The Resy Guide to Outstanding Private Dining Options in Chicago

It doesn’t get much more festive than an old-school Midwestern steak dinner of prime rib eye, creamed spinach, and potatoes au gratin — nor does it get much more old-school than this elegant South Loop institution inside a former firehouse. If you’re hosting a larger event, opt for one of two parlor rooms, both of which feature reclaimed wood floors and walnut walls and seat up to 64 or 48, respectively. If you’re going intimate, the Mayor’s Room perched on the second floor seats up to 18 and features a warming built-in fireplace, vintage exposed-brick walls, and large windows. For more info: privatedine@chicagofirehouse.com

Celebrate the season with a dynamic Chinese-inspired feast dreamed up by iconic chef Stephanie Izard. The 18-seat Jade Room is fittingly ornate, with whimsical accents that reference America’s Chinatowns and a goat or two for good measure. Separated from the adjacent bar by dramatic French doors adorned with gilded dragons, the Jade Room can be made completely private from the main dining room. Fill your bellies and souls with hand-pulled noodles, housemade dumplings, wontons, and spring rolls, passed family-style among your nearest and dearest. More info here.

Throwback Italian-American classics in a lively space resembling a mid-century supper club? Sign us up. This longtime neighborhood favorite features a handful of private dining options — all of which will be festively decorated to the nines as is customary each year. The fully private, ‘50s-style Club Room seats up to 45 and is adorned with an antique Martini shaker collection, oversized tables and warm lighting. We especially love the lounge, which fits 70 and features the original bar, tin ceiling, and aluminum and glass light fixtures. Wherever you settle, expect a casual, welcoming atmosphere, generous portions, and wallet-friendly prices, not to mention superb, ample Martinis — which are, unscientifically, the best holiday party icebreakers. Learn more here.

If you’d prefer getting in the spirit with a sultry cocktail hour, consider this elegant, high-ceilinged bar with globally inspired cocktails and speakeasy vibes. Arbella features several options for private events depending on size and style of your event: a full bar takeover can accommodate up to 150 seated and standing while enjoying soaring ceilings and Void Acoustics sound system. The B-Side room fits a mix of 60 seated and standing and is likewise fully equipped for a live band or DJ setup. Learn more and get in touch with the restaurant here.

For beer lovers in search of upmarket environs to match terrific gastropub fare and interesting brews, this botanically inclined brewery is dressed for an occasion with dark woods and plenty of lush greenery. The private dining area seats 15 to 30 at a large wooden table (or hightop cocktail tables if preferred) and offers the full menu, including the massive milk-brined pork schnitzel sandwich, veg-friendly mushroom pot pies, and unique, expertly crafted beers. Read more here.

This serene Italian restaurant tucked on the second floor of the JW Marriott offers six different private and semi-private dining areas to suit any holiday party. We particularly love the semi-private Tasting Table space, located in view of the restaurant’s wine cellar with seating for up to 36. The handsome Private Dining Room B seats up to 24 at a long wood table beneath oversized cylindrical ceiling fixtures. For a more intimate experience, the semi-private Chef’s Table seats 12 amid wooden bookcases with views into the kitchen, where chefs turn out perfect tiger shrimp risotto and roasted chicken with broccolini and white wine. More info here.

Chef Rick Bayless’s stalwart sibling restaurants provide ample private-dining experiences starring regional Mexican fare. The newest space, La Vista at Frontera, seats up to 30 and overlooks the buzzing River North neighborhood with a side of tasty street snacks, tacos, seafood, and a well-stocked tequila and mezcal bar. The serene, open-kitchen Library Room at Topolobampo seats up to 30 with a five-course tasting menu set amid Bayless’s collection of rare cookbooks. The livelier, subterranean Morales Room at Frontera seats 40 and features coursed tasting menus or a 10-dish street food menu set amid contemporary Mexican art by the namesake Mexican artist Rodolfo Morales. Learn more.

Transport your party to stylish, global locales at one of several private or semi-private spaces at this luxe, intricately decorated restaurant with sweeping vistas of the Chicago River. The Jewelry Store, an entire 1913 Nashville jewelry shop reassembled piece-by-piece in the middle of the restaurant, seats 16 or 20 standing at a restored 16-foot French draper’s table. The two Mezzanine spaces—River and North, 37 or 22, respectively, offer seated or cocktail events amid lush foliage, colorful tiles and rugs and plush banquettes. You’ll pass around Mediterranean-leaning shared plates from chef/partner Marcos Campos, including mezze spreads with pistachio tzatziki and smoked baba ghanoush and Lebanese-style roasted lamb. More info here.

Perched high above Michigan Ave at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel, Cindy’s Rooftop is suited for special occasions with its gorgeous views of Lake Michigan and Millennium Park. Private-dining options include the semi-private Lakeview couches; the private Library — which seats 12 with amber-hued furnishings; and full buyouts. All experiences come with executive chef Christian Ragano’s sophisticated seasonal Midwestern fare like piquillo pepper crostini and aged NY strip skewers, plus stellar large-format cocktails. Find more information here.

Seeing how this is Chicago and it wouldn’t be a proper special occasion list without at least two steakhouse options, consider Swift & Sons the more modern iteration, aptly located in the heart of the bustling Fulton Market district. Private and semi-private options abound, depending on group size and occasion. The downstairs Tavern Table with counter-style seating around a marble bar suits casual groups of up to 10. Upstairs, two private dining rooms with soaring ceilings seat up to 36 (or 40 for cocktails), or can be reserved together for up to 72 people. Booking the rooms together also means access to a private lounge and restroom. Additionally, The Wellington Room provides a stately background for receptions for up to 50 guests or seated dinners for up to 40. With posh food and drink options like cold seafood towers and bone-in dry-aged rib eye, you’ll be in for a very chic and very Chicago holiday celebration. Call the restaurant on +1 312-733-9420  or visit their website for more information.

Few things beat dining al fresco, but living in Chicago, your time is limited. Enter the handsomely appointed and entirely enclosed Kipos Greenhouse at Andros Taverna, which offers that “outside-inside” feeling year-round. The room, which seats up to 35 or 60 for a cocktail reception, is warmed by lush greenery and sunlight that streams in from the west through a wall of wraparound windows. Chef Doug Psaltis utilizes a wood-burning hearth to craft a variety of modern Greek offerings such as warm, fluffy pita to run through spreads like taramasalata and charred eggplant; charred Mediterranean octopus and lamb spice ribs; chicken souvlaki; and, of course, tender gyros with crispy ends. For more info: eat@androstaverna.com.

The beauty and drama from the textiles, chandeliers, and tiles sourced from across Europe and Asia capture your attention as soon as you enter Bambola. It continues as you pass through opulent oversized doors crafted from ancient Chinese elm into the private room that seats up to 36 at one long table (additional tables and furniture can host a total of 66). Chefs Marcos Campos and Alisha Elenz’s menu is inspired by the historic Silk Road, which stretched from Italy to China. The food, accordingly, includes bites such as crispy caper leaf-wrapped shrimp; whipped Greek feta with aged balsamic honey; spiced lamb dumplings in an XO sauce with mint za’atar; coal-fired cod with tahini marinade and walnut muhammara; and a Mediterranean-focused wine list from Michelin-anointed sommelier of the year Colin Hofer. For more info, see here. 

Now a veritable elder statesman in the Chicago restaurant scene, the Bristol — with its dark leather banquettes, natural wood, and exposed brick throughout — continues to charm after 14 years in business. While the entire restaurant can be bought out for private events, its second floor, with large windows looking out onto Damen Avenue, is perfect for a variety of parties, with room for up to 70 seated guests. The space includes a private bar, bathrooms, and a fireplace for additional coziness. Chef Larry Feldmeier’s menu combines French technique with rustic fare, with items ranging from deviled eggs and steak tartare starters to Amish chicken with pommes puree and filet mignon with mushroom Bearnaise as entrees. For more information, email idavenport@bhospitalityco.com or call 312-690-7720.

Perched high above the dining room, the private Overpass room — a reference to Union Station next door — holds up to 12 around a large, dark wood table while peeking through an oversized window down onto the dining room. The intimate space evokes a well-designed living room, with earth tones and comfy seating. The Italian menu features shareable dishes like margherita and spicy soppressata pizzas, hearty bowls of bolognese and cacio e pepe pasta, and large-format Caesar and chopped salads. Get more info: info@canalstreetchicago.com.

Set inside the Emily Hotel just off Fulton Market, Fora is a modern Mexican restaurant with a wide-ranging regional menu. Its private dining room seats 14 at one long table set among natural woods, leather-backed chairs, and cozy banquettes. The menu has a heavy focus on seafood — kanpachi with smoked beets; seared octopus with habanero aioli; whole trout al pastor — accompanied  by an in-house masa program to handcraft heirloom corn tortillas for dishes like bone marrow and beef short ribs with ponzu aguachile. Check the website for more information.

Set inside the Graduate Hotel on a quiet, leafy street a block from downtown Evanston, the Graduate Homestead Room has all the charm of a New England private club, without the exclusivity. With brown leather chairs, exposed brick overlaid with a mural featuring forest scenes, brass globe lights, and leaded glass windows looking into the main dining room, the cozy private dining room holds up to 20. The American menu includes 28-day dry-aged beef tartare; creamy burrata and Brussels sprouts; cacio e pepe gnocchi; wild king salmon with Yukon gold potatoes and green beans; and, of course, their signature burger topped with truffle cheese and roasted tomato aioli. For more information, check the website.