12 New Venues in Chicago for Spring 2022 Meetings and Events

Nestled in the Chicago Loop skyline is cocktail bar and private event space Monroe Reserve, a cozy, stylish space for 25-40 guests. Starting at $1,500 per hour for two hours, event-goers can sip on a spicy lobster martini while enjoying a selection of elevated bites, including a curated charcuterie board and a bacon flight, with preparation options such as candied, pecan praline, maple peppercorn and jalapeño brown sugar. The 650-square-foot bar is accented by dark woods and stone, rich leather and warm lighting. When not being used for a private event, Monroe Reserve—which opened in March and is connected to South Branch Tavern & Grille—is open for service Wed.-Fri. with a freshly curated menu.

In late September, the Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Central Loop opened in a 117-year-old landmark building that served as the former site of the Chicago and North Western Railway. The standalone property has 135 guest rooms and a flexible, 624-square-foot meeting room for intimate gatherings of no more than 40 complete with views of the Chicago skyline. The hotel, which evolved into a dual-branded complex when Chicago-based Phoenix Development Partners developed Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop right next door, nods to the building’s rich history with original staircases and architectural elements, historical decor pieces and more.

Also residing in the century-old former railroad station is the Canopy by Hilton Chicago Central Loop, which made the space a dual-branded hotel complex when it opened in November alongside Hilton’s Garden Inn. The property’s debut marked the opening of the first Hilton lifestyle hotel in Chicago. Located in the epicenter of Chicago’s financial district, and directly across the street from the Willis Tower, the hotel boasts 215 guest rooms—350 between the two hotels—including 23 king suites, plus an on-site restaurant Depot 226 and The Platform, a 675-square-foot meeting room with floor-to-ceiling windows and direct access to the hotel’s urban outdoor garden. The space, which is perfect for team-building events and smaller-scale meetings, can accommodate up to 60 for reception- and theater-style events, 24 in a classroom formation or 16 in a u-shape setup.

Logan Square welcomed diners to Con Todo, a restaurant that celebrates the people, flavors and cooking techniques of Mexico City, in March. The 3,000-square-foot space was designed with classic Mexican “comedores” of the ‘60s in mind. The result? Eclectic color-blocking, exposed brick walls and a retro bar donning a blue-and-white-tiled backsplash-esque design. Con Todo is available for full or partial buyouts and has a capacity of 94 seated or 104 standing for a casual “taquiza”—which translates simply to a Mexican taco buffet—or a sit-down, coursed dinner complete with a bar package. The restaurant can also accommodate team lunch meetings with space for presentations. Menu highlights include adobo rubbed and roasted pork shoulder, beer battered cod, pineapple upside-down cake and more.

Michelin-starred Spanish chef José Andrés opened the latest location of Bazaar Meat on the second level of Chicago’s Bank of America Tower in December. The luxe steakhouse is anchored by a crimson-red chandelier designed to mimic a volcano’s magma, and other design highlights include luscious velvet chairs at dark-wood tables, plus gold accents and pops of live greenery. The 5,439-square-foot restaurant is only available for a full buyout starting at $60,000 for a glamorous gathering of up to 140 for a seated dinner or 200 for a cocktail-style event. Every moment of the dining experience at Bazaar Meat has been artfully curated—from the aperitivo upon arrival, to the more than 400 hand-selected cuts of meat to choose from for dinner, including dry-aged Wagyu, skirt steak, beef tenderloin and more.

Chef José Andrés partnered with local Gibsons Restaurant Group to open a second restaurant on the ground level floor of the Bank of America Tower—Bar Mar—in December. It's designed to celebrate the sea, from a menu featuring a selection of fresh oysters, caviar and whole-fried fishes, to nautical-inspired decor with upholstered navy banquettes, leather seating and a striking octopus sculpture suspended over the bar. The 4,836-square-foot space, which boasts 40-foot ceilings and windows for walls, is only available for full restaurant buyouts for celebrations of up to 140 seated or 400 standing guests; pricing starts at $60,000.

LUSH Food & Drink debuted the Reserve Room at their Roscoe Village location in February, and the Parisian-inspired 722-square-foot space can be booked for a 60-person seated dinner or reception through the brand’s LUSHious Events team. The column-free space boasts 12-foot ceilings, exposed brick walls and a 12-foot bar, and comes equipped with Bluetooth-controlled speakers, stage lighting and a theatrical rig built into the ceiling. A highlight that can’t be overlooked is the adjoining patio, which can also host up to 60 and is outfitted with fireplaces, perfect for hosting an indoor-outdoor birthday celebration, reception or engagement party. Food and beverage minimums apply, ranging from $700-$2,500.

KOVAL Distillery began as the first distillery to open in Chicago in the mid-1800s. In October, it debuted dedicated event rooms, but is still crafting lines of whiskey, gin and specialty cocktails using signature techniques in its expansive 46,000-square-foot space. The Distillery Platform spans 640 square feet and can accommodate 65 guests for a standing event, and the 360-square-foot Visitor Center, adjoining KOVAL’s on-site store, can host up to 43 standing guests—both starting at $250-500 per hour. The Tasting Room, which spans 1,500 square feet and boasts an additional 800-square-foot outdoor patio, is available for full or partial buyouts complete with a designated bartender and access to a full cocktail menu. A semi-private, three-hour event in the Tasting Room for up to 25 guests seated or standing starts at a $950-1,350 food and beverage minimum. Full Tasting Room buyouts are available for a three-hour event for up to 98 standing or 62 seated guests starting at a $2,500-$4,500 food and beverage minimum. KOVAL Distillery also offers unique event experiences, such as tours of the distillery and private cocktails classes for intimate gatherings up to 14.

Concert hall and event space Elmhurst Hall opened its doors in March just 30 minutes outside of the Windy City. The space spans 6,000 square feet and boasts an expansive bar, perfect for large-scale corporate events, weddings or brand takeovers. There’s also an expansive stage equipped with 10 speakers and 140 acoustic baffles and video screen, which allow for the space to be transformed into a performance venue. Crisp, minimal, black-and-white decor makes for a room that’s fully customizable to accommodate any event’s needs—from a 240-guest seated dinner to a performance for an audience of up to 300 or a standing cocktail reception of up to 400. A bonus: Elmhurst Hall offers full event production services to assist in booking entertainment, renting tables and linens, providing security, assisting in technical productions and more.

In February LUSH Food & Drink opened a second location in West Town, and the 2,500-square-foot wine bar pulls inspiration heavily from Paris, France, with its fittingly named event spaces and decor. The French Bistro is a 1,500-square-foot indoor space for a 60-guest reception or 40-guest seated dinner, and the Parisian Patio is a 1,000-square-foot outdoor oasis where 75 guests for a reception-style event or 50 for a seated soiree can enjoy a bistro-style patio adorned with string lights, Parisian street-style murals and fire pits. The food and beverage minimum starts anywhere from $750-$2,500 with an in-house menu that also nods to the Western Europe country, featuring cheese and charcuterie boards, a burrata and vine tomato salad, a duck confit sandwich, chocolate mousse for dessert and more.

Thirty-five minutes outside of Chicago, Evanston welcomed LUSH Food & Drink in March, the third location the brand opened this year. The former Evanston Library was transformed into 3,750 square feet of total dedicated event space, including the 2,500-square-foot Branch Room for 150 reception style or 90 seated; the Dining Room for 50 reception style or 35 seated; and the Patio for 60 reception style or 30 seated. Floor-to-ceiling windows facing Independence Park and a glass atrium adjacent to the patio bask the space in light, and a renovated exhibition kitchen set to debut in the fall will make for a notable touch. The flexible space allows configurations for all types of events—with food and beverage minimums ranging from $1,000-$5,000—and all LUSHious event spaces offer a wine tasting event, where a sommelier will guide guests through six wines served in authentic crystal stemware and custom-selected to fit your occasion and taste preferences alongside a variety of snack pairings.

Married couple Julia Shell and Jamie Hale opened a duplex English pub and cocktail bar in March. The first-floor Albion Manor spans 1,500 square feet and can accommodate up to 99 guests in a space modeled after a traditional tavern, with a dark wood bar that spans nearly the length of the room, TVs to play football—or soccer, as we know it—and high-top tables. The alluring upstairs Parlour at the Albion can accommodate up to 50 guests in the 1,500-square-foot space, which is decorated with an assortment of colors and textures—from the red velvet couch to fringed chandeliers, leather bar seating and oriental patterned rugs. There’s also a fireplace and custom floral mural by local artist Cyd Smilie. Both floors, which collectively span 3,000 square feet, are available for a full buyout for events up to 149.