The 15 Best Restaurants to Host a Birthday Dinner in NYC, According to Our Editors
New York City is a food destination, so it’s no surprise there are plenty of spots worth celebrating your birthday at. (You’re turning 29…again? Congrats!) Whether you’re in the mood for an intimate meal or a large party with all your friends and family, these 15 restaurants bring the celebratory vibes and, most importantly, delicious food and drinks. From a charming Italian-Southern spot in Brooklyn to a Jamaican café in the East Village, these are our editor’s favorite places to have a birthday dinner in NYC.
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1. Ainslie Bowery
courtesy of Ainslie Bowery
Whether you’re looking to do intimate cocktails with your crew or a blowout dinner with 25 (or more) of your nearest and dearest, Ainslie Bowery has options for groups of all sizes. For groups of 10+, try the family style dinner menu, which costs $42 per person and includes all sorts of Italian delights, like truffle fries, calamari fritti, cacio e pepe and a fleet of incredible thin crust pizzas. “The Grandma Honey Pie is amazing,” says Editor Abby Hepworth. “And don’t sleep on the cocktails either—the Spicy Like Me is not to be missed.”
2. Berimbau Brazilian Kitchen
Location: 43 Carmine Street (West Village) and 3 West 36th Street (Midtown)
Reservation: Resy or inquire for parties larger than eight, private events and catering
What better way to toast another year around the sun than with a caipirinha or two? With two Manhattan locations, Berimbau’s cozy West Village locale is ideal for an intimate birthday celebration while the larger Midtown eatery will happily host groups up to eight (pro tip: ask for a booth if possible). The menu boasts multiple dishes made for sharing (“order the Brazilian cheese bread for the table!” says executive editor Alexia Dellner) as well as individual mains. “The decor is very chic, the staff are super friendly and the food is great—I devoured the short ribs with poached yuca but my dining companions were big fans of the Picanha Feast, a steak meal for three with lots of yummy accompaniments,” Dellner adds. (Vegetarians and vegans need not despair—there are plenty of veggie-filled options also on the menu.) Whatever you do, keep a cocktail menu to hand because you’re going to want to sample more than just one!
3. Dudley’s
This LES gem features two birthday party essentials: a gorgeous bar and the ability to accommodate 8 to 10 guests at a table. Even better, “the food is always lovely,” says PureWow associate editor Marissa Wu. “The shrimp linguine is a must, but I also love the chicken au jus, the steak and the chop salad. I usually take out-of-towners here because it hits the criteria of ‘good and cute.’”
3. Jacob’s Pickles
If you haven’t yet enjoyed a bite at this UWS establishment, let associate editor Chelsea Candelario convince you to host your next fête there: “The portions are massive, so it’s perfect to do your own unofficial family-style with a big group. They are obviously known for their pickles, but I can’t stop thinking about their Southern BLT. So good!” They’ll even take online reservations for up to 11 people.
5. Catch
Assistant editor Destinee Scott speaks highly of this Meatpacking District restaurant: “Even if your group just wants to go for the desserts,” she says, “they’re not just delicious, they’re an experience.” The restaurant is known for their seafood selection and shareables, but Scott mentions that they have plenty of satisfying options for non-seafood eaters like herself.
6. Puglia
With two private dining rooms, $50 prix fixe menu options and bottomless drinks, this 100-year-old Little Italy institution knows how to bring the party. Says editor Abby Hepworth, “I went to a birthday there four years ago and have been chasing that high ever since. Jorge and Debra play piano and sing all the classics while you dine on Italian staples and lots of wine. It is perfection.”
7. Oti
Location: 40 Clinton Street (Lower East Side)
Reservation: Tock
This intimate restaurant serves up contemporary Romanian small plates, and can seat tables of up to nine guests. Wu loves it as a pre- or post-game spot to whet your appetite or wind down the night. “It has great drinks, and the chef’s artistry shows so much in all the presentation of the dishes.” Think mussels steeped in miso-beer broth, burrata filled with Romanian cheese and herbs and sarmale, which are traditional cabbage rolls filled with pork.
8. Miss Lily’s
Nothing says “birthday party” quite like a restaurant that turns into an after-hours dance club. Director of brand content Roberta Fiorito loves Miss Lily’s for the “excellent Jamaican food and great music.” The menu features modern renditions of island specialties like jerk chicken, oxtail and curried goat. For drinks, pick from the expansive rum bar or order a pitcher of cocktails for the table.
9. Kashkaval Garden
VP of news and entertainment Philip Mutz recommends this candlelit Hell’s Kitchen spot for its shareable Mediterranean dishes—like spreads, dips and kebabs. “It has a really fun and lively atmosphere with delicious food,” he says. Order the fondue with kielbasa; you’ll never look back.
10. Briciola
Location: 370 W 51st St (Midtown/Hell’s Kitchen)
Another place Mutz likes for birthday parties is this cozy Italian wine bar, which serves up “delicious Italian food” coupled with a great wine list and super friendly staff. The space has a long communal table that makes it ideal for big groups and private events, plus all the dishes are under $20.
11. Uluh
Location: 152 2nd Ave (East Village)
Reservation: 917-261-5963
For Chinese banquet food in an elevated yet relaxed environment, Wu recommends this East Village tea house. “You NEED the crab fried rice,” she says. “I love doing Chinese [for birthdays] because to me, celebrations are always about family-style meals, and that’s the only way you eat (properly) at a Chinese restaurant. The decor is beautiful, and you’ll eat well here, which is really all that matters.”
12. KYU
“I had my last birthday dinner at KYU and it was amazing,” says executive managing editor Catrina Yohay of this elevated, Asian-inspired barbecue spot. “The food is deliciously unexpected and the cocktails are *chef’s kiss,* plus the events team was accommodating of the multiple dietary restrictions in my 18-person party.” And with mood lighting, velvet booths and an open kitchen, the ambiance is everything you’d want for a celebratory night out. The menu is always changing, but some staples Yohay says you cannot skip are the crispy rice, stone pot Thai fried rice, duck breast “burnt ends” and beef short ribs. Wash it all down with a pink puppy cocktail and end the night with the iconic coconut cake, trust.
13. Somtum Der
Location: 85 Avenue A (East Village)
Reservation: Resy; 212-260-8570 or email for groups larger than 4
“This is Thai that goes way beyond pad thai and pineapple fried rice,” says Wu. The “casual but delicious” restaurant is best enjoyed family-style, she says, so order a bunch of entrees and plan on sharing. Whatever you do, don’t skip the papaya salad (the house specialty) or the lemongrass martini.
14. Popina
Location: 127 Columbia Street (Columbia Street Waterfront/Cobble Hill)
Italian meets Southern fare at this charming Brooklyn restaurant, which has both indoor and outdoor dining and comes highly recommended from senior food editor Katherine Gillen. “The menu is small but nothing disappoints, from fresh seasonal pastas to the perennial favorite hot chicken Milanese.” Not to mention, the rotating selection of cocktails and extensive wine list will please all party-goers.
15. Little Maven
Location: 30 W 18th St (Chelsea)
Reservation: Resy or 212-320-8111; must call for groups larger than 8
Newly opened in late 2023, the menu of this Chelsea spot (which, full disclaimer, is part-owned by Gary Vaynerchuck, whose company VaynerX owns PureWow) features classic flavors with a twist (think tuna tartare cannoli, steamed black bass with green Thai curry and beet salad with pomegranate and pistachio) and highly Instagrammable maximalist décor. The menu changes frequently, but if you’re getting dessert, assistant editor Delia Curtis highly recommends getting the chocolate mousse from the ’80s: “It was something I’ll be dreaming about forever,” they say.
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