mztery

Couple of thiongs

Union Square is not adjacent to Moscone or the SOMA area where Moscone is located. It's a bit of a walk or cab ride.

There is a group called the SF Private DIning Venues
www.sfpdv.com

which is a loosely associated list of restos all with private rooms or good for groups. They tend to be pricey but they all are very conversant with doing events like this.
One thing that will be hard is that these restos are not listed by location.

A couple of places i know of for group dining/meeting like this (I plan a lot of events for my travel group)

I think $100 pp for food and tax/gratuity is doable but wouldn't include alcohol.

Absinthe - near Civic Center, not super close to MOSCONE but an easy cab tide.
Citizen Cake - same area
Fly Trap - new chef,. Hoss Zare who is awesome Closest to Moscone
Orson - also near Moscone, owned by the chef of Citizen Cake. Several options for private dining.

You didn't say what night of the week but Sat nights will be more expensive.

mztery

PS I've been to a couple of biz dinners at Town Hall and it's VERY noisy. Not the kind of place to spread out and actually talk business.

starrs

iowagirl, here are my thoughts. If they are ALL in the same meeting, getting out at the same time then you can count of moving them all together as a group to dinner. BUT, if the are attendees at a convention at the Moscone, they are going to be all over the place at the end of the business day. Some are going to leave sessions early to go sight-seeing. Some are going to head back to the room to freshen up for dinner. Some MAY leave directly from the conference to go to the restaurant. If they are a "captive audience" and moving en masse, then getting them to the restaurant as a group is feasible.

But, if NOT, then I'd pick a place near the Moscone, but also near Union Square and give them the address and let them cab it or walk there. Personally, I would HATE to leave a convention after being there all day and going directly to dinner without some break. That would open up the options a little bit.

welch

You've gotten some wonderful information here.
A couple of other thoughts-
It could be less expensive to move slightly out of downtown and include the transportation in the cost.
Does South Park Cafe have a space? It's got a great vibe and would be a wonderful experience (and isn't far).
http://www.southparkcafesf.com/
Right on Union Square is Scala's Bistro. Here's the info on their private dining room-
http://www.scalasbistro.com/sca_dining.html
You could also call the concierge at the hotel at which your boss will be staying and query her.

iowagirl

mztery: thanks for that private dining group link - I'll check that out too. And thanks for the tip in Town Hall being noisy.

This will be on a Thursday evening, so I'm hoping that gives me some leeway in terms of costs and availabilities.

starrs: they'll all be coming directly from the same meeting at Moscone and will (more or less) be continuing this same meeting at dinner, so yes, they will be a "captive audience." I thought Moscone is pretty close to Union Square, but it sounds like I'm better off looking for walking distance from Moscone.

welch - no one's even made hotel reservations yet, but as soon as my boss does, I thought I'd run this past the concierge there - good tip.

Thank you all! You're making my job easier!

LoveItaly

In my opinion Moscone Center is walking distant to Union Square iowagirl unless someone has a physical walking problem or it is raining. I would think after sitting at a conference all day the short stroll would be welcomed. Scala's Bistro that welch mentioned is part of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel (Kimpton Group) that I posted for you.

DebitNM

LOL, I was going to say the samething LI. I walked from The Mosser on 4th to Moscone to Union Sq so many times, I must have worn a path in the sidewalk! If that isn't close/walking distance, I don't know what is.
Deb

iowagirl

Thanks for clarifying, LI and Deb. I finally found a good Google map and you're right - it appears to be an easy walking distance for this group. And yes, they'll probably all enjoy a chance to stretch their legs after being in conference all day. Ok, that opens up my choices a bit again.

janisj

IMO - it really is not an easy walking distance if folks have been in meetings all day, are dressed in business clothes, are carrying laptops/briefcases/materials collected at the conference, or it is raining. Now rain is not all that likely -- but it DID rain several days this May.

I wouldn't be that happy a camper to have to walk through rush hour traffic (car and pedestrian) up hill to Union Square. it is not far - maybe .6 mile but you'll have 15-20 people to herd. If I was planning this, I'd allow an hour or maybe 90 minutes between leaving the meeting and meeting up at the restaurant. Some will want to rest/freshen up at the hotel, some may want to have a quiet drink, or do some quick shopping.

LoveItaly

I can't imagine not being able to walk to Union Square, it is just a few blocks from Market and it is not like walking up to NobHill. If all the briefcases, materials are a problem one taxi could be taken to deliver all of that I would think.

And as far as walking in business clothes I have for decades walked all over parts of SF in business clothes as did my husband and many others. And no need to herd, they are not cats, lol, just give each person a small map indicating "you are here" and also where the restaurant is located.

Just my life long experiences in San Francisco including being at many business conferences and going to a restaurant afterwards.

J62

I recently had excellent, big group dinners close to Moscone center at these 2 restaurants.

1. AME Restaurant‎ (Japanese / Fusion) 689 Mission St. Private alcove - not a separate room
2. Michael Mia, in the Westin St. Francis on Union Sq. - discrete corner table, but not spread-out private.

The 2nd one was closer to $300pp w/ wine and drinks, the 1st was probably closer to $150-200 - could be lower but for several expensive group appetizers & bottles of wine. I didn't see either bill.

For a group that is visiting Moscone anywhere in the Union Sq area is close enough for walking/dinner. Chances are good the business guests will be staying in that area - not necessarily directly by Moscone Ctr. (St Regis or Marriott)

mztery

Ame and Michael Mina are tow of the most expensive rests in SF for a dinner like htis. Just sayin'.

I have walked ot Union Sq form SOMA many times (and I am old ) ; my only point was that "walking distance" means different of things to different people. SF Is definitely a walking town more than some other areas of the country.

As another poster mentioned some may want ot go to their hotels first so it may be a mot point to be near Moscone or not.

FYI South Park Cafe is NOT good for a group that size. They really aren't set up for it. (MR. Mztery does a lot of small biz meetings there)

Scala's private room is lovely - and the food is excellent. With tax, service charge you'd probably be at the $100 pp w/ out drinks. I can't remember what the weeknight minimum is for a group that size - I know for a Sat night it was less than $2500.

sf7307

A couple of comments on some of the restaurants mentioned...

I agree that Town Hall is so noisy you can hardly hear yourself think (and this included at a dinner in the private room).

Orson - owned by the owner of Citizen Cake, but unless your group is interested in "unusual" food, I'd skip it. I've been there and I like to call it "self-indulgent nonsense". I would not return.

Re walking from Moscone to Union Square. It's not far, I walk all the time in business clothes, and it's hardly uphill at all. In fact, if you choose Scala's, the last two blocks would be very slightly (but hardly noticeable) uphill.

mztery

Orson;s private dining menu is quite different than the goofy food they serve on the menu. they have a number of options for serving "family style" with quite normal entrees.

(I'm not attached to it, just that the private dining is very reasonable and reasonably priced)

starrs

Most of the time I'm at the Moscone for conferences, I'm staying in the Union Square area. I think you will find that to be true for the attendees of this meeting. Often the "host" hotels on large convention lists include Union Square hotels. As others have said, the walk is commonplace for businessmen/women attending conferences in SF.

sf7307

mztery, "goofy" is the perfect word to describe the food in the main dining room at Orson!

iowagirl

Thank you again, everyone. I've been checking out websites and while some list prices, others don't, so I'll be doing some calling on Monday. Scala looks like a very possible option!

Parrothead

Iowagirl---a little off topic but well intentioned:

Another way to keep the group on budget is to purchase your own wine and pay the per bottle corkage fee. This option is available at most restaurants but it may not be available if they book you on the group banquet plan. It's worth checking out.

We often have large family get togethers at SF restaurants. Finding a place that will take a reservation for a large group and allow you to order from the regular menu is always a problem, they always want to limit you to a few entrees and one salad choice to select from.

Michael

I believe that Yank Sing has a private room. I can imagine dim sum dishes as a way of eating while conferencing.