Birthday Party Venues in Double Bay

Choosing the Right Birthday Party Venue

Four of the suburb's party spaces sit within a few doors of each other on Bay Street: Private Dining Room @ Tanuki at number 37, the Royal Oak Hotel at 28, Matteo Double Bay at 29 and Margaret at 30-36. Up on New South Head Road, a function room built among the branches of an old fig tree goes by the name The Canopy @ The Golden Sheaf, while Cross Street adds a hotel terrace, Courtyard @ InterContinental Sydney Double Bay, and Kiaora Road has The Lawns of Double Bay at the bowling club.

Sizing up the birthday guest list:

Fourteen at one table: Tanuki's courtyard room lines 14 guests along a single table beneath a glass roof with a tree growing through it, with canapé packages from $70 per person.
A 21st with a crowd: The Canopy holds 150 standing with its own bar, bathrooms and a balcony into the fig tree, and the pub welcomes 18th and 21st parties.
Rooftop drinks: up to 180 can stand on Phil's Rooftop above the Oak, warmed by heaters, cooled by misting fans and served by a bar of its own.
A long Italian lunch: out the back at Matteo, a terrace for roughly 55 diners shuts away from the main restaurant.
Relatives who need step-free access: the InterContinental's Courtyard has level entry throughout and accessible toilets, for 40 seated or 60 standing.

Cake rules differ from venue to venue. The Golden Sheaf and the Royal Oak charge no cakeage, while Matteo adds a per-head fee if you bring your own, so it is worth asking before the candles go on.

Neon at the Royal Oak suits a group of 15, and its upstairs Private Dining Room above Bay Street seats 22.
For a gathering of 30, The Golden Sheaf also has its Sunrise lounge.
Matteo's whole restaurant takes 170 seated or 200 standing, with all but the fixed benches cleared for a cocktail-style night, while taking over Margaret gives you 100 seats, or 150 with some guests standing.
The InterContinental's Courtyard can be set cabaret-style for 28, and the hotel team handles catering and event management. Over on Kiaora Road, private parties of up to 170 fit in the bowling club's function centre, whose heated balcony overlooks the greens.

Menus and music for the night

Tanuki's set menus include one with Australian wagyu, and seafood and oyster stations can be added to any package.
Canapés at The Canopy start from $50 per person for five pieces, for groups of 15 or more, with share boards and platters as alternatives.
Canapé packages at the Royal Oak Hotel begin from $36 per person for 20 or more, and a DJ with equipment can be booked for rooftop events.
Bringing a DJ or your own playlist to the Courtyard is fine, as long as it stays under the hotel's on-site noise limit.

Common Questions About Venues for Birthday Parties

Which Double Bay venues let us bring a birthday cake for free?

The Golden Sheaf and the Royal Oak Hotel both let you bring a cake with no cakeage fee. Matteo Double Bay charges cakeage per head, and adds a 10 per cent service charge to groups. Margaret charges cakeage per head as well, and bans balloons, confetti and glitter.

Is there a private room for a small birthday dinner in Double Bay?

Private Dining Room @ Tanuki fits 14 around a single table, or 25 on their feet, tucked beside The Lounge at the back of the izakaya. Screen and AV gear can be organised for the birthday speeches.

Where could a 21st for 150 or more go in Double Bay?

The Canopy @ The Golden Sheaf holds 150 standing, Phil's Rooftop at the Royal Oak Hotel takes 180, and Matteo Double Bay fits 200 standing when the whole restaurant is booked.

Can older guests or anyone using a wheelchair get into the InterContinental's Courtyard?

Yes. Courtyard @ InterContinental Sydney Double Bay has step-free access throughout, is wheelchair accessible and has accessible toilets. Bookings start from $500 minimum spend.