Here's a look at new Chicago eateries, drinking spots, hotels, conference areas, private rooms, and other spaces to open for events this spring. The new and renovated Chicago venues are available for corporate parties, weddings, fund-raisers, outdoor functions, business dinners, teambuilding activities, conferences, meetings, and more.
Bad Hunter, a buzzed-about restaurant with a mostly vegetarian menu, opened in the West Loop in October. An upstairs space called the Herbarium has its own private entrance, a full bar, and a dedicated kitchen. It holds receptions for 150 guests or seats 80. On the regular menu, items include butter dumplings and tempura-fried lemons. Chef Dan Snowden can prepare different dishes, with a broader variety of proteins, for events held in the Herbarium.
The Robey opened in Wicker Park/Bucktown in late November. Housed in a 1929 former office building, the contemporary hotel has 69 guest rooms and a meeting room that seats 15. The street-level restaurant, Cafe Robey, serves French-American fare including oysters and steak and frites. There's also a second-floor lounge that offers work space, free Wi-Fi, coffee, and cocktails. The lounge seats 65 or holds 85 standing. This spring, a rooftop pool and the Cabana Club restaurant will open at the Robey's adjacent sister hotel, the Hollander. The Cabana Club will have standing room for 155 or seat 55.
Eden opened in the West Loop in December. From the team behind Paramount Events, the restaurant has two private dining rooms: Sage seats 10, while Celadon seats 36. The eatery dishes out Mediterranean-inspired fare including umami doughnuts and braised-duck lasagne; many of the ingredients are pulled from an on-site greenhouse. Decor includes galvanized zinc tabletops, black-and-white tiles, and chesterfield sofas.
The Flamingo Rum Club opened in River North on December 1. With a nightly cabaret show that can also be booked for events, the venue seats 80 on its first floor or holds receptions for 100. The second floor has lounge-style seating for 20, or holds receptions for 50. On the menu, Caribbean-inspired tapas include shrimp ceviche and rice croquettes; the bar slings classic rum cocktails including mojitos, daiquiris, and Cuba Libres.
The Davis Theater, a 98-year-old Chicago institution, reopened in December after undergoing a $5 million renovation. The Lincoln Square venue has three theaters. A stadium-style theater has 300 seats; two smaller theaters seat 150 each. The venue can hold corporate events and screenings for groups of 25 to 300. At 3,500 square feet, the onsite Carbon Arc Bar & Board serves American fare and cocktails. The restaurant is equipped with 12 HD TVs. It can seat 143 guests or hold a standing reception for 220.
True Food Kitchen came to River North in November. Specializing in health-conscious fare—think organic Tuscan kale salad and edamame dumplings—the airy venue has a juice bar and an indoor/outdoor herb garden. The restaurant is 7,625 square feet and seats 250 guests. While it doesn't have a dedicated private dining space, it can hold semiprivate events or can be bought out entirely.
Moody Tongue Brewery opened a tasting room in late October. Serving oysters, German chocolate cake, and beers, the space has mid-century modern decor. In all, the venue seats 75 guests or holds 95 standing. It can be bought out entirely, or smaller sections can be reserved. Events can include guided tastings of beers; staffers also lead private tours of the adjacent brewery.
The Barn opened in Evanston in November. The meat-centric restaurant, housed in a former barn, features brick walls, a six-foot chandelier, and a back-lit bar. The restaurant is available for full buyout. It seats 100 guests or holds 150 standing. Chef Nicole Pederson can customize offerings for events, and her regular menu offers fish, salads, and desserts prepared table-side. The eatery also serves Prime Heritage Angus.
Terra & Vine opened in Evanston in late September. Serving casual Mediterranean fare (think brick-oven pizzas, seafood towers, and seasonal pastas) the venue has four private dining spaces. In a nook within the main dining room, the Capri Room seats 12. The three additional spaces—the Portofino, the Naples, and the Palermo—can be combined to seat 130. They can also be rented out separately. The Portofino, located near the bar, seats 28 guests and has a faux fireplace. The Naples seats 60 or holds 75 for receptions. The Palermo seats 40. Staffers can lead wine-tasting classes or wine-focused teambuilding exercises.
The Gwen opened on Michigan Avenue in 2015, and is now renovating its 311 guest rooms. Simeone Deary Design Group conceived the new look for each guest room. The new design scheme is inspired by sculptor Gwen Lux, who created the building's art-decor facade, and luxury travel in the 1930s. Along with a fresh layout, each room will get jewel-toned upholstery, peach-leather accents, and artistic wallpaper. The guest-room renovations will be completed floor by floor, and are scheduled to wrap in April. The hotel also has a lounge and restaurant called Circa, a seasonal terrace called Upstairs at the Gwen, and 15,000 square feet of meeting space.
