Top Near South Side Engagement Party Venues

• Spaces for 16-75 Guests
• 2 Restaurants

Harbor is located in the South Loop neighborhood of Chicago. Gourmet versions of traditional meals, made with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, are served at Chef Anthony Bernal's restaurant, which pays respect to the Great Lakes region. Drinks include regional tasty beers, delectable and balanced cocktails, as well as a diverse variety of wines from all over the world, including those from the United States. The interior of the resturaunt, created by Barker/Nestor in collaboration with Ingrassia Design, represents the sensibilities of the surrounding neighborhood while also paying homage to the region's illustrious history. The dining tables, which were custom made by Timberwolf Slabs of Crystal Lake, Illinois, included a 17-foot single slab live edge walnut table. There are several eating choices available to guests, including raw bar dining, dining by the fireplace dining, relaxing at a banquette dining, and watching Chefs make their meal while seated at the dining counter.

Relax in this South Loop martini lounge while sipping on a martini. M Lounge hosts live music on Tuesdays and Wednesdays (currently on hiatus due to COVID) that may be enjoyed while sipping on a variety of speciality martinis and exquisite liquors. Every Tuesday and Wednesday, live performances ranging from jazz to blues to R&B are held, and on Friday and Saturday, various DJs spin their records. There is something for everyone in this intimate urban oasis. No matter what genre of music you enjoy, you will feel right at home here—whether you're settling into one of the comfortable couches or low-slung chairs, or taking a seat at the 28-foot long walnut bar. Whether you're searching for a reservation for 6 people or a reservation for 30, M Lounge is the top destination for celebrations in the South Loop. Two VIP spaces are available for your consideration at M Lounge. Our VIP alcove can accommodate up to ten persons in comfort. There is a $250 minimum bar requirement, and a 20 percent tip will be applied to your final bill as part of the service. Our Stage VIP section can accommodate parties of up to about 30 people and can accommodate groups of 12-25 individuals. The minimum bar need ranges from $250 to $600, depending on the number of attendees and the amount of space required. In addition, a 20 percent gratuity will be added.

• Spaces for 30 Guests

The Wabansion is a vibrant, sunlit event space nestled in the heart of West Town, Chicago. With 1,000 square feet of open-layout charm, bold original artwork, and a fully equipped kitchen, it is the perfect canvas for intimate celebrations, milestone gatherings, and creative corporate events. Whether you are hosting an elegant dinner party, a lively birthday celebration, a bridal or baby shower, a team offsite, or a styled editorial shoot, The Wabansion brings warmth and character to every occasion. The ground-floor, street-level access makes load-in effortless, and free street parking keeps logistics simple for you and your guests. Accommodating up to 30 guests, The Wabansion is ideal for those who want a distinctive, art-filled setting that feels personal rather than generic. Complimentary folding tables and chairs are included, and an optional basement game room is available for added entertainment. The space is available daily from 9 AM to 11 PM. Located on Wabansia Avenue with easy access from the Kennedy Expressway and CTA Blue Line, The Wabansion is perfectly positioned for guests coming from anywhere in the Chicagoland area.

• Spaces for 50-450 Guests
• 2 Restaurants
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Event Space

Chop Shop Chicago is a venue with 6,000 square feet of hybrid event space located in the heart of Wicker Park and Bucktown in Chicago. Fully staffed with a personal production team, the space at Chop Shop Chicago hosts an array of offbeat events. Designed by event professionals, for event professionals, this distinctly modern urban event space is fully customizable. Chop Shop Chicago features 20 foot ceilings, exposed brick, modular staging, a modern guest suite, and built-in amenities including a state-of-the-art audio and visual package. Chop Shop Chicago serves to accommodate corporate, social, and entertainment planners in the marketing, art, film, music, sports, performance, fashion, culinary, and philanthropic communities for both private and in-house programmed events.

• Spaces for 25-120 Guests
• 1 Restaurant
• 1 Outdoor
• 1 Event Space

Sophisticated and eclectic, SOPHY® Hotel embodies the crafts and passions of art, science, literature, and music that are the inspiration of today’s Hyde Park. At the turn of every corner is an eclectic collection of art that celebrates community and the artists and artisans that create it. Our stunning restaurant, Mesler with our intimate Private Dining Room provides an inspiring setting for 50-75 guests. Begin the celebration with cocktails in our outdoor Sanctuary or in the bar and lounge area followed by vows and a reception in Mesler and our Private Dining Room. Our Opus Suite allows the curious visitor to delight in discoveries at every turn. This spacious suite offers a large living space, a private king bedroom, and a dining area ideal for an intimate gathering of your closest family and friends. 1411 East 53rd Street. 773.289.1003. sophyhotel.com.

• Spaces for 75-120 Guests
• 1 Restaurant

Mesler, a full-service Chicago restaurant, bar, and lounge is artfully composed with a contemporary library and an intimate Private Dining Room offering an inspiring setting for 50-75 guests. Begin the celebration with cocktails in our outdoor Sanctuary or in the bar and lounge area followed by vows and a reception in Mesler and our Private Dining Room. Designed to stimulate thoughtful conversation, the private dining room is ideal for petite weddings, brunches, showers, rehearsal dinners or engagement parties.

• Spaces for 50-300 Guests
• 2 Event Spaces

Located in the heart of Lincoln Park, CSK Chicago is an up & coming event venue, owned and operated by Big Onion Hospitality, the restaurant group behind Chicago staples like Woodie’s Flat, Fatpour Tap Works and Hopsmith Tavern. CSK Chicago features three unique spaces, each boasting a modern yet warm and cozy ambiance, accentuating the mix of natural and eclectic elements, including vintage city maps and a pink neon sign. Each space has a customizable layout, allowing you to host events of any kind and truly make it your own. The light-soaked modern-meets-rustic interior of CSK Chicago leads to an open-concept garden oasis, featuring Edison bulb lighting and ivy-covered brick walls, adorned with vintage mirrors. At Big Onion Hospitality, our mission is to make each and every guest feel like they are walking into our own personal home. Our team of professionals works hand in hand with you to ensure this is accomplished with your event. Contact us today for more information or to schedule a tour with our Private Events Manager!

• Spaces for 150-250 Guests
• 1 Event Space

Get on your feet, grab a can, and unleash your inner artist. Studio W.I.P. provides the most unique, hands-on experience in the city - and now you can book your group for a private workshop at our space...or yours! Hosted by Studio W.I.P. artists and staff, we will demonstrate multiple aerosol techniques for you and your group. Individual canvases and racks of low-VOC spray paint will be provided so each guest can create and take home their own masterpiece. Our motto is “You Can Art Too,” as we believe everyone has the ability to be creative. Our team will engage and encourage each guest so they can feel comfortable coming as they are and leave feeling inspired. Studio W.I.P. Artists encourage creativity and foster a communal, supportive atmosphere, making our workshops perfect for group events such as: • Corporate outings • Student field trips • Birthday parties • Bachelor/Bachelorette parties • Brand activations • Team building experiences • Anniversaries • Reunions • Anything that’s fun...

• Spaces for 200-300 Guests

Bookclub is a multi-floor venue experience featuring Club Soda, a Hard Seltzer Bar on the ground floor and a beautiful stage downstairs. Events happening in the basement are broadcast to a 10ft LED screen in Club Soda on what we call the Digital Balcony.

• Spaces for 280-345 Guests

Epic history meets a clever, contemporary attitude. Reawakened through a dynamic mix of historic architecture coupled with savvy design, The Blackstone Hotel sets the stage for an unforgettable wedding experience. Newly remodeled and impeccably restored, this legendary hotel features a seamless mix of traditional architecture and modern design featuring a creative curation of art and excitement.

• Spaces for 160-1,000 Guests
• 3 Hotels
• 3 Ballrooms
• 3 Total Spaces

The Congress Plaza Hotel, located in the heart of Chicago is just minutes away from some of the city's most prime attractions. The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center was originally designed and constructed in 1893 to accommodate visitors from around the globe attending the World’s Columbian Exposition. The legendary Congress Plaza Hotel has been home to many of the world’s greatest notables such as our nation’s presidents, foreign dignitaries, opera, stage, and movie celebrities. Every year our property is visited by hundreds of guests attending conventions, meetings, and events in our beautiful city. Our property is conveniently located in the heart of the downtown area here in Chicago just minutes away from some of the premier attractions that our city has to offer including, The Art Institute of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain, Orchestra Hall, Willis Tower, and The Shedd Aquarium. The Congress Plaza Hotel is located directly across from Grant Park, known as one of Chicago’s prime attractions for great outdoor jazz and blues music throughout the summer. Our property features 871 guest rooms, including 36 deluxe suites, many of which overlook the beautiful waters of Lake Michigan. The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center is the perfect place to experience Chicago at just about any time of the year!

• Spaces for 125-5,000 Guests
• 3 Event Spaces

Radius Chicago is a multi-use event space spanning 55,000 square feet, capable of accommodating a range of gatherings, from 400 to 4,000 attendees. Constructed within a converted steel factory, Radius breaks down into a variety of dynamic areas: The Main Hall, Cermak Hall, Arch Bar Pre-Function, and VIP Mezzanine. Located mere minutes from Downtown Chicago and boasting a staff of industry professionals with over twenty years experience, Radius is the perfect place to host your corporate event, private concert, product launch, location shoot, wedding, bar mitzvah, social gathering or any exclusive dinner affair. Radius is equipped with a matrix of private green rooms designed to accommodate your speakers, artists, and production needs. Our inhouse events team are trained to help you manage every detail so that your guests can enjoy the consummate on-site experience.

The X Pot is an innovative dining concept created and established by Chubby Cattle. The X Pot offers a unique dining experience that bridges Asian and American cultures. Our goal is to offer a dining experience that awakens all your senses: sight, sound, scent, and taste. Our menu offers the most high-quality ingredients including imported seafood and purebred A5 Wagyu beef flown in daily from Japan. Enjoy the age-old tradition of hot pot with fresh delicious ingredients, where every dish is served to perfection. At the X Pot Chicago, we offer a stylish and memorable venue for your group. The X Pot can accommodate up to 250 guests inside the venue, as well as additional seating at our outdoor patio area. Our space allows for any style of affairs with a variety of drink selections, seafood, and quality wagyu options with both hotpot and non-hotpot packages available that can be tailored toward your preference depending on the size and nature of your party.

• Spaces for 200-300 Guests
• 1 Restaurant

• Spaces for 18-120 Guests
• 5 Hotels
• 5 Ballrooms

Discover downtown Chicago at Aloft Chicago Mag Mile hotel. Centrally located near the Magnificent Mile, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, Navy Pier, the Riverfront, your windy city escape awaits at our modern hotel. Built on the former site of the city's Museum of Contemporary Art, Aloft Chicago Mag Mile embraces a bold new philosophy where we encourage you to color outside the lines and march to your own beat. With artfully designed hotel rooms and suites featuring minimalist décor, oversized TVs, free Wi-Fi and premium bath products, and meeting rooms featuring natural light and fully equipped audio visual, this LEED Certified hotel can facilitate everything you need. Take a Virtual Tour: https://visitingmedia.com/tt8/?ttid=aloft-chicago-mag-mile#/360?group=0&tour=0

• Spaces for 285-400 Guests

Prepare to be captivated by the versatility and elegance of BIÂN's 35,000 sq ft space, where every inch can be customized to meet the unique requirements of your private event. Whether you're hosting an intimate dinner party, wedding reception, corporate panel, hands-on pasta making experience, or even a concert, BIÂN effortlessly transforms to exceed your expectations. Our indoor and outdoor spaces serve as a canvas for your special occasion, and our team of experienced hospitality professionals will ensure every detail from the food to the overall ambiance will be expertly handled, leaving you free to enjoy a truly memorable experience. Welcome to BIÂN, where the stage is set for extraordinary events.

• Spaces for 50-299 Guests
• 2 Restaurants

Kashmir. Located at the end of Randolph Street in Chicago’s Fulton Market District, Kashmir is an escapist nightlife experience, where exclusivity meets abandon. From international hospitality group Bonhomme, Kashmir is an homage to the over the top parties of New York and London clubs in the 80's, set in an intimate room filled with Italian panache and Parisian chic.

• Spaces for 30-400 Guests
• 3 Restaurants

Bambola // Turkish restaurant & cocktail bar exploring the flavors that span from Italy to China in Chicago’s Fulton Market District. From Italy to China, passing through Greece, Iran, India, Thailand, and Vietnam, Bambola offers an aesthetic and culinary expedition for guests that wish to explore the mosaic of flavors, colors, and textures that characterize the acclaimed cuisines along the legendary Silk Road. This multicultural exchange, created by merchants centuries ago, is now brought to life in the kitchen of our restaurant and cocktail bar, exploring the shared cultural heritage between the East and the West, using Istanbul as the historical gateway that connects both territories. Chefs Marcos Campos, Erwin Mallet and Shannah Primiano have traveled along the Silk Road to create a menu inspired by the rich traditions, ancestral techniques, exciting products and flavorsome spices widely exchanged and mastered by Eastern and Western cultures since the 13th century. Led by industry vanguard Brian Sturgulewski, Bambola’s bar celebrates modern beverages inspired by timeless ingredients from the historic Silk Road. Inspired by the amalgamation of cultures along the trade routes, our creative craft cocktails combine local drinking traditions, global spirits, complementary spices and ingredients. Nonalcoholic drinks have also been a mainstay of the beverage program since day one with spirit-free cocktails that share the same flavorful, colorful and fun originality as our spirit-friendly creations. Bambola’s wine list transports you to some of the most exciting regions of the planet through the lens of our favorite iconoclastic & natural winemakers of the moment. We aim to tell these winemakers’ stories while gently urging you to explore regions and styles that fall outside of “typical wine” parameters. We believe that these ancient techniques and wine styles incite the adventurer in all of us. Culture, travel and style are at the heart of everything we do at Bonhomme. Designed by our studio Maison Bonhomme, Bambola is a romantic voyage along the Silk Road as imagined through the travels of a bon vivant and connoisseur where one city, Istanbul — as a historic gateway between East and West, Asia and Europe — is our constant touchstone due to its peerless mix of influences and cultures, textiles and objects, highly decorative details, and a culture of hospitality. Bambola’s rare, imaginative and jaw-droppingly diverse array of artistic elements is a testament to the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilizations. Bambola is filled with Italy’s finest textiles, furniture by some of the most exciting designers of the 20th and 21st centuries, and Popham Design’s dramatic handmade cement tiles juxtaposed with museum-quality 18th and 19th century antiquities and rare furnishings collected from China, Thailand, Burma, Pakistan and India in collaboration with Doug Van Tress and Chauwarin Tuntisak of The Golden Triangle. Bambola is warmly illuminated with one-ofa- kind chandeliers from the masters of hand-blown glass in Milan and Venice to elevate the standard for restaurant lighting.

It was originally constructed in 1892 as a Czech meeting hall and is now a historically significant building that has been landmarked. As of the year 2013, it has reopened and been re-imagined as a modern day town hall; a central meeting place with a tavern called Dusek's Board & Beer, two bars called Punch House and Tack Room, and a world-class performance space called Thalia Hall. The location is perfect for hosting large events such as weddings, holiday parties, galas, and other special occasions where you want to spend a memorable evening with your closest friends and family. 16" on Center (16OC) is a hospitality collective that was founded by Bruce Finkelman and Craig Golden in collaboration. The group takes on projects and buildings in neighborhoods where its members can't wait to hang out. Although each restaurant, bar, and venue that is a part of the collective operates as an independent company, 16OC is here to provide the support and services necessary to make each and every one of them stronger. The term "16" on Center comes from the construction industry and refers to a center mark that produces the most durable build. This describes our approach to each project, which is to produce spaces of the highest quality that are intended to be used for a long time. From Evanston to Hyde Park, our venues, bars, and restaurants coax Chicagoans out of their homes and into their respective neighborhoods, giving them the opportunity to participate in the life of those areas.