If you want an event in Manhattan that feels polished without being fussy, Upper East Side restaurants make it surprisingly easy.
You’re close to Central Park, you’ve got straightforward transit, and most of these venues already know how to handle groups – whether that means a full dining room buyout or a cocktail night with people moving around.
The only real trick is picking the right format. Do you want a seated dinner where courses land in order, or do you want a space where guests can mingle, grab drinks, and settle in wherever they want? Below, you’ll find options for every event format and theme.
8 Upper East Side Restaurants In New York City That Work Beautifully for Events
We’ve gathered the top Upper East Side restaurants in New York City, from formal dining rooms to more casual cocktail lounges.
1. Main Dining Room, Uva Next Door
Location: 1484 2nd Avenue, New York, NY
Uva Next Door is the event-capable sister concept to Uva. The dining room is set up for full buyouts, which means you’re not squeezing your group into a corner of regular service. You can run a seated dinner for up to 85, or flip the room for a cocktail-style event at the same headcount.
That flexibility is the main advantage here. You can keep it structured for a business lunch or formal dinner, or open it up for a mixer where guests circulate between the bar and tables.
Food and drink stay firmly in the Italian lane, with a big focus on pizza from the oven and handmade pasta. It’s also built to handle mixed dietary needs with gluten-free options.
For planning, this is a good room when you want options: plated courses at the table, or a more social event where cocktails lead, and food supports the night.
Getting there: It’s on 2nd Avenue in the Upper East Side, with easy subway access via the Lexington Avenue line nearby 4,5, and 6 and straightforward rideshare drop-off along the avenue.
2. Nightly’s, Keys and Heels
Location: 1488 2nd Avenue, New York, NY
Keys and Heels is a hidden cocktail lounge with a flexible floor plan. The Nightly section is the room you book when the bar is the main event. Guests enter through what looks like a locksmith and shoe-repair shop, then step into a full bar area designed for private events.
The seating can be rearranged or removed, so you can run this as a true standing cocktail party, or tighten it into a seated private dinner (they cap that format around 30). You’ve also got the setup for music and a DJ, plus the option to bring in staging for panels or presentations.
It works for everything from birthday nights to brand events to corporate gatherings that need a little structure without turning into a banquet.
Basically, if you want people mingling with drinks in hand, this space makes it easy.
Getting there: Also on 2nd Avenue in the Upper East Side, easy for subway arrivals and very simple for rideshare drop-off and pickup.
3. Front Area, Bondurants
Location: 303 East 85th Street, New York, NY
Bondurants is a neighborhood cocktail, craft beer, and whiskey bar with a Southern-leaning menu, and the front area offers a semi-private setup right along the storefront windows.
This section includes direct access to the main bar, approximately 10-12 barstools, window ledge seating, and space for an additional cocktail table that can either provide more seating or hold food stations.
Because you’re at the front of the space, this works best for cocktail-style gatherings where guests move between the bar and small seating clusters.
The layout accommodates around 20 people standing comfortably, making it practical for birthday drinks, small-team outings, or after-work gatherings where you want energy but not a full buyout. With bar access built in, drink service stays efficient, and the venue's TVs can support casual viewing if needed.
Getting there: Located on East 85th Street in the Upper East Side, Bondurants is accessible via the 4, 5, 6, and Q subway lines and is a short walk for many locals. Rideshare drop-off is easy along 85th Street.
4. Full Buyout, Bondurants
Location: 303 East 85th Street, New York, NY
For larger gatherings, Bondurants offers a full buyout of the entire bar and restaurant. This option is required for groups of over 35 guests and gives you complete control of the space, including the private bar, private bathrooms, and microphone with speakers.
The buyout format allows up to 45 seated or 100 standing guests, which makes it significantly more flexible than the front-area setup.
The room includes multiple TVs and a dedicated bar program focused on craft beer, whiskey, and cocktails, alongside a Southern-influenced food menu. That combination makes it a good option for corporate parties, watch events, milestone birthdays, or holiday gatherings where you want both structure and movement.
With the entire floor at your disposal, you can set up food stations, reserve areas for seating, and create a defined flow between drinks and dining.
Getting there: Bondurants sits on East 85th Street in the Upper East Side, convenient to subway lines and easily reachable from across New York City. Street access makes arrival simple for both transit riders and rideshare guests.
5. Wine Bar, Café Luce
Location: 235 East 53rd Street, New York, NY
Café Luce’s wine bar space is ideal for small-to-mid-size cocktail events centered on wine and Italian comfort food. With seating for 24 and room for up to 50 standing, the format works best when you want guests circulating with glasses in hand rather than locked into a long plated dinner.
The food anchors the event: house-made pasta, salads, appetizers, and desserts paired with a curated wine list. The staff actively guides tastings and pairings, so you can shape the event around wine-focused programming rather than just open bar service.
If you’re hosting a client mixer or team gathering that leans into wine and conversation, this room supports that style cleanly.
Getting there: Located on East 53rd Street in Manhattan, it’s accessible via multiple East Side subway lines and easy for rideshare drop-off.
6. Café, Café Luce NYC
Location: 235 East 53rd Street, New York, NY
The café space at Café Luce is smaller and more contained than the wine bar setup, capped at 20 seated or standing guests. This is the better option if you want a fully controlled, intimate gathering without excess floor space.
Groups of 11 or more can reserve this area for private events, making it practical for milestone dinners, smaller business lunches, or family-style celebrations. Because the menu remains the same – pasta, salads, appetizers, coffee, and desserts – you’re not scaling down the food experience, just the footprint.
If you want everyone at one table, this room keeps the focus tight. If you want light movement and wine flowing without a DJ or full bar takeover, it does that comfortably.
Getting there: Same 53rd Street location, centrally positioned for Midtown East arrivals and convenient subway access.
7. NoMad, Vin Sur Vingt
Location: 230 East 51st Street, New York, NY
Vin Sur Vingt operates as a Parisian-style wine bar with multiple locations across New York City. The NoMad space offers structured get-together packages that include open wine and food for two hours, accommodating up to 25 guests.
That package structure makes planning straightforward. You’re not piecing together a custom menu from scratch; instead, you’re booking a timed wine-and-food format that keeps pacing predictable.
It works especially well for team outings, client gatherings, or small celebrations where you want controlled timing and a clear per-guest experience.
The ambiance mirrors a classic bar à vin, with smaller tables, close seating, and wine-forward service. This isn’t a large banquet room; it’s a compact wine environment designed for conversation.
Getting there: Located on East 51st Street, accessible via Midtown subway lines and convenient for guests traveling from across Manhattan.
8. Riverside, Vin Sur Vingt
Location: 230 East 51st Street, New York, NY
The Riverside Vin Sur Vingt location carries the same Parisian wine bar identity but is better suited for wine-and-cheese tastings and small group gatherings. Like the NoMad setup, it focuses on curated wine service rather than a broad cocktail menu.
Because the minimum starts at six guests, this is structured for intimate group formats rather than large private events. You’re booking a wine-forward experience – typically timed, often centered around tastings – rather than a flexible dance-floor environment.
If your event is about wine and conversation, this format keeps the focus tight and manageable.
Getting there: Accessible via West Side transit routes and rideshare, convenient for Manhattan-based guests.
Find The Right Space For Your Event In Upper East Side, NYC
You’ve got full dining room buyouts like Uva Next Door when you need structure and scale. Hidden cocktail spaces like Keys and Heels, where the bar is the main event. Neighborhood bars like Bondurants that can flex from a semi-private corner to a full takeover. And wine-driven rooms at Café Luce and Vin Sur Vingt, when you want the night built around intimate conversations.
Once you know what you want, it becomes easy to compare and book your ideal venue on the Perfect Venue Marketplace. Browse more Upper East Side restaurants or explore further for hundreds of exciting venue options!
