1. Throw a speakeasy soiree for your birthday: Beauty & Essex
Lower East Side, NYC
Celebrate in a venue as unique as you are. At Beauty & Essex, the experience begins the moment you take your first step inside. Enter through a pawn shop brimming with quirky artifacts and vintage treasures, and descend down a grand circular staircase to find yourself in a world of stunning chandeliers and vintage-inspired decor. This dramatic entrance gives speakeasy vibes - the perfect backdrop for a memorable birthday in the Lower East Side.
The menu offers a variety of innovative dishes that blend global flavors with a modern twist, from tortilla soup dumplings to tuna poke wonton tacos. Particularly famous for its small plates, the restaurant encourages sharing, making it ideal for group birthdays. Equally impressive is the cocktail menu, featuring expertly crafted drinks that are as aesthetic as they are delicious (, let’s be honest, perfect for posting on Instagram).
Beauty & Essex accommodates parties as small as 10 to as large as 400 guests. Large parties of 10 to 60 guests can celebrate with seated dinner reservations in four dining rooms with varying levels of exclusivity. They also cater to cocktail events with a passed dinner for groups of 30-400 people.