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It's a little trashy, but also a good time. The bartenders are friendly and the drinks are of adequate strength. The dancers that I've seen the numerous times I have visited @mosphere have been decent and there's a variety of types and personalities.
I compare it to Cocktail a lot in Boystown - both have similar decor and dancers, but @mosphere is nowhere near as crowded, which is a plus for me and my occasional social anxiety.
I wont go out of my way to come here, like I would for Mary's Attic, but if I end up here I'm not upset about it.
Boys night out for team Yelp. This once a month fun night is usually coordinated by our own dear John.
This month, he chose @mosphere. I decided I'd go, because I'd only been once before (the night I made out with a bar tender in the street - what, don't judge me. You've done it too...besides I was waiting for a cab to go to Jackhammer, and had nothing else to do.)
I arrived after 7pm, to find out that there was some sort of beatnick literary thing going on, and that there were no real drink specials. That was fine with me, I mostly go for the company - and the alcohol, regardless if its on special.
More Yelp gays arrived, the story tellers ended, and some very speedo clad muscle boys climbed up on the stripper stage. I find it odd that they all wear white sneakers and socks. I'd think they'd go the flip flop route, but maybe that prevents them from doing some of their special dance routines.
The hot one kept showing his tuchas, which I deeply appreciated. I again had a moment of deep self reflection, and in that minute or two I realized I do not have abs, pecs, or any sort of a tan. I do have a bit of sunburn, but I don't really think that counts as sexy.
Oh yeah. And my blind date showed up too. Which was fun, because there was so much less pressure - and the Yelp gays are a great group (and the super sass pot girls that come along too! hubba hubba!)
The bathrooms are clean, and the stalls are divided with little walls, which is nice, because I do not want anyone to look at my penis while I'm going to the bathroom. And for the most part, if you ask, I'll just show it to you. But you know, its less awkward with the little dividers.
As the night went on, either my drinks got stronger or I was getting drunker. Is drunker a word? Or is it more drunk? Who cares. I'm pretty, so I can phrase it how I like.
I managed to take several great photographs, and got to meet some new people. I have to say this may have been the best Yelp Gay Night so far - everyone was in a great mood, including the bar staff (spare the lady that told us to keep it down....I'll do the shushing thank you. I'm the professional librarian)
omg! I almost forgot. They play porn on flat screen TV's around the bar. I think its porn. The guys in the films make me throw up in my mouth a little. Like imagine Burt Reynolds and Tom Selleck, with 80's moustaches, doing porn. I mean, you don't HAVE to imagine it, but it will help you understand what I'm talking about, because I'm not going to act it out for you. I'm thinking its porn because the guys are naked, and touch one another. I wasn't really watching to see if there were any money shots, because the strippers kept distracting me.
I'd totally go here again. And I'd totally make out on the corner with someone again too. Its fun.
I fully expected that this morning I would be updating my review of @mosphere, raving about how wonderful they are. How sad that I'm going in the opposite direction.
Last night was the latest in a series of Yelp Chicago Gay Nights. I chose @mosphere for the event because of their widely advertised Sabbath Stripper Sunday, with $1 well drinks, $5 martinis, and male dancers at 9pm. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the door at 7 o'clock to discover that they were hosting a benefit for Season of Concern, featuring storytellers from Serendipity Theater. And imagine my combined embarrassment and annoyance when they started scolding us for being too loud.
Now both of these are admirable organizations, and I can understand performers wanting some quiet and attention while they are working. And if had had any idea there were going to be storytellers at @mosphere, I would never have scheduled an event there. But at no time over the past month since Gay Night was planned was there any mention of a benefit on the same night. Their Midsommarfest schedule was clearly posted; this week's "Club Manhunt" has been up for weeks; even the weekly trivia contest is listed. But the "please be quiet because people will be reading their stories" event? Not a sign. This, in spite of the fact the @mosphere's website has an Events page, which links to their Google Calendar of scheduled events. Oops. The woman from Serendipity Theater did tell me that the information was posted on their website, as well as on the Season of Concern website. So if planned to have dollar drinks and strippers at Serendipity Theater, I would have been fully warned.
About those dollar drinks. No dollar drinks. When I went to the bar, I saw the special listed as $3 drinks. When I asked the bartender about it -- the surly bartender who took his surly time getting to me, despite the fact that I was clearly the only person at the bar looking to get a drink -- he said, "Oh yeah, we don't do that any more." To which I replied, "Better change the website, then." Because it's up there, clear as day. On the freaking home page. To which he replied, "It's on the website?" *sigh* As it turns out, the $3 price is a tremendous discount from the regular $4 price. And if these drinks were any more than $4, I'd be finding another bar.
At this point, you may be wondering why I even give @mosphere 3 stars.
In the end, it all turned out okay. The stories ranged from okay to pretty good, and most people missed the worst one, which was the first one. By 9pm, we were allowed to talk and act like we were in a bar. About the same time, the nice bartender started working, which was a huge relief. And some time between 9 and 10 -- 9pm in gay time -- the strippers started working. Well, you can't really call them strippers, since they started as undressed as they were going to get, and you can't really call them dancers, because even if they wanted to dance, their platform is about the size of a coffee table. But they were all reasonably attractive and 2 of the 3 were actually friendly and in a bar like @mosphere, you take what you can get. Which kind of sums up the whole experience.
Nice bar with a serious identity crisis. I've been coming here on and off since they opened, and I'm… Read more »
That bitch robert doesn't work there anymore! So I can go back now finally!
Well! Trivia, .50 well drink specials, cute-charming bartender, SABBATH STRIPPERS ON SUNDAY with $1 drinks! Do specials GET any better than this?
I'm going to be going here more often!
Updated to add: And Kellie K. and I ROCKED the trivia - we won!
friendly cute fun, gay/straight/whatever bar. Nice to sit in the open windows in the front in… Read more »
The $.50 well drink specials lured me in and kept me on a bar stool for the evening. I got to flex some mental muscle by teaming up with my homegirl, Erika G. We blew the competition out of the water by winning at free trivia night!
A sign for Sabbath strippers on Sunday with $1 drink specials is a little bit awesome.
When it's nice, you can sit by the open windows and watch the activity on Clark St.
Why I haven't gone in here before is beyond me. I'll be back.
It's that stank! What is it.....soap, last years trendy cologne, Chicago funk? You can smell it ACROSS Clark Street. Wierd, just f'ing wierd. Fill it with cigarette smoke for God's sake.
This one time it was my birthday- I was drunk (but I suppose that's no surprise) we had some not so amazing (yet very intoxicating) drinks at Ceaser's followed by more drinks at @mosphere.
Was it just me or did the strippers look sickly? I mean they had nice bodies and what not- but they all these sort of jacked up faces. Who knows? Maybe it was the rubbing alcohol Ceaser's gave me on the house in the form of a shot. But ever since that night I cant get the images of those dancers out of my head- and it ain't pretty.
I find @mosphere to be not quite sure of what it is. I find @mosphere a bit creepy as well. A fun place in the summer maybe when they open up the outside windows for their inner deck but there isn't much here that makes them a unique place I want to go. But then again it is a bar.
3 stars for the cute dancers there sometimes. Especially the one who did the towel dance the other night. he showed me his Pee pee for only a $1 tip.
I saw my first gay male stripper here.
My best friend's boyfriend saw my naked boob.
We may have scared Jess's 21 year old, freshly out of the closet lesbian cousin with gay male strippers.
But the DJ did play us all the songs we wanted and let us dance on the dance floor after the stripper finished his, uh...routine.
This place used to be pretty cool...fun to have a cheap drink during the week, listen to some Morrissey and flirt with the shirtless bartenders of ambiguous sexual orientation.
I went back recently (after a year or more) and it was SKANKY! I mean, I'm not gonna say I didn't watch the male strippers... or proceed to meet up with them at Stargaze and then go to Jackhammer with them...but SKANKY ;) Shameless!
Also, in the past I didn't feel particularly uncomfortable being the only woman in the bar but I definitely got some attitude from the mostly male clientele this time...Oh! And I didn't see any porn, but if they do show porn it can't be worse than Clarks on Clark! GMP 24x7!
I've lived in Uptown for over a year and a half. And when I came across this bar over a year ago... I found it to be refreshing to be away from the bars on Halsted. I remember discussing with friends how we were going to spend out summer up north, rather than going to BT...
Summer came and went. I think I've been to Atmosphere 3 times since the first time.... I dunno what happened because we were ALL about it.
I wish there was more pull to drive more traffic up there... It would be so much fun if we could get them to be busier!
I gave you 4 stars for potential :)
**** Disclaimer the 5 Stars are for the Bartender, the bar would normally get 3 stars from me at the most!
This past Sunday some friends and I decided to take a break from all the Market Days hoopla and headed up to Andersonville for lunch and cocktails. We ended up at @tmosphere, only because of the big open windows overlooking Clark St. and it seems a bit dead and low key.
Well first off my experience in the past with @mosphere has never been the best. Usually the bartenders are rude, or are drunk and rude. Well this Sunday we where met by their bartender Jorge, who I must say is HOT but not only that is NICE and personable.
As soon as we got their he greeted us with a smile, asked us how we where doing and took our drink order. He was quick, his drinks are good and he doesn't offer any attitude!
Even though @tmosphere isn't the prettiest or hottest place to be, I would definitely go back to visit Jorge again. He is there early evening so a good starting point for a night out!
Oh @mosphere! It seems you have an identity crisis. Please tell me: exactly WHAT are you trying to be? You have a lot of potential. It seems that you try to please everyone, but you don't really succeed.
Sometimes there are strippers. Sometimes there's dancing. Sometimes there are drag queens. In the past, there have been cabaret acts. You never know what to expect.
It is a nice space. It's clean, comfortable and nicely appointed. The drinks are good and reasonably priced and there are always decent specials.
For all of this, the place rarely is busy. This bar is stumbling distance from my house, but I tend to avoid it.
The staff is friendly and it has a good neighborhood vibe. These factors prompt me to give it three stars, although it 2.5 might be more like it. If I do pop into @mosphere, it's as a "first drink of the night" kind of deal. It's usually pretty quiet and makes for good "where do we go next" conversation.
I just wish they could pull it together better. For a place that calls itself @mosphere, it rather lacks atmosphere.
i must say that the idea of male strippers is fairly hilarious to me in the first place. muscly mens gyrating in banana hammocks and work boots just doesn't do it for me. but, if i must watch strippers, i prefer that they be semi-conscious and lucid. i realize the stage is about the size of a toaster oven but at least attempt to move around to the music. laying against the wall and rubbing yourself while gazing bleary eyed at the ceiling... not all that sexy.
now that thats out of the way, i will say that the bartenders have always been very friendly to me here and though the music isn't my thing, it fits the stripper vibe they've got goin' on.
The drinks are strong. The porn never ends.
That's about it -- have been here a few times now, and it's always been dead minus one Friday late night when I stopped in, when the dancers had started.
End your night here, but don't start it.
Oh @mosphere, how you make me giggle! As a semi-pro "fag hag," I've been to few places that are more unabashedly gay. I don't know if it is the madonna techno or the boys in lamé hot shorts, but this place sort of seems like how a gay bar would be in the movies.
I always have a great time when i come to @tmosphere. The bartenders are great, the crowd is friendly and last but not least my favorite Cabaret duo sings here...Amy and Freddy. I've followed them around for the past 8 years or so and this is one of the friendliest bars they have performed at.
@tmosphere you're okay in my book!
I just had to give @tmosphere a few stars! I love it here. Its always a fun time. And Micheal ( not sure the spelling) Is always the best bartender ever. I've been going here for years. Known by name, I am always taken care of and have a great time at this place. Sure its not crazy busy all the time and not in boystown but this is my fun place in Aville. Its fun no matter if you wanna check out strippers, or dance or just relax with some friends.
So I have been to @mosphere a couple of times and I just don't get it, the prices are good, the service is attentive and friendly, but I think this bar is not sure what it is. One night they had strippers, but there isn't really a stage, more of a podium so it was kinda ackward. I want one tuesday night and it was pretty dead, but they were blasting generic diva pop with the disco ball going full force and horrible, weird, almost painfully softcore porn on the tvs behind the bar. I love the exposed brick, and the raised area in front, but I honestly think they should take advantage of it. It's not in boystown, and thankfully bar patrons in Andersonville see that as a plus, so I think they should embrace their surroundings and the appeal, at least for me would go way up. I wouldn't hesitate to return given the occasion, but definitely very low on my list of gay bars.
A fun and interesting Saturday night. I'm not sure if every Saturday has the same schedule but what we saw we enjoyed. When we first arrived there was a dancing/singing type thing going on (I have no idea what to call it. It was a group of people, choreographed, singing random Madonna and Boy band songs, in different arrangements of people). It was absolutely entertaining.
After that, male strippers.
Perfect bar for a bachelorette party (if you want that kind of party). There were moments of slight creepiness (and if you're "innocent" or naive or, dare I say it, prude, you wouldn't enjoy what we saw), but overall the friends and I felt really comfortable here and laughed and danced and drank.
Great drink specials ($1 well drinks and jello shots on Tuesdays!) and friendly staff.
I have yet to come here on a weekend.. but during the week, the other patrons are friendly, and its not too smoky or crowded.
And the pretzels they leave out for me to nosh on are not stale. Bonus!
Having been in my share of similar spots, I keep coming back to this one because it just seems to have a more "up" vibe to it. Whether that's the staff, the patrons who are refreshingly not the primping Halsted lot, the open windows facing Clark, or the distracting rugby players on the screens, you've got me, but that plus a clean washroom adds up to a nice spot to put yourself under the hammer and put together a proper hangover.
You gotta love @mosphere when you're in Andersonville. My friends like to stop in here when we are in the area. They pour the drinks stiff and that's not the only thing.. they have male dancers on Friday and Saturday nights. It gives you something to look at while you're in there. They also have eye candy on the plasmas so you have something else to look at. The bartenders are sweet and they like to give you some extra vodka with your cocktail!
@mosphere is possibly my new favorite bar. Or at least my new favorite place to get an ego boost. I've never been told I was beautiful more times that last night at @mosphere. I don't care that the men who were telling me were gay, they were sincere dang it, I did look cute! For me Thursday nights may be the way to go. Three dollar well drinks? Check. Male strippers giving lap dances? Check. Boys Gone Wild on every TV screen ? Check. Good times. Hopleaf had better watch out!
A cool neighborhood gay bar in Andersonville.
Unlike the Halsted scene, this place doesn't try to knock you out with attitude when you walk in. That's a huge plus!
The drink prices are reasonable, there's no cover charge at the door, and the bartenders are all friendly and fun.
Great small dance bar in Chicago. Nice service and friendly . We were here on Sat night .They have male dancers and very fun upbeat musics . Free buffet on Sun. 6pm.-8pm. We'll comeback for sure!
While Atmosphere draws a large, eclectic mix, the crowd is predominantly gay and lesbian. There's never a cover, though the space does host special events and benefits that are always open to the public. A 30-foot-long bar and an elevated seating area overlook the dance floor, often set in motion by a DJ spinning dance hits and house standards. Exposed brick walls, galvanized metal and hardwood floors and warm lighting create an inviting upscale ambiance. Closed Mondays, the week starts off with $1 bud light drafts and well drinks on Tuesdays, Wednesdays feature the Comedy and Song talent of Amy Armstrong and Freddy Allen. There's always great music on the awesome sound system with many local guest DJs . Fridays and Saturdays feature late night Go-Go boys if that's your thing. Sunday Free buffet from 6pm to 8pm.
Summer Hours: 5 p.m.-2 a.m. Tuesday through Friday; 3 p.m.-3 a.m. Saturday; 3 p.m.-2 a.m. Sunday; Closed Monday except for private parties
For the warmer months @mosphere gets a four star review. I love going there on a weeknight when it is nearly empty and sitting at a table in the window with a couple friends for hours. Somehow I always seem to end up there on dollar drink night as well. Do they have them that often or is it just a fluke? I don't know. Hey - for cheap drinks and a nice spot to sit and chat this is a great place to check out in Andersonville.
The staff are fun and festive. The place needs to be aired out occasionally. While the dancers on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays are "hit-and-miss." Generally, this can be a fun place to hang out, have a beer, laugh with people and actually spend a pleasant evening of drinking.
Yikes....I have to say the on the plus side they have actually washed the space. I am sure all of us recall the days when this place needed a good wash-down with some bleach!! They also have greatly improved the lighing and the place looks good considering. I will have to say that this was my first visit in a couple years, but unfortunately I probably won't be back unless all other adult beverage providers in the hood are shuttered. The overwhelming smell of urine soaked tighty whities blended with some sort of fabreeze fragrance was rather vomit inducing. The next swing of the axe was that this bar is flying under the radar with the IRS! REALLY??? CASH ONLY?? LOL I might not have been so stunned had the ATM at the front door been placed in the back, in addition, the bar makes money from every withdrawal from it. Well and lastly, I won't even comment on the emaciated call boy pummeling his pelvis like a woodpecker seeking bugs from a tree, on a 2x2 box and forced to prop himself up against a scratchy brick wall when he loses his balance...ouch.
Neighborhood: Edgewater
Category: Karaoke
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Uptown
Category: Gay Bars
Neighborhood: Lakeview
Category: Gay Bars
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