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How to Choose the Right Dinner Setup for Your Event at Bonaventure Brewing Co.

6/27/2025

 
Buffet or Plated? Let’s Find What Fits Your Vision
If you're planning a dinner event in Downtown LA, one of the first decisions you'll make is what kind of dining experience you want to offer your guests. At Bonaventure Brewing Co., we make that process easy by offering two main formats for dinner: buffet-style service and plated dinner service. Both are fully catered, thoughtfully prepared in-house, and designed to suit a wide range of events. The best choice depends on your guest count, event goals, and how much structure you want built into the evening.
Let’s take a closer look at both.

Buffet Dinner Service
Flexible, approachable, and still polished
Our buffet setup is self-service but still elegant. It includes full staffing to manage the setup, maintain the food stations, and make sure everything stays clean and replenished. Guests help themselves at their own pace, which keeps the energy of the event relaxed and social.
This style is ideal for receptions, networking dinners, celebrations, and casual corporate events. It allows for more movement and interaction among guests and doesn't require a detailed floor plan or seating chart. We provide chafing dishes, service equipment, and all the necessary presentation pieces to keep things looking elevated.

With the buffet, you can build your menu from scratch or choose from one of our composed dinner packages, which are popular for groups that want a themed or pre-set experience without having to make individual selections.

Composed Dinner Buffet Options
Streamlined menus designed for simplicity and style
Composed buffet packages are complete menus designed to offer a well-balanced meal without requiring detailed customization. They’re especially great if you're hosting a larger group or if you want a cohesive menu that flows together.
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Here are a few of the most popular options:
Italian Pasta Dinner
This package features multiple pasta dishes like chicken alfredo, vegetarian rigatoni, and spaghetti bolognese, plus salad and fresh rolls. It’s perfect for family-style vibes or casual company dinners.
Comfort Classic
A playful take on nostalgic favorites, this option includes sliders, flatbreads, mac and cheese, chicken tenders, and desserts like brownies and cookies. It's a great fit for younger crowds or relaxed events.
Taco Bar or Poke Bar
These build-your-own stations are fun and interactive. They work especially well for social events, mixers, and casual dinners where guests appreciate something fresh and flavorful.
Surf and Turf
Our elevated composed package includes chimichurri steak, blackened shrimp, salmon, and upscale sides like Brussels sprouts and mashed potatoes. It’s a great option when you want something special without going full plated.

Plated Dinner Service
Formal, elegant, and more structured
Plated dinner service is our most elevated option and is best suited for more formal dinners, rehearsal dinners, company award banquets, or any event that includes speeches or presentations. Each guest is served a pre-selected meal at their assigned seat by our professional service team.
Because plated service requires more coordination, there is a bit more planning involved. We ask for a finalized floor plan, guest count, and menu selections no later than seven days before the event. Plated dinners are limited to 100 guests to ensure smooth service and proper timing from our kitchen.

While plated dinners take more work upfront, they offer a refined guest experience and a structured flow that many clients love, especially when there’s a program or presentation built into the evening.

Still Deciding? Here’s Our Advice
If you’re looking for a relaxed atmosphere with flexibility in flow and timeline, buffet-style service is likely your best bet. It gives your guests more control and creates a casual, social environment. Plus, it still feels elevated thanks to our service staff and presentation.

If your event includes a formal program, assigned seating, or you simply want the experience of a full-service dinner, then plated service is worth the extra coordination. It creates a memorable dining experience that feels polished from start to finish.

No matter which format you choose, we’re here to help make the process simple. From menus and rentals to timelines and dessert stations, we take care of everything so you can enjoy your event.

Ready to Start Planning?

We’d love to help you choose the right setup for your group. Email us at [email protected] or call 714-402-3316 and we’ll walk you through the options, send over sample menus, and build a custom proposal that fits your vision and guest count.

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