The Little Black Book Field Guides by Clandestine
City and conference hospitality intelligence across 11 markets. Every venue vetted in person. Every recommendation scored across four dimensions. Built on 14 years of producing high-stakes events for the NBA, F1, and Fortune 500 clients.
Field guides
City guide
Where we've produced 200+ events. Convention Center dining, Uptown classics, French Quarter escapes, and the wild cards only locals know.
Read the guide →City guide
Michelin stars, Convention Center proximity, and the private dining rooms your competitors haven't found. The city we operate in daily.
Read the guide →City guide
28 vetted venues. Three Michelin stars to underground wine cellars. Midtown power rooms, Village intimacy, and NRF week survival intel.
Read the guide →City guide
West Loop to River North. McCormick Place logistics, Michelin temples, and the steakhouses where Chicago actually does business.
Read the guide →City guide
Moscone-adjacent power dining, three-star temples, and the safety warnings no one else will tell you. Dreamforce survival included.
Read the guide →City guide
Design District glamour, Stockyards authenticity, and the steakhouse arms race. Two cities, 24 vetted venues, zero tourist traps.
Read the guide →City guide
Back Bay power rooms to Seaport waterfront. Where VCs close rounds, law firms celebrate, and the North End delivers when game night doesn't.
Read the guide →City guide
Mayfair power canteens, 380-year-old wine cellars, and the Michelin stars that matter. Where serious business meets British discretion.
Read the guide →Conference guide
Beyond the casino floor. CES survival, Strip excellence, Arts District credibility, and the Chinatown deep cuts where chefs eat after service.
Read the guide →11 markets live. 200+ vetted venues. New guides published quarterly.
The LBB Index
Star ratings tell you what crowds think. The LBB Index tells you whether a venue works for your specific situation: an investor dinner, a board meeting, a client celebration. We score every venue across four dimensions.
Dimension 01
Food quality, menu design, and whether the kitchen can handle modifications without drama. A 9 means the chef is a reason to book. A 5 means the food is fine but not the point.
Dimension 02
Does this place have a point of view? Soul is the difference between a restaurant that was designed by committee and one that was built by someone who cares. It shows up in the lighting, the music, the staff's energy.
Dimension 03
How the venue treats you when you're spending money. Pacing. Attention. Flexibility. A generous venue makes your guest feel like the room was built for them. A stingy one makes them feel like a transaction.
Dimension 04
Logistics. Parking. Private dining availability. AV if you need it. How hard is it to get 12 people in and out without a production? Ease is the dimension most planners forget until the night of.
Why this matters
"Currently standing in a huge line with my CEO and customers." One text. One call. Seated in five minutes. The CEO never knew how close it came. This is what knowing the right person at the right venue looks like.
The walkable option was a brewery. Forgettable food. Wrong for the finale. I pushed back. Hawkeye and Huckleberry was not walkable. But it was perfect. Two days before arrival, he agreed. By end of trip, he was thrilled. Sometimes "trust me" is the whole strategy.
Sunday night text. The venue said no availability. We got the table anyway. The deal closed that week. Impossible reservations are only impossible if you don't know who to call.
Need execution, not just intel?
Clandestine Events produces high-stakes corporate events for the NBA, IndyCar, Aramco, LVMH, and Google. If you need more than a restaurant recommendation, you need us.
Book the Callor email kelley@clandestine-events.com