Attended the pasta class via Groupon…read more The first thing to know about this place is that it is NOT BYOB. You will want to drink while you cook because cooking is hard and drinking makes you not care. You can buy wine in the attached shop, but I advise you to buy one bottle of wine per person BEFORE your class begins. Between learning, cooking and eating, you will be there upwards of three hours. We showed up at 6:30 and didn't eat until 9:15. By that time, our one and only bottle of wine was empty. And guess what. The shop that sells wine closes at 9:00. They're total dicks about selling you another bottle past 9:00. And no, they won't let you run next door to get a bottle and bring it in because of their stupid liquor license. This will cause you to RAGE OUT. While we had wine glasses, we had to search high and low for water glasses. There's a cabinet full of glassware that says "Display Only." It feels like this is just a dumb oversight on their part. Here's my 3-part plan for making the hydration situation less stupid: 1. Announce when the shop is closing, so people can run and grab another bottle of wine. 2. Just be BYOB, because the alternative is annoying. 3. Provide water glasses and carafes throughout the room. I mean, come on. If you prepare by getting your liquid situation on lockdown before the class, you will have fun. You watch the instructor run through the entire pasta-making process, then you're turned loose to do it yourself. PAY ATTENTION while she talks because she won't repeat herself and you're bound to forget something. The instructors do come around periodically and basically shrug and say, "Yeah, you got it." After making our dough, we turned it into ravioli and pappardelle. Once you're done, they haul off everyone's pasta and they cook it for you. It's kind of a bummer you're not assured of getting YOUR pasta. Everyone's pasta is jumbled together and served on a big platter. If you want to take some home, grab a container and set some aside as you go through the line the first time. When we went to take some leftovers, the platters were empty. Bummer. This is a really good activity for couples or groups with multiples of two. You'll have fun and learn something you'll probably never try at home. But seriously, stock up on wine. It's a long night and they are dicks about their stupid rules.

Boy surprised me with a pasta making class on Sunday. He bought the tickets on Groupon, which I…read morehighly recommend! The instructors were very nice, polite and patient. The atmosphere was relaxed with music in the background while we rolled out the dough. You can buy drinks from the store and sip on them while you work. There were plenty of leftovers to take home after lunch! It was a great experience and now I know how to make ravioli! I would highly recommend this to anyone who wants to try something new. But just remember to get the groupon! It's quite expensive without it.

I recently attended a quincenera (15th birthday party) at the Monsignor Thiele Center. Located in a…read morenice, quiet little neighborhood with a parking lot, I was actually pretty impressed. I guess I would say this is a "community center", associated with nearby parish St. Aloysius. While I'm not sure what other neighborhood services they provide, they do rent out several room / spaces in this center for special events. My husband's sister held the event in the gym of the center. From what I understand, the cost was very reasonable ($1500). The space was big enough to hold all 200 attendees and she was allowed to bring her own food and alcohol. It was basically like a really big wedding inside a gym, expect it was to celebrate her daughter's 15th birthday. I'm not sure how security works (if the services were included) but there were two security guards to make sure everyone was respecting the facility. If I had a party, I would consider using this location. It seems like a really good deal and the center seems new enough that it also has nice aesthetics for a bargain price! I would be curious to see what other rental spaces are available.

Seamless. Gorgeous. EASY. This was an after wedding celebration for about 180 people. We did…read morecocktails in the front area and hidden behind the partition was the dinner area, seen below. It was a dream. When you meet Spencer, he's warm, laid-back, and accommodating. Never do you wait for a returned email or call. They could charge more than they do, but they don't. And the pick up in the Rolls ... what a fun way to start the night! Thanks Spencer and Vicki for taking such good care of us from A-Z. We are 100% happy and grateful.

Our review is going to sound just like the rest of all the amazing 5-star reviews on this page…read morebecause that is the experience that Spencer and his team clearly deliver over and over again - and we were no different! From the start, Spencer and his team were communicative in all aspects of planning. Anytime I had a random question (and I had a lot), Spencer responded in a very timely manner and was super helpful anytime we needed any extra info or clarification for anything. The value that you get for this venue is insane - the cost includes a DJ with Spencer's company, Style Matters (shoutout to John Simmons - you were amazing at our wedding and kept our dance floor full all night long!), a ride around town/photo shoot with a vintage beautiful Rolls Royce, a photobooth, graphic design services, candle treatment throughout the venue, and beautiful chairs/tables. We were amazed at everything included, and they also have an open catering list, meaning you can bring in whatever catering and/or liquor vendors you want! We'll be singing Ovation's praises from the rooftops for years to come. Thank you to the team for making our wedding weekend absolutely amazing!

My oh my, what a cozy, intimate, and mysterious venue this is for a theater show!…read more I recently came here to watch a production of Chicago Afterdark and it was great. The venue was made for small productions and interactive performances that get up close and personal with the audience without necessarily breaking the fourth wall. The venue was lined up with small, round coffee tables and a catwalk that led up to center stage. Outside was an area dedicated to $5 in house drinks and friendly staff that were there to greet and ensure your comfort. I was not only impressed with the performance but by the staff's hospitality as well. Kudos to the performers, writers, producers, and head honchos of The Charnel House for a great evening.

I had the pleasure of attending a Polish soccer banquet at Floryan Banquets this past weekend. It…read moreis located right as you get off the I-90 at Elmhurst Road, on the west side of the street. Yet, somehow, I managed to miss it! However, when I called to get directions, the person who answered the phone was super nice, knew the area (HUGE bonus) and was able to get me back on track, explaining in detail various landmarks I will pass when I'm getting close. The food was amazing too! It happened to be a mostly Polish crowd, so the food was traditional Polish cuisine. It was so delicious -and plentiful! I had never been to this banquet hall so I was really pleasantly surprised with the room, the food, and the waitstaff. I would definitely recommend this location -which is convenient to those in the city or suburbs -for your next formal event!

Went to visit this Newly Renovated Location and I am amazed at how great they made this place look…read more Can not wait to have an event here.!

For the price the food was very underwhelming. The staff were friendly and the ambiance was…read morealright. Probably would not come back.

The Strategy Loft recently hosted a training session for me and it was an impeccable experience…read more 1. The space is beautiful - there are plenty of types of spaces for different types of interactions, and you can see the city skyline 2. Ted and the crew are great hosts - attentive, thoughtful 3. The food and drink isn't generic office food - it's tasty 4. The amenities are clean and comfortable 5. The technology worked seamlessly I would live here if I could.

We had eaten some food from Bites of Pleasure in the past, so thought to hire them for a women's…read moreluncheon. We checked out other local caterers and food providers, and they simply didn't have the imagination to create the menu we envisioned. We challenged Ayelet, the owner and chef, to come up with creative, healthy food that would appeal to a variety of different consumers. The food was beyond our expectations, and the menu was terrific. No other local caterer came close. From roasted kale with celery and carrots, to two-color quinoa with roasted veggies, from roasted butternut salad with currants to sliced beets with lemon, the food truly was exceptional. We would definitely use Bites of Pleasure for our next event. Prices were extremely reasonable, too, and presentation was lovely.

This kosher (dairy and parve) caterer is professional, creative, and reliable and the food is…read moredelicious. We wanted vegan kosher food and Ayelet did not disappoint us. She catered both a small wedding luncheon and a sheva brachot informal dinner party. Both times Ayelet had great ideas for the food and everything she made was delicious, the presentation was really pretty and the server she sent to assist at the wedding was personable, professional, and helpful. Ayelet and Barry worked with us on both menus and made it easy. I can't recommend them highly enough. You should definitely try them. Although I liked everything, we especially got comments on the "meat" ball/rice curried dish, the muffins, the bourekas, and the squash soup. Even the green salad and fruit salad were great - just the right touch to make them special and "fancy."