About 15 of my college friends and I are gathering in Chicago in May for a girls weekend and to participate in the Brain Tumor walk at Soldier Field on a Saturday morning.
Do you have recommendations for a fun Mag Mile/River North hotel, around $300/night? I know I can look on websites (expedia, tripadvisor, etc) but it's a lot to sort through and I thought I'd tap you all for a recommendation. I've heard of Affinia and Amalfi Hotel.
Also - we'd like to get a private room at a restaurant downtown so we can mingle and chat for dinner on Friday and Saturday - any suggestions? I will try the big places like Maggiano's, etc, but again am just looking for a fun recommendation!
Thanks!
A.
Hotel Sax is great! We got it for $100 on a Friday night on priceline, I think. I'd guess it's normally $300.
The Omni is beautiful, as is the Allerton. Both are on Michigan Ave, so great for the touristy stuff.
For dinner, renting a private room is going to be costly, and you'll need to make reservations VERY soon to get something booked for that weekend.
I agree with the others, Maggiano's is like the plague. Skip it.
If you like tapas, Cafe Ba Ba Reeba - in Lincoln Park - is awesome, and typically can accomodate parties easily (in advance). Scoozi is also good, as another poster suggested. If you get out of the tourist areas, you'll find better food and better accomodations (and more fun).
Whatever you do, avoid the Rush/Division area. It's tourist/suburbanite hell, and a horrible representative of what the city has to offer!
Hi A.,
I LOVE the Hotel Allegro - It's pretty similar to the Amalfi. The James Hotel is also fabulous, if it's in your budget ;-)
I just ate for the first time at Italian Village a couple weeks ago - I think it's at Adams/Dearborn or right in that area. There are 3 restaurants within one restaurant and we went to the one 'upstairs' which is the middle priced restaurant. Anyway - it was awesome and they have these semi-private rooms that have walls and "windows" that give you privacy but still let you experience the abmiance of the decor of the restaurant - which is styled to be 'outdoors' so the individual 'rooms' are like houses and everyone else is like on the patio or whatever (they have some that seat 4 and some bigger ones that could accomodate all of you). It was really nice. A bit pricy, even for the middle-priced restaurant of the 3..... but definitely worth it and you can split stuff because the portions are huge!!!! You can check out the menu online and probably see some pics!
Have fun!
I would not do Cafe Iberico. They cram you in there like sardines. We love Babareeba in Linocln Park. they have private rooms. You could also do the melting pot for fondue.
Ten pin in the house of blues is a bowling alley, but "trendy". there food is great and it's a fun place.
I think most of the hotels downtown are nice, but I have been to the Embassy Suites for several parties, and it's nice because they have complimentary breakfast buffet. Omelets, waffles, the whole thing. And free happy hour from 4-6:)
Have an awesome time.
No suggestions on the hotel (since I live here and haven't stayed in any) but for food: Scoozi has a nice private room with reasonable prices and great food (better than Maggiano's by far IMHO -- and I am married to a 100% Italian man who agrees and avoids Maggiano's like the plague). There are also some places in Greektown like the Greek Islands that might work too (has various private rooms and cost isn't ridiculous). I just planned an event for my work for about 20-25 women so we called pretty much EVERYWHERE. Best of luck and have a GREAT TIME!
Cafe Iberico, just off of Michigan, on Chicago and LaSalle. Better than Cafe BaBaReba for tapas. Always packed though, so I'd try and reserve the downstairs area. It has a nice bar and seating area for a group your size.
Cafe Iberico
737 N Lasalle Blvd
Chicago, IL 60654-5044
###-###-####
The Marriott on Michigan Ave is in a great location and I think they just renovated...might be a less expensive option. The Conrad is great as well as the James...skip the Intercontinental...we've stayed there twice...small rooms and not great service. Also...do you get groupons? You can get some great deals on hotel stays...living social is another good site.
Fultons on the River has a private room...its expensive but the food is good. I agree with Scoozi over Maggianos. Try looking on metromix or opentable...on opentable you can put in the date you're looking for and it will show all the restaurants with open reservations for your date and time.
Have a great time on the walk and a fun girls weekend!
M.
The Wit hotel - great location, trendy and in your price range. The Roof top bar there is perfect place for a drink before your night out.
I once attended a bachelorette party that started with dinner for about 15 women. It was held in a private room at 160 Blue. Fun, trendy place. Really good food. Went to Whiskey Blue afterwards for drinks in the W Hotel on Wells. May want to check that hotel out...good location and nice ambiance. I can't speak for the rooms, as I did not stay there, but I know the W has a good reputation for being upper-scale. Have fun!
