Best-of list · Occasion Guide
Best bars for large groups of 20 or more in New York and London. Venues with genuine private hire capacity, group drinks packages…. Updated 2026.
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
At 20 people and above, the rules of bar selection change entirely. You are no longer looking for the best bar. You are looking for the right venue, which means private hire capacity, a dedicated event manager, a drinks package that works for 20 different preferences, and a space where the group stays together rather than fragmenting across three floors and a smoking area. These are the bars that solve that problem in New York and London. Before you approach any of these venues, read our step-by-step guide on how to book a bar for a group of 20 — it covers deposit terms, minimum spend benchmarks, and how to negotiate so you know what fair terms look like before you receive a proposal.
New York's event bar infrastructure has expanded alongside its hospitality industry. These 5 venues all have experience managing groups of 20 to 60, with dedicated event contacts, structured packages, and the physical capacity to make a group this size feel like a celebration rather than a logistical problem.