Eat Drink & Be Merry

What Eat Drink & Be Merry does

Eat Drink & Be Merry is a privately held multi-concept hospitality operator founded in 1991 and headquartered in New York City. The company owns and operates 15 bars and restaurants distributed across three U.S. markets — 8 in New York City, 4 in Chicago, and 3 in Charleston, South Carolina — alongside 18 private event spaces and a dedicated in-house events team with 25+ years of operating experience. Concepts span neighborhood bars, full-service restaurants, and event/wedding venues, with The Waverly cited as a dedicated private event property.

The business model rests on three revenue pillars: (1) on-premise F&B sales across the 15 venues, (2) private event bookings through the 18 dedicated event spaces and the in-house events team, and (3) ancillary streams including brand partnerships, sponsorships, and merchandise sales. The in-house events team — rather than third-party operators — handles event programming, supported by Tripleseat as the operating platform for event management. The company is founder-/entrepreneur-managed, with Andrew Neesley serving as Managing Partner, and there is no evidence of external private equity backing or institutional capital to date.

Operational evidence indicates deliberate geographic diversification (NYC, Chicago, Charleston) and ongoing concept development, with recent activity including the launch of Share House (Charleston, Winter 2022), the opening of Bodega Mount Pleasant (2023), and the rebrand of The 13th Step to Downtown Social (January 2023). No AI/ML, proprietary technology, or data-asset capabilities are evidenced; the technology stack consists of standard hospitality SaaS rather than differentiated IP. The company self-attests to WCAG 2.0 AA accessibility compliance, indicating awareness of digital accessibility standards but not signaling technical differentiation.

Name

Eat Drink & Be Merry

Legal name

Eat, Drink & Be Merry Hospitality

Website

https://eatdrinkandbemerry.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Eat Drink & Be Merry is a privately held hospitality company founded in 1991, operating 15 bars and restaurants across New York City, Chicago, and Charleston, plus 18 private event spaces, serving consumer patrons, private event clients, and brand partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospitality Services

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD), Cocktail Lounges & Speakeasies (MPAGAIAD), Bar & Beverage Catering (Mobile Bar, Bartending) (HSACAGAF)

Keywords

• Bar and restaurant operations
• Private event venues
• Hospitality group
• Wedding and event hosting
• Neighborhood bar concepts

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Revenue from operating 15 bars and restaurants across New York, Chicago, and Charleston, offering classic American pub fare, affordable cocktails, and exceptional service.
2. Private Event Services: Full-scale in-house event team providing premium and personalized service across 18 exclusive event spaces for private parties, corporate events, and celebrations.
3. Brand Partnerships and Sponsorships: Event sponsorships and activations working with brands to create customized sponsorship and activation strategies including sampling, signage, VIP experiences, and marketing objectives fulfillment.
4. Merchandise Sales: Online merchandise store selling branded goods.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Eat Drink & Be Merry Hospitality operates a portfolio of 15 owned bars and restaurants across New York (8), Chicago (4), and Charleston (3) that serve classic American pub fare, cocktails, and casual dining experiences. The company also offers private event hosting across 18 exclusive event spaces, supported by an in-house events team with 25+ years of experience that handles venue selection, food and beverage customization, and entertainment booking for events of 10-500 guests.

Product overview

Eat Drink & Be Merry is a hospitality company operating a portfolio of 15 bars and restaurants across New York (8 locations), Chicago (4 locations), and Charleston (3 locations). The portfolio includes neighborhood bar brands (Down the Hatch, The Stumble Inn, Jake's Dilemma, The Gin Mill, Off the Wagon, 3 Sheets, Hair of the Dog, Cleo's Pub, Fatso's Last Stand, Downtown Social), upscale social venues (Uptown Social), and unique concepts (Share House, Bodega, The Waverly, By The Way). Beyond food and beverage service, the company offers private event hosting across 18 exclusive event spaces (including The Waverly's 3,000 sq ft reception hall, The Speakeasy, The Empire Room, Cooper Room, and more), supported by a dedicated in-house events team with over 25 years of experience.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Down the Hatch The founding basement bar of the hospitality group located in NYC's West Village, featuring a VIP Area for semi-private group gatherings. Serves classic American pub fare, cocktails, and neighborhood bar experiences for individual diners and bar patrons.
• The Stumble Inn Family-friendly NYC bar featuring The East Wing, a standalone party room with its own storefront at 306 E. 76th Street, complete with mahogany bar and private bathroom.
• Jake's Dilemma NYC neighborhood bar with multiple themed private event spaces: The Oak Cellar (wine cellar with European/industrial decor), The Commons Room (communal space), and Riverside Room (cozy hidden space with blue walls).
• The Gin Mill NYC neighborhood bar featuring The Speakeasy, a classic speakeasy-themed private party space with vaulted brick ceiling, crystal chandeliers, and working fireplace.
• Off the Wagon NYC neighborhood bar with The Balcony, an indoor balcony private event space overlooking the main bar with cast iron banister and Tiffany-inspired lights.
• 3 Sheets NYC second-floor party venue featuring The Lido Deck with natural light from skylight, floor-to-ceiling windows, fireplace, exposed brick, and warm paneled woodwork.
• Hair of the Dog NYC neighborhood bar featuring The Remedy Room, a private event space with custom barn doors, wrap-around windows, 18-foot roof with chandeliers, and embossed tin ceiling.
• Downtown Social NYC bar featuring The Empire Room (blue wall with gold inlay, 12' ceilings, chandeliers) and The State Room (sleek speakeasy-style space with herringbone floors and exposed brick).
• Cleo's Pub Chicago bar with patio space available for private events. Patios can be sectioned off entirely or partially (Upper Patio or Lower Patio only).
• Fatso's Last Stand

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Brand Partners and SponsorscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsorships and activations enhance the guest experience and provide a robust platform to tap into target audiences. Works with brands large and small to create customized sponsorship and activation strategies including sampling and signage to VIP experiences. Contact: Andrew Neesley, Managing Partner at [email protected].

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hillstone Restaurant Group: Privately held multi-unit casual-to-upscale restaurant operator (Hillstone, Houston's, R+D Kitchen). Comparable to EDBM on multi-venue operating discipline, though skews more polished casual dining versus nightlife/event-led.
• Sydell Group: Lifestyle hospitality group operating boutique hotels with restaurants, bars, and event spaces (Freehand, The Line, NoMad). Comparable to EDBM on bar/event-centric revenue model, though anchored by hotels rather than standalone bars.
• Lettuce Entertain You Enterprises: Large Chicago-headquartered multi-concept restaurant group (60+ venues). Comparable to EDBM in multi-city footprint and event hosting, but operates at significantly larger scale with broader cuisine mix.
• The ONE Group Hospitality: Public hospitality company operating STK Steakhouse, Benihana, and nightlife venues globally. Comparable to EDBM on multi-concept bar/restaurant/event model, though at much larger scale and with international footprint.
• TAO Group Hospitality: Large multi-concept hospitality operator (TAO, Lavo, Marquee) with nightlife, dining, and large-scale event venues. Comparable to EDBM on nightlife/event-driven revenue, though skews higher-end and more entertainment-led.

Direct peers

• Bottleneck Management: Multi-unit operator of bars and restaurants across the Midwest and East Coast, with built-in private event spaces at most locations. Highly comparable to EDBM's portfolio approach of operating several neighborhood bar concepts plus event-driven revenue.
• BR Guest Hospitality: NYC-based multi-concept restaurant group with strong private events business (e.g., The Smith, Brasserie Ruhlmann). Comparable to EDBM's NYC-anchored portfolio of neighborhood bars/restaurants and dedicated event spaces.
• Four Corners Tavern Group: Chicago-based multi-unit neighborhood bar and restaurant operator managing ~50 venues across multiple concepts. Closest direct comparable to EDBM's model of operating many branded neighborhood bars with event-space conversion.
• Parker Hospitality: Operator of multiple NYC restaurants and event venues (e.g., The Bell House, Parker's, Hav & Mar). Direct comparable to EDBM on NYC concentration, multi-venue operation, and emphasis on private events as a core revenue line.

Regional players

• One Off Hospitality Group: Chicago-based multi-concept restaurant group (Blackbird, Avec, The Violet Hour). Overlaps with EDBM's Chicago portfolio in city and on private events/bar concepts, though more chef-driven and upscale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/edbmhospitality
• Instagraminstagram.com/edbmhospitality

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Eat Drink & Be Merry