Office Christmas Party in Halifax: A Filipino Staff Party at Barrios
Planning an office Christmas or staff holiday party in Halifax? Book the whole restaurant for 50 to 60, bring our $37 Filipino buffet to your office, or order party trays. Book early for December.
Barrios Restaurant & Bar
11/5/20263 min read
Office Christmas Party in Halifax: A Filipino Staff Party at Barrios
If you are planning the office Christmas party or staff holiday party this year, a Filipino spread is a good fit. In the Philippines the Christmas season starts in September, when the parol, the star-shaped lantern, goes up in the window, and it runs on shared food at a big table.
At Barrios Kitchen & Bar, the Filipino restaurant at 1571 Barrington Street in downtown Halifax, there are four ways to host, depending on the size of your team. The first decision is where everyone will be.
Four ways to host
The whole restaurant, for 50 to 60
For a team of 50 or more, our in-house catering package books the whole restaurant for three hours. It includes a Filipino buffet, water and pop, and our audio and video system for speeches or a slideshow. It is $37 per person, plus 14 per cent HST on the food and a 15 per cent service fee, which has no HST on it. The fee covers coordination, preparation, staffing and packaging. For 50 guests that is $1,850 for the food, $259 HST and a $277.50 service fee: $2,386.50 in total, about $47.73 a head. We can print or email an invoice to your company, with a QR code for payment. The restaurant seats up to 60, so a team of more than 60 is best served with catering at your own venue.
Catering at your office or venue, for 50 or more
The same $37 buffet can come to your office or a hall in Halifax, Dartmouth or the surrounding HRM, with transportation added and 14 per cent HST on the transportation. Our staff set up, refill and arrange the food. Servers and drinks are not included off-site.
A private event for a smaller team
If your team is under 50 and you still want the restaurant to yourselves, call or message us on Facebook to talk it through. There is no room fee and no minimum spend. A smaller group can also just book a big table; for eight or more, call ahead.
Party trays at the office
For a casual lunch or an afternoon party, order party trays 24 to 48 hours ahead and pick them up, or book an Uber courier to collect them. A family size tray serves about 5 and a party size about 10. Good office picks are pork barbecue skewers ($70), pancit bihon ($35), spring rolls ($20) and chicken inasal ($40), all family size prices.
What is on the buffet
Spring rolls, a side, a noodle dish, four entrées (one each of chicken, beef, pork and seafood) and three assorted desserts. In our restaurant, sago gulaman can replace the pop on request at no extra charge. For a crowd, chicken inasal, roast beef caldereta, pork barbecue skewers and garlic shrimp is an easy lineup. Several choices contain shellfish, and the crispy kare-kare contains peanut and is usually served with bagoong, a shrimp paste. If a guest has a shellfish allergy, pick the sweet and sour fish for the seafood choice instead of a shrimp dish, and tell us about vegetarian guests and allergies when you book. The full menu is on our catering page.
Add a photobooth
The Digital Package is $150, and the Souvenir Package is $240 with a printed template and 80 fridge magnets with 4x6 photos for guests to take home.
Holiday timing
Catering needs at least one to two weeks' notice. For December, ask as early as you can.
We are normally closed on Mondays, and Sunday is brunch only. We sometimes open on a Monday for events, so ask.
Party trays have no fixed last day to order before Christmas, so check our Facebook or Instagram page, call or message us for December ordering updates.
Over the holidays we plan to be open December 24, 25 and 31, and closed December 26 and January 1. Hours can change, so check our Facebook or Instagram page, or call, before you set a date.
Plan your party
Call 902-444-2515 with your date, headcount and format. Prices shown are from our current menu and may change.
Quick answers
How much is an office holiday party at Barrios?
Catering is $37 per person for 50 guests or more. HST of 14 per cent applies to the food, and the 15 per cent service fee has no HST. For 50 guests in our restaurant, that is $2,386.50 in total. Off-site, transportation is added, with HST.
What if our team is smaller than 50?
Call or message us about a private event, or order party trays for the office. A smaller group can also book a big table.
Do you have a private room?
No separate room. An in-house event books the whole restaurant, which seats up to 60.
How far ahead should we book?
At least one to two weeks for catering, and earlier for December.