10 New Venues in Chicago for Spring 2023 Meetings and Events

The Gwen Hotel is a 311-key property in the heart of the Magnificent Mile that opened its doors back in 2015. In November 2022, the hotel added the Gallery Terrace to its 22,000 square feet of designated venue space. The sixth-floor, Art Deco-clad terrace offers 1,300 square feet of alfresco gathering space for events welcoming up to 70 guests. About 75% of the space can be covered with retractable pergolas, and permanent heaters are installed throughout so eventgoers can enjoy views of Michigan Avenue and Lake Michigan into the cooler months. There’s also a curling rink built into the floor—a playful, interactive add-on to any occasion. In addition, small-bite, plated-meal, and drink menus are on offer; inquire within for pricing.

Mark your calendars—a premier convention, banquet, and performance venue is slated to open 45 minutes west of Chicago, in Naperville, in April. Upon opening, The Matrix Club will boast a banquet and convention space, complete with a prefunction area, executive suites, and bridal rooms, spanning 20,000 square feet. The expansive area will be able to welcome as many as 2,220 fans for a concert or 1,250 guests for a banquet. Planners can also expect the 6,500-square-foot Matrix Room Restaurant, Bar, and International Music Lounge for up to 225; a 7,000-square-foot performing arts theater with 220 auditorium seats; and studios for dance and yoga classes or think tanks that’ll span 4,000 square feet. An on-site art gallery will also be able to play host to receptions of up to 75, and The Matrix Club’s 7,000-square-foot lobby will surely make for a swoon-worthy entrance to any affair. Aside from complimentary parking and coat check amenities, the venue—located in Fox River Commons—is also set to be modern in design, with state-of-the-art AV capabilities, oversized LED screens for main-stage performances, full-service bars, and custom menus curated by an in-house executive chef. Event pricing will range from $50-$175 per person; inquire within.

Classic French bistro Coquette got a groovy facelift in the Windy City’s West Loop in October 2022. The 2,000-square-foot space was designed by Maison Bonhomme and is notable for its bold colors and geometric shapes—in everything from the wallpaper to the seating and light fixtures. Fine-dining affairs and cocktail receptions for up to 40 are welcome here, where food menus ooze a new wave French dining style and cocktails are elaborate and award winning. Options include wood fire-roasted oysters, foie gras mousse potato cones, whole-grilled Atlantic dover sole, and aged beef Wellington. Pair the high-end offerings with a playfully named beverage, like the “Not Royale But Certainly Regal,” made with Cremes de Cassis and Champagne; or the “I’m the Apple of His Eye,” with a grilled Fuji apple, cognac, and whiskey. Full buyouts are also available, starting at $7,500.

Logan Square welcomed Greek-inspired restaurant Andros Taverna, courtesy of chef Doug Psaltis, in 2021. And in March 2022, the 3,200-square-foot sun-soaked eatery welcomed a 550-square-foot private event space dubbed Kipos Greenhouse. Naturally, the space is outfitted with a slew of greenery, including shrubbery that drips from the ceiling, and can host up to 35 seated or 60 standing guests (a full restaurant buyout can accommodate up to 185 seated or 320 standing). Meals are served as they are in Greece—family style—and aside from mezze, menu highlights include crispy kataifi cheese pie, lemon garlic chicken, Mediterranean octopus, and Athenian lobster. There’s also a brunch package and a beverage program with Tsipouro—an ancient spirit traditionally served with mezze—at the forefront.

Just steps from its sister restaurants, After Lounge and Ever Restaurant, After, an ultra-swanky, high-end spirits and cocktail lounge, opened on Fulton Street in October 2022. Cocktail connoisseurs won’t be disappointed. Expect to sip and swirl a symphony of spirits, agaves, whiskeys, wines, champagnes, local beers, and mixed drinks, not to mention ice cubes molded to feature After’s logo. Fittingly, the 1,500-square-foot space is anchored by the bar and can accommodate up to 80 seated guests for a four-course plated meal—that starts at $175 per person—or 100 for a cocktail-style reception. On the menu: scallop salad, escarole ragout with truffle butter, aged strip steak, seared tuna, a citrus tart, and more.

About 25 minutes outside of Chicago, the 218-key Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook unveiled a revamp of its 3,800-square-foot Grand Oaks Pavilion in October 2022. Glass-enclosed on two sides, the pavilion can host up to 200 seated or 250 standing guests for banquets and receptions overlooking a corner of lush forest nestled among bustling Oak Brook. And adjacent to the Grand Oaks Pavilion is its namesake prefunction foyer, which spans 1,156 square feet and can accommodate up to 40 guests, as well as a garden terrace. Food and beverage minimums for the space start at $18,000 on the weekends and vary seasonally; inquire within.

As of July 2022, nestled in Chicago’s idyllic North Shore is Le Colonial Lake Forest, a culinary destination that fuses French and Vietnamese cuisine with an upscale twist. The space was designed by Illinois-based firm Knauer Inc. and evokes feelings of a French villa and traditionally Vietnamese decor with lantern-like light fixtures, pops of vibrant red hues, and an outdoor trellis adorned with live greenery. The bilevel restaurant spans a total of 2,500 square feet—1,300 of which is dedicated to the second-floor Bac Ha Room to host up to 80 seated or 100 standing guests. Adjacent to that space is the 800-square-foot Le Royal Room for up to 50 seated or 70 standing guests. The first-floor Lotus Room is also on offer for events and is notable for its lotus flower mural. It overlooks an outdoor garden and, at 160 square feet, is perfect for intimate dining affairs of 12. Full buyouts of Le Colonial Lake Forest can accommodate up to 140 guests, including the outdoor space.

There’s nothing that bonds a team quite like breaking a sweat together. Consider doing just that at Rise Nation Chicago, the specialized fitness studio’s newest outpost, located in River North, which opened in May 2022. Corporate groups and social planners alike can buyout the venue’s 3,498-square-foot Tunnel space starting at $500 for up to 33 people to ascend up to 7,000 feet high via a VersaClimber machine in a 30-minute, high-intensity yet low-impact class. Pricing comes with 30 minutes of post-class amenity use.

Pippin’s Tavern has been a Windy City staple since it first opened in 1974. The neighborhood gastropub, which bills itself on offering “good beer and good cheer,” brought that spirit to East Chicago Avenue when it debuted in a new location—with new branding—in November 2021, and then a designated event space as of February 2022. The tavern now spans two levels, with a total capacity of 450—130 in the main dining space, which boasts a circular, wooden bar and two snugs for lounging; and 210 in the lower level Public Room event space. There’s also an on-site wine room, which can fit up to 30, and the F. Owen Foundation Room for as many as 80. F&B options are an extension of Pippin’s classic pub style, with hors d’oeuvres offerings that span smashed fingerling potatoes, steak skewers, and wings, and pre-fixe seated dinner options like roasted chicken and ribeye steak.

River North welcomed self-proclaimed “spiritual house” The M Room in December 2022. The fine-dining concept is an ode to The Macallan brand, brought to Chicago courtesy of the culinary team behind Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant Roka Akor, which worked alongside Macallan’s team in Scotland to produce an ever-changing 10-course tasting menu. Beverage pairings include—you guessed it—cocktails featuring The Macallan and neat pours of the brand’s aged whiskys. The M Room spans 1,200 square feet and can serve as an intimate dining setting for up to 42 seated or 50 standing guests. The tasting menu will run planners $185 per person, with an additional $145 per guest for beverage pairings.