10 Best Holiday Party Venues in Chicago, IL
Chicago has holiday party venues for every kind of group, from a St. Regis dining room over Lake Michigan to a Pilsen art gallery you can set up however you like. These 10 holiday party venues in Chicago are all on RestauRent, and they cover everything from a 14-person client dinner to a 500-guest company party.
Tips for Booking a Chicago Holiday Party
Book early. Friday and Saturday nights in December are the first dates to go.
Plan for the weather. Ask about coat check, and if a patio or terrace is part of the plan, confirm it's enclosed or heated.
Think about the commute. Downtown and River North venues are easier for teams coming in by train from the suburbs. Encourage rideshares if there's an open bar.
Check both capacities. A seated dinner and a standing reception can hold very different numbers in the same room.
Holiday Party Venues in Chicago
Miru is a Japanese-inspired restaurant inside the St. Regis Chicago in Streeterville, with floor-to-ceiling views over Lake Michigan, Navy Pier and the Chicago River. The bar pours handcrafted cocktails, a curated wine list and more than 40 sakes, so a holiday toast doesn't have to be champagne.
Drawing Room: 40 guests, seated or reception style, with Lake Michigan and Navy Pier views
Sake Room: 40 seated or 50 for a reception
Bar and Lounge: semi-private, 56 seated or 125 reception style
Full buyout: 200 seated or 350 for a reception
Gibsons is the classic Gold Coast steakhouse on Rush Street, known for USDA Prime beef, fresh seafood and an award-winning wine list. Hosts can choose à la carte or prix fixe menus, which makes it easy to run anything from a client dinner to a full company party.
Several rooms have fireplaces and windows over Rush, State and Bellevue, which suits a December dinner.
Rush Room: up to 300 guests, with a lit wine cellar, AV and four balconies
Gibsons Room: up to 150, with its own wood bar and a fireplace
Fireplace Room: up to 40
Boardroom and Stateroom: 18 and 14 guests, both with screens for presentations
RPM Italian is a polished River North restaurant serving modern Italian food, with handmade pastas and wine pairings that can be built around your menu. The events team handles menu design, drinks, décor and timing, which takes a lot off the organizer's plate.
The Boardroom seats up to 16 for an executive dinner, The Stage seats up to 40, and a full buyout holds up to 300 guests.
If the party is really about the toast, Pops For Champagne is the obvious call. This River North champagne bar is known for its grower Champagnes and sparkling wines, with cocktails and champagne tastings for the group.
The kitchen sends out seafood, charcuterie and seasonal small plates that pair well with bubbles. Private and semi-private areas work for seated dinners of 10 to 20 guests, and cocktail receptions go up to 140.
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! brings a lively Spanish tapas bar to Halsted Street in Lincoln Park. Shared plates, sangria and Spanish wines keep the table talking, and menus can run family style, plated or as a cocktail reception.
With six event areas, it can host a small team or most of the office:
Atrium and Solaria: up to 80 each, or 160 combined at long tables
Granada: up to 45, or 125 combined with the Solaria
Castilla and Toledo: up to 36 and 25 guests
Sevilla: a semi-private space by the front bar for up to 18
For a holiday party where people actually mix, Flight Club on Wacker Drive builds the night around Social Darts, a tech-driven multiplayer version of the pub game that keeps score for you. Food packages, craft cocktails, AV and a dedicated event planner are all part of the setup.
The Main Floor takes semi-private groups of up to 150, The Midway goes up to 350, and a full buyout of the multi-level venue, with 14 oches and two bars, holds up to 500.
Blue Violet is a moody cocktail lounge tucked inside Hubbard Inn in River North, with velvet seating, soft lighting and deep jewel tones. It's built for a cocktail-first party that runs late.
The lounge books as a private or semi-private space with a full bar, catering from the Hubbard Inn kitchen, built-in sound and lighting, and event staff from setup to last call.
Porter Kitchen & Deck sits on the Chicago River at Riverside Plaza, serving modern American food and cocktails behind floor-to-ceiling windows. It's an easy pick for a team dinner after work downtown.
The Private Dining Room seats up to 24 with full AV and frosted sliding doors. Next to it, the Fireplace Lounge seats 28 or holds 35 for a reception, and the two spaces can be combined.
Right across from Wrigley Field, Rizzo's has a covered patio with a retractable roof and heated floors, so the outdoor feel works in December too. Three full bars, 28 LED TVs and a 13-foot LED screen make it a natural fit for a bigger, high-energy party.
The patio holds up to 250 with two private bars and its own entrance. The Front Bar, with a 40-foot bar, takes up to 100, and the semi-private Back Bar takes up to 50.
Xoco House Gallery is a working art gallery on 18th Street in Pilsen, with high ceilings, exposed wood beams, natural light and rotating artwork. It's a blank canvas, so you bring the caterer and the bar and set the room up your way.
The listing covers groups of 50 to 300, and a Private Lounge with seating, mirrors, a refreshment station and its own restroom gives hosts a place to regroup.
Find Your Chicago Holiday Party Venue
The best Chicago holiday party venue depends on your headcount, budget and how dressed-up the night should feel. Browse more Chicago event venues on RestauRent, compare spaces side by side, and send inquiries to several venues at once instead of calling around.
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