Midnight Cowboy
Cocktail bar · Congress Ave District ·
Intimate reservations-only lounge known for hip speakeasy vibe
Intimate reservations-only lounge known for hip speakeasy vibe
"This is one of the oldest Austin speakeasies, housed in a former brothel on Dirty Sixth Street Downtown. Make a reservation, which will come with a name that you’ll hit on the buzzer located outside of an unmarked door with a little red light overhead. Inside, you’ll see a long room that looks like it was plucked directly out of the Prohibition era, complete with tufted leather booths, dark marble tables, and old wood flooring. Make your way to the back, and you’ll find some larger rooms that we’re guessing is where business took place in Midnight Cowboy’s previous life. The menu is a mix of classic twists and staff creations, with many drinks made tableside off a rolling bar cart." - nicolai mccrary, matthew jacobs
"Midnight Cowboy, housed in a former brothel, was one of Austin's first speakeasies. You’ll need a reservation to get in—it comes with a name that you’ll hit on the buzzer outside of an unmarked door with a little red light overhead. Inside, the long room looks like it was plucked directly out of the Prohibition era, complete with tufted leather booths, dark marble tables, and old wood flooring. Calling this a Dirty Sixth bar almost feels like cheating, until you step outside afterward and see tipsy people stumbling around in every direction." - nicolai mccrary
"Housed behind a hidden door in a former brothel, this reservation-only speakeasy has been an Austin cocktail pioneer since 2012, offering a narrow, low-lit room with tufted-leather booths and exposed brick for an intimate experience. The menu continually reinvents riffs on classic cocktails—recent themed iterations produced playful drinks like a carrot-and-tamarind Crop Circle Colada and a dark, showy Espresso Martini called The Void." - Kara Newman
"This space used to be a brothel, and yes, fairly recently. Hence, the same Midnight Cowboy Modeling website. While no longer owned and operated by the Alamo Drafthouse, nothing has changed at this Dirty Sixth speakeasy. Make reservations (or look for a light on at the door to denote availability), press the Harry Craddock button when you arrive, and slide into one of the sleek, black booths for classic cocktails. There are private rooms available and also a small patio out back." - Darcie Duttweiler
"Opened in 2012 as one of Austin’s earlier speakeasy bars under the Alamo umbrella, Midnight Cowboy was later sold to new owners in late 2021." - Nadia Chaudhury