Tipsy Clover

Place is closed.
2416 Brazos must be cursed since building tenants Open City, Tipsy, and Red Door all closed down this year. May be a sign of the times in Midtown.

The good or the bad first?
The good: in the middle of midtown so there’s plenty of choices for bar hopping. Large outdoor patio, seating and flat screens thru-​out. Door man was pretty chill.
The bad: the girl at the bar was rude, demeaning and just plain mean to my friends. Although she was nice to me, when someone is just disrespectful to my friends your on my shit list. After telling my friend she was drunk after one drink, saying she didn’t have a tab, and making my friend apologize for something she didn’t do. Wish there was a refund system to get my tips back. She walked away from my other friend in the middle of placing a drink order WTF!
but to be fair maybe the bartender was on her rag…

The staff is amazing. Get to know any of the people here and you will never venture to another bar!
My friends and I hang out in Midtown all the time. Of all the bars in the area, the bartenders do the best job of getting to know you, remembering your name, and best of all — remembering your drink of choice. The door guys will remember your face and not card you every time. Mike, the GM, knows how to treat people. You feel like royalty by the third visit to this place. Next time you’re in Midtown, do yourself a favor and pay this place a visit!

The one time I went here years ago, I don’t remember particularly being fond of it. .. but Girl’s Night Out beckoned and I was assured this would only be our first stop.
Thankfully it wasn’t particularly crowded this Thursday night, but it was rather evening. The bar has kind of a sports bar feel (eww), but I can get a bit overrun with guys with a certain frat air about them or overdressed guys somehow wishing Tipsy Clover was a club. This particularly evening, there were a few casually dressed guys and a girl or two…
The patio is fairly so so — there was some sort of wall fountain that kept spritzing me — annoying!
As for the drinks, mehhh, not very strong, so me no likey! The bartender was pretty prompt and quick, but that’s mostly because there was no one there. I recall the only other time I’ve been here, it was hellacious trying to command the bartenders’ attention.
My girlfriends and I just had one drink here and we immediately moved on. I can honestly say this place doesn’t really feel that welcoming to me and I won’t be back.

Choose wisely. If it’s crowded avoid it. If not head on in. It can be a pretty chill spot some evenings during the week. Other nights it looks like a frat house, which is too bad. I guess that’s midtown though. It is a nice looking bar though, very neighborly feel too it. Bonus points for me being able to walk there too.

Pleasantly surprised. Even though I frequently eat dinner next door, I have avoided Tipsy like the plague. I have heard the word «douchey» used to describe this place too many times. Douchey is just not my scene.
They were relatively empty when we got there around 10pm Saturday night and we found a corner table on the patio to people watch and goof off. The bartender was super friendly and made a killer vodka tonic. So far I haven’t seen the ugly side of this place so I will keep going until then.

This review is very specific to my own experiences here. Fret not.
I have been adding the Tipsy Clover to my regular rotation lately. It’s not far from my work. I like the staff, and on Monday’s they have free poll (billiards for you damned Brits).
So, what’s to like:
I only really go on Monday’s so the place is not packed with the young frat-​like crowd. There are a lot of bartenders that come in on Monday’s because they have really good industry specials and the aforementioned free pool.
The owner greets most everyone as if they are best buds. It makes me feel really special when someone remembers me and treats me nicely. (Maybe that’s because I know how hard it is for me to remember ANYONE)
The patio has plenty of seating and heaters for cold nights. There is also an outdoor bar, although I have never seen it in use since I only go on Mondays.
Sure, there are plenty of negatives. I’ll let you read other reviews for those. I can’t speak to those issues. But, the truth is, for me… Tipsy Clover is a fun and fits the bill (drinking, talking to strangers, and relaxing).

I am editing my previous review, as I now have perspective on why I do NOT recommend this particular establishment. As a preface, I am no longer allowed at the Tipsy for writing a note on my credit card receipt indicating that I did not believe the charges were in order… I wrote a note on a signed credit card tab, so I’m banned. Honestly, I couldn’t have made this up!
Aside from my personal circumstances, this is simply not a bar worthy of visit on a Friday or Saturday night (unless you want to be undercharged and hang out with the graduated frat daddy/​«just turned 21» girl). It’s always overcrowded with people I personally would not choose to associate with. It’s got a good mixture of my least favorite kinds of people all smushed together.
On the weekdays, it’s pleasant, but so is EVERYWHERE else. And I being that this is the ONLY bar, that has me restricted from entry from I’d rather be anywhere else. ;)

The actual bar and surrounding here are not bad, but the open sewer line in the front with poop water flowing out the manhole is another story. I couldnt hold a conversation because when I opened my mouth the odor of poops and disinfectant made me gag. Cold beer though.

This place is great!
I was feeling pretty relaxed last Saturday, just hanging out with a couple of the guys at Lucky’s (see: places I love). We had just finished watching a UFC fight and having some beers, and I was in the mood for
A. Socializing
B. A few games of pool
C. Cheap beer
My friend Dan suggested we check out Tipsy and off we went, 11:30 on a Saturday. Rolling with a guy-​heavy crew of mixed ethnic background (4 guys, 1 girl), we had no issues at the door. This was including Dan, who is, unfortunately, a ginger.
So we cruised out and noticed that parking does indeed suck, but it’s midtown on the weekend. Don’t drive if you can’t hack it.
Anyways, we got in (no line) and the place was packed with a lively and fairly young crowd. The bar was accessible, the service prompt, and the beer cheap (for Midtown). Music selection was on point («Sex Bomb» by Tom Jones? Awesome) and the billiards area in the back was an awesome and unexpected surprise for such a trendy spot.
Give Tipsy a shot — it might be just what you’re looking for.

It would seem, based on previous reviews, that Tipsy Clover has many faces and it puts on its most gruesome one for a Saturday night.
We were a party of 10 (plus a few more who had joined us in a previous bar) of various nationalities, ages and ethnic backgrounds and all dressed up for a good night out.
Let me spell it out…
D.rinks overpriced
U.nbelievable attitude at the door
M.usic was one dimensional
P.arking nightmare
We came, We saw, We moved on.

Wow, after these reviews I’m glad I just had a shitty time instead of getting physically abused. There are usually never any hot girls and the line to the bar is always long. I always make a stop here even though I know its going to suck. The bouncher has never been physical with me but has denied entry to a group of my friends. This place is the perfect hangout for douchebags.

So, I checked out this place on a Sunday evening and sure enough, there was free pool!!! There are only two tables, but it wasn’t crowded and we played for most of the night. The drinks were moderate and the crowd was laid back. This may become my new Sunday afternoon delight :)

Saturday night when this bar is totally bangin’ you can be sure to find all the hottest girls getting down to some of hip-​hops greatest dance floor hits. If you’re not standing in a line that exists purely to suggest some kind of capacity then you can smile to yourself knowing that the only intelligent conversations you’re likely to encounter will be on the topic of platinum highlights and how your best friend is TOTALLY hitting on that guy over there!
That’s Midtown, baby!

F you and F your line.
Pffffttt! Ya… like I’m really going to wait to get in here.
Came here by MISTAKE cause I was suppose to meet some ppl at a private party in Open City.
Wow,… so this is where I can go when I need an ego boost for not being a douche bag, money grubbing, gold digging, a-​hole, status freak loser.

Okay so the only reason I have fond memories of this place is because I met my bf here. Well we had met before but we actually talked to eachother here. This was the only night I had ever been, and its definitely not my type of place. It’s a frat boy hang out and the crowd is not really my type.
About the place:
Its in midtown so parking can be a little tough right in that area. It has a pretty decent sized patio, and a medium sized bar. It gets packed here on the weekends too.
Will I go back? Doubtful. But I did meet a great guy there.

Hrmmm, Tipsy Clover, I might actually be able to review the inside of you if I had made it in the door, but we never reached that point. Suffice it to say that after taking one look at the packed patio and the sorority whores partying it up on said space, I would’ve walked right on by had I not been tagging along with a birthday party. I was being a good sport, though, and was willing to check it out.
We were directed to wait, and so we queued up and waited. And waited. The concept of a line seemed foreign to other patrons, though, whom the doorman waved past. Hmm… what did everyone have in common that was walking in? They were all white frat daddies and bimbos. What did my group have in common? We were mostly Hispanic and didn’t have any boobs hanging out. After about five minutes of this nonsense, my boyfriend and I went home.
The crowd paired with the doorman merits a strong «I’ll pass». Houston is just too egalitarian for anything but «first come first serve»; getting turned away at the door does NOT make me want to come to a club (ohmahgosh) even more. It makes me never come back. Seems simple enough, but this is apparently a really hard idea to fathom for some establishments.

Tipsy Clover gets 4 stars for the under 23 crowd, but 2 stars for anyone over 23, so I went with the average.
About the 4 stars: Good people watching and everyone there seems to be having a good time — if they recently reached the 21 mark, that is. It’s sort of a young see-​and-​be-​seen midtown sort of place. Most people go to El Patio first and have a stiff margarita or two, so the quality of the drinks doesn’t really matter (just stick with beer here — the cocktails aren’t good).
About the 2 stars: If you’re over 23, you will feel really O-​L-​D. If a younger friend of yours drags you here, begin planning your exit as soon as you enter. Red Door is a better option — the crowd is more diverse, the drinks are better, and it’s more fun.

Okay, had I left when I originally wanted to, this place would’ve received a much lower review. But considering I DID stay and I DID enjoy myself, I’m feeling generous with my three stars. Let’s start off with the bad.
This area of midtown is always a hellish experience in regards to finding parking. After circling around a few times, we decided to bite the bullet and valet. This is one of those valet services that changes their price depending on what time of night it is (we got in for $ 6). Not the end of the world, but it just seems so unnecessary.
So we mosey on up to the door, there are three doormen looking bored and checking IDs. When we walked in, it was pretty empty. Not a good sign. We order our drinks (I got a vodka tonic – AWFUL with all lime and nothing else) and grabbed a table. Within half an hour the place was getting packed which meant (evidently) that they needed to blare the music as loud as possible. I found myself screaming to be heard and was irritated by the sudden change in atmosphere.
Another thing worth noting: there is a random busboy that is DIRTY. He came over to our pool table and just watched the girls play pool. Then, we came behind me and «brushed up» against me even though there was plenty of room for him to get around without coming even close to touching me. Later on when we were outside, he came by about ever 5 minutes or so to «check up on us» and would just stand above us trying to get a cleavage shot. Ugh.
The people here are your typical frat daddy/​slutty girl mix. People were generally nice, though the bathrooms are full of the obligatory make-​up re-​touchers and OMG screamers.
What is really shocked me at the end was how we got out of there so cheap. I’m actually wondering if the bartenders put our drinks on someone else’s tab on accident! We were there for about 4 – 5 hours and left with an $ 18 tab.. .for two people.…on a Saturday night. Yeah, if that’s the actual price for an evening out, then I’ll just bring my tazer for the touchy-​feely barback, a sweater to put on the skanky girls, and extra cash for the valet.

I have never left you sober, and therefore you have never left me disappointed.
I would write a lot more about the details of this place so that you can get a better idea… but the details are a bit fuzzy.
So let’s go ahead and assume that the place is fun, and the drinks are great.
Sorry I couldn’t do you more justice with this review, but having spent my birthday party night there…