A good rehearsal dinner spot in Saratoga?

fork on tableNicole asks:

I'd like recommendations for a venue in Saratoga Springs that could host a rehearsal dinner. The dinner would be for twenty people and over the summer, though before track season. I would need a private space, separate from other patrons, and would like something on the more casual end. We're willing to consider somewhat unconventional venues. However, we need to be cost conscious.
If you know of a place that would seem to be a good fit for my needs, and could provide the name of the person you specifically worked with, that would be very helpful, as I haven't had much luck getting responses to some of my emails/phone calls to restaurants thus far.

It feels like there are a bunch new places opened in Saratoga in the last year, so we're curious to hear people's suggestions. (Also:: A little bit of customer service goes a long way.)

Got a suggestion for Nicole? Please share! And a sentence or two about you're recommending a place can be helpful.

Comments

The Wishing Well on Rte 9 is great for large groups. The food is solid, can cater to many tastes, and they'll design a menu with you.

I can speak highly of just such an experience a few years back at Boca Bistro on Broadway. The space is perfect (a brick-walled private room), the food options varied and tasty, some nice choices of wine selected in advance and some good beers on tap at the bar, and excellent customer service from the initial meeting to plan the dinner to the wait service the night of the event.

A particularly nice bonus, too, is that we were allowed to put the entire bill on the DZ Preferred Guest program card (free). 10% reward dollars back meant a couple nice dinners back at Boca for free in the year after the rehearsal dinner.

I don't know if it would fit cost-wise (different people have different definitions of "cost-conscious," after all), but it is an experience that we look back on fondly and still hear about from family reminiscing about that night, so I thought I should share.

Try the Mouzon House. Great food and atmosphere and plenty of different indoor/outdoor areas for privacy

The Thirsty Owl Winery is a fun place to hold a private event. They will close the tasting room down and can do a super casual dinner of appetizers. They also have a little private room upstairs... but I think that will only hold about 12 people. Food is delicious and service is great when we went as a big group (although not for a private event).

Fish at 30 Lake also does events. They have a little side area that I junk could hold 20 people. There is not a wall separating it from the main dining area, but it is set back. Always have a good meal there.

I found Mouzon House to be expensive but the food is delicious and the setting is so unique.

Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I have reached out to some of these places, and I think one or two of them may be solid contenders! Further suggestions are, of course, appreciated!

Let us know what you picked and why! It'd be interesting to hear the outcome.

Hi, AddiesDad. We ended up going with Thirsty Owl (Thanks, Christina!). In addition to being in a nice, central location (and in a really beautiful building), their pricing, responsiveness, and flexibility sold us!

We organized our at Hattie's, reserving the front room of the restaurant. Family style fried chicken dinner. Worked out well.

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