Here's a look at new Chicago hotels, conference centers, restaurants, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this fall. The new and renovated Chicago venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Billed as a "hub for creatives," Low Res opened in West Town in July. The space hosts events such as workshops, cocktail parties, and panel discussions. It has a 144-square-foot stage, an open kitchen, a bar, a lounge, and a vintage chemical photo booth; it also has a projector and screen. The venue can hold sit-down dinners for 120 guests, other types of seated events for 150, cocktail receptions for 200, and standing-only events for 250.
AgencyEA opened Savage Smyth in June. In River North, the 16,000-square-foot venue has two levels. Its upper level is a rooftop space with skyline views; its interior space is surrounded by windows that bring in natural light. Each floor can hold 300 guests, giving the venue a total standing capacity of 600 guests. Amenities include a freight elevator that allows for direct floor access and load-in of large elements, built-in coat check areas, in-house audiovisual systems, and a private entrance.
The highly anticipated LondonHouse Hotel opened in May. In a renovated 1923 building, the hotel has 452 rooms, a three-story rooftop bar and restaurant, a spa, a lobby bar, and 13 total meeting spaces that include ballrooms and boardrooms. One of the event spaces, the Juliette Grand ballroom, measures 3,737 square feet, and can hold cocktail receptions for 500 guests or theater-style seating for 350. On the 21st floor, Étoile is a 1,346-square-foot private dining room that seats 100 at rounds; it has a terrace that can hold receptions for 50 and has river views. Hosts also have the option to rent the space underneath the rooftop cupola, which holds intimate dinners for 10.
Conrad Chicago is slated to open in August. The 20-story hotel will have 10,000 square feet of event space—including 10 meeting rooms—on its 19th and 20th floors, and can host events for 10 to 200 guests. With floor-to-ceiling windows, each room will be flooded with natural light. There are also expansive foyers and a two-story atrium to host receptions. On the 19th floor, the restaurant Baptiste & Bottle will serve American fare (think bourbon cocktails and sharable flat breads) and will seat 160 guests. On the rooftop, Japanese restaurant Noyane will seat 200 guests.
An offshoot of a popular, London-based entertainment concept, AceBounce opened a Chicago outpost in June. The downtown venue hosts team-building events, parties, conferences, and product launches. It has a 1,915-square-foot private room called the Parlor, which can host receptions for 100 guests. Illuminated with UV artwork, the space has three ping-pong tables, its own cocktail bar, and wireless presentation equipment with an L.C.D. screen. There are also two semiprivate rooms: The 560-square-foot Gallery area has two ping-pong tables, and can hold receptions for 50 guests, while the 554-square-foot Garage has one ping-pong table and space for 25 for receptions. The main space is 3,725 square feet, and can hold classroom-style seating for 111 or theater-style seating for 150.
In August, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants will open the Kimpton Gray Hotel, which will take over a landmark building in Chicago’s financial district. The boutique hotel's name is inspired by the building’s original Georgia gray marble and granite. The venue has 293 rooms, a lobby bar called Vol. 39, and a Latin-American rooftop restaurant called Boleo. The hotel has 12 areas of event space totaling 12,850 square feet. The largest room is 4,588 square feet, and can accommodate 150 people for banquet-style seating. Other features include a salon and day spa on the second floor, and a street-level restaurant called Steadfast.
The Dearborn opened in the Chicago Loop in June. The 8,000-square-foot American tavern has a 300-square-foot private dining room called the Rialto, which seats 27 guests. The room has barrel-vaulted ceilings, and is decorated with crystal chandeliers. In total, the restaurant has nearly 250 seats. The menu offers dishes like fried chicken and pork-and-lamb meatballs.
Upstairs at the Gwen, a fifth-floor patio, opened at the Gwen, a Luxury Collection Hotel, in May. The space is available for buyout for as many as 200 guests. It can also hold 200 for a cocktail reception, or hold 120 at seated rounds with a dance floor. There are also semiprivate options for groups with as many as 59 guests. The venue offers snacks and small plates, with options such as tuna tataki tacos and blue crab dip with crispy baguette. On the cocktail list, specialties include Prosecco popsicles and pomegranate punch.
Mahalo, a Hawaiian-inspired restaurant, came to Wicker Park in June. The cheerful venue has two floors, including a 2,500-square-foot dining area and bar on the first floor. Upstairs, a 1,000-square-foot rooftop patio can host cocktail receptions for 50 guests, while the entire space upstairs (the interior and the patio) has a capacity of 120 seated and 150 standing. Mahalo's total capacity is 170 seated and 200 standing. Decor includes hanging plants and surf boards, and menu items include tuna poke and piña coladas.
Ēma opened in River North in June, and will begin hosting group functions for 12 or more guests in late summer or early fall. The entire restaurant seats 140, and also has a patio with 36 seats. The Mediterranean eatery serves dishes like spicy hummus and grilled octopus with fried kale. The space is decorated with white bricks and woven-basket fixtures.
