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Whistlin' Dixie's Texas Tavern - CLOSED
Categories: Nightlife Bars Restaurants Tex-Mex Restaurants American (Traditional) Bars, Tex-Mex, American (Traditional) [Edit]
714 11th Ave(between 50th St & 51st St)
New York, NY 10019
Neighborhoods: Hell's Kitchen, Midtown West
(877) 602-3377
- Nearest Transit:
-
50 St (A, C, E)
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Takes Reservations:
- No
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night, Dinner
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
20 reviews for Whistlin' Dixie's Texas Tavern
20 reviews in English
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Review from Melissa D.
BAYSIDE HILLS, NY
6/26/2009
Below is a review I made about Whistlin' Dixie's when they were open. However they have since closed.
Whistlin' Dixie's Texas Tavern is awesome! Their willingness to help out charities and fundraisers gives them an A+ in my book. What's better than raising money for a good cause while your drinking and playing beer pong?
We had a fundraiser there for $40 per person for 3 hours of open bar (domestic & imported beer & wine), $20 went to the bar and $20 to our charity. All our guests had a fantastic time and most likely huge hangovers the next day. I know I most certainly did! Despite how packed the bar got, there was no wait for drinks as there usually is in other places. The staff is EXTREMELY accommodating and they made the entire experience a memorable one.
Before we had the event there, I never heard about this place or for that matter never went to a bar over on 11th Ave. Now I cannot wait to go back and chill with some friends for a happy hour! It's totally a down-to-earth, comfy, good time place. Book your next event there or just go and kick back some beers! -
Review from Scott R.
11/5/2007
If you're going to put a bar as far west as 11th ave, you need two of three things:
1) Cheap drinks & food
2) Something really special (cool vibe, great burger, etc.)
3) Naked, dancing women
Whistlin' Dixie's barely manages #1. They did have $6 pitchers when I came by on a football Sunday. The food - a combo of bar food and Tex-Mex - veered from pricy to cheap. After friends didn't wholeheartedly recommend the burger ($9) and other $10+ sandwiches didn't sway me, settled on a dozen chicken wings for $6 (good value) and a cup of vegetarian chili. Both were okay. Other appetizers like Texas Tacos and Beef Empanadas looked kind of interesting.
It fails on #2 though. The food isn't that good, the decor is somewhere between generic and kitschy Texas ranch, and the TVs aren't that easy to see.
So there's just not enough here to warrant the westward walk...so 2 stars and I ain't just whistlin' dixie...(sorry, had to write it)
Note: As for #3, there is no erotic dancing in Whistlin' Dixie but erotic dancers drink for free on Sundays (catering to nearby Hustler club I suppose). So if you're an erotic dancer who likes to drink on a budget or a guy who's interested in meeting a budget-conscious erotic dancer, this is your place. -
Review from Brian V.
Chatham, NJ
7/23/2008
When I lived on Broadway, anything west of 9th Avenue was usually too far for me. Now that I live in Astoria, for the most part that has really shrank down to 8th Avenue. But, there's one thing that will get me to go just about anywhere.
Free Beer.
I had heard a lot about Whistlin Dixie's before it opened through the dive bar community, but the initial reviews were pretty poor. I can hear all the rumors about free drinks for strippers on Sundays, but I'm not going all the way to 11th Ave for a mediocre bar.
Unless said mediocre bar is serving Free Beer.
Free Beer was happening for the bar's 1st anniversary the Wednesday before 4th of July weekend. It was crowded, but the bartenders did a good job of getting beer to everyone with minimal wait. The bartenders also did a good job of being hot.
Music was pretty good, only real issue was getting through the crowd. But the highlight for me was definitely when I made my 1st trip to the bathroom. As I was walking towards the back, an attractive blonde who I didn't think I had ever seen in my life jumps up from her table "HEY WHAT'S UP."
Things like this don't happen. Shockingly, I think I was able to play it off without making it too obvious. Luckily, with a friend's help we were able to figure out that she's a bartender from (the currently closed) Red Rock West. When I've told people this story, there are really only two responses:
A bartender from Red Rock West recognized you? That's unreal. (said with a bordering on reverential tone, as in, wow that's pretty cool)
A bartender from Red Rock West recognized you? That's unreal. (said with a looking down on me tone of sadness, as in, wow you are pathetic)
I'd go back to Whistlin Dixie's for free beer or other similar crazy drink specials. Otherwise, it's just too out of the way.Listed in: One Crazy Wednesday
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Review from Alan G.
New York, NY
1/22/2009
If for whatever reason you are out wandering by the Hudson, I guess you could stop by Whistlin' Dixie's since it's a hop, skip, and jump away!
I went here with my ZogSports dodgeball teammates after a game, and the staff was perky (not annoyingly so, just very warm) and courteous. They gave us some good specials (I guess it was a ZogSports thing - they have this whole drink-at-one-of-our-bars-after-a-game-for-charity thing) and it was a good time. Pretty much just chilled out, watched baseball, and got some appetizers. I didn't partake in the quesadillas, so I can't tell you if they were good. People wolfed it down pretty quick, but that could easily have been a side effect of our strenuous, hardcore calorie-burning dodgeball match.
So yeah, we all sat around and downed some suds (specifically pitchers of Bud Light) after annihilating another team (or perhaps being annihilated? We were very hit-or-miss) at the glorious, glorious game of dodgeball, played traditional-style in a nearby elementary school gym.
But yes, I guess if you make like the Pet Shop Boys and Go West, you could theoretically stop by this out-of-the-way joint. It's not a destination spot, but if you're already in an out-of-the-way part of town, you may as well make a pit stop at Dixie's and drink. At the very least, you won't have to jostle for a drink. It's a real head scratcher of a location, but it's a more than serviceable option.
Keep in mind before you go that I have no idea what the crowd is like outside of a Saturday afternoon (Saturday afternoon = construction workers... and us). To be honest, I don't know if I'd go for the crowd, regardless.Listed in: Come dive with me, let's dive,…
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Review from Lucy L.
4/17/2009
Typical dive-bar with the taxes theme.. If it wasn't for a friend's party I wouldn't come here in the million years. Here are the reason why
1. Dirty as hell ( feel dirty as hell)
2. slow service ( slowest as you can possibly imagine)
3. Nasty beer pong table ( usually its a plus for me.. but this is not a real beer pong table.. if I was playing.. probably would won every single game)
4. Food.. I ate it only bc there WAS NOTHING ELSE better to do
I got the taste of this place.. I AM DONE!! -
Review from Meg P.
New York, NY
9/24/2007
Me: A bar on 11th ave and 51st? Are you sure? I thought there were only car dealerships over there? Ok, I'll be there after the game.
I arrive, after kicking ass in football and desperately need a beer and a gallon of water. The waitress abliges and only charges me $6. SWEET!
I then procede to spend most of the rest of the day there, enjoying those $6 pitchers, and some really good nacho's and waffle fries.
I am not going to make a special trip for this bar but when I am playing football in the area, this is going to be my new watering hole.
Did mention the $6 Pitchers!!! -
Review from Chris C.
North Babylon, NY
10/25/2007
So the only reason I'm here, is that my friend won a one hour all you can drink beer deal at this place. Good enough reason as any to show up at a bar.
While the decor screams, "I wish I were a Texas ranch, but I'm artistically challenged" the music screams "God bless the 80's." Which I couldn't argue with.
My only major complaint with this bar (and hence the 3 stars instead of 4) is that it's nowhere near any subway. If you take the E and walk from 51st and 8th, it takes you over 10 minutes to get there. And I walk fast. Whatever. If you're in the area, it's a very acceptable sports bar/westernesque bar. But barring another free drinkathon, I doubt if I'll make the hike there again anytime soon. -
Review from Brooke S.
Lower East Side, Manhattan, NY
6/4/2008
"What? What did you say? Huh?" Yeah that's pretty much what was repeated throughout our conversation at Whistlin Dixie. Literally, I'm pretty certain they had the music up as high as it would go, like it seemed more like a joke because I have never heard a bar turn the music up so loud that literally you cannot talk to your friends and the waitress has to get in your face to catch your order.
I'm giving it one star because it was clean enough, no hair in my drink or anything, and another because the margaritas were pretty strong. Other than that, don't really have anything good to say. The service was awful because literally they had one waitress working the entire joint and two male bartenders pretty much stood around and watched her work. The food is not good either and they have a very limited selection. The burger smelled and tasted weird and I think we pretty much narrowed it down to the bacon but still unsure, and the nachos were like movie nachos where the cheese comes from the huge can and the black beans were really pasty.
I will absolutely not go back. With so many bars and restaurants in this city, this is definitely not worth wasting time on. -
Review from Ian C.
6/20/2009
After another softball game, we, of course, went out to drink. Since we were playing at the park across the street, this seemed like a good place to go. Plus the other team got into a cab, so we knew they weren't going there. It seemed kind of like a cheesy bar with all the random decorations and signs hanging everywhere. But it was a pretty fun place to be and after a while, you don't actually think about it. Besides, the bartenders are pretty so you're not really looking at the walls. They were cool, too. I got a free beer from one of the bartenders. And later on as I was trying to sober up a little, they didn't charge me for the soda either.
Anyway, the team grabbed some space in the back, ordered some food, which wasn't too expensive. The food bill didn't even break $65 for like 8-10 people. I got the Mac N' Cheese, which was ok. It was good, especially since it was topped with bacon, but because I've had really awesome Mac N' Cheese elsewhere, it's really hard for other places to match up. If the bacon were crispier, and breadcrumbs were sprinkled on top, this would have been fantastic. Some people ordered the sliders/burgers... those looked good.
The music selection, though, could have been better. Who puts on Brittany, Miley and other crappy pop-star songs at a bar like this? At least somebody put on some 80's music afterward. -
Review from Jack N.
Astoria, NY
4/21/2008
Just like garage parking, the farther away from Time Sq, the cheaper it is
Went here for Pre-Earth day "Go Green" free beer event. They had free Coors Light and Twisted Tea for 2+ hrs and free shots a bit into it. Its a good 20 min walk from my work place (51 St and 6th Ave), but can't beat free beer. -
Review from aaron k.
Astoria, NY
5/20/2009
If for some reason you're drinking on the way way west side, this is the place to go to. The beers aren't cheap and their specials aren't anything to get excited about. But the atmosphere is Kitschy- think Applebees' Texas decor. Yeah there's nothing authentically Texas about this place. But the crowd is fun and friendly. They also have beer pong tables that of course are heavily used for drinking games galore. I had a good time, but it's not the kind of place I would go most nights. Once in a while, it's an amusing time.
and because I'm a beer sort of person, I just thought I would point out that the beer selection is well.... poor, very poor. -
Review from N S.
Long Island City, NY
3/25/2009
I thought this place was going to be as tacky as Coyote Ugly and what's that other place in the meatpacking district.....oh..i can't remember.
Well, i was definitely wrong about WDTT. It's definitely not at lame as the other two places. This place is great!
These girls there are great. They know southern hospitality ;0)
It's a fun place and the drinks are decent. They're not stingy on the alcohol.
The bar food was good there. I liked the six shooter sliders, roadhouse fries and nacho grande. Yum...I was full but still order a 2nd round of roadhouse fries!!
The place is cute and it's decorated like you're in a barn. They have pictures and signs of cowgirls.
The issue i have about the place is that its like in the middle of hicks nowhere. It's likes all the way West (11 avenue) midtown. So, you have to walk miles to get to this place. -
Review from Vanessa J.
NY
5/20/2009
After having visited this bar, being from Texas, I was really disappointed some people that have never been to TX might think this place a fair representation... then I realized that there are really a lot of hole-in-the-wall bars in Texas JUST LIKE this place, so it really is a fair representation, if you like gong to dive bars.
A small, crowded bar with uninspired decor and a menu to match, I didn't find myself impressed at all. I was there for an event my boyfriend's company was taking part in - a guitar hero competition of sorts. The employees of the bar seemed nice enough, if showing a little more chest than I care to see. The drinks were fairly cheap ($5 well) and fairly strong. I didn't order any food so I can't address that issue, but as I said, the menu was unexciting by Texas standards.
All around, the place is Mleh... As far as Texas themed places go in this city, Rodeo Bar and Hill Country blow this dive out of the water. -
Review from Vishal D.
New York, NY
9/28/2008
Strange, strange place. A Texas/southern themed Dive Bar is not exactly new in these parts, but a bar on 11th avenue? Seriously 11th avenue may as well be in Jersey- the only other times I've ventured this far in Hell's Kitchen were to check out a show at Terminal 5 or to play a ZogSports game at Dewitt Clinton Park. As far as I could tell, the only thing out there are car dealerships and gas stations, and Whistlin Dixie's is, indeed, a bar around the corner from a gas station.
The only reason I was out here was b/c a friend won a happy hour where he got to invite 20 or so of his friends for free beer for an hour. Clearly something worth walking several long avenue blocks over for. And to be quite honest with you, the place was pretty fun- it doesn't hit you over the head with the Southern-ness in the music department (i.e. is not only playing country, bluegrass etc.), but on a college football Sunday it did exclusively only play the University of Texas and University of Houston games on its several flat screens. Its a pretty good sized bar and its filled with a bunch of dive-y pleasures like Beer Pong.
But jeez, could the bartenders be any more unfriendly? I was given a wristband to signify that I qualified for the free drinks, but once I had that on, the 3 burnt out looking women behind the bar clearly decided they had no desire to serve me. After waiting several minutes at the bar and having one bartender look at me and basically acknowledge my existence 3 times, yet still go over to serve other customers, I finally grabbed her attention, after which she refused to serve me a free drink. So I pointed at my obvious wristband, to which she said you have to be one of the guys in green (my buddy invited several of his friends from his dodgeball team to the happy hour, though it wasn't an exclusive team event). I said no, my friend over there won this happy hour and that's why I'm here- (after which a couple of other people in the group noticed the exchange and clearly corroborated with my story), and finally, after making a face ripe with displeasure, she served me a beer.
But what followed several times after was extremely slow service after which I was passed over several times again (by a different bartender) in favor of other customers for my beer. I don't want to say that I'm the greatest go getter in terms of getting my beer, but I definitely got the attention of the bartender several times only to not be served in favor of later comers to the bar and was consistently greeted with a sour attitude. The place wasn't even that packed despite the happy hour. There was really no reason for this kind of service. To top it off, this bad service continued even after the happy hour was over and I was paying for the beer!
That being said I had a great time there with my friends. Maybe being me was reason for my bad experience and you'll have a good time. But I can only tell you what I know. I definitely don't need to walk all the way over to 11th avenue for service with a sneer.Listed in: The Worst Places in New York…
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Review from Jason H.
New York, NY
12/5/2007
not sure how I ended up here last saturday night given my hatred for having to travel uptown and crosstown in one evening, but I think it had to do with my friend having to go to a birthday party there so the rest of us got dragged.
When we first walked in I was a little pissed. It wasn't crowded, there were only a few cute girls, and it just wasn't my kind of joint. This feeling persisted for the next half hour. That's when things went from bad to good.... what was the catalyst for change you ask? Beer pong of course!!
My buddy and I ran the table for 3 games straight... playing every cute girl in the place. Then when we ran out of victims, and my friend ran off with one of our opponents... a cute bartender challenged me to a 1 on 1 match.
Things get a little fuzzy after that cause she knew how to handle 2 balls very well... -
Review from Sean M.
Odenton, MD
12/4/2007
I was at Whistlin' Dixie's on a Friday night. The beer was cheap ($2 for 24oz. cans of Coors Light... I know its not the quality stuff but for $2 a can it was kinda fun to go cheap), the decor different and fun, and the overall experience was pretty nice.
We didnt know they were going to have a live band and though I usually like live music, this time I really wish they hadnt been there. First off, there was a $5 cover (I'll admit not steep but also unnecessary), and the real problem was that they were WAY TOO LOUD! The bar is not a large space and when I left I was temporarily deaf for a good 10-15 minutes.
This would be a great bar for cheap drinks and food, a relaxed but fun atmosphere, just hope they have music playing but no live band to blast your eardrums out of your head. -
Review from Sarah C.
5/7/2009
On your average night, this Texas themed dive bar is good for only two stars, but if you asked to host a "free gift" happy hour, you get enough free drank to bump it up to three. I was terrified by the cowboy hat wearing skanks featured on their website, but it wasn't actually that bad. The clientele is still a little bit gross, and the bar area gets crowded, but the bartenders work quickly and efficiently, and our party went off without a hitch. We had all you can drink beers and well drinks for two hours, and took full advantage, ordering two and three drinks with each trip to the bar. Once we stocked up on our Bud and Bud Lite (they had promised all draft beers were included, but that was sadly not the case), we settled in for several hours, ordering food and eventually buying more beverages (two for one special for the third hour). The bar area was a zoo, but we had room to spread out and sit down in the back room, which made the whole experience that much more pleasant. I didn't eat anything so I can't comment on what I imagine was less than stellar bar fare, but I can tell you that the bathrooms exceeded my expectations and were quite livable. Also, the bar gets major bonus points in my book for the pictures in each stall of Kelly Clarkson lassoing in a "Don't Mess With Texas" t-shirt. Unfortunately, I lose all mine for recognizing a tiny ink jet printed photo from a three year old Vitamin Water ad campaign. I'm lame like that.
Overall, Dixie's can't be saved from a two star rating, despite our positive experience. This dive lacks real character, Eleventh Ave is no-man's land, the crowd stinks, and you aren't going to have a good time unless you find yourself attending a party like ours. Even then, free alcohol aside, there are much better and more interesting uses of your time. -
Review from Taylor W.
New York, NY
7/18/2008
Yes, this is a solid bar. You can tell when you walk in that it's a neighborhood type of place, and that is something I am a fan of.
Lets go through the place 1 by 1. The drinks are fine and the prices for them are standard. There isn't too much to say about that at all.
The place itself has a certain western feel, which is what they are obviously going for. A wooden place with a few TV's, it is a good look for a bar.
The bartenders are all women and are all quite friendly. They are pretty good looking too, some better than others. The people inside the bar are usually a friendly type, although I guess some are a bit rough around the edges.
The food was surprisingly very good. The burger was quite good, and the fries that came with it were awesome. The wings were great too, and my girlfriend once got a salad and it looked solid and was huge. Don't think I've had anything else from there, but so far they are 100% on all the foods I have gotten. -
Review from Jennifer R.
Hoboken, NJ
5/29/2009
I won a free happy hour and went last night with about 15 friends and we had a great time! The drink specials were great and the bartenders were very friendly. As few of my friends got food and it came out in a very timely manner and my friends enjoyed the food. The bar itself had a very fun but casual atmosphere and we really enjoyed the music as well. The back room was nice, since we could sit but there was room for beer pong or flip cup for anyone who wanted to play, too. I would definitely recommend and we will definitely go back!
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Review from Sammy B.
New York, NY
Updated - 10/2/2009
closed closed closed forever! probably will reopen as irish pub again.
