Private Parties

Four event rooms, from 15 guests to 125

Backpocket is the perfect place to host any event. Corporate outings, birthdays, showers, weddings or just a big night out with friends: we have four rooms for every size of group, and bowling, billiards and a retro arcade to keep everyone entertained.

Spaces

Main Room

Backpocket · 30 to 60 guests · $80 for 2 hours

Semi-private event room next to the Backpocket bar.

More about the Main Room

It's open to the restaurant, so you'll hear the room around you.
Seats about 50: two 12-foot tables and about five four-tops (no round tables).
Room for a large buffet.
TV with a laptop hookup, plus a speaker and a corded microphone.
Dark wood tables (no linens). Plates and silverware are provided.
Your party can spill into the shared pool area next door.
Priority on one duckpin lane (lane fee applies).
No outside amplified music.

Bigger groups

With extra seating it works for about 70 to 120 guests, with about 80 seated.
Making the pool area private for your party adds a significant cost; a manager will quote it.

Food and drink: Backpocket bar, no dedicated bartender; food from the catering menu

Food minimum: $200 in catering food, or $1,000 with More seating

Need more space? Add on:

More seating
Bowling
Pool tables

Tick the add-ons on the booking form and a manager prices them with your booking.

Book now

North Room

Backpocket · 30 to 125 guests · $200 for 2 hours

Fully private ballroom with its own bar. DJs and dancing welcome.

More about the North Room

A bartender is included.
Up to 12 round tables of 10 chairs.
Best for weddings, receptions, banquets and conferences.
The only room for DJs, amplified music and dancing.
A room-filling speaker system (bring your own music; our staff don't run it).
Large TV. No projector.

Food and drink: One dedicated bartender for the whole event; food catered

Food minimum: $400 in catering food

Book now

Driftless Cellar

Driftless · 30 to 120 guests · $120 for 2 hours

Fully private, with a small stage, ping pong, skee ball, foosball and billiards.

More about the Driftless Cellar

Lower level at Driftless, in a former comedy club with a small stage.
A Driftless bartender is included.
75-inch TV with a laptop hookup, plus a microphone.
Side game room with ping pong, skee ball, foosball and billiards.
Great for parties, company events, presentations and rehearsal dinners.
One catering order for the whole party.
No jukebox. Bring a playlist.
Closed for events during Wonderland, our holiday season (early November to early January).

Food and drink: One Driftless bartender; food catered

Food minimum: $400 in catering food

Book now

Arcade Room

Backpocket · 10 to 30 guests · $20 for 2 hours

Fully private room next to the arcade.

More about the Arcade Room

In the basement, off the side of the arcade.
Great for kids' and family parties.
Over 30 guests works, but not everyone fits comfortably in the room at once. Think of it as home base, with some of your group always out playing in the arcade.
No bar in the room. Guests order drinks by QR code.
Food is optional: order ahead, or order from Driftless and pick it up.
The arcade itself stays open to the public.
Games take quarters ($0.25 to $1.00). There are ATMs on site; quarters can't go on a tab.

Food and drink: No dedicated bartender; guests order by QR code

Food minimum: No food minimum

Book now

Prices shown are for two hours. Extra time costs more; the calendar shows the price for the exact times you pick. A 20% service charge applies to food and drinks on party tabs. Room fees don't have one.

Floor plan

Not sure which room? Ask us

Tell us your group size and what you're planning, and we'll suggest a room. For example: "About 30 people for a birthday, we'd like to bowl and have pizza."

Frequently asked questions

Rooms

Which room fits my group?

Smaller groups (about 15–30) fit the Arcade Room. The Main Room suits about 30–60. Large or formal parties fit the North Room, which holds up to 120 comfortably. The Driftless Cellar is a private game room with a stage. Each room on the booking page lists its guest range and price for your date and time.

Is the room private?

The North Room, the Driftless Cellar and the Arcade Room are fully private. The Main Room is semi-private: it sits behind the Backpocket bar and is set apart by shelving, not solid walls.

What comes with the room?

Tables, chairs and disposable plates, silverware and napkins are included. Tablecloths come standard in the North Room; in the other rooms they're available on request. The Main Room has TVs. The Driftless Cellar has a stage, a TV with HDMI, a speaker and mic, ping pong, skee ball, foosball and billiards. The North Room has round banquet tables and its own bar. High chairs are available.

Can we use the Driftless Cellar in November or December?

No. The Driftless Cellar is part of Wonderland from early November to early January. The North Room or the Main Room are good options then.

Can we bowl or play in the arcade?

Yes. Duckpin bowling is paid at the host stand, and room bookings get priority for a lane, though lanes can't be reserved ahead. The arcade is open to the public and takes quarters, with change machines on site.

Is it accessible?

Yes, there is an elevator. The Arcade Room and the Driftless Cellar are a longer walk from it, so let us know if anyone in your group needs help getting there.

Can we see the space first?

Yes. Stop by during open hours and ask for a manager, or reply to your inquiry email to set up a time.

Booking

How do I book a room?

Pick a day and time on our events page and tap Book now, or send an inquiry and tap Book it in our reply. Your room is held as soon as you book. An invoice for the room fee follows by email.

How do I know I'm booked?

You get a confirmation email with a link to your event page, where you can see and change your details. If you sent more than one request, just reply to one and we'll make sure you have a single booking.

What times can we book?

Most parties book a 3-hour block, such as 11–2, 3–6 or 7–10, but other start times are fine when the room is free. We keep an hour between events for setup and cleanup.

Can we get in early to set up?

You get 30 minutes before your start time to set up, and more is often free if the room is open. If you need the building opened before normal hours, there's an early-open fee.

Can we stay longer or book the whole day?

Longer events need our approval. Pick the longer time on the calendar and send it as a request, and we'll let you know.

Can I change the date, time or headcount after booking?

Yes, as long as the room is free. Make changes on your event page or reply to any of our emails. Final numbers are due 72 hours before your event.

Can I come in to see the room?

Yes, we would love to show you any of the spaces. We open the doors at Driftless at 11:00, with staff arriving at 10:00. Just come in and ask for a manager, and they can show you both Backpocket and Driftless spaces.

Payments

I didn't get my invoice, or the link expired.

Check your spam folder first. If it isn't there, reply to any of our emails and we'll send a new link. Your booking stays in place while we sort it out.

Is the deposit refundable?

Yes. Your room fee is fully refunded if you cancel at least 30 days before your event.

Is there a food minimum?

Some rooms have a food minimum, and drinks don't count toward it. The Arcade Room has none. The minimum for your room is listed in our reply to your inquiry.

Can I use a room voucher?

Yes. Room vouchers cover the room fee only, not food, drinks or an early-open fee.

Is there a service charge or tax?

A 20% service charge applies to food and drinks, but not to room fees. Sales tax is 7%.

Food

Can we bring our own food or drinks?

You can bring a cake or cupcakes, and we provide plates for them. Other outside food and drinks aren't allowed. Driftless Pizza is our sister company, so its pizza is part of our menu, not outside food.

How does the food work?

You order from our catering menu, and it's served buffet style in your room. Groups over 25 place one order for the whole party. The catering menu is on the Food page of our website.

When do you need our food order and final numbers?

We'd love your order two to three weeks ahead, and one week is fine. Final numbers are due 72 hours before your event.

How many pizzas should we order?

Each pizza has 8 slices. Plan on one large pizza for every 2 to 3 guests, so 8 to 10 pizzas for 30 people.

Can you handle allergies or special diets?

Tell us in your order and we'll do what we can. We can often swap items or make half platters, but we generally don't build custom menus.

How do drinks work?

Guests order at the bar, since there are no servers in the event rooms. You can choose a cash bar, an open tab, a tab with a dollar limit, drink tickets where you pay only for the ones used, or limit it to certain drinks. The North Room and the Driftless Cellar have their own bartender. In the Arcade Room, guests can order by QR code and we bring the drinks to them.

Can I buy a keg?

No, we don't sell kegs. You can open a tab at the bar instead, which gives your guests more choices.

Other

Can we decorate?

Yes. Please skip confetti, glitter and confetti balloons, and don't tape anything to the drywall. Take your decorations with you when you leave.

Are kids welcome?

Yes. Guests under 21 are welcome until 9 PM. After 9 PM they need to stay in your private room.

Can we bring a DJ or do karaoke?

DJs and dancing are welcome in the North Room. In the other rooms we can play a house playlist, and the North Room and the Driftless Cellar have a speaker and mic for toasts.

Can we have our wedding with you?

Yes. The North Room hosts both ceremonies and receptions. We can turn the room over between the two, and you can book it the day before to set up. Rehearsal dinners fit well in the Driftless Cellar. Tick the wedding box when you inquire and we'll send our wedding details.

Where do we park?

There are two free lots at 11th and Elm. The 9th Street ramp between Elm and Washington is $1 an hour.

Do you offer brewery tours?

No. Our beer is now brewed off site, so there's no brewery to tour.