Lakeview just picked up a new neighborhood hangout with some serious queer nightlife cred. Fathom, a queer-focused cocktail lounge from Whitney LaMora and Zoe Schor, the team behind Dorothy, quietly opened last Thursday on Belmont, easing into the scene rather than kicking the doors off their hinges.
The space mixes bar and booth seating, with a garage door that rolls up to the sidewalk and a restored photo booth salvaged from a former Berlin nightclub. Owners say they leaned into a nautical, coastal aesthetic, but kept the overall vibe intentionally low-key and neighborhood-friendly.
The bar opened to the public last Thursday, as reported by Block Club Chicago. Fathom sits at 1622 W. Belmont, with hours and contact details posted on its official site. Fathom currently notes the bar is “Now open daily at 5pm.”
From Dorothy to Lakeview
LaMora and Schor also operate Dorothy, the West Town lesbian cocktail lounge they reopened in 2022. The about page on Dorothy highlights a slate of inclusive programming, including Enby Night and other community-centered gatherings that helped cement the bar as more than a place to grab a drink.
With Fathom, the duo is trying to bring that same sensibility to a more street-level, neighborhood-facing space in Lakeview, trading basement hideaway energy for a storefront that opens directly onto Belmont.
Design and Features
Inside, Fathom leans into coastal motifs and custom banquettes, with that Berlin photo booth as a kind of unofficial mascot, according to Block Club Chicago. The layout combines counter service with booth seating and a small area that can host late-night programming.
A roll-up garage door along the front lets the room open directly to the street on warmer nights, signaling that this is meant to be both a comfortable local bar and a place that can flip into event mode when needed.
What It Means for Queer Nightlife
Fathom’s debut adds another piece to Chicago’s patchwork of queer-focused spots, particularly for those looking beyond the Northalsted corridor. Eater Chicago has documented how Dorothy’s programming has prioritized trans and nonbinary patrons, a model Fathom’s owners have discussed adapting for a more casual, neighborhood-style bar.
Local reporting also notes that the owners filed for a liquor license and bought the building in 2025 as part of a long-range plan for the space, according to What Now Chicago. In other words, Fathom was not a spur-of-the-moment idea.
Practical Details
Fathom lists its address as 1622 W. Belmont and its contact number as 773-904-7299 on its site. According to Fathom, the bar opens daily at 5 p.m. and is planning a mix of quieter weeknight service with more structured programming on weekends. Early visitors reported a soft opening with a relaxed, neighborhood crowd.
For LaMora and Schor, Fathom is the latest step in a steady effort to keep Chicago’s sapphic and queer-centered spaces alive and accessible. Dorothy frames that mission as building community-first queer nightlife across the city, and Fathom brings that project to a new corner of Lakeview.
