Friendsgiving in Brooklyn: The Case for Booking a Venue Instead of Your Apartment
The best Friendsgiving upgrade isn't a better turkey — it's a bigger table. Every year the same host squeezes fourteen people into a railroad apartment, eats standing up, and spends Sunday cleaning. A rented venue flips all of it: everyone still brings a dish, but there's one long table that fits the whole group, a kitchen for staging, and a cleanup crew that isn't you.
Bat Haus is an event venue at 459 Grand Street in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, and November potluck dinners are some of our favorite events of the year — up to 50 people, fully BYO, from $1,350 flat. Here's how a venue Friendsgiving works and why the good November dates disappear early.
Why host Friendsgiving at a venue instead of at home?
Because Friendsgiving is a potluck, and potlucks are the one dinner format where a venue costs less than you think. The food — the expensive part of any hosted dinner — is already distributed across the group; what you're splitting is just the space. From $1,350 flat for five hours, a group of 20 pays about $67 each for a whole venue: the long table, the sound system, the private backyard for the between-courses breather, and nobody's apartment sacrificed to gravy.
What does a BYO venue mean for a potluck dinner?
Everything about Friendsgiving gets easier: every dish arrives ready to serve, the kitchenette handles staging and reheating, and the drinks are whatever your group brings — no corkage, no catering minimum, no markup. At Bat Haus the rental includes tables, chairs, setup, and cleanup, so the "host" role shrinks to making the group chat and assigning the sides. See the full space details on our event venue page.
When should you book a Friendsgiving date?
By early October for first pick — the weekend before Thanksgiving is the Friendsgiving weekend, and in 2026 those dates (November 20–22) share the calendar with early December holiday parties, which start booking months out. A Sunday-afternoon Friendsgiving is the sleeper choice: easier to book, easier on everyone's weekend, and golden-hour light in the backyard by 4pm.
How do you organize a big-group Friendsgiving without chaos?
One sheet, three columns: mains, sides, and "bring yourself." Assign the turkey (or don't — the venues have seen every kind of Friendsgiving, and the taco one was excellent), let dishes arrive ready to serve, and set the table family-style down the middle of the room. If your group wants an activity beyond eating, a flower bar in fall colors doubles as the centerpiece and the favor — everyone leaves with a bouquet and a container of leftovers.
What makes November at Bat Haus work?
The space already feels like the season: string lights, warm wood, greenery, and a private backyard for the crisp-air escape between dinner and pie. One floor holds the long table; the other stays open for drifting, games, and the post-dinner collapse onto whatever seating is nearest. And if your group loves it, you're four weeks ahead of everyone else for a December holiday party date.
FAQs
How many people fit for a Friendsgiving dinner?
Up to 50 guests, with one long family-style table on one floor and open space on the other.
Can we bring our own food and alcohol?
Yes — Bat Haus is fully BYO with no corkage fee. Potluck dishes, store-bought pies, and whatever your group drinks are all welcome.
Is there somewhere to reheat dishes?
Yes — the kitchenette handles staging and reheating, so dishes can arrive cooked and go out warm.
What's the best day for Friendsgiving?
The weekend before Thanksgiving is traditional (November 20–22 in 2026), but Sunday afternoons are easier to book and easier on the group's calendar.
Gathering your people this November? Check your date → — the pre-Thanksgiving weekend goes first.
