Bethesda's Private Dining Rooms

Help!

• Your boss asked you to organize a dinner meeting
• Your spouse is turning 35
• It’s your parent’s 40th wedding anniversary party
• You’re planning your child’s Bar Mitvah reception

Where can you find event space in Bethesda to accommodate that special occasion?

As your Best Bites columnist, I offer you a comprehensive guide to Bethesda's bars and restaurants with event space, or that have private and semi-private dining rooms. I've also included a list of questions to ask when you start planning a special event or business dinner:

Restaurants with Event Space (rooms sectioned off from regular dining):

Barking Dog – up to 250

BlackFinn Restaurant and Saloon – 2 event spaces with a maximum of 300

Caddie’s On Cordell – 3 event spaces up to 100

Benihana – 1 event space

Rock Bottom Brewery – 6 event spaces with capacity of 270

American Tap Room – 4 event spaces with capacity of 35

Positano – 4 event spaces with capacity of 600

Private and Semi-Private Dining Rooms:

Bacchus – Private dining for 10

Bistro Provence – Private dining for 25

Chef Tony’s – Tuscan Sun Room with capacity of 100

Grapeseed – Private dining  for up to 110, Wine Room for up to 12

Lebanese Taverna – Fig Apricot Room with capacity of 45; Quince Room with capacity of 60; Entire restaurant with capacity of 100

Mon Ami Gabi – Room #1 has capacity of 40, restaurant capacity is 200

Praline Bakery – Main dining room hosts 50, private dining for 20, and Outdoor Terrace with capacity of 100

Ruth’s Chris Steak House  -- Private dining for up to 60

Daily Grill – Private dining for 40

Inn at Glen Echo – 6 Private rooms for parties of 6-100

La Panetteria – Semi-private rooms for capacities of 25, 35 or 45 people

Legal Seafood – Private dining for 30

McCormick & Schmick's Seafood – Private dining for 90

Morton’s The Steakhouse – Several private boardrooms for varying numbers of guests

Persimmon – Semi-private room holding 22 or 30

Redwood – Private room for 12

Relic – Private room for 25

Tako Grill – Semi-private dining for 25

Tragara – Private dining for 10 or 200

Trattorio de Sorrento – Dining room for 100

Questions to ask when planning an event:

1. What configuration of seating can you accommodate? Board-room style tables, rounds of eight, etc.? How many tables? Is there room for a dais or head table?
2. What parking options can you offer?
3. How much flexibility is there with your event menus? Can I order something that’s not on the menu?
4. What are tax and gratuity costs? Will they both be included in my bill?
5. What type of bar tab is best? Should I use a consumption charge, per-person charge, or an open bar? Should I limit choices to wine and beer?
6. Are coffee and tea included?
7. Can I take home the leftovers?
8. How many servers will be assigned to my group?
9. Where will my gift table be?
10. When must my guests leave?

If you have suggestions for places that welcome groups that I've missed, please let Patch readers know. Thanks!