The Best Restaurants for Group Dining in San Francisco

A brand-new modern brasserie in the Hyatt Regency, La Société is an excellent place for a celebratory group dinner, if caviar-topped deviled eggs and steak frites say celebration to you (how could they not?). It’s also a great place for a bonafide event, with a dedicated private dining space that can host up to 50, plus their light-filled dining room with space for 100. And, since La Société is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, that opens up the possibility for a full-tilt daytime fete, too. Whatever the time of day, it feels important to mention that there is potential for an oyster bar.
How to book: Email events@lasocietecafe.com to reserve.

Chezchez and Trick Dog are two of the best bars in the city and also happen to be fine places for a party, if you like your parties with stellar cocktails. Trick Dog has spaces for parties as intimate as 11 and as large as 45 (or 75 with a full bar buyout); the smaller spaces offer a boozy punch service, which instantly makes a party better, we think. Should your tastes lean towards spritzes and conservas, consider reserving Chezchez’s second floor mezzanine for up to 50 guests, or get a group of 15 together to reserve the bar table in the window, arguably the best seat in the house.
How to book: Email events@trickdogbar.com and events@bonvivants.com.

Flour + Water and Penny Roma are not only two of our favorite spots for Cal-Italian fare in San Francisco, their spaces are some of the loveliest in the Mission. They’re also well set up for events of all shapes and sizes—the upstairs space at Penny Roma can host 32 seated and 45 standing, and a full restaurant buy-out gets you up to 80 seats. Flour + Water’s offerings are more intimate (save a 50- to 70-person buyout); the Dough Room has room for 16 seated, and the Test Kitchen has space for 10 (surrounded by chefs Thomas McNaughton and Ryan Pollnow’s favorite cookbooks). All of these totally private options include a family-style chef’s choice tasting menu.
How to book: Inquiries can be made online for Flour + Water and Penny Roma.

Any dinner at Che Fico feels like a celebration—the second story space’s playful, sophisticated exuberance (and banging soundtrack) is basically begging for a dinner party. Go the private route in the restaurant’s Celentano Room, which is, appropriately, covered in album covers from Italian musician Adriano Celentano. The space seats groups of up to 14 around a stunning Valley Oak wooden table, a fine place to feast on chef David Nayfield’s next level Italian cuisine. If you’d rather soak in the energy of the main dining room, book part or all of the Famiglia Table (which can seat up to 22) for a family-style feast.
How to book: Email events@chefico.com to reserve.

One of the grande dames of San Francisco’s restaurant world, Spruce somehow manages to be both a special occasion-worthy destination and cozy neighborhood gem all at once. It’s also an excellent place for a party, with three private dining spaces with capacity ranging from 12 to 40, and prix-fixe menus available for brunch, lunch, and dinner. And, should your party be 10 or fewer, you can have the famous Spruce burger on your menu. Now that we think about it, that burger and a cocktail at Spruce’s delightful bar is a fine way to celebrate just about anything, anytime.
How to book: Call 415-931-5115 or email events@sprucesf.com to reserve.

Chef Melissa Perello’s dreamy Pacific Heights restaurant already feels like an ideal dinner party. The large group and private dining options only add to that sensation —groups from seven to 10 can book the Chef’s Table which is in the restaurant’s kitchen, or take the party outside and reserve the restaurant’s sweet little parklet for groups up to 12 (larger groups can look into a restaurant buyout, which has capacity for 46 seated and 70 standing). No matter your group size, you'll be feasting on a seasonal, family-style, multi-course menu.
How to book: Email info@octavia-sf.com to book.

We can’t get enough of chef Heena Patel’s modern Gujarati restaurant, which, in addition to having a menu that we’d like to order in its entirely, also has a private dining space with room for a 30-person seated dinner or a 50-person standing reception. You can design a custom menu and, considering Besharam boasts an outstanding vegetarian menu, this is a great option for non-meat eaters. Or really, a great option for anyone who likes eating delicious things, period.
How to book: Inquiries can be made online.

Nothing captures bohemian San Francisco magic quite like Tosca, which has been the sight of more than a few legendary parties in its day. While we will always and forever love snagging a bar seat for a negroni and some meatballs (or a house cappuccino and anything at all), we can’t think of a better place for a party with the ones you love. Reserve the back room for a seated lunch or dinner for a 20- or 40-person reception, or snag the secret chef’s lounge that can fit up to 10 or as few as two people. Or take over the whole, history-soaked place which offers space for 70 seated, 140 standing, and is an absolutely guaranteed good time.
How to book: Inquiries can be made online.

Dinner at The Morris tends to feel like a great night at a friend’s place… if that friend had an encyclopedic knowledge of wine, a cellar to match, an impeccable palette, and was an unreal chef. All the more reason to gather your crew at the restaurant’s delightful, plant-filled parklet, which has space for groups from 20 to 25. You can have a full sit-down dinner (which should probably, definitely involve The Morris’s unreal smoked duck) or a more casual party with cocktails and snacks. Did we mention that a raw bar is a possibility here? We’ll never say no to a raw bar.
How to book: Email info@themorris.com to reserve.

Nothing says “holiday spirit” quite like the red-boothed glory of Original Joe’s North Beach location, particularly when you’re drinking Manhattans and eating your weight in steak and eggplant parm. Joe’s is an excellent go-to for a large group reservation of family and friends; they’re also well suited for full-on events, with multiple private dining spaces and capacity ranging from a 30-person seated dinner to a 60-person reception.
How to book: Reservations are available online; call 415-373-6373 for parties of 15 or more.