Editorial
Finding a bar for a group of 10 or more requires solving a different problem than finding a bar for 2 or 4. The question is not which bar has the best cocktails. The question is which bar has the physical infrastructure to keep 10 people in the same room, talking to each other, with drinks in hand, for 3 hours. We have the answer for New York and London.
New York's best bars for a group of 10 combine physical size with management experience. These venues have handled groups before, which means the service model adapts to larger tables, the bottle service and round options are clearly structured, and the staff know how to keep 10 people drinking without anyone waiting 20 minutes at the bar.
London's group bar options have expanded with the city's broader hospitality growth. The London bar guide covers all categories, but for groups of 10 specifically, these 5 bars offer the right combination of space, drinks range, and group management capability.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 72 cities worldwide.
For a group of 10, always call ahead. Every bar on this list accepts group reservations; most require them for groups of 8 or more on Friday and Saturday nights. Confirm the reserved area specifically. A reservation means nothing if the bar seats you across two floors.
For groups over 15, see the cocktail bars guide for venues with dedicated private hire capacity. At 15-plus people, private hire is usually more cost-effective and less logistically difficult than managing a large group in a public bar setting.
James has written about New York and London bar culture for over a decade. He has organised groups ranging from 4 to 40 and has a clear-eyed view of what works at each scale.