Here's a look at the best new San Francisco restaurants, hotels, party rooms, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open for events this winter. These new and renovated San Francisco venues can accommodate groups large or small for private and corporate events, meetings, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
The electric pink bar and lounge Romper Room opened this August, offering space for receptions of as many as 100 people. The 1,300-square-foot venue includes one room with all-leopard-print decor called the Leopard Lounge.
In Oakland’s Jack London Square, new activity venue Plank offers 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space and includes bowling, billiards, boccie, and a beer garden. Its 15,000 square feet of outdoor space seats 325 and includes three 60-foot boccie courts, fire pits, picnic-style seating, and bay views. Inside the 34,000-square-foot venue are 12 bowling lanes and six private, boutique lanes. The venue can host private events for as many as 1,000 guests in its Boardroom space, which can be divided into smaller private and semiprivate areas and includes access to a deck. The venue’s meeting rooms are equipped with audiovisual technology, and planners have a variety of dining and beverage options. It opened in October.
New multiuse venue the Village at 969 Market opened this summer in the Mid-Market neighborhood, offering 17,000 square feet of event space on three different levels. It holds 1,100 for receptions, and banquet setups can be arranged on each floor. Each floor has its own entrance and a distinct vibe. The subterranean lounge and club called the Underground has a brew pub, while the ground floor offers an interactive technology showroom. On the third floor, the XD Center has dramatic skylights. The venue is outfitted with state-of-the-art projection, lighting, Meyer sound equipment, and high-speed Internet. The venue also includes in-house beverage service and a commercial kitchen.
The city’s Lake Merced Boathouse reopened in July after a $3.2 million upgrade to the facility’s interior and exterior. After the two-year renovation, the boathouse now includes a meeting room with a caterer's kitchen. The facility also has large windows overlooking the lake. Its meeting room holds 125 guests, with room for another 30 on the patio.
New food market the Hall opened in September in San Francisco’s Mid-Market neighborhood as a temporary 18-month activation prior to the redevelopment of the building. The Hall can be rented for private events through 2015. Full buyouts of the 4,100-square-foot space accommodate 200 guests for receptions or 100 seated and include use of the expansive indoor bar and communal seating as well as the patio.
Napa’s La Residence hotel is now Senza hotel, and with the rebrand, it now has 41 rooms on a two-acre property with dramatic vineyard views. The makeover included complete renovations to 15 existing guest rooms and the construction of 18 new suites with private patios, as well as updates to the 19th-century Parker mansion, which has eight rooms. The hotel’s conference room holds 70 for receptions or seats 50. The property can accommodate outdoor banquets for 125 people using its lawn and poolside areas. New amenities include a contemporary lobby, an updated dining room, and a heated outdoor pool with cabanas, a remodeled hot tub, and a new outdoor fireplace. The property also has a fitness room and a full spa at its Riposa Center.
New beer destination Richmond Republic Draught House opened in September with gourmet burgers and drafts from Bay Area breweries. For events, the venue offers a 625-square-foot semiprivate room that holds 40 guests for receptions. The elevated space includes a television, a private bathroom, and a view overlooking the bar.
New performance venue Doc’s Lab in North Beach hosts comedy shows, musical performances, and literary events; it can also be booked for private events. The venue, which opened in September, boasts 850 square feet and seats 65 or holds 90 for receptions. The basement space once housed well-known San Francisco comedy club the Purple Onion.
Klyde Cafe & Wine Bar opened in Union Square in October. It has charming, bistro-style decor with details like patterned ceilings, wooden banquets, and tiled floors. The menu includes burgers, pasta, and American classic entrées. While the 800-square-foot restaurant has no private dining areas, it is available for full buyouts. Klyde Cafe seats 49, including eight seats at the bar.
In July, French antique shop the Butler & the Chef began hosting private events in its charming 5,000-square-foot showroom. The shop has more than 200 chairs and a variety of tables available, and to make room for events, the furniture goes into storage. The showroom holds 60 guests for receptions or seats 40.
