The best Manhattan holiday party venues

When we said we were going for an eclectic mix of holiday party venues in Manhattan, we meant it. No finer example can be found than at RPM Underground. This West Midtown karaoke and vinyl bar is a testament to everything musical.

The vast 11,000 sq. ft. party space offers 18 individually themed rooms, hosting anywhere from 2 to 30 people. Granted, lots of these karaoke rooms give a sort of SAW I vibe, with raw concrete, exposed air ducting, and prison-quality seating – but that’s Manhattan, baby! Whilst the decor is minimal (save some excellent Americana signage and vintage music posters) the sheer versatility offered by the 18 rooms makes RPM a noteworthy private hire option. Combine a few rooms or buy out the full venue for up to 600 guests, and let your inner Mariah Carey come out for her annual appearance.

Modestly declaring itself the ‘best special event space in New York’, The Midnight Theatre boasts a breadth of options for a whole host of different holiday party setups. The titular theatre, a 150-seater auditorium, brings an art deco, jazz bar feel to Midtown, and would be the perfect backdrop for a dinner-and-show style celebration.

For more intimate holiday celebrations, bookers can look to the stunning 20-person private dining room, which comes with its own dedicated service staff to make you feel like one of the elect before you have to take the A-line back to your shoebox apartment in Crown Heights.

Prices for the Midnight Theatre’s event spaces start at around $379 per guest on a Saturday night for a 100-person private event (including catering & beverages).

I am like any sane person: sometimes the cumulative horrors of the word build up like sewage in a flood, threatening to burst and send me into a deep, dank pit of despair. When this does happen I like to go to a wine bar, pay through the nose for a biodynamic red with enough sediment to terraform a beach, and pretend everything is alright.

Enter stage left, Rake’s Wine Bar. This East Village spot has been serving Manhattanites carefully curated, quirky pours for around a decade. Whilst popping in and downing some Shiraz is always great, their private hire functions prove ideal for holiday gatherings. The 28 seated capacity main bar can host a standing reception for 40, and rates start at $75 per person. It’s enough to hold off the ever-growing dread this holiday season.

I like to think that the French invented brasseries as a way of apologizing for their music, their waiters, and their poorly constructed deodorant; in truth, brasseries remind us all of why we put up with David Guetta. Mino Brasserie at 225 West 12th Street does everything you’d expect from a casual Manhattan French eatery. The menu races through crowd-pleasing favorites like Moules, Boeuf Bourguignon, and, of course, steak frites. The interior decor benefits from the vast Crittal windows, which let plenty of sun in, bathing the restaurant in glory. Come evening, things get cozier, with the paired back wood furnishing, dim lighting and ambient sounds of clattering cutlery putting you straight into a soft Parisian night.

With a capacity for 55 seated diners, Mino offers a great restaurant buyout option for a mid-sized holiday dinner party that doesn't require a tuxedo.

Designed by the award-winning architecture and design firm Rockwell Group, this 1,400-square-foot space seats approximately 70 guests and can hold up to 150 people standing. Lot 15 can be found in the Herald Square neighborhood, giving you plenty of access to Broadway, Sixth Avenue, and 34th Street.

The lounge with charred black wood walls has long continuous banquettes and high-top seating; all enclosed with artwork, dusted mirrors, drapery and pops of gold and burgundy. It’s plush, sexy, and comes equipped with a DJ Booth, 2 large HDTVs, and full A/V and microphone capabilities. There’s not much else you need for a holiday party.