@mosphere

I ordered Titos but it tasted like well vodka. Skeptical that it’s true Titos and not cheap vodka they put in it instead

I’ve been to @mosphere twice for Wednesday night Drag Queen BINGO and have always had a good time (seeing how I’ve won 4 times). The regulars are more than happy to welcome a new face to the exciting world of BINGO.
The bar is a decent size and the bartender isn’t shy when it comes to pouring the booze. The only negative about @mosphere is that it’s a cash only bar.

Strong drinks, mediocre talent dancing in their underwear. Place is kinda dated, it’s got a distinct 1970’s, gay sex is still taboo feel. I’d say it’s okay for a quick drink, but not all night… Unless of course you’re ugly. If you’re ugly, you may get turned on by the mediocre dancers. If that’s the case, bring your singles so you can keep creeping on those guys and making pathetic attempts to touch their junk! :)

Visited awhile back and came in for a few drinks and to hang out. Pretty large space with seating at bar, high tops, and stage for dancers (attractive men in briefs). Very laid-​back bar, nothing too flashy. It wasn’t overly crowded, decent music. I’d return.
–1 cash only

Great neighborhood place to hang out! All of the bartenders and staff are so friendly, and the owner Charlie is maybe the nicest guy ever. I contacted him about reserving some seating/​table space last weekend for a bachelorette party, and he was so friendly and accommodating! Cheap drinks, good beats, waxed chests — what more can you ask for? We had an awesome time, can’t wait to go back and check out a drag show or two in the future.

I’m starting to wonder if this place is a front for some illegal gambling or S&M in the basement. There is never anyone in this place whenever I pass it. I’d really like it if they’d swap places with Marty’s as they always have too big of a crowd for that tiny space.

YAWN… RUDE…
Rarely any one in here and when it is crowded, the crowd is not fun and not pretty. Even the go go boys can’t make this place rock.
Most recently (and for the last time), I went in with some friends and was so disappointed. Bartenders with attitude that don’t know how to handle a crowd. I don’t care if you are gay or straight or bi — learn to bartend boys and girls! Yeah, serve all your friends first and ignore everyone else at the bar. Very nice. After waiting 15 minutes for a drink, the bartender continued to ignore me when a group of his friends walked in and pushed their way to his station. So wait another 5 minutes as the bartender does shots with all this friends and just about everyone else at the other end of the bar. Then I called the bartender over (politely, I called him over since I have worked as a bartender and I get it) and he shouted «WAIT YOUR TURN MF!!» Well, that was enough for me so my friends and I left and went down the street to a more friendly and fun bar. I recommend the management there watch their bartenders more carefully and maybe train them in customer service. Unless of course you are trying to be Mini-​Bar, then, well, good luck with that.
The door staff seemed very nice so that was a surprise. Maybe they should train your bartenders.
Won’t be back.

Great atmosphere, drinks and great place to socialize. Drinks are reasonably price, great service and the owner is an amazing person. Warm, charming and great at making you feel welcome.

forgot to add… they have male dancers every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night…
NEW drink special for Friday: $ 13 Cosmo Pitchers… woo hoo

What a shame. Such a good market in Andersonville and this place ends up a waste of space. To the owners, if you read this:
1) Playing «untz untz untz» music at full volume with 10 people in the entire bar is NOT COOL. Chances are, we’re probably trying to have a chat.
2) Whatever music subscription service you’re using — please dear god, let that subscription run out. Nobody wants to hear bad Mary J Blige remixes anymore. Just put on an ipod and keep in mind that gay boys like guitars too.
3) Go go boys? Really? Sweetie, this ain’t boystown. Save it for the tourists and straight girls. Those boys are awkwardly painful to watch.
4) Fix that nasty-​ass bathroom.
Complete these steps, and you just might win a crowd. As is, this bar is sad.

I’ve heard friends buzz about this place, but when I checked it out last Saturday, it was kind of boring. I thought it would have been a lot larger, and there was probably a crowd of 20 or less, including the 1 no-​no dancer. Okay, I mean go-​go dancer. Drinks weren’t that great, and it’s cash only!

The only drawback being this place is cash-​only, I was still pleasantly surprised with the very cool staff– thanks, Michael, for being a great tender o’ the bar.
I’ve only been here on a Sunday evening thus far, but I would definitely return for more fun with friends.

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 décor 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.

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 Unilocal 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.

Boys night out for team Unilocal.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 Unilocal 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 Unilocal 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 Unilocal 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.

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.

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!

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.

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 24×7!

@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!