9 New Options for Business Entertaining in Chicago

Buzzed-about restaurant Travelle opened in the Langham Chicago hotel last August with spots for entertaining groups of varying sizes. Designed by the Rockwell Group, the 125-seat restaurant has an 81-seat bar. The beverage program was inspired by the corporate culture of the 1960s and includes mobile bar carts, allowing servers to prepare martinis and Manhattans table-side. Seating combines custom and mid-century pieces, and the focal point is a backlit wall with a 30-foot digital art display. A wine room with a tasting area and Chicago River views can host wine tastings for 10. A chef's table next to the expo kitchen seats eight. Chef Tim Graham, a veteran of Tru, serves Mediterranean-inspired fare including flaming chicken saganaki with pita "balloons" and the "Seafood Elevation," which offers bowls of shrimp, oysters, lobster, and King crab in separate bowls on a custom stand.

The Godfrey Hotel Chicago came to River North in February with space to entertain large groups: On the fourth floor, IO Urban Roofscape offers 10,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor event space that holds 750 for receptions. Menu items include smoked-salmon flatbreads and Waygu steak sliders. The property has 221 rooms (all with free Wi-Fi), a fitness center, meeting rooms that hold as many as 100, and a small spa.

American Junkie—a bar, restaurant, and entertainment venue with outposts in Scottsdale, Arizona, Hermosa Beach in California, and Cabo San Lucas, Mexico—opened a River North location in March. The 17,000-square-foot venue has tables, brick walls, and staff shirts emblazoned with the American flag, plus retractable glass doors that open out onto Illinois Street. The custom roof is made of glass and retracts to offer views of the city skyline. The first floor has 170 seats and a bar that serves craft cocktails and private-label wines; it holds 250 for receptions. On the second floor, there are 37 televisions, a custom speaker system, and a stage; the upper-level space seats 150 or holds 250 for receptions. DJ booths populate both levels. Chef Kendall Duque, formerly of Sepia, oversees the American menu.

The esteemed MK the Restaurant underwent a renovation last summer. The restaurant's new interior has a custom bar made from wood and glass. In the lounge, a new window banquette offers a view of the Chicago skyline, and a new "bar bites" men includes fried salt-cod fritters, crab toast, and farmer's market hummus with sesame crackers. In the main dining room, pear-wood paneling and trim work outline curvilinear fixtures, and new fabrics feature tone-on-tone, geometric shapes. Upstairs, a private dining space seats 50 or holds 75 for receptions. Staffers work with event hosts to create customized menus with optional wine pairings and can also assist with sound equipment, linens, and floral arrangements.

Pearl Tavern opened in the Loop in January. It holds 150 for events and has a private dining room for entertaining; outdoor, riverside event space is open for the summer. Inspired by the dining culture of the 1950s, the seafood restaurant and oyster bar is decked with 1930s-style wallpaper, mermaid-theme artwork, and brass and marble fixtures. The menu offers a rotating selection of crudo, oysters from both coasts, and entrées such as lobster rolls and grilled octopus.

The Berkshire Room, a craft cocktail lounge, opened in River North's Acme Hotel last June. With soaring ceilings, vintage terrazzo floors, and a bar made out of leather pelts, the venue holds 110 for receptions or seats 75. Noted mixologist Benjamin Schiller oversees the drink list, which contains sections for "cocktails," "barrel-finished cocktails," and "dealer's choice." The last option allows guests to design their own drinks by choosing a base spirit, a flavor profile (examples include "smokey" or "fruity"), and a type of glassware. There's also a menu of 1940s-inspired snacks, including caviar and cucumber sandwiches; the single dessert option is a chocolate soufflé with charred bourbon-barrel ice cream.

Fulton Market Kitchen opened in the West Loop in March. Showcasing different styles of art, the restaurant rotates its artwork selection a few times a year. Its menu offers contemporary fare such as grass-fed Angus burgers with fried kale and rye-crusted salmon with braised red cabbage. The restaurant has several areas that can host private gatherings. The private dining room, called the Private Gallery, seats 12 or holds 25 for receptions. The Salon space seats 20. The Gallery Lounge seats 80 or holds 150 for receptions, while the smaller West Gallery Lounge seats 20 or holds 40 for receptions. The entire venue can be rented out and seats 200 or holds 300 for receptions.

Kinmont, a new restaurant from Element Collective, opened in January. In the former Zealous space in River North, the 6,200-square-foot venue holds 300 for private events. It is the first entirely sustainable seafood restaurant in Chicago. Overseen by chef Duncan Biddulph, the menu includes sustainably fished items from both coasts. Private dining spaces include the Great Room, which seats 70 or holds 85 for receptions. The Ampersand seats 30 or holds 40 for receptions. Audiovisual amenities include a 60-inch LCD TV that can connect to laptops or iPods.

Lincoln Park restaurant Boka underwent a full renovation and named a new executive chef, Lee Wolen, in February. Specializing in contemporary American fare, the menu has offerings such as salt cod ravioli and rabbit loin with sausage. New design features include a wall covered in escutcheon plates, Italian floor tiling, and a living plant wall. The venue seats 22 in the front dining room and holds 32 on an enclosed terrace. The 3,500-square-foot restaurant is available for buyout.