22 Best Holiday Party Venues in Chicago for 2019
by Lauren Mandel, Director of Marketing
We may have barely scratched the surface of summer, but it’s never too early to start planning for the holidays. Themes must be brainstormed, guest lists must be created, and most importantly, venues must be selected. Some of the most popular corporate holiday party venues in Chicago book up months — if not years — in advance. But to help you with the process of selecting the perfect venue, we’ve curated a list of 22 top favorites. From bustling downtown restaurants to iconic museums and every type of venue in between, these are the best holiday party venues in Chicago for your 2019 office party or corporate event.
Gold Coast
Downstairs at La Storia Ristorante
This Michelin-star restaurant offers delicious Italian cuisine — and five dynamic private event spaces. La Storia, located in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood, can accommodate groups as small as 18 and as large as 100, making it the perfect choice for any type of event. The downstairs level can seats 70 for a rustic family-style feast, or combine the Dearborn and Vintage rooms for an elegant celebration for 50. Click here to view more photos of the venue and cuisine.
Capacity: 70 (seated) – 100 (standing)
Downtown/Loop
The North Private Dining Room at Prime & Provisions
Prime & Provisions draws inspiration from supper clubs of the 1920s, a chic vibe your holiday party guests will love. The South Private Dining Room has a capacity of 200 and has a private bar, state-of-the-art A/V screens, and sweeping city views. The Mezzanine is a smaller event space ideal for a group of 16 looking for a semi-private celebration. We love the North Private Dining Room — sip cocktails, enjoy delicious steakhouse appetizers, and take in views of the Chicago River, all while celebrating the holidays.
North Private Dining Room Capacity: 80 (seated) – 150 (standing)
R29
This corporate event shows the versatility of R29, a sleek event space in the heart of Chicago’s Loop. In addition to the convenient downtown location, the event space at R29 can accommodate up to 200 guests for mingling, cocktails, and dancing during the holiday season. R29 offers on-site A/V equipment for end-of-year presentations, coat check for those chilly winter nights, and impressive preferred caterers to keep your guests well fed and happy throughout the celebration.
Capacity: 80 (seated) – 200 (standing)
Museum Campus
Rotunda at Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago
The first of our museum favorites is the Museum of Science and Industry, and iconic venue located just south of downtown Chicago. This corporate holiday party shows how the massive space can be transformed into a winter wonderland with on-theme décor. The Rotunda can accommodate a massive group of up to 5,500 guests, which is a perfect option for large corporations or brands. For a slightly smaller celebration, choose the Henry Crown Space Center, which is ideal for groups of 300.
Capacity: 1,200 (seated) – 5,500 (standing)
Abbott Oceanarium at the Shedd Aquarium
Another iconic museum venue is the fun and engaging Shedd Aquarium. The museum’s private event spaces can accommodate intimate groups of 30, as well as large holiday party celebrations for 1,000. Host a cocktail party for 40 guests on the Sea Otter Overlook and mingle with both your coworkers and the wildlife nearby. Hosting a holiday party in the Abbott Oceanarium means guests can wander down to the water to enjoy cocktails while visiting with dolphins and beluga whales.
Capacity: 6000 (seated) – 1,000 (standing)
River North
The Executive Table at Beacon Tavern
This River North restaurant features some of Chicago’s most delicious seafood dishes, and when you choose Beacon Tavern for your holiday party, you will work with their staff to curate an equally-delicious private dining menu. A full restaurant buyout will provide ultimate privacy for 140 guests, or you can choose one of their private event spaces, like the Executive Table, which is perfect for an open-kitchen, intimate seated dinner for 20 guests.
Capacity: 110 (seated) – 140 (standing)
2nd Floor at Chicago Chop House
Located in a century-old historic brownstone in the heart of River North, Chicago Chop House is a Windy City favorite for classic steakhouse fare. Each floor of this restaurant venue is considered its own private event space. Choose either the 2nd or 3rd floor for a holiday party for up to 120 guests. Invite your guests to dine at a Chicago institution when you book your holiday party celebration at Chicago Chop House.
Capacity: 80 (seated) – 120 (standing)
The Whale Room at GT Fish & Oyster
The Whale Room at River North restaurant, GT Fish & Oyster, is one of our favorite private rooms for seated dinners. With room to comfortably seat 40 guests, this stunning event space is ideal for small to medium-sized holiday parties. You can also do a full restaurant buyout to accommodate up to 150 guests. As part of the Boka Restaurant Group, you can expect impeccable service paired with mouth-watering cuisine when you choose GT Fish & Oyster for your 2019 holiday party.
Capacity: 95 (seated) – 150 (standing)
On2 at Joy District
Perfect for both daytime and evening holiday party celebrations, Joy District’s prime River North location and dynamic private event spaces make it a favorite Chicago venue. The On2 space can accommodate up to 225 guests, and the space offers velvet lounge areas, high ceilings, and customizable lighting. The front area of the main bar can also be reserved for more casual cocktail parties and networking events.
Capacity: up to 600
The River Roast Social House
After hosting our spring soireé at River Roast Social House, we can confidently say that this venue would be perfect for any type of holiday party. With seven different event spaces and beautiful unobstructed views of the Chicago River, River Roast Social House can comfortably accommodate as few as 16 and as many as 450 guests. And with James Beard award-winning Chef Tony Mantuano in charge of the kitchen, you know the food for your celebration will be absolutely incredible.
Capacity: 330 (seated) – 450 (standing)
The Oval Bar at Siena Tavern
The Oval Bar at Siena Tavern, in the bustling River North neighborhood, combines the privacy of an event space and the community of a lively restaurant. While this space can easily accommodate up to 250 guests, a full restaurant buyout is also available for a 450 guest holiday party. Innovative hand-crafted cocktails, an extensive wine list, and modern Italian dishes are all available to you when hosting an event at Siena Tavern.
Oval Bar Capacity: 150
Banquet Bar Party Room at Sunda New Asian
Sunda New Asian comes from the incredibly successful Rockit Ranch Productions team and is one of the best pan-Asian restaurants in Chicago. A full restaurant buyout is available for up to 350 guests, or choose the Banquet Bar Party Room for a more intimate option. This private event space has its own bar, and an air wall can be utilized to create two separate yet connected spaces for your holiday party celebration. No matter which event space you choose, your holiday party guests will love the creative cuisine from the culinary team at Sunda New Asian.
Capacity: 300 (seated) – 350 (standing)
Lounge at Tortoise Supper Club
Tortoise Supper Club is beloved for the rich Chicago history on display throughout the restaurant, and we also love this space for its private event spaces that are perfect for holiday parties. Whether you’re hosting a cocktail reception for your esteemed colleagues, a daytime luncheon for your employees, or an intimate dinner party for friends and family, each private event space at Tortoise Supper Club can be beautifully and uniquely transformed into your perfect holiday party celebration.
Capacity: 125 (seated) – 175 (standing)
Rosemont
Flag Bar & Nashville at Bub City Rosemont
When you book your holiday party at Bub City Rosemont, your guests are guaranteed to have a great time. You have your choice of 10 versatile event spaces, the biggest of which combines Flag Bar and Nashville Corner to comfortably entertain 100 guests. Smaller event spaces, like The West End, Low Country, and High Country, are ideal for seated dinners for 20 to 25 guests. And clearly — just from the creatively-named private event spaces — everything at Bub City Rosemont is perfectly themed, including the delicious Southern-inspired cuisine.
Capacity: up to 100
Joe’s Live Rosemont
Joe’s Live Rosemont is so much more than a concert venue (although we love it for that purpose, too). This relaxed music venue is also a great location for your large-scale corporate holiday party. The main floor can seat up to 250 guests for dinner, or hire entertainment and throw a cocktail-style holiday party for your whole company of up to 1,500 people. State-of-the-art A/V equipment allows you to give speeches, run slideshows, and welcome special musical guests to your event.
Capacity: 400 (seated) – 1,500 (standing)
The Estate By Gene & Georgetti
Gene & Georgetti was founded in 1941, and after more than seven decades, the team behind this iconic restaurant is bringing its cuisine to its own private event space, The Estate By Gene & Georgetti, located in Rosemont. When you choose this elegant venue, you and up to 600 guests will celebrate the holidays with delicious food (obviously), high ceilings with modern chandeliers, and plenty of room for a custom dance floor.
Capacity: 300 (seated) – 600 (standing)
South Loop
Crown Family Great Hall at Venue SIX10
Host your winter wonderland holiday bash at Venue SIX10, located in the bustling South Loop neighborhood. Venue SIX10 boasts 10 floors with four private event spaces, so your holiday party options at this venue are truly endless. With absolutely stunning views of Lake Michigan, Buckingham Fountain, Navy Pier, and Museum Campus, try to begin your celebration while the sun is still shining so guests can take advantage of the gorgeous surroundings.
Capacity: 350 (seated) – 400 (standing)
West Loop
Mahoney at Ace Hotel Chicago
Natural light, expansive skyline views, and a hip vibe to match its West Loop location, the Ace Hotel Chicago is a fun and laid back spot for any type of holiday party. The ground-floor event space, Mahoney, has gorgeous skylights and moveable panels, which makes the space conveniently flexible. Once the holiday season is over and summer arrives, head back to the Ace Hotel Chicago for a summer celebration on their epic rooftop.
Capacity: 150 (seated) – 300 (standing)
The Private Barrel Room at City Winery
Choose City Winery Chicago for your holiday party for a little taste of Wine Country right here in Chicago. The intimate concert venue can accommodate up to 350 guests for cocktails and dancing, but one of our favorite spaces is the Private Barrel Room. Grab your hard-working team or a group of friends and family for a celebratory holiday dinner, complete with a private wine tasting.
Capacity: 240 (seated) – 350 (standing)
Private Dining Room at Swift & Sons
Multiple private dining rooms are available for your holiday party at Swift & Sons, including the option to rent more than one room at a time for larger celebrations. Each room has mid-century details, expansive windows, and beautiful wood paneling. Serve your guests perfectly-cooked steaks, endless side dishes, and curated bottles of wine to celebrate the holiday season, while they overlook the bustling Fulton Market neighborhood.
Capacity: 300 (seated) – 500 (standing)
Wrigleyville
Home Plate Room at American Airlines Conference Center
What’s more Chicago than dining and dancing while taking in views of Wrigley Field? American Airlines Conference Center offers fully-customizable private event spaces in Chicago’s Wrigleyville neighborhood. With catering options from Levy Restaurant Group, as well as the surrounding on-site restaurants, you can work with the venue team to create the ultimate holiday party experience that your guests will love.
Capacity: 150 (seated) – 190 (standing)
The Alma Room at Hotel Zachary
Celebrate the holidays with an intimate dinner party or relaxing cocktail reception at Hotel Zachary. Just steps from Wrigley Field, the Alma Room is filled with sleek décor and can comfortably fit up to 50 guests. Work with the on-site team at Hotel Zachary to customize your guests’ experience, from custom cocktails to curated cuisine. We also love the cozy space in the Library, ideal for even smaller groups of up to 20.
Capacity: up to 50
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