PRIVATE DINING · RIVER NORTH
Private Dining and Events in River North
Ila’s Chicago hosts private dining and events at 15 W Hubbard Street, in the middle of River North. We can seat 30 to 75 guests in a semi-private setting, host up to 75 standing for a cocktail reception, or hand you the whole restaurant for up to 125.
There are no room fees. You commit to a food and beverage minimum and the rest of your budget goes into the food and the bar, which is where your guests will notice it.
Inquire about your event
THE ROOM, YOUR WAY
30–75
Semi-private seated
75
Standing reception
125
Full restaurant buyout
THE SPACE
Ila’s Chicago is one room, and the private dining area is part of it rather than shut away behind a door. That is deliberate. Your group gets its own defined space with the atmosphere of a restaurant that is alive around it, instead of the flat quiet of a function room in a basement.
If you want a fully enclosed room with a door, we will tell you plainly that this is not that, and we would rather you know before you book than after you arrive.
CORPORATE EVENTS
River North is where a lot of Chicago’s offices are, and Ila’s Chicago is a short walk from most of them. We host team dinners, client entertaining, holiday parties, off-site lunches and cocktail receptions.
What corporate organizers usually ask us first
Can you invoice the company?
Yes. We will work to your finance process rather than the other way round.
Can you handle dietary requirements?
Yes. Gluten-free options run on the regular menu, and there is already a lot of vegetarian cooking on it: the paneer, the maitake, the salads, the veggie burger and most of the pasta. For anything more specific, tell Kirtan when you inquire and he will build the menu around it.
Can we have the room to ourselves?
For a group of 30 to 75, the space is semi-private. For full privacy, take the buyout.
How much does the space cost?
Nothing. There is no room fee. There is a food and beverage minimum that depends on the date and the size of the group, and Dawn will give you the number for your date.
CELEBRATIONS AND GATHERINGS
Birthdays, engagements, rehearsal dinners, bridal and baby showers, graduations, anniversaries, and the kind of party that does not need a label.
The restaurant is named for Kirtan Gandhi’s mother, who built her life around getting people around a table and making sure nobody felt like a guest. That is genuinely how the room is run, and it suits an occasion better than a venue that is only ever a venue. Weekend brunch works well for showers and daytime gatherings. Evenings suit dinners and receptions.
FOOD AND BAR
You are not choosing from a separate, smaller events menu. Packages are built from the kitchen that people come here for: empanadas and lumpia to start, flatbreads, house pasta, short rib, the duck leg, the burger that regulars order without looking.
The bar program runs at the same level as the kitchen. Cocktail packages, wine service, or a consumption bar, whichever suits the event and the budget.
Tell Kirtan roughly what you want to spend per head and he will build the menu backwards from that number. It is a faster conversation than working through a package sheet.
PLAN YOUR EVENT
Let’s plan your event
Tell us a little about your event using the form below.
We will come back with availability for your date, the food and beverage minimum that applies to it, and a menu built to your budget. If your date is not available we will say so straight away rather than leave you waiting.
COMMON QUESTIONS
Common questions
How many people can you seat for a private event?
30 to 75 seated in the semi-private space, up to 75 standing for a reception, and up to 125 for a full restaurant buyout.
Is there a room hire fee?
No. There is a food and beverage minimum instead, which varies by date and group size.
Do you have a fully private room?
The dining space is semi-private rather than a separate enclosed room. For complete privacy, a full buyout gives you the entire restaurant.
Where are you?
15 W Hubbard Street, Chicago, IL 60654, in River North. Street parking is available nearby.
Can you cater to dietary requirements?
Yes. Gluten-free options run on the regular menu, and there is already a lot of vegetarian cooking on it. Tell us what you need when you inquire and we will build the menu around it.
How far ahead should we book?
December fills first and books furthest out. For other months, a few weeks is usually enough, but the earlier you ask the more likely your first-choice date is open.
Can we bring a cake, or our own decorations?
Most requests of this kind are fine. Ask when you send your inquiry and we will confirm.