West Texas-Themed Bar From Ranch 616 Founder Is Now Open

A new West Texas-themed bar from the Ranch 616 group opened in downtown Austin. The Wiggle Room opened at 612 Nueces Street in the West Sixth area in between sibling bars Ranch 616 and Beez Kneez/Cat’s Pajamas.

Wiggle Room will focus on cocktails, with rotating classics (the restaurant group’s famous Ranch Water is on tap) and inventive creations like the La Pistola Rosa with tequila, pisco, Cocchi rosa, hibiscus, lemon, pepper jelly, and cocoa. There’s also wine and beer. The drinks menu comes from bar manager Howard Franklin Holthoff, previously of essential cocktail bars Drink Well and Midnight Cowboy. Food-wise, there will be snack mixes and Frito pie until sold out.

A press release called Wiggle Room the “eccentric uncle” of Ranch 616. The decor, from Leslie Fossler, Rose Barnett, and the late Kevin Williamson, reflects that with snakeskin booths, a disco ball, and a private room called the Zebra Den. There’s indoor and outdoor seating.

The bar was a longtime project of the charismatic Williamson, who opened Ranch 616 in 1998 and died late last year. The restaurant group is now owned by partners Pam Blanton (owner of PR company Blanton Public Relations), Katherine Clapner (who is also the co-founder of Dallas-based chocolate shop Dude, Sweet Chocolate), and Tony Trungale.

Wiggle Room is opening in the former Rattle Inn space, which has been carved into three bars, two of which opened in 2018.

Although walk-in space is available, reservations are recommended. Wiggle Room is open Sunday through Thursday 5 p.m. to midnight and Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

Update, 8:19 p.m. - This article has been updated with the Wiggle Room’s hours.