Benchmark

Sports bar party space and buyouts in Old Town

Old Town
Up to 375 guests
6 spaces

Cancellation policy
Free cancellations for 48 hours after booking, unless the booking is within 48 hours of the event.

About Benchmark

Benchmark is a two-floor sports bar in Old Town, Chicago, hosting watch parties, private parties and cocktail receptions for 15 to 375 guests. With more than 40 screens and a second floor under a fully retractable roof, it suits groups that want to watch the game together, and it works rain or shine.

Groups can book one of four semi-private areas or take a full floor. The Sundeck holds up to 20, and the Back Lounge and Upper Lounge hold up to 35 each. The South Side, the south half of the first floor, takes up to 100 cocktail style. The Second Floor is a private event space for up to 175 standing or 100 seated, and a full buyout of the bar holds up to 375 standing.

A private party here is casual and lively, in an industrial-chic room with TVs everywhere. Catering is in-house, built on bar food such as tavern-style pizzas, burgers, handhelds and tots, with classic cocktails and beer. The Second Floor has its own full private bar and 12 TVs, and the buyout listing notes A/V equipment and a DJ booth.

Benchmark is often busy on game days, so a reserved area keeps a birthday party or company happy hour together. In summer the second-floor roof opens to the sky, and because it closes again, the upstairs event space needs no weather backup.

Best for

Planning your event

Planners pick an area sized to the group, from the 20-person Sundeck to a full buyout of Benchmark for 375 standing. The bar caters the event in-house with its bar food menu, cocktails and beer. Upstairs events run under a retractable roof that opens in summer and closes in bad weather.

Vibe: A lively, often busy sports bar in an industrial-chic space, with screens on every wall and an open-air feel upstairs when the roof is open.
Space layout: First floor: a large wrap-around bar, The South Side (the south half of the floor, under the opening to the second floor) and the Back Lounge with booth seating. Second floor: the Second Floor event space with its own full bar under the retractable roof, the Upper Lounge with windows over Wells Street and a railing above the first floor, and the Sundeck with windows that open over Wells Street.
Private events: The Sundeck, Back Lounge, Upper Lounge and The South Side are semi-private areas inside the bar. The Second Floor is a private event space with its own full bar, and the whole building is available as a buyout. Because the second-floor roof is retractable, upstairs events need no weather backup.
Food & drinks: Catering is in-house. Group food comes from the bar menu: tavern-style pizzas, burgers, handhelds, tots and a skillet cookie. The bar pours classic cocktails such as the espresso martini, margarita and old fashioned, plus beer.
Group size: Groups from 15 guests. Sundeck up to 20; Back Lounge and Upper Lounge up to 35 each; The South Side up to 100 cocktail style; Second Floor up to 100 seated or 175 standing; full buyout up to 375 standing.

Spaces

6 spaces, smallest first. Prices are starting rates before taxes and fees.

Sundeck
A small semi-private second-floor area under the retractable roof, for groups of up to 20.
Up to 20 · Semi-private
20max
Semi-private

Reviews

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What this venue offers

Location

1510 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

Good to know

Hours per Time Out: Mon-Fri 5pm-2am, Sat 11am-3am, Sun 11am-2am
The second-floor roof is open in the summer months
Often busy on game days, so a reserved area keeps a group together
The buyout listing notes A/V equipment and a DJ booth

About Benchmark

Best for

Planning your event

Spaces

Sundeck

Reviews

What this venue offers

Location

Good to know

Back Lounge

Upper Lounge

The South Side

Second Floor

Buyout