The video above walks through East 6th Street in Austin — the stretch of Sixth Street that runs east of I-35, separate from the well-known "Dirty Sixth" strip between Congress Avenue and the highway. David Bridwell came out here to play a gig at Industry and took the opportunity to film the neighborhood on a quiet, icy Wednesday afternoon. With a hundred thousand people without power across Austin that day, trees coated in ice, and chunks of ice falling off buildings onto the sidewalks, the streets were mostly empty. That rare stillness made it possible to get a good look at the buildings, bars, restaurants, and general layout of East 6th without the usual Friday and Saturday night chaos of cars speeding through and scooters weaving around.
What Is East 6th Street Like in Austin?
East 6th is an eclectic mix. You'll find cocktail bars, dive bars, taco spots, ramen shops, breweries, food truck parks, and walls covered in graffiti. It has that classic Austin feel — independent, a little rough around the edges — but it's also changing fast. Big condos and micro-unit apartments are going up along the corridor, and gentrification is reshaping the area block by block. On a typical Friday or Saturday night, East 6th gets packed and loud, with people bar-hopping well past midnight. On a weekday, though, it's a completely different experience — quieter, more walkable, and easier to appreciate the character of the individual spots.
What Live Music Venues Are on East 6th Street in Austin?
A lot of the places on East 6th lean more toward cocktails and food than live music. But there are a few standout spots that consistently book live performances:
- Hotel Vegas / The Volstead — A historic hotel turned music venue with a diverse booking calendar. You can catch everything from punk to cumbia to experimental stuff here on any given week.
- The White Horse — One of the most popular honky tonks in Austin, with live music seven nights a week. It draws a big mix of tourists and locals, and the dance floor gets packed once people have had a few drinks. Country, honky tonk, and Western swing are the core of what you'll hear.
- Industry — Located just off 6th Street in the surrounding area. David Bridwell played a gig here on the night featured in the video, and even on a freezing Wednesday with icy roads, the place was packed.
Other Notable Spots Along East 6th
Beyond the live music venues, a bunch of other places show up in the video and are worth knowing about if you're exploring the area:
- Lazarus Brewing Company — A brewpub with a solid beer selection and a laid-back neighborhood feel
- The Liberty — A no-frills dive bar that's been a staple of the East 6th scene
- Grackle — Another reliable dive with cheap drinks and a dark, low-key atmosphere
- Zilker Brewing Company — A local brewery with a taproom worth stopping into
- Swerte — A cocktail-focused spot with a more polished feel
- Whistler's — A popular cocktail bar known for well-crafted drinks and a good patio
- Cisco's — A long-running Tex-Mex restaurant with deep roots in the neighborhood
- The Lowdown Lounge — A casual bar that fits right into the East 6th personality
- The Lucky Duck — Another bar along the strip featured in the video
- Mr. Natural — A juice bar, bakery, and vegetarian Mexican restaurant a few blocks off 6th where you can actually get a solid meal when everything else is closed
If you're heading to East 6th specifically for live music, Hotel Vegas and The White Horse are the two essential stops. Everything else is worth wandering into if you're already in the neighborhood and looking for food, drinks, or just a good walk through one of Austin's more interesting corridors.