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Feeding a table of 12 in Palo Alto takes more planning than a dinner for two. Many downtown dining rooms are small, online booking systems often stop at eight or 12 guests and some popular restaurants do not take reservations at all. The places on this page say on their own sites that they handle large parties in the main dining room. Several also publish set menus that make ordering for a crowd far easier.
If you want a room to yourselves, see our separate guide to private dining rooms. This page focuses on big tables in the regular dining room, with group limits and booking rules taken from each restaurant's site as summarized in our directory.
Restaurants built for sharing
The easiest group meals come from kitchens that already cook for the table. Platters arrive in the middle, everyone serves themselves and no one waits for 12 separate plates.
Taverna, 800 Emerson Street
Taverna is a Greek farm to table restaurant that opened in April 2018. It says it can seat groups of up to 85 in its main dining room. Parties of eight or more order from one of its family-style menus, which come in one lunch tier and three dinner tiers. To book, use the inquiry buttons on its private dining page, download its large party packet or call. Taverna is open every day, with weekday lunch and weekend brunch, so it works for a midday team meal as well as a dinner.
Telefèric Barcelona, Town & Country Village
Telefèric Barcelona serves Catalan tapas and paella. Its events team arranges group reservations with family-style tapas and paella for the table. Paella is cooked to order in wide pans, which suits a large group. The restaurant suggests three or four tapas per person. Parking at Town & Country Village is free. Our Spanish food guide has more on the menu.
Buca di Beppo, 643 Emerson Street
Buca di Beppo is a chain built entirely around family-style Italian dining. Its platters are sized to share among two to five people, so a table of 10 orders a few of each. It takes reservations through OpenTable and publishes a separate group dining menu. For parking, it points to the three-level garage directly behind it at City Hall.
La Bodeguita del Medio, 463 South California Avenue
La Bodeguita del Medio is a Cuban-inspired restaurant on Cal Ave. Its family-style dishes for two or three include a paella Cubana, which make it easy to scale an order for a group celebration. It opens at noon Tuesday through Saturday.
Large dining rooms that book big tables
- Fuki Sushi, 4119 El Camino Real. The restaurant says its main dining room can take a large party of up to 70 guests. Its Sun Room seats 50. Reservations are highly recommended by phone, text or online.
- P.F. Chang's, Stanford Shopping Center. The chain's location page lists bookings for large parties, handled through its events page. The center's free surface lots make arriving with several cars easy.
- Hummus Mediterranean Kitchen, Stanford Shopping Center. Shared mezze and a mixed grill suit groups that like to order many dishes for the table.
- Wildseed, Town & Country Village. A fully plant-based restaurant that seats parties of 2 to 22. Groups of up to 18 sit in the main dining room and larger groups use its private room. It has separate online booking pages by party size.
- Pizzeria Delfina, 651 Emerson Street. Neapolitan-inspired pizza and Italian dishes, with large parties and private events listed among its services. Pizza and antipasti are easy to share.
Group size limits and how to book
Several restaurants publish exact thresholds. Know them before you start booking.
| Restaurant | What it says about groups |
|---|---|
| Ettan, 518 Bryant St. | OpenTable for 1 to 12 guests; groups of 13 to 20 by email or phone |
| Rooh, 473 University Ave. | Online for up to 8; 9 or more through its private parties section |
| Coconuts, 642 Ramona St. | Walk-in only, except advance bookings for groups of 10 to 15; larger groups call |
| Terún, 448 S. California Ave. | Parties of 8 or more count as large groups; service charge may apply |
| Italico, 341 S. California Ave. | Parties of 8 or more count as large parties; service charge may apply |
| Taverna | Parties of 8 or more order from family-style menus; up to 85 in the main room |
| Wildseed | Parties of 2 to 22; up to 18 in the main room |
Coconuts deserves a note. It serves Caribbean and Jamaican food in a room with 110 seats, a private area and a patio. Regular tables are first come, first served, so a group of 10 to 15 that books ahead has an advantage over a couple who walks in.
When the restaurant takes no bookings
Howie's Artisan Pizza at Town & Country Village seats everyone first come, first served. It has about 60 seats inside and 30 on a heated patio. For a large party, the restaurant suggests sending one person ahead to get in line and get seated before the rest of the group arrives. A service charge applies to parties of eight or more. Arrive early on weekend evenings, since that is when the wait is longest.
Tips for a smooth group meal
- Lock the head count. Restaurants plan staff and tables around your number. Changes on the day cause delays.
- Ask about set menus. A family-style or prix-fixe menu speeds service and keeps the bill simple. Taverna requires one for eight or more.
- Read the fine print. Many restaurants add a service charge for large parties. California law requires mandatory fees to be disclosed, so check the menu before tipping on top.
- Collect dietary needs early. Send allergies and diets to the restaurant when you book. Our gluten-free and vegetarian and vegan guides help mixed groups.
- Check closing times. Some downtown kitchens close early. Tacolicious at 632 Emerson Street posts hours of Tuesday to Saturday, 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., so book it for a group lunch or an early dinner, not a late night out.
- Settle the bill plan early. Ask when you book whether the restaurant will split checks for a large table.
- Avoid peak Stanford weekends. Commencement and home football weekends fill big tables weeks ahead. Check the events calendar.
Parking for a group
Getting eight people and three cars to the same table is half the challenge. The shopping centers make it easiest. Town & Country Village has its own surface lots and Stanford Shopping Center surrounds its stores with large free lots. Downtown, city garages allow three hours free outside permit areas, which covers most dinners. On Cal Ave, the garages on Cambridge Avenue and Sherman Avenue are close to Terún, Italico and La Bodeguita. Our parking guide has the full list.
Good to know
- Online booking systems often cap party size. Larger groups usually need an email or a call.
- Coconuts takes bookings only for groups of 10 to 15.
- Howie's takes no reservations at all.
- Wildseed and Telefèric are both at Town & Country Village, where parking is free.
Groups with kids
Family reunions and team parties often include children. Restaurants with kids' menus and casual rooms make life easier. Taverna posts a kids menu. Buca di Beppo and Pizzeria Delfina serve dishes most children will eat. For more ideas, see our guide to kid-friendly restaurants. Out-of-town groups planning a longer visit can also compare Bay Area food tours for a shared outing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Palo Alto restaurants take large groups?
Taverna, Telefèric Barcelona, Buca di Beppo, Fuki Sushi, P.F. Chang's, Pizzeria Delfina and Wildseed all state that they take large parties. Coconuts books groups of 10 to 15 and Ettan takes groups of 13 to 20 by email or phone.
How do I book a table for 10 or more in Palo Alto?
Most restaurants cap online bookings at 8 to 12 guests. For a bigger party, use the restaurant's group or private events form, email or call. Give a firm head count and ask about set menus and any large-party service charge.
Do Palo Alto restaurants add a service charge for large parties?
Some do. Terún and Italico say parties of eight or more may carry a service charge, disclosed when you book. Howie's applies a service charge to parties of eight or more. Read the menu and booking terms before you add a tip.
What is a good restaurant for a big family dinner in Palo Alto?
Restaurants built around shared dishes suit big families. Buca di Beppo serves Italian platters for two to five people, Telefèric Barcelona serves paella for the table and Taverna has family-style menus for parties of eight or more.