Skip to content

Top Navigation

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Food
  • Holidays & Entertaining
  • Home & Garden
  • Style & Culture
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Subscribe
Pin FB

Explore Southern Living

Southern Living Southern Living
  • Explore

    Explore

    • These Haircuts Are Going To Be Huge in 2021

      The trendy haircuts you’ll be seeing everywhere next year. Read More Next
    • How To Season A Cast-Iron Skillet

      Learn how to season this Southern kitchen staple in five easy steps. Read More Next
    • The Right Way to Heat a Pre-Cooked Ham

      It's so easy, trust us. Read More Next
  • Food

    Food

    See All Food

    Lost Cakes of the South

    These simple and spectacular Southern cakes deserve a comeback
    • All Food
    • All Recipes
    • Holidays & Occasions
    • Quick Fix Suppers
    • Slow Cooker Recipes
    • Desserts
    • Casseroles
    • Healthy Recipes
  • Holidays & Entertaining

    Holidays & Entertaining

    See All Holidays & Entertaining

    70 Wedding Vow Examples That Will Melt Your Heart

    Fight writer's block and find ways to express your love with these romantic, funny, and short wedding vow examples.
    • Christmas
    • Entertaining
    • Thanksgiving
    • Southern Weddings
    • Easter
    • Kentucky Derby
    • Valentine's Day
    • 4th of July
    • Mother's Day
  • Home & Garden

    Home & Garden

    See All Home & Garden

    7 Paint Colors We’re Loving for Kitchen Cabinets in 2020

    ‘Tis the season to ditch your all-white palette in favor of something a little bolder and brighter.
    • Home Decor Ideas
    • Idea Houses
    • Before & After
    • Inspired Communities
    • Curb Appeal
    • House Plans & Builders
    • The Grumpy Gardener
    • Plant Names A-Z
  • Style & Culture

    Style & Culture

    See All Style & Culture

    50 Books Everyone Should Read in Their Lifetime

    Curl up with a classic!
    • Southern Culture
    • Hair
    • Travel
    • Beauty
    • Pets
    • Southern Fashion
    • Healthy Living
  • News
  • Video

Profile Menu

Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
Your Account

Account

  • Join Now
  • Email Preferences
  • Newsletters
  • Manage Your Subscription this link opens in a new tab
  • Logout

More

  • Give a Gift Subscription this link opens in a new tab
Login
Sweepstakes

Follow Us

  1. Southern Living
  2. travel
  3. south-west
  4. Austin Nightlife

Austin Nightlife

By Stirling Kelso
March 13, 2014
Skip gallery slides
Save FB Tweet
Credit: Jonathan Jackson
Austin’s music and college town roots make it a premiere after-dark destination.
Start Slideshow

1 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

6th Street

Credit: Photo: Art Meripol

Austin’s 6th Street is notoriously rowdy, but you can find grownup respites. Midnight Cowboy, housed in a former brothel, is full of theater. The front door is hard to find, and a martini cart rolls up to your booth for tableside shaking and stirring. Reservations are recommended; the vacancy sign over the entrance is illuminated when walk-ins are occasionally accepted. Head east to Easy Tiger Bake Shop and Beer Garden. Along with 30-plus craft brews on tap—including local suds—dive into Bratwursts and housemade pretzels served with beer cheese.

  • Midnight Cowboy
  • 313 East 6th St., Austin, TX 78701
  • 512/843-2715
  • midnightcowboymodeling.com
  • Easy Tiger
  • 706 East 6th St., Austin, TX 78701
  • 512/614-4972
  • easytigeraustin.com

1 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement

2 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Broken Spoke

Credit: Photo: Art Meripol

When this storied honky-tonk opened 50 years ago, it was surrounded by farmland. Today, it’s shadowed by a 385-unit apartment complex where one-bedroom rates start at $1,300 a month. The dance hall has not lost its soul, though, thanks to weekly two-stepping lessons and regular acts from Austin musicians such as Dale Watson. Don’t miss a chance to walk through the museum—it’s just off the bar—where you can see pictures and paraphernalia from legendary acts like Willie Nelson and Bob Wills.

  • 3201 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704
  • 512/442-6189
  • brokenspokeaustintx.com

2 of 8

3 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Liberty

Credit: Photo: Art Meripol

The experience at this hole-in-the-wall on Austin’s hip East Side is elevated by an East Side Kings food truck, one of chef Paul Qui’s four mobile kitchens, parked in the backyard. Snag a picnic table, and pair a pint with beet home fries—fried and roasted beets served with kewpie mayo—or curry buns made with housemade peanut butter curry and topped with basil and cilantro.

  • 1618 1/2 East 6th St., Austin, TX 78702
  • 512/600-4791
  • thelibertyaustin.com

3 of 8

Advertisement

4 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Moody Theater

Credit: Jonathan Jackson

Since opening three years ago, this 2,750-person music venue has seen the likes of Elton John, the Buena Vista Social Club, and Coldplay. It’s also where PBS’s Austin City Limits Live, the country’s longest running music series, is taped.

310 West Willie Nelson Blvd., Austin, TX 78701

512/225-7999

acl-live.com/venue

4 of 8

5 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Whip In

Credit: Photo: Heather Gallagher

If it weren’t for its tagline—Namaste, Y’all—it might be hard to describe this quirky gas station-turned-restaurant (serving Tex-Mex-ified Indian cuisine), performance space (draped in Buddhist prayer flags), and duo of bars (one for beer, one for wine). Stop in for happy hour, 3-7 p.m. every day.

1950 S I H 35, Austin, TX 78704

512/442-5337

whipin.com

5 of 8

6 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Saxon Pub

Credit: Photo: Winker Whithaneye

Twenty-plus years of local love has left this living room-like music venue a little worn, but it’s a must for its homegrown Austin acts like Bob Schneider, who plays regularly on Monday nights when he’s not on tour.

1320 South Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78704

512/448-2552

thesaxonpub.com

6 of 8

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

7 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

The Continental Club

Credit: Photo: Steve Coonan

This music venue originally opened in 1957 when South Congress Avenue, now a hip and pedestrian-friendly thoroughfare, was considered the other side of the tracks. Today, seeing a show on its intimate stage with a blue velvet curtain backdrop is a right of passage. Look out for local acts like James McMurtry and Tameca Jones.

1315 South Congress Ave., Austin, TX 78704

512/441-2444

continentalclub.com

7 of 8

8 of 8

Save FB Tweet
Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Rainey Street

Credit: Photo: Courtesy Bangers

Almost all of the bungalows in this historic neighborhood, now a top nightlife destination, are converted into bars and restaurants, and many have sprawling backyards. Bar hopping is the way to go: You’ll find more than 50 Texas brews at Craft Pride; head over to Clive to sample smoky mescals. Along with 100-plus beers on tap at Banger’s you can pad your stomach with hearty poutine or Andouille sausages.

bangersaustin.com

craftprideaustin.com

clivebar.com

8 of 8

Replay gallery

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook

Up Next

By Stirling Kelso

Share the Gallery

Pinterest Facebook
Trending Videos
Advertisement
Skip slide summaries

Everything in This Slideshow

Advertisement

View All

1 of 8 6th Street
2 of 8 Broken Spoke
3 of 8 The Liberty
4 of 8 Moody Theater
5 of 8 Whip In
6 of 8 The Saxon Pub
7 of 8 The Continental Club
8 of 8 Rainey Street

Share options

Pinterest Mail Email iphone Send Text Message Print

Login

Southern Living

Magazines & More

Learn More

  • About Us
  • Subscribe this link opens in a new tab
  • Books from Southern Living
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Content Licensing this link opens in a new tab
  • Sitemap

Connect

Follow Us
Subscribe to Our Newsletter
Other Meredith Sites

Other Meredith Sites

  • 4 Your Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Allrecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • All People Quilt this link opens in a new tab
  • Better Homes & Gardens this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Insights this link opens in a new tab
  • Bizrate Surveys this link opens in a new tab
  • Cooking Light this link opens in a new tab
  • Daily Paws this link opens in a new tab
  • EatingWell this link opens in a new tab
  • Eat This, Not That this link opens in a new tab
  • Entertainment Weekly this link opens in a new tab
  • Food & Wine this link opens in a new tab
  • Health this link opens in a new tab
  • Hello Giggles this link opens in a new tab
  • Instyle this link opens in a new tab
  • Martha Stewart this link opens in a new tab
  • Midwest Living this link opens in a new tab
  • More this link opens in a new tab
  • MyRecipes this link opens in a new tab
  • MyWedding this link opens in a new tab
  • My Food and Family this link opens in a new tab
  • MyLife this link opens in a new tab
  • Parenting this link opens in a new tab
  • Parents this link opens in a new tab
  • People this link opens in a new tab
  • People en Español this link opens in a new tab
  • Rachael Ray Magazine this link opens in a new tab
  • Real Simple this link opens in a new tab
  • Ser Padres this link opens in a new tab
  • Shape this link opens in a new tab
  • Siempre Mujer this link opens in a new tab
  • SwearBy this link opens in a new tab
  • Travel & Leisure this link opens in a new tab
Southern Living is part of the Meredith Home Group. © Copyright 2021 Meredith Corporation. Southern Living is a registered trademark of Meredith Corporationthis link opens in a new tab All Rights Reserved. Southern Living may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Privacy Policythis link opens in a new tab Terms of Servicethis link opens in a new tab Ad Choicesthis link opens in a new tab California Do Not Sellthis link opens a modal window Web Accessibilitythis link opens in a new tab
© Copyright . All rights reserved. Printed from https://www.southernliving.com

View image

Austin Nightlife
this link is to an external site that may or may not meet accessibility guidelines.