photo credit: Kate Previte

“Where Can I Book A Graduation Dinner For 10 People?” image

NYCFeature

“Where Can I Book A Graduation Dinner For 10 People?”

How to choose a dinner spot for a big group of family members who will inevitably boss you around even though you’re an M.D. now.

Dear Hannah,

I am graduating from med school and want to have a celebratory dinner with close family and friends. Looking for a spot for 8-10 people outdoors since some of the family members, although vaccinated, still don’t want to eat inside. Let me know if you have any suggestions.

Thanks,

M.D. / Party Planner


What’s up Doc,

First of all, this is now a platform to brag about your iconic and successful year. As someone who is currently writing this response while wearing sweatpants-cut-into-shorts, I’d like to extend my sincerest congratulations.

I’ve heard so many big-group-meal questions from friends and internet friends that I wrote a guide to private dining options all around the city. Some of the restaurants on the list can only accommodate groups inside, but there are a couple great spots with gardens that can easily fit ten of your relatives and friends asking annoying questions like, “When are you getting married?” or, “Can you prescribe me Xanax now?”

One of the best outdoor private set-ups on the guide is Palo Santo, a long-standing Latin restaurant in a Park Slope brownstone with a garden area for up to 12 people. They offer a bunch of customizable menu options, including a taco bar and an open bar for $55 per person. Email them here to figure out what works best for your group. Personally, unlimited tacos and booze seems like an ideal way to celebrate the knowledge you’ve amassed about everything that can go wrong with the human body.

“Where Can I Book A Graduation Dinner For 10 People?” image

photo credit: Oleg March

If you’d rather avoid the private dining route, the unfortunate truth is that a lot of restaurants aren’t taking outdoor reservations for groups of 10 online right now (since NYC outdoor areas tend to be on the small side and there’s still a state rule in place that limits party sizes. There are, however, a couple of places that do accept big group reservations on their patios: The Bonnie in Astoria can fit big groups in their glorious backyard, and Hanoi House in the East Village serves consistently good Vietnamese food to parties of 10 on their sidewalk.

Otherwise, I’d recommend using this massive directory of restaurants with outdoor dining and calling the spots near you to see if they can accommodate parties that large.

“Where Can I Book A Graduation Dinner For 10 People?” image

photo credit: Kate Previte

Dear Hannah: A Restaurant Advice Column image

NYC Feature

Dear Hannah: A Restaurant Advice Column

Suggested Reading

A User’s Guide To Dinner Conversation, In Case You Forgot image

A User’s Guide To Dinner Conversation, In Case You Forgot

Read on to prepare yourself for all the obligatory meals you used to have before the pandemic.

A Bengali Snack Expert’s Guide To The Best South Asian Food In Queens image

Queens

A tour of South Asian restaurants, bakeries, and cafes in Queens from a Bengali restaurateur and native borough enthusiast.

A few bowls of pasta on a table with a couple of glasses of wine.

The new restaurant openings you should know about.

Everything You Need To Know About NYC’s New Mask Rules & Return To 100% Restaurant Capacity image

The key takeaways of NYC’s reopening, so you’ll know exactly what mask and capacity policy changes mean for you and your favorite restaurants.

Infatuation Logo

Company

2024 © The Infatuation Inc. All Rights Reserved.

FIND PLACES ON OUR APP

Get it on Google PlayDownload on the App Store