The top venues to book in the Upper West Side

The Culture Center was established in 1990 to help non-profit organizations without event spaces. This Upper West Side venue is located on Columbus Avenue, and the bright white room with exposed brick can be organized for performances or social events, including cocktail or networking style.

Event types include workshops, movie shoots and audio-visual productions, work training, and social functions. The Culture Center offers folding chairs and tables, A/V equipment (including a projector, screen, microphone, and speakers), and a full kitchen for food prep.

This venue can accommodate 75 standing guests or 50 seated guests.

Steps away from the American Museum of Natural History is the Arthouse Hotel, which has indoor and outdoor spaces that bring NYC charm to any event. Say you are looking for sophistication for your next meeting or show-stopping views of Central Park for your birthday party; this Upper West Side venue has you covered. They also work with Abigail Kirsch, a caterer who uses local ingredients to bring your personal food vision to life.

Spaces like the Library (max. 50) and The Lounge (max. 40) are suitable for receptions and smaller cozy gatherings with a fireplace and red lacquer piano. The Terrace (max. 30) and 14th-floor Balcony (max. 20) offer sweeping views of the NYC skyline. Adjacent rooms can also be rented, and terraces can be combined if you need more space.

Chef Florian V. Hugo's French-American cuisine can be the centerpiece of your next event at The Milling Room. This Upper West Side venue allows guests to bask in natural light that shines through the glass ceiling. An elegant, rustic vibe is carried throughout the space with white brick walls, wooden floors, and the incorporation of vegetation and branches. As for the menu, you can order shareable plates like cheese puffs and duck rillettes or entrees like dry sea scallops and spiced-rub Sasso chicken.

The Milling Room can host seated dinners or cocktail receptions for personal or corporate events. The Tavern, a bar at the front of the restaurant, can accommodate 75 standing guests, and a full buyout can accommodate 100 seated guests with a dance floor (or 130 without), and 200 standing guests.

As fun as it is to get all dressed up sometimes, Prohibition-era venues don’t always have to be glitz and glam. The Gin Mill serves bar food and specialty cocktails and lets you come as you are so you can have fun and be comfortable at the same time. If you're lucky, you may catch live music or karaoke night.

The Speakeasy, accommodating 100 guests, is a cozy 1920s-inspired private party space tucked away off the main space. The room has brick ceilings, a mahogany bar, crystal chandeliers, and a working fireplace.

Established in 1928, Hotel Beacon was once a competitor for Manhattan skyscrapers standing at 24 stories high. Now that times have changed, the building may not seem as tall as it once was, but it's still ready to host your event – whether it's a corporate meeting, private party, or cocktail reception. This venue’s conference and meeting rooms offer LCD projectors, sound systems, easels, flipcharts, markers, and more.

There are multiple spaces with different vibes, and one will be exactly what you are looking for. From boardrooms to banquet halls, the rooms at this Upper West Side venue include the Broadway Amsterdam Room and the Penthouse Terrace. Depending on your chosen space, they can accommodate 10 to 150 guests.