Midnight Cowboy

My boyfriend and I were in Austin for the day when we decided to check out this spot. It’s a very exclusive spot if you don’t have reservations or the secret buzzer code don’t bother. The place doesn’t even have a sign so that kind of throws you off but I’m glad we got in. Of course thanks to my boyfriend lol. Anyways the drinks are really good here and strong. Two drinks and the quiet bar area is so relaxing to unwind after a long day.

This place gave me the wrong vibe at first when they aggressively opened the door and asked what I wanted until I figured out that’s a part of the speak easy experience. The bar tenders were really knowledgeable and polite and even though the drinks were very «spirit forward» (which managed to surprise me even though they warned me), they were delicious. Highly recommended!

So I really like this place. From the red bulb being the only mark of the door, to the eccentric drink cart. It’s about a pretentious as you can get, and way over the top ‘into itself’ kinda place, but if you’re going to to for a certain style, you might as well hammer it home and this does that with a fervor! So I was into it, but my date had a bit of a problem with the ‘hourly’ table reservation, the level of pretentiousness, and the rude door guy. Either way, worth at least one visit!

Pretentious, overpriced, and the drinks are barely palatable. You will wait way too long for drinks and leave this place with a huge bill. Save your time and money and go to a bar that actually is happy to serve you.

The service is extremely Pompous. If you accidentally spill water they make a very snuddy comment about doing their job. Get over yourself. We booked a private room and they asked if we would be ok with a booth. No actually. Not worth it. Enjoy your $ 18 cocktail that was made from the exact same mix as the piano bar next door. Just because you have to have a password doesn’t mean you are cool. Bye.

What a cool bar. Yes maybe a little smug with the ringing the doorbell/​secret entrance type of deal, but super cool inside. Great drinks. Make a reservation.

Not only will I never go here again, but I will badmouth it to anyone who asks. Had a 9:30 reservation on Saturday night for me and a group of girlfriends. We had a great time with the first guy who served us and told us about the drinks menu but after that, the bartenders were rude, hostile and arrogant. When we tried to joke with the bartender about whether they served draft beer, he sneered at us. Then he could barely condescend to speak to us or explain what he was doing; then we got thrown out at 11:30 because there was another reservation, which no-​one had told us about when I booked or when we got there. At the very end we asked another bartender to take our picture and he looked annoyed and said: fine, quick.
It’s too bad because the drinks are great? To top it off, another person who was attending the same conference that I was in Austin to attend, told me the same thing happened to her. You know, if you don’t want to deal with people, find another job. I’m really tired of Artisanal food/​drink/​coffee places that can barely condescend to serve you. Never ever coming back.

Three words– Nom de Guerre. Do yourself a favor and order this. This drink is made table side– with a beautiful presentation and knowledgable explanation of the liquor that is used. Laphroaig is misted on the glass to give it a distinct smokey aroma that does not overpower the taste of the drink. The ambiance of the interior of Midnight Cowboy was dark and cozy– the perfect date spot… My date and I joked about the fact that this place use to be a «massage parlor» not that long ago– perhaps the back private rooms were where the «deed was done». Who knows. It was fun to banter about that. I left happy and glowing from my wonderful drink– life seems better after one of their cocktails– for a short time at least!

«Anup» was our server. He’s a super cool guy. We recommend him. Ask him about his «relationships» & for advice about life.
This place was firehouse lounge except it had the ambiguity firehouse is missing but no live music that firehouse had. Just a quieter more chill atmosphere. Both good for different reasons. The drinks we’re by far the best in Austin we had. Definitely a must if you can get in. Loved our experience

This place is all about hand-​crafted cocktails made table-​side! Reservations are a must and you can easily do it on their website (try to book at least a week in advance). The cocktails are unique and strong and it’s a great place to bring friends. Great service and awesome atmosphere. They even have a small private room for larger parties.
Ring «Harry Craddock» at the door!

I had heard about this bar but never got around to actually getting a reservation and going until recently, since it was a friend’s birthday and we planned in advance. It’s got a real speakeasy feel to it, both in figuring out how to get in, as well as in the ambiance once you’re inside. Worth noting is the soundproofing, since once you’re inside you can no longer hear the insane loudness that is dirty 6^th. The drinks are amazing of course, and several of them are even made in front of you. Really cool spot.

This is all about the experience and great cocktails. They did not disappoint with either. From pushing the button, to be letting in through the iron door and being seated in a private room in the back (party of 5) we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves.
The mixologist was great, and helpful in answering questions as well as recommending drinks. He also made some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had.
A great place to take out of town guests for an unique experience.

Reservation only, or get lucky, small hidden hideout with romantic booths and a mixologist that arrives at the table with a cart to make carefully crafted libations.

«Sir Harry Craddock please!»
Man this place is so cool! I feel like I’m in The Kingsman Secret Service movie when entering the Midnight Cowboy. Definitely take your friends here, as they’ll probably think you’re taking them to some shady modeling oriental massage parlor. ;] Reservations are a must (book a week in advance if possible).
The drinks and service are great. If you can’t decide ask the staff your preferences and they’ll give you a few recommendations. I don’t think they have the minimum 2 drink rule anymore (my gf and I both got one drink each and left).
Enjoy the beautiful quiet atmosphere of Midnight Cowboy because that kind of atmosphere doesn’t exist anywhere else on Dirty Sixth.

I finally made it here after it being on my must try list for the past 2+ years. Having it been so long that I’ve known about Midnight Cowboy, I knew full well that one is to make reservations first, otherwise it’s up to their availability as to whether you’d get in or not. That being said, the night I came here, I was not planning on it before hand so did not make any reservations. As a result, my date and I didn’t expect to get in. We came around 11pm on a weeknight and the guy behind the door asked if we had a reservation. Since we did not he said he’d have to check on space and other reservations. He came back and said there is no space and we couldn’t get in that night.
No problem. While walking away I pulled up their website on my phone and saw a reservation available for 11:15pm. I locked it in and we came back to the door at 11:15pm. The same door man answered, I noted the reservation and we were brought right in to sit down. There was at least one other open booth. I’m totally cool with places having their own policies and way of doing things. At the same time, I’m not sure what they gained by turning us away while they had open seating and no other people reserved for that time frame. It left me with a poor first impression and at least 1 star off this rating as a result. I can only assume that because they are on dirty, they probably don’t want the normal patrons of that area coming in their place which I totally get. Anyway, on to the drinks…
They have a fantastic drink menu and which made it difficult to decide which one to get. I went with the Nom De Guerre and not just because I like saying Nom De Guerre. It sounded right up my alley with Rye Whiskey, Nux Walnut Liqueur, Velvet Falernum, Laphroaig rinse, Decanter Bitters, and at least 1, maybe 2 other ingredients (I took a photo of this portion of the menu to try and remember, but it was too blurry to read). It was excellent and definitely a high quality, well crafted cocktail (just the kind I like). Plus the guy who made it table side was really nice and is great at what he does. I really liked the décor inside and the table side service (for certain drinks only). It was a mixed first experience and while I would come back, there are plenty of other spots in town (that aren’t on dirty) that I would go to first with just as good cocktails and nicer door people that are easier to get into on a whim.

My friends and I ventured to Midnight Cowboy on a recent trip to Austin. A true speakeasy, this place has a very narrow door as its entrance, and if you didn’t know the address, you would easily miss this spot. However, you must make reservations here, so I’d imagine it’s pretty difficult to just stumble upon this place. Upon arriving at their door, there’s a list of name options to buzz. Like all the other reviewers noted, ring «Harry Craddock».
We stood outside and waited a while for a petite lady to open the door slightly, just to ask our reservation and to wait as she verified. As we stood and waited, there was a crowd starting to form behind us, attempting to peer beyond the door to see what this mystery venue held inside. The lady quickly let us in and abruptly asked, «Are these people with you?». When we answered no, she slammed the door in their face. If Midnight Cowboy is attempting to bring the façade of being a truly secretive speakeasy to its patrons, it certainly accomplished it with us.
We were then brought to a small, private room. The room is very intimate, with booth seating and one small table in the middle, so you have to make sure you really love the company with whom you’ve decided to spend your time. After taking our orders, the server rolls a cart to the entrance of the room and makes our drinks in front of us. The drink making process is somewhat long, and if you’re not making small talk with the bartender, this could probably become a bit awkward. We engaged our server in conversation the whole time, and he went into detail to describe the drinks to us, and all the specialty ingredients and flair they use to stand out. A couple of times, the bartender lit garnishes on fire, which really impressed the men in our group.
Overall, these drinks didn’t totally wow us and you get the sense that maybe this place is trying too hard to branch outside of the box, but come here with an open mind and enjoy the experience – it’s a fun one!

So, I think they abolished their two drink minimum policy (or at least weren’t enforcing it on the night we patronized the bar). There’s no mention of it on their website either anymore, so I’m guessing it is gone for good. This is great news, since I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be able to function after two drinks.
I consider this place to be a little oasis on 6^th. I can honestly say I hate, hate, HATE dirty 6^th. It’s probably the combination of not being young or drunk enough (or single, for that matter) to really enjoy the debauchery that ensues on that little stretch, but most of the bars there are identical: loud, crowded, and specialize in serving bud or miller lite. Not my kind of places.
Midnight Cowboy, however, is the complete opposite. Some may say pretentious, since they usually require a reservation (though some lucky walk-​in patrons can snag a table during slow times). You have to be let in by pushing the «Harry Craddock» button and having the door guy allow you in if you have a reservation (or if space is available). No rowdiness is allowed. This is the lone place on dirty 6^th where one can actually hold a conversation. I absolutely love it.
The drinks are all specialty cocktails, costing about $ 12 or so per drink. One is pretty much all you need. Every cocktail on the menu contained at least one ingredient that I was completely unfamiliar with, which added to the fun.
If you ever find yourself on 6^th and can’t stand the loud drunk people around you, look for the little red light bulb and escape the noise.

My daughter had been telling me for months about this great little bar right in the middle of 6^th Street and we finally went together last Friday evening.
This place is great! You don’t absolutely HAVE to make reservations, although we did, just an hour in advance. You have to ring their doorbell and if there are empty tables, of course they’ll let you in. The place looks like a rundown apartment house from the front.
At 7:15 on a Friday night they were not completely booked, but close to it. We sat at one of the booths in the main part of the bar. There is a patio out back and at least two little «rooms» for a larger party beyond the bar itself — this place was busted as a brothel a while back (like recently, not a hundred years ago).
Our waiter was Adrian (I think — we didn’t ask until we had shared five drinks) and he was a delight. He knew his stuff — the drinks are complicated and absolutely wonderful. I don’t like Scotch or Whiskey, but the two drinks we ordered with Scotch and Whiskey were the best ones of the five.
My only complaint is that they only have mixed nuts to eat. But then, a couple at a table across from us brought food from another restaurant, so that’s probably even better than ordering there. We are going back this weekend with my husband when my son is here visiting from NYC. We’ve already decided to order the delicious mussels dish from The Iron Cactus across the street and bring it to the Midnight Cowboy to enjoy with these incredible drinks.
There is a two-​hour limit for each table and they abide by that, which was fine with us. They open at 6pm, don’t have a Happy Hour, and all drinks are $ 12 each. They’re worth it, and I’m a cheapskate who hates paying a lot for alcohol in bars and restaurants. But this place uses square cubes, some large, some small, and some drinks are served straight up, no ice. Sipping them, you don’t feel like you’re getting gouged. Another bar/​restaurant we went to that night served drinks that were mostly crushed ice and that pissed me off.
We also liked the fact that the place is quiet, no loud music (maybe there was some music, but we didn’t notice it). We could actually TALK TO EACH OTHER!
I didn’t read reviews for this bar until I got home and I have to say I might not have gone, after reading the last review (posted on 6÷1÷15) before I’m posting mine, saying it’s «wannabe swanky.» Well, it isn’t. Everyone there is really friendly and our waiter was one the best ever, anywhere, very attentive and charming, with a great sense of humor. And there is nothing «swanky» about the place. Anyone who would not go to Midnight Cowboy because of that review should just head on over to Cheer Up Charlie’s on Red River. The music there should be loud and hip enough for them.

You have to love the fact that a great cocktail bar like this exists on 6^th street. The secretive nature of the establishment definitely adds to its allure. It is definitley a good idea to make a reservation although we were lucky enough to get in on a night we didn’t have a reservation so keep that in mind if you are ever walking by and in need a quality drink.
The table-​side presetnation is great and the service is top-​notch. If you haven’t tried Midnight Cowboy yet, you should make the reservation because I can guarentee you won’t regret it.

This Austin, TX speakeasy is outstanding!
It’s always nice when you meet somebody who is a master at their craft. I’m sure all of the bartenders there know their gig inside and out but my bartender, Griffin, was extraordinary. I went in a bit apprehensive after reading several Unilocal reviews blasting the service here but those apprehensions were quickly shattered. I received excellent service and excellent drinks. I could have sat there all night.
An easy five stars.

La Midnight Cowboy es algo especial.
No es fácil de encontra esta barra. Está oculta en la calle sexta, detrás de una puerta que parece como la entrada a un edificio de apartamentos. Tienes que pulsar el timbre para ‘Craddock’ para entrar. Lo mejor es tener una reservación si quieres visitar el viernes o el sábado.
Adentro la barra es pequeño, oscura, y tranquilo, y íntimo.
Los cócteles son un poco caro, pero son fuerte. Le recomiendo que elija uno de los cócteles que se prepara en su mesa. El barman le explicará todos los licores y sabores, mientras se prepara su bebida (y eso es importante, porque hay muchos cosas poco comunes, tal como un licor de la República Checa que sabe a canela).