What’s the best corporate holiday party idea in Chicago? Interactive, activity-based venues beat traditional sit-down dinners for company holiday parties because they force mingling instead of relying on it. At AceBounce in the Loop, guests split into groups for ping pong, beer pong, and shuffleboard, which means introverts, executives, and new hires all end up talking to each other by round two, something a banquet table rarely pulls off.
Key Takeaways
- Games like ping pong and shuffleboard give people an easy reason to move around, play together, and talk with coworkers they might not normally spend time with.
- Add cocktails and a group menu, and there’s still plenty to enjoy between games. It helps the evening feel more like a night out than a typical team event.
- AceBounce’s Loop venue flexes from an intimate 12-person team gathering to a large, multi-department buyout.
- December dates at high-demand venues sell out well before Thanksgiving, so e-booking early helps secure your preferred date.
If you’re the person tasked with planning this year’s holiday celebration, you already know the problem with the standard playbook. Book a private room, order some appetizers, and hope people mingle. Half the team ends up on their phones by 8 pm. AceBounce runs a different kind of party: one built around games, not just a guest list. For teams that also want a lower-key happy hour earlier in the season, our guide to planning a Chicago team outing covers formats that work outside the holiday rush, too.
A recent industry survey backs up what planners are already noticing on the ground. ezCater’s 2025 Workplace Holiday Party Trends Report found that 82% of employees planned to attend their company’s holiday event this year, up sharply from 70% the year before, and 83% said these events genuinely help them bond with coworkers. People want to show up. The venue just has to give them a reason to stay off their phones once they do.
Interactive Social Gaming: Give Every Skill Level Something to Do
Why does interactive gaming work better than a standard holiday dinner? Games like ping pong and shuffleboard are easy to pick up, so people can join in without worrying about how good they are. A new employee might end up playing against a VP, and suddenly they have something to laugh about and talk about. That kind of interaction can happen much more naturally than it does around a dinner table.
AceBounce built its whole concept around this idea. The centerpiece is Ping Pong X, an AI-tracked interactive gaming system available exclusively at AceBounce, which turns a simple paddle-and-ball game into four fast-paced digital game modes. It’s the kind of thing that gets a skeptical group leaning in within the first five minutes. For guests who want the classic version, there are 15 professional Butterfly tables scattered throughout the space, each with its own nearby lounge for a quick drink between games.
Beer pong and shuffleboard round things out. The beer pong tables are solid wood with steel cups, a grown-up version of the backyard game most guests already know how to play, which matters when half your group has never held a ping pong paddle. Shuffleboard, with its smooth wooden surface and weighted pucks, tends to be where the office’s most competitive personalities reveal themselves. Add a Games Host to your event, and one of AceBounce’s staff entertainers runs the ping pong portion, makes sure every guest gets pulled in regardless of ability, and caps the night with an awards ceremony that gives people something to talk about back at the office.
Elevated Food & Craft Cocktails: Make the Holiday Party Feel Like a Night Out
How do you make a company holiday party feel like more than an office event? Pairing interactive games with a genuine bar program and a chef-driven food menu is what separates a memorable holiday party from a glorified conference room happy hour, and it’s the detail guests notice even if they can’t name it.
AceBounce’s kitchen builds shareable plates designed to be eaten standing up between rounds: wings, sliders, wood-fired pizzas, and vegetarian options like the falafel wrap sit alongside heartier fare like the double cheeseburger. Group event menus are fully customizable and continuously replenished throughout your booking, so nobody’s rationing appetizers by 9 pm. On the drink side, the cocktail list runs from a Boulevardier for the traditionalists to the Casi Famoso, a mezcal and passionfruit cocktail that tends to become the signature drink of whichever team discovers it first. Nine HD screens around the venue mean the game can stay on in the background, too, which matters more than planners expect once game day rolls around in December.
Flexible Event Spaces & Buyouts: Right-Size the Party to Your Team
Can AceBounce host both a small team gathering and a company-wide holiday party? Yes. AceBounce’s Loop location scales from an intimate 12-person team celebration up to a large, multi-department buyout that takes over the full venue, with semi-private options in between for teams that want a dedicated space without booking the whole building.
The Garage, a semi-private space tucked behind the grand staircase, accommodates up to 30 guests around one ping-pong table and one shuffleboard table, making it a good fit for a single department’s party. Groups of 13 or more work directly with AceBounce’s events team to plan pricing, food packages, and room configuration. For companies planning a large-scale, all-hands celebration, the venue supports significantly larger buyouts across its full footprint. Exact capacity for a full-building event depends on layout and food and beverage selections, so confirm final numbers with the events team when you inquire. A/V is built in throughout, projectors, HD screens, and premium sound, so a CEO toast or an awards slideshow doesn’t require renting outside equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best type of venue for a Chicago corporate holiday party?
Venues built around interactive activities, such as ping-pong or shuffleboard bars, generally outperform traditional sit-down dinners for corporate holiday parties because they provide employees with a shared activity that naturally sparks conversation.
How many guests can AceBounce accommodate for a holiday party?
AceBounce’s semi-private Garage space holds up to 30 guests, and the venue also supports larger multi-department and full-building buyouts. Confirm the exact capacity for your group size with the AceBounce events team.
Is alcohol included in AceBounce’s group event packages?
AceBounce offers a full craft cocktail, beer, and wine program for group events, and packages can be customized to match the food menu and event format.
Do I need to book far in advance for a December holiday party?
Yes. December is AceBounce’s busiest month for corporate bookings, and prime Friday and Saturday dates in the Loop typically sell out weeks ahead of the holiday season, so early inquiries get first pick of dates.
What activities are included in an AceBounce holiday party?
Groups can play Ping Pong X, our AI-tracked interactive gaming system available only at AceBounce, classic ping pong, beer pong, and shuffleboard, with the option to add a Games Host to run structured rounds and an awards ceremony.
Is AceBounce a good fit for a mixed-age or hybrid team?
AceBounce is a 21+ venue after 6 pm and on Saturdays, which makes it a good fit for adult-focused corporate events. Because the games have a low skill barrier, groups with a wide age range or hybrid teams meeting in person for the first time in months tend to mix easily.
Ready to Lock In Your Holiday Party?
A holiday party that gets people off their phones and actually talking starts with the right venue, not just the right menu. AceBounce combines interactive games, a craft cocktail bar, and flexible event spaces designed for groups of all sizes. December dates are booking up now, and the best ones go first. Reach out to AceBounce’s events team today to secure your date before the calendar fills.