Best Birthday Dinner Los Angeles (2025)

FAQs

Do I pay for everyone at my birthday dinner? ›

You want to make the person of honor feel special, but let's be honest — money isn't a renewable resource. So what's the proper solution? The good news is that when simply meeting up with friends at a restaurant, it's customary and socially acceptable for everyone except the birthday person to split the bill.

Personalize the dining experience by engaging with the restaurant to discuss menu options that align with the birthday person's culinary preferences. Customizing the menu to include their favorite dishes or flavors creates a dining experience that truly resonates with the guest of honor.

Should I pay for the birthday dinner? According to The Daily Meal, the general and most ideal approach to handling the bill is for all guests — minus the guest of honor — to evenly split it. That way, it attaches similarly to people's orders and, in addition, separates out the birthday person's bill for taxes and tips.

If It Is Someone's Birthday

It seems that, over time, the etiquette around birthday or celebration meals has gotten thrown to the wayside. Typically, the person of honor is not supposed to pay for his or her meal if celebrating a birthday or special occasion, especially if it is a group meal.

The kindest way to decline is by telling the organizer or guest of honor privately, without going into details as to why you can't join, Swann says. From there, it's good practice to suggest another activity or outing within your budget that you can do together.

Many restaurants add automatic gratuity for large parties, somewhere between 15-20%. If the server exceeded expectations, adding to that tip amount is welcome.

If you want a restaurant to recognize someone's birthday at your table, there is a proper way to ask. When you call to make a reservation, tell the receptionist that you're celebrating in advance, or if you book online, make a note on your reservation.

The possibilities for a birthday dinner party are truly endless: you can go formal, casual, or somewhere in between. Reserve a table at your favorite bistro, hire a caterer, or whip up your own signature dish. After dinner, entertain guests with dancing, lawn games, board games, or a fire pit.

Restaurants are the perfect place to celebrate your birthday since they are set up to accommodate many people at once and are accustomed to catering huge groups. You won't have to worry about catering to each guest's specific tastes if you eat out.

Don't arrive empty-handed to the party, as it is considered rude to show up without a gift for the guest of honor. Don't overindulge in food or drinks at the party, as it can be seen as disrespectful to the host and the other guests.

How to split the bill for a birthday dinner? ›

"The friends would split the check evenly and pick up the birthday honoree," Gottsman says. This is one case where even if one person orders more than the others, you should still split the check evenly down the middle–and tack on the honoree's portion equally.

And while inviting too few people might result in a lackluster occasion, most people err on the side of inviting too many. When planning your dinner party, you should plan to have a minimum of four people present (you included), and absolutely no more than twelve.

For adult birthday parties and nighttime events, four hours is usually appropriate. Formal affairs such as weddings, bat and bar mitzvahs, and sweet sixteens tend to last at least four hours but can go much longer.

Yes, your birthday outfit should be a total showstopper, but don't forsake practicality and comfort entirely in your quest to steal the limelight! This is especially the case at a dinner party where you'll have to sit, eat, and socialize throughout the night.

"Under no circumstances should the birthday person spring a surprise bill on their friends," says Farley. Instead, Farley suggests you include the cost of the event when you extend the invite to your friends in order to make clear that attendance comes with a price tag.

It's unacceptable to invite someone into your home, under the auspices of hospitality, then charge them for said hospitality. The cost of the “dinner” part of the dinner party is on you. That said, there are ways to reduce your costs. A dinner party doesn't have to be an elaborate gourmet production.

The bottom of this invite states, “No Host – Visit www. (restaurant-name).com for menu and pricing. I've made it clear that guests will need to pay for their own food and beverages without looking tacky or getting too deep into details.