The Hyatt Regency McCormick Place just completed a $100 million expansion and renovation. Attached to McCormick Place convention center, the hotel has a new 460-room tower; its 800 current rooms were redesigned, and the meeting spaces were renovated, as well. The 4,000-square-foot Prairie Room (pictured) has been revamped to offer more natural light and has new designer lighting and wood finishes. It can host receptions for 415, banquets for 360, and meetings for as many as 450. The 25,000-square-foot Hyatt Conference Center was also renovated, adding three boardrooms and a business center.
The Ritz-Carlton Chicago opened a rooftop event space in May. The venue, which has a color-changing LED wall and a circular sculpture called "the Lenz," can seat 57 or hold 125 for receptions. Menu items include burger beignets stuffed with Wagyu beef and American cheese, as well as Ritz Crackers topped with house-made Parmesan spread and truffle honey. Handcrafted and kegged cocktails pair with each of the small bites, and specialty drinks include the Hemingway’s Heart, made with 10 Cane rum, grapefruit, blood oranges, and lime.
At the Merchandise Mart, DreamHome is a 3,000-square-foot showcase of rooms created by several interior designers. There are 10 rooms total, including a model living room, dining room, game room, and kitchen. For the first time, the showcase will host private events this summer through September 1. The design-savvy venue can host receptions for 125 with ample space for catering and bars.
Burke's Dining Room is new to David Burke's Primehouse at the James Hotel. Decked with a temperature-controlled wine storage unit known as the "wall of wine," the room can host dinners for 20. The dining experience recalls a chef's table, with a Primehouse chef creating a custom menu for each event and presiding over the function personally.Â
Open in Wicker Park since March, Takito Kitchen is helmed by former Carnivale chef David Dworshak. With an open kitchen, the hip taqueria is decked with custom antique-style lighting and street art from local graffiti artists. Summery menu options include cucumber margaritas served out of clay jars and crispy red-fish tacos. A semiprivate dining area can seat 44 or hold 50 for cocktails. For larger parties, the whole venue can be bought out to host receptions for 100.
Slated to open in Bucktown in July, Chicago Chop Shop and the 1st Ward will offer a combined restaurant, butcher shop, bar, and event space. The butcher shop will have catering and a menu that includes sandwiches, pastas, and homemade sausages and meatballs. The bar and restaurant will have a menu of seasonal salads and affordable prime meats. Adjacent to the Chop Shop, the 1st Ward event space is 6,000 square feet and is headed by event producer Matt Woodburn, who's also the chief sales rep at Sound Investment. It can host standing events for 500 and has 16- by 20-foot modular staging.Â
On Ohio Street Beach, Caffe Oliva is open for its second season with a revamped menu. Now serving Mediterranean small plates such as lamb meatballs and tabbouleh chopped salad, the venue also has specialty cocktails including mojitos and the vodka-based Knockout Lemonade. With table and cabana seating, the cafe can host events for as many as 300 guests.
In River North, Centro Ristorante opened in May. From the Rosebud Restaurant Group, the venue has a supper-club vibe and serves hearty Italian fare in communal copper vessels. Signature menu items include cavatelli al forno, meatballs in white-bean-escarole sauce, and double-breasted Colorado lamb chops. The venue has 190 seats inside and seats an additional 25 on the patio. The semiprivate dining room holds 25 to 35.
Inspired by two made-in-Chicago inventions—the Ferris wheel and Cracker Jacks—Ferris and Jack opened in MileNorth, a Chicago Hotel, in May. A combination marketplace, restaurant, and lobby lounge, the venue serves Midwestern beer, sausage trios, and cocktails with Chicago-centric names such as "the Wrigley." With a sliding glass door bearing the image of a Ferris wheel, a private dining room seats 32.
Billed as a "farm-to-tavern" venue, Central Standard opened in River North in March. It specializes in regional fare from its namesake time zone. On the menu, options include bison chili, blue crab cakes, and St. Louis fried ravioli. There are also inventive cocktails such as the "Southern Breakfast," made with bacon-infused Knob Creek and ginger beer. The venue has an industrial look with wire-wrapped columns and concrete floors, but oversize leather booths and a fireplace lend some coziness. A semiprivate room can host meetings or events for 20. The mezzanine, which has its own bar and seating for 15, can also host events.
