This is a very nice event space that includes some pretty sweet automobiles around the perimeter, unique and yummy food vendor options, choice beverages, and a beau coup of artisans to peruse. Trash cans seemed to be lacking, had to dispose in the loo. Also, the main entrance/exit, does not seem conducive to the size of the venue space, i.e. awkward to enter, awkward to exit. I love Ravenswood and am glad to see this option included, please do consider for any events you have a need for. read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We can not speak highly enough of our experience with Ravenswood Event Center. Our wedding was in January 2026, on the coldest weekend in Chicago in 7 years, and the entire event went off flawlessly. Maria, our venue coordinator, was phenomenally organized and knew the entire event back to front and so thoroughly that even our families were telling us how impressed they were with the amount of care she put into our wedding. We chose the REC because we wanted as all-inclusive of an experience as possible, and that was exactly what we got. They handled the food (we paid for them to do desserts as well), all dinnerware/tables/chairs, staff, decor setup, cleanup, and non-alcoholic beverages (including three different mocktail options), and having Maria meant we weren't in need of a wedding or day-of coordinator. We held our event in the atrium and loft and it was the perfect size for our 150 guests. The food was delicious, the schedule was on track, and the space was breathtaking during a snowstorm. read more

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My fiancé and I went to tour this place as a prospective wedding venue at 9am on a Friday. Andy was incredibly unprofessional. I am more of the talker so I was asking Andy questions while my fiancé was trailing behind taking pictures of the space on his phone so we could make a decision later. While both of us had told our respective employers that we would be late that day, a last minute meeting was added to my fiancé's calendar by mistake. Because of this, he was getting inundated with messages and alerts on his phone. He was in the process of drafting an email explaining that he would not be in the meeting and that he had previously let them know this, when Andy stopped the tour to scold him like a child for being on his phone. He claimed it was "distracting" and that he "took time out of his day to be here". When my partner tried to explain that he was handling a work thing, Andy cut him off and responded "What are you, a doctor? Are you saving lives???" We then took the most awkward and tense elevator ride of our lives in complete silence. Seeing as he was not allowed to finish his email by Andy and that there was no way we would ever give tens of thousands of dollars to work with someone like this for our wedding, my fiancé finished his email in the elevator, which of course made Andy mad that he did not have full attention for the completely silent elevator ride. He ended the tour after claiming my partner was on his phone "the whole time" (he was not) and we left. The irony here is that my fiancé was attempting to be more present in the tour by sending the email, as it is incredibly difficult to focus and take pictures to document a space when you are getting 50 messages asking where you are by your boss. In addition, I was fully engaged the entire time and could have relayed any information my partner might have missed. While I understand wanting people's full attention on tours, I believe Andy handled the situation incredibly unprofessionally. I would highly recommend avoiding working with him for large, stressful events. read more

A very nice and place to have an event! There's 3 levels to entertain from. As a wedding guest, the wedding took place on the 3rd floor where there was gorgeous natural light coming in from a huge wall of windows that has an open air patio. Then we moved to the 2nd floor for cocktails and hors d'oeuvres that also has an open air patio area! Finally we arrived on the main floor, for dinner reception and dancing. The main floor is unique with its car collection surrounding the perimeter and the collection of vintage neon signs lighting up the room. It made for a very unique atmosphere and that was really cool. The staff was very accommodating and attentive, especially the heavy set security agent...he was absolutely charming and engaging. All in all, we had a wonderful time!!! Hope to get back there again or have an event there myself!!! read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Wedding reception set up - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Absolutely BEAUTIFUL spot. Great food, great bartenders, but for the love of God and all that is holy, please update that elevator

We have only great things to say about the Ravenswood Event Center. Many of our wedding guests called REC the "best venue ever". We used the Atrium & Loft space, but guests were also able to browse the car show room which made the wedding even more special for everyone in attendance. Carly and the team are beyond amazing - very approachable, helpful, and incredibly responsive. The food was delicious, the day was stress-free, everything was beautiful, and we couldn't have imagined a more perfect wedding. A few other points worth nothing: - The bartenders provided through REC made delicious cocktails. - The fact that REC doesn't require purchase of alcohol packages, but instead allows for BYOB directly from a liquor store allowed us to save so much money. - We had REC cater desserts for us (cupcakes, cookies, shooters) and guests kept complimenting how delicious they were. The dessert package is incredibly affordable. You really can't go wrong with REC! read more

My hubs and I got married this Fall at REC and are still blown away about how amazing and magical the day was. It was truly the best night of our lives and a total blast. We knew we had to be married at REC when we first walked into the space with Aly. I was immediately brought to tears due to how stunning the space was. It was the first venue we looked at and we nabbed our date a few short hours after touring. Aly and Jen are such an amazing team. As with all weddings there were some ups and downs and occasional miscommunication, but overall we were supported and making sure we had our dream wedding was their priority. Jen worked her butt off to get everything right and nailed our vision. There were details we were unsure of, but Jen lead the way and gave suggestions that worked out perfectly. The food was AMAZING. We were told by several guests that it was the best wedding food they have ever had! We encountered some bumps in the road the day of the wedding and we were fully supported and helped though. Jen helped us not only get through it but it became such a small detail! We can't thank Jen and the staff/owners of REC enough for their contribution to our big night. Overall, this space is just a dream come true. It is unique, romantic and just very special. It needs little to no extra decor and the food it top notch. You get the REC team which is ultimately the biggest plus. Thanks to their amazing team, Mike and I got to enjoy our wedding, knowing that they had it all figured out. Thank you, REC! read more

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My now wife and I got married at Ravenswood Event Center (REC) on 8.4.18 and it was easily the best day of our lives. We initially met Aly, Jennifer, & Veasna last August when we were venue searching in Chicago. After viewing the unique space and meeting the team we immediately decided to move forward with REC - our best decision as a newly engaged couple. Aly was our primary contact at REC and she was delightful to work with. She was extremely time sensitive, informative, and made sure all details were straightened out well in advance of the big day. The last year we've spent a ton of time emailing, planning, calling, and we've always felt like Aly kept us in the loop and comfortable knowing it was going to all be ok for 8.4.18. Going into the wedding weekend Aly was so organized there was never any "wedding week freak outs" many couples experience. We did a rehearsal the day before the wedding at REC which made us all breath easier knowing the staff was so well versed in the ceremony process. The day of we had rented the Atrium & Loft for ceremony, cocktail hour, dinner and reception. The atrium looked absolutely beautiful with the Chicago sunset coming through the giant glass windows. The whole staff worked tirelessly to make sure there were no hiccups all night. The food was amazing, everything was set up so fast, and our guests had the time of our lives. We got so many complements on venue/staff all night. If you're looking for a beautiful raw industrial space....REC is a great choice. The venue sells itself but the staff is even better. We'd do it all over at REC 100x out of 100. read more

I've been to Ravenswood Event Center many times for random neighborhood events, and I've always loved it, which is why I booked a tour as a potential wedding venue soon after getting engaged. I was excited at the potential of being so close to home for convenience reasons, and felt like communication was great leading up the tour. However, as soon as the tour started, it all went downhill. For starters, wedding venue tours typically last about 45-60 minutes in my experience, and that's how long I was told it would be at REC through email. Our tour guide made it last for NINE (!!!!!) minutes. I felt rushed, taken up and down stairs, and not truly understanding the layout, design or vision at all. At one point she said guests would be split between two floor, which seems so odd when we actually have a relatively small guest list. She did not take the time to ask us if we had any questions, but upon letting us out the door I asked if she had picture samples to help me visualize the empty space we were just shown, as well as a run through of overall pricing and she told me "check our Facebook; I just put up new pictures." For a minimum of $18,000 and a not so impressive space or tour, we didn't even bother to check Facebook. Truly disappointed with the treatment we received, so we obviously didn't even consider booking them. read more

Got married at Ravenswood Event Center Atrium in the spring of 2015. 80 person wedding. A wedding is more than a sum of its parts, so it's always hard to look back and wonder how things would have been better or worse if had you had a different officiant, chosen that other song for your first dance, or held the ceremony in a different venue. All I can say is that our wedding was perfect, and it would not have been the same if we had it anywhere else. We loved the feel of the REC from the moment we stepped in the door (seeing photos online does not do it justice), and up through the wedding itself, it never lost its appeal. Our guests were all delighted with the space and commented endlessly about how unique it was. We had our ceremony in the atrium, cocktail hour on the second floor, and reception in the atrium again after the staff flipped the room. The changing sunlight through the windows in the Atrium gives the room an evolving mood that kept the entire event feeling fresh. But the aesthetic of a venue is a personal choice. An objective advantage to Ravenswood is that on the business side, everything was seamless. Aly, our point person, was endlessly friendly, full of helpful suggestions to fill in all the little organizational holes we were not prepared for. She was generous with her time, and even though we planned the wedding from New York, Aly gave us complete confidence that everything was being handled smoothly. On our wedding day, she and her team were logistical ninjas, popping up out of no where to make sure everything was going well, then disappearing off to take care of something or other behind the scene. Suffice to say, the day went off without a hitch. We highly recommend REC for a wedding. read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Ravenswood Atrium, 80 person wedding - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had our wedding at REC and we could not be more satisfied! We chose REC primarily because we loved the space. We had our ceremony and dancing in Atrium, and dinner in the Loft. There are a handful of spaces around the city that offer the raw brick and industrial loft style, but after touring REC, it was an easy choice to make. And the wedding was beautiful. Aside from having a great look that creates an interesting feel for a wedding, the food was awesome. We trusted Andy and Aly's suggestions on food (they know what they do best), and had a great experience when doing a menu tasting. We stuck with crowd-pleasers, and our guests were in fact pleased with the meals and appetizers. They are also eager to accomodate specific dietary restrictions. We had many compliments on the food (and we enjoyed it, as well)! During our initial consultation with Andy, we were nervous when he dissuaded us from hiring a day-of coordinator (which, we have heard, is a must). But he was totally right. From directing our guests when moving up and downstairs, to guiding the wedding party down the aisle, their staff is did an awesome job making sure everything went smoothly. A big seller for us, also, was being able to bring in our own alcohol. Other places that charge per guest per hour can get ridiculously expensive (and frankly way overpriced). We worked with Aly and Binny's to create a liquor order. Not only did that literally save us thousands of dollars, but we were able to cater the alcohol options to our liking. We highly recommend REC! read more

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I had my wedding at Ravenswood in May 2009 and am so happy I went with this venue. We rented all three levels and it ended up being a very unique and memorable wedding experience for all of our guests. And they all appreciated the free parking for sure! At first when booking, I thought all of that space might be a bit much - but it turned out to be perfect! Ceremony in the loft atrium, cocktails on the next level and then all were led to the main floor for the final ceremony. All of the vendors got in with plenty of time to set up everything and the staff was gracious and very attentive to our guests. They accommodated our requests to have extra music setups in place so that we could have nonstop music for our guests. My only regret was that we could not have a full rehearsal in the ceremony space because they could not keep the venue open for us after 5pm on the evening before the wedding. I recommend this space for a wedding that no one will forget. read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Ravenswood Billboard Factory - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I was here to attend an event of the Ravenswood Art Walk. I knew this would be a great talk about architecture, art history, and obsession about art, being that it would be given by the author of the Richard Nickel biography (http://tinyurl.com/yyl7twk). It actually turned out to be even better than I had expected. My photos from this event can be viewed at http://tinyurl.com/y4ogvap First was the location: appropriately, a building built between 1910 and 1930, the period when Edgar Miller's work flourished in Chicago, the Manz Building at 4043 N. Ravenwood Ave. (http://tinyurl.com/y6wharz). The entrance had been switched to the address next door. Walking to the elevator for the Billboard Factory, I passed a gallery of vintage commercial neon signs in a labyrinth of connected hallways. The small crowd was gathered in a large open room on the third floor with double-height ceilings and a matching wall of industrial windows looking towards the setting sun. On the far side of the room, a door led to the open air rooftop deck. The event organizers had laid out a beautiful spread of fresh fruit, cheese, crackers, wine, and other treats. Cahan was joined in his talk by local stained glass artist, Larry Zgoda, who had been a protegé of Miller's for a decade and was a contributor to the contents of the book (http://tinyurl.com/mdsb4d). As the sun had set, the talk began with selected photos of Edgar Miller's work projected behind the speakers (a similar set: http://tinyurl.com/yhb...). Attendees got a $10 discount on purchase of a signed copy of the sumptuous "coffee table sized" book (http://tinyurl.com/yyzm82r). read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Author Richard Cahan talks about artist Edgar Miller, 4-14-10 - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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This event venue was incredible! I attended a large, splashy gala benefit (yep, there were multiple "we 22-year-olds don't deserve to be here" moments among some of us). It was incredibly fun because the venue was pretty much perfect. Upon arriving, the venue might seem a bit out of the way and even a bit random. Once you scope out where everything is, it makes sense. I was excited to learn that the benefit I was attending had three different floors! The top floor is a gorgeous, simply decorated loft, with views of the surrounding area and an outdoor deck. The second floor was a bit more nondescript, but it still had decent views. What really stood out was the magnificent deck perched right above the interestingly lit glass ceiling of (part of) the first floor. The first floor itself was gigantic, but rather than feeling cold or impersonal, it was decorated tastefully with old-school neon billboards (hence the original name!) and antique cars. Such decoration gives a unique flair, but it is hardly enough to prevent an individual's decorative tastes from being featured during a wedding, gala, bar mitzvah, etc. The food was pretty good. I am not a cheese person, and many appetizers seemed to feature it. I made an exception for the mac and cheese, though, and I'm glad I did - the cups themselves were made out of parmesan! The tater tots were wonderful. I detected some truffles in the tots, and sure enough, a server with another batch described them as "truffle oil tater tots." Needless to say, I was proud of myself. But really, I credit Yelp for that. (Speaking of Yelp, there was an awesome booth giving away free Yelp swag in exchange for an e-mail address. Spotting the Yelp booth was clearly a highlight. Not sarcastic.) Anyway, this venue is simply decorated enough to be customizable to individual tastes, but it offers beautiful views and a very open setting. You will have plenty of room to eat truffle-y tots, sip top-shelf cocktails, and look out over Ravenswood. Not a bad deal at all. read more

We were suppose to have our wedding here in 2020 but because of the pandemic we had to cancel it. The venue kept reassuring we could reschedule when the event space capacity would go back up. My partner and I just wanted our deposit back. We were planning the wedding from out of state and a majority of guests including all the family would have to travel from out of state. It took several emails to only receive back 25% of our deposit. We found that extremely ungrateful. We understand no one expected a pandemic to happen but we did notify the venue 7 months in advance and they still wouldn't give us our money back. It would take another wedding to have been booked on our date to get us our money back. And with the venue capacity rules and regulations I'm sure no one was eager to have a small wedding at such a large venue. Up until this experience we enjoyed working with them. However, years later we're still extremely saddened and find it disheartening that they wouldn't give us our money back to go towards a different wedding option. read more

Once again we had our corporate holiday party here last night, and it was a great venue. This year I actually made it up to the 3rd floor, which has a spectacular view and is very swanky. This building is crazy - all three floors give you an extremely different feel. The first floor has all the classic cars lining the perimeter, is by far the largest, and has the DJ and dance floor. The second floor is a bit quieter (which is nice since you don't need to scream to talk to people...perhaps I should have spent more time on this floor since I have no voice today). They had a few more tables set up, a bar up there as well, and a window where you can see down to the first floor dance party. The third floor had a jazz band playing, and is super swanky - white leather couches, blue mood lighting, little cafe tables set up...very chill. This year I also decided not to eat dinner first, so that I would actually take advantage of the free food. I was pleasantly surprised because usually events like this have crappy food, but not here. I'm not sure if it's the same food company that the other reviews mention (I'm sure it is), but I thought it was quite tastey - an array of pastas (3 different kinds), salads, green bean almondine, and then a variety of desserts. All in all very fun. And + one start for having free, easy parking. A HUGE benefit to anything in the city. read more

I just recently was part of a launch event there on March 24th and the "team" was great to work with from Aly to Gina to Andy...even their security was helpful. The venue is so spacious with three different levels to a smaller outside terrace...I love the light that filters in! (I'm an event designer so it's a dream location...you can do a little to enhance it or take your imagination to the limits) Last year I was one of the vendors for a Fall wedding and they were so helpful and accommodating. Andy went out of his way to allow us to access earlier to unload and gave us his cell number if we needed anything...truly a caring group. I had also tasted Blue Rooster catering food at a Networking Event there and it was delicious and creatively presented... I have to say it's a "Win-Win" combination! read more

Ravenswood Event Center - "After Party" transformed after the ceremony - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

I want to get married at Ravenswood Event Center every year! I'm way overdue with my review, but REC was AMAZING! As an out of town bride, they accommodated my every need and were very responsive. I had the pleasure of working with Aly, Veasna, and Jen throughout my wedding planning and day of. They worked around my schedule to view the location multiple times for multiple family members prior to committing. I'm BEYOND grateful to REC for making my wedding day stress free, gorgeous and so much fun. They are a one stop shop (linens, flatware, chairs, tables, day of coordinator, onsite chef, etc.). They provide a day of coordinator (doc), which is basically a wedding planner. My DOC supported me with every detail, every day throughout the process and day of my wedding day. They made my wedding the most incredible day possible. I would get married at the REC every day if I could. Did I mention, their Chef is SPECTACULAR. For my tasting, they listened to my wants/needs and went way above and beyond. You will want to relive every moment when you get married at the REC. Thank you REC team! :) read more

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My wife and I got married at the Ravenswood Event Center on July 13, 2013. We couldn't have asked for a better venue. As I'm sure you've seen from the pictures, the venue is beautiful. We held our ceremony in the atrium, and had cocktail hour and dinner in the loft, followed by dancing back up in the atrium. For a wedding with about 110 people, these rooms were perfect. The natural lighting in the atrium, which features enormous glass windows, added a special warmth to the ceremony, and was a natural fit for a dance floor. Oh, and there is an awesome outdoor deck as well. The space worked great for our urban-rustic themed wedding. The staff was simply awesome. We began the process with Andy, who handled the contract and the catering, and then transitioned to Aly, who coordinated our event. Both were professional, attentive, and did an awesome job executing our wedding. Here are some examples: FOOD: Andy put together a Latin/Asian buffet theme for dinner. It was outstanding. Dozens of guests told my wife and I that it was the best wedding food they've ever had. The line for seconds was nearly as long as the line for the initial meal. I've never eaten better at a wedding, or any large event. Apps were perfect as well, and the late night treat--milkshakes (thrown in for free)--was a great touch. The food was so good, I want to go out to eat here. SETUP: Flawless transitions from ceremony to cocktail hour to dinner to dancing. Vendors and the REC staff set everything perfectly. Aly was a real pro, and had a great staff behind her. RESPONSE: All questions were answered timely by Aly and Andy, they were engaged throughout the entire process. Both seemed really invested in delivering on our wedding vision. Everything came together perfectly. BONUS: Ravenswood Event Center doesn't insist on providing the liquor. That means that the obscene liquor markups charged by many venues simply doesn't exist here. They do have a contact at Binny's, provided the bartenders, and coordinated everything perfectly. A big thank you from the wallet on this one. In short, Ravenswood Event Center is an amazing venue. We hope some of my friends check it out for their weddings so we can go back! read more

I've only been to one wedding here, and it was in the showroom. The cars were gorgeous and the space was huge and very clean. There is a ton of free parking which is a huge selling point when comparing this place to other venues in the city. There was also a bridal room upstairs that we got to use, with our own private bathroom and refreshments. It was nice. While the space itself is beautiful & extremely unique, the in-house caterer (Blue Rooster Event Catering Co.) can be a real hassle to deal with (they seem to have a huge problem with miscommunication). They are really the only reason I gave RBF 1 star instead of 4 or 5. Even though it does cost more it's probably in your best interest to just bring in an outside caterer. Just my two cents... read more

This was the first wedding venue that we toured post engagement, so I pretty much had butterflies in my stomach from the second I left home! We were primarily interested in the atrium and loft rental, (2nd and 3rd floor) but toured every space that could hold our guest capacity. I left really wanting to make it work here, (which I attribute in hind sight to it being the first one we viewed) but unfortunately (mainly due to options based on size) it just didn't work for us. What I liked: -The atrium is beautiful! Located on the 3rd floor (with no taller buildings in sight) it was easy to envision exactly how modernly elegant the sun-drenched room would be with the setting sun as its backdrop during an evening reception. -The large attached wood planked terrace attached to the atrium was a wonderful addition that allowed guests to get fresh air without straying relatively far or going to the first floor. I don't smoke, but I know some of my guests would welcome the ability to not have to leave the party every time they want to suck a cancer stick. -There is no exclusive caterer or list of caterers that must be used. However, since they do have an in house caterer, you must pay a 10% premium on outside services. I wasn't too keen on that, but after realizing that many places restrict who you can use, the option to choose is welcome. What I didn't like: -The way gatherings over 200 people are handled with the atrium and loft rentals are a bit segmented. Each floor could fit our capacity for a seated dinner only. We were advised that most groups of our size do cocktails on the atrium level, have dinner on the loft level, and then return to the atrium level for dancing afterward. Switching floors after cocktails is one thing, but the 2nd shift was a bit much. Plus, with one elevator and one staircase, we thought it might be a nightmare. -The loft is blah. There's nothing REALLY wrong with it, but it just was blah. There is also a giant wall that obstructs a good portion of the back half of the room making it impossible to do toasts and speeches without alienating about 35 guests. Since the smaller portion is towards the entrance, it would be a nice gathering area for cocktails before having dinner on the other side if your group is smaller and doesn't plan on dancing. -Two single use bathrooms? I was told that lack of bathrooms have never been an issue, but if we're shelling out fists full of money to keep an open bar going, I'd hope people would be enjoying things to the point where once seals were broken we'd need at least 6 functioning toilets and a separate area for women to powder since they'll be sweating from all that dancing. Yea, it'll be that kind of party... -The first floor was the only space large enough to contain our group size on one floor, and it wasn't my style. The concrete floors and steel rafters were a bit cold, but manageable with a hefty decor budget. However, the collection of restored cars that line the perimeter made me feel as if I were in Jay Leno's oversized garage. It was ok, but didn't quite fit the mold of my big urban fairy tale day. Bottom line: This would be a wonderful place for gatherings in the 100-150 range or larger gatherings that either a) don't mind shuffling their guests or b) don't mind a grittier backdrop of the first floor. read more

We attended a wedding here for our friends and absolutely love the space - had I known it existed at the time we would have looked at it for our wedding! The lofty space is beautiful and the huge deck outside was a great spot to get away from the dance floor for a breath of fresh air. The only down side at all was the restrooms which were very limited in the space near where the dinner and reception were. We snuck around a bit and actually found some other bathrooms. Sometimes when open bar is involved, the bathrooms end up not looking (or smelling) so hot if you know what I mean! read more

Have been meaning to write this review for awhile. When looking for an event space for my upcoming wedding reception this year, I was excited for the good reviews of this place and the pictures I saw online. My fiance and I booked an appointment with the events manager for an evening appointment after work. The two of us rushed to get there, driving through rush hour traffic and made it on time for a 6 PM appointment. This is never easy as we both work in the suburbs and live in the city and did not even stop at home so we could drive together. We wanted to make sure we were at this appointment because we were very excited. We arrived and no one was there. The doors were locked. We buzzed, no one answered. I called the person who was supposed to be there, no one answered. I called again and again and no one answered. After about 30 minutes of this, realizing that no one was coming, we finally gave up and left. I double and triple checked my email confirmation of the appointment date and time. I had my fiance peer check me. We were definitely right on the date and time and the Ravenswood Event center staff just weren't there when they were supposed to be. The even more annoying part about this whole situation is that despite of all my voice mail messages left and everything, all I got was an email the next day from the Ravenswood staff saying they are sorry they missed out appointment an would we like to reschedule. I would think this situation at least warranted a phone call on their part. Not OK Ravenswood to pull a no show to a potential wedding client! This at least made the decision to NOT book there very easy. If that cant show up to a simple showing appointment, no way am I going to trust them with my wedding reception. The sad part is that the space is beautiful, hence the two star review vs one. We were lucky enough to go to a bridal fair there recently and really liked the space. But beyond that, don't waste your time. read more

I'll echo what Andrea said - it's a beautiful space. But Blue Rooster - specifically Andy - well, suffice to say he's one of the more unpleasant individuals we've dealt with recently. By all means, attend parties and events here. But if you're an event planner or the client, avoid unless you have the time and temperament to deal with extra hassles. Expect "what you're told" and "what actually is" to be two different things, often. read more

I was just here this past weekend for my husband's company holiday party. I was surprised there were no reviews for this facility. The Ravenswood Billboard Factory is a great place for a special event. This place would be perfect for a wedding reception! The space is like a giant loft, with plenty of windows, exposed brick and duct work. There were tables set up throughout the first floor and a couple of open bars. There was even a table to decorate gingerbread houses! There was an upstairs that had silent auction items and the food buffets were set upstairs. The party was a great time and it was very classy! I would highly recommend checking this place out if you are looking to throw a giant party or a wedding reception! read more

My friend had a table at Show of Hands, that was held here in late November. I was a great space for the small upscale craft show. The building itself is large and felt like a huge warehouse. The room where the show was held was pretty cool - and housed all these old cars for viewing. Tons of parking all along Ravenswood - which made this an ideal place for this type of event. read more

We got married at the Ravenswood Event Center on September 8th and we could not have been happier with our choice. We used the atrium (ceremony and dancing) and loft space (cocktails and dinner). A few thoughts: 1. Food. The food was absolutely fantastic. We considered bringing in a caterer but after reading some of the food reviews about their on site catering service we decided otherwise. We were blown away at the tasting and the food was equally as delicious at the wedding. We have had numerous people comment how good the food was. 2. Service. Aly & Jen and all of the staff (Andy, Marco, wait staff, bartenders etc.) were amazing to work with. They were very responsive leading up to the wedding but the night of the wedding you could tell they were truely organized and professional. Everyone was bending over backwards to make sure my wife and I, and our guests, were taken care of. The staff always seemed to be smiling and it really made a difference. They really did make a huge difference on the night. 3. Venue. We were looking for an all in one venue and we liked the space immediately. It was great that we didn't have to turn over the same room (as we used the 2nd and 3rd floors). The atrium looked fanastic. The sun light during the ceremony was beautiful and the up lighting and decorations made the loft dining area, the cocktail space and the decks look amazing. We didn't really use the 1st floor but it was an added plus for wedding photos (as was the back alley). We would highly recommend the REC to anyone looking for a fantastic event space. Thanks for making our day so special. read more

WE"VE VOTED THIS WORST VENUE IN THE CITY: The staff was rude to my setup crew from the second they arrived, One sales person in particular screamed at three of my designers, one was in tears and kept locking doors behind my setup crew making it impossible for our team to get a very large event set up. Upon further review and witnessing this behavior to my disbelief, I spoke with this salesperson asking that we go somewhere private to talk where here behavior was condescending and unapologetic for treating my team the way she did and had absolutely no remorse for her actions. After asking her several times to take up concerns with me and "please do not upset my staff " because they simply are trying to do their job, I got a one-on-one with the owner who was just as terrible and told me to leave and never come back...before the event was setup.... A venue that treats vendors this poorly with so little regard for the success of the event frankly doesn't exist in my book. I've produced events all over the world from Istanbul to Sydney and have never experienced disregard such as this. After speaking with some of my other colleagues in the industry I learned that they have a rather long blacklist that has some of the best vendors in the city on it so at least I know that I'm not alone..... BUYER BEWARE I couldn't care less if I ever come back to this place. My team works hard and treats every event like its their own. My family has been in the event business since 1942 and that was our first and last event at Ravenswood Event Center... I don't believe I'll be losing sleep for not being able to come back. With so many options in the city to host a special event may I recommend Bridgeport Art Center, Morgan Manufacturing, Revel, Loft on Lake or ANYWHERE but this place. read more

Last March my now husband and I were married at REC. I am a notorious over planner and Aly was very helpful and patient with me on this. They accommodated some of my less than stellar DIY items (seriously what was I thinking), and made the experience a lot of fun. When we saw the space we fell in love and both Aly and Andy were incredibly sweet and kind from beginning to end. Our menu tasting especially we the best by far. The chef came up with some amazing items for our food stations and we left stuffed by the end of it. All of our guests raved about the food and they still do almost a year later. Even for last minute alternations REC was super accommodating and my husband and I appreciated it beyond words. Since we wed in the off season we were able to utilize the entire space and all three floors. Our ceremony was in the Atrium and the sun set as we said our vows. Everything was lovely and because of how open and airy the space is we didn't feel the need to decorate too much and take away from the lovely architecture. Cocktails were served on the second floor loft while we look photos and we even got our own little tray of snacks to hold us over after the ceremony. Both my husband and I have a lot of out of town family and friends and while not as many attended as we would have liked they still made the billboard show room look amazing. Again we barely had to do a thing due to the great neon signs and cars. (Our wedding was very retro.) The bar and wait staff were great and everyone had a fantastic time. Weddings can be a real whirl wind and you end up taking on a lot more than you probably should. You will be in capable hands with REC so put down that darn glue gun and enjoy the ride because Andy and his staff will give you a great and memorable time. read more

They hosted our wedding and reception in late August '13. I cannot say enough good things about how great it was. Food was outstanding, even better than the tasting we had done months prior. Our guests could not stop telling us how good it was. The staff of servers and bartenders was attentive, polite, and very friendly. Andy and Jennifer did an amazing job making sure everything went smoothly before during and after. We had nothing to worry about on the day. If we had to do it again, we'd do it exactly the same. Thank you REC! read more

I love love Ravenswood Event Center! My now husband and I got married at the REC in early October and it was nothing short of a dream. When we first viewed the space we knew that the unique Chicago loft was exactly what we wanted. We, however, had no idea how easy the planners would make the process! We mostly worked with Jen but she tag teamed parts of our process with Veasna... they are both great to work with and respond to emails very quickly. They gave us great floral and DJ recommendations, coordinated a mind blowingly good food tasting and handled all of the details day of including: coordinating the vendors, the set-up and the food. There was really nothing to worry about day of! Jen even brought me a dirty martini while my bustle was being put up in their bridal suite... I mean, it can't get much better than that. I honestly could go on and on, there are so many great things to say about the REC. Still riding a high from the perfect day...over two months later. I highly recommend this venue! read more

We recently had our wedding at REC at the end of August and I would highly recommend this place for a wedding venue. My husband and I planned the wedding from Toronto and one of the main reasons we picked the REC was because they had in-house catering, and all the furnishing (tables, chairs) were included. That immediately eliminated a lot of stress in finding another caterer- plus, we heard their food is amazing which turned out to be true. 1) The management and coordinators (Andy, Aly, Jenn) were all very helpful! They were patient in answering our questions via emails and phone calls. For our few planning meetings, Aly was flexible in arranging times when we were in town so we can visit the space. Even the week leading up to the wedding, they were accommodating in taking in our wedding decor whenever they were on-site. Aly also did a great job coordinating our ceremony the day of; she cued all of us in at the right time and overall made it easier for us to just relax and enjoy the day. 2) The space is beautiful! We fell in love with the Atrium and used that for our ceremony and dancing portions, had our cocktail hour in the 2nd floor foyer + patio outside, and had our dinner (about 125 guests) in the 2nd floor loft. The space was perfect for the amount of people we had and made it feel like an intimate wedding with our friends and family. 3) Our guests raved about the food! We trusted Andy to come up with a delicious and creative menu and he did. We barely tweaked anything from the menu he created because everything was delicious from our tasting and all the food was well presented the day of. 4) The staff was very helpful! They always made sure that my husband and I had food or drinks in our hands, and our guests all said they were helpful and friendly. 5) Location of REC was convenient as well- it's right off the Brown line - Irving Park stop, so convenient if guests want to train there. Also plenty of free parking outside. Overall great place and great people! Glad we had our wedding here and would recommend in a heartbeat. read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Had our ceremony and dancing in the 3rd floor Atrium - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

We had our wedding here on 4/26/19, and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. Aly, Jen and Veasna were so helpful from the booking process all the way to the event. The whole process is extremely organized, so you're basically guided through all of the wedding planning without having to hire a planner. The team was responsive, helpful, and all around a great resource for making the day go as planned. On top of that, the food was truly amazing - we are still getting compliments on it! Lastly, the venue - it's beautiful. We rented out the whole space, and having the three different rooms to do the ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception was so cool and a nice way to change up the scenery. The space is clean, unique.. and being both from Chicago, we were in love with how it captured Chicago throughout. All in all, I highly recommend Ravenswood Event Center. We were in the best hands, no stress, food was great, venue is beautiful, and we had the best night of our lives! read more

Leg 2 of the 7pm-1am Free Boozefest: Courtesy of the Yelp Events page, I found out about this nifty event and was a bit skeptical at first: free tequila + bands + rappers + DJs + dance party??? After getting out of Holiday Club around 10pm, I was a bit late as I sent one of my buddies there at 9pm who got in without a hitch. There were people checking guestlist at the door but we went to the corporate entrance and weren't allowed in. We got to the second entrance and I got in but the other Yelpers ninja'd for a second. I rolled in and gave my buddy a call and found him standing by the entrance. He points to the bar and says, "There's a contortionist in there!" And lo and behold, there was a contortionist lying in a small box in the bar! We walked past an acrobat hanging in the air and checked out some go-go dancers a-go-go'g and grabbed some free tequila fruit drink while rolling through. On the main stage was a DJ spinning, then there was a roped off area with curtains for the corporate VIPs. The event was being thrown by Hortnitos tequila a new brand of tequila throwing out the red carpet with the giant commercial loft space rented out and decked out like a club. Behind the curtain were even some classic cars if you paid attention. This loft space was HUGE, there were hundreds of people in there with limited dancing from cougars who had snuck in or were unleashed from the corporate side. Upstairs was less crowded with another bar set up with green lighting and then there was an outdoor two floor roof deck. Smoking galore on the outside, but no smoke being blown in my face. This place is amazing, with that much room it could hold even the largest of Yelp parties. The atmosphere was A+ laced with degrees of pretension, but I was impressed by the artistry, decoration, lighting, music, mood, scene. The music was decent but no dancing took place, rapper Hollywood Holt was unimpressed by his hometown reception and proved in the end to be lackluster. I had a great time and hope Yelp has a party here soon!!! :-D read more

This is a truly unique space and I highly recommend this venue to anyone looking for an alternative to the "banquet hall" wedding. We rented all three levels and held the ceremony there as well. The atmosphere is so fun and there is something for everyone to enjoy. The food was phenomenal. We had a variety of small plates- some at stations and some were on push-carts, so there were never any long lines. The staff were all friendly and attentive. We found Andy and Aly to be extremely easy to work with. I'm very surprised at the negative reviews. They are professionals and know how to run an event. I did not have to worry or think about anything the night of the wedding- it was all taken care of. It was also really convenient to deal with one vendor for almost everything- plus, for the few things they don't provide, i.e. flowers, they have great recommendations and obviously have good relationships with these vendors. Plus, there is FREE PARKING!!! I think you can count on one hand the number of venues in Chicago that can offer that. We got so many compliments- this place is truly a gem! read more

Ravenswood Event Center - Venues & Event Spaces Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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Planned our Holiday Party this year at Ravenswood and used both the showroom and atrium. It was a great success! The venue is amazing and very unique. All of our guests had nothing but great things to say. Andy was great to work with and took care of many of the details proactively and thought of things we hadn't. He and his staff were very patient with us and really made sure the event was a success. Having planned 100's of large events like this I have to say this one was a pleasure to put together. read more

A beautiful venue but they do not enforce mask or social distancing guidelines in anyway. The staff is extremely unprofessional to the point where my family literally had to leave and will probably never be back. The venue was stunning but I feel like you could get a prettier place with a better staff. read more

Gorgeous space, terrible food, worse service. Very unprofessional staff. It's very unfortunate.

We recently held our wedding here and we could not have had a better experience. We had both the second and third floor for cocktail hour and then the main room for dinner and dancing. Everything was just perfect. Aly is so wonderful to work with! She is efficient, responsive and she gets the job done well. Hats off to the chefs as my guests are still raving about the food! read more

This is a truly great event space. In fact, there are several great spaces here, each of them is distinct and I'm not sure that there is anything else in the city quite like them. The atrium/loft is, of course, incredible. The natural light is fantastic. Those windows must be 25 feet high. The showroom is another one-of-a-kind space. I've been in here for big parties and even small trade shows. It's the kind of place that people remember and talk about later. Yes, great space. But I also really like the people here. When we needed some extra room for a big off-site meeting, they gave us lots of options. I'd used the atrium once before for an event we held and the staff was excellent. This place happens to be in my neighborhood, which is a big plus, but if you're doing something here and have guests driving in, parking won't be a problem. I plan to use this space again. It's on the top of my list for pretty much any kind of event! read more