For those looking to dive into a wide range of Fat Rice’s dishes, its daytime bakery and evening cocktail bar can be rented out for a prix-fixe tasting menu by chef Abe Conlon. The room is filled with a smattering of tables next to the bakery case in a bright-walled space—it may not be the fanciest of spaces, but the food will certainly impress. The “Venture” menu changes daily and ranges in price, while the “Voyage” menu features Fat Rice classics like potstickers with a crisp shell and the Arroz Gordo, Fat Rice’s signature dish. Number of guests: 28. Price to book: restaurant takes all booking requests at eatfatrice.com/contact/private-events. 

Seafood lovers flock to Oyster Bah to slurp oysters and drink beers, but parties both big and small will find its High Tide Lounge and Low Tide Lounge good for gatherings requiring a dedicated bar. Customers can pick from private party menus in the smaller Low Tide Lounge or try interactive stations like oyster shucking and build-your-own taco bar in the larger High Tide Lounge. Number of guests: 34-100. Price to book: $1,000-$3,000 food and beverage minimum purchase applies, depending on room.

Summer vibes thrive all year long at Mahalo, the Wicker Park Hawaiian-themed bar and restaurant. It holds two private dining rooms, dubbed Mahalo Vibes: a private dining room on the first floor clad with the restaurant’s signature white-washed tables and a sun-filled upstairs dining room with swings and strung lights. Pick from dishes like poke bowls and Hawaiian ramen and pair them with tropical cocktails for an island getaway in Chicago. Number of guests: 25-75. Price to book: Fluctuating food and beverage minimum applies, depending on date, time and guest count.

The new restaurant in the Museum of Contemporary Art has chef Jason Hammel (Lula Café) at the helm, which means that the space is not just beautiful but the food promises to be gorgeous and tasty too. The room has a mural by Chris Ofili and is filled with modern wooden tables and retro-looking upholstered chairs in bright primary colors. Hammel focuses the menus around seasonality, with quickly-changing dishes that are expertly plated, so expect private dining options to be similar. Number of guests: 40. Price to book: restaurant takes all booking requests at 312-799-3599.

This West Town brewery’s focus is botanic beers, and the space matches, with dark woods and greenery filling the restaurant. The theme spreads to the upstairs private dining space, which has a large wooden table (or hightop cocktail tables if preferred). The full menu is available, with favorites like the burger with giardiniera mayo and marinated fried Brussels sprouts with XO sauce. For the beer lovers, this is the perfect spot with a high-low menu feel amid excellently crafted and interesting beers. Number of guests: 15-30. Price to book: varies according to booking type.

Glam events are the specialty of Ivy Room at Tree Studios, which provides modern touches in an ivy-covered green space. Menus are seasonal and customized to the event and customers’ tastes, so be sure that nearly every detail will be covered at the Ivy Room at Tree Studios. Number of guests: 200. Price to book: $4,500-$9,000, depending on date and time.

Joy District’s Chandelier Room, located between its first floor barstaurant and mezzanine, is a swanky space designed for fancy events. A chandelier hangs above the room to solidify the room’s over-the-top feel. Customers can order from Joy District’s dinner menu and indulge in large-format cocktails. Number of guests: 10. Price to book: no room fee, but $500 food and beverage minimum applies.

For small groups looking for a garden-to-table option, West Loop’s Eden has three private dining rooms with a modern and airy vibe, complete with white walls and wooden tables. Menus are always open to customization, whether for dietary restrictions or favorite Eden dishes, but otherwise changes with the season and features vegetables from the onsite greenhouse. Ownership has plenty of private event experience, as they’re also behind stalwart event company Paramount Events. Number of guests: 10-80, depending on room. Price to book: no room fee, but $800-$2,500 food and beverage minimum purchase applies.

For an underground secret lair feel, Girl & the Goat’s “Underground Goat” is just the spot. Hidden past the “staff only” areas of Stephanie Izard’s perpetually-packed restaurant and downstairs, the room is cozy and candlelit with exposed brick. It’s just great for smaller gatherings, with a customizable menu for a group of less than 30 people. Number of guests: 26. Price to book: $2,000-$2,500 and up.    

Medium to large groups should enjoy the historic second-floor space in the South Loop’s Chicago Firehouse Restaurant. The restaurant maintained many of the old firehouse’s touches, from reclaimed wooden floors to oak walls and exposed brick, even after it burned in a fire. The various rooms range in size, from larger gatherings in the old fire chief’s room, now called the “Palmer Parlor,” to a sunny outdoor veranda space for a medium-sized group. Number of guests: 20-225, depending on room. Price to book: restaurant takes all booking requests at 312-786-1401.

Wondering where Dusek’s keeps all their large format beers? In the beer cellar, of course, the space directly underneath Dusek’s at Thalia Hall. It’s decked out in bottles of beer in built-in exposed brick shelves and cozy wooden tables. Choose from coursed meals, passed hors d’oeuvres or stations. If the space doesn’t already sound interesting enough, just pass through the secret bookshelf exit for another level of mystery. Number of guests: 30-45. Price to book: varies, is based on a three-hour event.