Top restaurants for private dining in Chinatown

It's only fitting to wear your best dress or tie when going to the opera, which is ironic because Chinese Tuxedo is a Chinese restaurant found in NYC's first Chinese theater, formerly known as the Chinese Opera House. The original details remain, including the historic pillars and stripped-down walls, with the addition of contemporary art. You can host everything from a private dinner for 10 to a party for 300 at this special Chinatown private dining venue.

The menu offers contemporary Chinese dishes broken up into sections– cold, dim sum, vegetables, rice and noodles, seafood and meats, and desserts. You can enjoy a braised black pepper oxtail bun, marinated wood ear mushrooms, Tuxedo style 'dan dan' noodles, and Hong Kong-style stir-fried saté chicken. Signature cocktails include the Zufu Baijiu, Ting's Gift Shop, Hok's Remedy, and Year of the Dragon.

Dr. William Clark, an agriculturalist, worked on land in Hokkaido in 1876, an effort that defined the food and culture of this Japanese island. Dr. Clark in Chinatown brings these findings stateside and allows diners to explore them in different ways . You can order from the Jingisukan tabletop grill, choosing classic Jingisukan lamb, spicy Jingisukan lamb, and Jingisukan mushroom. You can also partake in the set course or pick your own dishes like scallop risotto, seared yellowtail carpaccio, and mushroom and vegetable yaki udon.

While the kitchen closes at 11:00 p.m., the night doesn't have to stop there because the bar stays open until 2 a.m., and there's karaoke Sunday through Tuesday starting at 11:00 p.m. and ending at 1:30 a.m. After you finish your Chinatown private dining event, you can sing the night away with your group.

For events and reservations over 10 guests, contact the venue directly.

Unique experiences are key to impressing guests, and chef Atsushi Kono's KONO is sure to capture everyone's attention. You and your friends will watch Chef Kono as he prepares a multi-course meal in front of you with the help of two friends– fire and smoke. This kappo-style yakitori omakase can seat 14 guests at the sleek, minimalist counter and groups of four to six in the semi-private dining space.

You can sip on different types of Shochu, Japanese whisky –suntory, karuizawa, kurayoshi, nikka, chichibu, mars, and ohishi– wine, and more during your meal. Dishes feature organic Amish chicken and seasonal vegetables. You can expect grilled skewers, but you won't know what you’ll experience until you get there.

Wander down Cortlandt Alley to find Au Cheval, a restaurant in Chinatown where you can enjoy roasted marrow bones, fried chicken sliders, branzino filet, and a double cheeseburger. The brick accent wall, leather booths, and dim chandeliers create a cozy atmosphere, contrasting the zinc bar with neon lights and a small disco ball. While enjoying the welcoming dining area or living it up near the bar, try the Vesper Martini, Hemingway Punch, or Highlands Sour.

If you don't want to host your event at night, go for brunch.For a starter, try the grilled blueberry muffin, followed by the steak and eggs or smoked salmon scramble. Brunch cocktails include a Bloody Mary, Blood Orange Bellini, Painkiller, and Maezal Penicillin.

Contact the venue for more information about renting out their space for your private dining needs.

The first upscale Cantonese-style restaurant in NYC, established in 1989, is Golden Unicorn. This Chinatown private dining venue aims to represent the culture of local immigrants through its food, which is freshly prepared daily with ingredients from local vendors. Dim Sum offers steamed pork bun, egg yolk bun, steamed sticky rice dumplings, and sesame seed rice balls. After you and your group share some small plates, you can try the BBQ, which offers roasted duck, soy sauce chicken, and deep-fried crispy chicken. You also have the chef's specials like house special beef ribs, orange-flavored chicken, and twin conch with golden fried tofu.

The symbolic red and gold colors splay across the private dining room, and the portable walls can shift in size to accommodate any number of guests. Depending on what you are hoping out of your event, you can have an open bar and a dance floor, and you can use their audio system. If you want to take it one more step, you can talk to the restaurant manager to customize your menu.