Evening Birthday Party at Restaurant...would you expect open bar?

rosiep05

I'm throwing a 40th birthday party for my husband in a few months at a local restaurant. Probably around 40-50 people. I'm always torn on what to do with events like this:

1) Open bar the whole time

2) Open bar the first hour

3) Passed wine during dinner (cash bar the rest of the time)

4) other options? 

6fsn

Whatever you decide make sure soft drinks and such are covered.  My least favorite option is the open bar for the first hour.  If you can afford it I'd consider hosting beer and wine all night.

Jim&Jaime

I'd say beer, wine, and soda for the evening.  You can usually work with the bar to limit the wine offered so it's not the most expensive glass on the menu.

TarHeels&Rebels

I'd probably cover domestic beer, a couple wines and soda and let them buy their own anything else.

kellygraham17

My favorite option is passed wine during dinner.  My extended family attended a 50th anniversary party for friends of our family where they did this (had 1 carraffe of white and 1 caraffe of red on each table that got refilled all night).  It was interesting because even my grandfather, who does not drink, tried a little of both wines.  If it had been an open or cash bar, he wouldn't have, but he just wanted to try a sip.  *On a side note, my mom who had never seen her father dring (he was 70 at the time) was mortified while the rest of the family thought it was hilarious!*  But, like PP said, I would highly recommend covering soda for the whole thing.  Some people won't drink, for whatever reason, at all and, as someone who falls into this category often at parties (for one reason or another), I can tell you I would be upset if you covered the alcohol (can be expensive) but not the soda (fairly inexpensive).

wejustwant2:)

Hi!  I think I would either do an open bar for the first "cocktail hour" and then beer, wines and soda.  Or just beer, wines and soda for the full night.  Def' would not do a "cash bar" under any circumstances.

BTW - I would ask the restaurant re: the price dif' between beer, wine and soda and a limited open bar. - depending on the wines and beers and liquors selected - sometimes it doesn't cost them any more to keep the bar open all night with basic well brands of vodka, whiskey, bourbon, gin and mixers.

Good Luck!

lsgarver

If there's a significant difference in price between open bar and beer and wine (and soda) only, then I'd choose first beer and wine and then passed wine.  I'd skip having it open the first hour and then all cash.

Honestly, for a birthday party, I personally wouldn't expect alcohol included but many people probably would.

branz7

Hmmm I wouldn't expect anyone to supply hard alcohol at a dinner party that wasn't hosted in someone's home, or that wasn't a wedding.  Even then though, I wouldn't expect hard liquor, I just think it'd be easier to supply it in those circumstances.

That being said, I like the idea of hosting wine, beer, and non-alc served all night if possible, and if not all night then definitely wine with dinner.  

 

 

 

 

manishd

I'd say soft drinks, coffee, tea,  and one signature drink (hubby's favorite beer or cocktail???)  Around here, you can usually negotiate a better deal on the alcohol when only one type of alcohol is served.  I recently was at a bday party where the birthday girls favorite pink champagne was served for the cocktail hour and after that all guests were responsible for their own drinks, and no one seemed put out by that.

martinilove

TarHeels&Rebels:

I'd probably cover domestic beer, a couple wines and soda and let them buy their own anything else.

This.  Otherwise, I would just let them pay for their drinks.  I've been to plenty of b-day parties at restaurants and I never expected the host to buy my drinks; if I could afford it, I'd go and if not, I still considered going and just limiting my drink intake or what I was drinking.  It's not that big of a deal...it's not a wedding or anything where it's expected that some of the drinks are covered.  Maybe you could just cover a champagne toast to the birthday boy instead???

vjcjenn1

I actually think passed wine during dinner might be an expensive option...

 I would talk to the bar and weigh out the prices.

You might let people know that you've opened a tab to cover soft drinks and 2 cocktails per person, and then have the bar check in with you once that tab reaches a certain amount, say 200.00, and then from them you can say, okay, keep it open another 20 minutes or another 50.00. Most people will stick with the 2 drinks, some may just have one or none, and others may push it for more BUT this should all even out.

northtamarack

martinilove:

TarHeels&Rebels:

I'd probably cover domestic beer, a couple wines and soda and let them buy their own anything else.

This.  Otherwise, I would just let them pay for their drinks.  I've been to plenty of b-day parties at restaurants and I never expected the host to buy my drinks; if I could afford it, I'd go and if not, I still considered going and just limiting my drink intake or what I was drinking.  It's not that big of a deal...it's not a wedding or anything where it's expected that some of the drinks are covered.  Maybe you could just cover a champagne toast to the birthday boy instead???

ITA w/ the bolded part.  I also really like the idea of covering the champange toast.