Trying to impress the boss? Close a deal? Gather everyone for a team meeting? Here are Atlanta's best bets for business get-togethers.
Best place to make a presentation to company outsiders: Ray's on the River– When your prospective client flies in for a meeting or you're looking to impress an Atlanta-based business with a new view of the city, book a private dining room at Ray's on the River. Outfitted for business meetings with televisions, projector capabilities and plenty of outlets, the space pairs your meeting with great views and delicious dining.
Best place for a team meal: no. 246– Ford Fry's Decatur restaurant is perfect for hosting a large, family-style Italian dinner. Able to accommodate up to 40 guests, the restaurant offers the capacity to join together before dinner by renting out its patio for a pre-meal cocktail reception. Want something more intimate? The eatery's Black Sheep Table seats 12 guests and treats them to multiple courses, family style while providing special attention through each course.
Best place to meet without having to worry about parking: Local Three– If easy in, easy out is a high priority for your meeting, the Bushwood Private Dining Room at Local Three is the room you want to reserve. The restaurant's close proximity to I-75, Buckhead, Atlanta's Westside and Cobb County make it a great central meeting place. Parking in the garage attached to the restaurant is abundant and easily accessible from a traffic light at the entrance to the Piazza at Paces.
The space seats 12-40 guests and comes complete with audio/visual capabilities including an electronic screen, a built-in LCD projector, an iPod dock for music as well as CD and DVD players.
Best place for office worker team building: Vino Venue– Skip the ropes course challenge and take your team for a wine tasting at Vino Venue. The establishment, an extension of the Atlanta Wine School, offers artisinal wines available for tasting and plenty of expertise to leave everyone a bit more knowledgeable. Think outside the bottle and let the Vino Venue staff host your coworkers as part of a cooking competition or teach them how to pair wine with meals.
Best place to lunch with your CEO: McKendrick's Steak House– The dark wood and warm colored walls welcome the memories of a simpler business climate. When you want to impress your boss for lunch or dinner, there is no place better than McKendrick's in Dunwoody. Not only will your boss be impressed by your upscale taste, he or she will definitely consider you for the next promotional opportunity once they've tasted McKendrick's delicious classic American cuisine.
Best place for an informal holiday party: Southbound– When the emphasis is so often on dressing up for the annual company holiday party, go for a change of pace and dress down for a night out in the charming and inviting private dining room at Southbound. Exposed brick walls combine with antique chairs and the original ornately carved bar from the famed Peabody Hotel to create an intimate space with true Southern flair.
Best overall: STK Atlanta– From the time you start to woo a client over drinks from STK's upscale (but not overwhelming bar) to holding a presentation, sealing the deal and celebrating the contract with the team, there's no better Atlanta restaurant to do that at than STK in Midtown.
Their two private dining rooms can be booked separately or combined for a meeting space featuring full 60" rounds of 8 or 10 to accommodate up to 60, and crescent rounds of 35.
Once you've made the presentation, head to the main dining room where you'll be seated in a crescent booth, inviting close talking negotiation and handshake agreements.
Celebrate the closure of the deal with a cocktail or a bottle of Veuve Clicquot at the STK bar where you'll be able to mingle with the restaurant's usual fun, flirty crowd.
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