Best private lounges and dining rooms in KL

Located at Menara Lien Hoe, CHAZE manages to distil the exuberance of ‘The Great Gatsby’. Its interiors are reminiscent of luxurious 1920s lounges with leather sofas and intriguing paintings on the wall. The inclusion of pool tables and the large selection of whiskies available would have you feeling like the man himself if you ever decide to host a party here. If you are, look into booking their Play Room – a private area (only accessible by code) that fits up to 40 people. Here, you’re given your own private bar where you can play mixologist and come up with your own cocktails, and you’ll have your own pool table and dart board. Or if you run out of ideas, the karaoke machine is always a hit.

Minimum spend, Mon-Thu, RM3,000; Fri-Sat, RM5,000.

Bobo KL isn’t just known for its jazz nights, they’ve also been known to serve up quite a meal at the Bobo Dining Room. Intimate settings combined with modern European food result in an ideal space for a dinner party with friends. The dining room can sit 50 people without cramming everyone, and for a more relaxed vibe, there’s a sofa and patio area where guests can mingle and drink while overlooking a view of the Twin Towers. If you’d like some music in your party, you could also rent out the Piano Lounge downstairs and enjoy some smooth sounds between just you, your friends and the performers.

Minimum spend, Mon-Thu, RM3,000; Fri-Sat, RM5,000. Minimum spend for Private Lounge, Mon-Thu, RM5,000; Fri-Sat, RM10,000.

This bar in TTDI proclaims itself as ‘Malaysia’s first speakeasy wine bar’. While the term ‘speakeasy’ has become a buzzword and is often used very loosely, Private Room retains its true meaning. To get to Private Room, look for a yellow door which leads up to the bar. If you’ve made a reservation, you’d be provided with a secret pass code which you’ll need to key in to enter – yes, it really is that private. For a more indulgent experience, make a reservation at one of the two rooms available (no minimum spend required), which are large enough for you and ten other friends to lounge around on leather couches, and provide the perfect setting for friends to catch up over drinks or to play out Prohibition Era fantasies with a cigar in one hand and a glass of wine in the other.

Situated at the more atas corner of Pavilion (who knew Pavilion could be more atas?), Acme Bar & Coffee exudes an air of class and luxury. This is felt even more in their private room, dubbed the ‘mirror room’ that has mirrors all over the walls and large floral arrangements dominating the long dining table. Dinner parties in the room would give you the luxury of privacy away from other guests as you enjoy that glass of cocktail with your friends. Not to mention that the iridescent mirrors and the bright lighting in the room makes for perfect Instagram moments.

Call 03 2110 6633 for quotations.

While the rest of KL jostles for a seat at this Mexican-Chinese restaurant and bar – which is nearly impossible to get Thursday night onwards – you can fork out a minimum spend of RM4,500 and get your own private room that fits about 20 people. This former penthouse-turned-bar is one of the hottest new entries in the KL dining scene for several reasons: it’s got a great view of the KL skyline, the drinks don’t pull their punches (try the Take-Away G&T), and Friday and Saturday nights feature some of KL’s legendary DJs like Mickey McLean, Da Funkie Junkie and Shazz.

Finding a spot to host one of your fancy dinner parties isn’t too hard if you have La Cocina in your list of places. Opened since 2001, La Cocina aims to serve affordable authentic Spanish food – the paella negres cooked with squid ink and prawn is a standout – in a room capable of fitting 30 guests, with a minimum spend of RM4,000. The meals are served buffet style (RM150++ per person), making it a fuss-free place to hold anniversaries, social gatherings and corporate events. La Cocina also provides free usage of the projector and the PA system, and will help you hook it up if you want to play DJ at your own party.

Located in a peaceful area of Bukit Damansara with a small yet cosy space that can accommodate up to 14 people – perfect for small gatherings that don’t get too wild – Aria offers a decent selection of pork-free Italian dishes that lean on the comforting and familiar side rather than being purely Italian: think aglio olio smoked duck pasta, seafood risotto, grilled tenderloin, braised oxtail pasta, Hawaiian pizza and lamb kebabs. While the menu is pork-free, there’s a fully stocked bar that has a wide selection of whiskies, and opens till the wee hours of the morning.