Magnificent Mile in Streeterville has long been home to designer fashion, Michelin-starred dining, and annual an Art Festival. Soon, the famed district will enchant visitors with a sprawling $50 million magical theater destination called The Hand & The Eye.
Brainchild of Chicago healthcare entrepreneur Glen Tullman, the sorcery will span 36,000 square feet of the historic McCormick Mansion (formerly home to Lawry's Prime Rib), including not one but seven theaters, multiple bars, and a massive dining space—all dedicated to the art of illusion.
"This is not some six-month pop-up thing. This is a once-in-a-generation project,” Tullman told The Chicago Tribune.
Guests will move among multiple upscale, all-adult experiences, ranging from live jazz sets to illusions by self-proclaimed "curator of magic" Jeff Kaylor. Bars will be equipped for sleight-of-hand drink slinging, a nod to Chi-Town's rich history of magician-barkeeps. No word on food menu specifics just yet, but Levy Restaurants CEO Andy Lansing equated it to "Pump Room in its heyday."
"We want to open up people’s imaginations," Kaylor told the Tribune. "And create a place where every magician in the world wants to perform."
Visitors will purchase a single inclusive ticket for timed reservations at a premium price point yet to be determined.
Could dinner be served in the famed fourth-floor ballroom, which hosted upwards of 400 guests and visiting royalty in its early days?! Either way, expect a dress code.
Club memberships will be available to residents and regulars, à la Soho House, offering access to the venue’s various bars and stages through a dedicated entrance. Members must first learn a magic trick before the bewitching can begin.
As for the renovations, antiquities aficionados will be glad to know the mansion's original grand staircase and fireplace will remain intact, as will its historic exterior, which dates to 1899. History, in fact, plays a huge part: At various moments in lifetime, the house boasted a puppet theater and members-only nightclub called the Continental Casino.
Set to debut in March 2026, The Hand & The Eye is slated to be open nightly from 5pm to midnight. Eventually, weekend brunches and daytime hours may roll out for more family-friendly performances.
Need your fix now? Head to Chicago Magic Lounge in Andersonville, Rhapsody Theatre in Rogers Park, or catch one of longtime Chicago magician Dennis Watkins’ shows downstairs at Petterino’s Restaurant.