On Friday and Saturday nights, long lines form at a tucked-away entrance behind Koe Wetzel’s Riot Room in West 7th as eager partygoers wait for their chance to step inside Fort Worth’s hottest new invite-only dance club. The entryway couldn’t be less auspicious. A large green dumpster with bright yellow and red stickers emblazoned with “No Hazardous Materials” and other disclaimers serves as the unlikely gateway to the dance floor below. Here, you’ll need a code or card to gain access to the exclusive party within.
No Vacancy is the latest vision of restaurateur and bar owner Emil Bragdon, who heads several entertainment venues — including Whiskey Garden, Koe Wetzel’s Riot Room, and Reservoir — under his company, Funky Lime Hospitality Concepts.
Bragdon tells PaperCity Fort Worth that the opening of No Vacancy marks a return to one of his first loves, operating an underground dance club.
“In 2014, I had sold my nightclub and was focused on Reservoir and Whiskey Garden,” he says. “I always had that burning urge to go back [into running nightclubs], but the timing wasn’t right. Everything comes in waves. In 2006, nightclubs were prolific. By 2015, they were few and far between in North Texas. The reception has been great so far. This takes you out of the ordinary and drops you into a world where you think, ‘This is exciting.’”
Guests enter through an unassuming door hidden behind a green dumpster, a secretive gateway to the party below. (Photo by Funky Lime Hospitality Concepts)
An Experience Seven Years in the Making
Bragdon says the No Vacancy project started in 2018 when he purchased the current building at 2811 Bledsoe Street with the vision of opening an underground dance club. Basements are largely nonexistent in Texas, so his crew brought in an excavator to haul out dirt and rocks. Then COVID hit, and Bragdon says he lost the motivation to prioritize the project. Construction picked up in 2023 with Bragdon overseeing every design element in the club.
Every tabletop, fixture, and detail inside the club is custom-made. Two bars anchor the space on either side of the intimate dance floor — one radiating high-energy party vibes, the other offering a more refined experience. Eight velvet lounge couches frame the floor, creating an atmosphere that’s equal parts lively and luxurious.
Gaining entrance to No Vacancy requires either a code or a keycard. Special codes are released weekly on Instagram (@novacancyw7) or Facebook. Long-time patrons at one of Funky Lime Hospitality Concepts’ bars or restaurants are gifted entrance cards to No Vacancy.
Hungry after hours? No Vacancy has Automated Taco Machines (ATMs) where hot tacos drop like cash. (Photo by Funky Lime Hospitality Concepts)
Bunker Nights and After-Hours Drinks
This Sunday, October 5, Bragdon and his team debut Bunker Nights, a new series featuring rotating DJ sets that step away from the usual hip-hop and dance floor standards and offer a fresh soundtrack for Fort Worth’s underground scene.
“Sunday is more of a house music scene,” he says. “People like myself who work in this industry Monday through Saturday hear the same exact playlist. By Sunday, we don’t want to hear it anymore. That’s why we are starting Bunker Nights. It’s a great change and a different atmosphere.”
When the lights briefly go up at 2 am on Saturdays, No Vacancy flips into a different kind of lounge. For a 15-minute reset, the bar clears then reopens with an after-hours drink menu built around THC-infused cocktails. Guests can swap a vodka bottle for a THC version that tastes strikingly similar, or order a margarita mixed with a tequila-flavored product. It’s a novel twist that extends the energy well into the early morning hours, keeping the party going until 5 am.
And if you need a late-night bite before heading home, No Vacancy has you covered. Two ATMs — Automated Taco Machines — stand ready to take your order and dispense hot tacos like cash. It looks like Bragdon has thought of everything.