Add some excitement to your Chicago meeting or event by showcasing culturally rich venues, food, and programming. The city’s Asian American and Pacific Islander-owned businesses are ready to help with planning and executing an unforgettable experience for your attendees.

Venues

Hold a meeting or event in the Bridgeport neighborhood at Zhou B Art Center, owned by China-born brothers and internationally renowned painters ShanZuo and DaHuang Zhoushi. Stunning artwork by the brothers and resident artists surrounds attendees in the 28,000-square-foot, two-level space. Planners who book the Earth space can invite 150 seated attendees or 200 standing, while the Moon space can host 400 seated or 750 standing. The outdoor Secret Garden, featuring a charming pond surrounded by sculptures, accommodates 75 seated guests or 100 standing. A venue manager is on hand to assist with arrangements.

After a day of meeting sessions is over, schedule a fun outing for attendees at King Karaoke, an Asian Pacific-owned entertainment venue in Chinatown. Rent one of 12 private rooms in various sizes that can accommodate up to 25 people who are willing to step up to the mic and sing karaoke. Match your budget and attendees’ interests with party packages that can include everything from bottle service and snacks to Asian-style dishes such as bao buns, grilled skewers, orange chicken, and egg rolls.

Host a meeting or event at the Chinese American Museum of Chicago. The museum’s fourth-floor event space accommodates 99 people for receptions, 80 for theatre-style seating, or 40 attendees for conferences. Request an appointment for a group tour of the nonprofit Chinatown museum, which features exhibits and events showcasing Chinese American culture, immigration to the United States, and the resiliency of the Chinese people.

Host your meeting or event in the sophisticated, customizable space at the South Asia Institute, a nonprofit arts and cultural center in the South Loop. Your attendees will be amazed by the impressive South Asian artwork that decorates the venue’s walls. Opt for conference seating, buffet or banquet dining, or cocktail receptions to accommodate from 50 to 300-plus attendees. Amenities include catering, bar service, a stage, AV, security, coat check, and a valet.

Book the woman- and Pacific Islander-owned Chez venue to bring elegance to your event in Streeterville. The 4,600-square-foot loft space offers touches like a 40-foot LED wall, a glass staircase, brick walls and columns painted white, and luxurious furnishings. Host everything here from a meeting with U-shaped tables to a panel of speakers onstage, pop-up events, and fun cocktail receptions illuminated with imaginative lighting. A full buyout can accommodate 299 people.

After meetings, take 15 to 30 attendees to discover Asia’s diverse cultures during a private tour of the Heritage Museum of Asian Art  in Bridgeport. The museum is one of three in the United States that only exhibits Asian art. See artifacts like jade and furniture from ancient China, Netsuke miniature sculptures from Japan, and Korean and Indian art, including sculptures and ceramics. The 1.5-hour tours are offered from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Thursday through Sunday.

Private dining

Treat attendees to upscale Indian fare at ROOP Chicago in the trendy West Loop neighborhood. Book the bar, a private room, or the main dining area. ROOP Chicago’s staff is happy to help customize your event. The restaurant’s cuisine focuses on traditional Indian flavors paired with modern techniques. A sample meal might include small plates of sweet potato chaat and pork belly with fig-and-ginger sauce, followed by butter chicken, Scottish salmon, or tandoori cauliflower. Accompaniments like naan, chutneys, and saffron rice add to the authentic Indian dining experience.

For Cantonese-style cuisine and dim sum, book a group dinner at MingHin Cuisine in Chinatown. Seven private rooms can accommodate from 12 to 30 people. Groups of 140 to 200 can reserve one of the two larger areas. Restaurant staff can help with menus, which might include crab rangoon, egg rolls, orange chicken, Mongolian beef, seafood, and barbecue platters. Popular dim sum selections include shrimp dumplings, a baked creamy egg yolk bun, and the pan-fried turnip cake.

Exquisite Japanese food, including sushi and sashimi, is served at Momotaro and The Izakaya at Momotaro in the West Loop. Momotaro offers several options for private dining, accommodating from 16 seated guests to 200 reception style. Choose from hot or cold starters like miso soup or chicken liver paté, followed by entrees such as wagyu and tuna cheeks. The Izakaya is Momotaro’s underground bar. Book its Hanami Room for a formal meal for 16 people, or the entire bar for a private reception for 120.

Sunda New Asian offers its award-winning Southeast Asian fare at two downtown locations that can accommodate small or large gatherings. Curated group dining menus include several family-style dishes in each course, encouraging guests to sample a variety of dishes from countries that include Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and the Philippines. Reserve the Fulton Market location for up to 40 attendees in the private dining room, 30 at communal tables, or 16 in the garden. At the River North restaurant, six private dining options range from 28 guests on the veranda, up to 60 in the South Room, and 100 in a dining room. The restaurants also offer catering services to bring their flavors to your site. Sunda was recognized as one of Travel + Leisure’s 100 Best Restaurants for Groups.

HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen, a two-time Michelin Bib Gourmand honoree and James Beard Foundation semifinalist, offers private event space at its Pilsen restaurant. Opt for an assortment of passed hors d’oeuvres and a three-course menu featuring HaiSous’ signature whole fried fluke. End the meal with whipped rice pudding spiked with toasted peanuts, sesame, and coconut. Arrange for a private room seating 45 people or a complete buyout for 110 guests.

Sisters Mary Nguyen Aregoni and Theresa Nguyen, and their mother Mama Suu, helm Saigon Sisters Vietnamese restaurant in the West Loop. Saigon Sisters can accommodate 35 people seated or 60 reception style. They also cater off-site meetings and events. Catering menus feature flavorful Vietnamese and Thai options that include banh mi, pho, and curries.

Impress attendees with unique flavors from the southern coast of India at Bar Goa in River North. The restaurant’s open space can accommodate up to 100 people for buffets or seated dinners. Palate-pleasing seafood dishes include Malwani fish curry, lobster ghee roast, and crispy shrimp Kolidwada. Malabar lamb shank, cauliflower, and chicken dishes are other popular choices.

Dine on Indian, Nepalese, and Himalayan cuisine at the family-owned Chicago Curry House in the South Loop. Some of the most popular choices are mixed vegetable pakora fritters, tandoori lamb tikka, mo mo dumplings, chicken curry, and vegetarian entrees. The restaurant can accommodate a table of 30 attendees, and a full buyout seats 100. Or arrange for catering services with trays to serve eight, 20 or 45 people at your off-site location.

Niu B Sushi & Noodle Bar, a woman- and Asian Pacific-owned Loop restaurant, specializes in contemporary preparations of Japanese ramen, maki rolls, sushi, and sashimi. Other popular menu items include wonton soup, vegetarian spring rolls, teriyaki chicken or steak, and spicy Kung Pao entrees with chicken, tofu, beef, or shrimp. Niu B’s sleek interior was designed to resemble a 1930s Tokyo izakaya. The dining room can accommodate 80 people with a full buyout.

At Kama Bistro in Wicker Park, private dining and catering are offered by father-and-son duo Manmohan and Vikram Singh. The elevated, made-from-scratch Indian menu features authentic dishes and a fusion of flavors. Among the options are tandoori Chilean sea bass, lamb chop masala, and vindaloo. The dining room accommodates 70 guests. Kama Bistro also has a suburban location in La Grange, where a private area accommodates up to 100 seated guests, but a full buyout can host up to 200. Both locations offer catering.

Book the entire 2d Restaurant in Lakeview for a creative comic book-like experience for 28 people. During a two-hour team building session, attendees will dip Japanese mochi doughnuts in chocolate and strawberry icing and decorate them with toppings. Asian menu items like Taiwanese fried chicken, salads, Vietnamese coffee, and more are available for dining. But it’s the whimsical 1,400-square-foot dining room with its life-size, hand-drawn black-and-white wall art that captivates guests.

Make a reservation for up to 20 attendees to savor the high-end comfort fare served at Sanctuary in River North. At the intimate women-owned spot from acclaimed restaurateur Rohini Dey and her former Vermilion lead chef, the menu is truly international. Taste Peruvian lomo saltado, British fish and chips, Indian pakoras, Korean chicken, Jalisco beef birria stew, American mac and cheese, and much more. Host a private party in the cocktail den, where Sanctuary serves craft drinks created by women mixologists.

Gifts and services

Chocolat Uzma specializes in personalized gifts for meeting or event VIPs and attendees. Sweets at the woman- and Asian Indian-owned chocolate shop in Pilsen reflect South Asian culture. Some of the choices to fill customized gift boxes include Himalayan caramels, cookies, date cakes, and sipping chocolate. Dark, white, and milk chocolate bon bon flavors include Moroccan mint, ginger, Kashmiri chai, passion, coffee, and more. 

Hire entertainers from Mandala South Asian Performing Arts to add South Asia traditions and beautifully choreographed presentations to your event. Talented ensemble members can perform Indian dance, music, and even Bollywood shows. Mandala can bring a show to your venue or ask about their outreach events, such as programs and workshops.

Chinatown tourChinaPro Marketing Partners, in conjunction with the Chicago Chinese Cultural Institute, offers informative walking and food tours of historic Chinatown, in addition to experiences such as dumpling-making dinners and workshops in paper cutting, kite making, and tai chi. The bilingual staff can assist with planning and transportation.

Custom Color 3D Printing ensures your event’s 3D printing needs are completed efficiently and professionally. Staff can design and engineer projects, even quickly creating a prototype of your product. A fun activity for meeting or event attendees is to create Minikins. After taking a selfie, attendees design a miniature action figure of themselves, personalizing their face, body features, and clothing.

Show appreciation for your attendees by giving them boxes of French macarons in pastel colors and creative flavors like raspberry lemonade and salted caramel from Sugar Bliss bakery in the Loop. Order boxes of regular or mini cupcakes by the dozen — including gluten-free and vegan options — in flavors like cinnamon-carrot, lemon-coconut, red velvet, and vanilla-milk chocolate. Sugar Bliss also caters events, supplying made-from-scratch treats like breakfast pastries, cake pops, bars, brownies, and cookies. Or arrange for the Sugar Bliss Sweets Cart to make an appearance at your event.

Expand the reach of your brand and mission with help from Magnolia Screen Printing, based in Chicago Lawn. The business specializes in custom-printed apparel, totes, and other promotional products for live activations, experiential marketing, and events. The Asian Indian-owned business prints retractable banners, table throws, event tents, and other marketing materials.

VietFive Coffee shop in the West Loop serves and sells bags of Robusta light, medium, and dark roast plant-to-sip coffee grown and harvested in Ma Thot, Vietnam. The family-owned shop, which offers catering services, serves small bites like flavorful banh mi sandwiches, bowls, and air-fried empanadas. In addition to specialty coffees and lattes, VietFive also serves Boba drinks and refreshers like mango matcha, pomegranate, and coconut.

Learn about the many ways to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month in Chicago.