Keeping Tabs: The Whippersnapper

The Whippersnapper is housed in the mural-bedecked space formerly known as the Slip Inn and is brought to us by the guys behind So & So’s, The Standard Pour, and High Fives (which is located right next door). With a disco vibe, pin-up wall art, and just the right amount of kitsch, The Whip is part rowdy dive, part perfect ’70s nostalgia.



The Atmosphere: The Whippersnapper has a retro feel: There are Christmas lights strewn around the bar, a pool table and pinball machine, a plethora of strange wall art (like a poster of a tabby cat in tennis shoes near a print of “The Last Supper”), and several out-of-place objects (like a My Little Pony toy and an oversized C3PO Pez dispenser). The space along the bar is long and narrow, but there’s a deejay booth, more seating, a small dance floor (complete with a disco ball), and huge paintings of naked women at the back of the place. The place is laidback at turns, but you get the sense that it could morph into a rowdy party at any moment.

What to Order: The Whip vends bottles and cans of beer, plus all your favorite liquors. I was told that there’s no cocktail menu, but you can always commit to a 40-ounce Colt 45 or Miller High Life. The bar also vends apple wine in its purest, most regrettable form: Yes, I’m talking about Boone’s Farm. On the day I went, they offered Blue Hawaiian and Strawberry Daiquiri flavors, and I was almost tempted to swill a shot for old time’s sake. However, memories from early in my drinking career prevented me.

Who’s There: The bartenders are sometimes impossible to tell apart from the clientele – they make friends quick and blend right in. Which makes sense, since The Whippersnapper attracts a strong in-the-biz crowd late on the weeknights. More generally, though, you can expect a good local crowd, with downtown and Deep Ellum bar-hoppers winding their way in to party on the weekends. On the night I visited, the clientele consisted of mostly dudes in ball caps, with at least one gorgeous woman taking selfies.

What I Didn’t Like: I didn’t love that there was no draft list – only bottles and cans. (Also, you know what would be cool – if The Whip developed a handful of Boone’s-based cocktails. Or maybe that’s a terrible idea.)

What I Did Like: I missed out on the ’70s by not being alive yet, but I strongly sense I would’ve enjoyed that whole peculiar, disco-y decade. I really liked The Whip’s retro-dive, make-no-apologies sort of vibe. And obviously, any bar with a disco ball has my affection.