12 min readPlanning a party? Whatever the occasion or vibe you're after, Bristol has a whole host of venues to host your event, from private dining to cocktails in a mock prison cell!
Here are our top venues to celebrate in the city:
King Street Brew House, Old City
The Tank Room at King Street Brew House offers a unique space right in the heart of the city ideal for any special celebration. Fitted with its own sound system (not to mention their huge range of beers brewed on site), this is a great space for up to 50 people. They also have the smaller Snug available for up to 25 people, or you can reserve an area in the pub upstairs if you want to be in the middle of the action! Plan a party at King Street Brew House
Image - King Street Brew House
The Ox, Old City
Tucked away in some atmospheric cellars underneath Corn Street, The Ox has been one of the city's stop steakhouses since opening in 2013. The Ox has a private dining area that you can book for up to 30 people, and there is a party menus available for large groups, from three-course meals up to ‘The Bullocks Surf & Turf Sharing Feast’, where you can get a decadent meal of roasted scallops, T-bone steak and more! View The Ox party menu
Image - The Ox
Bistro du Vin, City Centre
Based in a former sugar warehouse, the glamorous and quirky Hotel du Vin has a series of impressive private dining rooms and event spaces, seating between 6 to 60 people dining, and up to 70 people standing. Some of the rooms even have their own in-built sound system and private bar! Hotel du Vin also do special food and drinks packages for events, ranging from canapes to decadent dinners. Book an event at Hotel du Vin
Image - Hotel du Vin wine cellar
Cosy Club, Old City
This beautiful, Grade II listed former bank has two private rooms: The Peacock Room (capacity for 30 standing and 16 seated) and The Mezzanine (28 seated). There is no hire fee, although you may be required to meet a minimum spend and minimum group size. Cosy Club has a broad all-day menu, including tasty classic brunch dishes, sandwiches and sharing plates, with dedicated gluten free, vegan and kids menus. Make sure you try their cocktails too! Private hire at Cosy Club
Image - Cosy Club
Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant, Cabot Circus
Based in Quakers Friars, Harvey Nichols Second Floor has three separate areas available for Private Hire: the Restaurant, a private dining room and the Bar. Each area may be hired individually, or the whole Second Floor is available for private functions which can be dressed suitably for your event. Private dining at Harvey Nichols
Image - Harvey Nichols Second Floor Restaurant
The Ostrich, Harbourside
Perched on the edge of Bristol’s historic Harbourside, The Ostrich's ‘Top Deck’ dining room is avaliable for private hire and has a capacity of 10 - 26 people seated, or up to 40 people standing. Table service is available from its own private bar, where where you an choose from award-winning Butcombe beer, cocktails, an extensive rum menu and lots more, plus food from the kitchen on request. Find out more about private hire at The Ostrich
Image - Top Deck at The Ostrich
Riverstation, Harbourside
If you’re on the hunt for the ultimate spot to host an intimate soiree with friends and family, Riverstation’s private dining room is the perfect spot for you. Their Pontoon Bar with its waterside terrace is also available for a more casual affair, with tasty canapés, drinks packages and seasonal sharing boards. Book a party or event at Riverstation
Image - Riverstation
Racks, Clifton
Racks in Clifton offers free venue hire for up to 200 guests, private dining and summer parties, all with a broad choice of great value party food (from £15 per person), including BBQs, buffets and three-course meals. The terrace at Racks is great for summer parties, while The Pavillion with cover and outdoor heaters is great for the cooler months. Book an event at Racks
- Take advantage of Rack’s Summer Party offer for a free house drink per person when booking a summer party, available until the end of September 2025. Just quote ‘Visit Bristol Offer’ when booking.
Image - Terrace at Racks
Bar 44, Clifton
For a slice of Spain in the city, Bar 44 is a fabulous spot for parties. Expect tapas, Spanish beers and a top notch selection of sherry. The building used to be an bank in a past life, and the two former bank vaults have been spruced up to hire for groups of 6 – 13 guests at no charge. Each room comes with your own server and you can have your own music playing in the room. As you'd expect for a fabulous tapas bar, Bar 44 also has a couple of sharing menus for you to choose from for your group - perfect for when you need someone else to make the food decisions for you!
If you're looking for a space for a bigger group, Bar 44 also has the Jamon Room within the main restaurant for special occasions, or the whole of Bar 44 can be hired for larger events and wedding receptions. Private dining and event hire at Bar 44
Image - Bar 44
The Square Club, Clifton
Looking for a premium party spot? The Square Club located on Berkeley Square has private hire spaces available for smaller gatherings and larger groups of up to 120 people, from their dining room to the pretty Secret Garden, which has covered areas and heaters. Various food and drink packages are available, ranging from a classic BBQ menu to an all-American buffet and hog roast menu. The Berkeley Square Hotel next door is the perfect place to crash and keep the party rolling. Group dining and parties at The Square Club
- Take advantage of The Square Club free £350 bar tab for your summer party (valid from Sunday-Wednesday, May-September 2025 for a minimum of 50 guests. Not available in conjunction with any other offer).
Image - Secret Garden at The Square Club
No.4 Clifton Village, Clifton
No.4 Clifton Village offers free venue hire and versatile spaces for birthdays, weddings, private dining, and more. Host up to 50 guests in the elegant Admiral Room filled with natural light, enjoy garden views and cocktails in the cosy Galley Room for up to 20, or combine both with the walled garden for a seamless indoor-outdoor celebration. With bespoke packages, an in-house events team, and the option for overnight stays at The Rodney Hotel above - it’s a great spot to keep the party rolling. Book a party at No.4 Clifton Village
- Make sure to take advantage of the free magnum of Moët for Summer Party bookings! (Available on Tuesdays and Thursdays from May – September 2025. Minimum 18 guests). To book email to bookings@no4cliftonvillage.co.uk or pop in an enquiry on the No.4 Clifton Village website.
Image - No. 4 Clifton Village
The Ivy Clifton Brasserie, Clifton
Overlooking The Mall Gardens, this beautifully decorated brasserie certainly serves up the ‘wow’ factor as a celebration venue! The Ivy Clifton has two stunning private dining rooms; The Western Room can seat up to 16 guests on a long table, or try the Eastern Room for a more intimate dining experience, as it seats up to 12 guests. The rooms are available to book for breakfast, lunch and dinner, perfect to celebrate a special occasion with friends and family. Group dning at The Ivy Clifton Brasserie
Image - The Ivy Clifton Brasserie
The Whitmore Tap, Whiteladies Road
If you’re after chilled pub vibes and a bit of competitive socialising, The Whitmore Tap is the place to go. You can hire the whole upstairs dining room (which can accommodate 40 – 60 people) to have food and drinks, plus their interactive dart boards as a party activity. Their exclusive venue hire package includes a dedicated team member for your group, and service from the bar and kitchen. They also have the smaller Wrington Room, which is perfect for a group of around 12 - 20 people. Expect Butcombe beers on tap and cracking pub grub. Book an event at The Whitmore Tap
Image - Electro dart boards at The Whitmore Tap
The Old Market Assembly, Old Market
With a two-floor layout and its very own disco ball, you can go from small and intimate to big and noisy at this fun venue. The award-winning restaurant has sharing menus available, you can choose from house-made pizzas to a selection of seasonal sharing plates and desserts. With a state-of-the-art stage and sound system and an in-house sound tech included in the hire fee, you can get loud with the music. From a party with a full live band or fabulous DJ to cosy dinners upstairs, the possibilities are endless. Event hire at The Old Market Assembly
Image - The Old Market Assembly
The Prospect Building, St Philips
This multi-space venue offers several hugely flexible spaces for larger events. With room for up to 3,000 standing or 1,000 seated in the Studio space, and 1,500 standing or 500 seated in The Crane room, The Prospect Building is a brilliant space for large-scale parties and weddings. They also have a large outdoor courtyard space, street food traders and arguably one of the best sound systems in the city. Venue hire at The Prospect Building
Image - The Prospect Building
The Langford, North Somerset
This cute country iinn in the Mendip Hills has been awarded two AA Rosette Awards for its food and has two stunning private spaces avaliable. The Mendip Room has space for 14 seated guests and The Blue Room can accommodate 30 seated, or 40 standing guests. If you require space for a larger occasion, full venue hire can also be arranged. Their private dining packages can cater for all dietary requirements and include two or three-course menus, grazing platters, or a Champagne or Prosseco reception, as well as entertainment add-ons. Private hire at The Langford
Image - The Langford Inn
Unmissable Activities
Alcotraz, Old City
For an immersive prison-themed cocktail experience, head to Alcotraz where you have to 'smuggle' alcohol into a jail cell, which can then be turned into bespoke cocktails. You can make a birthday party extra memorable by assigning the birthday boy or girl their own character! With three characters to choose from, ‘the Janitor’, ‘the Mole’ or ‘the Escape Artist’, they’ll get their own costume and play an integral part of the immersive storyline. Book a birthday party at Alcotraz
Image - Alcotraz
Cooking It!, Gloucester Road
Looking for a hands-on activity for your party? Book a cooking class for you and your group at Cooking It! Ideal for groups of 10 - 12 people, there are plenty of cooking classes available. Try your hand at simpler recipes such as curries and Mexican street food snacks in the Value Kitchen Porter Cook-Off, or have a go at show-stopper challenges and try your hand at something more technical in the Premium Head Chef Cook Offs. Book a party at Cooking It!
Cooking It! also offer private venue hire out in their kitchen space for special occasions for up to 30 people, where you can use their built-in sound system for the perfect party playlist.Their talented in-house catering team are able to serve everything from elegant canapés to sizzling BBQ bites for your special occasion.
Image - Cooking It!
Kids Parties
- Mendip Activity Centre - Create your own party package and choose from over 15 activities, from abseiling, to bush craft, to snowboarding or stand up paddleboarding, with the option to add on party food packages too. The Nerf and Gel Battle Event has been designed for kids but can be adapted for adult parties too!
- Cooking It! - They also do kids parties for ages three and above.
- Adventure Bristol Tree Tops High Ropes - Burn off some energy in Ashton Court, with a party taking on the high ropes course. Available for groups of eight or more.
- AirHop! - Bristol’s biggest trampoline park fhas various party packages, including ‘Toddler Takeovers’, and parties for young kids with food and drink included.
- Mojo Active - For an outdoorsy party, Mojo Active have packages for a minimum of eight children. Choose from ground activities or a high ropes party with an experienced instructor, plus use of the cabin
Image - AirHop
- Goldfinch Create and Play - Book an arty party for up to 15 children, suitable for ages 2 - 15 years. Choose from a range of creative party themes, including Under the Sea, Harry Potter and more. Catering and self catering options are available.
- Out There Indoors - This Scandinavian-inspired play cafe in Paintworks, themed around nature and the seasons, is available for private hire for up to 30 children over the age of 3 months.
- Ocean Adventurers - Choose from Laser Tag, a pure play party or a personalised theme party at this indoor play centre in Cheddar. Activities are tailored for different age groups, from 0-2, 2-4 and 5-12, with bespoke party packages also available.
- Mission Inflatable at University of Bristol Pool - Race across this giant inflatable for the ultimate children’s pool party! Mission Inflatable is available for private hire on Saturdays, with sessions accommodating up to 30 participants.
Image - Goldfinch Create and Play
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