403757 Mon May 21 15:35:12 -0700 2007 12 8 Midwest 0 2589598 A representative from my East Coast alma mater is looking to hold an event in the Twin Cities and has asked me for suggestions. She's seeking: "An attractive and centrally located venue with a private room, where hors d’oeuvres and drinks could be served." This will be on a week night in Jully. I'm not sure the size of the crowd, and I'm assuming it would be a very wide range of ages. I've reviewed the threads on private dining rooms, but what about happy hour? Azia, Solera, and The Happy Gnome are the first ones to come to my mind. What am I missing? Mon May 21 15:35:13 -0700 2007 58683 jaycooke 1 2589653 If you're looking for something 'classy', my alumni club has held our annual meetings at Jax for the past few years. The parking is free too. Keep that in mind, b/c trust me, people care. Good luck, MayrMN Mon May 21 15:54:37 -0700 2007 2589598 14355 MayrMN 1 2589666 It is not a regular hang out for me, but Brit's Pub has good service and private rooms. You might even be able to get the rooftop patio, which also has lawnbowling. In my book, their menu isn't in the same league as Azia or Solera, but their food is consistent and they know how to accomodate large numbers of people. Mon May 21 15:58:33 -0700 2007 2589598 91090 slowfoodgrrl 2 2592774 Wow - this is a challenge. Solera might be a good option. But a very good point about the parking was made. I've been to parties at brits roof a few times - they block off a section for you and you can reserve the lawn bowling. Food isn't anything to talk about. (imho) But for an event like this, it would be nice to have lawn bowling so people have something do. Azia has valet at least. What about Zelo - do they have space? That's a crowd pleaser. Good luck! Tue May 22 13:39:17 -0700 2007 2589666 18536 St Paul Susie 2 2592883 Since you went to school on the East Coast, hopefully your guests haven't been overly Minnesotanized to the point where they *gasp* at the thought of paying for parking in a dense urban area. Brit's is a great call...just went to a private event in their new upstairs space and the view & service & beverages were fantastic. The food was underwhelming. I can say the same for similar events I've attended @ The Local right down the street. Solera does a great job, but their minimums might be a little steep for you. The Infinity Lounge @ the graves 601 hotel is also a good option for weeknights, depending on how many might come out. Most places will require you to purchase a minimum amount of food and beverage as a group in order to hold a private space, so it will help you if you can find out if there is a local history of holding these events for a realistic sense of how many attendees you might have...that way you can decide on an appropriate space. Tue May 22 14:02:17 -0700 2007 2589666 57666 g rote 1 2592861 I'm not sure how attractive it is but Grumpy's on Washington has that side room, although the narrowness of it makes mingling a little difficult. Sapor has a really nice bar space, and is usually pretty empty - you might be able to have it reserved, I've heard their owner is always looking for opportunities to host events. Their happy hour menu is very fun too. Upstairs at Origami? I'm not sure if they would let you reserve the whole space though. Or similarly, Nami has that side bar area that you might be able to reserve. In NE both Nye's and Pracna have private rooms and would probably be happy to host a happy hour. Tue May 22 13:56:56 -0700 2007 2589598 52149 katebauer 1 2593023 Nicollet Island Inn is about as central to Minneapolis as you can get (but it leaves out St. Paul). Charming venue, they've been improving the food. Apps and drinks would be good. They have banquet rooms available. And lodging if people require or desire it. There are literally hundreds of great happy hours in Minneapolis, from the grungy Red Dragon to more hipster places like Nami or Drink. I'd pick a neighborhood and start crawling, if the crowd isn't too big. There was also a recent post about a new space in The Local on Nicollet. Tue May 22 14:40:26 -0700 2007 2589598 13136 Loren3 1 2595452 What about the upstairs room at Vincent - a little classier than Brit's. The side room at The Local is also nice. For a more trendy experience, what about the gallery at the Chambers? Wed May 23 11:36:51 -0700 2007 2589598 68513 RedPepper 2 2596130 The local also has a 2nd floor with pool tables which you can rent out for happy hours. Wed May 23 14:00:02 -0700 2007 2595452 18536 St Paul Susie 1 2596064 Chaing Mai Thai also has a private room, but I forget what the food & drink minimum is. Wed May 23 13:48:36 -0700 2007 2589598 21555 chompchomp 1 2598570 I just heard from a friend the other night that you can reserve the roof at Joe's Garage for up to 150 people. Not posh, but the view and outdoors might be worth it - esp. in July. Thu May 24 10:24:15 -0700 2007 2589598 56023 martaru 2 2600948 Thanks for all the suggestions,which I've passed on to the person who asked. Lots of good places I wouldn't have thought of! Fri May 25 05:49:28 -0700 2007 2598570 58683 jaycooke 3 2719426 Adding some place links. Wed Jul 04 12:37:18 -0700 2007 2600948 58683 jaycooke