Choosing between holiday party venues in NYC is the first decision most companies make, and the room decides more about the night than people expect. It sets how many people you can invite, where the DJ stands, whether the sound reaches every corner, and whether there is a real dance floor at all. We have played corporate holiday and Christmas parties in every venue below, several of them for the same client year after year. This guide is what we know about each one from behind the decks.
Already have your venue? Our corporate holiday party DJs page covers formats, December dates, and how booking works.
NYC holiday party venues at a glance
| Venue | Area | The party we played |
|---|---|---|
| Metropolitan Pavilion | Chelsea | Accounting firm, 2,000+ guests |
| Ziegfeld Ballroom | Midtown | Law firm, 1,200+ guests |
| Gotham Hall | Herald Square | PR firm, DJ and karaoke |
| Hilton New York Midtown | Midtown | Law firm, 600 guests |
| Tribeca Rooftop | Tribeca | Hedge fund, 500+ guests |
| Bryant Park Grill | Midtown | International company, speeches then dancing |
| Del Frisco’s Double Eagle | Midtown | Law firm, 600 guests |
| Hunt & Fish Club | Midtown | Hedge fund, DJ, karaoke and photo booth |
| Zuma | Murray Hill | Law firm, 25 guests, karaoke |
| Carnegie Hall | Midtown | Dinner and dancing |
| City Winery | Pier 57, Chelsea | PR firm, DJ, MC and karaoke |
| The Fishbowl at Dream Midtown | Midtown | Karaoke party |
Corporate holiday party venues for 500 to 2,000 guests
At this size the challenge is reach. A room of a thousand people has a dozen conversations going at once, and the music has to pull them together without drowning out the bar.
Metropolitan Pavilion, Chelsea
The biggest holiday party we have played. A worldwide accounting firm brought more than 2,000 guests here, and from the stage the dance floor was a sea of people. We ran two photo booths plus a video booth, and all of them were a huge hit. See the Metropolitan Pavilion holiday party.
Ziegfeld Ballroom, Midtown
An elegant ballroom with a stage and a balcony, and one of the best rooms in the city for a big firm. We played a worldwide law firm’s party here for more than 1,200 guests, set up on the stage under the screen. We have played that firm’s events for years, and the guests did not want to leave. See the Ziegfeld Ballroom holiday party.
Gotham Hall, Herald Square
There are very few rooms in New York like Gotham Hall. We usually DJ from the balcony, high above the floor, and it is a thrill to get 300 to 800 people dancing from up there. The house sound fills the whole room without being overbearing. A worldwide PR firm has booked us for DJ and karaoke at its holiday party for six years running, and we have played a 1,200-guest party here too. See the Gotham Hall holiday party.
Hilton New York Midtown, Grand Ballroom
A classic hotel ballroom on Sixth Avenue, built for a big firm with a mixed crowd. We played a law firm’s party here for 600 employees, and the floor stayed full from pop and Motown to salsa, merengue, reggae and soca. See the Hilton holiday party for 600 guests.
Tribeca Rooftop, Tribeca
A rooftop space with skyline views and an outdoor terrace, which means the sound has to go further than one room. For a hedge fund’s annual party, five years running, we put speakers through the whole space and outside, so all 500 guests could hear the music and the president’s speech wherever they stood. The brief was conversation, not dancing, so the music stayed at a level where people could talk over dinner. See the Tribeca Rooftop event.
Holiday party restaurants and private rooms
A restaurant party has great food built in, but the room was designed for dining. The job is turning it into a party at the right moment.
Bryant Park Grill, Midtown
Floor-to-ceiling windows over Bryant Park, dressed for the holidays. We have played here many times. For a long-established Japanese company with a diverse international staff, the night ran in three parts: cocktail music while guests arrived, microphones for the executives’ speeches and toasts, then two hours of nonstop dancing to close. See the Bryant Park Grill holiday party.
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse, Midtown
A steakhouse can hold a bigger party than you might think. For an international law firm’s holiday party of 600 guests, we set up upstairs and the dancing did not stop for five hours. The firm’s organizer wrote afterward that it is “one of the few parties where people will actually dance.” See the Del Frisco’s law firm holiday party.
Hunt & Fish Club, Midtown
A clubby Midtown restaurant that suits a firm that wants a bit of everything. For a hedge fund’s holiday party we brought the DJ, karaoke, lighting, screens and an interactive photo booth. Karaoke started about halfway through and nearly everyone sang. We played an hour of overtime and were booked for the next year on the spot. See the Hunt & Fish Club party.
Zuma, Murray Hill
Proof that a small party can be a great one. A real estate law firm brought 25 guests to this upscale Japanese restaurant on Madison Avenue. We turned the karaoke screen toward their table, and two songs later the whole firm was singing. Every guest sang at least once, including the owner. See the Zuma karaoke party.
Unique holiday party venues
Carnegie Hall, Midtown
Carnegie Hall’s private event rooms have sound, video and lighting to match the name. We DJ’d from the balcony for a holiday dinner and dance where the client wanted guests to talk comfortably over dinner, then an even mix of Motown, disco and current pop. The organizer told us we were “by far the easiest part of planning this party.” See the Carnegie Hall holiday party.
City Winery, Pier 57
A music venue and working winery that can run several parties at once. We played a worldwide PR firm’s party as DJ and MC, and the guests sang and danced all night. We played its original Varick Street home; City Winery has since moved to Pier 57 on the Hudson. See the City Winery holiday party.
The Fishbowl at Dream Midtown
A lower-level party room with a stage, screens throughout and its own mini bowling lanes, and one of the best karaoke rooms in the city. We run through the house sound and video, bring wireless mics so guests can sing from anywhere, and put the company’s logo on the screens between songs. See our Fishbowl karaoke events.
Or hold the holiday party in your office
You do not need a venue at all. For five years we ran the holiday party for an international grant-making foundation in its own Midtown offices, with karaoke and a DJ plus a photo booth. One year the staff choreographed a flash mob to “Thriller.” See the karaoke office party.
What to ask a holiday party venue before you sign
These are the questions that decide how the entertainment works in a room. Ask them on the site visit.
- Where does the DJ set up? A balcony or stage with a view of the floor is ideal. A back corner behind a pillar is not.
- Is there a house sound system? Rooms like Gotham Hall and Carnegie Hall have excellent ones we can run through. Others need our own.
- Does the party use more than one space? A terrace or a second room needs its own speakers, or half your guests will not hear the speeches.
- Will there be speeches? Then you need wireless microphones and someone watching the levels.
- When can vendors load in, and how? Ask about the freight elevator and the setup window.
- When does the music have to stop? Build the timeline back from that time.
Tip: send your DJ the floor plan as soon as you book the room. Where the booth goes decides more about the dance floor than almost anything else.
Looking for a room for another kind of company event? See our top Manhattan corporate event venues.
Frequently asked questions
Where can we have our holiday party in NYC?
It depends on size. For 500 to 2,000 guests, rooms like Metropolitan Pavilion, the Ziegfeld Ballroom, Gotham Hall and the Hilton New York Midtown ballroom work well. For a few hundred, a restaurant such as Bryant Park Grill or Del Frisco’s Double Eagle keeps the food at the center. For a small team, a private room at Zuma or the Hunt and Fish Club, or your own office, is often the most fun.
What is a good NYC venue for a small office holiday party?
A private room at a restaurant, a karaoke room like the Fishbowl at Dream Midtown, or your own office. We have played a 25-guest party at Zuma where every guest sang, and five straight years of office parties for a Midtown foundation.
Which NYC venues can hold 1,000 or more for a holiday party?
We have played holiday parties for more than 2,000 guests at Metropolitan Pavilion, more than 1,200 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom, and a 1,200-guest party at Gotham Hall. Check the current capacity with the venue, since it depends on the layout.
When should we book a holiday party venue in NYC?
As early as you can. Searches for NYC holiday party venues peak in October, well ahead of the party itself, so the rooms go early. Once you have a date and a room, book your entertainment next.
Can you DJ a holiday party in our office?
Yes. We bring the DJ setup, karaoke and a photo booth to offices across Manhattan. Send us the floor plan and we will tell you what fits.
Planning a holiday party at one of these venues?
Tell us the venue, the date and roughly how many guests, and we will tell you how we would set up the room.
