Chicago offers a bevy of restaurants that are ideal for private dining, from old-school steakhouses to innovative James Beard Award winners. With many featuring flexible indoor spaces, you’ll have no problem finding the right spot for your group, whether it’s an intimate dinner or a large gathering. We’ve got some suggestions to get your planning started.

Less than 100 guests

At Maxwells Trading, a Michelin-recommended restaurant in West Town, the Asian-influenced menu features seasonal ingredients grown in The Roof Crop farm on its rooftop. A sample menu might include prosciutto and gnocchi fritto, Japanese sweet potatoes with Thai red curry, grilled redfish or pork belly, and rice pudding for dessert. The upstairs event space, accessible through a private entrance, blends minimalist design with unique touches like an antique book collection and a turntable to set the soundtrack for your evening. Accommodating up to 72 seated guests or 100 for a reception, Maxwells Trading is the perfect choice for a creative, chef-led venue.

Daisies in Logan Square is a favorite of planners seeking a relaxed yet refined dining experience. Recognized as a Bib Gourmand by the Michelin Guide, the restaurant offers private dining featuring vegetable- and pasta-focused cuisine — plus proteins like pork, chicken, and seafood — and scrumptious desserts such as raspberry-pretzel pudding and warm peach pie. Acclaimed chefs Joe Frillman and Leigh Omilinsky, who were 2025 James Beard Award semifinalists, bring creative flair to their dishes. The restaurant can accommodate 20 for semi-private dining, 38 in a private space, or 120 for a buyout. Catering is also available.

For a sublime private dining experience along the Chicago River, book Gibsons Italia in the West Loop. This modern Italian steakhouse blends sophistication with comfort, featuring premium cuts of wagyu beef alongside seafood and signature gold-extruded pasta made with Senatore Cappelli flour. Meals are served in a striking setting perfect for business gatherings. The Rooftop, a glass-enclosed space with sweeping skyline views, seats up to 60 guests for a memorable dinner. Smaller groups of 24 can dine in the Board Room.

Impress attendees with bold, globally inspired cuisine at Girl & the Goat in the West Loop. James Beard Award winner and Top Chef champ Stephanie Izard, the restaurant’s founder, oversees the Michelin Bib Gourmand kitchen. Create a menu that starts with rye focaccia, shareable plates, and heirloom tomato salad. Choose from inventive main dishes such as pork belly curry, goat empanadas, or fried soft shell crab with ginger-chili yum sauce. The intimate Underground Goat dining room, with a cozy wine cellar feel, seats up to 26 guests. Full buyouts accommodate 120.

Virtue Restaurant & Bar, a standout in Hyde Park, is known for its impressive take on Southern cuisine and warm, welcoming service. Led by James Beard Award-winning chefs Erick Williams and Damarr Brown, this Michelin Bib Gourmand features classics like biscuits with pimento cheese, fish and grits, short ribs with creamed spinach, and blackened catfish. Host up to 70 seated guests. A buyout of the bar and dining room accommodates 150 for a standing reception.

100 – 200 guests

Steeped in Chicago history, The Berghoff is the city’s oldest restaurant, operating in the Loop since 1898. This family-owned eatery offers multiple private dining spaces, accommodating from 20 to 200 attendees. The Century Room features stained-glass windows and hand-painted murals as the colorful backdrop for gatherings over traditional German fare like wiener schnitzel, sauerbraten, and sausage paired with house-brewed beer. Ideal for both formal dinners and festive receptions, The Berghoff delivers timeless hospitality in an old-world setting.

Hawksmoor in River North offers a grand, versatile venue. This Great Britain-born steakhouse is housed in a 16,500-square-foot landmark building featuring its original soaring barrel-vaulted ceilings. Private dining options accommodate up to 161 banquet style or 175 for a reception, with a full buyout for 500 available. Featuring a menu that includes Carolina-spiced pork belly, charcoal-grilled Chateaubriand, and wild halibut, Hawksmoor is ideal for sophisticated corporate gatherings.

La Josie in the West Loop is a vibrant Michelin Bib Gourmand restaurant offering bold flavors and stylish ambiance. The restaurant serves Jalisco-inspired dishes plus a curated selection of agave spirits. The 5,000-square-foot space includes an open kitchen and two bars for up to 150 guests. Semi-private dining for 13 or more can also be reserved. Order chips and the salsa trio — molcajete, verde fresca, and habanero — for snacking. Round out the menu with items such as ceviche, tacos made with hand-pressed corn tortillas, and entrees like Spanish octopus, calamari, and shrimp. With 48-hour notice, La Josie can cater any meal for your event.

MingHin Cuisine is a go-to for Cantonese cuisine in Chinatown, boasting multiple Michelin Bib Gourmand honors. Several spacious and elegant private rooms can accommodate from 12 to 200 people. Private dining menus can be customized to include crowd pleasers like barbecue platters, seafood dishes, orange chicken, and dim sum staples such as shrimp dumplings and creamy egg yolk buns. MingHin has three other locations in the South Loop, Streeterville, and Lakeshore East.

200+ guests

Carnivale in the West Loop is tailor-made for large-scale events, offering a variety of brightly colored spaces. Select from seven private rooms — with names like the Rumba Lounge and Tango Room — for everything from seated banquets accommodating 200 to 750, to a reception buyout for 1,000. The menu showcases bold Latin fusion cuisine such as ceviche, beef empanadas, an Argentinian meat platter, and seafood paella. Meals can be served plated, family-style, or as a buffet. With flexible dining formats and festive decor, Carnivale creates an unforgettable setting.

Check out the unique offerings at Chicago Winery in River North. The Overlook space, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and views of the working winery, accommodates up to 215 guests for seated dinners and 400 for a reception. For more intimate gatherings, private dining is available in the Wine Salon at LIVA for up to 50 seated guests. The Chef’s Call seasonal menu is curated specially for your event. Pair dinner with house-crafted, small-batch wines.

Explore the many options at River Roast in River North. Discover a dynamic event venue with seven private spaces and room for up to 1,200 guests. Overlooking the Chicago River, the expansive restaurant delivers impressive water and city views. Known for its contemporary American tavern fare, River Roast specializes in hearty dishes like prime rib, cider-brined pork loin, and pan-seared salmon. An event-planning team helps ensure that your experience, whether it’s for eight or 1,200 guests, goes off without a hitch.

The family-owned Tortoise Supper Club in River North is ideal for business meetings and dinners. Multiple private spaces include the elegant Red Room and the intimate Boardroom, accommodating 22 to 140 people, or 300 for a full buyout. Dinner packages feature favorites like filet mignon, sea scallops, and lobster bisque. Consider upgrades like live jazz, cocktail demos, and even casino-style games. With classic cuisine and vintage decor, it’s a memorable setting for group dining.

Explore more Chicago restaurant venues for private dining.