News flash: This city has a near-unlimited supply of great places to eat. Places to grab a bite with six of your closest friends, however…not so much. But dining with your squad doesn’t have to be a total nightmare: Here are seven spots that have no trouble pleasing a crowd.
7 Restaurants Where It’s Not Impossible to Dine with a Group
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Published Aug 18, 2017
Circa Brewing Co.
There are a few things you need to know about this new spot in Downtown Brooklyn: One, it’s massive and it takes reservations. Two, it specializes not just in beer brewed on-site but wood-fired pizza—including some unreal options for brunch, like a Benedict pie topped with maple-cured ham, eggs and hollandaise. Squad brunch, here we come.
141 Lawrence St., Brooklyn; 718-858-0055 or circabrewing.co
Katie B. Foster
Egg Shop
We’re slightly obsessed with the menu at Egg Shop, but the original Nolita location was always more conducive to a solo meal or date night than a communal egg feast. Fortunately, the new Williamsburg outpost is more group-friendly, so you can share your love of runny yolks (in dishes like kelp noodles with coconut-curry butter) with a mid-size crew. (Pro tip: Reservations are accepted at dinnertime.)
138 N. Eighth St., Brooklyn; 646-787-7502 or eggshopnyc.com
Cote
Cote
The kryptonite of every group outing: splitting the bill. Avoid the awkwardness by ordering the Butcher’s Feast at this Korean steakhouse. For $45 apiece, you’ll get a spread of dry-aged meats grilled right in front of you, plus banchan, salads, stews, egg soufflé and dessert. (Leave your vegetarian friends at home, obviously.)
16 W 22nd St.; 212-401-7986 or cotenyc.com
L'Artusi
L’artusi
Not only is this one of our favorite Italian spots in the city, it just so happens to be ginormous. If a fancier group outing is on the agenda, nab a reservation a month in advance and prepare to revel in mountains of pasta and a never-ending wine list.
228 W. Tenth St.; 212-255-5757 or lartusi.com
Kings Co. Imperial
If family-style dining is your jam (it’s definitely ours), Chinese restaurants are always an excellent choice. Not only does this spot have all the wok-seared dumplings, tea-smoked duck and sesame noodles your heart desires, it also boasts a lovely back garden…and mai tais on tap.
20 Skillman Ave., Brooklyn; 718-610-2000 or kingscoimperial.com
The Boil/Facebook
The Boil
If you’ve ever tried to walk into this Southern-style crustacean house you were likely greeted with a 90-plus-minute wait. But guess what? Reservations—even for bigger groups—are totally an option (and not even that hard to snag). Besides, the group that wears bibs together stays together.
Two locations in Manhattan; theboilny.com
Toro/Facebook
Toro
If only there were a specific cuisine designed for splitting between a bunch of people…oh right—tapas. And this West Side spot does the shareable Spanish snacks especially well. Trust us, any night that includes a giant pan of paella and a pitcher of rosé sangria is a good night.
85 Tenth Ave.; 212-691-2360 or toro-nyc.com