Group dinners in Vancouver: how to book a table for 8, 12 or 20

Getting eight or more people around one table in Vancouver is harder than it sounds. Many of the city's most popular restaurants are small, and their largest tables seat six. Others will take your group but only with a set menu, a deposit or a minimum spend. If you are organizing a team dinner, a reunion or a family gathering, it helps to know how restaurants think about groups before you start calling.

Which Vancouver restaurants are good for large groups?

The best group restaurants are built for sharing and have big tables:

• Chinese banquet restaurants, especially in Richmond, Chinatown and Burnaby, with round tables for ten or twelve and lazy Susans in the middle. Set menus for a whole table are normal.
• Korean barbecue, where the grill is the entertainment. North Road and West Robson have many.
• Hot pot restaurants, where everyone cooks at the table.
• Brewpubs and large pubs, which often have long tables and room for a crowd.
• Italian, Greek and Middle Eastern restaurants that serve family-style platters.
• Restaurants with private or semi-private rooms, which are best for anything above fifteen.

Small tasting-menu restaurants and tiny neighbourhood bistros are usually the hardest places to book for a big group.

How far ahead should you book a group dinner?

For eight to twelve people on a weekend, aim for two to four weeks ahead. In November and December, when office holiday parties take over, book a month or more ahead for any group, and earlier for a private room. Weeknights are easier and sometimes more flexible on menus and minimums. If your date is fixed, call several places at once rather than waiting on one.

What is a set menu for a group?

Many restaurants require groups above a certain size to choose a set menu: either a fixed list of dishes for the table, or a short menu each guest picks from. It lets the kitchen cook for a crowd without slowing service for everyone else. It also makes the cost predictable, which helps when you are collecting money. Ask for the options when you book, and tell the restaurant about allergies and dietary needs early, so the set menu can be adjusted.

Do Vancouver restaurants charge a deposit for groups?

Some do. A deposit, a credit card hold or a minimum spend is common for large tables, private rooms and busy dates, because a no-show for a table of twelve costs a small restaurant a whole night's sitting. Ask:

1. Is there a deposit, and is it refundable?
2. What is the cancellation deadline?
3. Is there a minimum spend for the room or table?
4. Is an automatic gratuity added, and from how many guests?

What is on a Chinese banquet set menu?

Chinese banquet restaurants are some of the easiest places in Metro Vancouver to feed ten or twelve people, and the set menus follow a familiar pattern. A typical banquet might include:

• A cold platter or barbecue platter to start, such as roast pork, soy chicken or jellyfish.
• A soup, often seafood or a slow-cooked broth.
• Seafood courses, which may include crab, lobster, prawns or scallops, depending on the price level.
• A whole steamed fish, served near the end.
• Fried rice or noodles, often among the last savoury dishes. Long noodles are associated with long life, which is why they appear at birthdays.
• A sweet soup or dessert to finish.

Menus are usually priced per table, with several levels to choose from. Ask what each level includes, whether dishes can be swapped for allergies, and whether seafood is priced at market rate on the day.

How should a group split the bill?

Decide before you go. Options that work:

Method	Good for
Split evenly	Shared dishes, set menus, friends who eat similarly
Pay for your own	Groups with very different budgets or drinkers and non-drinkers
One person pays, others send money	Big groups where the restaurant gives one bill

Many restaurants will not split a single bill fifteen ways, so a payment app is often the easiest answer. Remember that BC menu prices do not include tax: 5 percent GST on food, plus 10 percent PST on alcohol. If an automatic gratuity is on the bill, that is the tip; do not add another unless you want to.

How do you organize a group dinner without stress?

1. Collect dietary needs first. One severe allergy can rule out a whole cuisine.
2. Give the restaurant an accurate headcount, and update it as soon as it changes.
3. Arrive on time. Many restaurants will not seat a group until most people are there, and tables often have a time limit.
4. Nominate one contact for the restaurant, and pre-order if the menu allows it.
5. Agree on the bill method in the group chat beforehand.

Where can a large group eat without booking?

It is harder, but possible. Food courts in Richmond and Burnaby, food truck gatherings, beer halls and the largest brewpubs can usually absorb a group at short notice, especially outside peak hours. Dim sum restaurants often seat big groups at lunch with a wait rather than a booking, and they are lively, affordable and good for mixed ages.

Planning for a crowd means choosing a place everyone will be happy with. On Mosey, you can see where people actually ate, what they ordered and how they rated it, follow friends whose taste you trust, and share a list of group-friendly places with whoever is organizing next time.

More guides to read next:

• Holiday dining in Vancouver: the Christmas Market, festive menus and booking tips
• Halal food in Vancouver: where to look and how to check
• Happy hour in Vancouver: how it works in BC and how to find a good one

More in the Canadian food guides and the ranked lists of places.