Saturday, February 11, 2017

Sixth Street Sector Roundup: West Sixth

I did not expect to get through so many bars so quickly. We did only 2 bars in the first night in January, and I figured that we would keep up a similar leisurely pace. But I started having so much fun that I just couldn't stay away, and before I knew it I had conquered West Sixth. It's very difficult to sum up an entire third of Sixth Street in one post, but I'll try.


Clarksville is a famously insular neighborhood, a lasting redoubt of Old Austin, and so many of the bars west of Lamar have a cozy, neighborly feel to them. Some of them have been open for a long time, and even the ones that haven't have an air of intimacy to them, like you can't get to truly know them without spending a lot more time there. I've long thought that Old Austin's sense of aesthetics was basically that of a permanent grad student: somewhat shabby, not particularly impressive or even looking to impress, but egalitarian and welcoming to anyone on the same wavelength. When no one has any money, you find other ways to measure status, but at least everyone is in the same boat, and so bars on the quiet stretch of Sixth look mostly like everything else.

Meanwhile, east of Lamar the street gives way to what you would characterize as New Austin: flashy, modern, nice. There are older bars on the street, in fact some are even older than the ones further west, but this stretch of Sixth is changing too rapidly to leave the older establishments much peace. What's different about the newer bars is the attitude of the clientele, and while some bars have an atmosphere of self-confidence that comes from their heritage, ones that cater to a younger or less deeply-rooted population feel like they could be anywhere. Austin has an extremely high civic esprit de corps, but even one of the most newcomer-friendly cities in the country can struggle to assimilate a new generation of transplants, especially ones with much more money than the past.

But I was genuinely touched by one constant: throughout the whole street, everyone was extremely friendly. It wouldn't be my city without a smile for everyone. Austin doesn't have quite the history that some cities do, and it struggles with its identity in an era of great change, but I hope it maintains its reputation as a city with a handshake and a cold beer for everyone forever.

And now for some statistics!

Top 5 Bars


Using a completely subjective formula that takes into account the quality of the drink, the ambiance of the bar, the friendliness of the bartender, and my own level of intoxication, here are my top five bars:


  1. Ruth's Chris
  2. Café Josie
  3. J Black's
  4. The Rustic Tap
  5. Concrete Cowboy


Booze Brothers participating


Total: 13

  • Aaron: 33
  • Travis: 22
  • Rome: 15
  • Sonali: 8
  • Michael: 6
  • Karen: 4
  • Chris: 4
  • Kyle: 3
  • Ashley: 3
  • Vince: 3
  • Geoff: 3
  • Cristy: 3
  • Louis: 3

Establishments visited


Total: 33

  • Bars: 16
  • Restaurants: 12
  • Clubs: 4
  • Grocery stores: 1

Drinks consumed


Total: 33*

  • Cocktails: 20
  • Beers: 8
  • Shots: 2
  • Other: 2
  • Wines: 1

* Obviously I drank WAY more than that.

Money spent


Total: $279.*

* That doesn't include taxes, tip, or the food or extra drinks I bought.

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