Nightlife - 3/7 - The Austinot

Guide to Austin’s West Sixth Street

August 3, 2016 by Jessica Pino 2 Comments

There are three sections of Sixth Street in Austin: West, East and what locals refer to as Dirty. For locals, Dirty Sixth runs from Congress to I-35 even though technically, and according to street signs, East Sixth starts at Congress Avenue and runs east. But when you hear locals talk about East Sixth, we are referencing anything east of I-35. Don’t get confused by the street signs; you’ll be talking like a local in no time.

West Sixth is the section of Sixth Street that runs west from Congress Avenue. For the most part, the nightlife scene ends at North Lamar Boulevard, but for this article I’ll take us all the way to MoPac as there are several notable bars and restaurants in the extended stretch of West Sixth.

While you’ll find your fair share of bars here–no surprise for Sixth Street–West Sixth is much more diverse when it comes to local Austin businesses. This list highlights the cream of the crop. [Read more…]

Buzz Mill Team Opens Music Venue Grizzly Hall on East Riverside

May 17, 2016 by Talena Ramnath Leave a Comment

Restored wood outlines the walls of Grizzly Hall, creating the same rustic vibe as co-owned Buzz Mill
(Credit: Dave Creaney)

The Buzz Mill on East Riverside has been serving caffeine and booze for the past three years, enticing customers with its lumberjack decor, live music, a spacious outdoor patio space and delicious in-house eats. I particularly enjoy grabbing a brunch plate of chicken and waffles paired with grapefruit mimosas and a large group of friends.

Now, the crew behind The Buzz Mill is expanding operations with Grizzly Hall, their debut music and event venue. Showcasing music and comedy shows, art exhibitions, film events, and beyond, the space is poised to become a popular nightlife option.
[Read more…]

Guide to Austin’s East Sixth Street

May 9, 2016 by Jessica Pino 2 Comments

There are three sections of Sixth Street in Austin: West, East and what locals refer to as Dirty. West Sixth is the section of Sixth Street that runs west from Congress Avenue. For the most part, the nightlife scene ends at North Lamar Boulevard.

For locals, Dirty Sixth runs from Congress to I-35 even though technically, and according to street signs, East Sixth starts at Congress Avenue and runs east. But when you hear locals talk about East Sixth, we are referencing anything east of I-35. Don’t get confused by the street signs; you’ll be talking like a local in no time.

East Sixth as we know and love it today is an eclectic blend of shops, restaurants, dive bars and cocktail bars. It’s also quite new–in relation to Dirty or West Sixth–with the gentrification of east Austin surging in the past 10 years. Here are some of my favorite East Sixth Street establishments you won’t want to miss when you visit. [Read more…]

The Broken Spoke: Austin’s Texas Dancehall Time Machine

May 2, 2016 by Bill Tucker 1 Comment

Welcome to the world famous Broken Spoke (Credit: Christopher Rose via Flickr CC)

The Broken Spoke isn’t just a venue. It’s a symbol of Texan defiance. You won’t take the Alamo without a fight and The Broken Spoke will never change. Even as South Lamar explodes skyward with apartment complexes and hotels, one of the most famous dancehalls in Texas remains intact. A genuine relic of Lone Star uniqueness.

In the course of a four-hour visit, I not only got a chance to breathe in everything this storied establishment has to offer, but I learned why it has endured over 50 years. Underneath the weathered bar neon and aging exterior lies a musical history and sense of family that are unlike anything else Austin has to offer. [Read more…]

Bring Your Own Vinyl Nights Attract Collectors and Listeners

April 13, 2016 by Guest Blogger 2 Comments

Guest article by Alicia Santiago

No, that’s not a misspelling or auto-correct inaccuracy. BYOV stands for Bring Your Own Vinyl. While this unique night has a long-standing presence at a couple of well-known local bars, BYOV nights are showing up in other venues across Austin.

[Read more…]

Places in Austin to Take Your Two Left Feet for Texas Two-Step

March 4, 2016 by Guest Blogger Leave a Comment

Guest article by Laurie Engle

Not having grown up in Texas, one of the things I enjoyed most when I first moved to Austin was listening to live music and watching all the cute couples on the dance floor, having a blast two-stepping. At first, I didn’t know what type of dancing I was looking at, but I quickly decided I wanted to twirl around in a southern gentlemen’s arms wearing a sundress and boots.

You may have a secret desire to get out there yourself, but you’re concerned about not knowing what the heck you’re doing. No worries, I’m going to share with you where to take your two left feet for an awesome class with some of the best teachers in Austin. Our city has no shortage of amazing and truly historic joints to head to when you want to show off your new skills.

Here are three of my favorites. [Read more…]

Go Inside New Antone’s to See Austin’s Blues Legend Reborn

February 19, 2016 by Bill Tucker 1 Comment

The new Antone’s blends beautifully into the new Austin scene (Credit: Marco Figueroa)

Unlike every other good thing discovered in Austin, I first learned about Antone’s in Mopac traffic. I was crawling north towards Route 183 when a ’70s-era van edged in front of me. On its back were hundreds of stickers. Stubb’s. Saxon Pub. Austin Beerworks. As a recently re-located East Coaster, I was still learning the language. But one of them stuck out: Antone’s. With a personal name and classic-looking logo, it looked like my kind of place.

From there, Antone’s was a folktale. Everywhere I looked, I saw references to a legendary blues venue closed only months earlier. Whispery rumors through faded bumper stickers and the weathered remnants of show posters pasted to bar bathroom walls. Whenever I mentioned it to locals, most would sigh and say, “I miss that place.” [Read more…]

Guide to Austin’s Dirty Sixth Street

February 4, 2016 by Jessica Pino 43 Comments

Dirty Sixth Street (Credit: Ian Aberle via Flickr CC)

Whether you love it or loath it, Sixth Street is one of the most iconic streets in Austin. It’s the epicenter of what made Austin the “Live Music Capital of the World.”

Technically, and according to street signs, East Sixth starts at Congress Avenue and runs east, but that’s not what you’ll hear from locals. We refer to the section of Sixth Street that stretches from Congress Avenue to I-35 as Dirty Sixth. Then East Sixth is anything east of I-35. Don’t get confused by the street signs; you’ll be talking like a local in no time.

There are actually quite a few wonderful businesses on Dirty Sixth that aren’t as “dirty” as you might imagine. [Read more…]

Mean Eyed Cat Brings Spirit of Johnny Cash to West 5th Street

February 4, 2016 by Bill Tucker 1 Comment

Warm and welcoming with a dive bar edge: welcome to Mean Eyed Cat! (Credit: Mean Eyed Cat)

For 90% of the world, there’s only one Man in Black. Forget the Will Smith movies; ignore the X-Files. Johnny Cash, one of country music’s original rebels, is the only one who matters.

While you can trek to Nashville to pay homage, there’s a joint right here in Austin that honors the legend through its décor, drinks and demeanor. With more than just a novelty name for a dive bar, Mean Eyed Cat Bar hides quality cocktails, great food and exceptional service behind its roughneck exterior. The result is your new favorite local hangout. [Read more…]

Cap City Comedy Club Is My Favorite Place in Austin and Here’s Why

May 20, 2015 by David Thomas Leave a Comment

Cap City is one of the clubs involved in the annual Moontower Comedy Fest (Credit: Voltaic Video)

Cap City Comedy Club is my favorite place in town. That’s saying a lot, considering the number of businesses and establishments I’ve written about during my time with The Austinot. But I said it and I stand by it. [Read more…]