Christmas Party Venues in Balmain

What to Know Before Booking Christmas Party Venues

For an office Christmas party just west of the city, Balmain's pubs and restaurants offer rooms that feel private without a big function-centre set-up. The Royal Oak gives its whole top floor on College Street to events, taking 140 at a cocktail party with a balcony, a fireplace and its own bar, and staff presentations are among the events it hosts.

On Elliott Street, the courtyard at Elliott's has a custom retractable roof and heaters, so a December storm won't wash out the night.

Sizing the end-of-year function to a Balmain venue:

20 to 40 colleagues at one long sitting: The Royal Oak's set menu for seated groups, from $75 per person
A department of around 60: the Upstairs Bar at The London Hotel on Darling Street, with a staffed bar and two big TVs, or the Lounge beside the Main Bar at The Riverview Hotel on Birchgrove Road for stand-up work drinks
A small company of 110 on its feet: Courtyard @ Elliott's, with a stage and AV for the awards
Up to 120 moving between indoors and out: Courtyard & Pool Room @ The Cricketers, from $5,000 minimum spend, reached from Ford Street as well as through the pub
A daytime team break by the water: Pavilion @ Dawn Fraser Baths, from $65 per hour venue hire, for 40 standing

Budget holders should compare how each venue charges. The London Hotel quotes canapés from $29 per person and waives room hire for 30 or more, Elliott's shared chef's menu starts from $90 per person, and The Cricketers applies a minimum spend to its courtyard and pool room.

Juniors can rack up a game on The Cricketers' two pool tables or feed the jukebox while senior staff talk out in the courtyard
Lounge chairs and a fireplace on The Royal Oak's top floor give quieter corners away from its private bar
Elliott's chef's menu comes in pescatarian, vegetarian and vegan forms, which covers most dietary lists
The London Hotel's head chef can talk through dietary needs before the canapé menu is locked in

Thank-you speeches and the year in review

The London Hotel's microphone and in-house sound system suit a short speech from the boss
A stage and AV equipment can be set up in the Elliott's courtyard for presentations or a band
The Cricketers has AV and TVs, handy for a slideshow of the year's highlights
At the baths there is Wi-Fi and step-free access, and music is allowed if the volume respects council noise rules

Venues for Christmas Parties: Your Questions Answered

Which Balmain venue copes with a stormy December night outdoors?

Courtyard @ Elliott's has a retractable roof and heaters, so the booking doesn't depend on the forecast. The courtyard at The Cricketers adjoins an indoor pool room, so the team can simply move inside.

Can a Balmain work party skip the room hire charge?

At The London Hotel, choosing canapés for at least 30 people means no room hire. The Cricketers' upstairs private room, for up to 80, has no minimum spend.

Is there a daytime Christmas option beside the water?

Pavilion @ Dawn Fraser Baths takes bookings between 6:30am and 7pm, right beside a heritage tidal pool, with change rooms and showers close by. Bring your own food and drinks or hire a caterer.

How do Balmain pubs handle drinks for a work group?

The London Hotel can run a bar tab, while Elliott's and The Cricketers tailor drinks packages to the group. The Royal Oak's top floor has a private bar of its own, and The Riverview Hotel pairs beverage packages with canapés, pizza boards or a seated set menu.