So myself and my 2 housemates all have birthdays within a few weeks of each other, so we're thinking of doing a big combined party. I've already looked into spaces @ the family but wanted to know if anyone else has booked spaces/venues around town/the valley before and what the costs/experience was like? Not looking to spend the earth so non-exclusive options are always possible.

Family -
VIP room - $1000 bar tab + the cost of the entrance for the night you are choosing to go on..

Royal box is $900 give or take $50 with a $700 bar tab

And then there is cocktail they costs $400-450 (but the music is s*** up there)and also Uncle which is about the same price 300 or 350 bar tab, you get looked after really well, so if that's what you were after i'd recommend it:D

The Met also has rooms, but drinks r thru the roof expensive there!!

vip at met rocks, its called spybar and overlooks the whole main area. only worth it if youre going to have around 70+ guests though. new years was awesome there.

the met also has other exclusive little sections. we rented out one of the Coco booths for $500, that was pretty cool cos you got your own little space and can make it exclusive if you want or have it spill out on to the Coco dancefloor. The music down there is usually better than the main. it also has a more intimate vibe which is awesome cos met is pretty f***en hooj.

i've been to plenty of parties up in the royal box at family though and have always rated it. its cool watching people tumble down those stairs too.

You can get the bottom floor of the elephant and wheelburrow in the valley, a friend did it for a 21st, couldnt have cost that much, and did the job.
Private bar, heaps of different little sections, booths etc.

elephant and wheel barrow is like the gilhoolies of the valley

You mean its a place where bogans don't bother pretending not to be bogans ?

A girl at my old work hired a function room at the Fringe Bar. From what I remember telling me, it was fairly cheap, and it included nibblies and a pool table etc.

I think she got the info off their website.

Happy birthday too dude!

Happy Birthday ... my girlfriends sister works at the Caxton and might be able to sort something out for you if you looking for something with over 50+ people ... let me know.

Family is good but you will get ripped off with the bar tab. Expect to be charged for 2 drinks when buying 1 so the tab doesn't last long.

8-)

Family is good but you will get ripped off with the bar tab. Expect to be charged for 2 drinks when buying 1 so the tab doesn't last long

the old one for u one for me policy ;) hahaha

Rooms at the Met:

COCO 1 OR 2 (up to 12 ppl) / $500 cost / $500 tab / free entry
COCO 3 (up to 7 people) / $350 cost / $350 tab / free entry
Tea Room (up to 15 people) / $350 cost / $350 tab / free entry
Playground (up to 40 people) / $1k cost / $700 drinks / free entry
Dragon Bar 7pm - 11pm only (up to 50 people) / $1.5k cost / $1.2k drinks / $300 food / waiters / security / free entry
SpyBar 6.30pm - 10.30pm only (up to 70 people) / $2.5k cost / $1.7k drinks / $300 food / waiters / security / free entry

Expect to be charged for 2 drinks when buying 1 so the tab doesn't last long

Do you seriously think that they do this? Why let them get away with it if you do?

Dude, I KNOW that they don't do that, a massive venue such as family wouldn't do that at all..

Maybe it's just because the ppl on your guest list are buying doubles or expensive drinks cos it is a bar tab.

My spider senses tell me j E $ s Y works at Family.

MMMMMMMMABYEEEE????

I went to that spybar s*** at the met on the pre-opening Saturday night ages ago, was really snazzy with waiters and shiz but drink prices are high. Smelt like paint as well so you really could of just got magget that way.

shes my bar wench. hahaha

why not do the old 2for1? Who would intervene in the interests of the customers? I mean they are just a bunch of cashed-up drunk/drug kiddies right?

Wench...

Well i will be now c*nt:P

"Too boozed, cut off!"

Its pretty much impossible to do 2-4-1's on bar tabs because it is all done on a card that we swipe, no cash at all.. there is no benefit to the bar tender or company..

And i'm pretty sure you would notice the price difference if you pay in cash... wouldn't you Reverend??

i think that's the point, if it's all done by credit notes against a tab and there's no cash chaging hands, it's not like at a hotel or resort where everytime you put a drink on your room no. you sign a docket.

in the club they just keep ringing it up and there is no way to tell what the tender is ringing up, you can't see the screen.

Hmmm that is true also, but when u order with the waitress you see exactly what she rights down, and i know that none of my bartenders do it, like i said no benefit at all to us..

but i do see where you are coming from, i just hope maybe u might trust family staff more now...? lol

I wouldn't, they are slimy f***ers. They try and get me drunk.

ive seen it jiggy, all the bartenders are like here have a free double vodka on the rocks and they hold u down and make u drink it... its so sad :(

Well i will be now c*nt:P

You rang?

Its sad but true. Can't do much about it though, but if its any conciliation it does take four of them to keep me down.

Its pretty much impossible to do 2-4-1's on bar tabs because it is all done on a card that we swipe, no cash at all.. there is no benefit to the bar tender or company..

And i'm pretty sure you would notice the price difference if you pay in cash... wouldn't you Reverend??

I'm not sure how long you've been working there but this was a few years back. One of the girls behind the counter even told us it was happening. But what can you do? Complain and then get kicked out?

yeah if u ever accuse any bar staff u would get majorly stomped.

Gotta give mad props for Family's rooms, had about 10 bookings over the past year, most recently my birthday on February 3rd, and I just emailed the bookings manager for March 31st (Jess - roster Becky on for me again or I keel you!). Royal Box is good if you wanna be part of the action, VIP is great to have a truly secluded area but still get the main-room piped in.

Uncle and Lounge bookings are teh sucks.

Thanks for the info guys - also its not my bday till may but i'll take the earpy happy bdays :P I know the owners of The Met & Family/Empire/etc pretty well through work (we're the AV supplier to all their clubs and i'm in there all the time) so hopefully i can score a sweet deal, just gotta bring the 3rd housemate around to the idea (they're a bit tight lol). Prob looking around 50 guests but see what happens.

For the cheap option has anybody done a gilhooleys or paddo tav room? Dont hate me cause it's not trendy :p