The best private party spaces to rent in Manhattan

Nestled in the heart of New York City, Bibliotheque beckons patrons into a world where sophistication meets literary charm. Imagine a venue designed by Donna Tart, where you can sip cocktails with WASPish intellectuals. This unique establishment seamlessly blends the ambiance of a classic library with the convivial atmosphere of a neighborhood bar, creating an inviting space for both bookworms and cocktail enthusiasts alike.

Adorned with shelves of carefully curated books and adorned with vintage decor, Bibliotheque exudes an air of timeless elegance and intellectual allure. It's the kind of party venue your Jack Kerouac reading friend from Bushwick will brag about.

If you’ve recently binged Derry Girls and are craving a trip to Northern Ireland, consider a trip to Chelsea instead. Before you laugh, Grace’s is probably as authentic as you can get in the city – owned by two Irish ex-pats from Cork and Limerick, it’s an honest homage to the Guinness-soaked traditional pubs of their home country. The unpretentious interior, warm candlelit ambiance, and welcoming hospitality encourage you to leave your jobs at the door and join the party.

The back room can hold 60 people in a quaint, brick-walled space with its own private bar. Fare consists of the owners’ Irish family recipes with a Manhattan twist: popcorn with Irish cheese, chicken pot pie, and a burger that, according to one reviewer, “genuinely cured [his] depression.” For a treat, Wednesdays host traditional live music with fiddle and harp so you can jig with all your friends.

The romantic Italian dungeon that is Bacaro might seem like the last place you’d want to throw a bash, but just hear us out. Descend below the sticky, rat-filled streets of Manhattan and you’ll find yourself transported to Venice (minus the gondolas, but it’s worth noting that Bacaro is just south of Canal Street). Slate floors, exposed wooden beams, crystal chandeliers, and brick walls make this place feel like a rustic hidden gem.

You can rent the private cellar for up to 100 guests, and enjoy an evening of lingering conversation and authentic Italian cooking by soft candlelight. The long, wooden tables are perfect for communal dining: there are cheese plates to share, a sizable wine list, and simple dishes like duck ragu and mushroom gnocchi.

You might feel overwhelmed by the abundance of overpriced, snobby natural wine bars in the city, but The Ten Bells did it before it was cool. Since 2008, they’ve quietly occupied a cozy, den-like space in Manhattan, serving organic (and sometimes unusual) natural wines from small producers worldwide.

There are two semi-private adjoining rooms, each with dim lighting and a long mahogany communal table. Art lines the walls, and a nature-inspired mural is featured in the aptly named the Mural Room. Each holds around 20 people and can be combined to hold up to 43 guests for a seated meal or 60 cocktail-style. Though The Ten Bells is known for a passion for wines, a curated tapas menu is designed to complement, and their $1 oyster happy hour is a steal.

This Michelin-star spot is a more bougie option for when your friends can’t make it to your escape house upstate and your Park Ave penthouse just won’t cut it. The Musket Room is a celebrated neighborhood restaurant, priding itself on a charming and casual fine dining experience.

The refined, international menu is inspired by the culinary team’s heritages and travels, and includes wagyu beef, halibut, and foie gras. If you’re celebrating something special, seasonal custom cakes can be made by the in-house pastry chef. Consider it like The Bear but minus all the yelling.

The full restaurant buyout accommodates 60 seated guests and 75 for a cocktail party, and interiors flaunt a bit of elevated romance with washed brick walls, walnut tables, and brass chandeliers. The lush backyard garden offers a separate private party space for up to 25 seated guests and 30 for cocktails and canapés.

If you’re looking to host a party and invite 299 of your friends (which, okay, impressive), Industry Kitchen will fit them all. Set in an original seaport industrial building, this 5,000-square-foot venue has a blend of contemporary and rustic design elements, with floor-to-ceiling windows, wooden beamed ceilings, and raw concrete floors. There’s a large patio, but even on dreary days, the angular, open structure of this waterfront venue lets you admire views of Williamsburg and the Brooklyn Bridge from any seat.

You can hire out the entire venue, or a section of the outdoor patio for groups of any size. Seated meals can be accommodated for up to 150, and feature seasonal American cuisine, like kale salad and lobster ravioli. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous (and rich), you can order the world’s most expensive pizza, which is a mere $2000 and has flakes of 24K gold.

It’s hard to find a low-key bar near Dimes Square nowadays, but Black Crescent hits the mark. Wood walls and a cluttered bar make it feel like it should be on the main street of your hometown, but the drinks and food are actually good and not from the frozen section of Wal-Mart. The menu is centered around seafood, with highlights being the oysters – it’s the Lower East Side, after all – and the bang bang shrimp. The cocktails are simple but well crafted: you’ll find signatures like Mint!! Vodka!! Lemonade!!! (you’ll never guess what’s in there) and others with ingredients like green bell pepper, lemongrass, thai basil, and smoked salt. Despite the bougie-ness of the ingredients, these fancy drinks hover around a reasonable $15, with happy hour from 3 to 7 pm every day.

Black Crescent can host private parties and celebrations – contact the venue directly for details.