Fat Cat Bar
Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar is an independent neighborhood restaurant and bar in Uptown Chicago, founded in 2007, serving locals and entertainment district patrons with American comfort food, craft cocktails, draft beer, private events, and catering from a single location near the Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Fat Cat Bar does
Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar is a privately held, single-location neighborhood restaurant and bar operating since 2007 at 4840 North Broadway in Uptown Chicago, one block from the Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre. The business operates as a full-service venue offering American comfort food (including weekend brunch on Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00am to 3:00pm and Fish Fry Fridays specials), a craft cocktail program with signature drinks priced $13-$15.75, a rotating draft beer selection emphasizing Chicago breweries, wine, and non-alcoholic options including mocktails. The venue features indoor dining, two outdoor patios, gaming options (pool, shuffleboard, giant Jenga), and weekly happy hour promotions on Wednesdays and Thursdays.
Beyond core dine-in operations, Fat Cat generates supplementary revenue through three secondary streams: private event hosting for 20-200 on-site or 75-400 off-site guests covering weddings, corporate events, and social gatherings; catering services with a $250 minimum order supporting pickup, delivery, and full-service options; and a tiered loyalty rewards program (Fat Cat Rewards) where members earn one point per dollar spent, redeemable for discounts and experiential rewards up to private cocktail parties. The go-to-market is direct-to-consumer with orders placed on-premises, via phone (with curbside delivery ensuring 100% of proceeds stay with the business), through SpotOn online ordering, and via SpotOn Reserve for table reservations. Marketing relies primarily on Instagram (@fatcatchicago) and word-of-mouth among Uptown neighborhood regulars.
The underlying technology stack is commodity: a SpotOn point-of-sale and ordering platform, SpotOn Reserve for reservations, Checkle for menu presentation, and Instagram for organic social marketing. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capabilities, no app, and no disclosed integrations beyond these standard SaaS tools. Pricing across the menu is unit-based pay-as-you-go, with a 3% credit card transaction surcharge. The company is independently owned with no disclosed investors, parent company, subsidiaries, or funding history.
Fat Cat Bar firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Fat Cat Bar
- Legal name
- Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar
- Website
- https://fatcatbar.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar is an independent neighborhood restaurant and bar in Uptown Chicago, founded in 2007, serving locals and entertainment district patrons with American comfort food, craft cocktails, draft beer, private events, and catering from a single location near the Aragon Ballroom and Riviera Theatre.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Fat Cat Bar industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Restaurant & Bar Services
- NAICS
- Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (722410)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Neighborhood & Sports Bars (THAFAEAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Neighborhood Bars & Taverns (CRANACAA), Cocktail Bars & Lounges (CRANACAD)
Keywords
Where Fat Cat Bar is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Fat Cat Bar business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Food and Beverage Sales: Core revenue from food and beverage sales including weekend brunch, dinner service, and daily specials. Menu features craft cocktails, local and seasonal beers, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Happy hour specials on Wednesdays and Thursdays drive mid-week traffic.
- Private Events: Revenue from hosting private events including weddings, baby showers, corporate meetings, fundraisers, and social gatherings. Handles 20-200 guests on-site and 75-400 guests for off-site events. Fully staffed events with customizable menus and beverage programs.
- Catering Services: Catering pick-up, delivery, and full-service catering. Minimum order $250. Menu items made fresh from local ingredients including canapes, trays, platters, and desserts. Gluten-free, vegetarian, and vegan options available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour - Whiskey Wednesdays |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Happy Hour - Thursday Martinis |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Cocktail Menu |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Draft Beer and Cider |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Fish Fry Friday Special |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Catering Minimum Order |
| Other | Monthly | Loyalty Rewards Program |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels5 records
Fat Cat Bar product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar operates a full-service neighborhood restaurant and bar in Uptown Chicago, selling American comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails, rotating local and imported draft beers, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. It supplements dine-in service with catering, private event hosting for 20-400 guests, weekend brunch, and weekly happy hour specials.
Product overview
Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar is a neighborhood gathering place operating since 2007 in Uptown Chicago. The core offering is a full-service restaurant and bar featuring a diverse food menu (including weekend brunch, Fish Fry Fridays specials, and American comfort food), hand-crafted cocktails (with signature drinks like Hi-Hat and seasonal specials), rotating draft beer selection (emphasizing local Chicago breweries), bottled beverages, wine, and non-alcoholic options. Supplementary services include catering (with $250 minimum), private events hosting (20-200 on-site, 75-400 off-site), a loyalty rewards program (earning 1 point per dollar), online ordering/pickup, and table reservations. Weekly promotions include Whiskey Wednesday Happy Hour and Thursday Martini Happy Hour.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Food Menu
Companies that use Fat Cat Bar
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Fat Cat Bar technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Fat Cat Bar partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Fat Cat Bar competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant: Multi-location brewpub chain with craft beer, full menu, and private event catering — comparable on brewpubs serving craft beer alongside food and offering event hosting at a broader, more standardized scale.
Direct peers
- Chief O'Neill's Pub: Avondale Irish pub and restaurant with full bar, comfort food, and private event hosting — comparable on traditional neighborhood pub operation, food-plus-drink mix, and event services.
- Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar: Long-running Bridgeport/Chicago neighborhood bar and bottle shop with craft beer selection, patio, and community gathering positioning — comparable on neighborhood anchoring, craft beer curation, and casual food menu.
- Hopleaf Bar: Andersonville Chicago neighborhood institution known for an extensive Belgian beer list, gastropub-style food, and patio seating — directly comparable to Fat Cat as a Chicago neighborhood bar with food, rotating craft beer, and outdoor dining.
- The Green Mill: A long-running Uptown Chicago bar and live jazz venue one block from Fat Cat, sharing the same neighborhood, nearby CTA/L access points, and pre/post-entertainment drinking clientele.
- The Reveler Bar: Logan Square neighborhood bar known for craft cocktails, beer, and casual food — comparable to Fat Cat on cocktail/beer programs and casual neighborhood focus.
- Sleeping Village: An Avondale/Chicago craft beer bar and music venue that similarly emphasizes rotating local draft beer, casual food, and a neighborhood gathering atmosphere — directly comparable to Fat Cat's craft-beer and cocktail-driven model.
- Handlebar Bar & Grill: A long-standing Chicago neighborhood bar with outdoor patio, weekend brunch, and burgers/comfort food menu — overlapping with Fat Cat on brunch, patio, casual bar/grill experience.
- Fountainhead Craft Beer Bar: Ravenswood/Andersonville craft beer bar with rotating taps, elevated pub food, and large outdoor patio — comparable to Fat Cat on local-rotating-tap focus, neighborhood gathering positioning, and patio-driven traffic.
Regional players
- Butch McGuire's Tavern: Chicago Gold Coast/Magnificent Mile institution bar with full menu and martini/cocktail focus — comparable on bar-led cocktail program and traditional Chicago neighborhood bar positioning.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Fat Cat Bar social profiles
Digital presenceFat Cat Bar financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Fat Cat Bar leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Fat Cat Bar funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Fat Cat Bar M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Fat Cat Bar
What does Fat Cat Bar do?
Fat Cat Restaurant & Bar operates a full-service neighborhood restaurant and bar in Uptown Chicago, selling American comfort food, hand-crafted cocktails, rotating local and imported draft beers, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages. It supplements dine-in service with catering, private event hosting for 20-400 guests, weekend brunch, and weekly happy hour specials.
Is Fat Cat Bar a public or private company?
Fat Cat Bar is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Fat Cat Bar founded?
Fat Cat Bar was founded in 2007. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Fat Cat Bar based?
Fat Cat Bar is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does Fat Cat Bar make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Food and Beverage Sales are the primary driver. The others are private Events and catering Services.
Who are Fat Cat Bar's main competitors?
Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Chief O'Neill's Pub, Maria's Packaged Goods & Community Bar, Hopleaf Bar, The Green Mill, The Reveler Bar, Sleeping Village, Handlebar Bar & Grill and Fountainhead Craft Beer Bar. Butch McGuire's Tavern is listed as a regional player.
Does Fat Cat Bar have an API?
No public API is recorded for Fat Cat Bar.
What industry is Fat Cat Bar in?
Fat Cat Bar's product category is Restaurant & Bar Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFAEAA, Neighborhood & Sports Bars, with a secondary code of CRANACAA, Neighborhood Bars & Taverns. Its NAICS code is 7224 and its SIC code is 5810.