The 26 Best Private Dining Rooms in Melbourne

Suzie Q was one of the top restaurant openings of 2024, and it continues to serve up some of the best Chinese food in Melbourne  — with plenty of playful contemporary flair. The downstairs space is great for big groups, and we love dining at the bar, but the upstairs private dining room is an absolute stunner.

Located in the mezzanine — overlooking the rest of the restaurant — up to eight diners can sit around one large table before heading into the adjoining karaoke room. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Moon Dog’s three-storey, 800-person, wild west-themed bar in Footscray’s former Franco Cozzo building is nothing but fun. You’ve got a downstairs free-to-ride bucking bull, pool tables, a kid’s play area, rooftop and plenty of different rooms that can be closed off for private functions.

The Sheriff’s Office private dining room holds eight–12 people, the Pianola Bar can hold 20–110 people (and has its own private bar), the downstairs lounge fits 30–50 folks, the pool hall can accommodate 40–150 people, and you can even hire out the entire second-floor Honky Tonk bar, which holds 100–350 people. Drinking and dining packages also abound — with a strong emphasis on Tex-Mex eats, Moon Dog beers and playful cocktails.

With people queuing for a table at 7pm on a Wednesday night, you can tell there’s got to be something damn good about Melbourne’s Bar Lourinha. The wine list is heavily focused on European offerings, and the food is served up tapas style. Start the evening with salted cod croquettes before moving on to a heavenly seafood paella or the rich, slow-cooked veal that’s been doused in a thick walnut sauce.

And while we do love dining at the bar, chatting with the bartenders about what wine we should try next, the upstairs private dining room is an absolute gem for those wanting some privacy. The light-filled space seats up to 40 people for a sit-down lunch or dinner and guarantees you won’t need to line up.

Most folks know about Rooftop at QT — which can be booked out for really big events — but there is also a secret little adjoining rooftop bar located atop the Melbourne hotel. Known as Secret Garden, this private party space can be found via a separate entrance, and it features scalloped umbrellas, garden beds, live food stations, a Mediterranean barbecue menu and damn fine city views.

Those looking to go all out can even upgrade their menu with live station add-ons, including a burrata bar and rotisserie station. Pair this all with spritzes and signature cocktails, and you’ve got yourself one hell of a summer party.

Abbotsford bar and bistro Molli comes courtesy of the Mulberry Group (Hazel, Dessous, Lilac Wine, Liminal, Common Ground Project and Heide Kitchen). Each of Mulberry’s venues is bucket list-worthy, and Molli seems to be no exception. Former Hazel Head Chef and Abbotsford resident Aleksis Kalnins is running the kitchen here, plating up contemporary Australian fare, and Kayla Saito is behind the far-reaching bar menu that boasts a really fun punch bowl — perfect for groups.

When it comes to private dining, you can book the 12-person room that sits between Molli and Little Molli or go all out and book the rooftop. This rooftop is exclusively open to private events, and has 360-degree views over Melbourne. It’s easily one of the best private dining spaces in Melbourne, accommodating up to 100 seated guests and 290 standing guests. It even has its own kitchen up here, so there’s no need to worry about waiting for your spread.

As Mr Miyagi hits a decade of trade on Chapel Street, it’s proof that despite Melbourne’s ever-rotating door of hospitality venues, the best restaurants endure. Mr Miyagi is a rarity in this sense — brushing off momentary food fads and dizzying rebranding in favour of staying loyal to the original idea that won them hearts in Windsor and across the river nearly ten years ago. Modern Japanese is the bill here. And it does it brilliantly.

There are also two different private dining rooms available within this Melbourne restaurant. Mr M’s Private Dining Room upstairs seats up to 32 guests and has its own bar for those wanting to hit the Japanese-inspired cocktails hard. There’s also Yukie’s Bar at the rear of the restaurant that can be hired out for larger functions, holding up to 90 standing guests.

St Kilda’s Stokehouse is home to fabulous seafood dishes, uninterrupted views of the beach and some of the best private dining rooms in Melbourne. First off is the Palm Room. The space holds up to 40 people for lunch or dinner and is where you get those magnificent views of the palm-lined promenade.

If you’re after something more intimate, Stokehouse has its smaller Cellar Room that holds a tidy 15 people for a sit-down meal. The space is filled with copper and timber finishes and includes a dedicated staff member attending to your guests for a unique semi-private dining experience.

Tucked away in Flinders Lane is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne. Here, you can eat your way through the extensive a la carte menu or try one of the luxe omakase experiences at the bar. Alternatively, if you want to dine in one of the most unique and multi-sensory private dining rooms in Melbourne, book the Tsukiyo Dining Room.

It’s equipped with projectors that shine down scenes of nature onto the table and surrounding walls. The visuals are made to work with the dishes served, so you can start off by eating under the moonlight and end in a field of flowers. It is one of the most unique private dining rooms in Melbourne and fits six to 12 people.

In early 2023, the small Collingwood brewery Molly Rose stepped things up a few notches, taking over the two adjoining Wellington Street buildings to create a sprawling new home with a suite of supercharged offerings. It introduced a new Chef’s Table experience, a massive beer garden and a luxe private dining room.

The large, light-filled space is found upstairs and can seat up to 32 people. Being a brewery, the room has a bar with beer taps and a tasty range of local wines and spirits. Food-wise, the team will work with whoever books the private dining room to curate a special set menu, likely to focus on contemporary Australian and Southeast Asian eats.

You can dine on some of the best Japanese eats in Melbourne when hitting up Kisume, but the team here takes it up a notch with its ten-person private dining room. Here, guests sit around a small bar and try the restaurant’s intimate omakase experience. The multi-course dinner will set you back a mean $295 per person, so best save it for an extra special occasion.

And if you’re hosting a bigger gathering, Kisume also has four other private dining rooms. Kuro holds up to 44 people, Chablis Bar seats 40, Chika seats 16 and Hanza seats ten. A selection of set menus are available for each of these rooms, including the option to add sake and wine pairings.

Most folks know that Brunswick Street’s Ichi Ni Nana Izakaya is one of the best Japanese restaurants in Melbourne and that it’s home to some of the city’s best sushi, but few are fully aware of all its private dining spaces.

You can book out the 60-person underground den (where you can sing karaoke), the 40-person mezzanine lit by lanterns, the 24-person covered bamboo garden, the 60-person terrace, the 50-person ballroom, or the secret rooftop space which holds up to 80 people sitting down or 150 people standing. This rooftop is only ever opened to private events — or when Ichi Ni books out, and it is a great Melbourne hidden gem.

This beloved Fitzroy wine bar sits within a legendary Aussie crime boss’ old underground casino. Alphonse Gangitano left this spot back in the 90s, and it was left untouched for about 20 years, until the current team took over and made it into a true drinking and dining destination in Melbourne — keeping most of the building’s charm and original features intact.

Nowadays, you’ll find southern Italian eats on the seasonally changing menu, alongside a 300-strong wine list. The team also created one of the best private dining rooms in Melbourne, where up to 12 guests can sit around an antique black walnut table, treating themselves to excellent food and wine. Larger parties can also book out the Fire Room, which has its own fireplace.

A pop-up turned perennial favourite, Supernormal first opened the doors to its current Flinders Lane digs in early 2014 and has been earning fans ever since for its crafty fusion fare — including the famous signature lobster roll.

It’s also where you can have one of the most fun private dining experiences in Melbourne. Kick it off with a long lunch or dinner for up to 40 guests and follow it up with karaoke in the very same room. The team has a huge tele and all the gear required to keep the dancing and singing going til late.

In a two-level subterranean space beneath sibling Yugen Tea Bar, sits the luxurious Japanese restaurant Yugen Dining. It’s a multi-faceted drinking and dining destination with a dramatic aesthetic and an impressive commitment to detail.

This is especially true for Yugen’s six-seat omakase bar and series of private dining rooms — including the nine-person Golden Orb that’s suspended in mid-air. Within the orb, one of the very best private dining rooms in Melbourne, guests have a choice of either the chef’s set menu or a huge sashimi platter that’s made for sharing. There’s no minimum spend on most nights, except for Fridays and Saturdays when the bill should hit at least $2,500.

From the mind of Chris Lucas (Chin Chin, Hawker Hall, Kisume, Grill Americano, Society) comes the 80 Collins venture, Yakimono — a two-storey Japanese diner with a street food menu that’s fuelled by fire. An ode to the late-night izakayas of Tokyo — where Lucas spent three years living and working — it’s serving a fresh riff on Japanese street eats, melding classic flavours with a touch of Melbourne flair.

Private dining-wise, groups of up to 14 can hire out The Corner Room, backed by iridescent windows that throw all kinds of coloured light throughout the space. But be mindful that this is a semi-private space, so you will still feel the upbeat atmosphere coming from the rest of the restaurant.

Opening in 2017, Brunswick east’s Etta was an instant hit among both local food and wine lovers. Hannah Green (Rosetta) runs the show and is supported by Rosheen Kaul in the kitchen and Ashley Boburka in the wine cellar. The trio champions all things local, fresh and seasonal (with a strong focus on small producers), meaning change is a big part of everything here.

For intimate dinners, you can book out the Chef’s Table, where seven to ten people can sit at the bar and get a hyper-personalised dining experience, chatting to the team as they do their thing. Alternatively, for extra privacy, you can book The Greenhouse private dining room that holds up to 14 guests. Here, four-course set menus are the starting off point, as staff will also talk guests through the 250-strong wine list.

On one of Jason Jones’ trips to Paris, he stumbled upon three rules of Parisian dining worth abiding by. Keep it simple. Serve it till late. And never shirk on the fries. Thus Entrecôte was born — Jones’ famed French restaurant modelled closely on the Parisian restaurant L’Entrecôte.

Delight in some of the best French food in Melbourne and some of the city’s finest steaks here, either in the main dining room, out on the terrace or in its private dining room — Le Salon Prive. Here, the walls are lined by floor-to-ceiling wine fridges and wood panelling, and the room boasts an impressive white marble bar where your own personal bartender can whip up drinks for you and your guests all day long. It holds either 26 guests around one table or 32 around two.

Yet another hit from legendary chef Andrew McConnell (Cumulus Inc, Cutler & Co, Marion), Gimlet is a suave Melbourne restaurant and cocktail bar located in the 1920s-built Cavendish House. A dapper fit-out by Acme features soaring ceilings, geometric tiles and honeycomb chandeliers, while the food and drink offering is that of a very chic French bistro.

Either sit down in the main restaurant and bar or head to the mezzanine private dining room that looks out over the entire space. The intimate room for up to 12 guests features antique Murano glass chandeliers and artwork by Tony Clark. What better spot is there to delight in caviar service and fine champagne with 11 of your favourite people?

From the minds behind Sunda, this top Melbourne restaurant draws culinary inspiration from those early days of trade between Indonesian seafarers and northern Australia, championing the flavours of Southeast Asia, Japan and China, alongside our own native ingredients.

The restaurant seats a mean 120 people, but those wanting to stay away from the crowds can book the private dining room, Banda. Furnished in rich spotted gum and surrounded by bottles of fine wine, the room seats 12 people and has direct access to its terrace. Seating 30 people, the terrace area can also be booked in addition to the private dining room.

Like many a Fitzroy pub, the Marquis of Lorne has been through a few refurbs over the years, finally settling in its current form spread across three levels. On the ground floor, you’ll find your classic public bar with a tele in the corner and all your usual suspects on draught. And tucked away behind the bar is the pub’s private dining room, softly lit by a stained glass window and the room’s own fireplace (perhaps, best left for winter gatherings).

For bigger functions, the Marquis of Lorne will hire out its larger dining room on the second floor and rooftop space that holds up to 60 standing guests.

Society sports a timeless (and dramatic) aesthetic fusing elements of art deco, mid-century, art nouveau and brutalist sensibilities across its two restaurants — Society Dining Room and Lillian Terrace, plus the upmarket Society Lounge bar. The fine-dining restaurants serve up creative and lavish dishes, taking inspiration from Japan and Europe.

Groups of up to 20 guests can experience the height of personalised private dining in The Green Room where Society’s Executive Chef Luke Headon will curate a tailored menu to be prepared in front of you in the stunning Maestro kitchen. Yes, this is clearly going to be an expensive meal, but it will be one of the greatest you ever have. Larger groups can also book out the East and West rooms that hold up to 24 guests and 32 guests, respectively.

Omakase is so hot right now. And Minamishima has to be the best place to experience it in Melbourne. Sushi master Koichi Minamishima is the man behind this incredible multi-course odyssey, training all the other chefs who are mastering the craft.

Either dine in the small 40-seat restaurant or book one of the eight-person private dining rooms. The menu, now helmed by third-generation sushi chef Yoshiki Tano, reflects his skills in both sushi and Japan’s culinary arts — and is best experienced in these intimate spaces.

This Gertrude Street pub has existed in many a form over the years. But its 2018 renovation saw it become a quintessential locals’ pub with enough style to impress your mum. When it comes to both food and design, the whole pub has a contemporary British feel about it.

During this refurb, it also updated its two private dining rooms. The Bowery Room has its own open kitchen and bar, windows overlooking the tree-lined Gore Street and a striking neon artwork. The large space holds 60 people for seated events. The Private Dining Room is more intimate, holding up to 18 diners, and boasts an impressive vinyl collection and drinks cart curated for each party’s tastes.

This fine-diner opened at the tail end of 2023, bringing refined dishes that marry contemporary Australian cuisine with Chinese-Canto influences to the CBD. It’s also home to a series of private dining rooms. For small lunches and dinners, there are two semi-private dining rooms that hold up to eight and 12 guests each.

But if you’re looking to host a big Melbourne Christmas party or corporate event, check out the large chandelier space at the back of the main restaurant. Behind a wall of folding doors, there is a room that holds up to 60 people, replete with chandeliers and intricately carved wooden walls. Dine on wagyu steaks, fresh oysters and all manners of lavish eats here.

Located on the second level of the spruced-up Prince Hotel, Prince Dining Room has taken over the space previously home to Circa, which closed its doors after 20 years in 2017. In the kitchen, Executive Chef Dan Cooper (ex-Aria, Circa) has the reins, pairing Mediterranean flavours with local produce and giving more than a nod to the coast.

Here, there are also stacks of rooms that can be hired out for intimate evenings with mates or big work functions. The Prince Wine Cellar holds up to 14 people within a dimly lit cellar surrounded by vintage wines. The Prince Deck can seat 120 people, boasting views across St Kilda. The sun-soaked Atrium holds up to 20 people, surrounded by walls of plants. And lastly, the Sainthill Room can seat 15 to 40 people and has a private balcony looking out over the bay.