An Intern’s Guide to Chicago
Your summer job just got a whole lot more delicious
Jump to: Coffee Run | Welcome Lunch | Lunch for the Office | Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
Celebratory Dinner | Happy Hour | Team Bonding | Working Late? Order In
Coffee Run
Beatrix – Fulton Market, Oak Brook, River North, Streeterville
Busy mornings on the way to your new gig call for a quick coffee run and something you can actually eat on the go. Stop by the Beatrix coffee and pastry counter for hand-crafted coffee drinks, fresh-squeezed juices and pastries. Special to the Fulton Market and River North locations, enjoy a grab and go Commuter Breakfast featuring the Lil’ Ranchero Breakfast Burrito, Lil’ BEC, and more!
Find the Beatrix location nearest you
Welcome Lunch
Aba – Fulton Market
Celebrate the start of an awesome summer with Aba‘s new weekday lunch beginning Friday, May 22. Enjoy vibrant Mediterranean flavors on the sunny patio, featuring mezze favorites including Smoky Garlic Hummus, Whipped Feta Spread, Green Falafel, and Greek Village Salad alongside exclusive weekday lunch specials like the Faroe Islands Salmon Bowl and the Chicken Kefta Burger.
Make a reservation at Aba – Fulton Market
Check out the recipe for the Chicken Kefta Burger inspired by Aba!
Sushi-san – Lincoln Park, River North
A great first-day lunch deserves more than a quick desk bite. Sushi-san offers an Express Lunch available daily until 3:00 PM, making it an easy go-to for a welcome outing. Each meal includes Miso Soup plus your choice of three select items like Chilled Soba Noodles, Tuna & Avocado Rice Bowl, or Salmon Avocado Maki. Priced at $21, plus tax (gratuity not included) and available for dine-in only, it’s a simple way to kick off the workday with something fresh and memorable.
Make a reservation at the Sushi-san location nearest you
Explore more of our fave lunch spots in Chicagoland!
Lunch for the Whole Office
Ema – Glenview, River North
Your new supervisor just asked you for a recommendation for office catering. Other interns might freeze…but not you! Bring something fresh and shareable to the office table with Ema. Order the customizable Mediterranean Feast, a la carte hummus and spreads, chef-prepared salads, mezze and kebabs, or personal boxed lunches, which include a spread or chef-prepared salad, kebab and a mini cookie.
View menu and place your office catering order from Ema – River North | View menu and place your catering order from Ema – Glenview
Tallboy Taco
Turn any average Tuesday at the office into Taco Tuesday with lunch catering options from Tallboy Taco. Choose from burrito boxes, individually wrapped tacos or an interactive build-your-own Taco Bar. The Taco Bar starts at $20.95 per person, and includes up to three tacos per person, all the toppings, rice and beans, and more, plus tax. For an easy grab-and-go option, the Box of Tacos includes 24 pre-assembled tacos for $99, plus tax, perfect for busy days at the office.
View the Tallboy Taco catering menu and place an order
Afternoon Pick-Me-Up
The Cookie Bar by Summer House
Pop into the first-ever standalone location of The Cookie Bar by Summer House for a little sweet treat after a day of hard work! Enjoy a a menu of signature cookies, specialty iced coffee drinks from La Colombe Coffee Roasters, plus fresh-churned soft-serve and thick shakes for the first time ever in The Cookie Bar’s history! Plus, stop by between 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM and snag the featured $3 cookie of the day — the perfect afternoon treat.
Place a carryout order from The Cookie Bar by Summer House
Rotisserie Ema
Midday office slump? Here’s a cool treat: $1 Fro-Yo Fridays are back at Rotisserie Ema starting Friday, May 22 – Friday, September 4. Swing by for mezze lunch favorites, grab-and-go hummus, salads and spreads—then grab a signature Frozen Greek Yogurt topped with olive oil and sea salt for just $1* (plus tax), available 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Feeling fancy? Upgrade your break with Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce or Pistachio Sauce with Crumbled Cinnamon Phyllo for $2 each*. *To-go only, one per person, while supplies last.
Visit Rotisserie Ema for $1 Fro-Yo Fridays
Save room for more delicious sweet treats at Lettuce – get the guide!
Celebratory Dinner
Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
You scored the internship, now it’s time to celebrate! Toast to your latest venture with tapas and sangria at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba! while passing around shareable plates of Spanish-style bites and splitting a pitcher or two of sangria.
Make a reservation at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba!
Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab – River North
At Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab, celebrating is kind of a tradition—so it’s the perfect place to kick off your internship journey in style. Gather your team or your family and friends over signature Florida Stone Crab, chilled seafood towers, and perfectly prepared steaks, then don’t skip the legendary Key Lime Pie to finish the night on a sweet note.
Make a reservation at the Joe’s Seafood, Prime Steak & Stone Crab – River North
Tre Dita
Celebrate the end of your internship (you made it!) with a well-earned dinner at Tre Dita at The St. Regis Chicago, where tradition meets modern sophistication. From expertly handmade pastas crafted in the restaurant’s temperature- and humidity-controlled pasta lab to perfectly-charred dishes from the wood-fired grill like the Bistecca Fiorentina, it’s a stunning setting to toast to everything you’ve accomplished.
Make a reservation at Tre Dita at The St. Regis Chicago
Happy Hour
Gus’ Sip & Dip
Impress your coworkers by taking them to happy hour at Gus’ Sip & Dip on weekdays from 4:00 PM – 5:00 PM, which was just named #27 on North America’s Best Bars by The World’s 50 Best. Enjoy the $6 Happy Hour Drink of the Day, featuring a rotating selection of Gus’ 30 classic cocktails (regularly $12 each, plus tax)—the perfect excuse to bring the team out for a well-earned after-work toast.
Gus Sip & Dip welcomes walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis; no reservations are available.
Shaw’s Crab House – River North
Bring your team and make it a midweek outing at Shaw’s Crab House in River North. The Oyster Bar Happy Hour features half-priced Oysters on the Half Shell, select bites, and drink specials from 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM, dine-in only, perfect for after-work team hangs or an early office escape.
Make a Happy Hour reservation at Shaw’s Crab House – River North
Keep the Happy Hour crawl going with more of our best happy hours in Chicago!
Team Bonding
Beatrix – River North
Bring your team and get ready for a little friendly competition with Trivia Night at Beatrix – River North on Wednesday, June 24. Gather your coworkers, and test your knowledge during Trivia Night hosted by Chicago’s best Pub Trivia Game, ‘Whaddayaknow,’ while sipping your favorite drinks and competing for prizes! Tickets are free with a minimum purchase of two beverages required. (Valid on cocktails, beer, wine, non-alcoholic, soft drinks, coffee and tea.) Reservations are recommended, with walk-ins welcome – subject to availability!
Reserve your spot for trivia at Beatrix – River North on Wednesday, June 24
Bub City – River North
Bub City is the perfect spot for a team outing! Take the stage for Live Band Karaoke every Wednesday at 9:30 PM, or stop in on Thursdays for Sing-Along Night starting at 9:00 PM with DJs spinning the biggest hits from every genre (not just country) and music videos playing on wall-to-wall screens. Nothing brings coworkers together like belting out your favorite songs over the best BBQ in the city!.
Plus, all throughout June, Bub City is counting down to Windy City Smokeout with the Road to Smokeout Concert Series every Friday night. Learn more about the Road to Smokeout Concert Series at Bub City – River North
Make a reservation for Sing-Along Thursdays at Bub City – River North
Chicago Cocktail Classic
Looking for a fun weekend activity with your team? Spend an unforgettable evening exploring the world of cocktails without ever leaving Chicago. The second-annual Chicago Cocktail Classic on Sunday, June 14, brings together more than three dozen world-class bars, local legends and international icons alike, for an immersive tasting experience at 167 Events. It’s the perfect excuse to grab your fellow interns or coworkers, try something new together, and enjoy a night out beyond the office.
Purchase tickets to the Chicago Cocktail Classic
Pizzeria Portofino
Start your Summer Fridays with a little team bonding by the river at Pizzeria Portofino’s Yoga, Coffee & DJ series! Grab your coworkers and head to the waterfront for 45-minute morning workout classes set to live music and skyline views, with sessions at 7:00 AM and 8:15 AM on May 29, June 26, and July 31. Not feeling the workout? No problem, stop by at 8:00 AM to enjoy the coffee, music, and pre-office vibes instead. Pricing is $20 – $55 per person, plus tax (gratuity not included).
Check out the lineup and purchase tickets to Yoga, Coffee & DJ at Pizzeria Portofino
Windy City Smokeout
Gather your country-lovin’ new coworkers and get wristbands for Chicago’s award-winning Windy City Smokeout, where live country music, barbecue, and craft beer come together into one epic long weekend in July. New for 2026, the festival is adding a fifth evening, with a Wednesday night concert and BBQ preview! This year’s headliners include superstars Lainey Wilson, Jordan Davis, Hootie & the Blowfish, Blake Shelton and more, along with a lineup of world-famous pitmasters serving melt-in-your-mouth BBQ.
Purchase Windy City Smokeout wristbands
Find more fun things to do with your team at Lettuce!
Working Late? Order In
Big Bowl – Chicago
Working overtime? Order up some Big Bowl favorites to power through the workday (or late-night grind) with bold, energizing flavors. From stir-fried noodles and signature rice bowls to craveable classics like Mongolian Beef, Orange Chicken and Big Bowl’s Chopped Salad, Big Bowl brings the perfect mix of comfort and flavor straight to your desk, team meeting, or late-night email sprint.
