This year saw the opening of many significant event and meeting venues in Chicago. Here's a look at the best restaurants, party rooms, hotels, corporate event venues, conference centers, and private rooms to open in 2015. These new and renovated Chicago venues suit groups large or small for private and corporate events, business dinners, cocktail parties, conferences, weddings, and more.
Latinicity, a 20,000-square-foot food hall and lounge, opened downtown in November. The concept from chef Richard Sandoval has 12 food stalls and two restaurants: the fast-casual Loncheria by Latinicity, and full-service tapas restaurant Pata Negra. The venue has several event spaces for semiprivate gatherings. Staffers are still tweaking capacities for the spaces, but event areas include a boardroom with seating for an estimated 20 guests and two dining rooms with seating for around 55 and 190 guests, respectively. Loncheria, which will likely host group cooking classes, seats around 20 guests; Pata Negra, which offers a private bar, seats around 60.
Chicago’s highly anticipated Virgin Hotel—the world's first from the brand— opened in January. In a 27-story Art Deco building, the downtown hotel has three event and meeting spaces: the Manor seats 108; the Sandbox seats 73; and the Founders Room seats 12. The property has 250 rooms and suites and amenities such as two restaurants, a rooftop bar and lounge, and a rooftop gym. A spa is also open on the lower level.
Chicago Athletic Association, the 241-room hotel in a newly renovated 1890s building, opened on Michigan Avenue in May. The venue has 17,000 square feet of meeting space, including the White City ballroom, which holds 60 for conferences or 400 for receptions, and the Madison St. ballroom, which holds 72 for conferences or 300 for receptions. On-site eateries include Cindy's, a rooftop restaurant with a terrace overlooking Millennium Park, which seats 144 or holds 250 for receptions. There's also a game room that seats 120, and a basketball court seats 373 or holds 448 for receptions.
Kehoe Designs opened the Geraghty, a 25,000-square-foot open event space, in Pilsen in May. The all-white space has 22-foot-high ceilings, free Wi-Fi, a large area devoted to coat check, work stations, and secure parking. There's also a 1,200-square-foot divisible greenroom on site. The Geraghty holds 1,000 for receptions.
Maple & Ash, the buzzed-about steak house, opened in the Gold Coast in October. The venue serves family-style items such as seafood platters, New York strip steak, and rack of lamb; plated dinners are also available. Three spaces—the Lounge, Atrium, and Maple rooms— can each hold 50 for receptions. The Gold Coast room seats 32; there are also two long captain's tables that seat 12 and 14 guests. The restaurant may be bought out to host receptions or seated events for 200 guests.
STK, an outpost of the steak house concept from the One Group, opened in River North in October. The restaurant has three private and semiprivate dining areas. The Blaze Starr room, named after a burlesque dancer, can hold 25 for cocktails and 20 seated. The Tempest Storm room, also suited to smaller meetings, seats 24. The Champagne bar, which seats 60 or holds 75 standing, is available for cocktail receptions and happy hours. Each room has a 55-inch TV that can be used for presentations.
Swift & Sons, the first steak house from the Boka Restaurant Group, opened in the West Loop in October. The venue is 16,000 square feet, and it has two private dining rooms that each seat 30 guests. The private rooms have wood-paneled walls, lofty ceilings, and windows overlooking Fulton Market. There's also semiprivate event space for 180 guests. Event guests have access to a private bar, separate restrooms, and a sitting area. There's also a 60-seat seafood restaurant within the steak house.
Billed as Chicago's first nightlife theater, Smokey Hollow opened in November. The River North venue has a small stage that features entertainment from glass walkers, burlesque dancers, contortionists, and more. Decorated with marquee lights and red velvet curtains, the venue holds 250 for receptions. Full-service catering can be arranged, along with mixology cocktails made with fresh juices.
Kings Lincoln Park opened in November. The on-site pizza restaurant Max & Leo's can host receptions of 60 guests. When combined, the King Pin Room and King's Corner have four bowling lanes, air-hockey tables, billiards tables, foosball tables, and shuffleboard tables; the spaces can hold nearly 100 for receptions. For meetings, the venue is equipped with HD TVs and projection screens. The menu offers American fare such as fried mac 'n' cheese bites, burgers, and grilled steak tips.
Studio Three opened in River North in November. The fitness studio hosts group classes and corporate events. Its cycle studio holds 57 for classes; its interval studio holds 30 for classes; the yoga studio holds 50 for group classes. The yoga studio has a projector and can be used for meetings; it holds as many as 70 guests depending on the setup.
