01Can you hire Borisov exclusively for a private party?
Yes, you get the whole place to yourself. No other guests walking around: the room, the bar, the booth and the terrace are yours that evening. Most evenings here are private parties.
02Can we eat there?
Yes. The cooking happens here, in the kitchen behind the bar. That is House of Catering, our resident catering partner, with Marco Mercati at the stove. Set menus for groups, from bar snacks to a full dinner, and special requests are no problem. Everything comes out of that kitchen on the night, not driven in from elsewhere.
03Can we bring our own caterer?
No. Catering always runs through House of Catering, who run the kitchen here. It saves the usual trouble around deliveries, kitchen access and timings, and the food comes out of the room itself. What you eat is still up to you: we work with set menus and are happy to work something out with you if you have another idea.
04Can we cook ourselves?
No, the kitchen is not part of the deal. Partly the rules: a kitchen used by changing parties does not meet HACCP requirements. And partly the plain fact that it is full of House of Catering's equipment. If you have something particular in mind, put it to Marco. There is very little that cannot be done. It is mostly a question of how much trouble it takes, and that ends up on the bill.
05What do you arrange, and what don't you?
We are a venue, not an event agency. Everything in and around the room is ours: food and drink through House of Catering, the bar, the sound and the technical side, and someone from us on the floor on the night itself. Whatever else you want your party to be, you arrange: decoration, hiring extra furniture or equipment, a photographer, a programme, who speaks and when things happen. We are glad to help you think it through, and we will say plainly if something is not going to work, but we do not take over the organising.
06How many people fit in Borisov?
Two hundred and fifty guests standing, with the terrace included. Seated it is 50 to 60.
07What does it cost to hire the venue?
Friday is €495 and Saturday €595 excl. VAT, with a bar guarantee of €1.500 excl. VAT either way. Thursday is €295, with a bar guarantee of €1.000. Every other day, Sunday included, is €250 for the venue, with a bar guarantee of €750. What you spend at the bar counts towards the guarantee, so a busy night clears it by itself. For dinner, catering and extra staff we make a tailored proposal.
08How late can an event run?
Friday and Saturday until 03:00. Sunday through Thursday until 01:00.
09Where in Amsterdam is Borisov?
Rigakade 10, in the Houthavens in Amsterdam West. About three kilometres west of Central Station. There is parking right outside, paid through ParkBee but plenty of room in the evening, which helps if your guests come from out of town.
10What kind of parties do people throw here?
Birthdays, wedding parties, company parties and drinks, releases and label nights. People who take the room for a night are usually not after an off-the-shelf party venue, but a bar with everything else moving around it: a dinner for sixty, or a party for two hundred and fifty.
11How do I book a date?
Click a free date in the calendar and fill in the form. We'll hold it as an option in your name for fourteen days and get in touch.
