Greetings!  

We are looking forward to working with you to create something truly special and memorable for your next event.

Chef Dan Smith

Nationally recognized for our signature style of blending contemporary urban sophistication with casual charm, The Hearty Boys Caterers is one of Chicago’s best known and most sought after catering companies.

Chefs Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh have brought their keen eye and trend-setting sensibilities to Chicago events for over 20 years. Chef Dan; acclaimed chef-owner of three Michelin recommended restaurants, Food Network host, cookbook author, culinary instructor and restaurant consultant; is a passionate chef who runs a tight but comfortable kitchen. As a family run business, Dan and Steve are involved in every step of your event, from your initial menu creation through to your final meal preparation.

You get more than just a Hearty Boys dining experience when we work together…you get The Hearty Boys.

Congratulations! You’re getting married! Don’t panic, we do this all the time. Thousands of perfectly executed receptions have earned The Hearty Boys our reputation for being one of Chicago’s most trusted wedding caterers. Your event planner will work with Chef Dan to tailor your menu and put together a detailed proposal that breaks down all your needs and costs. And you have plenty of options! Artfully composed plated dinners, imaginative grazing stations, on-trend family style meals, inviting buffets…what are you and your fiance’ leaning toward?

We’re proud that our couples always call to say that the guests are still raving about their food. We’re proud to boast that our waiters and bartenders are simply the best in the city. And we’re really proud of our reviews for being the must-have caterer for today’s modern Chicago couple.

Corporate Catering has specific needs. It needs to be delicious and imaginative and Hearty Boys has that in spades. But there’s more to it than that. It needs to be reliable and it needs to be consistent. Reliable in consistent quality. Reliable in consistent presentation. Reliable in delivery and punctuality.

Hearty Boys has one dedicated manager for your corporate needs. You’ll have one consistent contact who understands the intricacies of your office space, the loading dock, the delivery specifics. We have been providing Chicago’s business community with drop-off catering for over 20 years and we’re looking forward to adding you to our list of corporate clients.

Do we know how to party? We wrote the book on it! Literally. Check out “Talk With Your Mouth Full” here. It’s our first book and it’s filled with insider tips and tricks as well as some of our classic recipes from our Food Network series.

We’ll use that expertise to craft an event that reflects your personal style and works for both you and your budget. Also, as a full-service caterer; we’ll take care of any glassware or equipment rentals, linens, tents, deliveries and recommend DJs, photographers or venues. We’re a one stop shop for your events! Let us open our bag of party tips and tricks to tailor a one of a kind blowout…the kind where we do the cooking and the cleanup and you enjoy the party (and the praise!)

We’ve long been on the cutting edge of the craft cocktail movement. Owner and mixologist Steve McDonagh began researching and producing pre-prohibition cocktails over 10 years ago and has introduced many Chicagoans to the movement through what the Chicago Tribune called his “ambitious cocktail list”. He has shared his historical knowledge even further with the publication of our cocktail guide “The New Old Bar”, and you can get your copy here.

Steve believes a cocktail is a first course and we apply the same chef-driven approach to the glass as we do to the plate. Only quality name brand spirits appear in our packages, we use fresh herbs and house made syrups throughout and are outright cocktail geeks about featuring unique cocktails that have history and meaning.

The Hearty Boys is proud to be a family run business. Dan and Steve have been a couple for 25 years and their young son is a 100% restaurant kid through and through. Our working atmosphere reflects that and you’ll see it in our entire team from our kitchen staff to our waiters to our sales staff.

The Hearty Boys’ reputation stems from the work we do as a cohesive team and we couldn’t be successful without the hard work and commitment these talented people have. Everyone brings something different “to the table” with a stunning combined number of years in event execution. This is a group of people who enjoy what they do…we know you’ll enjoy what they do too!