10 Festive New Venues in Chicago for Holiday Parties

The Hampton Social opened in River North in July. The seafood-centric menu features lobster rolls, oysters, and steamers. Decor includes nautical rope chandeliers, gas fire pits, and hammocks. The Garden room, a semiprivate space, seats 60 guests or holds 70 for receptions. Set to open in November, a private dining room will host dinners for 25. The venue is also available for buyout; it seats 200 or holds 340 for receptions.

GreenRiver opened in Streeterville this month. With indoor and outdoor seating for 190 guests, the restaurant features a cocktail program developed by Best Bar in the World (the team behind the Dead Rabbit in New York). Drinks are based on raw distilling ingredients including rye, corn, barley, and agave. The menu offers seasonal fare made with ingredients from local farms; dishes include Slagel Farms pork with house-made mustard and greens. Events are held in the Gallery at GreenRiver, which is adjacent to the restaurant. Tailored to corporate gatherings, the North Gallery seats 126. The South Gallery connects to the restaurant's private terrace and seats 194. Union Square Events handles catering for private events held at the Gallery.

Heavy Feather opened in Logan Square, above the bar Slippery Slope, in July. With a look influenced by the 1970s, the space is decorated with hanging ferns and Tiffany pendant lights. A menu of throwback-style cocktails includes Grasshoppers, Singapore Slings, and Amaretto Sours. The venue holds 95 for cocktail receptions or seats 50; it can also be used in conjunction with Slippery Slope to host receptions of 300. The space is set up to accommodate DJs, and—though there's no in-house kitchen—outside caterers are welcome. A photo booth can be rented out, allowing guests to snap photos for free during functions.

The Hotel Allegro recently underwent a $15 million renovation. The newest event space, the Palladium, opened on the ground floor in July. The room holds 150 for receptions or seats 80 at round tables. Alternatively, it holds conferences for 30 or seats 46 classroom-style or 75 theater-style. PSAV can provide audiovisual equipment for events held within the space. 

After an extensive renovation, Cafe Spiaggia reopened in July. Decked with marble café tables and white leather banquettes, the Italian eatery also has a new menu. Items include warm burrata, lobster pasta, and Slagel Farm whole chicken. The semiprivate Mag Mile room seats 30 guests. The space is also available for buyout and holds 150 for cocktail receptions or seats 60.

Bernie's Lunch and Supper opened in River North in August. At 7,500 square feet, the restaurant is accented with turquoise banquettes, antique mirrors, and assorted textiles. It seats 100 guests in the main dining room and 80 in a second bar space. A rooftop patio will open soon. The venue can accommodate semiprivate groups of as many as 40. On the menu, Mediterranean-inspired comfort fare includes ricotta gnocchi, saffron mussels, and veal meatballs.

In River North, the Rec Room opened below Henry's in July. It holds 75 for cocktail parties. The basement space houses a dance floor, a free jukebox filled with 45s, and a disco ball; it's also equipped with a microphone, a projector, and screens. Menu items include salmon ceviche, oyster shooters, and charcuterie platters. Staffers can also stock a retro refrigerator—which guests can reach into— with snacks such as fried chicken and Klondike bars. Staffers can arrange for karaoke parties, cocktail-bottling classes, and other on-site activities.

Elaina Vazquez of Boutique Bites Catering opened the event space Brique in April. With a show kitchen, the Ada Street venue has a Hamptons-inspired vibe with capiz chandeliers, custom white floors, and a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf. At 8,000 square feet, it seats 100 guests for dinners with a dance floor.

Following a renovation, Rockit Bar & Grill in River North reopened in in May with a fresh rock-'n'-roll-inspired look from designer Kara Mann. The menu also got a revamp, and new items include crispy pork and broccoli, bison Sloppy Joe sandwiches, and a foot-long pork and beef sausage. The venue can hold 300 guests for receptions on its upper level; a buyout accommodates receptions of 500 guests.

Studio Manarchy, the studio of photographer Dennis Manarchy, began hosting events in early 2015. Originally built in the 1890s as a maple syrup factory, the venue has a custom oversize clock and is filled with antiques and Americana-style props. It combines the 3,000-square-foot Clock Room with the 2,000-square-foot Americana Room and holds 250 for receptions or seats 150. The venue has three on-site kitchens, dedicated Wi-Fi, and a baby grand piano.