Fathom

TL;DR: A long-overdue queer dive bar for the northwest side. Charming yet subtle nautical vibes, well-crafted cocktails ($12–20), solid N/A options that don’t feel overpriced, and owners are a queer couple who clearly poured their hearts into it. An instant neighborhood gem! — I’ve been keeping an eye on this place since I heard of its inception, so you best believe we came opening night… And we were very impressed! We live in Avondale so having a queer bar so much closer to us than Boystown is SUUHCHHHH a welcome addition. Plus the owners are a couple of badass women who put so much professionalism and love into everything they do, so supporting them feels like such a win too! Despite being busy for a Thursday, it didn’t feel like a long wait to get drinks, it wasn’t overly crowded, and the service was prompt and very friendly. The atmosphere is lively, yet chill enough to easily have a conversation. The interior and decor elements are sooooo freakin’ cute too. It has this modern nautical theme, but without being overdone or too “on the nose”. They really leaned into the bar being a queer DIVE bar. Subtle, yet so charming. The drinks were perfectly balanced with great presentation. Prices are very reasonable for such well-crafted cocktails (ranging from $12-20). And! They even have spirit-free options that don’t cost $40, which is very much the moment (I know we all hate when the N/A menu is the same pricing as the boozy drinks). My spirit-free mojito was $8. Perfect. No food offerings, just as an FYI. This spot is everything you want in a contemporary dive bar: Relaxed yet fun, warm and welcoming, and thoughtfully designed with lots of space and multiple gender-neutral restrooms… And lest we forget: QUEER! Look for the drunken seagull and you know you’re in the right place! (Not me… the adorable sign outside). :) Edit: When speaking to it being for the “northwest side”, I guess I really just mean how easily it can be accessed from there via Belmont bus because it’s obviously not west.

Excellent new place! Slammed but bartenders are keeping up and getting through the line. The two bar lines also help! Great classic drinks, I look forward to what cocktail program they end up implementing and hope it's here for years to come!

so glad this spot has joined the neighborhood! love the vibe, music & menu. would say between the lightbulb temp and screens it’s a little too BRIGHT to feel truly cozy/romantic..

i was super excited to hear about a new lesbian bar opening on the northside and in such a central location - right off 3 main streets with plenty of buses to get you there from any direction! but on my first visit i can say that i was ultimately underwhelmed. as it’s a “new” business i understand it takes some time to perfect the experience for customers, although they clearly had a massive budget to work with in creating this space and is operated by an already extremely successful group of bar owners. i believe the pro’s and con’s of this bar are a mixture of things that are inherent to this type of business and the choices that went into creating the place. ultimately it’s very inaccessible - with an average price of $17 a cocktail, this is not a place that your average person can afford to go, let alone as a regular neighborhood spot. that being said, i find it borderline offensive to call this place any kind of “dive” bar, even if it’s a play on words, the sentiment reeks of gentrification. especially considering this bar doesn’t even accept cash as payment. and these drinks in question, very disappointing. the mojito was one of the worst and least authentic i’ve ever had, and the daquari was just okay, neither being strong or good enough to justify the price. otherwise, it was nice to be in a place with so many women and queer people gathered in such a pristinely designed space, even if that space is one that someone can only afford on special occasions or when they’re willing to spend upwards of $80 on a date night. other things of note: as this bar just opened and is apparently already a hot spot that everyone wants to check out, expect a wait at the door at peak business hours (arrived around 10pm on a saturday and waited for maybe 10 min to get in) and to stand until you can scope out a table that’s clearing out. i think the noise level was pretty optimal, i could hear the music but also had no problem talking at a regular volume even when the place was already loud from being so busy. my partner thought the place was a little too bright for the ambiance they were trying to achieve. overall a mid experience but i am open to visiting again for a special occasion, trying different drinks, and hoping for an improved experience.

Place is consistently getting better and better over time. I have been probably 6 times since opening and it's clear the team is growing into and loving the space. The launch of the happy hour menu is a great addition that is helping fill out the bar during the early evening hours. Drink prices are not bad for the area. Reading most of the reviews people are ordering from the premium cocktail menu and expecting it not to cost premium prices. The staff are more than capable of making you something not on the seasonal cocktail menu.