Chicago Tribune

Where to pull up a chair, or 25

By Phil Vettel | Tribune restaurant critic

As the story about big tables on this page shows, arranging dinner for a large party -- even in a private room -- can be no more trouble than picking up a phone, once you know how much you want to spend.

But where do you want to spend it?

The truth is, most good Chicago restaurants can accommodate large parties -- very few restaurants these days are designed without taking large groups into account -- but some do a better job than others, whether by virtue of their yoga-like flexibility or their particularly impressive private-function spaces.

Here are a few examples:

Bank Lane Bistro, 670 Bank Lane, Lake Forest; 847-234-8802. The glassed-in Balcony, which overlooks the town's Market Square, holds up to 22, and has ceiling-mounted heat lamps to keep the space cozy in cold weather.

Buca di Beppo, various city and suburban locations, bucadibeppo.com. No one will ever accuse this Minneapolis-based chain of taking itself too seriously, and that goes double for the concept's Pope Table. Every Buca outpost has one of these semi-private spaces, which features a circular table that seats 12 to 18, surrounded by framed prints of past popes, vaguely Vatican-themed bric-a-brac and the like. The focal point, of course, is a full-color bust of Pope Benedict XVI, which sits serenely atop the lazy susan that tops the dining table.

Riva, 700 E. Grand Ave.; 312-644-7482. People crowd into this Navy Pier seafood palace for the fresh fish and the second-floor views of Lake Michigan and the city skyline. But the best view belongs to Riva's 50-seat Chicago Room, on the restaurant's west end, with gorgeous city and water views. On the east end is the Lighthouse room, which holds up to 80 and offers view of the water and nearby lighthouse, and is especially nice for viewing Navy Pier's summertime fireworks shows.

Sam & Harry's, 1551 Thoreau Drive, Schaumburg; 847-303-4115. This modern steakhouse sits in a glass-enclosed space within the lobby of the sleekly contemporary Renaissance Schaumburg Hotel & Convention Center. And within that glass-walled restaurant is the glass-enclosed private dining room, which is flanked on two sides by tall wine-bottle displays, has its own sound system and seats 24 in sound-proofed comfort (you won't hear the dining-room patrons and they won't hear you.)

Smith & Wollensky, 318 N. State St.; 312-670-9900. This riverfront steakhouse offers a handful of themed private rooms, from the 13-seat Kitchen (set inside the master kitchen) to the river-view Humidor (complete with fireplace and humidor and, ironically, a non-smoking space). And downstairs there's Wollensky's Grill, a casual, river-view cafe that can seat 70 and host 110.

Sola, 3868 N. Lincoln Ave.; 773-327-3868. One of the best new restaurants of 2006, Sola continues to impress diners with chef/owner Carol Wallack's Asian- and Hawaiian-inflected American cuisine. The handsome dining room has a semi-private area that can be curtained off for as many as 40 guests.

Tavern at the Park, 130 E. Randolph St.; 312-552-0070. The second-floor dining room of this contemporary American tavern overlooks Millennium Park, but the Skybox, a 24-seat space on the restaurant's west corner, offers views of the park, Michigan Avenue and the Chicago Cultural Center. Small group? Try to get the Pub Room, which has a round table that holds eight diners.