Fun and friendly, East Sixth Street is jam-packed with a vibrant mix of restaurants, cocktail bars, dive bars, boutique shops and lots of live music. It’s the main place in Austin to find nightlife, as well as the best place to hear live musicians or seek out an international restaurant. It’s all very eclectic, every establishment different from the rest and determined to offer something unique. Officially, East Sixth Street runs east through Downtown Austin from Congress Avenue, heading beneath Interstate 35 to East Austin.
East Sixth Street between Congress Avenue and Interstate 35 is known colloquially as “Dirty Sixth”. It is Austin’s home of revelry and the pioneering area behind the city’s rise to becoming one of the world’s great live music destinations. Along with the music, there are many enchanting establishments that reveal both heritage and style. Head east of Interstate 35 and East Sixth Street to find dive bars neighbouring sophisticated cocktail bars to stylish restaurants mixing with local eateries, and a recent surge of designer stores joining the old music venues.
Local buses run the length of East Sixth Street. From some parts of the city, it may be easier to take a bus that travels along East Seventh Street or East Fourth Street. Most of East Sixth Street between Congress Avenue and Interstate 35 is closed to vehicles on weekend evenings. It’s easy enough to get around on foot and some of the best bars are found by exploring at leisure.
East Sixth Street has been providing the entertainment heartbeat of Austin since the mid 19th century when it was home to elegant hotels and fashionable stores. Some of the original architecture from this period has been retained, mostly multi-storey Victorian townhouses in a variety of colours.