Cowboy boots, country music and free late-night chicken tenders are not typical features of downtown Gainesville’s bar scene. But at Whoopi’s, a newly opened country-themed bar, they’re part of the draw.
The two-story venue, which opened this spring, offers a different atmosphere from many of the dance and cocktail bars lining the downtown strip. With bar games downstairs, a DJ upstairs and a laid-back country aesthetic throughout, Whoopi’s is attracting UF students looking for a new kind of night out.
Annalee Watts, a 22-year-old UF information systems and operations management master’s student and a bartender at Whoopi’s, said the bar’s concept stands out from other spots downtown.
“If the person has ever been to Tallahassee, I would compare it to Ken’s at the Strip,” she said.
Inside, the bar is split across two levels. Downstairs features games like pool and cup pong, while upstairs hosts a DJ and dance floor. The setup gives customers the option to either dance or relax with friends — something that can be harder to find at crowded dance-focused venues.
On a typical Friday night, groups gather around the pool table downstairs while others line the bar ordering shots and mixed drinks. Upstairs, country songs and remixes play as patrons crowd the dance floor.
Watts said the bar also offers small touches meant to keep customers coming back. At the end of some nights, she said, the owners will give out chicken fingers and french fries on the house.
The bar is family-owned, which Watts said shapes the environment and how staff interact with customers.
“They actually want them [students] to have a good time,” she said.
John Luu, a 22-year-old UF information systems and operations management master’s student who works the door and as a barback, said the atmosphere tends to stay relaxed during most shifts.
“Typically it’s super chill,” he said. “There will be a handful of nights … that there is a rowdy person here or there, but again it’s a bar.”
He said one of the perks of working there is the same thing many customers enjoy: the free food occasionally passed out throughout the night.
The opening of Whoopi’s reflects a broader shift in how some Gen Z students socialize at bars.
While dance-heavy clubs and packed dance floors remain popular, many students are increasingly drawn to more casual spaces where they can sit down, play games and spend time talking with friends.
Customers say the country theme and welcoming environment help Whoopi’s stand out.
Connor Conte, a 22-year-old UF information systems and operations management master’s student, said he returned to the bar after his first visit because it offers something different from the typical downtown routine.
“I like variety,” he said. “Going to the same place every time gets boring.”
As Gainesville’s nightlife continues to evolve, Whoopi’s is carving out its own niche — one built around country music, casual games and a more relaxed bar experience.
Contact Aaliyah Evertz at aevertz@alligator.org. Follow her on X @aaliyahevertz1.
Aaliyah is a second-year journalism student in her second semester at the Alligator. She is the Avenue's spring 2026 entertainment reporter. In her free time, she enjoys reading and baking.
