Fun and Forward-Thinking Venues for Your Next San Francisco Meeting

August Hall SF 

Housed in a historic theater and former 1930s speakeasy, August Hall is a beautiful and flexible venue that can accommodate a wide variety of events. Centrally located in Union Square, this multi-purpose space features a sprawling music hall, green room, three full bars and Fifth Arrow, a downstairs restaurant and gaming parlor with three bowling lanes. Whether you’re hosting a large group or an intimate gathering, August Hall has a variety of options for a lively and memorable event.

China Live 

This trendy Chinese food emporium has taken the city by storm. The all-in-one marketplace for dining, shopping and drinking provides an in-depth exploration of Chinese gastronomy, ingredients and culture that draws apt comparisons to Mario Batali’s Eataly in New York City. You’ll find two bars, two restaurants, a café and a marketplace within this massive Chinatown complex. Throughout its numerous stylish spaces, China Live can host everything from intimate parties of 10 people to large reception-style events for up to 825 with multi-sensory experiences.

Exploratorium 

Immerse your guests in an interactive experience full of sights, sounds and curiosities. The Exploratorium, located at Pier 15 on the Embarcadero, is a LEED-certified museum with more than 650 hands-on exhibits, ranging from mechanical contraptions to artworks highlighting the beauty of the world around us. With multiple galleries and the Fisher Bay Observatory Gallery & Terra, where guests will enjoy sweeping views and state-of-the-art facilities, the Exploratorium offers a wide variety of options for making your next event a success.

Joey the Cat 

How about skeeball for your next team building event? Located in the Mission District, Joey the Cat is the ultimate in arcade event spaces. Their full-production Skeeball tournaments and Arcade Olympics will give attendees bragging rights for months to come and include a live announcer, branded trophy and prizes. In addition to skeeball, there’s pinball machines, whack-a-mole, air hockey, shooting games and arcade basketball. They offer Instagram-worthy catering spreads, from delicious taco bars to amazing sliders to full food trucks onsite. They can also provide DJs, professional photographers and a unique photo booth that ensures every attendee will have a memorable keepsake (even if they don’t win the trophy). 

The Palace Theater

Take your guests back to a Prohibition-era speakeasy at this immersive theater experience that will have your attendees exclaiming, "It's the cat's meow!” With gangsters and flappers, tarot card readers, roaming magicians and numerous fun activities happening simultaneously, guests can choose their own adventure exploring the many secret rooms of the Palace Theater. From drinking bootleg hooch in one of the bars to trying their hand at dice, cards and roulette in the casino to having their photo taken in the “Man in the Moon” photo booth or watching live jazz music and a variety of vaudeville performances in the cabaret, there’s many fun ways to experience the Roaring 1920s. The Palace Theater hosts private events for groups ranging in size from 25 to 300 and the creative team is happy to come up with unique ideas meeting your groups needs.

White Chapel

Themed like an 1890s London Underground station, this whimsical gin bar offers an array of photo-ready cocktails. If there’s a world record for most types of gin under one roof, then White Chapel has got to be a contender with a menu featuring more than 400 different kinds. They also offer two event space options with incredible décor. The Distillery (20-30 guests) is ideal for casual cocktail receptions with light appetizers, while The Gin Palace (30-40 guests) features its own private bar with a variety of tables and seating options. A Civic Center favorite, White Chapel is also available for full buyouts for larger groups.

Thriller Social Club 

Thriller Social Club is a lively venue that can host up to 350 at a time and is a perfect spot for private events. With a production kitchen, 3 separate bars, 25+ amusements, and more, bringing games like skeeball, Connect-4 Hoops, Hyper Pitch and more to your event will not only be unique, but a hit amongst all! Thriller also serves American style food, with anything from shmashburgers to 13 inch Thrillerdogs to Butter & Bacon Lobster Rolls. This venue is available to book for both small parties and large, either through their website or through contacting them directly.

Aquarium of the Bay

Home to more than 20,000 marine animals, Aquarium of the Bay is sure to make a splash with attendees. Conveniently located at the edge of PIER 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf, this versatile 50,000-square-foot space is perfect for cocktail receptions, mixers, product launches, presentations, team-building, meetings and more. They offer three spaces: the Aquarium Fallon Room (capacity: 100 guests), the Entire Aquarium with classic glass tunnels (capacity: 450 guests), and the Bay Model location in Sausalito (capacity: 800 guests). With close proximity to many hotels, access to public transportation and accommodating event staff who can help plan gatherings of all sizes, Aquarium of the Bay is a convenient and unforgettable venue for your next event.

The Emporium 

The Emporium is an arcade and bar that boasts a fun and colorful atmosphere and is home to a variety of fundraisers, company parties, bachlorette trips, team-building events and bar crawls, along with having live DJs and events open to the public often. With old school games lke Dance Dance Revolution Extreme and Bubble Bobble along with classics like air hockey and foosball, there’s no better combinations that cocktails and games.

Novela 

Novela is one of the most convenient options for an event, as it is located just blocks away from The Moscone Center and Union Square. Novela is a book-themed bar with unique decor that serves a variety of high quality craft cocktails. There are multiple rooms throughout the bar that are available to rent. You can also rent out the entire venue.

The San Francisco Zoo 

The San Francisco Zoo doubles as an amazing event venue, with suites and meeting rooms set among 100 acres of zoological gardens, home to over 260 species of animals. The San Francisco Zoo partners with caterers who are committed to sustainability and support local farmers. The Zoo also features specialized activities, such as giraffe feeding.