20 Best Ugly Sweater Party Venues in NYC (2026)

By Litty NYC Venue Guide | Published
Upstairs bar area at Little More in Tribeca with the marble bar and spirits library

Festive bars and private rooms made for your tackiest holiday party yet

An ugly sweater party nyc search turns up a lot of generic bars. This list is better. These are 20 real, bookable ugly sweater party venues nyc groups actually use, covering Manhattan, Brooklyn, and the Bronx, for groups of 20 up to 500. Some are dive bars where the tackiness fits right in. Some are fancy rooms where a light-up reindeer sweater looks even funnier. Capacities, neighborhoods, and booking details are below so you can pick one and lock a date before December fills up.

A 45-foot marble bar and a downstairs speakeasy in Tribeca

Upstairs bar area at Little More in Tribeca with the marble bar and spirits library

The joke writes itself here. Little More is one of the best looking rooms in Tribeca, a 45-foot marble bar under a 16-foot spirits library, serpent murals, a botanical wall. Now fill it with people in light-up Rudolph knitwear. The contrast is the whole party.

The cocktails are legitimately good. The bar team came from Apotheke, and the food menu backs it up, including a vertical spiral lasagna and crab mac and cheese that fit a holiday spread. No minimum spend requirement listed, which is rare for a room this nice.

Capacity works for most group sizes. The entire upstairs and bar holds 150, the back area upstairs holds 65, and the downstairs speakeasy takes 40 if you want the party fully behind a closed door. It sits on Reade Street between West Broadway and Church, a two-minute walk off the Chambers St 1/2/3 and A/C stops.

Deluxx Fluxx

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Blacklight room and arcade cabinets inside Webster Hall

Colorful art-covered interior at Deluxx Fluxx in the East Village

Ugly sweaters under blacklight. That alone should sell you on Deluxx Fluxx, an art installation turned dance club from artists FAILE and BÄST, housed in the Webster Hall building on East 11th Street. White threads and neon patterns glow in the blacklight room, so tell everyone to lean into the brightest sweater they own.

The LED screens throughout the space are customizable, meaning you can run holiday visuals, your company logo in candy cane font, or photos of the worst sweaters from last year. Custom vintage arcade cabinets keep the non-dancers busy, and the Danley sound system handles a real dance party.

Full buyouts hold 400. Smaller crews can grab the Mirror Booth or Blue Booth for 20 each. Astor Place and Union Square trains are both a short walk, which matters when half your guests are commuting in costume.

360-degree projections, games, and a dance floor in the East Village

Immersive projection-lit interior at Sugar Mouse in the East Village

Sugar Mouse runs over 40 projectors to wrap the whole room in visuals, which means your ugly sweater party can happen inside a floor-to-ceiling winter wonderland without you hanging a single decoration. That is a real advantage when you have zero time to set up.

Between the pool tables, ping pong, foosball, and a proper dance floor with a stage for a DJ, nobody stands around awkwardly. An ugly sweater ping pong bracket is a genuinely great party format.

Full buyouts hold 400, half the venue takes 200, and the pool and ping pong area covers 100. No minimum spend listed. It sits at 47 3rd Avenue, steps off Astor Place on the 6 and close to the L at 3rd Ave.

Nautical cocktail bar with a vintage photo booth on Houston Street

Cozy nautical-themed bar interior at The Folly in Lower Manhattan

Every ugly sweater party needs photographic evidence, and The Folly has a vintage photo booth on site. That plus a DJ booth and a projector screen with full AV means the sweater contest can have an actual slideshow and awards ceremony.

The space itself is warm and nautical, reclaimed wood and rope details, like a cozy ship galley. Oysters, lobster rolls, and craft cocktails round it out. It reads as a holiday party that people actually want to attend, not an obligation.

The private mezzanine holds 30, the room and mezzanine combo takes 90, and a full buyout fits 175. No minimum spend listed. Find it at 92 West Houston between LaGuardia Place and Thompson, a short walk off Broadway-Lafayette on the B/D/F/M.

The Farm Soho Loft

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A blank-canvas loft you can decorate as tackily as you want

Rustic loft event space at The Farm Soho with high ceilings and large windows

Most bars will not let you cover the walls in tinsel. The Farm Soho Loft will. It is a 1,000 square foot historic loft on Broadway at Grand Street, 15-foot ceilings, huge windows, rustic wood furniture, and outside catering is allowed. You control the food, the drinks, and every inch of the decor.

A lofted DJ booth, sound system, projector, and dimmable lights are built in, so the tech side is handled even though the space is a blank canvas. The main venue holds 50, and there is a smaller lounge for 16.

Budget note: a $200 cleaning fee applies to all bookings, and bartender and security fees of $45 per hour may apply. Canal St on the N/Q/R/W/J/Z/6 is a very short walk.

Velvet Brooklyn

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Chandeliers, a disco ball, and a coat check in Williamsburg

Exposed brick bar interior with warm lighting at Velvet Brooklyn in Williamsburg

Velvet Brooklyn nails the holiday party checklist. Exposed brick and vintage chandeliers for atmosphere, a 20-inch disco ball and a Pioneer DDJ-SZ2 for dancing, a projector for the sweater awards slideshow, and a coat check, which matters more than people think when everyone arrives in a winter coat over a sweater.

The full venue holds 110, the Velvet Room takes 60, and the Main Bar fits 50, so you can size the booking to your headcount instead of overpaying for empty space. Customizable catering and specialty cocktails are handled in house.

It sits at 174 Broadway near the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge, a short walk off Marcy Ave on the J/M/Z.

Ugly sweaters in a tropical oasis above Times Square

Lush greenery and warm lighting inside Palma Verde in Times Square

Hear me out: Christmas sweaters in fake Tulum. Palma Verde sits four floors above Times Square and looks like a tropical escape, all palms and warm lighting. Reindeer knitwear against a jungle backdrop makes for the funniest party photos on this list.

The main dining space holds up to 400, which puts this in serious company-holiday-party territory. Latin-inspired food, good mojitos, and an atmosphere that shifts into full nightlife mode as the evening goes on.

The Midtown location at 1604 Broadway near West 49th is genuinely useful for corporate groups. The 49th St N/R/W stop is around the corner and nearly every train in the city hits Times Square.

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KRU Brooklyn

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A Michelin Guide favorite for the classy-tacky holiday party

Industrial-chic dining room with exposed brick at KRU Brooklyn in Williamsburg

KRU is a James Beard semifinalist and a MICHELIN Guide favorite, so this is the pick if your ugly sweater party doubles as the real company holiday dinner. Terrible knitwear, excellent food. Great combination.

The Williamsburg space has exposed raw brick, open-air garage doors, botanical illustrations, and a flexible open floor plan. A full buyout holds 100, there is a full bar and a wine program built for pairings, plus a projector and DJ setup for the party portion of the night.

It works especially well for teams that want one venue for dinner, awards, and dancing without moving locations. Full commercial kitchen on site means real catering, not sad passed apps.

Orchard Beach Pavilion

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Art Deco hall on the water for a big Bronx holiday party

Restored 1936 Art Deco event hall at Orchard Beach Pavilion in the Bronx

This one is different. Orchard Beach Pavilion is 5,500 square feet of restored 1936 Art Deco architecture sitting directly on the water in the Bronx, and a wall of windows frames sunsets over Long Island Sound. A winter beach party in ugly sweaters is a theme nobody in your office has done before.

Pavilion Hall holds 200 and the long service counter makes a natural line for a buffet or bar setup. The Upper South Balcony takes another 100 for a cocktail hour with the best view on the beach.

If you are searching holiday theme party venues nyc and want something outside the usual Manhattan bar circuit, this is the wildcard worth pricing out. Plan transportation, though. It is a drive or a rideshare for most guests.

A proper dive bar where the tackiness fits right in

Classic dive bar interior with checkered floor at Pubkey in Greenwich Village

An ugly sweater party in a fancy cocktail bar is ironic. An ugly sweater party in a dive bar is just correct. Pubkey has the 1930s ceiling, exposed brick, and checkered floor, plus one of the better burgers downtown. It is steps off Washington Square Park on Washington Place.

The Attic back room is the move for private groups. Four skylights, custom lighting, TVs, and a carpet people will absolutely dance on. It holds 85, the banquette section in the main bar takes 35, and a full buyout covers 125. Custom food menus are available for private events.

No minimum spend listed, and the West 4th St A/B/C/D/E/F/M hub is basically at the door. Easy yes for a casual crew.

LES game hall with 8 pool tables and a 14-foot screen

Spacious game hall with pool tables at Sour Mouse on the Lower East Side

Sour Mouse is 6,000 square feet on Delancey with 8 regulation pool tables, 2 ping pong tables, foosball, local art on the walls, and live music most nights. Games give an ugly sweater party structure, and structure is what keeps a work party from dying at 8:30pm.

The 14-foot projector screen is the sleeper amenity here. Run a sweater contest bracket on it, screen Elf on mute, whatever. Half the venue takes 100 guests, a full buyout holds 250.

The Delancey-Essex F/M/J/Z station is literally next door, right by Essex Market and the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge. Nobody has an excuse to bail on the commute.

SoHo loft with pro DJ gear and screens included

Open loft gallery space with brick walls and large windows at G-Gallery in SoHo

G-Gallery is a 2,000 square foot art gallery loft at 404 Broadway, and the rental includes gear most venues charge extra for. Two Pioneer CDJ-3000s and a DJM-900NXS2 mixer, a Sonos system with subs, eight pro LED lights, an 85-inch 4K TV, projectors, and wireless mics. Your DJ friend will be thrilled.

The brick-walled blank canvas takes holiday decor well, and the multiple screens can loop tacky holiday visuals or the sweater contest leaderboard all night. Capacity runs 90 to 125 guests.

There is even a wardrobe station with steamer and racks, useful if people are changing into their competition sweaters on arrival. Canal St station on the N/Q/R/W/J/Z/6 is extremely close.

Grace & Ruby's

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Karaoke, free popcorn, and a 60-person buyout in Williamsburg

Cocktail bar interior at Grace & Ruby's in Williamsburg

Small group? Grace & Ruby's is the right size. The Williamsburg cocktail bar seats 40 and holds 60 standing, with a centrally located bar so drinks stay accessible from every side of the room. House-made popcorn is complimentary for all guests, which is a small thing that people remember.

The venue regularly hosts karaoke, trivia, and DJ sets, and the removable stage plus plug-and-play PA, projector, and mics make an ugly sweater karaoke night almost zero effort to produce. Ugly sweater karaoke is an elite party format.

Full venue rentals are available, including Monday through Wednesday bookings, which usually price better than weekend dates in December. Book early anyway. Small rooms go fast in the holidays.

Gin bar with no rental fees and three reservable sections

Bar and seating area at The Winslow, a British-style gin bar in the East Village

The Winslow books on a minimum spend with no rental fee, which makes it one of the most budget-friendly ways to get a semi-private ugly sweater party nyc planners can actually lock in. You pay for what your group drinks and eats, not for the room itself.

The British-style gin bar on East 14th has three options. The Backroom, enclosed in glass walls with sliding doors and wild Flavor Paper wallpaper, holds up to 35. The Communal High Top area takes over half the main bar for up to 60. The Banquette Section fits 30 for groups that prefer to sit.

The gin list is a genuine draw, with Spanish-style botanical pairings, and the food is real pub fare, not an afterthought. Union Square and the 3rd Ave L stop are both a block or two away.

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LUME Studios

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Projection-mapped walls for a fully immersive holiday theme

Immersive projection-mapped event space at LUME Studios in Tribeca

LUME Studios is 5,400 square feet of street-level Tribeca space built around projection mapping, the same setup major brands use for launches. For a holiday party, that means the entire room can become a snowstorm, a fireplace, or a wall-to-wall loop of the ugliest sweater patterns ever knitted.

The immersive studio plus basement lounge holds 200. This is the pick for companies that want the party to feel like a produced event rather than a bar takeover, and it doubles as content. Everyone posts from this room.

It is best suited to corporate budgets, but if you were going to rent decor, lighting, and AV separately anyway, the math gets closer than you would think.

Third Falcon

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Northern French bistro buyout for a sit-down sweater dinner

Warm bistro dining room at Third Falcon in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Not every ugly sweater party needs a dance floor. Third Falcon is a Fort Greene bistro from an Eleven Madison Park and Crown Shy alum, cooking Northern French food like sole meunière and chicken in crab butter. A long table of friends in ridiculous sweaters eating fine-dining-caliber bistro food is a very good night.

The room feels like it has been on Myrtle Avenue for decades, warm and lived-in, with falcon-themed art including an English pub sign from the owner's grandfather. Full buyouts hold 70, and there is no minimum spend listed.

Good for friend groups and small teams that want the holiday dinner to be the main event. The Clinton-Washington G and Lafayette Av C stops are both walkable.

Music For A While

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Underground Chelsea lounge with two rooms and serious sound

Moody underground lounge with plush seating at Music For A While in Chelsea

Music For A While sits below the Selina Hotel on West 27th, all dark hues, velvet seating, and a backlit central bar. Ugly sweaters in a sultry underground listening lounge is a strong bit, and the sound system is good enough that the music actually carries the night.

The dual-room layout is the practical win. The Vinyl Room holds 125, the Front Room takes 175, and combining both gets you up to 300 guests. Full-service catering, open bar packages, and bottle service are all available, so a planner can hand off most of the logistics.

It is a short walk south of Hudson Yards on the 7, near the High Line. Works well for corporate holiday parties that want atmosphere without a nightclub crowd.

The Red Pavilion

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Neo-noir Bushwick showroom with lanterns and live performance

Red lantern-lit interior of The Red Pavilion in Bushwick

The Red Pavilion is a cinematic neo-noir room in Bushwick, glowing red lanterns and Art Deco details, and it happens to be accidentally holiday-colored. Red lantern light over a room full of green and red knitwear looks intentional in every photo.

The Main Show Room holds 225 and comes with a stage, DJ setup, rigging points for aerial performance, and a serious cocktail program. If you want your ugly sweater party to include a cabaret act or a live set, this is the only venue on this list built for exactly that.

It runs late, the dance floor is real, and the whole space feels like stepping into a film. Strong pick for a party that needs to feel like an event, not a happy hour.

La Victoria NYC

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Two floors and room for 480 on West 14th Street

Main floor bar and event space at La Victoria NYC in Chelsea

La Victoria is the big-headcount answer. The full venue holds 480 across two floors on West 14th between 7th and 8th, on the border of Chelsea and the Meatpacking District. The main floor runs 400 with a large central bar, a raised VIP box, and intelligent lighting and sound that shifts to whatever energy your party needs.

The second floor is the good kind of weird, a cozy library bar and a secret VIP room for 80 guests. Send the sweater contest winners up there as their prize.

A full professional kitchen in the basement supports real catering at scale, and three different 14th St subway stations sit within a couple blocks. This is the venue for the whole-company ugly sweater blowout.

Subterranean club under the William Vale for up to 500

Modern subterranean club interior at Unveiled in Williamsburg

Unveiled sits beneath the William Vale Hotel in Williamsburg, marble and mirrors in a soundproofed underground space with a Danley system and festival-grade DJ gear. It is the most club-forward venue on this list, and an ugly sweater rave is a party people talk about in January.

The Bar Room holds 200 standing with its own bar and mobile DJ booth. The Club Room adds a big dance floor, VIP sections for 65, and reconfigurable layouts. A full takeover combines both for up to 500 guests. Coat check, bottle service, and a licensed bar are all in house.

Pricing runs on minimum spends that vary by date and time, so get your December date confirmed early. The G and L trains are steps away and street parking exists, which is rare for Williamsburg.

December dates in NYC book out fast, and the good private rooms go first. Tell Litty's concierge your headcount, budget, and date, and they will match you with the right ugly sweater party venue and handle the back-and-forth for free.

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