Bars and restaurants are the most popular venues for parties outside of private homes. Parties at restaurants and bars are generally more expensive, but they offer a lot of amenities such as dance floors.

You still need to do the party planning, but a lot of the unpopular work such as cooking and preparing the food, decorating the venue, cleaning up after the party, serving the guests will be done by others. In other words, you can leave the logistics of your party to the pros. Let the restaurant worry about the details. You won't have to worry about bringing your own equipment or decoration; the restaurant will be able to provide it for you. Because they will do most of the work for you all you and your guests will have to do is show up.

All the preparation work done for your event by the venue is great but it comes with a price tag. Be prepared to spend significantly more for a party away from your home than a party at home. You'll also have to find an appropriate venue for your event that is available for your party date. Saturdays are the most popular party days, so finding an available venue for that day will be more challenging than other days.

You need to make sure the venue can accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite. Keep track of RSVPs to avoid last minute surprises about the guest list.

You may find it more difficult to relax at a restaurant than in your own house, so a party away from your home may not be the best option for you. It depends on what you prefer.

Appropriate occasions for parties away from the home are retirement parties, engagements, holiday parties, association meetings, etc. Finding a restaurant or bar that will be a good fit for your event and that can accommodate your guests can be challenging. Ask for recommendations by friends and family.