Fatpour Tap Works

What Fatpour Tap Works does

Fatpour Tap Works is a multi-location polished-casual dining and sports-bar concept operating three Chicago-area locations — Wicker Park (2005 West Division St), McCormick Place (2206 S Indiana Ave, across from Wintrust Arena), and Lincolnwood (7244 Lincoln Ave) — under parent company Big Onion Hospitality, LLC. The core offering centers on American-inspired cuisine, 200+ craft beers on tap, iconic keg-wall aesthetics, and wall-to-wall TV coverage for a "gameday atmosphere." The company was founded in 2012 and employs 19 staff per disclosed figures, serving walk-in diners, sports enthusiasts, group celebrations, and event planners.

Revenue is generated almost entirely through on-premise food and beverage sales (dine-in, bar, delivery, and pickup) with incremental contribution from catering packages priced $145–$205 for groups of up to 12, and private-event bookings for parties of 9 to 200+ managed through the Tripleseat platform. Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer across dine-in, online ordering, and reservations, supplemented by event-driven marketing partnerships (e.g., Michigan Wolverines sponsorship, Lollapalooza promotions) and an email newsletter. Customer segments are horizontally diversified across sports fans, casual diners, group event planners, and corporate clients, with no enterprise anchor concentration.

Beyond core F&B, the company has built a modest recreational programming layer — Fatpour Curling leagues across locations and a Fatpour Euchre League at Lincolnwood — plus recurring trivia, bingo, and weekly drink specials designed to drive midweek traffic and repeat visits. There is no proprietary technology, no AI/ML capability, no disclosed external funding, no M&A activity, and no intellectual property portfolio; the business is a privately held, operationally driven multi-unit restaurant group whose growth depends on same-store sales, additional locations, and ancillary revenue streams.

Name

Fatpour Tap Works

Legal name

Big Onion Hospitality, LLC

Website

https://fatpourchicago.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fatpour Tap Works is a Chicago-area polished-casual sports bar and dining concept operating three locations (Wicker Park, McCormick Place, Lincolnwood) under Big Onion Hospitality, serving sports fans, casual diners, and private event guests with American cuisine, 200+ craft beers, and gameday programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Casual Dining Restaurants

NAICS

Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) (7224), Full-Service Restaurants (722511)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYTHAFAEAG

Craft Beer Bars & Taprooms

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Bars, Pubs & Nightlife Venues

SECONDARYTHAFALAA

Brewpubs & Taprooms (On-site Beer Service)

Travel & Hospitality/Foodservice & Beverage (Restaurants, Cafes, Bars)/Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries (Taprooms/Tasting Rooms)

SECONDARYCRANACAF

Taprooms & Brewpubs

Consumer Products & Retail/Tobacco, Alcohol & Cannabis Retail/On-Premise Alcohol Retail (Bars, Pubs & Taprooms)

Keywords

• Sports bar dining
• Craft beer selection
• Casual dining restaurant
• Private event catering
• Polished casual dining

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Food and Beverage Sales: Primary revenue from food and beverage sales at three Chicago-area locations. Includes dine-in service, bar sales, and American-inspired cuisine.
2. Catering Services: Catering packages for events serving up to 12 people, including pizza combos, mini sandwich combos, and signature entrée combos with per-person pricing.
3. Private Events and Reservations: Revenue from private party bookings, group reservations, and event space rentals across Wicker Park, McCormick Place, and Lincolnwood locations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Fatpour Tap Works is a polished casual dining and sports bar concept operating three Chicago-area locations, offering 200+ craft beers on tap, American-inspired cuisine, and a comprehensive gameday atmosphere with wall-to-wall TV screens. The company also provides catering services, private event hosting for groups of 9-200+, and recreational league activities including curling and euchre.

Product overview

Fatpour Tap Works is a multi-location sports bar and casual dining restaurant chain operating three locations in the Chicago area: Wicker Park, McCormick Place, and Lincolnwood. The core offering is an elevated sports bar experience featuring 200+ craft beers on tap, American-inspired cuisine, iconic keg wall aesthetics, and extensive gameday viewing with wall-to-wall TVs. Additional offerings include curling leagues, euchre card game tournaments, private party hosting with dedicated event spaces, and catering services with packaged menu options. The chain operates under Big Onion Hospitality and emphasizes drink specials, happy hours, and sports viewing events across all locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Fatpour Tap Works Sports Bar & Dining A polished casual dining and sports bar concept serving American-inspired cuisine, 200+ craft beers, and an expansive gameday atmosphere with wall-to-wall TV screens across three Chicago-area locations (Wicker Park, McCormick Place, Lincolnwood). Targets sports enthusiasts, casual diners, and visitors to nearby venues.
• Fatpour Catering Catering packages and services for events serving up to 12 people, including pizza combos ($145), mini sandwich combos ($195), signature entrée combos ($205), appetizer platters, signature entrée platters for up to 6, salads, and individual beverages. Designed for corporate events, private parties, and group gatherings.
• Private Parties & Event Hosting Private event hosting at all three Fatpour locations with dedicated event spaces, customizable menus, and group reservation capabilities for parties of 9-200+ guests. Booked via Tripleseat direct booking system with dedicated event managers.
• Fatpour Curling Leagues Curling leagues and events held at Fatpour Tap Works locations, providing recreational curling activities for patrons as a unique entertainment offering beyond traditional sports bar activities.
• Fatpour Euchre League Euchre league activities offered at the Lincolnwood location, providing card game tournaments for patrons as a recurring social gaming offering.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Big Onion HospitalitycoreOthersFatpour Tap Works is a brand under Big Onion Hospitality, LLC. The parent company manages the privacy policy, communications (SMS via 312-667-6338), and corporate operations. Corporate contact at 1307 N Clybourn Ave, Suite A, Chicago, IL 60610.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Yard House: Upscale casual chain built around 100+ taps of craft beer, American-inspired cuisine, and a sports-viewing atmosphere. Closest direct comparison to Fatpour's craft-beer-rotation-led positioning and polished-casual service model.
• Twin Peaks: Sports-bar chain emphasizing beer, scratch food, and multi-screen sports viewing. Direct competitor on the gameday experience, beer selection, and casual dining occasion, with comparable unit economics profile.
• Hubbard Inn: Chicago River North bar and restaurant with multiple private event spaces and an extensive cocktail/beer program. Comparable to Fatpour's group event and private-party strategy in the same metro.
• Buffalo Wild Wings: National sports-bar chain centered on wings, beer, and wall-to-wall TV sports viewing. Direct competitor to Fatpour's gameday, beer-focused concept and operates at a scale that benchmarks the chain economics of a multi-unit sports bar.
• Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery: Multi-unit brewpub chain with in-house brewing, American pub menu, and on-site event capability. Comparable to Fatpour on the craft-beer-led casual dining and group event monetization, though with brewery operations Fatpour does not have.
• BJ's Restaurant and Brewhouse: National polished-casual chain combining craft beer production with American menu and televised sports. Comparable to Fatpour on the polished-casual + expansive beer + sports positioning, with the addition of in-house brewing.
• Timothy O'Toole's: Chicago sports bar with extensive beer selection and private event space. Competes directly with Fatpour for Chicago gameday patrons, group bookings, and casual dining occasions in the downtown/Near North corridor.
• Miller's Ale House: Polished-casual sports-bar chain with broad beer selection, American menu, and TVs throughout. Comparable unit-level positioning to Fatpour with similar guest demographic and event-driven traffic model.
• Harry Caray's Tavern: Chicago-anchored sports-themed restaurant group tied to the late broadcaster's brand. Direct competitor for Chicago sports tourist traffic and corporate/private events around Wrigleyville and the greater Chicago market.

Broad incumbents

• Hooters: Long-established national sports-bar chain with broad beer, sports-viewing, and casual dining menu. Broader incumbent comparable on gameday and beer-focused positioning, though differentiated by a different service model.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/fatpourtapworks
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fatpour-tap-works

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fatpour Tap Works