international heavyweight, so have our options for hosting a crowd. Today, “private dining” means anything from an N64-fueled burger bash to a refined, multi-course Italian feast under a skylight.

Whether you’re looking for a sun-drenched greenhouse for a rehearsal dinner, a sleek back room for a corporate meeting, or a spot to celebrate a milestone birthday party with wine and shuffleboard, Philly’s best restaurants have carved out spaces that feel like you’ve got the whole restaurant to yourself.

Private Rooms for 6-20

Pizzeria Beddia, Fishtown

The foundation of a good pizza is good dough. And at Joe Beddia’s Fishtown pizza palace, the team has perfected the art of the proof, which they’ve applied to their house-made hoagie rolls, only available in the Hoagie Room. Here, you can watch a bona fide “hoagie slayer” pile freshly sliced cured meats onto seeded rolls that are airy and soft inside but have a light crust on the outside. The space is snug, but it’s the perfect setting for up to six besties to hang out over wine, pizza, and some of the best hoagies in the city. 1313 North Lee Street.

Vetri Cucina, Center City

The second floor of Vetri’s Spruce Street townhouse has its own dedicated kitchen and team to serve your group a unique take on the restaurant’s legendary tasting menu, either in a private room that seats 18 or at an eight-person chef’s counter. Private events here are typically priced at $245 per person, and there are plenty of Italian wine options to explore as well. If you’re willing to pay, Marc Vetri is even available to cook for your crew. 1312 Spruce Street.

The Love, Rittenhouse

The Love’s private loft space accommodates up to 20 people who are hopefully hungry for Aimee Olexy’s crowd-pleasing, seasonal American food. Dinner menus start at $95 per person (which includes 10-plus dishes), and there’s an option to add on a private bar area and lounge to your experience. Room minimums depend on the night of the week, but for the restaurant’s ambience and central location, the prices are fair. 130 South 18th Street.

Middle Child Clubhouse, Fishtown

The Thousand Island Lounge at Middle Child Clubhouse might not be appropriate for the C-suite at your company. (Though, to be fair, we don’t want to make assumptions about how fun-loving and approachable your C-suite might be.) Let’s just say this private room would be especially appropriate for a birthday party or any assembly of people hoping that large-format espresso martinis will flow like Philly tap water. For two hours you and eight to 20 of your friends can play Nintendo 64 and let loose over burgers, fried-tofu sandwiches, Caesar salads, and fries. The base menu starts at $36 per person, which is a pretty good deal. Plus, you can always add on à la carte dishes (and drinks) once you’re in there. You can book the Thousand Island Lounge via Resy. 1232 North Front Street.

Ambra, Queen Village

Ambra’s dining room (located next door to Southwark) was built exclusively for groups between six and 12 people. For $300 per person, your party will settle in for a family-style, multi-course feast of inventive, delicious Italian food no one will forget anytime soon. That price includes food, a wine pairing, and gratuity. 705 South 4th Street.

Via Locusta, Rittenhouse

Via Locusta’s private dining space — called “the pasta room” — can hold up to 11 people for a sit-down meal. One advantage of the space is that it overlooks the regular dining room, which prevents dinner from feeling too quiet. Another advantage? Even the least expensive set-menu option (starting at $65 per person) includes three different pastas, plus seasonal vegetables, fluffy focaccia, a main, and dessert. 1723 Locust Street.

Private Rooms for 20-50

Wilder, Rittenhouse

Spread across two floors of a renovated rowhouse, Wilder offers enough room for everything from a high-stakes board meeting to an intimate dinner with friends. For total seclusion, the third-floor private dining room seats up to 24 guests (with an additional four seats at the counter). For larger groups, the second floor features a semi-private space for 34 guests and a larger area under a skylight for larger gatherings up to 43. The menus are customizable, so you can still get your favorite pizzas and pasta dishes that you’d normally order in the restaurant downstairs. 2009 Sansom Street.

High Street, Washington Square West

High Street’s move to the larger corner spot on 9th Street opened up a sophisticated space for private dining. The Back Room is a sleek, minimalistic sanctuary that can host 35 guests for a seated dinner or up to 50 for a standing cocktail mixer. Alternatively, if you need more space, there’s the Back Bar, which accommodates 85 standing. 834 Chestnut Street, Suite 105.

Bloomsday Cafe, Queen Village

If your group is interested in drinking some cool wine, Bloomsday is the spot to reserve. Their private dining space seats as many as 22 people for dinner, with room for as many as 35 if a standing cocktail hour is more your speed. The space costs $200 per hour for a minimum of two hours. Food and drink packages are an additional fee. 414 South 2nd Street.

Le Caveau, Bella Vista

If you’re looking to throw a party where a bunch of humans lounge about, drinking interesting wine and snacking on tiny, buttery snacks (as opposed to a formal, seated meal), Le Caveau — located upstairs from The Good King Tavern — is probably your best option for a private event. Imagine it now: cheese, charcuterie, curated wine, Negronis, shuffleboard, mood lighting that makes everyone look 30 percent more attractive, and hot dogs stuffed into baguettes. This is what you and up to 55 guests will get at Le Caveau. 614 South 7th Street.

Royal Boucherie, Old City

Royal Boucherie has two private dining spaces. The first is their parlor area, which has a full bar, mirror-lined walls, and seating for 40 people. Or, for a more casual, outdoor event, you can rent their garden patio for 25 to 35 people. 52 South 2nd Street.

American Sardine Bar, Point Breeze

American Sardine Bar is an ideal place to meet up with a friend and eat a fried chicken sandwich on a random weeknight. But why not gather all of your friends for fried chicken sandwiches? The upstairs space at ASB is available to rent out for groups of up to 35 (up to 45 for a standing happy hour). This would be perfect for something on the casual end of the private-dining spectrum, especially because they have a separate bar up there. 1800 Federal Street.

Barclay Prime, Rittenhouse

So you want to throw a party in a steakhouse for some fancy friends? You’ve come to the right place. Barclay Prime has a private room that can fit up to 40 for a seated dinner or 65 for a standing event. If you’re on board for a semi-private setting, the restaurant can also accommodate 30 guests for a reception. Passed bites start at $50 per person, and dinner packages start at $130 per person. Find all of the details here. 237 South 18th Street.

Private Rooms for Groups Larger Than 50

Barbuzzo, Midtown Village

The second floor of this Mediterranean restaurant can fit 55 for a seated dinner or up to 85 for a standing situation. And every event includes a private bar area and a separate kitchen. If your private-dining requirements include “workplace-appropriate” and “crowd-pleasing,” Barbuzzo checks both boxes. 110 South 13th Street.

Osteria, Spring Garden

Osteria is one of the most versatile spots in the city for private dinners. There’s the intimate Kitchen Table that seats 14 and the Wine Room for groups up to 35. But the crown jewel is the Greenhouse. The lush, glass-enclosed patio seats up to 65 but feels like a secret garden even though it’s right off Broad Street. You can create your own multi-course family-style menu featuring chef Jeff Michaud’s wood-fired pizzas, house-made pastas, and Italian-style roasted meats. 640 North Broad Street.

Rex at the Royal, Graduate Hospital

This giant South Street restaurant has an upstairs space that can host up to 100 people for a seated dinner. Brunch or dinner packages are both available, featuring Southern classics like fried green tomatoes and crab cakes. Rex at the Royal requires a minimum of 10 guests for private events, with brunch starting at $40 per person and dinner starting at $75 per person. There’s also an open bar package that starts at $35 per person for two hours. 1524 South Street.

Yakitori Boy, Chinatown

This is another private dining setting that might feel too raucous for an office party. But we don’t know your work life, so you do you. As long as you’re comfortable singing Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know?” in front of your coworkers, then you’ll have a good time at this Japanese izakaya and karaoke lounge in Chinatown, where you can book the karaoke lounge for up to 200 people. Open bar packages start at $60 per guest, and there’s a decent variety of custom dining options to choose between. 211 North 11th Street.

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