Venues

Storefront Company opened in Chicago's 100-year-old Flat Iron building in March. From the team behind Debonair Social Club, the venue specializes in what owners call "farm cuisine and modern cooking." At a four-seat area known as the Kitchen Counter, which is available by reservation only, chef Bryan Moscatello serves personalized four-course menus that incorporate the day's freshest ingredients or special dishes that aren't available for non-Kitchen Counter patrons. During the meal, the chef interacts with guests and describes his culinary process. Offerings may include quinoa fries with sheep's milk cheese, foie gras with brioche crisps and pickled peaches, or quail with pistachio sausage. Courses come paired with wine. Classic and seasonal cocktails, champagnes, and specialty craft beers are also available.

Chef Scott Conant helms Scarpetta Beverly Hills, a modern Italian restaurant that opened inside Montage Beverly Hills in 2010. Groups of five can reserve the chef's counter, where the culinary team prepares dishes as guests look on. The chef offers detailed descriptions of each menu item; sample offerings include creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms or tagliatelle with duck ragu. The restaurant offers eight-, 10-, and 12-course tasting menus, and sommeliers can provide wine pairings.

Matthais Merges, who was executive chef at Charlie Trotter's for some 14 years, opened Yusho in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood in late 2011; this year, the restaurant was included in Bon Appetit's list of 50 Best New Restaurants. Inspired by a Japanese yakitori, the restaurant has a chef's counter that can hold private groups of four. The entire Cooking Counter can also be reserved to seat 14. All menus are customized "around the guests' likes and dislikes, beverages being consumed, and length of experience a guest would like to have," says Merges. Pairings may include hama hama oysters with English peas and caviar; mackerel with Japanese vinaigrette and sushi rice; and a "Gin Rickey" made with lime and DH Krahn gin.

Brooklyn Fare, a neighborhood grocer that's been open since 2009, has a restaurant within it called Chef's Table. The venue—billed as Brooklyn's only restaurant with three Michelin stars—has an 18 seat kitchen counter that can be reserved for private events. Chef Cesar Ramirez prepares market-driven tasting menus that he develops on the day of the event. The prix-fixe dinner offers more than 20 small-plate courses. There's a heavy focus on seafood, with dishes containing both shellfish and raw fish; there's also a wine program.

In Boston, Stir is a demonstration kitchen and cookbook store owned by prominent chef Barbara Lynch. The venue has a cook-top island with seating for 10 and can host private cooking classes and dinners. Options include a $200-a-head demonstration dinner that lets guests look on as a chef prepares a three-course meal and demonstrates techniques. The menu is customized to reflect clients' tastes and seasonal ingredients, and guests leave with a collection of recipes.

Master Sommelier Alpana Singh plans to open the Boarding House in River North this fall. With multiple floors, the upscale restaurant and wine bar will take over a vintage building that was—appropriately—a boardinghouse at one time. Billed as the city's first restaurant to be owned by a master sommelier, the eatery will offer wine-driven menus developed by chef Christian Gosselin of Sofitel Chicago and Bistronomic. In the cellar and first-floor wine bar, the menu will focus on California-style pizzas, shared plates, and charcuterie. The second level, called the Blue Room, will serve as the private dining room. On the third level, Room 720 will have a beveled ceiling made of wine bottles and bay windows overlooking the city skyline. In Room 720, the chef will serve globally inspired entrées made with local ingredients.

Ada St. opened in March in Noble Square. The entire venue is available for rent on Mondays and Tuesdays, when the space is closed to the public. The capacity is 45, and in the warmer months a backyard opens up to accommodate an additional 20 guests. Cocktails have poetic names such as the "Falling in Love Again," which combines Reisling with lemon and vermouth, and the "Tangled Up in Blue" is made with scotch, yellow chartreuse, and orange bitters. Bar bites include ricotta crostini, marinated olives, and crispy black-eyed peas. A list of sharable plates includes salmon tartare, Southern-fried quail, and polenta fries. Pastry chef Tony Galzin, formerly of MK, offers dessert selections such as brioche donuts with port wine caramel.

Red Door took over the former Duchamp space in Bucktown in early May. The 1,100 square foot bar and eatery has globally inspired pub grub from executive chef Troy Graves and can be rented for seated dinners or receptions. The interior holds 100, and a 2,500-square-foot beer garden seats 100 and holds 400 standing during the warmer months. Menu items include rabbit schnitzel with sauerkraut and honey mustard; soy-cured salmon with Asian pear, cucumber, basil, and ponzu; and baby octopus with cauliflower, olive, celery, and sherry. Mixologist Jeremiah Krickhahn's cocktails include the Yuzu Julep made with whiskey, Yuzu juice, muddled shiso, and gum syrup; the High Tea combines orange-blossom-tea-infused bourbon with bitters, flamed cinnamon, and orange zest.

From the owners of Moe's Cantina, Mercer One Thirteen opened in River North in May. The restaurant-lounge hybrid has a fireplace, tree-bark accents, and earthy hues with pops of orange. The sleek space can hold 450 guests or host semiprivate functions for groups of 30 or more. Modern American menu items include thyme-crusted salmon, chicken-pesto sandwiches, and roasted beet salad. Cocktails include the Blackberry Old Fashioned, a tarragon-garnished Mule, and the Bleu Noir, made with cherry Grey Goose vodka, blueberry juice, and Grand Marnier.

The Drinkingbird came to Lincoln Park in May, and can host events for 82 inside and 33 on a patio. The Las Vegas-inspired cocktail lounge has neon lights, wallpaper with a Walt Disney original pattern, orange leather booths, and a bar with an antiqued-mirror backdrop. An back room can host events for 50, and has a billiards table and a remote-controlled fireplace topped with a turquoise hood. Old-fashioned cocktails include the Paloma Punch, which mixes tequila with agave syrup, lime, soda, and grapefruit bitters. The opening food selection includes rillette with house-baked challah, beer mustard, bourbon butter, and smoked pork belly; scallops with roasted carrot puree, chimichurri, grapefruit, and frisee; and a hamburger on a brioche bun with caramelized onions, bacon, fried egg, and Gruyere cheese.

Old Town Pour House opened in March. The 10,000-square-foot venue claims that its 90-strong selection of tap brews is the largest in the city, and the spot also serves wine and seasonal cocktails. A menu of American fare includes crab fondue, ahi tuna, and Guinness-braised short ribs. Its private dining room, which has its own bar area with eight brews on tap, can host seated functions for 30 or 50 guests standing. The space also has two wall-mounted flat-screen TVs and three communal tables.

In Andersonville, the three-level Premise sprang up in April.  Brian Runge, former chef at Graham Elliot, mans the kitchen, and his menu includes Spanish mackerel with Manzanilla tapenade and pickled quail egg as well as fluke tartare. The salon, a 1,400-square-foot cocktail lounge on the second floor, seats 40 and holds 50 for cocktails. The fireplace-equipped room was inspired by a baron's parlor and serves high-end bar snacks such as foie gras-stuffed pretzels and craft cocktails. With a farm table, crystal chandeliers, and seating in plush, tufted chairs, the third-floor King's room was designed for private events can host dinners for eight to 12; it can be rented out in conjunction with the salon to host cocktail receptions for 60.

Meaning "force" in Italian, Forza came to Lincoln Park in late March. The restaurant and bar serves Italian fare like antipasti and homemade pastas. The wine list offers more than 50 global selections, and craft cocktails range from a martini with muddled blueberries to a jalapeno-infused tequila drink shaken with agave nectar, pineapple juice, and sparkling apple cider. Inspired by a bar in southern Italy, the interior seats 60 or holds 99 for a reception, and is outfitted with dark wood, cream-colored light shades, old-fashioned bar stools and leather banquettes. Inspired by a shared love for Audrey Hepburn and other classic beauties, the co-owners hired makeup artist Lisa Pekofsky to create a distinct look for the staff. This summer, owners will open a champagne bar in the neighboring space; it will host receptions for 100 and seat 40.

The Monkey's Paw opened in Lincoln Park in May. With a wide selection of whiskeys and dishes such as orzo with vanilla-poached lobster and New York strip steak with horseradish Hollandaise, the venue can be bought out for groups of 70 or more. The semiprivate Library, with bookshelves and leather lounge seating, can seat eight, while a larger semiprivate room can hold 20.

RM Champagne Salon is awaiting its final licenses and is slated to open soon. Inspired by the classic feminine style of Grace Kelly, the interior is outfitted with candles, fresh flowers, antique hand mirrors, and vintage crystal perfume bottles. Specializing (obviously) in champagne, the West Loop spot also offers cheeses, tea sandwiches, and petits fours. Available for private and semiprivate events, the venue has around 60 seats and can host cocktail receptions for more than 100. A patio can host alfresco seated functions for 40 and has standing from for 75.

A new location of Bar Louie sprang up in River North in February. Available for buyout, the space holds 274 inside and 94 on a patio. A raised lounge area can host semiprivate functions for 80, and has two flat-screen TVs for presentations, soft seating, and standard table seating. Overall, the space has 15 TVs. The venue offers build-your-own burger buffets; stations can also hold pasta, quesadillas, or the "After Work" snack selection that includes chicken wings, hummus, and calamari.

On the third floor of McCormick Place West, the Skyline Ballroom is is known as Chicago's largest. At 100,000 square feet, the room has a banquet capacity of 5,500 guests. Savor Chicago handles food and beverage for functions in the space.

The Museum of Science and Industry is known as the largest science center in the Western Hemisphere. In the center of the Hyde Park space, the main floor, rotunda, and balcony are connected and provide direct access to exhibits including "Science Storms," "The Great Train Story," and "You! The Experience." With 233,852 square feet of space, the area can host receptions for 5,000 guests.

A subsidiary of the Toronto-based company Cinespace, Cinespace Chicago Film Studios houses soundproof stages, production offices, on-site dining areas, a prop and decor rental facility, and a fully functioning studio. The venue's largest stage, which can host private events, is 100,000 square feet and can seat 2,000 guests for dinner or hold receptions for 5,000. The space has an on-site event planner and caterer.

The Sheraton Chicago ballroom at the Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers is billed as the largest hotel ballroom in the Midwest. The 40,000-square-foot space can host banquets for 3,160 and receptions for 4,600 guests.

In Uptown, Aragon Ballroom was completed in the 1920s. Designed to evoke the courtyard of a Spanish palace, the space is decked with mosaic tiles, palm trees, and glowing stars embedded in the ceiling. In its 20,000-square-foot central space, the venue can host gatherings for 4,800 guests.

The sprawling Hyatt Regency Chicago's Grand ballroom is 24,282 square feet. The room can host banquets for 2,280 and receptions for 3,000.

Overlooking Grant Park and just a few minutes from McCormick Place, the sprawling Hilton Chicago has ample space for large-scale meetings and events. Its biggest ballroom is the International, which is 21,996 square feet. The chandelier-lit space can host receptions for 3,000 and dinners for 2,000 guests.

With a wraparound balcony overlooking the main floor, Stanley Field Hall at The Field Museum is 300 feet long by 75 feet wide. The space can hold seated dinners for 1,500 guests and cocktail receptions for 7,500.With sky-lit vaulted ceilings, columns, and marble furnishings, the hall houses the famous Tyrannosaurus Rex fossil "Sue" as well as totem poles and stuffed elephants.

The 20,000-square-foot Great hall at Union Station was completed in the 1920s. The Beaux Arts space has Corinthian columns, pink marble floors, and a barrel-vaulted atrium ceiling. The space can host seated dinners for 1,500 and receptions for 2,500.

Known as the world's largest commercial building, The Merchandise Mart spans two city blocks. The largest event space within the venue is the North lobby. At 9,700 square feet, the space can host cocktail receptions for 1,200 and seated dinners for 580.