Throw the Ultimate 90s Themed Dinner Party

Growing up in the 90s was all that and a bag of chips. From watching SNICK on Saturday nights to rocking out at Warped Tour. What better way to celebrate the tubular decade than by throwing a totally rad 90s themed dinner party?

By the end of this guide, you’ll have the blueprint for the most ridiculously awesome 90s dinner bash. So slap on your backwards cap, lace up your Doc Martens, and let’s get planning.

Venue Ideas

A dinner party is usually a more sedate it down affair, so you’ll wanna host your soiree at home, either indoors or in your backyard. This encourages casual vibes where guests can let loose in a comfortable environment.

Backyard Bash

Transform your outdoor space into a 90s paradise. Hang strands of twinkle lights across the fence and trees to set a chill mood. Get a gazebo and place a table and chair underneath it in the center.

For chill evening vibes, have a fire pit or chiminea with marshmallows for DIY s’mores. Use tiki torches and candles in mason jars to illuminate any dark areas.

Set up a beverage station with plastic pitchers of Koolaid, sodas in ice-filled plastic tubs, and chips, pretzels, and other savory snacks in retro bowls. Hang strings of Polaroids capturing choice 90s memories across your fence.

Indoor House Party

Give your home 90s flair by transforming rooms with decade-specific decor. For example, turn your living room into a 90s coffee house like Central Perk from Friends. Rearrange furniture to mimic the iconic orange couch and coffee table. Scatter beanbag chairs and pile on pillows to lounge on after your main meal.

Use fabric, plastic tablecloths, and cardboard to make backdrops and signs inspired by TV shows like Saved by the Bell and movies like Clueless. Hang honeycomb balls and streamers from the ceiling and walls. Display your collection of 90s memorabilia like POGs, Mr. Sketch markers, Nintendo Game Boys, and Archie comic books.

Decor

The decor for your 90s bash should be full of color, kitsch, and nostalgia. Go all out with fun themes and props to delight your guests.

Table Decor

Cover table tops with plastic tablecloths featuring loud prints like neon squiggles, geometric shapes, or 90s TV show imagery. Use folding tables or picnic tables for a casual vibe.

For place settings, use brightly colored plastic cups, cutlery, and plates. Fold napkins into funky shapes like shirts or triangles. Tie scrunchies around rolled silverware. Make creative name tags out of old cassette tapes with guests’ names on the label.

Centerpieces can include lava lamps, flower arrangements in empty Classic Coke bottles, or Beanie Babies and other plush toys from the decade. Scatter POGs, Pokemon cards, plastic choker necklaces, and mini Tamagotchis around as accent pieces.

Walls & Ceiling

Use streamers, honeycomb balls, tissue paper fans, and strings of Polaroids to decorate the walls and ceiling. Hang up movie posters from 90s classics like Clueless, The Matrix, Jurassic Park, and Wayne’s World.

For photo ops, create a picture wall with various 90s backdrops like brick walls, graffiti art, clouds, or a campy woodland scene. Provide props like fanny packs, scrunchies, inflatable guitars, and funky sunglasses.

Other Nostalgic Touches

Display your collection of 90s memorabilia like Trapper Keepers, Delia’s catalogs, Yak Bak voice recorders, Skip-It ropes, and Furby toys.

Set up TVs that play 90s music videos, commercials, or shows on mute. Hang Wacky WallWalker vinyl toys on the walls. Fill a bowl with pogs and slammer sets for people to play with.

Food & Drink Ideas

When planning the eats and sips for your 90s dinner party, think heavy appetizers, creative main dishes, and nostalgic desserts and beverages. Go all out to create a menu that will transport your guests back to the tasty decade.

Appetizers

Get the party started with indulgent finger foods. Popular picks include:

A platter of crispy buffalo wings doused in tongue-tingling hot sauce and served with creamy blue cheese dressing and celery sticks.
Personal pan pizzas on mini deep dish crusts loaded up with iconic 90s toppings like pineapple and Canadian bacon, barbecue chicken with red onions, or supreme with pepperoni, sausage, mushrooms, black olives, and extra cheese.
Ooey-gooey baked mac and cheese bites coated in crispy panko breadcrumbs and served with marinara dipping sauce.
Caprese skewers featuring fresh mozzarella, basil leaves, and cherry tomatoes drizzled with a balsamic reduction.
Crispy fried mozzarella sticks served with rich marinara sauce.
A seven-layer bean dip in the classic order of refried beans, guacamole, sour cream, shredded cheese, tomatoes, black olives, and sliced green onions served with blue corn tortilla chips.

Main Courses

Hit diners with nostalgic main course options like:

A hearty pasta primavera with bowtie pasta, fresh seasonal vegetables, and a creamy alfredo sauce, topped with shaved parmesan.
A sizzling skillet of nachos or quesadillas loaded with spiced ground beef, refried beans, melted cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.
Mini cheeseburgers and hot dogs fresh off the grill, served on soft rolls with all the classic fixings like ketchup, mustard, relish, onions, pickles, and cheese.
Individual taco salads served in fried tortilla bowls, filled with shredded lettuce, spiced ground beef or chicken, cheddar cheese, pico de gallo, guacamole, and sour cream.
Tacos with hard and soft shells, spiced ground beef and chicken, refried beans, Mexican rice, pico de gallo, guacamole, shredded lettuce, cheese, and sour cream so guests can build their perfect tacos.

Desserts

Satisfy sweet cravings with these quintessential 90s desserts:

A massive cookie cake from a bakery frosted in white icing and customized with retro rainbow writing, like “Rockin’ 90s Bash” or a nostalgic greeting.
Individual trifles served in clear plastic cups layered with yellow cake chunks, vanilla pudding, strawberries, and whipped cream.
Cookies and cream or neapolitan ice cream sandwiches made with chocolate chip cookies and your choice of ice cream flavors.
Dirt pudding, served in flower pots and topped with crushed Oreo cookie crumbs and gummy worms.
A Neapolitan ice cream roll cake with layers of chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream rolled up in a flaky cake crust and frosted.
Individual lava cake oozing with chocolate when you cut into it and topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Donut wall mounted with an array of glazed, iced, and sprinkled donuts.

Drinks

Quench thirst with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage options:

Koolaid mixed from nostalgic packets in curvy plastic pitchers for that authentic flavor.
Orbitz soft drink featuring little floating gel balls suspended in the clear citrus-flavored soda.
Scrunchie cocktails made with Absolut citron vodka, peach schnapps, orange juice, and cranberry juice garnished with a scrunchie.
Zima, wine coolers, and light beers like Sam Adams and Heineken.
Mixed drink punch bowls filled with juicy flavors like strawberry daiquiri or margarita with citrus slices and juice for guests to ladle into plastic cups.
The classic red Solo cup filled with whatever drink your 90s lovin’ heart desires.

Snacks

Round out the menu with nostalgic packaged snacks:

Dunkaroos with frosting and sprinkles for dunking the kangaroo and koala graham cookies.
Squeeze-Its fruit snacks in retro packaging.
Lunchables loaded with crackers, cheese, meat, and candy.
Bagel Bites and Pizza Rolls fresh from the oven.
Gushers and Fruit by the Foot rolled out flat in vibrant colors.
Chips like Doritos, Cheetos, and Fritos to munch while socializing.
Twinkies, Nutty Bars, Cosmic Brownies, and other classic packaged sweets.

With these appetizing food and drink ideas, your guests’ bellies and taste buds will be sentimental for the 90s. Plan a menu that will take everyone back to the tasty decade in all its quirky glory.

Invitations

The invitations set the tone for your tubular 90s bash. Get creative with the invites using quintessential 90s elements so guests arrive ready to party.

Paper Invitations

Design printed invites that look straight out of the 90s. Use neon, patterned card stock and write details with gel pens in funky fonts. Cut invites into fun shapes – cassingles, 8-ball pool pockets, cell phones, or abstract 90s-esque shapes.

Provide party details like “8pm ‘til your parents pick you up” so you can feel like a kid again. For extra nostalgia, make paper envelopes from old Lisa Frank sticker sheets. Seal with puffy stickers, scented stickers, or 90s cartoon character stamps.

Digital Invites

Create a Facebook event page with a design straight from the 90s with backgrounds like outer space, pyramids, fire flames or neon squiggles. Include a graphic invite image featuring everything 90s – Beanie Babies, Nickelodeon characters, a Nintendo Game Boy.

Write the event description using 90s slang like “This party is gonna be all that and a bag of chips!” so people know to dress the part. Make the tone fun and nostalgic to get guests excited.

Creative Invites

Record a video invite in full 90s fashion – neon clothes, bad graphics, cheesy effects. Recreate an authentic 90s TV promo for your party and share via YouTube/social media.

Design and print old school flyers then pass out to guests like you’re promoting a rave or underground event. Create zines with event details and 90s graphics for them to flip through.

Outfit Ideas

The threads at your 90s party need to be on point! Encourage guests to raid thrift stores in search of the most bangin’ 90s garb. Here are outfit ideas spanning iconic trends and shows:

TV Show Costumes

Friends – Channel Rachel in high-waisted mom jeans, oversized sweaters, and plaid blazers. Recreate Ross’ infamous “Spudnik” baked potato costume.

Saved By the Bell – Dress as Jessie Spano in acid wash denim, flowy floral tops, leggings, and Keds. Go for A.C. Slater’s athletic prep vibe with Bayside Tigers rugby shirts and Z. Cavaricci bell bottoms.

Fresh Prince of Bel-Air – Oversized varsity jackets, graffiti graphic tees, neon bucket hats for the Will Smith look. Get fancy like the Banks family with suits, shift dresses, and gaudy costume jewelry.

Clueless – Rock Cher Horowitz’s yellow plaid suits paired with fuzzy pens, white knee highs, and backpacks. Dionne’s crop tops, mini skirts, and funky hats steal any scene.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer – Get Buffy and Faith’s bad girl edge with leather jackets, mesh tops, and red lipstick. Willow and Tara’s earthy peasant dresses and long skirts exude witchy vibes.

Music Inspiration

90s Hip Hop – Oversized plaid flannels, baggy jeans, tracksuits, snapback hats, thick chains and nameplate necklaces.

Grunge – Plaid flannels, ripped up tees, distressed jeans, combat boots, knit caps, and beanies. The grungier the better.

Boy Bands – Tracksuits, windbreakers, baggy pants, shiny shirts, bucket hats, and bleached tips for that NSYNC/Backstreet vibe.

Pop Princesses – Britney’s Catholic schoolgirl outfit, Christina’s genie in a bottle look, crop tops, platform shoes, sparkly chokers.

Quintessential 90s Gear

Windbreakers, overalls, fanny packs, chokers, scrunchies, tying sweaters around your waist
Bike shorts, Rollerblades, tie dye, colored sunglasses, mini backpacks
Denim everything – jackets, overalls, bucket hats
Plaid flannels, slouchy socks, Birkenstocks, Doc Martens
Starter jackets, oversized jerseys, sports logos

You and your guests have a blast raiding thrift stores to create totally rad 90s ensembles. With the right outfits, it will feel just like 1999 again!

Games & Activities

After dinner, have some extra fun with these game and activity ideas.

Game Tournaments

Hold a Nintendo 64 Mario Kart or GoldenEye 007 tournament. Let guests battle it out to be crowned champion. Award fun 90s prizes like Lunchables, Dunkaroos, and slap bracelets to the winners. You can pick up a mini games console cheaply with the old 90s classics pre loaded onto it.
Break out classic 90s board games like Taboo, Pictionary, Scattergories, Mall Madness, and Girl Talk. Get ultra competitive with Hungry Hungry Hippos.
For trivia lovers, get decks featuring 90s TV, movies, music, and pop culture. Test guests’ knowledge of the decade with bonus physical challenges.

Fun Activities

Have a 90s lip sync battle to boy bands, divas, and one-hit wonders. Provide props and costumes.
Do classic 90s dances like The Macarena, The Train, Cotton Eyed Joe, and The Electric Slide. See who still remembers the moves.
Award prizes for 90s trivia, most convincing costume, best Fresh Prince rap performance, and other superlatives.
Play Twister, Limbo, mini golf, dancing contests, or Karaoke. Perform embarrassing challenges for losing games.

This mix of games and activities will keep your guests long entertained after dinner.

There you have it. You should have all you need to host a radical 90s themed dinner party now. I hope you have a wonderful, relaxed and fun filled evening reminiscing with your friends.