Ideal Restaurants in Singapore for Big Groups

If you’ve ever been tasked with planning a gathering for a big group of people, you’ll understand the frustrations of finding an ideal place – there has to be enough space for people to move around (ideally with a private area), the food needs to be good, and as far as possible, you would want to avoid the dreaded minimum spend. With the host of birthdays, bachelorette parties, promotions and engagement parties we’ve been privileged to attend recently, we just might have found a couple of ideal restaurants in Singapore for big groups. Read on and tell us if you agree!

1. The Unique Experience: Nox

If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind dining experience, you definitely need to try out dining in the dark at Nox. We threw a surprise party for a friend’s birthday there recently and it was such a success because the ultimate surprise is not knowing who your guests are until they decide to reveal themselves! We had a fun time getting the birthday girl to guess who her guests were, and what gifts they brought. It is also great for guest interaction because everyone is engaged in trying to figure out what they are eating, and several “heated” arguments arose over whether the mystery meat was chicken or duck (it turned out to be tripe). Another thing I love about Nox is that no light-emitting devices are permitted, so all phones and light sabers have to kept in the lockers. This also means that all your attention will be devoted to your companions and the excellent food! The dinner consists of 3 courses (appetisers, mains and desserts) that has 4 petit servings of delicious food. Their cocktails are also fantastic.

Private rooms are available for groups of maximum 13 people. 

2. The Chillax Lounge: Supply & Demand

We recently discovered this restaurant at the Esplanade and liked the food so much we went back twice in a weekend! Serving fusion Italian and Asian food, it has an extensive menu and delicious pizzas that will be perfect for sharing. Special mention for pizzas would be The Morning After and the Provinciale.  Groups have the options of choosing to congregate on funky swing sets, cozy sofas, or – my personal favourite – the private tent on the rooftop bar that can be secured with a minimum spending of $500. It also helps that they offer a wonderful array of beverages ranging from funky sodas to craft beers and wines.

3. The Fancy-Pants Fusion: Anti:dote 

We celebrated my friend’s hen’s night here and were given a long table at a private corner that could comfortably accommodate 12 people. Located next to the lobby of Fairmont Hotel, this restaurant dishes out interesting fusion tapas and funky cocktails. Our favourites were the Iberica with Italian Burrata, the Tomato Essence Shabu Shabu (OMG) and the Crispy Suckling Pig with Cherry and Miso Caramel. There are also ample spaces that can cater for groups, although I should warn you that as with most tapas options, the portions are small and rather pricey. A definite plus point was the excellent and prompt service!

4. The Shiok Local : New Ubin Seafood

Not every celebration needs to be at a fancy restaurant, and sometimes the best meal involves hearty local fare shared with your favourite people. Don’t worry, you won’t actually have to get on a bumboat to eat at New Ubin. It is, however, quite a schlep to get to this restaurant that’s hidden deep within the Sin Ming industrial estate. Yet the fact that it is consistently packed with diehard foodies even on weekdays night is testament to how good the food is! (Don’t even think of eating here on weekends if you don’t have a reservation!) Their menu is inventive and the must-trys include the aptly-named Boss Beehoon and US Angus Ribeye with Beef Fried Rice, and their BBQ Spare Ribs. Their chilli crab is also a must-try.

If you wanna zhng your tze-char experience, New Ubin also offers exclusive private dining for up to 24 people in their wine cellar. A minimum expenditure of $888++ per table will  get you butler service and a private wash area for your guests. To avoid the minimum spend, you can also call in advance to make a reservation in their air-conditioned area.

5. The Stylish European: Da Paolo Bistro Bar (Rochester Park)

Nestled in the colonial enclave of Rochester Park, Da Paolo Ristorante serves classic, delicious Italian fare at a reasonable price. Their cozy lounge area is perfect for drinks and bar bites with a large group as it can comfortably seat 20 people. Food portions are great for sharing and we were also impressed by the quality of the starters and the pastas (our favourites were the slipper lobster & homemade tagliolini), although the mains we tried were nothing to shout about. It’s great for large groups because they can set up their long tables either within the colonial house itself or at a corner next to the bar, which provides a semblance of privacy.

There is however, a minimum spending of $1500 (weekdays) – $2000 (weekends) for exclusive use of the lounge area. You should also know that only bar snacks and pizzas are to be consumed at the lounge area.

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Need a visual guide? Here’s a map of where you can find restaurants in Singapore for big groups!

We’re certain there are many more awesome restaurants that are great for large groups too, so please give us a shout-out if you know of any others!