Here's a look at the event capabilities of three brand new nightspots.
1. Billed as a gastro-pub, the week-old Red Canary eschews traditional bar fare for items such as buttermilk-fried quail with basil whipped potatoes and homemade s'mores made with lavender marshmallows. The venue's 6,000-square-foot interior is decked in 1920's-style decor, with a chandelier, red damask booths, and photos of silent film stars decking the walls. Drinks follow era-appropriate suit, with sidecars and Manhattans headlining the cocktail list. The interior seats 100, and in the warmer months an ivy-covered patio can seat an additional 78.
2. Wicker Park's Division Ale House opened last Friday. The venue offers pub fare that ranges from traditional cheeseburgers to pasta with beer-and-cheese sauce to Guinness-spiked brownies. Known as beer towers, the house specialties are 80-ounce pitchers with built-in taps and icy cores. Full buyouts can accommodate 100 guests inside; a patio seats an additional 26; and for smaller groups, a semiprivate space provides seating for 25. Audiovisual amenities include eight 50-inch plasma-screen TVs that can be used for laptop presentations.
3. About a 15-minute cab ride from O'Hare airport, Sheffield's River Grove location opened earlier this month. The 6,500-square-foot space seats 200, and a flower-filled beer garden provides seating for an additional 60. Available for full buyout, the venue can accommodate receptions for 300 between its indoor and outdoor areas. For smaller parties, a semiprivate area off the main dining room seats 15. The chef can prepare passed hors d'oeuvres, food stations, or plated dinners, and menu options include BBQ pizza, buffalo chicken rolls, and hand-cut fries.
