How We Turned LIA’s Weeknights Into One of Chicago’s Most In-Demand Reservations

The Results

120–130

Girl Dinners sold per night

40+

guests regularly waitlisted

Nearly 1 million

social impressions in five months

36%+

audience growth across Instagram and TikTok

403,000+

impressions during the Hot Girl Dinner launch month

126,000+

impressions on the Hot Girl Dinner announcement alone

LIA River North / Mokha Creative Studios

THE CHALLENGE


LIA wanted to increase weekday traffic and build a stronger, more recognizable presence within Chicago’s competitive restaurant scene. The restaurant already had the food, atmosphere and personality - it needed a marketing strategy that could translate those strengths into consistent demand.

The Results


We immediately focused on three opportunities: turning Girl Dinner into a signature experience, introducing LIA to new audiences through creator-led events, and transforming its generic tasting menu into the branded Mona LIA Experience.

01 / Turning Girl Dinner Into a Signature Campaign

  1. 01
    We took LIA’s existing $30 weekday promotion and built a recognizable experience around it - giving the offer a stronger identity, clear messaging and social-first creative direction.
  2. 02
    To keep the campaign relevant, we developed seasonal versions with new menus, visuals and launch strategies, including Hot Girl Dinner for summer and Fall Girl Dinner for the following season. This allowed LIA to continually renew interest in the promotion without losing the recognition it had already built.

02 / Creating Influencer Experiences

  1. 01
    We developed creator events that introduced LIA to new, highly aligned audiences in a more memorable way than a traditional hosted meal.
  2. 02
    For Pure Barre River North × LIA, we brought local creators together for a private fitness class followed by a family-style meal at the restaurant. The experience connected wellness, dining and community while giving creators natural opportunities to share both brands with their audiences.

03 / Creating the Mona LIA Experience

  1. 01
    LIA already offered a pizza tasting menu, but it lacked a distinct identity and connection to the restaurant’s larger brand.
  2. 02
    We renamed and repositioned it as The Mona LIA Experience - a branded seven-course dining experience with more memorable messaging and a compelling reason to visit outside Girl Dinner.

The Impact

Restaurant Results

  • 120–130 Girl Dinners sold per night
  • Three sold-out weeknights every week
  • 40+ guests regularly waitlisted
  • Reservations booked up to two months in advance
  • One promotion expanded into multiple successful seasonal campaigns
  • Increased demand for LIA’s tasting menu after it became the Mona LIA Experience
  • Mokha entrusted with developing and launching LIA’s second concept, Tini Bar

Social Results

  • Nearly 1 million impressions in five months, including more than 403,000 impressions during the Hot Girl Dinner launch month and 230,000 impressions during the Fall Girl Dinner launch month
  • A 476% month-over-month increase in impressions during the summer launch
  • More than 36% audience growth in three months
  • More than 19,000 combined interactions across the Hot Girl Dinner and Fall Girl Dinner announcements