10 Questions to Ask When Looking Up Restaurants Bergen County?

You are looking for restaurants Bergen County to celebrate a special occasion, be it a birthday, retirement party, bat mitzvah venues NJ, or wedding reception. You are not sure which restaurant to choose and, with the special occasion coming up, you need to book a reservation as soon as possible. What do you look for when choosing restaurants Bergen County? Ask yourself these 10 questions when looking up restaurants Bergen County so that you can be that much closer to securing a reservation and having the special celebration you have been wanting.

1. How Many Guests Do You Plan on Inviting?

Do you want an intimate gathering? Or are you planning on inviting 50 or more guests? This is important to consider. With small intimate gatherings, you don’t have to plan nearly as much. You can afford to make a reservation one to two weeks in advance.

However, with larger parties, this may not always be the case. With some restaurants, you may even need to reserve a private room. Aside from space, some restaurants may require a 20% tip for large parties no matter the service. That being said, if you are inviting a large party, it is recommended to start searching for restaurants early on, asking about space, tipping, etc.

2. Will the Gathering Be Private?

Do you want to rent out a private room for your celebration? Or will a table in the dining hall suffice? You need to know this; as mentioned, with renting a private room, you may need to call up the restaurant and book it at least a month in advance. You will also want to know how long you want the room for and if the restaurant charges for this, as well as if any extra amenities come with booking a private room.

To help you decide if a private room would be right for your celebration, ask yourself: will the celebration be noisy? Will there be a lot of people moving chairs around to catch up with others? If you answer yes, you may want to book a private room. The worst case is that you change your mind and reserve a table instead. (Please ask the restaurant when you can retract your reservation.)

3. Kids or No Kids?

Will kids be attending the celebration? If there are several kids coming, it may be wise to book a private room. That way, if kids start to get bored, they can get out of their seats and walk around. Also, the restaurant may want to know this information so they have kids’ menus, boosters, and high chairs ready when your party comes in. It also saves you and your party time waiting for servers to make these arrangements.

4. Do You Want Alcohol or Cigars?

Some restaurants, like the Brick House, offer a cigar lounge, where parties can sit back and relax, smoking luxurious cigars. If that is something you and your party is interested in, ask restaurants if they offer that service.

The same goes for the amount of alcohol the restaurant provides. If you know some guests are pickier in their alcoholic beverages or just want to play it safe and offer a full range of alcohol and liquor, contact restaurants and look online to see what types of alcohol they have.

5. What is Your Budget?

It is important to know this before you start calling restaurants. You don’t want to book a venue only to realize it isn’t in your budget. This will only cause more stress and could even force you to push the special occasion further back as you re-evaluate your budget and restaurant options.

To help you get a sense of how much can you afford you will want to know: the number of guests you want to invite, the price per plate, how many courses will be offered, tipping for service, price for alcohol and cigars, leaving room for miscellaneous costs (such as valet, party decorations, etc.)

6. What is the Special Occasion?

Are you celebrating a bat mitzvah and want to find bat mitzvah venues NJ? Or are you celebrating a wedding reception? What about a retirement party or birthday milestone? Knowing this will determine how much you are willing to spend and the type of venue you are looking for.

For instance, a wedding reception will most likely require booking a private room and coming early to decorate or having the restaurant decorate. A close-knit retirement party may only require booking a table and having a luxurious bottle of red wine. Of course, this comes down to your preferences and what you want your party to get out of the special occasion.

7. Do You Need a Reservation or No Reservation?

Again, this goes back to how many guests you are planning on inviting to the special occasion. No matter what the guest count is, it is always safer to book the reservation. Worst case, you can always back out of the reservation should plans change. When you are looking for restaurants Bergen County, it is important that you ask about their reservation policy.

For some restaurants, you are not allowed to make a reservation if you and your party plan on coming in less than 2 hours. For other restaurants, it may be several days before the date. Still, it is important that you get clarification about this so you are aware of your options if something comes up.

8. What Day and What Time?

Do you want the special occasion to be on a weekday or on the weekend? Do you want a brunch, lunch, or dinner? Knowing this will determine logistics and reservations. In general, you may have to book a private room farther out if you want the special occasion to be on a weekend versus during the week. This would go for brunches and dinners too.

Also, you need to discuss what the restaurant offers in terms of meals. Some restaurants only offer brunch once a month. Others don’t have a brunch option at all. Some only open later and serve dinner.

9. How Many Courses Will There Be?

As mentioned, this will factor into the budget. It will also determine how long your party will be staying and how long you need the private room for. For instance, if it is for a wedding reception, traditionally you will have at least three courses: appetizer, entrée, and dessert. For other special occasions, the courses may vary.

10. What are the Top Three Qualities Restaurants Bergen County Need to Have?

Create a list, listing qualities the restaurant cannot go without and qualities you are willing to overlook. For instance, multiple courses may be something you need or brunch options… Highlight the top three qualities the restaurant needs to have; these are non-negotiables. Doing these will make the search that much easier, being able to rule out restaurants that don’t fit your criteria faster.

Bonus: What Will Your Guests Like?

If you are throwing a retirement party, your guests may enjoy the relaxing and comfortable setting of the cigar lounge. If multiple families are coming, a private room may be more appropriate.

If it’s a wedding reception, you may want to have a private room that is easy for guests to get up and mingle with one another, as well as having seating space for those who want to rest and observe. At the end of the day, you want a space that will allow guests to enjoy themselves and not feel uncomfortable or uneasy.

Restaurants Bergen County: Final Thoughts

No matter the celebration, you want a restaurant that will be able to allow guests to sit back, relax, and enjoy. To ensure this happens, ask yourself these questions to gain more of an insight what will and what won’t work for your party. At the end of the day, every party and celebration is unique and individual; trust your gut and go.

Summary

• Ask these questions when looking up restaurants Bergen County
• The number of guests you plan on inviting will determine how much space you need and percentage of tipping that will be required
• In general, private rooms are great for larger parties while smaller parties can afford to have a private table
• If there are a lot of kids attending the celebration, it may be best to reserve a private room; that way, kids who are bored can get up and walk around while still being watched by parents
• If alcohol and cigars will be served, consider a restaurant that can offer the widest variety and best accommodate each guest’s individual tastes
• Have a budget in mind before you start looking
• The type of special occasion will dictate if you need a private room, how many courses there will be, as well as the courses themselves
• You will have to book reservations farther in advance if the celebration will be held on the weekend versus the weekday
• List the top three qualities the restaurant must have
• Lastly, what does your guests like? This can help determine if the restaurant will be a good fit or not

To learn more about our amenities and private celebration options, contact us!