Nightlife Overview

At night Austin lights up like a pinball machine. Downtown transitions from all business and politics to neon lights, live music, techno-thumping bars, dressed-up folks, honky-tonks, comedy clubs, fine dining, curbside pizza, and drunks young and old doing the bar crawl. All of this happening at one time and place can provide a vibrant backdrop to one's night. Under Austin's city glow you can have an evening that consists of eating at an expensive restaurant, catching a performance of a local singer-songwriter, and having a drink at a swank bar. Or you can eat a slice of pizza on a street corner and catch a metal band, do some dive bar-hopping, and wake up at 11 a.m. the following day on a stranger's kitchen floor.

There are a few areas with the greatest concentration of action. In downtown there's famous (becoming infamous) 6th Street, which is Austin's version of New Orleans's Bourbon Street. It features bars, live music venues, tattoo parlors, and some tourist shops. On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights around 10 p.m., the Austin Police Department closes off the street. The scene on 6th Street can get pretty rowdy.

For a less sketchy scene, where you'll find men who pluck their eyebrows and women who prefer tapas to an entree, there's the Warehouse District on W. 4th Street and the bars on W. 6th St. Historically the Warehouse district was the brothel district, but today the scene is a bit more upscale, with classy bars, dance clubs, live music, gay bars, and pubs. These are all in converted warehouses with entrances that have steps and concrete landings that are uneven and hard to navigate after you've had a few drinks.

The last area worth mentioning downtown is the burgeoning Red River District. Just a few years ago this area was the dead tooth of downtown--now it's a bustling center for live music. The scene here is mostly rockers, punks, and hipsters. Don't let the slew of tattooed folks wearing black and sporting extreme piercings deter you, as the scene here is generally friendly.

Outside of downtown there are a couple areas where you'll find action. First there's South Congress Avenue.> Here's you'll find a few clubs, some local bars, and some restaurants featuring live music. Far away from the young angst of downtown, this area is a safe bet for a low-key night. Lastly there are the dive bars on Old Burnet Road (pronounced BURN-it) in Old North Austin.

Whatever your preference is for a night on the town in Austin, before stepping out the door, grab a free copy of the Austin Chronicle (issued every Thursday) and check out what's happening in the events section. With the Chronicle, coupled with the listings on this site, tailor an evening that best suits you, or just wander around and let the night be a "Choose Your Own Adventure" type of experience.