Take your next meeting or event to the next level by partnering with some of Chicago’s top women-owned businesses. Whether you’re interested in global dining, a unique venue, or services such as translation and photography, you’ll find a variety of local resources eager to assist.
Private dining and catering
Whether it’s a sit-down dinner or cocktail reception, attendees will admire The Dearborn Tavern’s stylish setting, replete with vaulted ceilings and chandeliers, in the Loop. Owners and sisters Amy and Clodagh Lawless offer customizable seasonal menus, with special attention given to vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Options can include everything from Amish chicken curry and halibut to pizza and tavern burgers. The restaurant’s largest room can accommodate 40 for a reception. Or arrange a full buyout for 150 guests.
Delight steak lovers with a meal at Kinzie Chophouse in River North, a classic Chicago steakhouse owned by Nicole Felvaris and her husband, Andreas Tsakonas. Work with the private dining staff to plan your event. Start with platters of charcuterie and appetizers like oysters and beef tartare. Select steaks that range from a 10-oz. ribeye to a 50-oz. tomahawk. A full buyout accommodates 178 people, while indoor and outdoor spaces can hold from 35 seated to 90 for a reception.
Groups of up to 60 people can savor Turkish, Georgian, and Ottoman cuisine at Oda Mediterranean Cuisine in Andersonville. Peruse owner and chef Marina Cardak’s intriguing menus that include beef stroganoff, lamb kebabs, Spanish octopus, and veggie moussaka. After running a Turkish restaurant for 15 years, Cardak combined her heritage — she was born and raised in neighboring Georgia — and her interests into one menu. Private and semi-private packages are offered.
Buy out Demera Ethiopian Restaurant in Uptown to treat attendees to authentic Ethiopian fare and vegan-friendly options under the oversight of chef and owner Tigist Reda, who learned the recipes from elder women in her family. For starters, order a sampler platter of appetizers like skillet baked bread and fried dumplings (choose chicken, beef, spinach, cheese, or lentil). For the main course, opt for the Chef’s Selection Messob of eight dishes served family-style. Off-site catering is also available.
In Avondale, book an event at Jodi Fyfe’s eden, which features menus with sustainable, seasonal, and local ingredients (some from the on-site greenhouse). A sample dinner menu might include Japanese-style pull-apart bread, pan-seared ricotta gnocchi, cornmeal-crusted salmon, and wood-grilled carrots. Choose private dining inside (three serene and bright spaces accommodate from 18 to 64 people seated) or on eden’s outdoor patio. Another Fyfe business, Paramount Events, offers catering services at hundreds of Chicago venues.
Dine on cuisine inspired by Oaxaca, Mexico, at Kie-Gol-Lanee, offering private and semi-private brunches and dinners at two locations. The restaurants are helmed by sister-and-brother team María and Reynel Mendoza and their spouses, Léonides Ramos and Sandra Sotz. The Uptown restaurant, brightly decorated to reflect Oaxaca’s culture, accommodates 45 guests for a full buyout — its private upper-level space can be booked for a gathering of up to 28 people with a custom three-course prix fixe menu. At the Logan Square restaurant, reserve space for a semi-private event for 12 or more attendees or ask for a buyout for up to 65. Catering packages are also available, with signature items like cactus salad, crispy flautas, chicken and pork tamales, and platters of barbecued chicken or pork loin stuffed with chorizo.
Venues
Take up to 250 attendees on a Chicago sightseeing adventure aboard a vessel operated by Mercury, Chicago’s Skyline Cruiseline. See stunning skyscrapers, bridges, historic landmarks, and iconic attractions. The fourth-generation family-owned business, now operated by Holly Agra, offers group rates for day and evening Chicago River and Lake Michigan boat tours. Mercury is a sister company of Chicago’s First Lady Cruises that offers popular architecture tours.
Expect top-notch service at your meeting for 10 to 250 people at Summit Chicago in the Loop. In addition to offering several modern, attractive spaces with floor-to-ceiling windows, founder Louise Silberman’s staff coordinates the planning for essentials like food and audiovisual needs. Services can include snacks in the morning and afternoon, a made-from-scratch lunch, unlimited beverages, privacy rooms, and free Wi-Fi.
Feel the community pride at The Quarry, the hub of the South Shore neighborhood. The center, owned by Yvette Moyo’s Real Men Charities nonprofit, offers the rental of two rooms, one that accommodates 150 people and the other 85. JA2 Catering and Fifty-One 50 Fusion are the in-house catering options. Cash and open bar packages are available. Add-on amenities include parking, a DJ, security, and A/V equipment.
Wow attendees with an event held in the handsome Irving Park building that houses ERIS Brewery and Cider House, co-owned by Michelle Foik and Katy Pizza. The 1910 former Masonic temple can accommodate from 20 to 250 guests. Opt for the semi-private brew deck, mezzanine, or outdoor patio. Or arrange for a buyout of the main dining room that features 20-foot ceilings. Menu options include items like smoked cauliflower wings, soft pretzels, a smash burger, a smoked brisket platter, and seafood paella. Pair meals with house-made beer or cider.
Original artwork in a gorgeous fine arts gallery serves as an impressive backdrop for meetings and events in the African American Bronzeville arts district. Spaces at Gallery Guichard can be rented for events of up to 299 guests reception-style or 170 seated. Owners Frances Guichard, Andre Guichard, and Stephen Mitchell showcase the works of multicultural local and international artists, including paintings and sculptures.
The elegant, women-owned Seven Star Venue in Rogers Park offers 12,000 square feet of flexible space in its Main Hall and Gallery Room that can accommodate events for up to 500 seated or 1,000 people reception-style. Hire a caterer on your own or choose one of Seven Star’s all-inclusive packages that include an array of choices for drinks, appetizers, and entrees. For smaller groups of about 150, check out the 5,000-square-foot speakeasy on the lower level.
Services and suppliers
Communicating won’t be an issue with help from River North-based Atlas Translation Services. Under the direction of President Lily Huberman, the language company offers interpretation and translation services from accredited professionals who are native-speaking linguists. They are frequently called upon to provide accurate in-person translations — in addition to documents, texts, and websites — for foreign delegations during conventions and business meetings.
Think of The AV Firm in suburban Niles as a one-stop shop for your Chicago-area event’s technical needs. Founder and CEO Tina Luppino and her staff offer communication, staging, and audiovisual production services for events of all sizes, from 40 people in one meeting to 3,500 in different rooms at a convention. They view their services as added value for a worry-free way to engage with your audience.
Let the professionals at White Diamond Events in the West Loop take your vision and execute a seamless live, virtual, or hybrid experience. No matter the size of your meeting or event, CEO Dearbhla Meaney and her management team maximize your budget when booking venues and suppliers. They specialize in conference planning, venue styling, marketing, and VIP experiences in the city.
Add a fun activity to your event. Book a private tour with Inside Chicago Walking Tours, founded by Hillary Marzec. Guides lead visitors on a variety of tours, including architecture, food, history, and culture. They can be via foot, boat, or bus. Be assured that your attendees will be entertained as the guides, who have theatre, teaching, and improv experience, show the best of Chicago.
Trust Elizabeth Frailberg and Beth Hollander of e3 Photography in the West Loop to capture images and videos of people, exhibits, and capstone moments at your meeting or event. From speakers on the stage to breakout sessions and lively receptions, e3 brings a fresh perspective to reflect an event’s vibe and attendees’ excitement. Among their specialties are headshots, interviews, brand products, and annual reports.
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