Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
The holidays are the perfect time to gather loved ones and enjoy the company of people who add sparkle to your life — and there's no better backdrop to a party than Lafayette's vibrant restaurant scene. If you're organizing a crowd this season — work parties, friend groups and extended family are all about to start scheduling events — it's time to start thinking about booking party rooms. Several of Lafayette's top restaurants, running the gamut from high-end Italian to wings, beer and sports, are available to host this year. Private event rooms are often the perfect middle ground between the expense and effort of hosting at home, and the fight to snag tables (or worse, several tables) during one of the busiest times of the year. Whether your group prefers classic Cajun dishes, or crowd-pleasing Mexican food, this list offers something for everyone — with enough space to make it a real party. The spots on this list offer spaces that can hold groups of up to 50 — or hundreds, in the case of the Yard Goat's beer garden and event spaces. If you're looking for something more intimate, Palmyre in River Ranch can host 12 in their jewel-box Champagne Room. If your favorite restaurant isn't on this list, give them a call to see if they can accommodate your group. No matter what kind of party you're hosting, it's best to book your space sooner rather than later. Pete's On Johnston 3903 Johnston St., Lafayette The Johnston Street sports bar re-opened last year after a fire initiated a full renovation of the restaurant space and private event room, which features a 55-inch television and a 4-screen video wall. The suggested capacity for Pete's private event space, "The Suite," is 20 to 25 people. The room can be booked with a $500 minimum-spend payment, which goes towards all food and non-alcoholic beverage purchases. Pete's offers menu packages that include quesadillas, a nacho bar, or wings. Their full menu is also available with standard pricing. They request that customers call or email the restaurant to inquire about availability and book the suite. Zea Rotisserie & Bar 235 Doucet Road, Lafayette Known for juicy rotisserie chicken, loaded hummus platters, Thai ribs and other dishes that take inspiration from world cuisines, Zea can host a holiday dinner or cocktail-style event that holds everyone. The Lafayette restaurant's private dining room can seat 55, or up to 85 people standing. The room is available for lunches or dinners during the week, lunch only on Fridays and Saturdays, and dinner events only on Sundays. The room can be had for a minimum spend of $450 for lunch, or $800 for dinner, with the full menu available for table or buffet service. Request information via Zea's online form to learn more, or inquire about off-menu or catering orders for your group. Superior Grill 2320 Kaliste Saloom Road, Lafayette Known for margaritas, chips-and-queso and sizzling fajitas, Superior Grill offers a party atmosphere for all the senses. Their event space is gorgeously decorated, and can be booked as a half-room or whole-room for groups of up to 25, or up to 50. Book now to take advantage of a few more days of pre-Thanksgiving pricing. The minimum spend for half of the room is currently $800, or $1,600 for the full space. Holiday pricing will go into effect after Thanksgiving until Jan. 1, at $1,200 minimum spend for half, and a $2,400 spend for the whole space. After New Year's, the cost for reserving private events will be $900/$1,800. Guests can inquire about booking using Superior Grill Lafayette's online form. Central Pizza 423 Jefferson St., Lafayette Who doesn't love pizza? This is the perfect option for groups looking to throw an elevated pizza party for the holidays, with a side of fun cocktails in the heart of downtown. Central Pizza's Jefferson Street location (they recently opened in Broussard too) features a private dining room that places you in the center of downtown's holiday festivities. For events booked Monday through Thursday, they ask for a $250 deposit that goes toward the $500 minimum spend for the room. On Fridays and Saturdays the deposit is $500, and the minimum spend is $1,000. The room seats up to 24 people, and guests can call the restaurant directly to book. Cugino 117 S. College Road, Lafayette Lafayette's newest spot for Italian dining opened this fall, courtesy of restaurateurs Hunter Moody and Gene Todaro — one of the founders of Marcello's in Lafayette. Cugino continues the tradition of high-end, authentic Italian dishes in a newly-designed atmosphere perfect for intimate evenings and elevated gatherings. They can seat up to 32 people in the "Goodfellas" room, which requires a minimum spend of $2,500 to book. All food and beverage orders are applied toward the spend, and if the group does not hit the minimum, guests can choose bottles of wine to bring home from the restaurant's selection. Call the restaurant to inquire about availability and to reserve the space for your gathering. Poor Boy's Riverside Inn 240 Tubing Road, Broussard This Cajun restaurant, potentially the oldest in Lafayette Parish, features a freestanding "cooking cottage" where groups can host 30 guests for a sit-down meal, or up to 50 for a cocktail party that can expand into the restaurant's scenic outdoor space. The cottage, which features a private bar and a 92-inch screen, is available for a $275 rental fee, which is waived if the group hits $500 or more in orders. Open for over 90 years, Poor Boy's is celebrated for their classic Cajun dishes, including lump crab cakes, crawfish etouffee and their famous sweet potato beignets. Call the restaurant directly to inquire about booking the space this season. Yard Goat 116 Bertrand Drive, Lafayette One of the most flexible spots on this list, this beer garden in central Lafayette can accommodate groups of around 15 people in their private patio spaces, or up to 200 guests in the large patio. They can also flex with indoor space that holds up to 50, and is perfect for events that include a program or speakers. A $250 deposit is required for all of the Yard Goat's venue, and they must be booked for a minimum of two hours. With hundreds of beers on tap and a menu that features burgers, wings and flatbread pizzas, the Yard Goat is a great choice for large, casual parties. Fill out their online form to inquire about booking.
