What to Do in Chicago If You’re Right here for Enterprise (2025)

Chicago all the time has one thing to show. When it went up towards New York for the 1893 World’s Honest, a New York Solar reporter referred to as out its “windbag” campaigners. Illinois ended up internet hosting the honest, and Chicago embraced its new id because the Windy Metropolis. That chip-on-the-shoulder vitality nonetheless defines this metropolis, a metropolis that builds, innovates, and competes prefer it has every part to lose.

Chicago’s tech scene is a various panorama that shouldn’t be slept on—however you in all probability know that. Over the previous decade, the Second Metropolis’s tech sector has grown by 18 p.c, including greater than 106,000 direct jobs and almost 150,000 oblique jobs, in accordance with the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce. Town’s universities produce extra pc science graduates than wherever else within the nation. Giants like Google, Salesforce, and Meta have expanded right here, whereas startups like Tegus, Uber Freight, and G2 have relocated from Silicon Valley, drawn by Chicago’s expertise pool and extra inexpensive value of residing.

Chicago’s tech scene isn’t siloed; almost half of all tech positions are tied to core industries like well being care, finance, and logistics. In August, the TechChicago convention spotlighted quantum computing, energy-efficient knowledge facilities, and equitable entry to capital, demonstrating that Chicago is considering how expertise can improve on a regular basis life.

To be in Chicago is to work exhausting, play more durable. Dinner in Fulton Market, drinks on the Riverwalk, and a comedy set to shut out the evening.

The place to Keep

Whereas Chicago’s tech scene spans the town, chances are high your work journey landed you someplace within the Loop, River North, or West Loop space. Our lodgings maintain you shut, comfy, and surrounded by fellow professionals.

363 E. Wacker Drive, (312) 787-3447

The place the Chicago River and Lake Michigan meet, the St. Regis delivers the town’s pinnacle of luxurious, full with a world-class spa, health services, and acclaimed eating. The Signature Butler Service takes care of unpacking, swimsuit urgent, shoe shines, and morning espresso (or tea), so you may deal with the enterprise that introduced you right here. A complimentary home automotive can get you to close by conferences or lunches inside a 2-mile radius. Begin with the Tokyo Breakfast at Japanese restaurant Miru, return at 5 pm for the resort’s every day champagne sabrage, then head to Tre Dita for handmade pasta and Tuscan wood-fired steaks—you’ll want to reserve forward.

200 N Inexperienced St., (312) 761-1700

If you would like a resort that appears like a part of the town, it’s the Hoxton within the West Loop. Verify out and in anytime if you guide immediately. Workspaces can be found, from library desks to coworking areas and assembly rooms. If you happen to’re hungry, the on-site café serves Aya Bakery pastries and low, and for those who want a break, daybeds await, which are perfect for an influence nap or nursing a hangover. Climate allowing, their outside terraces double as one other place to get work accomplished. You don’t even have to go away the Hoxton to hit the neighborhood’s hottest eating and consuming spots; Cira serves Mediterranean-inspired eats all day, Cabra Cevicheria dishes Peruvian bites on the rooftop, head downstairs to Lazy Hen for cocktails and reside music Thursday by way of Saturday, and Milk Bar can be in-house for a late-night sugar repair.

Courtesy of The Emily Lodge

311 N Morgan St., (312) 764-1919

In Fulton Market, the Emily Lodge is ideal for vacationers who desire a native vibe with all of the luxuries and tech conveniences. Seize a espresso on the in-house espresso bar, lunch at Fora, cocktails at rooftop bar Selva, and dinner at Sushi by Bou. Keep energetic within the 24/7 health middle, and if the climate permits, catch a movie on the resort’s terrace cinema.

900 E Grand, (872) 710-5700

At Sable, you’ll have every part you want for an pleasant keep. Seize a espresso within the foyer at Kisbi, the place single-origin beans from Costa Rica, Kenya, and Ethiopia make your morning really feel immediately richer. Lirica, the Spanish- and Iberian-inspired restaurant, is ideal for a solo lunch or group dinner. The Offshore Rooftop has unbeatable views of the skyline and Lake Michigan, plus a full-service bar. As for facilities, there’s a 24-hour health middle, assembly rooms if it’s good to get work accomplished, and, in fact, Navy Pier itself simply outdoors your door—full retailers, eating places, and sights to maintain you entertained. It’s a bit like residing in a mall.

Courtesy of InterContinental Chicago

505 N Michigan Ave., (312) 944-4100

Within the coronary heart of the Magnificent Mile, the InterContinental blends big-city enterprise vitality with old-school glamour. That’s partially due to its indoor pool, a 1929 stunner tiled in Spanish Majolica and watched over by a terracotta Neptune fountain, floating 14 tales above Michigan Avenue. In the course of the week, you’ll largely see enterprise vacationers, although households typically keep right here, too. The sensible facilities are lined, together with assembly rooms, printing providers, and even a notary, if wanted. There are two on-site eating places: Casa Chi leans Japanese Peruvian with nice cocktails, and Michael Jordan’s Steakhouse is precisely what you assume. There’s additionally a Starbucks within the foyer, however with so many higher native cafés close by, it’s price wandering out.

The place to Work

You may work from any of the inns on our checklist, however for those who want a change of surroundings, Chicago has loads of coworking choices, too. Under are a few of our favorites, and Deskpass is a superb useful resource for extra choices.

{Photograph}: Steve Geer/Getty Photos

20 N. Wacker Drive, twelfth Flooring

Contained in the Civic Opera Constructing within the metropolis’s enterprise district, this 60,000-square-foot workspace is designed for tech professionals. Quick Wi-Fi, ergonomic setups, assembly rooms, and even a rooftop terrace and health middle. Drop in for $35 a day on Deskpass.

3130 N Rockwell St.

In Avondale, Guild Row presents a sunlit workspace with excessive ceilings, personal Zoom cubicles, and a café and bar for breaks. The Belmont Room hosts workshops, talks, and occasions, however the total ambiance is calm and targeted for getting work accomplished with out distractions. It’s an area to recharge, meet like-minded folks, or settle in for a productive day. You should purchase a day move for $28.

1821 W Hubbard St Unit 209

Within the West Loop, Artwork/Work Coworking is a artistic lab that attracts within the metropolis’s creatives, techies, and freelancers. Open 24/7 with automated entry, it presents desks and bookable assembly rooms. Drop in with Deskpass, or guide a convention room beginning at $50 an hour.

The place to Get Your Espresso

112 N Inexperienced St.

If you happen to want a dependable off-site work spot, Sawada Espresso has loads of seats, robust Wi-Fi, and powerful espresso. Based by Japanese barista Hiroshi Sawada, Sawada Espresso is famend for the Navy Latte—a wealthy jolt of matcha, espresso, and cocoa—however in addition they have cortados, cappuccinos, and cookies readily available to maintain the workflow regular. If you happen to linger into lunch, you don’t need to go far; Sawada shares its house with Inexperienced Road Smoked Meats, recognized for its Central Texas–fashion barbecue.

714 N Wells St.

Owned by Palestinian American pals, Oud Espresso is a River North favourite for craft lattes and bites. The signature Oud latte blends pistachio syrup, cardamom spice, and recent mint, whereas the menu additionally contains Turkish espresso, tea, and smoothies. Snack on Manakeesh flatbread, stuffed dates, or baklava. Spacious indoor seating makes it a stable spot to make amends for work, or sit outdoors if the climate permits. There’s one other location in Wicker Park, ought to you end up nearer to that neighborhood.

5531 N Clark St.

The Understudy is a theater-bookstore-slash-café, with ardour fruit syrup on provide alongside lavender, wild rose petal, and hazelnut. Non-coffee drinkers can sip iced ube lattes, glowing matcha lemonades, or a lychee roasted goddess tea. Come for the flavour, keep for the artistic ambiance, with light-filled nooks that make it simple to lose a day.

3101 S Morgan St.

Bridgeport Espresso has been roasting on the South Facet since 2004, and it’s nonetheless one of many metropolis’s greatest stops for a cup of espresso that truly tastes like the place it got here from. The store sources beans immediately from growers, chopping out middlemen for higher taste and fairer commerce. There are solely a few counter seats and a handful of tables, nevertheless it’s a comfortable place to work for those who snag a spot.

The place to Eat

Chances are high, Chicago’s hottest eateries will likely be booked stable, however we’ve discovered the candy spots that truly have availability.

Courtesy of Chef’s Particular

2165 N Western Ave.

For a kitschy but upscale tackle the American Chinese language takeout you grew up on, Chef’s Particular delivers saucy, family-style classics. Suppose orange hen, Mongolian beef, and lo mein noodles—quick. The nostalgic consolation meals is paired with tropical cocktails, from a lemongrass gimlet to an $8 shot-and-beer combo. Supreme for small groups or shoppers, the menu encourages sampling, making it much less about particular person plates and extra concerning the expertise.

800 W Randolph St.

At Au Cheval, Chicago’s über-celebrated burger joint, the melty, egg-topped cheeseburger lives as much as its hype. The vibe is low-key, with a diner-meets-French-speakeasy really feel, that includes dim lighting, leather-based cubicles, and an open kitchen that is all the time at full capability. It’s important to get the cheeseburger, however the chilaquiles and roasted bone marrow are additionally price ordering. There aren’t any reservations; swing by on a weekday afternoon, put your identify down, and seize a drink at considered one of Fulton Market’s many bars when you wait.