Group Activities in Chicago: Small-Group Plans for 3 to 8 People

Make something together

The Chopping Block

Neighborhood: Lincoln Square (4747 N. Lincoln Ave.) · Cost: varies by class, plus a 15% administrative fee · When: see the class calendar

In the hands-on classes, small teams of three to five cook the full meal and then sit down to eat it together, which is about as built-in as conversation gets. There are wine and cocktail classes too. Tip: if more than five of you want to take a class together, the shop asks you to work with its event coordinator, and private cooking parties take six to 50 people, which makes it a good pick for team building or a birthday.

Move a little

Movement Lincoln Park

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park (1460 N. Dayton St.) · Cost: $28 day pass, $11 gear package · When: Monday–Friday 6am–11pm, Saturday 8am–8pm, Sunday 8am–6pm

Bouldering is a great group sport because you take turns on the same problem and cheer each other on. If some of your group have never climbed, look at the gym's 30-day beginner package, which includes classes and rental gear (sign-ups for the next month open on the 15th). Tip: rent the gear package so nobody has to buy shoes for a first try.

Waveland Bowl

Neighborhood: North Center (3700 N. Western Ave.) · Cost: from $2 a game on weekday daytimes; $60 an hour per lane on Friday and Saturday evenings; shoes $6 · When: see the hours page

Forty lanes with automatic scoring, plus an arcade. Bowling suits mixed groups because nobody has to be good at it. Tip: you can reserve a lane in advance, and the alley asks for ID after 8pm and is 21+ after 10pm, so plan an earlier slot if anyone in the group is younger.

Play games

Emporium Arcade Bar

Neighborhood: Wicker Park (1366 N. Milwaukee Ave.), Logan Square (2363 N. Milwaukee Ave.) and Fulton Market (839 W. Fulton Market) · Cost: varies · When: check each location

Vintage arcade cabinets and pinball with a full bar. The events calendar fills the week with karaoke Tuesdays, trivia, a Jeopardy! bar league, bingo and bring-your-own-game nights. Tip: Emporium takes private party bookings through its group bookings form, handy for a birthday or a team night out.

Laugh and listen

iO Theater

Neighborhood: near North and Clybourn (1501 N. Kingsbury St.) · Cost: varies by show and class · When: shows six nights a week; Friday improv drop-ins

If your group wants to try something new together, iO's Friday Improv Drop-Ins are a low-commitment way to get on stage for the first time. For a group that gets hooked, Level 1 is an eight-week course of three-hour classes. Tip: the bar and kitchen are all ages and don't need a ticket, so it's an easy place to meet before a show.

Kingston Mines

Neighborhood: Lincoln Park (2548 N. Halsted St.) · Cost: varies; birthdays get reduced entry · When: usually Thursday to Sunday evenings, until 4am on Fridays and Saturdays; check the calendar

A long-running blues club with sets on two stages, so the music barely stops. It's a natural birthday plan: the club lists reduced or waived entry for birthdays, students and a few other groups. Tip: it's a late-night room, so start with dinner nearby and arrive after nine.

Andy's Jazz Club

Neighborhood: River North (11 E. Hubbard St.) · Cost: about $20 a person on an average night · When: shows at 6pm, 8:15pm and 10:30pm (no 10:30 show Monday and Tuesday)

A full-dining jazz club where reservations are required and each one covers one show. Tip: groups of more than ten have to email the club, and if anyone in your party is under 21, book a main-room table rather than the bar.

A few things to plan around

• Group size rules. The Chopping Block routes groups of more than five through an event coordinator, and Andy's asks groups over ten to email ahead.
• Age limits after dark. Waveland Bowl is 21+ after 10pm, and Andy's bar area is 21+.
• Reserve on weekends. Friday and Saturday evening lanes and jazz tables go first.
• Hidden fees. The Chopping Block adds a 15% administrative fee to every class, and Waveland adds 3% on card payments.

Three easy plans to suggest

Pick one and send it to the group:

1. Cook, then eat. A hands-on class at The Chopping Block, where the meal is the reward.
2. A climbing session with someone who wants to try it. Day passes and gear rental at Movement, an hour on the wall, and a drink after.
3. Two games of bowling, then dinner. A weekday evening at Waveland Bowl, finishing before the 21+ cutoff, and food somewhere nearby.

For more ideas, see our guides to indoor activities in Chicago and the best things to do in Chicago. Planning for a younger crowd? Try things to do in Chicago with kids.

Make it a plan with someone nearby

Group plans are easy to share: a lane at Waveland, a team at The Chopping Block, an improv drop-in. Lighthouse is a social app for meeting people nearby who share your interests. You can see who's around and what you have in common, start an activity for the plan you have in mind, or join one someone in your neighborhood has posted. Each activity has its own group chat, so everyone can say hi and agree on a time before you meet.

Good to know

• Check before you go: class schedules, hours and prices change. That goes for anything in this post, too. Each listing links to its official source below.
• Booking and payment are handled by each venue, on its own site or by phone.
• Getting there: iO is about a five-minute walk from the North/Clybourn Red Line stop; most of the rest are near an 'L' stop or a main bus route.