Andersonville’s New LGBTQ Bar With Karaoke and Boozy Slushies Opens Today
by Ashok Selvam @Shokdiesel, Chicago Eater
Meeting House Tavern replaces Cantina 1910 with drinks and Skee-Ball
The second tenant to fill the former Cantina 1910 space opens today, as Meeting House Tavern — a new LGBTQ bar — launches in Andersonville. The bar will work in tandem with Hutch American Kitchen + Bar, which opened in January inside the same building at 5025 N. Clark Street. Meeting House occupies the front portion of the building and customers can roll Skee-Ball, throws darts, and play pool.
The new bar is from Mark Robertson and Mike Sullivan who also owned Cantina 1910, the Mexican restaurant that previous was in the space. The duo also own SoFo Tap, located a block south of Meeting House on Argyle and Clark. While there are 10 TVs for sports and watch parties (the latter’s a big draw at LGBTQ bars), the owners installed games like shuffleboard to give the space an interactive quality. They see Meeting House as a complement to the existing LGBTQ-friendly spots in the neighborhood. Expect karaoke, country music DJs, and nights with cult movies.
The drinks selection includes rotating boozy slushies and nightly specials. There were customers at Cantina who bemoaned the lack of a margarita on the opening drink list. For those haters and any other customers, Meeting House offers a signature margarita on tap. Hutch, the neighboring restaurant, will provide the tavern with a bar bites menu.
Robertson and Sullivan have plenty of experience with similar bars. They were involved with Crew Bar + Grill for seven years in Uptown before it closed last year and are looking for a new home for it, according to the bar’s website. In the interim, the LGBTQ community has new spot to hang in Andersonville. Meeting House Tavern opens today.
